Chapter 1

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First things first, this story is partly true because I’ve taken the idea of my uncle’s story about his first love. He gave me the permission and as I listened to it, it was fascinating (for me) He didn’t give me the full on details so half of this is fiction.

This happened a long long time ago it was like 1980’s? Something like that and he was a police. *wink wink he’s so awesome* I decided a soldier instead of a police though.

I created a fictional province though named Samgyong—where kyungsoo and baekhyun stays.

This story would not go totally 80’s but I will try. *wink wonk wink* And the war…

Comments if I did a great job!

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“Do Kyungsoo you effin know that we’re dead if we get caught here.” Byun Baekhyun warned his bestfriend about his outgoing attitude again but the latter seemed not to care about the precautions. Instead, he gripped Baekhyun’s wrist tighter and peeked through the small office’s window. “Where is my sister’s package?” His eyes squints as he ran his vision at every corner of the room.

Baekhyun was anxious especially because he was a lookout.

“We should be at the center.” Baekhyun whispered in a soft hush but not regretting. They were troublemakers and these kinds of scenarios weren’t even new to them. “Hurry up.” Baekhyun urged when he spotted a local carrying coconuts pointing them.

“Shut up! I can’t concentrate!” Kyungsoo protested that got Baekhyun quite panicking. The old man was really walking towards them while shouting, “Hey kids! Why are you not at the Center!?”

“Kyungsoo—“ Baekhyun says out of his patience. When Kyungsoo heard the old man approaching them, his grip on Baekhyun faltered and on his face plastered a so--this grin. Kyungsoo deeply held a quick sigh before muttering, “Run.”

“Yah!” The old man called, setting down the coconuts and still pointing the two running away. It was twelve noon and he knows that boys like Kyungsoo should be at the Center and not playing around. They might get caught by the officials and can even get their tangled trouble messy.

“You know what?” Baekhyun huffs a breath, seeing the roof of the center from afar. “The only thing I’m grateful for our island is that it’s out of the warzone.”

“You had to say.” Kyungsoo rolled both of his eyes before completely stopping a few meters near the gate. “There’s that guard again.”

“So? Let’s just cross the wall.” Baekhyun suggested, both eyebrows wiggling. Kyungsoo shrugged, his bones aren’t built for action but seeing that the guard wasn’t even moving from his spot, he agreed. The wall wasn’t that hard to cross. There were trees beside it and it was low enough for them to climb. The two were mainly experts on this—mainly because they were law breakers and whenever Kyungsoo’s mother would get fumed at him, he would climb a tree and spend his whole night there.

Dirt covered their knees when they got down the wall. There was no one roaming around at this hour, maybe because it was time for recreational activities. Kyungsoo groans and wiped his hands from the tree’s disturbing mushy filth. The two chuckled for a second when they thought that they were safe—only the happiness to be broken by one of their teachers, Ms. Im.

“You boys never learn.” Yoona warned and stepped closer to the two whose mouths were sealed and adam’s apple bobbing up and down signifying how the plan turned disastrous. “Okay, explain.” Yoona crossed both of her arms and calmed herself.

Kyungsoo elbowed Baekhyun for a reply, “W-We were j-just from the bathroom.”

Yoona deadpanned, “Bathroom’s the opposite way and it doesn’t require climbing trees Byun.”

Her response made Baekhyun go speechless. Yoona was sweet but when she’s on her job, she’s strict as hell. Yoona turned to Kyungsoo, flicking her tongue.

“I-It’s the 23^rd,” Kyungsoo started, clutching both of his fingers as he lets out a shaky breath. “M-My sister’s package would arrive soon. W-We just wanted to check if no one w-would steal it unlike the l-last time.”

“Your sister in Seoul again ey?” Yoona sighed, knowing that the issue isn’t going to die. She knows the obsession of these boys of exploring and learning the outside lands which were quite cruel and not safe after the war. Yoona just tapped Kyungsoo’s shoulder and urged him to walk back to their room. Same went with Byun Baekhyun with a disappointed expression written on his face because of the dead hope that Yoona was going to spear them from the boring activities that they both dreaded the most.

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“What if someone stole it?” Kyungsoo worriedly told Baekhyun while he sewed a rug in a fast manner. “Baek, that’s the only thing keeping my sanity here.”

“Relax,” Baekhyun returned the apprehensive whisper. “It’s safe.”

Kyungsoo trusted Baekhyun’s words and continued ing the needle towards the blue rug. Their time was spent in mere silence as Yoona roamed around, checking the other boys and girls at the same age if they’re doing their tasks right.

The Center was school for each local to train them on how to be productive. The Island province is called Samgyong. It was located at the outer corners of South Korea. The Island definitely survived the war it it became a resting place and quite like a sanctuary. The soldiers come for training and resting here for less than two weeks and return back to their bases. Help and food is also on donation at Samgyong.

And Kyungsoo believed that they were lying about the aftermath of the war. It’s been years and it’s still what they’re blabbering about, that it wasn’t safe.  If Seoul’s still not safe, then why are his sisters even there? It was unfair that it’s him to be the only one left with his drunktard mother at the island. He should be the one exploring or making a living.

After killing their time at the Center, Kyungsoo ran back home but the clumsy boy bumped at minseok while he entered the house. Minseok scratched his nape and asked Kyungsoo why he was such in a hurry.

“Hyung, where’s the package?”

Minseok bit his lowerlip. “It arrived three hours ago and your mother already got the money.”

Kyungsoo frowned from the statement. He would’ve loved the idea of his mother handling their finances given by his sisters but the problem is that his mother only wastes it for liquors and majhong. Minseok reassured that there was still something for the boy and it wasn’t such a disappointment when he got to his room and found the ripped package.

Kyungsoo let his hands roam around the opened box. “It feels like Seoul and it even smells like Seoul.” He murmured like a maniac before diving on what his sister might gave him.

Kyungsoo gasped from feeling the soft cotton shirt on his hands. The shirt had something printed on it saying, “Se Oul” It only delighted and pulled Kyungsoo’s hopes that someday, he could also go to Seoul.

There was even a small letter inside saying that She was good in Seoul and that Kyungsoo should take care of himself and their mom.

It made Kyungsoo somewhat sad and angry.

He just can’t help it.

He felt so lonely when his sisters left and all the other obligations were thrown on him.

Kyungsoo placed the cotton black shirt inside his small dresser and opened the radio for a change. It was only seven in the evening and his mother doesn’t arrive till six. He is definitely not in the mood to be hanging out with Baekhyun or Minseok right now, so he just gazed at the stars above as the radio played a ballad song.

Kyungsoo wondered that what if he’s in Seoul? The obsession became very thristy after hearing his sister’s good life in Seoul. Kyungri married a good man from Seoul and Kwang Sik got a stable job and was just partying in Seoul. Maybe Kyungsoo was just immature for the thought of leaving the island.

He should be just contented that he’s safe.

But no.

His mother also needed him but she never showed the genuine care for him after his father left.

Kyungsoo lowered his gaze, just riding onto the soft tune which later startled him when a news flash popped by. A certain thought bumped inside his mind as he heard the news of the Soldiers and other officials, having another week of training in Samgyong.

“No one gets out of the island rather than being a soldier or being with a soldier.”

Kyungsoo shrugs at first but that might be his only way.

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Speaking of THE WAR exo kill me with those teasers and vocals