There was a hush in the officer’s mess; all eyes on the unusual pair that sat nervously in the far corner.  The officer’s wondered if they should vacate the premises and give the couple their privacy.  One by one, encouraged by each other, they left; only the cook remaining behind in the kitchen.  The last man out shut the door, flipping the “closed” sign before he did.

 

General Park shifted nervously in his seat as he faced his greatest challenge; the talk with his future daughter in law.

 

Dara smiled and the General felt himself shudder.

 

This wasn’t going to be easy.

 

“You are a delight, my dear,” he finally spoke.

 

The girl blushed and covered her face with her delicate hands.

 

“You understand of course, that my son is a hopeless romantic.  He’s also a bit of a player.  You’ll need to keep him in line.”

 

Dara burst out laughing; the general too, chuckled heartly.

 

“He is very naughty, isn’t he?”

 

Dara’s future father in law nodded his head.

 

“If I may be frank, I know that your father is not exactly happy with your choice.  Would you like me to talk to him?”

 

Dara puffed out her cheeks.

“My father already had a chat with Yoochun.  I’m not sure how it went.  Neither of them have spoken to me about it.”

 

The general nodded his head.

 

“I’m sure Yoochun was very uncomfortable.  I know how he feels.”

 

Dara reached out and clasped the general’s hand within her own.  He was touched by the gesture; looking intently into Dara’s eyes he understood why his son loved her so much.

 

“Everything will be alright, father,” she whispered to him, even though there was no one there to hear them.

 

This time the general blushed; it had been a while since he had been alone with a woman.  The divorce was a long time ago and since then he had become too busy with politics and the war to even think about another relationship.  He thought about telling Dara about his ailing health, but he changed his mind.  He didn’t want to ruin the moment.  She would find out eventually, just like everyone else.  Chun would confide in her no doubt, but he had made a promise to his father to keep it to himself for the time being.

 

“Well,” the general sighed; “shall we go out now?

 

He stood up and extended his hand to Dara.  Blushing once more, she took it; the couple slowly striding out of the officer’s mess.  The cook nodded to the general as he continued wiping down the countertops.

 

They strode arm and arm; ignoring glances as the general escorted the pretty nurse back to the infirmary.  At the doorstep he let her go; they bowed respectfully to each other; the general putting on his cap and walking proudly back to his office.

 

With a lilt in her step, Dara opened the door to the infirmary but stopped as she heard familiar voices.  She stood still and listened; eavesdropping on the two men she had grown to love; one her comrade, the other her future husband.

 

“Su-ah baby,” Yoochun moaned…”

 

Dara’s eyes grew wide.

 

“Su-ah…”

 

Dara peeked around the corner.  Yoochun was following Junsu like a puppy dog, the doctor puttering around; he tried his best to ignore Yoochun’s pleas.

 

“Baby,” Yoochun moaned again; “you’ve got to help me out.”

 

Junsu stood with his hands on his hips.  Yoochun stared at him with his dark eyes now wide as saucers.  It looked like he was going to cry.

 

“You said you’d do anything for me Junsu-ah.”

 

Dara watched, not sure how to react, as Yoochun seemed to flirt with the doctor; his slender fingers touching Junsu’s skin.  The young nurse stood mesmerized as her lover buried his head in the crook of the other man’s neck and wrapped his arms around his waist.  Dara shivered as Yoochun pushed Junsu up against the wall; the doctor’s face flushed as his friend continued his unusual behavior.

 

“You said you love me,”  Yoochun whispered in Junsu’s ear; Dara bit her fist to keep from making a sound.

 

Junsu rolled his eyes.

 

“You’re not Jaejoong, and I’m not Yunho.  This sort of stuff won’t work on me, and I bet it won’t work on Dara either.”

 

Dara took a deep breath.  She came out from behind her hiding place and confronted the two men.

 

“What won’t work on Dara?”

 

They jumped; the pretty nurse catching them off guard.

 

“Hey baby,” Yoochun spoke, but his face turned to shock as Dara frowned at him.

 

Junsu started to walk away, but Dara’s voice made him freeze.

 

“Where do you think you are going?” she scolded him.

 

Yoochun and Junsu looked at each other and then at Dara.

 

“Is there something going on that I should know about?”

 

Junsu stepped forward.

 

“Chun is looking for his medical discharge papers so he can return to active duty.  I’m not ready to sign them yet.”

 

Yoochun lowered his head.  He looked completely dejected.

 

The pretty nurse nodded in reply.

 

“Thank you Junsu.  I’m glad someone around here is level headed.  Come along Yoochun, it’s time for your medicine.”

 

Dara grabbed Yoochun by the hand and dragged him back to his room at the infirmary, her lover still protesting and calling out to Junsu for help.  The doctor laughed under his breath as he was finally able to return to his duties.

 

“Junsu baby?” Dara asked as she handed Yoochun some pills and a cup of water.

 

The runner smiled nervously then swallowed the pills.

 

“It’s nothing,” he told her.  “We just flirt sometimes. It’s not what you think.”

 

Dara took the cup and looked intently into her lover’s deep, brown eyes.

 

“And what do I think?”

 

She batted her eyelashes at him, waiting for an answer.

 

Yoochun sighed.

 

“You think Junsu and I are in a relationship.”

 

The pretty nurse crossed her arms over her chest.

 

“And?”

 

Yoochun shook his head.

 

“We’re just really, close friends. Sometimes we get this way.”

 

Dara’s curiosity got the better of her.

 

“What about Changmin? How was he with the rest of you?”

 

Yoochun laughed hysterically.

 

“Changmin only loves himself; that and food,” he chortled.

 

Dara continued to press the subject.

 

“And Jaejoong?  Does he and Yunho really feel that way about each other?”

 

Yoochun paced the floor.

 

“It’s complicated.  I’m not sure.  They were really close before the war.  Too close some would say.  I think they have strong feelings for each other, but we don’t know if they ever acted upon them, if you get my meaning.  Jae is, well; he’s Jae.  It’s hard to describe.  He gets really touchy feely with Junsu and I.  Sometimes it’s unnerving.  Sometimes it’s…”

 

Dara looked into the runner’s eyes.  She could tell the conversation was making him very uncomfortable.

 

“Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this but, sometimes I like it.”

 

The silence was deafening.

 

“So, are you?”

 

Yoochun bit his lower lip.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

Yoochun sat down on the edge of his cot and took Dara’s hand in his.

 

“What I do know, is that I really care for you.  I love you, and I want to marry you.  Will you take me as I am, despite my flaws and my flirtatious nature?”

 

Dara hugged him lightly and planted a gentle peck upon his cheek.

 

“If I hadn’t accepted you, I wouldn’t have had that awkward talk with your father this evening.”

 

Yoochun’s heart skipped a beat causing him momentary distress.

 

“You did what?”

 

Dara glared at him.

 

“Hush now, husband.  Lay down and get your rest.  If I find out you leave this room to pester Junsu or go for a drink and a smoke with Jaejoong I will beat you severely.”

 

Yoochun pulled the covers over his body.  He hugged the pillow and sighed deeply, content in the fact that Dara had accepted his proposal.  Deep down inside him, he wondered if he deserved her.

 

“I’ll be good to you,” he promised her under his breath as he drifted off to sleep…

 

...The package was small; with trembling hands he opened it, producing a blue plastic inhaler which was still intact.  He shook it a few times.

 

“Still good,” Jaejoong mumbled under his breath.

 

He peered inside the padded envelope and spied the note within.  Unfolding it, he tried to steady his pulse.

 

“I am returning this in the hopes that the owner can still use it.  There has been no news for sometime, so I don’t know if you will receive this.  Our mutual go between is risking a lot and I’m afraid he may have to stop soon.  We are surviving.  Our ‘little one’ knows nothing of our correspondence, and I want to keep it that way.  He has changed so much, and I am worried.

There is a rumor that a major foreign power may take your side.  If this is true, the tide may turn in your favor.  It’s treason to talk of these things;  but if it’s true, the conflict may end sooner than expected.  If you can, respond to me one final time; I must know that all is well with you and the others. This will be my last letter.”

 

Jaejoong crumpled the note in his hand.  He walked outside his tent and lit a cigarette.  With the remainder of the burning match, he lit the note on fire and put it on the ground, making sure no one saw him.  The medic watched as it burned, making sure nothing remained but ash.  He tossed his half smoked cigarette on top of it and put it out.  Lastly, he kicked some dirt over the remains and stomped on it with his boot.

 

Jaejoong took a deep breath and made his way to the infirmary.  He waltzed through the door, checking to see if anyone was looking.  Dara was nowhere to be seen; she was off attending to other wounded soldiers.  Yoochun was sitting up in his cot; Junsu wrapping fresh bandages around his body.

 

The medic took the inhaler out of his pocket and tossed it to Yoochun.

 

“You dropped something,” he told the runner.

 

Junsu and Yoochun looked at their friend.

 

He nodded, and they understood.  With heavy hearts, they returned to the business at hand.

 

Jaejoong stepped outside and lit another cigarette.  He stared at the sky, now pocked with stars.

“Soon,” he told himself; “soon.”