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That night, Eunbi and Jungkook didn't sleep a wink. They stayed up the entire night, staring into each other's eyes.

Jungkook tried to stay strong for her, but he was crippling on the inside. He tried cheering her up, cracking a few dad jokes he learnt from a friend. But nothing worked.

She held him tight, staying in the same position for hours awake. She hadn't spoken a word since the officers left, and it began to worry Jungkook.

If she's like this now, what will happen when I'm gone?

"Jungkook."
She suddenly spoke, her voice tired and raspy from not speaking at all.
He quickly looks down at her, humming.
"Don't leave me."
She says, her voice cracking.

Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut. His heart raced at the same words that had been leaving her lips for the past two days.
"Eunbi.. i-its not that I want to. This is my duty. I signed up to serve, and now I am."

She closes her eyes, embedding herself into his chest even more as she tightly holds onto his sweater.

Why did it have to be him?
She thinks.
Why did it have to be now?
Is fate so turned against us, that it does everything it can to tear us apart?
Like a dark swirling cloud that blocks out the golden sun, the universe has moved it's pawns against us, aiming to separate the lovers, king and queen, on this chessboard of life.

_______________________________

The thump of a suitcase against the wooden floor resonates through the silent room.

There stood Jungkook, clad from head to toe in his uniform. It was a handsome sight to see, but not for Eunbi. She felt like tearing the thing up into shreds and burning it in their backyard.

She was silent the entire time, as Jungkook and her drove to the railway station. Inside her, a storm was brewing, riling up inside her. But she suppressed it. She wanted to stay strong for him.

Yet, as the roads to the railway station drew near, it became harder and harder to control the turbulent waters in her heart. Jungkook had cried that morning, when she wasn't looking and he felt that choking hold around his neck tighten.

Ellen, Jimin and his son Hyunwoo already stood, waiting for the train. The couple had spotted the family, but the family hadn't seen them yet.

Jungkook stands next to Jimin, a hand around his shoulder. He startles at first, and then sinks into Jungkook's arms when he sees him.

Jungkook felt the fear that flowed through the man's grip and Eunbi hugged Ellen tightly, later kissing Hyunwoo's cheek.

The atmosphere was sullen, and Eunbi noticed other families standing with men or women clad in the same uniforms.

The waves inside began to grow tumultuously, and she was now physically shaking. Ellen takes hold of her arm in worry.

"Eunbi, breathe. Don't-"

A shrill horn pierces the air, and everyone snaps their head towards the train that approached the station. Like a broken dam, the tears flowed down her cheeks.

She grabs Jungkook's hand, shaking her head vigorously.
"Don't go. Please don't go."
She says, her voice rising an octave higher as her face began to turn red.
Jungkook shattered, and tears began to well up in his eyes as he picks up his suitcase.

"I love you."
He says, kissing her like it was the last time they would meet. Eunbi grasps at his scalp as they deepen the kiss, their salty tears flowing through their lips.
Ellen had started crying too, hugging Jimin tightly.

Hyunwoo didn't know what to make of the situation, he was only 3 years old, but seeing his parents cry together made him start wailing, hugging his father's legs.

An officer steps out of the train blowing a whistle, and Jungkook and Jimin pull away from their crying wives and child, regret and pain tugging at their hearts.

Jungkook had to almost yank his arm out of Eunbi's tight grasp, her chest now heaving as her tears covered her face. Before they knew it, the men had entered the train, tears streaming down their faces.

Eunbi sees Jungkook sit down, wiping his tears and staring at her through the window.
"Promise me.. you'll come back."
She says between laboured breaths, as she places her palm on the glass window.
"I promise. I fucking promise."
She hears his muffled voice reply with trembling lips as he places his larger palm on the other side of the glass.

Ellen was mumbling words of love and fear to Jimin, who sat behind Jungkook with Hyunwoo hoisted up on her waist, lifting his tiny hand to wave at his father. Jimin brought his fingers to his lips, and touched the glass where his baby boy had his hand placed.

The train began to move. Eunbi shook her head.
"Come back. Come back. Please, come back."
She yells, beginning to walk alongside the train with her palm still planted on the glass.

Jungkook had to tear his eyes away from the sight, for he couldn't handle it anymore.
"Say goodbye to daddy.."
Ellen said, crying as she shook her sons hand towards the window. Jimin kept staring at them, his tears falling below.

Eunbi refused to pull her hand away. The train began to move faster, and so did she.
"Eunbi, please, stop!"
Jungkook yells from inside, his hand on the glass, trying to grab her hand somehow. His lips and nose were red and so were his eyes, but Eunbi was now running beside the train, tears partially blocking her vision, leaving her a distorted Jungkook to look at.

"Promise me you'll come back!!"
She wails, now in full sprint and Jungkook kisses the area of the glass where her hand was placed. The platform was coming to an end, and with great difficulty, Eunbi had to pull her hand away from the glass.

She fell to her knees at the end of the platform as she watched the train speed down the track, the vision of her husband through the window diminishing until he vanished.

Now, all that was left was her body racking sobs and wails that left her lips. A gentle pair of shivering arms wrapped around Eunbi's trembling body. The vanilla scent wafted through her senses, and she leaned her head back into Ellen's chest, crying her heart out.

Promise me.. promise me you'll come back.