𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐒. SAN

21 : our last meeting

" OUR LAST MEETING "

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

San's heavy footsteps trailed from the throne room, trudging his way out and into his own. He almost bumped into a wall as hundreds of thoughts and questions roamed his mind. He let out a scoff of disbelief as he recalled what the king had mentioned to him just moments earlier. What the hell does he mean by he's going to be sent to the Treasure Kingdom war?

There is no damn way he's going there. The lad has heard some nasty events from that war that has been going on for a few months now and he couldn't believe the king, who claimed they needed a good fighter, would send him there as if San alone could stop the whole war.

That's another thing, he was going to be sent alone. No Hongjoong, no Seonghwa, no Jongho and not even any soldiers to back him up. Just him, Choi San. It's not even the fact that he was going to be sent alone, it was the fact that his body had a higher chance of coming back lifeless rather than him alive and well.

Yes, I know he said something about hating this life but c'mon! That was way before Jiseol. He didn't even worry about the war itself, but rather the fact that he might not see his sweet Jiseol nor his beloved friends again.

San had to plan quickly. One more week before he leaves and that might be it, the last time he'll ever see his team and prince Yeosang. The others....eh he doesn't really care much.

Before he knew it, his room door was in front of him and he twisted the doorknob without any thought, only to be greeted by four sorrowful faces. They didn't even need to exchange any words to understand what was happening — or rather, what was going to happen.

The tension was way too thick and heavy, it felt suffocating. Despite the few minutes of pondering on why he was going to be sent in the first place, San still had so many questions. He thought he was an important person to the royalties, much more that he was a Choi, but only now he had realized that he held no significance to the Kangs except Yeosang.

Based on his knowledge, their kingdom has already sent their share of soldiers and who knows if they're still alive so why him? The only slightly good thing about this unfortunate news was that they said he could come back after three months, well that's if he can stay alive during those months in the first place.

A few tears were shed as well as encouraging words were exchanged before the four men finally left San alone. It was hard leaving his room, San was a good friend to them all and they wanted to spend the one week he has left with him just in case. San could feel all four pairs of eyes roaming around his body and almost taking in his features and engraving his image in their minds as if he could disappear any moment. Which technically he kinda was (?), but it's not like he was going to leave tomorrow, they still had a week left together.

After that short but emotionally draining session, the lad went to his desk, took out a piece of paper with the prettiest design from his small stationary collection and started writing a letter to the one person that has never left his mind ever since the day of the treaty.

San cussed to himself as he had to pause writing several times because the paper was going to be wet with his tears. In spite of this, it was way too much for him and anyway stained the paper.

My dear sweet Seollie,
This was unexpected but once you see this, It'll be about a month since I've been sent to a life-threatening mission. You see, my love, a war has been on-going in Treasure Kingdom and I've been sent to help them.

I will be there for a maximum of three months so if you come back to our place after those months and I'm not welcoming you with arms wide open, then I'm sorry, love. Don't come back anymore if that happens. I'm going to miss you and your pretty face.

I hope to see you again, hang on for me, okay love?

— Your kitty, Sannie

That night San snuck out to put the letter where Jiseol would see it the next time she would come to their place under the bridge. Although his original intention was only to come by quickly and place the letter there, he thought for a moment. It could be the last time he would come to this place, and so the lad sat down on his normal spot where Jiseol would sit on his right side.

He remembered all the beautiful memories they had created during all those crescent moons he wished had never ended. Tears cut his cheek one by one as he could only imagine the love of his life right beside him; calling him kitty, teasing him, or singing the sunshine song she sang when they had their first kiss. Too bad tonight wasn't a crescent moon.

⇠┅┅┅┅┅┅༻❁༺┅┅┅┅┅┅⇢

Jiseol choked on never ending sobs that escaped her lips. The lass didn't even try hiding them, her heart ached way too much at the moment. She grasped the letter in her hand as river-like tears fell on the side of her head due to laying down. She couldn't believe it. As if this whole Treasure Kingdom war thing wasn't enough, she didn't even bother showing up last crescent moon because what San had said still hadn't sunk in and she left abruptly the last time they met without saying proper goodbyes. It made the pain even worse.

So much for pushing people away because of her unresolved trust issues.

Jiseol couldn't bare think of what would or could happen to San. She already lost her parents and sister, was she going to lose him too? Does she really have to go through it again?

What if she wasn't going to see him again? What if he doesn't come home alive? What if this is their end? What if- Ugh! So many what ifs! She didn't get why her life was always full of questions and never answers. She didn't even get the chance to tell him what he meant to her. But most importantly, she didn't even get the chance to tell him she loves him.

If anyone was to complain about life being unfair, then it should be her. Indeed it was unfair.

—