ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 20: " ᴄʜʀɪꜱᴛᴍᴀꜱ"

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♥༻∞ ʜᴀɴ ᴊɪꜱᴜɴɢ ∞༺♥

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ʜᴀɴ ᴊɪᴜɴɢ

Nine months had passed since I left for military service, and the absence of communication with Minho had weighed heavily on my heart. The enforced silence was unbearable; without a phone or any real way to reach out, I felt isolated from the world I longed to be a part of. The only connection I had to him was through the letters I painstakingly wrote, but none had returned. Each day without a response deepened my worry, and the ache of missing him felt more pronounced with every passing moment.

As I sat in the barracks with other soldiers, I gazed out the window, watching the snowflakes fall gently to the ground, blanketing everything in white. The world outside looked so peaceful, but inside, I was a tumultuous storm. Tomorrow was Christmas, and the thought of spending it away from Minho filled me with an unbearable sadness. I had always imagined celebrating the holiday with him—his laughter, our shared moments, and the warmth of his presence. But here I was, stuck in a military base, cut off from everything I held dear.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching my bed, and I turned to see the commander walking toward me, a delivery box in his hands and my phone perched on top. He wore a gentle smile, and I felt a flicker of hope ignite within me.

"They finally found your phone," he said, settling down beside me. "I'm sorry that this happened. It was no one's intention, but there's a package for you. It's a little heavy." His tone was calm, reassuring.

My heart raced as he placed the box in front of me. I sat up, curiosity piqued, and reached for my small pocket knife. With careful precision, I began to slice through the packing tape, my mind racing with possibilities about what could be inside.

The lid popped open, and I peered inside, my breath catching in my throat. There were familiar items: a carefully wrapped gift, a stack of letters, and a small package of Minho's favorite snacks. My heart swelled with emotion as I dug deeper, pulling out the letters one by one. Each one was a lifeline, a piece of Minho that I had desperately missed.

"Open your phone first," the commander urged gently, his presence a steadying force. I nodded, my fingers trembling with anticipation as I picked up my phone, feeling its weight in my hands.

After a quick glance at the screen, I realized it was operational again. With a swift motion, I powered it on, and the familiar boot-up sound filled the air. The screen illuminated, revealing missed notifications, and my heart raced even faster. I quickly connected to the Wi-Fi, my mind racing with thoughts of what messages I might find.

I navigated through my notifications, heart pounding. Just as I began to feel overwhelmed, I noticed a message that sent a rush of adrenaline through me.

New Message from Minho

Before I could read it, the commander placed a hand on my shoulder, drawing my attention. "Take your time, Jisung. I know it's a lot to process. You have a support system here too, even if it's not what you imagined."

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐲: ᴍɪɴꜱᴜɴɢWhere stories live. Discover now