Tomorrow's sun awaits us | Seongjoong

Death at the end of the road

The steps of thousands of men shuffle on the road. Most of them have bags over their shoulders with the small amount of personal belongings they brought along.
Wooyoung is walking next to Hongjoong while Jongho and Yeosang are a bit ahead of them, to their right. There are no defined lines, the men are just walking as they find fit and with who they see fit.
Mingi is somewhere in front with his boyfriend.

Seonghwa moves along with Hongjoong on his right side.
He looks like a watchdog checking his owner once in a while.
The mosav beside Hongjoong takes a breath and continues talking.
From his chattering, the male now knows the blond hair's name is San. He expected something flashier or maybe longer in terms of letters.

Apart from his name, Hongjoong knows almost his whole biography, only the information doesn't stay in his mind for long as it does in Wooyoung's case. He sends a silent prayer to the one responsible for his memory.
San seems to be one of the rare people who actually have ties with the military outside of the war situation. The man was in special forces before the war and will continue working there when he returns.

So his muscles weren't a baker's attempt to lure in women. It would be a successful one yet again katen's were way more open minded.
Hongjoong couldn't be sure if the man was even into women.

What bugs him the most at the moment is Wooyoung's sparkling eyes as he talks about the older male. San looks like one of the men ready to break anyone's heart and trust. Like a fox he watched Hongjoong that night by the fireplace. He was curious but far from naive.
The same couldn't be said about Wooyoung.
The male knows there is only an hour left till they reach Katedrilte's capital city. A few farmer houses are already appearing on their sides.

He takes a glance over his shoulder and turns around.
He is all bones, he knows it. Only his tongue and eyes have stayed the same. Most of the time, that is all Hongjoong needs.
Now or never it is, huh.
He strides to the blond man, who is walking alone with his head lowered.
His ears pick up on Hongjoong's steps and he lifts his gaze up.

They stand close to each other, the other stopping in his tracks.
It may look like a form of intimidation yet it's done so they are not overheard.
"I will beat you black and blue if you throw his trust in you in the mud."
San's eyes flicker to the man a few steps away from them.
He knows who they are discussing.
"It won't end up in mud as long as I have any say in it."

Hongjoong's corner of the mouth twitches in something between a smirk and a smile.
"You better have a say in it till the end then."
He turns and makes his way back to Wooyoung.

One more thing done before the time has ticked out.

"Where did you go?"
"Had to tie a loose shoelace in place."
The man looks at his boots.
"It does look better now."
A disbelieving chuckle leaves Hongjoong's mouth, which makes Wooyoung giggle.
He is in a good mood this morning.
Hongjoong is not sure why, but he doesn't feel that suffocated himself while walking on the dusty road to the capital, Telron.

Regald starts whistling a melody somewhere in front of him. Others soon join in. The men are singing a cheerful song in their low voices.
Hongjoong watches as Seonghwa and his crew are moving their mouths yet their distinct voices fade out in the general singing.

A sunny morning accompanied with a song about returning home.

Hongjoong closes his eyes as the wind ruffles his black locks.
They are going home and he is going to face his future.
Wooyoung touches his arm.
"Can I?" he asks.
"Do you know the words?"
The black hair chuckles, seemingly calmed down with the song.
"I don't need to know the words to sing along."

And he sings. Wooyoung lets words flow out of his mouth slower than everyone else's yet he raises his voice to not fall behind.
He isn't singing about his own home at the end of the road, the win he has achieved or anyone waiting for him.
The man is walking free on a road many are taking with him and it's a free feeling, just walking with the wind to see how far he can get, how much louder he can sing, how much more he can feel before it will be put to a stop.

The stop isn't scary to Wooyoung, he always knew it was coming.
Something inevitable should be welcomed as it's all one can do.
Hongjoong looks at the soldiers and the man next to him with pure wonder.
How weird this world is moving forward.

His throat feels warm when the first hums escape it. The sounds hit his closed mouth and doesn't get out, staying and vibrating only through his body.

Songs change one after another, them all reaching Telron.
The sand under their feet changes to cobblestone pavement.
Civilians stop in their tracks and watch the men walk through the street. Windows open and shouts can be heard.
They are cheering.
Praise rains down on the men and people give them whatever they have at hand. They offer food and water, the women untie the scarfs around their necks or heads, throwing them at the men.

Colourful scarfs are being waved around by the katen soldiers with laughter accompanying their step.
Flowers rain down from the open windows above their heads.
At one point even flower crowns are getting thrown on their heads.

One of the crowns hits Hongjoong's head.
He takes the handcrafted good with roses between his fingers, pulling it down from its position partly on his head.
Instead he places it on the man next to him, who is cheering with everyone else.
Seonghwa raises one eyebrow at him but doesn't take the thing off, moving further with red roses on his black hair.

Many of the men step out of their rows to go straight home to their families.
As the men shrink in numbers, a big building appears to their right.
Hongjoong knows what it is even without asking.
A woman holding scales.

"You will have to go alone up there. Wooyoung has another place for...people like him." the black haired man in front of him says.
Yeosang if he remembers correctly.
The male stops, letting the soldiers move past him.

He has come.

Wooyoung opens his hands for a hug, which Hongjoong gives him.
"It will be alright regardless."
"I know but it's tearing me apart how right and wrong at the same time it feels."
Hongjoong's palm slides up and down the male's back.
"I will be alright and you will be alright. Don't worry." the man lets go of the other.
He starts to climb up the white stairs.

Hongjoong still doesn't know what future holds in store for him even in the next few moments. Some things never change.

"Hongjoong!" a voice calls.
The male turns around. The two steps he has taken up, makes him taller than Wooyoung.
The male in front of him looks tormented, desperation finding home in his features.
"What if this is it?" he whispers.
Hongjoong's chest is heavy as he looks at his friend. His eyes stray away to the special forces unit, which brought them here and the rest of the soldiers, who are watching him.
The man doesn't understand why he can't see any anger or pain in their eyes. Is life really that fleeting in the eyes of katens?

He remembers their base far away, then the train station that took him to it, then the house where he got his health check, the mustard coloured uniform and good luck wishes on the battlefield.
He still remembers the sunny morning when two officers stood in front of his door, their heads turning as they noticed he was back from his morning walk.

Hongjoong smiles.

"Then we have come a long way."