3028th year, 7th month, 16th day: This marked war.

Dust floated through the town of Mato Planet.

The light, blissful laughs of children filled the streets as they ran along the side shooting invisible bullets at each other.

A tall young man ran through the town, avoiding the children and their gun play by slipping his body through every passageway he could find. He wiped off the sweat that was dripping down his neck onto his rugged, old white shirt.

"Where is he?" The young man whispered to himself.
He bowed to each and every adult that he passed by. They all smiled and patted his as he dashed past them.

"He's so cute!"

"He seems to be in a hurry!"

"Such a cute ! I want that!"

He giggled at the elders cute comments.

He ran faster and faster trying to look for someone, but who?

****

Sounds of metal grinding against each other screeched throughout the small repair shop abutted along the other repair stores on the sidewalk.

"Hey! Maknae! You're still here?"

The younger one lifted his head up from the hood of the vehicle.

"Yea. I think I might have to overwork today. The commander said he wanted his spaceship to be done by tomorrow morning, so I have to work," he said with a light smile on his charcoaled smudged face.

"Here take this," the older man said as he threw the younger one a towel.

The younger one smiled and wiped the black smudges off his face.

"So what's your name son? You've been working here for a while, but I don't know your name," the older man said as he smiled.

"You can call me whatever you want. I don't have a specific name," he said as he brushed through his wet, sweaty hair.

"Do you have a nickname by any chance?" the older man asked.

"Well…people used to call me Jepp Blackman in high school..." the younger man said as he swifter his fingers through his hair.

"Jepp Blackman? That's a fascinating name. Okay! From today you're Blepp!”

The younger one, flustered, shrugged his shoulders, “close enough…”

The younger one smiled and nodded his head vigorously.

"Such a happy child. Okay Blepp" he yelled with happiness.

"Hyung! Hyung!" the two men heard.

"Is someone calling me?" the older one questioned.

The younger one shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the entrance of the shop. There stood his younger brother, drenched in sweat holding a suspicious rod like thing.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Jepp Blackman asked.

"We were let out early today! I was going to go home, but look!!" the younger one said as he brought the mysterious rod from his hand onto his older brother's face.

"It's our favorite ice cream!! A man was selling it for only 5 matokis instead of the usual 15 so I bought one for the two of us. I know I should've bought 2, but...I used the money for something else," he said as he smiled.

The older brother couldn't do anything except smile. He was elated that his younger brother thought about him and bought ice cream for the two of them to share.

"Thanks Zelo-yah," he said as he patted his brother's head.

"We have to eat it now! It's going to melt!" Zelo said as he started to jump up and down.

"Okay, okay," the older one said.

As Jepp Blackman opened the wrapped prize, someone's hand snatched the ice cream away and started to eat it.

"Is this for me?" the older man from the repair shop questioned as he bit half the ice cream off.

Both brothers stared with disbelief at the man.

"Hyung...hyung..." Jepp Blackman said as he quickly looked over a his brother.
Zelo looked like he was about to cry with tears in his eyes. Jepp Blackman walked over to Zelo and patted is back.

"Hyung...my younger brother bought that for just the two of us to share...and this is my younger brother. Zelo say hello," Jepp Blackman said as he pushed his hand against Zelo's back and forcefully made him bow.

"Oh! You're his younger brother!" the older man said as he pinched Zelo's cheeks. "My name is--"

"Hyung I think I'm going to go now," Zelo said as he cut off he older man.

"Zelo-yah...I'll see you later at home. Can you keep an eye on Minah? I feel like she's depressed nowadays. Just make sure she eats and washes up. Thanks!" Jepp Blackman said as he patted Zelo's back.

Zelo nodded and hunched his back and walked away.

"Straighten your back! You're such a tall kid, but you always walk without confidence! Zelo-yah!" Jepp Blackman said as Zelo just waved his hand and continued to walk with a hunched back.

The suddenly Zelo turned around with a light smile.

"Mom said to be home early today."

"Today? Why?" Jepp Blackman replied back.

Zelo shrugged his shoulders and walked back with hunched back.

Yongguk scratched his head wondering what day it was today and suddenly remembered his somber co-worker.

"I'm sorry hyung. He's...just sensitive," Jepp Blackman said as he tried to comfort the older man.

The older man, still dazed, looked at Jepp Blackman and walked into the store again.

"Ha....." Jepp Blackman sighed as he entered the shop.

 

****

Jepp Blackman POV

"Zelo-yah! Minah-yah! Mom! I'm home!" I said as I entered the small metallic looking house. Though it was the future, there were still many houses that were still undeveloped or people were just too poor to live in a better home. For us, we were too poor.

I entered the home with my bag filled with tools while wearing black and dusty overalls.
"Zelo-yah!! I'm home! Guess what I bought?"  I shouted, but no one replied.
I scratched my head as I checked every room to see where everyone was, however all the rooms were empty.
"Mom? Mom?? Mrs. Bang?" I shouted for my mom, but there was no reply.
I kept scratching my head wondering why no one was home. Was it someone's birthday? Did someone pass--that's when it hit me.

My dad.
It's was his 3rd death anniversary. I felt like that I forgot my own father's anniversary.

I quickly ran to my room and let go of everything in my hand: my phone, tool bag, pay check, everything. My mind was white.

Suddenly I heard the front door close.

“Is that Zelo and Minah?” I thought.

I carefully walked out of my room and looked out to see who it was.

It was mother. She had a handkerchief in one hand and the other hand was across her chest.

I heard her cry, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t care for you honey…I’ve been such a bad wife.”

Tears started to form in my eyes, but quickly went away when I saw Minah and Zelo walking in. Minah looked somber, probably remorseful that she wasn’t able to meet my father. Zelo seemed like he didn’t care as much because he’s still young. I turn around, back to the wall, and let the tears fall from my eyes. I don’t think anyone has ever seen me cry; and I don’t want people to. After hearing footsteps come near the corner, I quietly slid into my room, shut the lights off and went underneath the blanket pretending to sleep.

I was still in my work clothes: dirt, tar and dust everywhere, but I didn’t care. After snuggling with my blanket, I heard my room door open.

“Oppa…are you sleeping?” Minah asked.

I didn’t reply.

“Well if you’re not, there’s food prepared outside if you’re hungry,” she said with her sweet voice.

I stayed quiet thinking she would leave after the silence, but she didn’t. Minah walked closer to me and tapped on my shoulder.

“Oppa…I know you’re not sleeping. Get up,” she said with a little smirk on her face.

I didn’t want to get up because I was embarrassed that she knew, but I couldn’t help it; she is my fiancé.

Abashed, I removed the blanket from my body slowly, smiling at Minah.

She smiled back and wiped the sweat off my forehead.

“I heard you crawling to your room. Why didn’t you just come out?” She asked with a warm smile.

That’s what I fell for: Minah’s warm personality.

In the world we live in now, it’s really hard to find someone who actually cares about you or has consideration of you, except for Minah. Her warm smile, cute eye smile, cute nose, friendly personality: everything just came perfectly.

I won’t get into specific details of how I met her, but it was a special meeting because that was the day I realized that the love of my life was in front of me.

 

After seeing her warm smile, I slowly got up from my bed and immediately gave Minah a huge bear hug. She was startled, but pleased. She hugged me back which made me flash a huge gummy smile. I kissed her neck, her ear, her forehead, her nose, her cheeks and was slowly going down to her lips, until...

“Hyung~~ Yongguk hyung~~ Mom wants you to – WHOA! MOM!! MOM!! HYUNG & NOONA ARE—“ I quickly got up and ran towards Zelo trying to shut him up.

“Zelo-yah…we’re engaged; it’s natural to be kissing each other and holding each other.”

Zelo’s face blushed and turned a light pink.

Minah, abashed, got up and ran for the door, but I quickly grabbed her forearm and pulled her in for a kiss. It was a passionate kiss because I wasn’t able to see her for a couple of days because of work. I swiped my fingers through her long, brown hair and then grabbed her cheek. She slowly closed her eyes and brought her arms around my neck.

“EW! MOM! HYUNG & NOONA ARE BEING WEIRD!!” Zelo whined.

I couldn’t help, but laugh at his cute reaction. He made me cut off the kiss. Minah was taken aback and quietly blushed. I smiled and rubbed her cheeks with my fingers. She soon smiled and hugged me. Zelo ran away into the kitchen.

We soon followed after Zelo and reached the kitchen.

I looked at my mother and felt a huge hole in my heart.

“Yongguk-ah! You’re finally home! We’ve missed you!”

I rub the back of my neck and smile at my mother.

She smiled back and soon told us that the food was ready.

We all went to sit down at the table and dug into our food.

My mother looked at us with love. She was such a caring person; I was thankful that she was my mother.

I saw my mother scan the whole dinner table and noticed how she looked at Zelo. She looked at him pitifully; probably because he’s still young and doesn’t know anything about the world yet. But it was strange: he’s 18 years old, but he still finds kissing and hugging weird. Such a strange child.

Zelo started to cough because he choked on his food. My mother gently tapped his back and offered him a glass of water.

“Stop eating so quickly! No one is going to steal your food, don’t worry!”

Zelo smile and returned back to his food.  

After dinner, my mother called Minah and me to the living room.

“My handsome son and beautiful daughter-in-law…is there any news about, oh I don’t know, a baby?” She said with a great smile.

Minah choke on the tea she was drinking and I slightly avoided my mother’s eyes.

“Um…mother…we don’t have plans anytime soon,” Minah said cautiously.

“Oppa is always so busy and he’s always home late, so we didn’t have the time to…spend time together,” she said as he cheeks flushed a bright red. I tugged at my collar shirt, feeling a bit hot.

“Oh…well…how about tonight?” My mother said without hesitating.

Both Minah and I coughed and flushed a right red. I shook my leg and tugged on my shirt. Minah lowered her head, unable to lift it up from the embarrassment.

“Mom…” I said sternly, but was soon cut off.

“Come on! You guys are still young! You guys probably have the energy to—“

“Okay mom…we got it,” I stuttered.

My mother quietly smiled and turned the television on.

I looked at Minah, but soon turned away when our eyes met.

Yea we’ve been engaged for a couple of months, but I think we should be married before having any children. But, of course, my mother doesn’t understand the whole marriage thing because she didn’t have a wedding ceremony and just gave birth. However, times have changed.

“Minah—“ I say, but was cut off from the television.

“BREAKING NEWS! IT IS SAID TO BE THAT EXOPLANET WILL BE WAING WAR ON MATO PLANET. THEIR LEADER, SM, STATED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A WAR. ARMY OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING FOR HEALTHY, MALE SOLDIERS WHO CAN STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THEIR COUNTRY. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR ALL MALES FROM THE AGES OF 17-35. IF YOU FIT THE REQUIREMENTS, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO COME AND FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY!”

There was silence in the room.

Yongguk: 24 years old, 60 kg, 180 cm = QUALIFIED

Zelo: 18 years old, 65 kg, 184cm = QUALIFIED

“Yongguk-ah…do you think….do you think they’ll take you and Zelo?”

I sat there, dazed, thinking how I was supposed to react to this.

Minah looked over at me, but I didn’t react. I came back to my senses and looked at my mother. I saw tears in her eyes; I didn’t want her to lose us like she lost my father…in war.

My mother shook her head vigorously, opposing Zelo and me going to war.

I held onto her and wiped her tears away.

“Don’t worry. I’ll try my best to make sure we’re not drafted. Don’t cry…” I said with a croak in my throat. I lifted my head trying to get rid of my tears, but failed. I held my mother in my chest and placed my head on her shoulder and cried. I cried and screamed, feeling weak.

Minah walked over and hugged us as well. She started to cry, but I told her not to. I didn’t want the two woman I love in my life to be crying over me. I got up and smiled.

“Don’t worry. Whatever happens…I’ll make sure I protect Zelo."

"I promise.”