We're Family, We Stick Together (Duty After School)

~2~

     Yihyun shut the boot of the car. "You've got everything you need?" He turned towards his kids as they organised their suitcases, rucksacks and backpack.

     "Torches? The pagers we gave you just in case you need to contact us? An emergency first aid kit?" Saebom went into mum mode as she fussed over them.

    "You gave them a first aid kit? The army will have plenty," Yihyun looked amused. 

  "You never know what might happen and they need to be prepared," Saebom argued stubbornly. 

    She and Yihyun were dropping the kids off at school before heading off to work, knowing this might be the last time they will see them for a long while.

    "We've got everything," Nara assured her mother.

  Saebom looked at her two children before pulling them into a hug. "We're going to miss you. Remember to stay safe and to look out for one another, okay? Can you promise me that?" She asked.

     The twins both nodded, pulling away to give their dad a hug too. 

  "Stay safe, stay alert and hopefully, if all goes well, we'll see you in four weeks," Yihyun kissed the top of their heads gently. 

    "We will," The twins chorused.

  Nara grabbed her suitcase and, waving goodbye to her parents, she walked off to join her friends. 

    Soo Cheol was about to gather his stuff when he hesitated. Turning back to his parents he engulfed them both in one last hug. 

     "Stay safe too, okay?" Soo Cheol whispered, "Don't die, please?"

  "Cheol-ah, what's wrong?" Saebom asked, brushing her son's hair out of his face. 

      "I heard your conversation last night, about the spheres and that lots of people had died in an attack," Soo Cheol confessed, hugging his parents tighter, "I know this military drafting has something to do with it."

     Yihyun and Saebom exchanged sad glances.

  "You're right. It is," Saebom said quietly, "But you can't tell anyone, do you understand? We can't send everyone into a panic while we only know so little about it. The spheres are much more dangerous than people think it is."

     "I promise I won't say a word, not even to Nara," Soo Cheol nodded. He and Nara told each other everything, from the littlest things to the more secretive ones. He even knew about her crush on their classmate, Kim Chiyeol. 

     "Go on now, or you'll be late," Yihyun smiled, patting his son's shoulder gently.

   Soo Cheol took hold of his suitcase and waved goodbye to his parents before entering through the school gates. 

    Yihyun pulled Saebom into his arms as they watched their two kids making their way up the road towards the school's front door.

    "When did Soo Cheol become so grown up?" Saebom murmured softly, leaning her head back into her husband's chest. 

    "I don't know, but I do know one thing," Yihyun rested his chin on top of her head, "he'll definitely make sure that Nara or his classmates won't get hurt if the spheres ever attacked."

    As soon as the twins were out of sight, they hopped back into their car, making their way to the SOU base.

    Kim Chiyeol was surprised to see all his classmates when he entered room 3-2. He had thought that most of the girls would plead to stay at home. Dropping his bags at his seat, he craned his neck, searching for someone.