SuJu 100 fics challenge: 058. Lies, Shiwon/Shiwon
Author: Risabet
Title: 058. Lies, Shiwon/Shiwon
word count: 723
Rating: G
Summary: In the dead of the night Shiwon serves his country.
Fic count: 17/100
Archive.
Shiwon leaned his elbows against the worn-out, wooden surface of the table and wondered for the hundreth time just how many people had done the same before him. He streched his legs so that the soles of his boots almost touched the wall behind the table and tried not to fall asleep. Despite his best efforts the yellow light of the ceiling light seemed to grow dimmer by the minute, just like Shiwon’s mind grew duller as he listened vaguely to the faint echo of the words constantly repeated outside the borders of the garrison. Join us. Find true happiness.
“Choi.” Shiwon’s wandering thoughts snapped back into attention as another man wearing a uniform much more polished than Shiwon’s entered the room.
“Lieutenant Kang.” The man nodded kindly and waved his hand at Shiwon’s attempt to get ahold of himself after the long hours spent in solitary silence.
“Never mind, Choi. It has been a long night for you, hasn’t it? Go get some sleep, I’ll take care of the rest in here.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Kang nodded again, his gaze already turned towards the spread maps covering most of the table.
“That’s what it is like in here, Choi. Try to get used to it.”
The dormitory down the hall from the surveillance room was quiet and dark. A quick glance at the digital clock by the door told that it was well past midnight, and more than well past the time Shiwon’s shift should have ended. Feeling both tired and frustrated he slipped inside, trying not to disturb the sleeping figures that would in daylight turn into soldiers just like himself, neat uniforms molding them into a well-behaved mass, countless faceless figures, one for each task, several for most. By night, however, asleep like this, they were who they had used to be. The boy in the bed next to Shiwon’s, for instance, Lee Sungjin, was now simply a student from Daejeon, the features of his face still almost childishly soft. The way he slept on his side with his knees pulled to his chest reminded Shiwon of Donghae, or maybe Kibum, on the early mornings when none of them really wanted to get up on time. For a moment the thought made him smile, but the price he paid for his brief happiness was the sorrow he felt as he tugged the covers all the way up to his chin and tried to find a comfortable position in his bunk.
Every time his father called him on the phone Shiwon told him he was doing fine. That he had nothing to complain about. That he was even enjoying performing his duties. Every time his father told him how proud he was, his voice heavy with emotion.
Every time Shiwon wished he could tell his father that he just wanted to come back home. Back to Seoul. Back to his life. He wished for it so hard he almost cried, but of course he didn’t. No one ever did, not in here.
He had never missed his family more in his life, and that was quite something after all the long years more or less apart from them, spent training or working at SM Entertainment. There he had at least had friends with whom he had been able to share his feelings. His second family, like his mother would jokingly say, but with a sad note lingering in her voice.
Shiwon had never missed his friends like this before.
On his right he heard Sungjin toss and turn for a while, and then sigh in his sleep. Shiwon opened his eyes and looked at the face that could have belonged to Sungmin, to Youngwoon, to Hyukjae. Sometimes, at times like this, he almost desperately wanted to tell Sungjin that it was okay, that it was going to be okay, that the nineteen months they still had left would pass quickly, but he never did. During the day they were Private Choi and Private Lee, and during the day there were no vulnerable moments. During the day Shiwon would tell his father that he was fine, and not mention the longing he felt. During the day the night didn’t exist. And that was how it was going to be for all the nineteen months of lies they still had ahead of them.
------------------------------------------------
Notes: In South Korea serving in the military (from 24 to 28 months) is mandatory for men between 20 and 30 years of age.
Comments and constructive criticism are always welcome!
~*~
Title: 058. Lies, Shiwon/Shiwon
word count: 723
Rating: G
Summary: In the dead of the night Shiwon serves his country.
Fic count: 17/100
Archive.
Shiwon leaned his elbows against the worn-out, wooden surface of the table and wondered for the hundreth time just how many people had done the same before him. He streched his legs so that the soles of his boots almost touched the wall behind the table and tried not to fall asleep. Despite his best efforts the yellow light of the ceiling light seemed to grow dimmer by the minute, just like Shiwon’s mind grew duller as he listened vaguely to the faint echo of the words constantly repeated outside the borders of the garrison. Join us. Find true happiness.
“Choi.” Shiwon’s wandering thoughts snapped back into attention as another man wearing a uniform much more polished than Shiwon’s entered the room.
“Lieutenant Kang.” The man nodded kindly and waved his hand at Shiwon’s attempt to get ahold of himself after the long hours spent in solitary silence.
“Never mind, Choi. It has been a long night for you, hasn’t it? Go get some sleep, I’ll take care of the rest in here.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Kang nodded again, his gaze already turned towards the spread maps covering most of the table.
“That’s what it is like in here, Choi. Try to get used to it.”
The dormitory down the hall from the surveillance room was quiet and dark. A quick glance at the digital clock by the door told that it was well past midnight, and more than well past the time Shiwon’s shift should have ended. Feeling both tired and frustrated he slipped inside, trying not to disturb the sleeping figures that would in daylight turn into soldiers just like himself, neat uniforms molding them into a well-behaved mass, countless faceless figures, one for each task, several for most. By night, however, asleep like this, they were who they had used to be. The boy in the bed next to Shiwon’s, for instance, Lee Sungjin, was now simply a student from Daejeon, the features of his face still almost childishly soft. The way he slept on his side with his knees pulled to his chest reminded Shiwon of Donghae, or maybe Kibum, on the early mornings when none of them really wanted to get up on time. For a moment the thought made him smile, but the price he paid for his brief happiness was the sorrow he felt as he tugged the covers all the way up to his chin and tried to find a comfortable position in his bunk.
Every time his father called him on the phone Shiwon told him he was doing fine. That he had nothing to complain about. That he was even enjoying performing his duties. Every time his father told him how proud he was, his voice heavy with emotion.
Every time Shiwon wished he could tell his father that he just wanted to come back home. Back to Seoul. Back to his life. He wished for it so hard he almost cried, but of course he didn’t. No one ever did, not in here.
He had never missed his family more in his life, and that was quite something after all the long years more or less apart from them, spent training or working at SM Entertainment. There he had at least had friends with whom he had been able to share his feelings. His second family, like his mother would jokingly say, but with a sad note lingering in her voice.
Shiwon had never missed his friends like this before.
On his right he heard Sungjin toss and turn for a while, and then sigh in his sleep. Shiwon opened his eyes and looked at the face that could have belonged to Sungmin, to Youngwoon, to Hyukjae. Sometimes, at times like this, he almost desperately wanted to tell Sungjin that it was okay, that it was going to be okay, that the nineteen months they still had left would pass quickly, but he never did. During the day they were Private Choi and Private Lee, and during the day there were no vulnerable moments. During the day Shiwon would tell his father that he was fine, and not mention the longing he felt. During the day the night didn’t exist. And that was how it was going to be for all the nineteen months of lies they still had ahead of them.
------------------------------------------------
Notes: In South Korea serving in the military (from 24 to 28 months) is mandatory for men between 20 and 30 years of age.
Comments and constructive criticism are always welcome!
~*~