[Drama 2016] Descendants of the Sun 태양의 후예

[themarchioness]

I just noticed that my next post -- this post -- will be my 1030th.  Given the significance of that number in DotS, I wanted to make sure my 1030th post was in this thread and not elsewhere in the Soompi forums. 

To celebrate the occasion, I wrote a very quick fic tonight.  I apologize for its roughness around the edges -- it's been a long time since I've done any fic-writing and I'm not overly familiar with military workings (including ranks) or Korean kinship titles.  Instead, I've had to draw upon my experience from years of Kdrama watching to give people their names/titles.  If I made any mistakes please overlook them; it's not really the main point of my story, but I'm sorry if it detracts from the experience.  Forgive me?

Due to length, I'll put the story under a cut.  I hope you like it! 

Title: Yoo Dae Joon’s First Mission 
Summary: Yoo Shi Jin and Kang Mo Yeon face a difficult decision when their oldest child, Yoo Dae Joon, reveals his desire to join the Special Forces team.
 

Spoiler

Jungjang Yoo Shi Jin looked at the folder that had just been delivered to his office and then stared out the window.  What was he going to do about this?  His wife was going to kill him.

With a heavy sigh, he pressed the button on his phone and called for his old friend, Seo Dae Young, to be sent to him. 

When Seo Dae Young arrived, he found Yoo Shi Jin still standing by the window.  They should have greeted each other with formalities, but their friendship and history went far too deep for Yoo Shi JIn to allow for that in this moment.  Right now, what he needed was the wisdom and support from an old friend.

Which is why, fifteen minutes later, he was not pleased to find his old friend laughing at him.

“Are you actually laughing at my predicament right now?”

“Just pack your bags already,” Seo Dae Young told him.  “Where was it you used to go?  The department store?  If the Army doesn’t send you there anymore, jesu-ssi  surely will.” 

“This is not why I called you over,” Yoo Shi Jin whined.  “What am I going to do about this?” he asked, tapping the folder that now lay on the coffee table between them. 

“You didn’t know?  You really had no idea?”

“When Dae Joon said he wanted to attend the Military Academy, we agreed we’d keep our relationship a secret and I would avoid keeping tabs on him.  He wanted to be treated as an equal amongst his fellow classmates and I agreed.  I didn’t want him receiving any special favors just because of his background.”

“I was always surprised jesu-ssi allowed him to go to the Military Academy.”

“You know how your jesu-ssi is.  I think she thought Dae Joon going to the Military Academy would save us on tuition for medical school, that he’d walk the path of his keun eomma (Yoon Myung Joo), but even I hadn’t anticipated this.”

“I’ve heard from Dae Joon’s instructors at the Military Academy,” Seo Dae Young reported, turning serious.  “As a former drill instructor, people still talk to me.  From what I hear, he’s like a chip off the old block.  I know you’d hoped he would go to medical school, but wouldn’t that be a waste of his talent?”

Yoo Shi Jin sighed.  “I’m sure his mother would say this was a waste of his talent.”

Grabbing the folder from the table, he stood.  “It looks like I’m going to have to pay a visit to the Military Academy after all.”

#####

Yoo Dae Joon was studying in the library when one of his juniors ran up to him and told him he was wanted in the Jungjang’s office.  As he walked the distance from the library to the main building, he wondered at the summons.  He couldn’t fathom why the head of his school would be asking to see him.  Then he walked into the Jungjang’s office and instead of expecting to see one Jungjang, he found another.  His father.

He saluted immediately.

“At ease,” Yoo Shi Jin answered and gestured for his son to take a seat.  But, just as Dae Joon had been taught, he declined and instead, spread his legs apart and clasped his hands behind his back.  Father or not, the Jungjang was also his superior officer.

“I came to speak to you today because I received this year’s recommendation for recruits to the Special Forces team.”  Yoo Shi Jin held up the folder in his hand.  “Your name is on this list.”

“Yes, that is correct, sir,” Dae Joon immediately and properly answered.

“Do you really have to do this?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you know what the work entails?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you know how dangerous the work is?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you want your mother to kill me?”

“Yes, sir.  I mean, no sir.  That’s not what I meant, sir.” 

Yoo Shi Jin hid the smile that had crept over his face and instead tapped the folder against his hand, and asked, “I thought you wanted to go to medical school.”

For the first time, Dae Joon broke rank and said, “Abeoji, this is something I really want to do.  Growing up, I always listened to what you and harabeoji had to say about serving in the Army.  It’s true, I wanted to be a doctor like eomoni, but I also wanted to be a soldier too.  I thought I could be both, a doctor for the Army, but the more time I spent in classes and in the field, my desire to serve in the field outweighed my desire to serve in a hospital.  I finally understand what you and harabeoji talked about all these years.  I really want to do this and it’s not a decision I’ve made lightly.”

“Of course not,” Yoo Shi Jin said understandingly.  “I’ve never known you to be anything less than thoughtful and considerate in everything you’ve done, and you’ve always made me proud.  I’ve never had to worry about you and for that, I’m grateful.  But this time . . .

“As you know, I may be a jungjung in the Army, but at home, your mother’s the daejang.  That means, before I can sign off on this paperwork, you’ll have to convince your mother.  Consider this your first mission as a member of the Special Forces team.”

#####

Kang Mo Yeon had just finished leading a round with the residents and was walking back to her office at the Haesung Hospital when a nurse told her she had a visitor waiting for her inside.  “Who is it?” she asked.

“Your son.”

“Really?”  Kang Mo Yeon immediately smiled and lengthened her stride.  It wasn’t often that her son came to visit her at her workplace, especially when he was supposed to be at the Military Academy.  She wondered what could’ve prompted this welcome surprise.

“Adul!” she cried out, throwing open her office door.

Yoo Dae Joon immediately stood and greeted his mother in the military manner to which he was now accustomed.  But, she too was used to that, and simply returned the greeting with a mother’s hug before pressing him to take a seat on the couch again.

“What’s this?” she asked.  “A visit from my precious son in the middle of the day?  How did I get so lucky?”

“I had some time today,” Dae Joon answered.  “So I thought I’d treat my precious mother to lunch.”

Kang Mo Yeon gave him an adoring look.  “This is why you’re my favorite son.”

Dae Joon laughed.  “Of course I’m your favorite son; I’m your only son.”

“Don’t tell your sister that.  She likes to think she’s a second son of the family’s.  Aish, I don’t know what I’m going to do with that sister of yours.  She keeps talking about wanting to follow in your father and grandfather’s footsteps, and now your footstep, and join the Military Academy.  Isn’t it enough that I’ve given the Republic of Korea my husband and son, do I really have to give the country my daughter as well? 

“Do your mother a favor, Dae Joon-ah.  Next time you talk to your sister, can you tell her how horrible the Military Academy is?”

Dae Joon smiled nervously.  His father had, indeed, given him a difficult first mission.

“Actually, eomoni, there’s another reason I came to talk to you today.  It’s about school.”

“Really?  What is it?  Hold on for just a second,” she said, as her phone rang, interrupting them.  She answered the call and gave a few instructions, before ending it with, “I’m stepping out to have lunch with my son, but I’ll be back in a few hours.  We can go over the other stuff then.”

She then hung up the phone and turned back to her son.  “Let’s get something to eat.  Didn’t you say you wanted to treat me to lunch?  We can talk then.  What do you want for lunch?  Kimchi jjigae or doenjang jjigae?  There’s a restaurant near the hospital that makes both jjigae, and they’re to die for.  Should we go there?  I’ll order one and you order the other, that way we can cheat and have both.  I hate having to decide.”

“That sounds good, eomoni.” 

Dae Joon hated seeing how happy his mother was right now.  He hated knowing that the minute they sat down to lunch, he’d make her unhappy.  He was a terrible son.  He should’ve visited her more often.  They should’ve spent more time together.  These were the thoughts that ran through his head as they sat down to a table at the restaurant. 

He carefully laid out a pair of chopsticks and a spoon for his mother, and poured her a cup of water.  These were the things he had been taught to do as a child, and it was as ingrained in him as saluting was for an officer in the Army.

“You said you had something you wanted to tell me,” his mother broke into his thoughts.  “What was it?”

Dae Joon hesitated, just long enough for the restaurant ajhumma to bring them their jjigaes.  But now that they had been served and there were no more interruptions to be had, he couldn’t avoid the inevitable any longer.  There was no good way to break the news, so he opted for the most direct method.  Just like his father had taught him.

“I wanted to tell you my school has recommended for me the Special Forces team.  And I’ve accepted the recommendation.”

Kang Mo Yeon placed the spoon she’d only just picked up back on the table.  Why was she getting a sense of déjà vu?  All those times her husband had come to see her at the hospital.  All those times she’d greeted him happily, only to be told he was going away.  All those times she’d been left behind to worry and wonder.

History was repeating itself, but now, it was her son.

She didn’t know what to say.

“Does your father know about this?”

Dae Joon would have answered, but she cut him off, answering the question herself.  “Of course he does.  What a stupid question.  The military knows everything.  It’s everyone else who’s kept in the dark.”

“He only learned of it this week when he was given the list of recommended recruits.  He came to speak with me then, but before he gave me his approval, he wanted me to speak to you first.”

“Why?”

“He worries for you.”

Kang Mo Yeon couldn’t help it.  A tear escaped from her eye. 

“Eomma?” 

She was practically undone, to hear her son call her so informally.  Ever since Dae Joon had entered his teens, he had switched to formal speech.  She’d understood; it was part of his journey to becoming an adult.  Just as she recognized that today was another shift in their paradigm. 

“I’m sorry.”

“Do you hate it so much?” Dae Joon wanted to know.

“You were young, so you may not remember, but your father was a commander in the Special Forces team.  There were so many times your father would disappear for a period of time and I never knew if we’d see him again.  I always told you and your sister that his work was keeping him on base and he was too busy for us to visit, but in fact, he was always taking part of some special mission.”

“I didn’t know,” Dae Joon said, feeling incredibly stupid all of the sudden.  How could he have not known? 

With his mother’s reveal, it was like all those fuzzy puzzle pieces from his childhood were falling into place.  It seemed so obvious now; he didn’t know how he’d managed to miss all the signs.  The times he’d walked in on his mother and halmeoni having a tense discussion before breaking off when they saw him or his sister.  How his father would sometimes suggest they go on a family outing to the movies and then disappear midway through.  It all made sense now.

“I really didn’t know."

“Of course you didn’t,” Kang Mo Yeon told him gently.  “We kept it from you and your sister on purpose.  You were young.  It wasn’t for you to worry about.  It was ours. 

“By the time you were old enough to be aware, your father was promoted.  I think that was the happiest day of my life.  Your father still thinks I was happy because of the pay raise that came with the promotion, but I was happy because it meant he’d no longer be placing his life in danger all the time.”

“And now your son wants to do the same thing,” Dae Joon said quietly.  Feeling even more of a heel, but helpless to do anything about it.

“If I told you to choose another path, would you do as I asked?”

Dae Joon considered the question. 

“You once considered medical school,” she reminded him.  “It’s not still too late for you to go down that route.”

“Both abeoji and harabeoji used to tell me the most important job in the world was to protect children, the elderly, and the beautiful.  Abeoji would then tell me that the most beautiful persons we had to protect were eomoni and sister. 

“Now that I’m an Army cadet, I finally understand the true meaning of their words.  This is not a decision I’ve made lightly, eomoni.  I know the risks involved.  I know there may even be a day when I don’t make it back alive.  But if I can do some good for this country, and help maintain peace in this world, then I’ll have no regrets.  I’ve already proven myself in school.  And I’ll keep working hard in my training, to build my skills so that I’ll have the confidence each time I leave for a mission to be able to say, ‘I’m good at my job, and I’ll be back.’

“I’m sorry to make you worry at all though.  That’s the one part I feel apologetic and regretful about.  But even still, I can’t change my mind.  I’m sorry, eomoni.  Forgive me, eomoni.” 

Dae Joon then bowed his head.

Kang Mo Yeon looked at her son sitting across the table from her.  She was suddenly reminded me of a time, years ago, when she had sat across from Yoo Shi Jin at a coffee shop and held a similar conversation.  If she’d thought it hard to give him her blessing then, this was a thousand times harder.  This was her son.

Still, she understood the heart of a soldier.

She’d only lived with one for over twenty years.

“Every time your father left me behind, I resented him just a little.  Why did I have to give up my husband, the father of my children, for the country?  He was the soldier, not me.  Yet, why was the country calling on me to make the sacrifice?  It just didn’t seem fair.

“But every time your father left me behind, I also felt enormously proud.  And that’s because the things I resented in your father were the very things I loved about him too.  His sense of duty.  His honor.  His courage. 

“If these are the traits your father has managed to pass on and instill in you, how could I be against that?  So, no, I can’t and won’t oppose your decision.  But instead, I’ll make the same request I once made of your father.  Give me the right to worry, as your mother.  I know there will be times you can’t provide specifics.  Your father has trained me already to handle matters like that.  But I can’t spend all my time worrying about you either, just because you’re not in my line of sight.  So instead, if you’re about to embark on a dangerous mission, just send me a message to say you’re going to the department store.  I’ll understand; your father used to frequent the department store often as well.”

Dae Joon smiled.  “I didn’t know abeoji liked to shop that much.”

Kang Mo Yeon smiled back.  They smiled at each other; their hearts lighter.

Dae Joon took his mother’s hands into his own and said, “Thank you, eomoni.  I’ll remember your words always, and I’ll do my best to never make you worry.”

“Just live and live well, my son.  That’s all I ask of you.”

#####

Later that night, Yoo Shi Jin received a phone call. 

He smiled as he hung up the phone, then opened the folder on his desk and signed his name to the bottom of the document inside.

He couldn’t wait to go home to his wife.

The End

 

[viyra]

3 hours ago, gilaswan said:

Ok. Random question. I know translators all have different ways of choosing words to represent an idea or phrase from one language to the other (I was a former professional interpreter and still volunteer as an interpreter regularly, so I understand the process), but I wonder why Dramabeans insists on using "Descended from the sun" when the industry's official English translated title is "Descendants of the Sun", which I honestly feel is a smoother and better (prettier, too) translation. 

<shrug> 

professional courtesy, y'know?

Oh! And one more question (see what being back in good wifi land does to me? Catching up! Catching up!!)

Was rewatching ep 1 and... Why or how is it that Lt Ahn was eating a choco pie then too? They don't have it in NK right? Wasn't that why later on YSJ treated him to one? 

Funny how I noticed that choco pie also in episode 1; I don't understand the necessity of that scene then; but then I remember reading a somewhere that choco pie is more famous in NK than in SK.

Descended and Descendants definitely have different meanings - Descendants of the Sun, to me, is the more appropriate title for the drama, considering the  roles played by the characters involved.

Moving on? From where? From what?  What am I doing here again anyway?

 

 

[kokodus]

@themarchioness Wowww just Woww, your fic is awesome. Am still having withdrawal symptoms and these fics are my saviours. Please write more. 

[gilaswan]

@themarchioness OMO! I totally love your fic! You HAVE to get an asianfanfic account and put it there so that everyone can access it! I love it love it love it! Love the idea that they have a family and long life together and are family friends with DaeYoung and MyungJoo!! I love too how you have woven in Korean kinship terms into your story. 

About that timeline gap when he went to save KMY with the 3 hours given, my take was that it would've been impossible to do it, and that's why Seo DaeYoung went after him and Gen Yoon also claimed responsibility for it in the end. He was probably special forces himself when young and likely knew what type of solidarity and brotherhood the men would have and therefore also expected the rest of the team to locate Yoo SiJin and follow up with the case. 

[Lynne]

@themarchioness wow.. really enjoy your fic. it's awesome. Happy 1030 post...  

Aside from that, i don't think i have thank @gilaswan and @winterbubbletea , i really enjoy for your fanfics too.  

Many thanks for sharing it... 

[kristy86]

4 hours ago, themarchioness said:

I just noticed that my next post -- this post -- will be my 1030th.  Given the significance of that number in DotS, I wanted to make sure my 1030th post was in this thread and not elsewhere in the Soompi forums. 

To celebrate the occasion, I wrote a very quick fic tonight.  I apologize for its roughness around the edges -- it's been a long time since I've done any fic-writing and I'm not overly familiar with military workings (including ranks) or Korean kinship titles.  Instead, I've had to draw upon my experience from years of Kdrama watching to give people their names/titles.  If I made any mistakes please overlook them; it's not really the main point of my story, but I'm sorry if it detracts from the experience.  Forgive me?

Due to length, I'll put the story under a cut.  I hope you like it! 

Title: Yoo Dae Joon’s First Mission 
Summary: Yoo Shi Jin and Kang Mo Yeon face a difficult decision when their oldest child, Yoo Dae Joon, reveals his desire to join the Special Forces team.
 

  Hide contents

 

Jungjang Yoo Shi Jin looked at the folder that had just been delivered to his office and then stared out the window.  What was he going to do about this?  His wife was going to kill him.

 

With a heavy sigh, he pressed the button on his phone and called for his old friend, Seo Dae Young, to be sent to him. 

 

When Seo Dae Young arrived, he found Yoo Shi Jin still standing by the window.  They should have greeted each other with formalities, but their friendship and history went far too deep for Yoo Shi JIn to allow for that in this moment.  Right now, what he needed was the wisdom and support from an old friend.

 

Which is why, fifteen minutes later, he was not pleased to find his old friend laughing at him.

 

“Are you actually laughing at my predicament right now?”

 

“Just pack your bags already,” Seo Dae Young told him.  “Where was it you used to go?  The department store?  If the Army doesn’t send you there anymore, jesu-ssi  surely will.” 

 

“This is not why I called you over,” Yoo Shi Jin whined.  “What am I going to do about this?” he asked, tapping the folder that now lay on the coffee table between them. 

 

“You didn’t know?  You really had no idea?”

 

“When Dae Joon said he wanted to attend the Military Academy, we agreed we’d keep our relationship a secret and I would avoid keeping tabs on him.  He wanted to be treated as an equal amongst his fellow classmates and I agreed.  I didn’t want him receiving any special favors just because of his background.”

 

“I was always surprised jesu-ssi allowed him to go to the Military Academy.”

 

“You know how your jesu-ssi is.  I think she thought Dae Joon going to the Military Academy would save us on tuition for medical school, that he’d walk the path of his keun eomma (Yoon Myung Joo), but even I hadn’t anticipated this.”

 

“I’ve heard from Dae Joon’s instructors at the Military Academy,” Seo Dae Young reported, turning serious.  “As a former drill instructor, people still talk to me.  From what I hear, he’s like a chip off the old block.  I know you’d hoped he would go to medical school, but wouldn’t that be a waste of his talent?”

 

Yoo Shi Jin sighed.  “I’m sure his mother would say this was a waste of his talent.”

 

Grabbing the folder from the table, he stood.  “It looks like I’m going to have to pay a visit to the Military Academy after all.”

 

#####

 

Yoo Dae Joon was studying in the library when one of his juniors ran up to him and told him he was wanted in the Jungjang’s office.  As he walked the distance from the library to the main building, he wondered at the summons.  He couldn’t fathom why the head of his school would be asking to see him.  Then he walked into the Jungjang’s office and instead of expecting to see one Jungjang, he found another.  His father.

 

He saluted immediately.

 

“At ease,” Yoo Shi Jin answered and gestured for his son to take a seat.  But, just as Dae Joon had been taught, he declined and instead, spread his legs apart and clasped his hands behind his back.  Father or not, the Jungjang was also his superior officer.

 

“I came to speak to you today because I received this year’s recommendation for recruits to the Special Forces team.”  Yoo Shi Jin held up the folder in his hand.  “Your name is on this list.”

 

“Yes, that is correct, sir,” Dae Joon immediately and properly answered.

 

“Do you really have to do this?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Do you know what the work entails?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Do you know how dangerous the work is?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Do you want your mother to kill me?”

 

“Yes, sir.  I mean, no sir.  That’s not what I meant, sir.” 

 

Yoo Shi Jin hid the smile that had crept over his face and instead tapped the folder against his hand, and asked, “I thought you wanted to go to medical school.”

 

For the first time, Dae Joon broke rank and said, “Abeoji, this is something I really want to do.  Growing up, I always listened to what you and harabeoji had to say about serving in the Army.  It’s true, I wanted to be a doctor like eomoni, but I also wanted to be a soldier too.  I thought I could be both, a doctor for the Army, but the more time I spent in classes and in the field, my desire to serve in the field outweighed my desire to serve in a hospital.  I finally understand what you and harabeoji talked about all these years.  I really want to do this and it’s not a decision I’ve made lightly.”

 

“Of course not,” Yoo Shi Jin said understandingly.  “I’ve never known you to be anything less than thoughtful and considerate in everything you’ve done, and you’ve always made me proud.  I’ve never had to worry about you and for that, I’m grateful.  But this time . . .

 

“As you know, I may be a jungjung in the Army, but at home, your mother’s the daejang.  That means, before I can sign off on this paperwork, you’ll have to convince your mother.  Consider this your first mission as a member of the Special Forces team.”

 

#####

 

Kang Mo Yeon had just finished leading a round with the residents and was walking back to her office at the Haesung Hospital when a nurse told her she had a visitor waiting for her inside.  “Who is it?” she asked.

 

“Your son.”

 

“Really?”  Kang Mo Yeon immediately smiled and lengthened her stride.  It wasn’t often that her son came to visit her at her workplace, especially when he was supposed to be at the Military Academy.  She wondered what could’ve prompted this welcome surprise.

 

“Adul!” she cried out, throwing open her office door.

 

Yoo Dae Joon immediately stood and greeted his mother in the military manner to which he was now accustomed.  But, she too was used to that, and simply returned the greeting with a mother’s hug before pressing him to take a seat on the couch again.

 

“What’s this?” she asked.  “A visit from my precious son in the middle of the day?  How did I get so lucky?”

 

“I had some time today,” Dae Joon answered.  “So I thought I’d treat my precious mother to lunch.”

 

Kang Mo Yeon gave him an adoring look.  “This is why you’re my favorite son.”

 

Dae Joon laughed.  “Of course I’m your favorite son; I’m your only son.”

 

“Don’t tell your sister that.  She likes to think she’s a second son of the family’s.  Aish, I don’t know what I’m going to do with that sister of yours.  She keeps talking about wanting to follow in your father and grandfather’s footsteps, and now your footstep, and join the Military Academy.  Isn’t it enough that I’ve given the Republic of Korea my husband and son, do I really have to give the country my daughter as well? 

 

“Do your mother a favor, Dae Joon-ah.  Next time you talk to your sister, can you tell her how horrible the Military Academy is?”

 

Dae Joon smiled nervously.  His father had, indeed, given him a difficult first mission.

 

“Actually, eomoni, there’s another reason I came to talk to you today.  It’s about school.”

 

“Really?  What is it?  Hold on for just a second,” she said, as her phone rang, interrupting them.  She answered the call and gave a few instructions, before ending it with, “I’m stepping out to have lunch with my son, but I’ll be back in a few hours.  We can go over the other stuff then.”

 

She then hung up the phone and turned back to her son.  “Let’s get something to eat.  Didn’t you say you wanted to treat me to lunch?  We can talk then.  What do you want for lunch?  Kimchi jjigae or doenjang jjigae?  There’s a restaurant near the hospital that makes both jjigae, and they’re to die for.  Should we go there?  I’ll order one and you order the other, that way we can cheat and have both.  I hate having to decide.”

 

“That sounds good, eomoni.” 

 

Dae Joon hated seeing how happy his mother was right now.  He hated knowing that the minute they sat down to lunch, he’d make her unhappy.  He was a terrible son.  He should’ve visited her more often.  They should’ve spent more time together.  These were the thoughts that ran through his head as they sat down to a table at the restaurant. 

 

He carefully laid out a pair of chopsticks and a spoon for his mother, and poured her a cup of water.  These were the things he had been taught to do as a child, and it was as ingrained in him as saluting was for an officer in the Army.

 

“You said you had something you wanted to tell me,” his mother broke into his thoughts.  “What was it?”

 

Dae Joon hesitated, just long enough for the restaurant ajhumma to bring them their jjigaes.  But now that they had been served and there were no more interruptions to be had, he couldn’t avoid the inevitable any longer.  There was no good way to break the news, so he opted for the most direct method.  Just like his father had taught him.

 

“I wanted to tell you my school has recommended for me the Special Forces team.  And I’ve accepted the recommendation.”

 

Kang Mo Yeon placed the spoon she’d only just picked up back on the table.  Why was she getting a sense of déjà vu?  All those times her husband had come to see her at the hospital.  All those times she’d greeted him happily, only to be told he was going away.  All those times she’d been left behind to worry and wonder.

 

History was repeating itself, but now, it was her son.

 

She didn’t know what to say.

 

“Does your father know about this?”

 

Dae Joon would have answered, but she cut him off, answering the question herself.  “Of course he does.  What a stupid question.  The military knows everything.  It’s everyone else who’s kept in the dark.”

 

“He only learned of it this week when he was given the list of recommended recruits.  He came to speak with me then, but before he gave me his approval, he wanted me to speak to you first.”

 

“Why?”

 

“He worries for you.”

 

Kang Mo Yeon couldn’t help it.  A tear escaped from her eye. 

 

“Eomma?” 

 

She was practically undone, to hear her son call her so informally.  Ever since Dae Joon had entered his teens, he had switched to formal speech.  She’d understood; it was part of his journey to becoming an adult.  Just as she recognized that today was another shift in their paradigm. 

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Do you hate it so much?” Dae Joon wanted to know.

 

“You were young, so you may not remember, but your father was a commander in the Special Forces team.  There were so many times your father would disappear for a period of time and I never knew if we’d see him again.  I always told you and your sister that his work was keeping him on base and he was too busy for us to visit, but in fact, he was always taking part of some special mission.”

 

“I didn’t know,” Dae Joon said, feeling incredibly stupid all of the sudden.  How could he have not known? 

 

With his mother’s reveal, it was like all those fuzzy puzzle pieces from his childhood were falling into place.  It seemed so obvious now; he didn’t know how he’d managed to miss all the signs.  The times he’d walked in on his mother and halmeoni having a tense discussion before breaking off when they saw him or his sister.  How his father would sometimes suggest they go on a family outing to the movies and then disappear midway through.  It all made sense now.

 

“I really didn’t know."

 

“Of course you didn’t,” Kang Mo Yeon told him gently.  “We kept it from you and your sister on purpose.  You were young.  It wasn’t for you to worry about.  It was ours. 

 

“By the time you were old enough to be aware, your father was promoted.  I think that was the happiest day of my life.  Your father still thinks I was happy because of the pay raise that came with the promotion, but I was happy because it meant he’d no longer be placing his life in danger all the time.”

 

“And now your son wants to do the same thing,” Dae Joon said quietly.  Feeling even more of a heel, but helpless to do anything about it.

 

“If I told you to choose another path, would you do as I asked?”

 

Dae Joon considered the question. 

 

“You once considered medical school,” she reminded him.  “It’s not still too late for you to go down that route.”

 

“Both abeoji and harabeoji used to tell me the most important job in the world was to protect children, the elderly, and the beautiful.  Abeoji would then tell me that the most beautiful persons we had to protect were eomoni and sister. 

 

“Now that I’m an Army cadet, I finally understand the true meaning of their words.  This is not a decision I’ve made lightly, eomoni.  I know the risks involved.  I know there may even be a day when I don’t make it back alive.  But if I can do some good for this country, and help maintain peace in this world, then I’ll have no regrets.  I’ve already proven myself in school.  And I’ll keep working hard in my training, to build my skills so that I’ll have the confidence each time I leave for a mission to be able to say, ‘I’m good at my job, and I’ll be back.’

 

“I’m sorry to make you worry at all though.  That’s the one part I feel apologetic and regretful about.  But even still, I can’t change my mind.  I’m sorry, eomoni.  Forgive me, eomoni.” 

 

Dae Joon then bowed his head.

 

Kang Mo Yeon looked at her son sitting across the table from her.  She was suddenly reminded me of a time, years ago, when she had sat across from Yoo Shi Jin at a coffee shop and held a similar conversation.  If she’d thought it hard to give him her blessing then, this was a thousand times harder.  This was her son.

 

Still, she understood the heart of a soldier.

 

She’d only lived with one for over twenty years.

 

“Every time your father left me behind, I resented him just a little.  Why did I have to give up my husband, the father of my children, for the country?  He was the soldier, not me.  Yet, why was the country calling on me to make the sacrifice?  It just didn’t seem fair.

 

“But every time your father left me behind, I also felt enormously proud.  And that’s because the things I resented in your father were the very things I loved about him too.  His sense of duty.  His honor.  His courage. 

 

“If these are the traits your father has managed to pass on and instill in you, how could I be against that?  So, no, I can’t and won’t oppose your decision.  But instead, I’ll make the same request I once made of your father.  Give me the right to worry, as your mother.  I know there will be times you can’t provide specifics.  Your father has trained me already to handle matters like that.  But I can’t spend all my time worrying about you either, just because you’re not in my line of sight.  So instead, if you’re about to embark on a dangerous mission, just send me a message to say you’re going to the department store.  I’ll understand; your father used to frequent the department store often as well.”

 

Dae Joon smiled.  “I didn’t know abeoji liked to shop that much.”

 

Kang Mo Yeon smiled back.  They smiled at each other; their hearts lighter.

 

Dae Joon took his mother’s hands into his own and said, “Thank you, eomoni.  I’ll remember your words always, and I’ll do my best to never make you worry.”

 

“Just live and live well, my son.  That’s all I ask of you.”

 

#####

 

Later that night, Yoo Shi Jin received a phone call. 

 

He smiled as he hung up the phone, then opened the folder on his desk and signed his name to the bottom of the document inside.

 

He couldn’t wait to go home to his wife.

 

 

 

The End

 

 

 

Oh, thanks so much @themarchioness your fic is beautiful, could you please write more?  I almost cried in the middle of the story, you write them so well. Remind me so much of how SJ and MY handle their own situation, I miss them...

This part got me LOL-ing so much...

“Do you want your mother to kill me?”

“Yes, sir.  I mean, no sir.  That’s not what I meant, sir.” 

  

So lucky to have you and @gilaswan and @winterbubbletea you guys are awesome  

[IrisFM]

@themarchioness  I love your fanfic. I hope 1030 is not your only special post. Thanks for sharing. I'll put the rest in spoiler....

Spoiler

I'm so happy that in your story YSJ and KMY have been together already for 20 years and their relationship is still cute as ever, she is his boss at home. Their children took after YSJ lol...feel a little sorry for KMY that history is repeating once again but at least this time YSJ is there to comfort her. I hope her daughter would change her mind one day and become a doctor like KMY.

 

Now your story made me so curious to know what happen next when their son goes on his first department store mission. And what happened in between those years!!

 

 

 

crto / as labelled

 

......

If SJK wasn't injured during filming, possibly his character YSJ could be kicking Argus' xxx when KMY was held hostage like in this action scene.

crto via dc

[bibiyl]

8 hours ago, gilaswan said:

Same here. I did try to watch Come Back Mister concurrently with DOTS and stopped midway cos all my "other" time was spent here spazzing and back reading with you Dotters and resumed watching CBM this week but found myself forwarding lots just to get to the ending. Ah... It wasn't a bad story. But it just wasn't visually appealing like DOTS (cinematography and action - WOW) and the story while not bad, wasn't enough to draw me in either. Now that I'm home, I'm rewatching from episode 1!

@gilaswanexactly like what happened to me  i thought i was the crazy one.

[dhia205]

finish my back reading before greet you guys, i thought no one in here again.

been a while since last time i come here, now i become a silent lurker in kikyo thread because i miss DOTS so much. But i miss this place so much too so i come back just to stop by, but seems like i miss your exiting conversation already.

i decide to stop re-watching DOTS view days ago because gosh its really heard for me to move on, i suffer because my withdrawal syndrome. and for unknown reason every time i open U-tub i saw DOTS and SJK everywhere.. like my suffering not enough already sigh.

and about the age topic, for personal reason i prefer if YSJ is younger from KMY, don't ask me why i just like it that way. no offense to people who feel vice versa. 

for @gilaswan @themarchioness & @winterbubbletea you guys are  your FF are awesome. and @princessmantou i love your post, give me a glance about korean army.

edit : see.... when i open utub i bump to this video right away. but i love tho, they quite amazing for me

 

[themarchioness]

Thank you to all who've taken the time to like or comment my story.  It's given me courage to believe that it's not bad. 

For those of you who expressed their hope that I'll write more ( @kokodus, @kristy86, @IrisFM), I'm sorry I can't make any promises.  As I mentioned in my initial post, it's been a long time since I've done any fanfic writing.  I've also only ever written for one fandom and it's so removed from the Kdrama genre that this is a completely new venture for me.  I wrote this particular story, though, because it's a scenario that's been stuck in my head ever since the drama ended.  It finally begged to be released from my brain.  If I'm struck by any other inspiration, I'll definitely write it and share it here again.

@gilaswan, I'm not familiar with the asianfanfic website, but I'll check it out. The warm enthusiasm I've received reassures me that it wouldn't burst into flames if shared with a broader audience.  Thanks for the recommendation.

@kristy86, I LOLed when writing that part too. 

@IrisFM, actually, in my imaginations, their daughter takes after KMY.  It may be cliche, but I too like the idea of each parent having a child who takes after them.  It was only after writing out this story though that the dialogue took a different turn and had the little sister wanting to take after all the men in the family.  Despite how I've written my story, I choose to believe that in the end, KMY will get her way.  After all, she is the boss!    (I also love the idea of one of KMY/YSJ's kids marrying one of SDY/YMJ's kids.  If I were to write another story, it'd probably be about that.  But I'd need a scenario first.)  P.S.  LOL, at the pics you shared.  Especially the little boy rocking his Big Boss look. 

[booho]

http://www.soompi.com/2016/04/30/david-lee-mcinnis-reveals-how-he-was-cast-for-descendants-of-the-sun/

David Lee McInnis Reveals How He Was Cast For “Descendants Of The Sun”

an0ya April 30, 2016

0

 

David Lee McInnis has revealed how he landed his role in the hit drama “Descendants of the Sun.”

On the April 30 broadcast of KBS2TV’s “Entertainment Weekly,” he sits down for an interview to talk about his life as an actor.

When asked about the story behind his casting, the actor shares, “It’s quite funny, actually. I went to help Ha Jung Woo with putting up his art exhibition in Los Angeles. That’s where I met the PD of ‘Descendants of the Sun.’”

He explains about the lucky coincidence, “[The PD] later told me that after meeting me, he started thinking, ‘He’d be good for the role of Argus.’”

Regarding his aspirations as an actor, he says, “I want to remain as an actor who always make the right choices.”

 

 

ahahahaha i remember his line in DOTS " i will learn korea just for u"
and really funny imagine now he was interview with korean language

[melleri]

Argus doing heart fingers though lol

 

[SkyKid]

so in the attempt to move on from DOTS, I tried to watch other dramas, and all they left me is to wonder "they had 16 eps too, and why did they have bed scenes, yes, scenes not scene, and all I got in DOTS were a camping scene with nothing happened and a kiss that shoot from "you know where". Other OTPs they kisses, they hugs, the main actor even got to carry his girl, why our Captain and his Doctor spent most of their time saving other people, DOTS too is a melodrama, give us bed scenes, more kisses and hugs  keep watching and thingking, then "bamm" I realized I'm back to DOTS's thread  

huhu, they at least should let Captain and Doctor kiss, use their body to say "I Love You" more in ep 13,14,15,16 

 

[hmrhn]

Regarding to the story that SHK & SJK both wear similar bracelets, I have a question (because like all of u here, I like to know that they love each other in real life).

At the beginning of 16th episode, when they reunite, on the desert, I see that he wears bracelet. And it looks like he wears the 2 bracelets of them??

Is there any body kindly rewatch and analyze it? It's my question from the 1st time I watch 16th episode.

Very sorry that I still can't post picture here.

And it's a sweet love between KMY & SJ. It's nice to see u guys still be here, hanging around about DOTS.

[Chewy]

Eh I don't know if this is the thread to post this but do let me know if it's not and I will edit it ok. 

For people in Singapore, you would be happy to know that Puppy the cute soldier is there now and is there since yesterday so if you are lucky you might just run into him! 

 

[princessmantou]

On 4/29/2016 at 7:21 AM, viyra said:

Cheong Sang Hun, I believe, is the funny doctor who likes Ha Ja Ae - where is Nurse Choi (the cute nurse)?

Thats not the funny doctor its another guy

21 hours ago, themarchioness said:

 

I found another timeline error.  I was rewatching Episode 11 just now and realized that when the Commander gives YSJ "three hours" to save KMY, it's broad daylight out.  But Argus had wanted YSJ to provide him with an escape route around 2 a.m.  Given that, there's no way YSJ would've been able to complete the mission in three hours. 

I don't know why these things don't occur to me from the get go.  I think I'm just so caught up in the story that these little details escape my notice the first couple of times around, but as I keep rewatching, that's when I start dissecting everything.  Rather than get annoyed though, it just kind of amuses me.  I love this drama so much I don't think I could ever be disappointed by it. 

For all those who've commented that they're having problems moving on and aren't able to watch anything new, I feel your pain.  I've finally mustered the ability to watch other stuff (trying to finish "Marriage Contract" and catch up with "Good-bye, Mr. Black") but I have to say, none of the other dramas I watch bring me even close to the joy I get from watching DotS (even on rewatch).  It's like the drama has spoiled me!

He gave him 3 hours but didnt say when to when 

[themarchioness]

2 hours ago, princessmantou said:

He gave him 3 hours but didnt say when to when 

 

Technically true, but I also think he didn't need to say when because the implication was he was talking about, from that moment, YSJ had three hours.  I mean it doesn't make much sense to say, "I'll give you three hours but you get back to me as to when you'd like those three hours to begin and I'll start my clock then."  That's just . . . weird.  And, in fact, we did see YSJ begin making preparations immediately so I think it was understood the clock had already started running.

It's not really a big deal, even if it is an inconsistency, it's just something I noticed -- and it did require multiple rewatches before I even reached that point.  It clearly does not hamper my viewing experience. 

[kristy86]

Happy Sunday DOTS Troopers

Thank you eonnie @Chewy Hoe for the video link and  @SkyKid to uploaded it to Youtube   I think we need to post it here too for future reference, lol, I'm sure many new fans will come in the future and this video is too good not to be posted here 

 

 

cr: to 新居不能停 

[gilaswan]

11 hours ago, themarchioness said:

 

@IrisFM, actually, in my imaginations, their daughter takes after KMY.  It may be cliche, but I too like the idea of each parent having a child who takes after them.  It was only after writing out this story though that the dialogue took a different turn and had the little sister wanting to take after all the men in the family.  Despite how I've written my story, I choose to believe that in the end, KMY will get her way.  After all, she is the boss!    (I also love the idea of one of KMY/YSJ's kids marrying one of SDY/YMJ's kids.  If I were to write another story, it'd probably be about that.  But I'd need a scenario first.)  P.S.  LOL, at the pics you shared.  Especially the little boy rocking his Big Boss look. 

I'd like to see how KMY will get her way. Heh. She always somehow does, doesn't she? Someone on the thread has mentioned before, and I do think this to be very true - YSJ does not have the upper hand in this relationship, and not just in terms of his job in comparison to hers, but that he willingly does not challenge her or attempt to assert any form of authority over her even - as in your story - when he's assumed the position of head of house. Somehow that's what makes him very endearing, to me at least. That he's so in charge out there, but when it comes to KMY, he gives in because he knows it matters to her just speaks of how much he loves her that he feels no need to wrestle with her, neither on small things (such as Red Velvet. Heh.) nor on big things as with their son's career choice. 

[gilaswan]

52 minutes ago, themarchioness said:

 

Technically true, but I also think he didn't need to say when because the implication was he was talking about, from that moment, YSJ had three hours.  I mean it doesn't make much sense to say, "I'll give you three hours but you get back to me as to when you'd like those three hours to begin and I'll start my clock then."  That's just . . . weird.  And, in fact, we did see YSJ begin making preparations immediately so I think it was understood the clock had already started running.

It's not really a big deal, even if it is an inconsistency, it's just something I noticed -- and it did require multiple rewatches before I even reached that point.  It clearly does not hamper my viewing experience. 

Of course, there's always this - we don't know how quickly the sun sets in Urk. Heh.