Work Text:
News of Tomorrow
[BREAKING] World Army Victorious, War Ceases
December 9 23XX, 1:54 PM
International Space Station – As the near decade anniversary of the War for Mankind approaches, an official agreement was made between the General of the World Army and the Leader of the Sovereigns – an alien army which has threatened mankind's existence and occupying Earth for the past century.
The agreement involved the Sovereigns agreeing to pull their forces and influence from Earth on the basis that Earth would have to provide the Sovereigns with resources from our Solar System, allowing them access to intergalactic resource farms amongst the planets.
Although ultimately a war ending decision, amongst the celebration is criticism from the world powers towards Major General Wooyoung Jung of the SK Faction of the World Army: a major player in gaining the freedom of Earth from the Sovereigns. Critics and politicians alike declare Jung’s decision “an outrage" and "a disgrace to humanity and towards the persistent goal to expand outwards in the first place” stated by a member of the press in rebuttal at the announcement conference held earlier this morning.
Major General Jung responds to the criticism towards his sudden diplomatic decision to share the Solar System’s resources with the Sovereigns: “The war started with a sacrifice, it would inevitably end with a sacrifice.”
❖ ❖ ❖
Wooyoung doesn’t know if he’s ready.
He wanted to move forward; he saw the end of the war as a new beginning, but the existence of this made it impossible. San had made it impossible.
As he runs his fingers along the front, the back, the spine, and the outer edges of the pages of the bound notebook in his hands, he felt every crack on its surface alongside the indent of the words “For Wooyoung” scrawled on the front. The journal was a purposeful memoir of the past, and it felt almost wrong to read it.
San made him feel as if he wasn't ready to return to life before the war. They had only officially been together for a couple of months before Wooyoung was sent out to war, leaving behind his life, his planet, and putting an unwilling pause on what was supposed to be a budding relationship between them. Now, Wooyoung simply doesn't know where to pick up where he left off on, the question of "what now?" haunting him.
Soon after officially being discharged from service, the crew had asked him where he'd like to be dropped off at. He could have said his hometown, Ilsan, but somehow Namhae came out instead. Wooyoung had let himself into the apartment, knowing San was always in such a hurry that most times he'd forget to lock the door, anyway. He now sat in what was supposed to be a familiar landmark, feeling strangely out of place.
Wooyoung continued to trace around the cracks on the cover with his fingers, memorizing their paths. He wasn’t even sure if he was meant to even read this in the first place, despite his name being scrawled on the front. Wooyoung's fingernail snags under the peeled cover: despite his fears, he couldn't help but wonder what San had to say to him after all this time. All this time of radio silence. As strange as it was, he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to know what San was up to after all this time. But the guilt kept growing in his head as sweat from his palms built up on the cover.
“Damn, fine,” Wooyoung silences the nagging in his head by peeling back the leather cover of the diary to the first page, the glue of the spine crackling in relief.
Before even reading the first page, Wooyoung feels his chest tighten at the sense of familiarity seeing the handwriting on the pages. Wooyoung shudders at the sudden ghost passing through his fingertips the moment they touch the pages to follow the entries, line by line, ink splotch by ink splotch.
❖ ❖ ❖
July 10 23XX
Today has been about a month since Wooyoung had left. I try and call him, but the signal from so far away tends to be so weak...every day I try calling, it feels like the connection gets weaker and weaker. One time a week or so back, the call said it was received, but no one was on the other side. I haven’t really tried since then.
I met up with Yunho the other day, and he gave me this journal to keep my thoughts in after noticing I was struggling a little bit. Or to try and write to Wooyoung when he gets back. Told me to keep my chin up, despite it all. He was supposed to be drafted to the war, but he told me he broke a bone last minute, and so the army called him off. Typical Yunho.
Anyways, I’ll try to keep track of my small but certain pieces of happiness as I wait for Wooyoung to return. starting with Byeol...Wooyoung was never really a cat person, yet he put up with Byeol for me. I was also kinda convinced they never were capable of getting along, but Byeol sleeps on Wooyoung’s pillow a lot of the time. Wooyoung, you should totallyy come back so Byeol stops screaming on your pillow!
Oh yeah, today’s my birthday...another year older! Not sure if I’m another year wiser. I actually didn’t do much of anything except for visit my parents since they’re just down the road. Miight as well. The second I stepped in, they were immediately doting over me as if I was the one out there fighting. It was fine until Mom seemed to only worsen my worries about Wooyoung, going from talking about how admirable Wooyoung’s position is to talking about how he was essentially going into the unknown to face off with the Sovereigns directly…
Then, she asked me if I knew how he was doing. As if I have not been able to get in proper contact with him for the past month. I had to step outside for a bit after that.
Dad came out to sit with me a bit after, telling me that he thinks that Wooyoung has enough of a sound mind to survive the war. That he’ll survive and come around. He says that it was hard for him to be away from Mom, too, during the Fourth Impact before I was born.
If he believes that Wooyoung will live to see me again, then for once, I’ll let the blind belief guide me through the rest of days until he comes back.
I enjoyed the rest of the night with them. My mom gave me some space, which I appreciated.
February 3 23XX
Sorry for waiting so long to write in here again! Its been hard keeping this a habit since I’ve been so wrapped up in keeping myself busy.
I’m writing this with Byeol in my lap. She still wails for Wooyoung, but only sometimes…
I sat at a nice cafe after work. Its been pretty slow and peaceful these days, but I pretty much prefer it that way. You’d barely even think there’s a war going on...if you don’t look at the news.
It’s weird how the world keeps turning – I remember reading on the news it’s the first intergalactic war in history. Wooyoung a part of history, who would have thought! Major General Jung Wooyoung of the World Army! Should I salute him when he comes back haha...
One of my kids was telling me about his dad being in the army. Maybe it’s fairly selfish of me to only want Wooyoung back when there’s so many other people that are missing someone else by their side. I told him that I was waiting on someone, too, and that we’ll wait together. I find it funny how the kids I teach are a lot more sympathetic than my coworkers who are my age. It’s always so hostile, talking about the pure diplomatic side of things, and the technicalities. One of them even brought up Wooyoung by name, saying how “a young guy like him wouldn’t last very long compared to his seniors against those aliens”.
I felt myself shake in anger a little bit. I was tempted to knock this guy off his podium, but I managed to calm myself down without saying anything. In the end, it’s exhausting to have to worry about the politics side of it when I have my own worries. It pains me hearing them talk about him like that, but who am I to say anything...
I’m not terribly close with Seonghwa, but I heard he was in town for a business trip, so we met up for a bit. I haven’t really talked to him since I graduated, but it seems like a lot has happened between us two. He used to work under the World Army as a specialist before deciding to pursue more local government work since he said he couldn’t handle the stress. He seemed a little starstruck when I told him that I was together with Wooyoung, telling me how he hasn’t seen him ever since he left the World Army. Seonghwa said it was surprising seeing him shoot up through the ranks so quickly, but he supposes it’s because of what he calls a “case of bullheadedness” on Wooyoung’s part. I gotta agree with him on that one.
It also turns out Seonghwa’s the fiance of one of Wooyoung’s right hand men, Captain Hongjoong, and he’s been constantly dealing with Hongjoong’s on an off presence due to his army duties. He was telling me all of the things him and Hongjoong were going to do once the “damned war” was over.
It had me wondering about the things I’d do with Wooyoung when he got back. I didn’t give it much thought, though...I’ll get back to you on that one.
(Reminder to self to tell Wooyoung that Seonghwa said that him and Yeosang should all grab a coffee sometime since it’s been a while.)
January 18 23XX
I saw Wooyoung on the news. I saw him for the first time in years on the other side. Through the lens of damn nearly every other person watching the news. It hurts. The shadows make him look like he hasn’t slept. His hair is slightly longer than when he had first left, but not by much. It feels like a crime being separated by glass, then the pixels, and then some lightyears.
It was just a picture of him where he was stationed, but it did so much. Ihad to almost imagine myself being with this current version of Wooyoung. Isn’t it funny, having to fantasize being with someone you’re already with?
I just found out from Seonghwa that he heard they had to cut external communication, as it was taking up too many resources – they can only communicate through military channels now.
I remember not being able to say much of anything to Wooyoung the day before he had to leave. We didn’t do much of anything except lie in my arms and talk about about everything and nothing at the same time until he fell asleep in my arms. Just his presence alone was enough to comfort me. For every breath he took, I was reminded of why I love him.
In the morning, he was gone.
I thought again about what we’d do once we got back again: I think I’d like to simply make up for the lost time that we were apart, catching up and all. That would be enough.
I felt ashamed for only having the privilege to call him mine for only a couple of months. All that I’m left behind with is the way he made me feel.
November 26 23XX
I traveled all the way to Ilsan to see your parents and to deliver some gifts.They said they miss you, and they told me to give this journal to you once you got back. I wrote it on the cover so I wouldn’t forget.
Sometimes I wish Namhae wasn’t in the middle of nowhere because the stars are too clear and too visible. And every time I look at the stars, I think of you and what could have been if you were here right now. If I could hear you, see you, or even feel you.
But at the very least, it’s a reminder that so long they are stars in the sky, you’re out there somewhere.
I don’t want to say happy birthday to you through here. I want to be able to say it to you in person. All I can hope is that you’ve been waiting for me as long as I have been waiting for you.
❖ ❖ ❖
Wooyoung eyes hinges on the spot of the last word before flipping to the next page. Then the next. And the next. He then thumbs through the rest of the pages to find that they were all blank.
That’s it, a voice echoed in Wooyoung’s head as he softly closed the journal, placing it on his lap and staring at the cover once more. For Wooyoung. He stared at his own name in San’s handwriting, noticing the cracks in the cover running through his name, too.
A small mewl sounds from somewhere behind Wooyoung, bringing him back to reality. He finds the source of the sound to be none other than Byeol. As soon as he turned around, Byeol slinked over his way, purring against his leg. Wooyoung gave Byeol a small scratch behind her ears – a warm welcome as if hadn’t left for some years. She looked frail, with long silver whiskers jutting out every which way – a bit of change that made Wooyoung feel a slight pang of pain.
Wooyoung fixated on Byeol as he tried to process what he had just read. It was so little, yet so much. So much left unsaid, yet Wooyoung felt it told him all he needed to know. He lived in the past for only those few paragraphs. All he knew was what was he saw behind him, and seeing Byeol’s aging form turned his pain into a creeping sorrow and the realization he may not be the same person San missed.
Wooyoung feels tears start to prick the corner of his eyes. He should feel happy to be back. He should feel happy to be reunited with everyone. He should feel happy to be back with San. But, right now, Wooyoung feels completely alone.
The click of a key disrupts his thoughts. Then, the turn of a doorknob and another soft click.
“...Wooyoung?”