Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes

But it's the only thing that I know

When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes

It is the only thing makes us feel alive

Irene found Wendy, sitting in a swing at a park, looking at the afternoon sky above her. She smiled softly, jog a little to get to her side faster. “Hey, sorry I’m late,” she said, took a seat in a swing beside her.

Wendy smiled. “It’s okay. I just arrived, too. How’s work?”

Irene sighed. “Same as usual. Tiring.”

“You seem to enjoy it though.”

“Tiring doesn’t mean I didn’t like it, Wendy.”

She heard chuckles. “Yeah, you are right.”

Both of them looking at the orange sky above them. Irene always likes skies, especially at dusk like this. The gradation, the calm feeling. She loves it. And Wendy knows it best. Well, of course, she is, when you already in your second year of a relationship.

Until an announcement completely ruined the moment.

“I’m going to enlist next week.”

Irene stopped her swing. Completely turning her head towards Wendy to look at her. “What?”

Wendy sighed, looking at her shoes. “The letter arrived today. They said I was accepted at the air force.”

“Goddammit, Wendy this isn’t funny.”

“Do you think I’m joking right now?” Wendy snapped her head towards Irene, to look at her clearly.

“Why did you just tell me right now? Damn, I don’t even know you were signing up to enlist to the military,” asked Irene. Disappointment is clear in her voice.

“I-I don’t know how to tell you. You’re so busy a couple months ago, and I don’t want to add up the burden,” she muttered while playing with her fingers.

Irene pinched the bridge of her nose. Frustration is building up inside of her. And also scared. “And it’s a freaking air force for Goddamn sake.”

Wendy was silence. Don’t know what to say. She knew she was wrong from the beginning, didn’t tell her about her planning at all. But, seeing her girlfriend going to sleep late because of her work makes Wendy hesitated to tell her.

“Look, Irene, I’m sor—”

“Let’s break up.”

Wendy was taken aback. “W-what?”

Irene rose from her swing. “I can’t accept this, Wendy. Especially when you didn’t tell me about it from the beginning. This is too much.”

She grabbed her wrist. “Look, I know this is shocking news, but, please Irene, don’t be like this.”

“Don’t be like this?” Irene scoffed. “Then why are you being like that a couple months ago.”

“You were so busy that time I thought it might be best for me not to tell you yet.”

“Your thought,” Irene scoffed. “What about me? Do you think I didn’t need time to prepare for this kind of news? For sake Wendy.”

Wendy sighed. “I know I’m so ed up right now and I’m so sorry about that but—”

“Stop it. I didn’t need your explanation. I want to go home right now,” Irene said, and started walking away from her.

“Let me walk with you.”

“I can walk by myself. Goodbye, Wendy,” Irene snapped, and started to leave Wendy alone in the quiet park who starting to get darkens.

Wendy watched her walked away. A prick of tear falls to her cheeks. She wiped it harshly, before letting it flow free. Letting her emotions to go away, to mend her broken heart.

She doesn’t know, how hard the sobs Irene letting out is when she’s on the way to her place. Her save sanctuary.

It’s almost been a week. Tomorrow is the day where Wendy will go to the air force academy and started her military life. She’s already texted Irene when she will officially go, but the girl didn’t reply nor read her message. Ignoring the throbbing hurt from her heart, she’s trying to cherish her last day with her family.

They were having a heartwarming dinner when someone knocks the door. “Let me open it,” Wendy said, stood up from her chair.

She opened it up, only to get shocked by someone in front of her. “Irene?”

She was tackled by a strong grip of arms. Irene hugged her so hard she was struggling to take a breath. “I-Irene, I can’t b-breathe,” Wendy said while tapping her hand softly.

“I don’t care!” she protested. Wendy can feel the shoulder part of her shirt was being wet because of her tears. “When will I be able to hug you like this again?”

Wendy chuckled from her ‘ex’ antics. “I’m not going forever, Irene. I will be back,” she said while rubbing her back softly, trying to calm her down.

“I’m scared,” she whispered to Wendy’s ear. The hug didn’t feel so tight as before, but still tight enough.

“No need to be scared, sweetheart. I will be okay.”

“Goddammit, Wendy it’s a freaking air force. What if something happens? What if something wrong? What if suddenly someone from the air force came and brought some bad news an—”

“Hey, hey, hey. Stop it right there. You’re not thinking straight right now,” Wendy said while pulling Irene off her, wiping her tears. “I’m not going anywhere. I will always come back, okay?”

Irene sniffled. “Promise?”

Wendy smiled. “Promise,” she said while kissing her forehead softly.

We keep this love in a photograph

We made these memories for ourselves

Where our eyes are never closing

Hearts are never broken

And time's forever frozen still

“I still can’t believe I got married to an air force member.”

Wendy laughed. “Hey, I’m already on my third rank, ma’am.”

“Whatever, I don’t care,” dismissed Irene while dipping her head to her wife’s collarbone. She encircled her arms at her waist, tightening it. Didn’t care about the mess on the bed they just made a couple minutes ago.

Wendy softly kissed her forehead while the hair softly. “Did you remember the day when I propose to you?”

Irene nodded. “Of course. I still remember how pain in the Joy is when she decided to agree with your crazy planning. Thank God Seulgi was on my side that day, decided not to be crazy too.”

Wendy chuckled. “You don’t know my hard work just to make her want to cooperate with me. I need to spend some cash just because of it.”

“You’re so easily manipulated. That’s why she used Yeri to bribe you.”

“I refuse to accept that fact.”

“But seriously,” Irene held herself up with her elbow, looking down at her wife, “why that park?”

“A lot of memories are made in that park, sweetheart. Our confessions, our first date, our most major fight, our ‘breakup’,” Wendy explained.

“I still hate it when you told Joy to come picked me up at my workplace. She’s abducting me, not picking me up,” Irene hissed, annoyed.

She laughed. “Oh, come on. You know how mischievous Joy is. And she’s still better than Yeri, you know?”

“Seulgi can do it better.”

“Yes, but Seulgi can’t keep lies.”

Irene put her head on her shoulder. Her arm encircled her waist once again. “And then I arrived at the cheesiest park in the whole world. Who the hell decorates a whole park like that?”

“Hey! I worked my so hard that day. I just got a couple hours to decorate it. I even went straight to do it the moment I arrived,” protested Wendy.

“Oh. So that’s why you proposed to me in a whole air force suit?”

“No, ma’am. So I’ll look cool.”

Irene laughed and kissed her pair of lips softly. She kissed her back. “So, where did you buy the ring?”

“At this place near my placement. I kinda forgot where it is, but my colleague said that that place is having the best jewelry in the world. So, that’s why I bought it there. You like it?”

“I love it,” she said, rubbing the ring in her middle finger.

“I’m flattered by the fact that you still wearing it alongside our marriage ring.”

“I will be judging myself so hard if I ever remove it from my finger.”

“And I forbid you to do it,” Wendy said while softly kissed both rings that resided in her fingers.

Irene dipped her head deeper to her collarbone and sighed. “Can you not leave next month?”

Wendy sighed deeper. “Babe, as much as I want to, I can’t. I need to go next month. They need me.”

“And what about me? I need you, too. For sake Wendy, we’re just getting married. It’s not even a week yet. What if something happened to you and I—”

Wendy cut her off with a kiss. “I think I already said this to you. I will not go anywhere. I will always come back home. Here, beside you. I will not let myself come back to somewhere else.”

“You’re not God, Wendy. You don’t know what kind of cruel things will come in the future. And I’m not ready yet. And I never will.” Irene sobbed, looking at her straight in the eyes.

Wendy kissed her tears, her eyes, her nose, and ended it with a soft warm kiss on lips. “I love you so much. I will make sure that kind of things didn’t happen to me. Trust me. My last destination will be you and you only.”

They kissed again until things become heated. Wendy changed their positions, so she’s above her now. “Eager are we?” she asked while smirking.

“Shut up and do something good with that pretty mouth of yours.”

Wendy laughed. And God, it sounded like the most beautiful song Irene ever heard. “With my pleasure.”

So you can keep me

Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans

Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet

You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home

Irene cleared the coffee table in front of the cozy sofa and put her laptop there. Satisfied that it’s already clean and perfect, she went back to take some water, before settling herself on the sofa. She turns on the laptop and immediately opens up a video call app.

She busies herself with Seulgi’s story about her recent trip to Swiss, Joy’s daily work complaint, and Yeri’s unimportant rambling until some incoming calls interrupt her.

She quickly put her phone down and started the video calls. “Hey, baby,” she greeted.

“Hey, sweetheart. Wow, you look gorgeous,” praised Wendy, with a lovestruck grin on her face.

“Thanks. I just got back from work, though. You look like a, um…”

“A mess? Yeah, there’s havoc suddenly happened here, that’s why I’m late and look like this. Sorry,” winced Wendy.

“A havoc?  Did something happen? Oh my God, are you okay?” Irene started to pestering with loads of questions.

“Calm down, baby. I’m okay. It’s just some minor attack. Well, scratches here and there but, I’m fine,” explained Wendy, but didn’t get Irene to feel better.

“Oh God. Wendy, please tell me your scratches were already tended by others.”

“Well, I am, right now, being cured. Aw! Be careful, man! It’s hurt!”

“Who’s calling you?” Irene heard some rough voice from the other line, probably her wife’s colleague.

“My lovely wife. Oh, by the way, babe, this is Chanyeol. Remember? The one troublemaker colleague I used to tell you?”

“Troublemaker? Dammit, what else you’ve told to your wife? Hey, missy? Your wife here always pestering me whining about you 24/7 whenever she got times for it. Saying that she missed you so much, and always wondering when her trips done. And whenever her hormonal states are in the highest, she became so scary!” he protested.

“Great, now my image in front of my wife has completely ruined thanks to you,” she grumbled while shooing him away.

“So, always talk about me 24/7?” teased Irene, making her face blushed.

“Dammit, I will get him later. Well, of course. What should I talk to them rather than boasting about how perfect and beautiful my significant other is?”

Now it’s Irene turn to blushed, making Wendy laughed before she winced and grabbing where her rib cage located at her abdomen. Irene sighed, “Go take care of yourself first.”

Wendy shook her head. “No. I want to talk to you. This is just some minor injury. I can cope with it.”

“Wendy, please. Your unit just got attacked and we can do this the oth—”

“We’re not doing this at the other time,” snapped Wendy, cutting Irene’s rambling. “This is the only time I’m able to call you, okay Honey? Please, believe me, I can hold this injury,” she explained, her expressions soften.

Irene deep sighed. “Alright, then.”

Wendy grinned so hard. “So, tell me. How’s your condition?”

Irene hummed. “Well, as usual. Boring. Nothing interesting in my workplace. Seulgi just got back from Swiss. Joy complained about how her client being an even though it’s her most important client. And Yeri’s café was getting bigger and bigger.”

“Wait, did Seulgi went to Swiss alone?”

“Yes, she did.”

“Wow,” Wendy gasped. “She just told me that recently she learned how to snowboarding, and now she’s gone to Swiss alone? Did she go there just to snowboarding?”

Irene chuckled at her wife’s question. “Well, she said it is one of her reasons to go to Swiss. But she just wanted to add another portfolio for her magazine, so yeah.”

“Typical Seulgi. Always brought her camera wherever she goes,” grinned Wendy.

“Oh, by the way, I was taking care of Haetnim last week,” exclaimed Irene all of sudden.

Wendy blinked. “You what?”

“I’m taking care of Haetnim.”

“Haetnim? As in, the dog? The dog that Joy loved and so proud of?”

“Yup. That white dog.”

“At our place? Not at some pet hotel or something?”

“Yes, baby, at our place. And for several days,” Irene chuckled, holding back her laughter from seeing Wendy’s blank expression.

“Several days?”

“Yup. Joy was having a business trip at that time, so she gave Haetnim for me to take care of her.”

“Am I hearing this right? You, out of all people, letting some alive being except human literally stayed and survive at our place?” asked Wendy, still in disbelieve.

“Yes, and yes, Wendy.”

Her expression brightened. “So, we can get some puppy when I got back, right?”

“No.”

Wendy sulked. “But baby, you completely fine with Haetnim! She even stayed for more than an hour! You will be fine with taking care of our puppy!”

“Baby, Haetnim is staying at our place for just two days. Our puppy, if we really have it, and I know we won’t, would stay with us for so long. And my part to take care of her is much bigger than yours since you always go on a trip with the air force,” explained Irene, making Wendy sulked more.

“But I want us to take care of a puppy, or anything cute,” muttered Wendy in a sad tone.

“Might as well we go all the way and have a child together,” blurted Irene before she stopped and covered . Her eyes went wide and her cheeks turn into a soft pink. She can’t believe she just blurted that out.

On the other side, Wendy wriggled her eyebrows. “A child, huh? Mini me and you making havoc at our place?” teased Wendy, making Irene blushed more.

“S-shut up. Forget what I said,” muttered Irene in a hushed voice, but loud enough for Wendy to catch it.

She chuckled, before changing her facial expression to serious. “But jokes aside, you really want a child?”

Irene looked down, playing with her fingers. That’s the sign when she’s nervous, and Wendy realized it. It also means that she’s pretty serious about it. “I just… thought about it for a bit these days,” hushed her, before looking up to look at Wendy who has an indescribable expression on her face now. “What about you?”

Wendy deep sighed. She knew this moment will finally come. They already married for a couple years, of course, Irene will have thought about this. “I don’t know. I won’t lie to you that I also want to have a child,” she sighed, before continuing, “but I don’t know about the circumstances that we currently live with.”

Irene was silence. Wendy took it as a cue for her to continue. “I mean, what if I wasn’t there at some important moment? What if you need me but I wasn’t there? What if—”

“Too much what if, Wendy. You are overthinking about this,” Irene cut her sentences.

“Yeah, but still. This is a big responsibility, Irene. I-I don’t know.”

Irene sighed. “Let’s just put this behind us first. I talked about this at the wrong time. I’m sorry.”

Wendy frowned. “Why did you say sorry? No need to do that, sweetheart.”

“God, Wendy. I just miss you so much to the point it’s disturbing me,” said Irene, her eyes watered.

“I miss you, too,” muttered Wendy.

“When will you go back home?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. It’s getting too much here, and they need lots of personnel, so I don’t think I can go back soon.”

Irene sniffled. She throws her head back, leaning against the sofa. Wendy’s heart broke by the sight in front of her, until she remembered something. “Hey, did you wear the locket that I gave you before I go?”

She looked at Wendy, and slowly shook her head. “No. Why?”

“Where did you put it?”

“At the nightstand.”

Wendy smiled. “Go get them and wear that for me please.”

“Now?”

“Now.”

Irene stood up and walked to their room. She grabs the long box that contains the locket Wendy gave her before her last trip. She opens it and struggling while trying to wear it, and go back to her laptop. “Done.”

“You already see inside it?”

“There is something inside this?” asked Irene oblivious while holding the love locket.

“Of course there is. Why do you think it was named as a locket? Open it.”

Irene carefully opens the little love and found an old photo. Their first date as a couple photo. Wendy was winked to the camera, while Irene having the best laugh of her life.

“How is it?”

Irene chuckled and wiped her tears. “You really put this photo here.”

Wendy grinned. “Our first documentation to many. Wear that whenever I’m not around. So you will know and remember, that I’m always close to you, as close as the distance between the locket and your beautiful heart.”

“You really never stopped talking cheesy, aren’t you?”

Wendy sulked. “Hey, I’m serious here.”

Irene laughed. “Yeah, I know. Thank you, sugarplum.”

“Oh, and I also printed that in a bigger frame. In case, you know, you wanna frame it or put it in your phone or your pocket or your wallet.”

“Yes, babe. Thank you.”

“Anytime, honeybun,” replied Wendy, before somebody called her. “I got to go. They told us to assemble now. I’m so sorry it was so short.”

Irene shook her head. “It’s okay. Go, before they punished you.”

Wendy laughed. “No one dares enough to punish me. Goodbye baby. See you soon.”

Wendy gave her a flying kiss, before ending the call. Irene just laughed while rubbing the locket carefully.

“See you soon.”

Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul

And it's the only thing that I know, know

I swear it will get easier

Remember that with every piece of you

Hm, and it's the only thing we take with us when we die

Oh, you can fit me

Inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen

Next to your heartbeat where I should be

Keep it deep within your soul

And if you hurt me

Well, that's okay baby, only words bleed

Inside these pages you just hold me

And I won't ever let you go

“You seriously asking for death here.”

“Look, hear me fir—”

“I can kill you much better than those guns attached on the plane you use.”

“First, it’s not really a gun. Second, please hear—”

“Do you know how much chaos you causing here? I and Seulgi are this close to throwing her into some asylum.”

“This is why I need your help here, Joy. Please, I’m begging. Hear me out first,” pleaded Wendy.

“Explain to me about the accident first, then I give it a thought will I help you or not,” Joy demanded, followed by Wendy deep sighed.

“Alright. It was a sudden attack. Our unit was seriously not ready about any attack that day. We literally got wiped off. I can’t believe I’m still able to breathe when all of my subordinates are,” Wendy paused her sentence, didn’t have any power to continue. Joy took it as a cue for her to speak.

“Okay, acceptable. Then why do this?”

“Cause my General giving me permission to come back home sooner because of my injury. Look, both of my legs got shot. There is fresh cut all over my body. My skull cracked a bit. I broke my rib cage. My arms were a bit troubled, and you still ask me why did I do this?”

Joy pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to hold her anger. “I didn’t ask or want to know about the details of your injury. What I ask is, why surprising her? Goddammit, Wendy if you just knew what happened the moment she received calls from your superior.”

Wendy frowned from the other end of the call. “What? What happened?”

“I and Seulgi literally need to tame her. She went wild. It feels like apocalypse came to us sooner than we thought.”

Wendy sighed while wincing because of her injuries. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Yeri even closed her café when this happened.”

“So she really went like that.”

“Now you believe me,” Joy paused, before continuing. “I want half of your monthly salary for this.”

“Now you ripping me off,” protested Wendy.

“You want to surprise her or not? And, this is also to pay the debt of the apocalypse we’ve been through.”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now hear me.”

Joy explained about how she will surprise Irene with her homecoming. Somehow Joy managed to convince Irene to held a party at their house, and Wendy was thankful.

She really didn’t know about the catastrophe she caused. She just told the General to just explained to her wife that she’s survived from the attack, and that’s it. No explaining about her injury, etc.  Wendy didn’t want Irene to worry about her well-being, although she still fascinated by the fact she’s survived from that worse attack.

She arrived at her home. The front door already opened a bit, the result from her cooperative agreement with Joy. She expected that all the people are in the backyards now, and her hope is answered.

She dropped her bag in the alleyway, wincing from the weight and also the effect to her shoulder. She looking around the living room, absorbing every photo on the wall. Turns out, Irene printed and frame all of their important photos and use it as a decoration for their house.

Wendy smiled softly as she realized about this. Her eyes suddenly covered with tears, before she felt something furry on her feet. She looked down, finding Haetnim suddenly rest herself beside her.

“Oh, look at you! You’re so big now! I’m sorry I can’t crouch down to or picked you up. This injury is very disturbing,” she chuckled, looking at the white Maltese dog with a loving gaze.

Suddenly, she heard some shuffling at the back door that was meant for access to the backyard. She smiled, looking who was at the door.

“I’m going to grab some drinks first. Seulgi, please look at the barbecue. Don’t let Yeri touch it or I swear to—”

She stopped after she realized who was the person in her living room. Wendy chuckled, looking at the expressions she wears now. “So, you used our photo as the decoration,” Wendy said, averting her gaze back to the photos.

The person didn’t answer, but Wendy smile grew wider. “I don’t know you can be this romantic, Irene.”

Irene still rooted in her position, until she felt some soft push at her back. “Go,” Joy whispered, she didn’t even realize since when Joy was already behind her. “I know you missed her.”

Irene slowly walked to her direction, make Wendy a bit frustrated. “Can you walk a bit faster? God, I—”

A pair of hands suddenly wrapped at her body. She felt something wet on her shoulder. Wendy smiled, reciprocate her hug.

“I hate you. I hate you. I hate you, goddammit, I hate you!” sobbed Irene right to her ear. She tightened her hold.

Wendy winced. “I love you, too. But babe, please be careful. It’s a bit hurt.”

“Do I look like I care? You deserve it.”

Wendy laughed at her wife’s snapping, before wincing again. Tears also rolling down from her eyes. “God, I miss you so much.”

Irene unwraps herself from her and checking Wendy from head to toe. “You’re a total mess.”

Wendy chuckled. “Yeah, I know.”

Another pair of arms tackled her suddenly. Wendy gasped from being crushed and also from her injury.

“Oh my God! Wendy, I miss you so much!” exclaimed Seulgi right beside her ear while jumped for a bit.

“Y-yeah, I miss you too, Seul. But, please don’t hug me too tight. It’s hurt.”

“Oh, sorry!” Seulgi immediately unwraps herself. “Wow, you look worse and so ed up.”

“Yup. What a great explanation.”

Suddenly, Yeri interrupted. “I know you all are into some reunion and but, if you didn’t check the barbecue right now, we will not eat anything today.”

Seulgi immediately runs to the backyard, followed by Joy right behind her. Irene helping her wife to walk to the backyard since she looks struggling a lot. They enjoyed the party like the old times. Just five of them, sharing stories.

It’s been months since Wendy came back from her trip. Some of her injuries were already healed, but the worse one still on its journey. She even still limping when she was walking. The doctor that took care of her said that she needs to have a total rest for her to be cured completely.

“I’m home,” said Irene the moment she came back from her workplace. She smelled something nice right after she stepped inside.

“Welcome back! You came at the right time. I just have done roasting the beef,” replied Wendy, while brought the chicken to the table.

“Wendy! The doctor told you to rest, not to cook!” snapped Irene, immediately grabbed the meat that she holds and put it to the table.

“I’m fine, though. It’s not really that hurt anymore. Ouch!” she screamed the moment Irene stabbed her finger to her ribcage softly.

“Liar,” muttered Irene. “You can’t even walk properly yet.”

Wendy sulked. “But I’m bored. There’s nothing to do here except did some cooking!”

Irene sighed. “I know it’s boring but, the doctor said that you can’t overwork yet. It might worsen your—”

“Injury. I know that. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t do anything, Irene,” snapped Wendy, before walking to the sofa, trying to calm herself down.

Irene pinched the bridge of her nose, also trying to calm herself down. She just worried about her condition. The fact that she can still survive with that kind of injury even amazed the doctor who took care of her wife.

She approached Wendy and sat beside her. She grabbed her thigh softly, asking for some attention. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that,” muttered Wendy, looking down.

Irene grabbed her hand, softly drawing circles with her thumb. “Do you know the moment your superior called me suddenly, telling me about your unit were being attacked and informed me about your condition?”

Wendy didn’t answer, so Irene continued. “I feel like my whole life just got crumbled down,” she chuckled. “Like, that’s it. My apocalypse. All of the things in front of me suddenly turned black and white. I started to cry like a mad woman. Thank God, Joy came to visit that day. Or I don’t know what would happen to me if she didn’t come.”

Irene took a deep breath, trying to calm the overwhelming emotion. “I seriously don’t know what to do if you’re really… goodness.”

Wendy grasped her hand tightly. “Don’t say that. I promised you, didn’t I? That I will always come back to you, no matter in what condition or in any circumstances.”

Irene sniffled. “But we never know about the future, Wendy. I don’t think I could experience this for the second time.”

Wendy pulled Irene into a tight hug. “I will never let that happen again. I promise.”

Irene just sobbed and replied her hug. She didn’t dare to say anything about her statement. Fear still occupy her heart. Fear if she was being left behind by Wendy. Fear of living alone for the rest of her life. Fear of knowing that Wendy, the love of her life, will not be there to cherish the moment of her lifetime.

“Where’s your locket?” Wendy softly whispered.

“I-in the nightstand,” answered Irene, still sobbing.

Wendy smiled while wiping her tears. “Can I see it?”

Irene nodded, before going to their bedroom to retrieve the said locket. She came back with a box in her hand. Wendy took it and grabbed the locket inside. She opened the love locket.

“Do you know the real reason why I put this photo here? Instead of our wedding photo?” asked Wendy, looking at their first date photo inside the locket.

Irene shook her head, leaning her head to her shoulder, trying to find comfort.

“This particular moment, I swear to myself, that I will spend the rest of my life with this girl. I will make sure that she will always feel the amount of love that will keep adding up as the day passed. I will make sure that she stayed happy. I will make sure that we will live long enough to cherish whatever happened in our lives, even if it's bad or good. I will make sure that she feels like the best woman on earth.”

Irene sobbed harder. Wendy chuckled, then put the locket back to the box. “So that’s why I told you to wear it whenever I was away on my trip. So I will always be near you. Near your heart. Making sure that even if I’m not beside you, I will still be there to cherish whatever happened that time. That I will always accompany you wherever you go.”

Wendy ended her speech with a kiss to her wife’s hand, before her hair shortly.

“I love you,” whispered Irene.

“I love you, too,” Wendy said, kissing her forehead.

It’s almost been a year since the last trip, and the moment that Irene feared finally came. She comes back from work being greeted by a nice smell.

“Hi. I was just done cooking the tteokbokki. I also make some rib for tonight’s dinner,” greeted Wendy, tidying up the table with foods and plates.

“Feeling romantic are we?” asked Irene, scanning the table.

Wendy chuckled. “Go refresh yourself a bit before eating.”

30 minutes later, Irene comes back to the dining room with much fresher clothes. She looked at the table setting that Wendy did. “You really went all out tonight.”

“The best for my best woman,” said Wendy with a playful tone, pouring the champagne to the glass.

“This smells good. I can’t wait to eat it.”

Wendy laughed. “Go eat it first. You deserve it.”

Irene took some rib and immediately devours it. Wendy just smiled looking at her behavior. Irene sometimes acted like a child, and Wendy always finds it cute whenever she does that.

“Anyway, the base called me this afternoon.”

Irene froze after that sentences came out from . She immediately sobbed. “Oh God, of course, they want you to come back.”

Wendy frowned. “Hey, why are you crying?”

“Why am I crying? You just said that they called you. They want you back and, dammit I’m scared.”

Wendy stood from her seat and hugged her. “Hey, hear me out first. Yes, they called me, but they didn’t need me on the battlefield.”

Irene stopped sobbing. “What?”

“My injury is a long-term injury. I can’t go back to the same state I was before. And they knew this. So that’s why they put me to the office branch in this town.”

“Are you serious?”

“Baby, I never lied.”

“I swear to God, Wendy, if you lie to me right now, you will be sleeping in that goddamn sofa for a month.”

Wendy winced hearing that. “Believe me, baby, I will not try to lie right now when I heard your threat.”

Irene immediately hugged and kissed her cheek. “Oh my God. Thanks to whoever told them to not sent you back to that hell!”

Wendy laughed and wincing at the same time. “Baby, do I need to remind you that my rib isn’t healed yet?”

Irene pecked her lips while untangling herself. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” grinned Wendy.

When I'm away, I will remember how you kissed me

Under the lamppost back on Sixth street

Hearing you whisper through the phone

"Wait for me to come home"

“Did you bring the lunchbox that I prepared?”

“Yup.”

“Handkerchief?”

“In my pocket.”

“Meds?”

“I don’t think I need my meds when I’m at work, babe.”

“Well, who knows someone probably makes you as their punching bag.”

“Why someone wants to use me as their punching bag…”

“Anyway, are you sure that you don’t want to bring your car?” asked Irene while tidying up Wendy’s collar.

“Yup. They already gave me a ride.”

“A freakin bus.”

Wendy chuckled. “That’s still a ride, sweetheart. And, you need the car more than me.”

Irene sighed. “Be careful, okay? You still have some unhealed injuries there. I don’t want anything bad happens.”

“I will. Just hope that someone didn’t use me as their punching bag, okay?”

Irene pouted. “It’s just a joke.”

Wendy grinned and kissed her cheeks. “I know.”

“Only in cheeks?”

“Where do you want it?”

“My lips, duh.”

Wendy burst out her laugh. “Alright, come here.”

They kissed the moment her bus arrived. “I gotta go.”

Irene nodded. “Goodbye. See you soon?”

“See you soon. You will wait for me here when I go back home, right?”

Irene flashes her smile. “Yes, I will.”