Stay With Me (SWM #1) | A Taekook Series

24) apart but connected

"Over and out." I slide my headphones onto my neck and cut the call on the intercom connected to my laptop. Yes, my laptop.

After Jin gave my background info and my lack of combat skills to the HQ, they decided to give me the job of a telecommunicator and I'm not complaining. I still have to exercise every morning and go through some combat training but the majority of my work is gonna off-field. Laptops and intercoms are WAY better than guns.

The control room which I'm sitting in starts to clear out. I don't know most of the officers so I keep fiddling with my laptop so they think I'm busy. I'm such a genius when it comes to avoiding conversations.

Someone pats my back.

"Good work today, Officer. I need the same energy tomorrow." Officer Kai says and then leaves. He's a smart guy and well...friendlier than Chris.

I finally stretch out my legs and relax my shoulders when the room empties. Damn, you made it out alive on the first day!

But my shoulders deflate again. Only if I had someone I could share my excitement with.

Wait. I actually can.

I open my mail on a new tab. My eyes scan the inbox. The older mails are from my hospital and a few from reading websites for which I had signed up, but it's the latest mail that makes my heart flutter.

From: abcdefghijk@gmail.com

To: kth97@gmail.com

Subject: A warm hug and a big thanks

Tae,

Thank you.

Thank you for teaching me how to cry and feel okay about it. I legit bawled my eyes out yesterday. Soaked the fucking pillow with my tears. And...it felt good. Like, my chest felt lighter. The weight of something on my shoulders had been taken away.

I cried because I am an orphan. Cause I felt weak. Cause even though I knew almost everyone here, I felt super lonely. I cried cause there wasn't anyone to comfort me. I cried cause they took you away from me. (Damn. I feel like I should quit being a shoulder and start a career as a poet XD)

But it's okay. I'm okay. Don't worry 'bout me. I honestly feel really relieved after all the crying and I wrote a whole paragraph about it. So yeah, thanks again.

How was your first day?

I know your commanding officer, Chris. He's a decent guy. Chris was with me in my training days.

By the way, I started reading The Hunger Games. I read about 15 to 20 pages and then dozed off (sorry!). But the book seems pretty interesting. I also started working on a painting! Being stuck in one place really makes your all your creativity come out. I'll send you a picture once it's finished. I wish I had my guitar though, then I could've practiced some songs. It's been a while since I've plucked some strings.

Anyways, You're a champ and can power through the rest of your service. I know it and I'm always cheering for you.

Love,

Jeongguk

From: kth97@gmail.com

To: abcdefghijk@gmail.com

Subject: Re: A warm hug and a big thanks

Okay...first up, I don't remember teaching you how to cry. That's a skill you've mastered the second you were born. But jokes apart, I'm proud of you. It's completely okay to cry randomly. I do it many times. Even Yeontan knows it. He comes and starts licking my face when I'm sad.

Well I started my first day by bumping into Officer Chris and having an awkward conversation. There's this guy called Kai too, he's better than Chris honestly. Thanks to Jin, these people have decided to keep me off-field. And because of that, I'm able to write this mail to you. Woohoo!! If I try to be optimistic, things don't suck that much. Well they do, but a little less.

If you think that I'm a fast reader who finishes books in one sitting then you're wrong. I usually read before sleeping and I too doze off after two or three chapters. So you don't have to apologize. I'm glad you found the book interesting.

And also, you need to play some songs for me whenever we get a chance. I would love to hear you sing. Get well soon and write back whenever possible.

Love,

Taehyung