Ahreum stares at herself on the mirror as she wipes her own tears. This is the day, the day that they’ve been preparing for. Kyungsoo’s enlistment. Up until today, her decision not to come along isn’t changed, she just can’t bear to see him go, to send him off like that. She’d rather act as if he’s just going to work like the usual. “You’re going to be okay. . .” She mutters to herself while sniffing. As if on cue, there was a knock on the bathroom door which made her turn. Immediately, she reaches for the knob and opened it.

Of course, it was him.

“I’m all done. I’ll just wait for Appa.” He speaks with a solemn voice while pulling her out of the bathroom. Ahreum’s eyes landed on the triplets who were all awake on their foam beds already, all three were looking at their direction. “Okay. . .” Ahreum briefly answers before walking to the bed instead. Kyungsoo sighed and stared at her back figure. “I’ll be busy throughout the day, I’ll go hang out with my celebrity friends, I might bring our sons along.” She then speaks while sitting down.

It was all quiet in the room.

“Ma~ ma~ ma~” Daehan, Minguk and Manse started calling for her while crawling to her feet. Since Minguk arrived first, she lifted him up and looked at Kyungsoo who just stayed there at one corner. “Have you said your goodbye to them?” She asks making the guy look away with his curled eyebrows. “Oppa, they can feel it if you’re avoiding then. And you’ve been avoiding them since yesterday.” Ahreum adds and this time, Kyungsoo walked to the other corner and sat down on the couch. “I’d rather not to. I-it’s okay.” He briefly answers while massaging his temples.

Until Daehan and Manse started crawling away of the foam and onto the carpeted floor. Tears started forming in Ahreum’s eyes again as she watches her two sons crawl their way to their dad. Minguk on the other hand started whimpering while reaching his short arm to Kyungsoo’s direction as well as if wanting to go to him as well like his brothers. So Ahreum stood up and walked to the other two and put Minguk down with them to crawl. Eventually, they arrived by Kyungsoo’s feet trying to get his attention.

“Oppa, get them.” Ahreum muffles with her shaky voice seeing how Kyungsoo stays motionless while having a hand over his eyes. “Ba. . . ba b-ba. . . ba. . .” The triplets started letting out such sounds as if calling out for their Appa. Manse was the first one to be able to stand up slowly while holding onto Kyungsoo’s leg. Followed by Minguk and then Daehan. “Oppa, don’t be like that.” Ahreum startys crying while covering .

And that’s when Kyungsoo lifted each of them onto the couch and being the last oen to be carried, he hugged Manse first. He closed his eyes tight while rubbing the baby’s back. “Be a good boy to Eomma while Appa’s away okay. Don’t be naughty. I’ll trying my best to go home whenever I can and then we’ll play.” He muffles and kissed the baby on the lips before putting him down aside and lifted Minguk up next. “Minguk-ah, listen to Appa well okay. I’ll be away for a while and only have short vacations in between, don’t fight with Daehan Hyung and Manse okay.” He reminds the clueless baby who was staring back at him. “You’re so cute. . .” Kyungsoo cries out before placing a deep smooch right on the baby’s chubby cheek. Then last but definitely not the least, he lifted Daehan up.

“Hyung, take care of your brothers and Eomma while Appa’s awake okay? Be good. . .” he lastly reminds before kissing the baby on the forehead. Thinking that their dad was only cuddling with them, they started giggling while trying to get on his hold as well. Kyungsoo looked up for a while and wiped his tears that have already crawled down his cheeks. So putting the triplets away from his lap, he stood up while sniffing. “I can’t do that for too long, please respect it. I’ll just go out first and wait there.” He mutters as he passes by his wife. He walked to the bed and grabbed his bag. As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

Ahreum closed her eyes tight and started crying silently.

“Yah. . .” he calls making Ahreum turn while wiping her tears. “Aren’t you going to say something?” he then asks. Only looking away again, Ahreum walked to the couch and out each one of the triplets down so they could play around the carpet. “I’ll still wash them up. Appa’s probably there anyway.” She answers as casually as possible. “You want to make this simple too? Okay. . . I prefer that too.” Kyungsoo nods while clearing his throat. He stares at her direction a few meters away from him. “As soon as I could, I’ll have a furlough so we don’t have to make this too complicated. Okay.” He said only earning him a curt nod from her. “Be careful.” Ahreum briefly tells as she walks to the bed and started fixing it as if Kyungsoo didn’t exist inches away from her now.

“Once I’m allowed to, I’ll give you a call. Always have your phone with you, okay.” Kyungsoo reminds and again, only earning him a simple nod from her. “O-okay. . .” he muffles and hesitantly patted Ahreum on the shoulder, not knowing what else to do. He doesn’t know if it’ll be easier if he hugs her, still. “When you start working again, don’t overwork. And eat on time, I won’t be there to force you to eat like before. Alright.” He continues reminding her. “I-if. . . if I go home for a furlough and I see that you’re so thin, I’ll get mad at you.” He adds and wiped the tear that has escaped from his eye.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Immediately, Kyungsoo walked to open it. “Appa.” He calls and gave his father a meaningful look before turning to Ahreum again. “I’m going to leave now.” He said. Turning to them with a forced smile, Ahreum nods and bowed at her father-in-law. “B-be careful on your way there.” She tells and Mr. Do gave her a solemn smile and nod. Kyungsoo turns away quickly and completely stepped out of the room. “Have you said goodbye to all of them?” Mr. Do asks softly. “I did. It’s all fine now.” Kyungsoo answers and closes the door behind him.

He could barely breathe properly right now.

All he could think of is his sons and wife whom he won’t be able to take care of for a while.

“It’s gonna come and go. You won’t even realize one year a