“Dad, we’re home!” Calls the young voice of 8 year old Sanghyuk. Hakyeon is in the midst of preparing lunch when his two loved ones enter the kitchen. He and Wonshik have been happily married for 9 years and decided to adopt their son somewhere along the line. At the start, he’d secretly wished for a daughter but as Sanghyuk grew older his feelings changed. In only their first year together, he loved the boy entirely.

Wonshik works at the school as an English teacher. As the calendars flew by, he’d gotten significantly better at speaking English and is now considered bilingual. Hakyeon often teases him, saying that he can barely speak his own language, so why does he try to speak another? The kids undeniably love him. It is a mystery how they keep up with his energetic spirit.

Hakyeon keeps in touch with his friends from the dance team although he graduated long ago. Inspired by Wonshik, he’s also a teacher. His French isn’t rather impressive but he knows enough to get by. The dance academy is less than a mile away. He jogs there every morning and gets home just before the other two. Their schedules are convenient for each other. It works so well that Hakyeon almost can’t believe that this is his life.

“Hi baby.” He bends down to steal a hug from Sanghyuk, who is already at the age of resisting the disgusting subspecies of mosquito called parental affection.

“…And my other baby.” Wonshik is willing to accept his hug and kiss with sly intent. He snatches the coffee mug from his husband’s grip and teasingly sips at it while holding it too high for Hakyeon to reach.

“Honestly?” Hakyeon laughs and gives up. The evening drags on with stories and complaints of their days at work and ends with tucking Sanghyuk into bed after reading him a bedtime tale.

--

A month later on their anniversary, Wonshik tells him. It started innocently. Hakyeon never expected it but he wishes that he’d noticed before. Wonshik waits until Hyuk has gone out with his friends for the night so that they can be alone.

“Hey, come here.” Hakyeon hears him say from their shared bedroom. He joins Wonshik shortly after he finishes ironing the rest of their clothes. The lights are dimmed and the scented candles burn on the nightstand. His husband somehow looks even more handsome in the soft glow.

“Oh, hello there.” Wonshik is lazily splayed across the pillows and stares back at him with hooded eyes. Hakyeon is a bit flustered and waits for Wonshik to make a gesture before undressing and climbing into bed beside him.

“I don’t know how to say this…” He trails off, doesn’t meet the loving eyes watching him carefully. Hakyeon bats his lashes and rubs his hands over Wonshik’s chest, oblivious.

Wonshik nearly falters- he’s afraid to say it. He knows how it will end… and Hakyeon isn’t taking this seriously at all, playing with the waistband of his sweats.

“You don’t have to say anything.” He whispers hotly in return.

“No, we really need to talk.” Wonshik sits up, brushing him off. He seems to realize it then and becomes quiet.

“I’m leaving in three months. I know you’ve heard about it in the news. There’s a war going on and I need to fight for my country.” An envelope is handed to Hakyeon containing his letter of registration, saying he would be joining the forces in May.

“It’ll be hard to get back to you when I leave. We might be able to write letters, although I don’t think that’ll happen often. Maybe there will be time to visit…” Hakyeon isn’t listening anymore. His world comes crashing in on him and he can only think of how this can’t be happening, much less on their anniversary night. He isn’t sure if Wonshik is still speaking when he stands up, bursts into tears and shouts at him.

“You can’t leave me! What about Hyukkie? You’re going to break apart our family!”

The other isn’t even slightly startled. He sighs in resignation.

“I promise I won’t be gone forever. I’ll be back. I’ll write to you both, okay? I have to do this, Hakyeon, for France. I have pride in my country and I won’t stand by and do nothing. This is for us, for our neighbors, for our future and for everyone that lives here.” None of his words make it through. It takes hours upon hours to coax Hakyeon into his arms again, and when that happens, the sky is cotton candy pink.

Sanghyuk finds out when he comes home and then they’re all a mess. Several sleepless nights pass. Wonshik can’t do anything to make them feel better and it hurts to see the people he loves most heartbroken over him.

--

Time rushes by and weeks feel like minutes. Within a beat, three months fade away and it’s time for him to leave.

Taekwoon and Jaehwan, two members of Hakyeon’s former dance team, come to bid Wonshik farewell. He has to take a plane to the military base in a northern department of France. Sanghyuk cries the entire time and Hakyeon is in similar condition, which only worsens when it comes to his last moments.

“You have to come back soon, dad. I want to grow up and be cool like you.” Sanghyuk hugs him tight.

“Be good to your father.” Wonshik ruffles his hair. His destination is called and now he really has to go. If Hakyeon cares, he doesn’t show it; he’s too busy staring at the ground. Jaehwan nudges him.

“Just go.” Hakyeon finally hisses and abruptly starts to leave. Everyone is too stunned to react properly. Wonshik is running before he knows it and spins his beloved around, lifts him up and together they share a passionate kiss.

“I hate French men.” He hears Hakyeon groan, still clawing at his jacket. They stop the world for that moment and cling to one another.

“Well, this one loves you. Wait for me to return home, okay? It’ll be sooner than you think.” Wonshik is gone five minutes later. Jaehwan drives them home, letting Sanghyuk sit in the passenger seat for the first time so they can catch up while Taekwoon tries to council Hakyeon. Somehow, everything is suddenly okay when he hears the soft rasp of sweet words in his ears and the gentle fingertips glide over his shoulder.

“…It’s a beautiful night and you’d look even lovelier without those tears.”