Finally! Haha! Sorry it took me so long to make an update. It's so hard to write a story without an inspiration *cries* that's why I always listen to songs to write one. Forgive my grammar here. Anyways, put your earphones/headphones on then start reading.

Song: click here

Cold damp air filled the whole area. It was only 3 in the afternoon but the sky started to get dark. Winter solstice, Sulli thought. She leaned herself onto the wooden-framed window of their tree house. She closed her eyes to control the tears from flowing and took a deep breath that didn’t seem to reach her lungs. She knew from that moment that he has to leave, soon.

“Are you sure about this?” Sulli asked, not meeting his eyes.

29 year old Choi Minho stood up from the three-legged wooden stool in the corner of the room and went beside her. “It’s the only way, Ssul.” Sulli cringed at the sound of her nickname. “I have to do this for our country.” He sighed as he continued. “The North started sending nuclear bombs in Seoul for an unknown reason. The government suspected that they planned to invade the South again to reunify the peninsula by force under the communist control of the enemy. We cannot think of any reasons why they’re doing this again. We don’t know what came into the minds of their leaders, or what triggered the North to make this invasion again. This has already happened a few decades back, but killing our fellowmen and destroying our place is just unbearable. We’ve been living in peace for so long, Ssul. We just cannot let those people steal the kind of life we have now”

“You’ve been mentioning ‘we’ for quite a lot now. Does that mean…”

“No Sulli. Please don’t misunderstand. What I mean is me… together with the army,”Minho said softly. He took her hand and cupped her face with the other. He knew that Sulli would feel this way once he told her the news. They miss each other. He’s been away for 2 years and he just came back, then he’s gonna leave again. He knows it would be hard for him and Sulli. But still..... “I’m gonna join the army, Sulli. I need to do this. And I want to do this…to protect my country…family…and you,” he said.

Sulli took a deep breath. “But you just got discharged from your mandatory military service last week.”

Minho sighed. He needs Sulli to understand his situation. “That’s the good point, Ssul. It’s the only advantage I got right now. I learned so many things from the training that are still…fresh, and my body is still has this military hangover lingering in it. I want to fight for our freedom.”

Sulli began to sob. Minho is going to enter the real battle. What if something bad might happen to him? What if he got hurt? What if he got killed? Her chest squeezed at the thought. She knew from herself that she’s just over thinking things but her heart and mind were flooded with worry. She doesn’t know what would be her life without him. 2 years had been long enough to make her crazy, but he being gone forever was more miserable. More tears escaped her eyes.

Minho sighed again. Sulli is making it hard for him to leave. But he understands her feelings. She’s just concerned about him getting hurt. He placed his hands on both sides of her face, wiping the tears with his thumb, and looked at her eyes. “Don’t worry about me Ssul. I’m just gonna do my part as a male citizen of our country. The army is going to do everything they can to prevent history from repeating itself.”

She stared back at him. After how many seconds, she sighed. There’s no way she can change his mind. If that’s what he wants, she must be supporting him, and she must trust him.

“This isn’t you at all. I can’t believe you’ve said those words out of patriotism. The military training changed you a lot,” she smiled faintly.

Minho chuckled and removed his hands from her face, only to place them on her shoulders. “Aigoo, I’ll be fine princess,” he assured her.

Trust him Sulli. It’s the only thing you can give right now, she thought. She exhaled sharply then nodded to herself. She wiped the traces of tears on her cheeks using the back of her palm. “Promise me you’ll come back to this tree house once it's over,” she said.

Minho nodded.

“Don’t die arasso?”

“Yes ma’am!” Minho said with a salute. He giggled but he stopped when her face turned serious. Sulli held out her pinky finger in front of him.

“Promise me,” she said, locking gazes with him.

Minho was surprised. It was the first time that Sulli offered a pinky promise. She can just make him promise like what they normally do, but it was a bit odd for him that she offered a childish kind of making a promise. Her expression told him that she was serious about it, and her stare seemed to weigh on his chest, making him hard to breathe at the moment. It may be childish, but it felt like no matter what happens, the promise should not be broken. His face turned gentle and smiled. He entwined his pinky to hers in a firm grip.

 “I promise,” he said. Once the promise was made, he gathered her in his arms, giving her a tight embrace. He rested his head on top of hers, burying his face in her hair.

 “I’m gonna miss my best friend,” he whispered, kissing her forehead.

Sulli closed her eyes as she felt his lips on her skin, but the last word kept ringing in her ears. Best friend. Best friend. Why does it hurt Sulli? Why? You’re just his best friend right? Nothing more, nothing less. But why does it hurt?