How every single promise I keep

‘Cause what kind of guy would I be

If I was to leave you when you need me most

-Chris Medina: What Are Words-

“He’s not supposed to be out that long.  Are you sure you put the right dose?”

“Hey.  I’m the chemist here.  My judgement is never wrong.  It was his physical condition.  How long have we not seen him?  I told you there will be slight discrepancies.”

“But, this is not slight discrepancies.”

“How should I know that he’s si- Hey, look!  I think he is waking up.”

Junhyung heard people conversing, right above his face.  He felt so cold but there’s warmness too.  He could feel the weight of cloth on his body.  Somebody had wrapped him up in a blanket.  That somebody must be so kind.

But, then flashes of memories ran through his mind.  They were shot.  All of them were shot.  He saw his friends, one by one, collapsed in front of him.  Whoever that somebody was, he or she can’t be kind.

He failed again.  He had failed in his trust.  He failed his friends.  He wished the world could just end.  He wished he didn’t wake up.  Damn, he didn’t want to wake up facing whoever had him and his friends jailed and tortured.  He wished he would just die.

“Are you sure he is waking up?” he heard them talking again.

“Stop asking ‘are you sure’ questions, GD!  They are annoying,” Junhyung heard the other responded.

But, the answer was not what caught his attention.  It was the code name.  GD, he knew that name.  It was one of his friends when he was still in combat training.  What was he doing here?  Junhyung slowly opened his eyes.  That was when he noticed how difficult it was to open them.  They felt so heavy.  He noticed that his head was pounding too.

“Joker?” he heard the other one, not GD, calling.  Not everybody called him by that name.  That was his code name in combat training.  If his ears caught the voice right, the other one must be VI.

When he finally managed to open his eyes, he confirmed his thought.  They were really GD and VI.  They were smiling at him.  But, old friends or not, Junhyung didn’t give in.  He quickly moved his right hand to his side to take a handgun he remembered he hid.  But, the movement hurt him more than he could handle and he winced and groaned.

“Hey, easy Joker, easy,” GD said, tried to inspect his arm.  But, Junhyung didn’t let him.

“What are you doing?” he asked, face was contorted with anger.

He was furious.  They must be the one to shoot the others with those sedating darts.  He knew his old friends.  VI was the chemistry experts and GD was a sniper.  When they were in combat training together, those two were no ordinary soldiers.  But, VI and GD must be confused.  They looked at each other before VI answered him.

“Saving you and your friends,” VI said, shrugging.

“Don’t lie to me.  You shot them.  You want to take us to the government,” Junhyung accused.  Both GD and VI sighed.

“TOP warned us that this would happen,” GD said.

“TOP?” Junhyung half laughed, half snorted.

So now he and his friends were caught by three best soldiers Junhyung had ever known?  TOP was even more dangerous.  His expertise in computer science had made him one of the most important people in the national security.

“Well, I know you must be confused, Joker,” VI said, “But, we are on your side, okay?  We are here to help you and your friends.”

“Don’t lie,” Junhyung said again, defeated, “TOP must be one of the topmost rank soldier in the national security.  And he knows about my friends and me.  And now he is sending you two after us-”

“It’s not like what you think, Joker.  Yes, TOP is the head of national security now.  But, you think he sides the government?  No!  He worked his off to prevent all this war from happening.  Why do you think we are no longer at war?  He stopped it.  He knows people are after you and the unit you are supposed to protect.  He sends a unit…well…us, to save you and your friends,” GD explained patiently.

“Then why you shot them?  Why you shot them with the darts?” Junhyung still thought that the whole thing was a scam.

“God, Joker!  We can’t just walk to you and say that we want to help you.  Honestly, in that situation, what do you think you would do?” VI asked.

Junhyung didn’t need to answer them.  He knew the answer would be he will kill them before they could even come near.  Junhyung was suspicious of any single movement and it was impossible to just walk in and tell that they wanted to help.  So, he looked at them, right in their eyes and he saw one thing that he really needed right now.

Trust.  They provided him with trust.

“Where’s my backpack?” he asked them.

GD took it from his side and gave it to Junhyung.  Then only Junhyung realized they were in a moving truck.  Hyunseung was still unconscious.  Erika and Gikwang were also seated at one corner, having each other as support.  But, he didn’t see the others.

“Where’s Yoshikuni?  And the others?” he didn’t see her, or Doojoon, or Yoseob and Sierra.  He started to panic but VI quickly answered.

“In the other truck.  With D-Lite and SOL,” he said.  Junhyung laughed a small laugh upon hearing his answer.

“Honestly, all of you are here?  TOP sends our training unit to rescue my friends?” Junhyung asked.  He found it amusing.

“Not a ‘training unit’, but the best unit.  We have our sniper here,” VI pointed to GD, “Our weapon specialist, D-Lite, covert action specialist, SOL and TOP, our communication expert.  Oh, and I am the chemist.”

“And here you are, our best special operation engineer.  This is like old time again, isn’t it dude?” GD continued.  Junhyung smiled weakly.

“I am in the top list of the most wanted person in this nation now,” Junhyung replied.

“And we are rescuing you.  What has that made us?” GD asked, actually pointing out that they were on the same side, “We are no longer in the army you know.  Only TOP is, because he wants to put a stop in all this nonsense.  When he heard that you and your unit were traced, he quickly sends a government unit, but not the best one.  It is just a cover you know.  He actually sends us out to rescue you guys.”

“Yeah…TOP actually gathers us again to stop this war.  People who side the government call us terrorist.  But they don’t know any better.  Those who oppose the government call us freedom fighter.  It’s just the matter of perception.  But, TOP is really the intelligent one,” VI continued.

“Where’s he?” Junhyung asked.

“We’re heading there.  To our base,” VI replied and he continued, “Sorry, Joker.  The sedative isn’t supposed to knock you out, only supposed to make you confuse.  But, your body not reacted well to it.  You’re building up temperature, you know that right?” he asked with concern

Junhyung shrugged.  Now, he could feel at ease.  He didn’t fail, at least not yet.  Things had just gotten better for them.  Plus, he felt tired to his bone.  Now that he had people on his side, he felt really dependant.  He shook his head to clear his mind and took his sling from his backpack.  He didn’t think he wanted to move his right hand anymore.  It had gotten worse.

“Need help with that?” GD asked.  Junhyung was glad he offered.  So, he nodded.  It would be very embarrassing for him to ask for help.

“What happen to you, Joker?” VI asked.

“Gunshot wound.  But, then it got stabbed again a few days ago,” answered Junhyung.  The other two looked at each other, and Junhyung wanted to laugh at their grimaces.

+++++

“You look horrible, Joker,” TOP said right when he saw Junhyung.

As they reached the base, Hyunseung, Gikwang and Erika started to gain consciousness as well.  Hyunseung and Gikwang were scared at first.  They were still traumatized by the torturing experience with the government people and thought that GD and VI were going to do the same to them.  But, Junhyung calmed them down.  They felt weird that the GD and VI were there to rescue them, but they quickly brushed it off when they offered them food and water.

When they hopped off the truck, Junhyung saw Yoshikuni got down from the other truck, talking to D-Lite and SOL.  It was like old time again.  But, Junhyung knew things were never the same as before.  When D-Lite and SOL gave him friendly hugs, he hugged back, but lack excitement like years ago, when they were training, when they were not exposed to the evil of the world.

Then, he saw TOP.  TOP was the same like before, with that very composing expression he wore everywhere.  It was difficult for people to read him, but not for Junhyung.  He knew TOP.  He saw the concern in his eyes.

“I am sorry about your other friend,” TOP said.  Junhyung didn’t need ask to know who he was talking about.  Dongwoon, it still pained Junhyung whenever his name was mentioned.

“A lot of things happened,” he replied, not wanting to extend the topic.

“What happened to your hand?” TOP asked.

Yoshikuni, who was busy talking to GD and VI, stopped abruptly.  He looked at Junhyung.  When she saw his hand in sling, he knew that he had gotten worse.  The Junhyung that she knew never wanted to put his hand in sling.  That made him looked weak, he would say.  But, if he put that hand in sling himself, that only meant one thing.  Junhyung must have thought that he couldn’t handle in anymore.

“It gets worse, isn’t it?” she asked threateningly.

“It’s nothing.  When the dart hit me, I fell onto my right side and of course it is painful,” Junhyung shrugged.  GD and VI made a confused face but didn’t say anything though.

TOP led them in.  They were taken to a room.  It looked like a meeting room.  On the table, there were food and drinks.  D-Lite, SOL, GD and VI took their place at the end of the table.  They let Junhyung and Yoshikuni sat beside TOP at the other end of the table and the others sat in other empty seats.

“I’ll go straight to business now, Joker,” TOP suddenly turned very serious, “All of you-” he looked at them, “-need to leave this land.”

“What?” Yoshikuni was surprised and Junhyung could predict what had been going on in TOP’s mind.

“Yes, DQ.  You and your friends need to leave as soon as possible,” TOP reconfirmed again, “Although, if possible, we would like to have our best special operation engineer to stay with us,” TOP looked at Junhyung.

“Why?” Yoshikuni asked, “How?  The government will still try to find us.”

“They won’t,” TOP switched on the big screen at his back, “In the record, all of you are dead,” TOP paused, “In the explosion of landmines.”

All of them were quite surprised by the statement, although Junhyung appeared not surprised at all.  Somehow, he knew TOP will do something like that.  After all, they were really at the landmines this morning.

“How do you convince them?  The mines were not actually exploded,” Yoshikuni argued.

“Not exploded?” D-Lite smirked, “You should see how powerful the explosion was.  But, yeah…VI sedative worked quite well.  You didn’t even wake up.  Damn, Joker.  Out of your engineered explosives, I could never call on this one,” he said excitedly.

“Yeah, Joker.  It was actually quite exciting when we saw you neutralized the mines.  If anything went wrong, you will just vaporize.  It was that powerful.  I have to say Joker, that you are still the best military engineer I’ve ever met,” SOL supported.

Again, the others were clueless about the conversation.  They never knew who Junhyung was apparently.  The way the others described him since just now was like he was really someone in their intelligence unit.  They only knew that Junhyung was sent to protect them.

“Junhyung is an engineer?  A military engineer?” Gikwang asked, blinking stupidly.  D-Lite’s smile faded.

“You didn’t know?  He didn’t tell you?” D-Lite asked.  Gikwang shook his head.  The others shook their heads as well.  SOL looked at D-Lite.

“They get our best combat strategist with them and they don’t know?  Junhyung was posted to protect your unit not for nothing.  Your unit was protected by our best agents.  DQ, you didn’t tell them?” SOL asked Yoshikuni.

“I don’t feel it is necessary,” Yoshikuni replied coldly.

“Oh, you didn’t tell them that you are our special operation medic either…” D-Lite said.

“Enough,” Junhyung finally said something, “You talk about Yoshikuni and I as if we are not here listening,” he sighed and looked at TOP, “When are we leaving?”

“Junhyung?” Yoshikuni was taken aback by Junhyung’s decision.

“We’re leaving Yoshikuni.  I can’t let the others stay here.  They need to start anew,” Junhyung said.  Yoshikuni thought it was precipitous at first, but Junhyung was always the strategist and in many situations, he knew better.

“But, you…you can’t just let us leave and you stay here with them…” her voice trailed off.

“No.  I am going with all of you,” Junhyung answered and looked at TOP, as though challenging him, “I am not staying with you.  Sorry.”

TOP looked at Junhyung, hoping that he will change his mind.  But, he knew that Junhyung wanted to be with the people he needed to protect.  Even GD, VI, D-Lite and SOL knew that.  Although they were disappointed that Junhyung was not going to stay, they can’t say anything.  Junhyung had gone through too much that they knew he would want to run away.

“I have to say that it was quite a huge lost to us…but we understand.  You will go with them,” TOP assured.

“You know that I would want some means of protection right?” Junhyung asked.  TOP smirked.

“We kind of figured that our already,” TOP said smugly, “That IPod.  The information in the IPod.  We could turn it into your protection.  Just give it to me.  I just need to add on a few data and then you can keep it as your protection.  If ever they caught you again, you can blackmail them,” he shrugged.

“The IPod…” Junhyung muttered, left hand moved quickly to his pocket and he knew it was still safe with him.

“You don’t trust me with it?” TOP asked.

“Yoseob and I will oversee the file transfer,” Junhyung said.  Yoseob was shocked his name was even mentioned in a conversation involving military strategy.  So, he just nodded.

“Deal.  Anything else?” TOP asked.

“I don’t want us to live with new identity.  Keep all the IDs as they were.  And license.  I want Yoshikuni to have her medicine certificate.  I want Doojoon and Erika have their practice license again, as geologist and geophysicist.  Everyone will get their license back.  I want them to be able to live as normal people, blend with the local people where you are going to send us to,” Junhyung demanded.  But, TOP was not surprised.  He knew Junhyung will want it to be that way.

“Okay.  What about you, Joker?  You didn’t say anything about yourself,” TOP asked.  They stared at each other.

“I will work with you.  I will help the freedom fighters strategize their moves.  I will invent new weapons if you want.  But, not on this land.  Send me away and I know what I can do and will do for you,” Junhyung sealed the deal.  TOP smirked and nodded.  The other four military agents were happy as well.

“Deal.  You guys are leaving in five hours.  Do whatever you want in the meantime.  Eat, shower, whatever.  Refresh yourself.  And Joker?  You and the friend you mentioned just now.  We are going to work on your protection right now,” he said.

Junhyung looked at Yoseob and nodded.

+++++

They felt like their life had just been fast-forwarded.  A military jet was set for them to go far way and never come back.  They were leaving for good.  They were leaving the memories behind to start anew.  They will put everything behind and live as if nothing had happened to them.

They were fresh now.  They had eaten, shower and was given new, warm clothing.  They were ready to go.  Junhyung looked at all of them.  He knew they were almost safe now but he will protect them until they got onto the other land, a land where they were going to be safe and sound.  He promised to protect them until they got there.  After that, maybe he can have a long, beautiful rest.

“Here, the IPod.  Keep it safe,” TOP gave it to Junhyung.

“Thanks, dude,” Junhyung nodded, put it into his pocket.

TOP looked at Junhyung.  His face was pale and clammy.  He looked tired, even after he had a shower.  His right hand was in sling.  TOP could hear how rapid and shallow his breath was.  But, he knew Junhyung will make it to the end because he had promised to work with him.

“Hey, Joker.  I have arranged the hospital over there to take you and your guys.  That might be the first destination you want to go when you get there,” TOP said.  His tone was humorous but Yoshikuni knew something was definitely wrong with Junhyung.

“I will make sure he gets there,” Yoshikuni said strictly.

“Good, DQ.  Still our best medic,” TOP said.

When the others were already on the flight, Junhyung thanked TOP and the gang for saving his friends.  Junhyung knew he could never thank them enough.

“Save your gratitude.  We are glad to have you and DQ back with us,” GD said.

“Look after yourself,” VI said.  Junhyung nodded and diverted his attention to TOP.

“How TOP, how do you survive this?  Acting like a government servant while actually turning your back towards them?” Junhyung asked.

“By thinking like you, Joker.  By thinking like you,” TOP emphasized.  Junhyung laughed weakly.

“I need you to do something for me,” Junhyung stated.  He took out a sealed plastic bag from his jacket pocket, “My friend, Dongwoon, find him and give him a proper burial,” he paused, “I took his hair for DNA sample, just in case he no longer looks like the one in your record.  Please…he deserves a proper burial,” Junhyung gave TOP the hair he tugged from Dongwoon’s head.  He also gave TOP a paper, written on it, the last coordinate he left Dongwoon at.  TOP was amazed.

“You even think this through?  You don’t even know you will find us,” TOP exclaimed.

“That’s how I think, TOP.  Always have hope, even if you’re one second away from death,” Junhyung provided.

“I guess I can never think like you, Joker,” TOP complimented and they bid each other goodbye.

The next thing Junhyung knew, they were on flight for a few hours.  He was glad that the others were able to get a proper sleep.  They seem to be at ease, after they knew they were flying to safety.  Junhyung refused to sleep.  He will sleep when he get there.  He just needed to make sure they were safe until the end.

They stopped at a naval base after seven hours flying.  The pilot told them they needed to refuel.  Junhyung was glad that TOP could find a few good people who were loyal to him.  This pilot was one of them.  There were the other two soldiers who were assigned by TOP to guide them when they get there.  They were all loyal to TOP.  They were all in the freedom fighters team.

After almost another seven hours, they finally landed to a place they could now call home.  Yoshikuni had gotten off first.  Doojoon followed afterwards.  Yoseob and Sierra got off together.  Hyunseung and Gikwang hopped off next.  Erika looked at him before she went out of the flight.  She mouthed a ‘thank you’ to him and he nodded.  When it was his turn to get off, Junhyung was so glad that he was still given a chance to see a beautiful sunset over the horizon.

Suddenly feeling so tired and defeated, he fell on his knees.  All these while when they were on the run, Junhyung didn’t get to mourn for Dongwoon.  Now that they were safe, he thought that he can’t keep it in his heart anymore.  He cried his heart out.  The others were shocked by his sudden outburst.  But, Erika was there to cry with him.  She knew he had kept everything for so long.  She knew he will have let it out eventually and it was about time for him to do that.

“I don’t save him just to see him die,” he grieved.  Yoshikuni lent her shoulder to him.

The others watched with sorrow.  Hyunseung were the next one to cry, followed by Yoseob.  They had wronged Junhyung.  Junhyung was never the bad guy.  All of them had forgotten how Junhyung was the one who saved Dongwoon from the explosion of his work place.  Therefore, it must be so painful when Dongwoon died in his arms.  It must be so painful.  However, Junhyung had kept it to himself because no one wanted to share his pain.  They had let him face it alone.  They forgot the fact that Junhyung didn’t even have time to grieve for Dongwoon because he had to keep them safe.  And now, seeing how broken Junhyung were, their hearts ached.

“And I left him there,” Junhyung continued, holding Yoshikuni’s hand so tight.  Yoshikuni let him.  He needed to get it out.

“I wish…I wish our places are switched,” Junhyung stated.

“No, Junhyung.  Don’t say that,” Yoshikuni cried with her best friend.

Junhyung didn’t say anything anymore.  He cried and cried until he was spent.  He suddenly felt chilled.  When the blackness decided to engulf him, he gave in.  He didn’t care anymore.  The others were safe and that’s all that mattered.

Then, Yoshikuni felt her shoulder got heavier.  Junhyung was leaning on him, like he really put all his weight on her.  She didn’t hear him crying anymore.  Somehow, she felt really worried.  She pulled him to get a look on him.  She was scared to see him with closed eyes, like death.

“Junhyung?” her concern tone caught everyone’s attention.  Now, all of them realised that Junhyung was not moving at all.

“Hey, Junhyung!” Doojoon crouched beside Yoshikuni, shook Junhyung lightly to wake him up.  But, he didn’t move.

Yoshikuni quickly checked on him.  Junhyung was really pale and clammy.  His skin was so hot under Yoshikuni’s touch.  His breathing was fast and shallow.  His pulse was erratic and weak.  A lot of medical theory came to her mind, but she felt sure about one thing.  She quickly took the sling off Junhyung’s arm.  And then she took out the layers of jackets until Junhyung was left with his short sleeve t-shirt inside.  She cut the bandage that wrapped his wound and stared at it in horror.  She didn’t need to look twice to deduce what that was.

Sepsis.

“Blood poisoning,” she panicked.  The others were shocked, “We need to get him to the hospital, quickly!”

The two soldiers who were assigned to guide them quickly sprang into action.  They made contact with their unit members who were also assigned by TOP to get them to the hospital.  When help came, Doojoon quickly lifted Junhyung into his arms to take him to the ambulance.  He was really scared to feel how light Junhyung had become.

When the lab result was out, Yoshikuni confirmed her fears and she burst into tears.  Junhyung was really at the brink of death.

“They are this kind of engineered bacteria, designed to kill silently.  They were used as biological warfare before completely banned five months ago.  I wonder how he made contact with it.  Some sneaky military personnel must have able to get his hand on it,” the doctor said.

Yoshikuni squeezed her brain, wondering how Junhyung had somehow gotten that while the others were not infected.  Where did Junhyung, and Junhyung alone got infected with that?  She was about to ask Erika about it when Doojoon finally remembered.

“The knife!” he shouted.  The others stared at him, clueless, “Those two soldiers that ambushed Junhyung and I.  He used a knife to stab on Junhyung’s gunshot wound.  That must be it.  That knife must have those bacteria,” Doojoon was so sure.

“But, that was four to five days ago, Doojoon,” Yoshikuni said, voice contaminated with tears.

“Exactly.  His kidneys and lungs have failed to function properly.  We put him in induced coma so that we can treat him efficiently,” the doctor said.

Hearing that, Gikwang felt like he could vomit.  Hyunseung shook from head to toe.  Sierra squeaked in fear and covered her ears, didn’t want to listen to anything anymore.  Yoseob were so shocked that he fell onto the nearest seat he could find.  Yoshikuni held Doojoon’s hand very tight that Doojoon felt it could break.  But nothing hurt as much as his own heart right now.  Another one of his friends was fading away and Doojoon felt the world crumbling.

“Doctor, please do anything you can to save him…please….please…” finally Erika said something.  She begged and begged and the doctor assured that he will do his best, but the rest is up to Junhyung.

Since Junhyung needed to be watched around the clock, he was put under quarantine.  Nobody was allowed to see him.  They could only look at him through the glass wall, except for Yoshikuni.  She worked together with the other doctor to treat Junhyung.  It was really heart-breaking for them.  Junhyung looked so fragile that he could break anytime soon.

According to Yoshikuni, Junhyung was given the best medical care the hospital can provide.  He was put under EGDT, since he was diagnosed to be critical.  He was given antibiotic intravenously through his hand to fight the bacteria.  His breathing was aided with tracheal intubation.  Catheter tube was attached to his neck straight to his vein for quick registration of medicine to control his failing system.  He was given haemodialysis to assist his kidneys.  Yoshikuni assured them that the doctor was doing his best to cure him.  She also assured them that Junhyung was holding on very well.

The doctor in-charge of them reported to TOP on their condition.  TOP and the rest of his team will be there in five days to see how they were settling down.  He also said that he had located Dongwoon’s body and they were giving him a proper burial.  The two soldiers had helped them move to a new home.  It was like before.  They lived together, except that there’s no Dongwoon’s room and there’s no weapons hidden.  Junhyung’s room had no alarm and it looked really like a room, not like an office as before.  But, Junhyung wasn’t there.

On the third day Junhyung was admitted, nothing can calm them down anymore.  Doojoon wished he knew earlier about Junhyung’s infected wound.  He wished he could kill that man with his own hands.  Yoshikuni had been in and out of the ICU, working herself out to cure her best friend.  Yoseob had caught a fever.  The doctor said that he was stressing himself too much because of the current situation.  He was given an outpatient treatment after the doctor was sure he was free from whatever infected Junhyung.  But, he refused to go home and rest.  Sierra wasn’t doing any better.  A moment she can be very calm, but the next second she cried like a madwoman.

Erika refused to leave the hospital as well.  But, she never went to Junhyung’s room, not even the corridor of his room.  She can’t see him.  She can’t see him so weak and vulnerable.  She was afraid, really afraid that she will lose him.  She was found crying most of the time.  But, Gikwang was there to console her.  He made sure he was with her every hour, although he broke down sometimes too.  But, Hyunseung harboured the most pain with him.  He felt guilty.  He had blamed Junhyung the last few days for something not his fault.  When Hyunseung had just accepted him again, Junhyung left him facing the world alone.  He felt guilty and disgusted with himself.  He stood vigil outside the room and looked inside through the glass wall.  His eyes were full with tears.

But, finally on the day TOP arrived, Yoshikuni had ran to them, bringing news that cheered them up.  Junhyung was making a major breakthrough.  His lungs and kidneys were finally working again.  He was put out of the induced coma and was asking to see them.  TOP and his gang, who had stayed with them to support them, smiled encouragingly.

“Told you he will make it.  He’s no ordinary soldier you know,” GD squeezed Hyunseung’s hand.

With the doctor’s permission, they went into Junhyung’s room.  But, things turned sorrowful again when they heard Junhyung’s question.

“No Dongwoon?” he asked, looking at them one by one.  None of them answered, “I guess this is not just a dream then,” he said, single tear dropped to the side of his face.

It hurt them to see him.  Hyunseung cried immediately.  Junhyung was never the bad guy.  He was hurt, terribly hurt by Dongwoon’s death.  Hyunseung ran out of the room, GD followed suit just to be there for him.  Erika held Junhyung’s hand and tried to talk some sense to him.  Still, Junhyung looked like he was more injured emotionally rather than physically.  In the end, TOP voiced.

“We found him.  We gave him a proper burial.  We brought back his stuff.  I already put it at the house,” he stated, hoping that it would cheer Junhyung up.  But, Junhyung only muttered a weak ‘thanks’ and decided not to speak anymore.

They started to heal after the event.  Not only physically, but mostly emotionally.  They didn’t try to forget but they lived through the memories.  Not even a moment Dongwoon was forgotten.  After Junhyung was discharged, he buried Dongwoon’s stuff (his backpack given by TOP) at their backyard.  Doojoon had even decorated the monument.  Gikwang went there once a week, just to be there and Hyunseung cleaned the place regularly.  Erika went there whenever good news came and told everything to the monument.  Sierra and Yoshikuni always went there together, stood in front of it with their eyes closed, reliving the good memories with Dongwoon.  Dongwoon were with all of them all the time.

Two weeks after that, they started living, really living again.  Yoshikuni worked at the hospital, as a paediatrician.  She found happiness when she saw kids bouncing all over the place.  She gave up working in the army because she can’t bear the pain reliving the war.

Doojoon and Erika had decided to further their study.  They promised to get their PhD.  They wanted to give back to the society later, when they were lecturers.  Reliving their college time had given them composure that they still have each other.

Yoseob and Gikwang started their own business together.  Yoseob invented educational computer programmes for the local kids, sent his products to school to be used by teachers.  Gikwang controlled the financial part of the company.  Things worked out well for them and they were happy with their contribution to the society.

Hyunseung went straight for education.  He was a Physics teacher at a local high school.  The female students swooned over him.  But, Hyunseung was professional.  He taught them and that was it.  He was excited coming home every evening, telling them how his students were doing great in their study.  That was enough for him to live happily.

Sierra gave up petroleum engineering.  She stayed home.  She wrote stuff.  She published her first book two months after she started.  Some of them were their stories but some of them were purely fiction.  Sierra found escapism bittersweet.  Whenever she woke up in the middle of the night crying, she went straight to her table and created her fantasy, a world where she can go without taking her pain along.

Junhyung kept his promises.  He was back to his initial job, a military engineer.  Most of the time he was in his office, video calling TOP to talk about strategies and other stuff.  TOP came once a month, sometimes alone and sometimes with the others.  Junhyung distracted himself with work.  When he’s not working, Junhyung locked himself in his room, playing music.

They were surprised at first, when one day a guitar arrived.  Junhyung said he ordered it.  Then, suddenly another guitar arrives, an electric one.  Then, a keyboard.  Finally, a grand piano was delivered to their house and was arranged in the living room.  The moment Junhyung saw the piano, he had ran to his room and cried.  When Erika asked, he said the piano reminded him too much of Dongwoon.  Of course, Dongwoon liked piano.  Erika cried together with him.  But, they never throw the piano away although they never played it too.  It was just there with them, like Dongwoon was.

They laughed like other people.  They blended with the locals.  Finally, about six months after they first landed, something happened that really made them happy.  Doojoon proposed Yoshikuni and they were finally married.  The wedding was average in scale, but TOP, GD, VI, D-Lite and SOL had come to offer their congratulations.  Yoseob and Sierra was the happiest, reliving their own wedding.

But, Erika cried alone that night after the wedding.  She wished Junhyung said something, but Junhyung never talked about their relationship.  The others started wondering.  They had accepted the fact that Erika and Junhyung were really meant for each other, but Junhyung didn’t show any sign that he wanted to get serious with Erika.  He worked most of the time, or played music.  They started to ask Yoshikuni about it since Junhyung was her best friend, but she didn’t have a clue about it.  They didn’t dare ask Junhyung because they were afraid Junhyung will break down again.

He was very fragile, physically and emotionally.  After the infection event, Junhyung still had to go for regular check-up at the hospital.  The doctor said that he was never fully healed, that there could be relapse.  His organs had failed once after all.  It was possible for them to fail again.  Whenever Junhyung was stressed because of work, he would easily fall sick.  Twice he was hospitalized again, but he clung to life.  Erika was so worried but she didn’t want to say anything.  She was afraid that it will upset Junhyung and he will just break.

Then, after so long, it was Dongwoon’s death anniversary.  They had gathered at the backyard and stood together.  They didn’t say anything.  They didn’t cry.  They simply remembered Dongwoon.  That night, they went to bed with only Dongwoon in their minds.

But, the next morning, Hyunseung was woken up by the sound of piano.  Somebody had played the piano in the living room.  He ran downstairs.  He was surprised when saw Junhyung played it.  The piece that he played was melancholic and it almost made Hyunseung cried.  Then, Gikwang arrived at the scene, looking as bewildered as him.  Doojoon and Yoshikuni descended the stairs, eyes focused on Junhyung.  Yoseob and Sierra came right after that.  Erika was the last one to arrive.  She had tears in her eyes, but they stayed there.

Junhyung didn’t seem to notice their presence.  He kept playing with his eyes closed.  They watched him, surprised that he was finally able to sit there and played.  He wasn’t able to even look at it before.  It was a great improvement.  When he finally stopped playing, he turned and saw them.  He was caught off guard but he didn’t run away.  He focused his stare on Erika.

When he walked to her and took her hand, the others’ jaws hanged.  They didn’t see Junhyung did that for a year already.  Even Erika was taken aback by the sudden affection.  Junhyung didn’t say anything but he took out something from his pocket.

A ring.  The ring that Dongwoon had once gave to Erika.

Junhyung held Erika’s hand firmly.  His other hand brought the ring to her ring finger.  When the ring reached there, he stopped.  He looked at her.  He didn’t say anything but Erika knew he didn’t have to.  With tears wetting her cheeks, Erika nodded vigorously.  She had waited for so long that she knew Junhyung was proposing, even though he didn’t say anything.  As Erika nodded, Junhyung slipped the ring onto her finger and it fitted nicely, like when Dongwoon slipped the same ring onto the same finger.

“I am sorry you waited for so long,” Junhyung said finally.

“No, Junhyung.  It’s fine.  I know it was hard for you too,” Erika replied.

“Thanks for trusting me,” Junhyung said.

“Why would I not?  Dongwoon trusted you,” Erika said and Junhyung hugged her.

Junhyung cried too.  The others cried as well.  This time they cried out of happiness.  They knew Dongwoon was with them.  They knew Erika was relieved.  They knew Junhyung had healed emotionally.  But most of all, they knew they will live.

Finally, that's the end of it.  I imagined Junhyung played River Flows in You by Yiruma.  But, it is really up to you.  This story is the hardest to write so far, compared to my other stories.  This is my first post-apoclyptic genre.  It was hard, certainly, but it meant a lot to me.  Thanks for reading.

Listening to: Beast - On Rainy Days

Mood: Extremely sleepy -.-