Byeol is struggling with Shownu's enlistment
"Why do you look so sad?" Shownu asked and Byeol smiled at him, blinking a few times. "Because I am sad!" He chuckled and opened his arms, "C'mere." She happily walked into his embrace, wrapping her small arms around his waist.
"Can't we like, get you hurt or something and then you don't have to go?" She mumbled into his chest. She smiled as she felt his chest rumble as he laughed and pulled her away. "No, Moon. We can't hurt me. At least not for that reason," he winked and her cheeks heated up.
"Stop!" She whined, "I'm going to miss you! I'm never going to see you again!" Shownu chuckled again and cupped her cheek, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "That's not true and you know it. We all have to do this, Moon. Even your boys. Besides, I'll only be at basic training for a few weeks and I'll write. I'll call when I can and then once I'm out of training and able to have my phone back, I'll message you all the time when I can."
"And you'll see me on leave? Or let me visit you?" He smiled down lovingly at her before guiding her over to the couch. "I'll visit you when I can, I promise. I don't know about you visiting me. . ." he trailed off and her eyebrows furrowed. "Why not?! Why can't I visit you?"
"Babe," he deadpanned, "One, I don't think you're even allowed too. And two, there's too many men to keep you away from! If you haven't noticed, you're like a magnet. It's hard enough just keeping the girls away."
Byeol laughed at that and Shownu smiled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back into his chest. "There's that smile." She smiled up at him and pecked his lips. "You have to go, don't you?" She frowned and he shrugged.
"I do, Minhyuk has something planned. But I think I can spare a few more minutes." Byeol sat up and turned around, wasting no time in smashing her lips against his. When they pulled away for air, he leaned his forehead on hers. "I'll miss you, Moon-ah. Wait for me?" She nodded and hummed. "You already know I will."
She walked him to the door, tears burning her eyes as she watched him walk down the hallway to the elevator. She wished that she could go with him in the morning to send him off, but she knew his members needed that time for them. Which was why she had gotten all afternoon and most of the evening with him. It still didn't feel like enough.
Once she closed the door to her apartment, she let her tears fall and she curled up on the couch, sniffling here and there. An hour later Yugyeom was home. "Moon, I'm hom—are you crying?!" He rushed over to the couch and squished her cheeks in his palms.
Her puffy cheeks and red eyes were enough to make her look funny enough for Yugyeom to burst out in laughter. "Yah! I'm sad and you're laughing at me!" He cleared his throat and looked back at her, taking her hand. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You just looked funny all squished. What happened? I thought you were with Shownu hyung today?"
His eyes widened and his grip on her hand tightened as he practically flew on the couch next to her. "Did you two break up?! I swear that I'll go do—something to him! What happened?!" Now it was her turn to laugh at him.
"Why are you laughing?! What's wrong with you?!" He screeched and she laughed harder, tears falling for a whole new reason. "Oh, Gyeom-ah," she heaved, wiping a few tears, "I needed that. Thanks." He frowned and she patted his knee. "We didn't break up so you don't have to do the something you were talking about."
Yugyeom looked relieved at that. "Then why are you crying?" She chewed her bottom lip. "He enlists tomorrow." Yugyeom's soft 'ah' was all she heard and then she laid her head down on his lap. "He won't be gone forever, Moon," Yugyeom said, gently taking her hair out if it's braids.
"And he'll still be able to talk to you and stuff. Don't' be sad." She sighed and turned on her back to face him. "I know that. But if I'm like this now when my boyfriend is going, what happens when it's time for you all to start going? How am I going to handle that?!"
Yugyeom chuckled and pat her head. "You'll be just fine, Moon. BamBam doesn't have too. He'll still be here. Jackson will be here too. Well, maybe in China, but he'll be here. And Mark hyung. Maybe he can come live with you while I'm serving the country."
"B-but you're just a baby, Gyeom! How can they expect you to do that?" Yugyeom let out a laugh and pushed her off of him. "I'm not a baby anymore, Moon. And you're being dramatic. Now, go wash your face and put some ice or something on it because you're all puffy and gross. I'll get us ice cream."
She mumbled words he couldn't hear under her breath as she walked to the bathroom. He could only shake his head with a smile. A few minutes later, she was tucked under her covers with a bowl of ice cream in her hand and Yugyeom next to her, the two of them intently watching the movie on the TV screen.
Byeol glanced over at him and smiled, feeling her heart warm. Would she be sad when her boys started enlisting? Of course, she would. But for now, she was just going to enjoy the little moments like these with them.
She'd even wake up early to video chat Shownu before he made his way out to the training center. Their last goodbye for now. Maybe she'd even call Mark after that and catch up and see what he was doing.
As much as she hated seeing Shownu leave and knowing it would probably be a while until she saw him in person again, she knew that this was never a goodbye and never would be. It would be just like he said—just like Yugyeom was showing her.
It was only a see you later.
