"Are you really going?" You asked as you leaned against the doorframe, watching your brother shoving some clothes in a military-styled bag.

The man in question kept quiet as he zipped the bag. He then turned around to look at you. "Yeah, I'm going," he replied as he strapped the bag to his shoulder. "Now, are you going to let me pass through ot not?" he raised an eyebrow at you.

You stared at him for awhile until finally, you relented. You shuffled out of the way and followed after him down to the front door. Both of you climbed into the car where both of your parents are waiting in.

The ride to the military airport was silent. You would sometime glance at yout brother who was staring out of the window, as if memorising the landscape of his hometown.

Once the car stopped, you slowly climbed out of the car.

At the front of the airforce building, you could see many young men and women -some looking even younger than your brother- buzzung about with their chosen company.

You, along with your family, stride purposely towards the spot where your brother was ordered to go. Once there, your brother turned towards your parents and started to say his goodbyes. Your dad gave him a brief hug and a slap to the back. Your mom however, clung to your brother, saying how heavy-hearted she is to let him go.

After a few more hugs and tearful words, your brother finally approached you.

Both of you said nothing as you and your brother looked into each other's eyes, memorising those colour, those emotions welling in it, filing it all away into memories, memories that will be replayed should they have the need to.

After what seemed like hours, you moved in and wrapped your brother in a hug, soaking yourself in his warmth. When you parted, you can't help but feel disappointed, already missing that warmth that you were familiar with since childhood.

"I'm going now," your brother said in a soft voice unlike his usual loud ones.

"Goodbye," you said in return, trying to look strong as you watched your brother board the plane, giving him a smile one last time when he looked back, and went home, feeling oddly empty for the first time.

...................

Wearing a black formal clothing, you checked your image one last time before stepping out of your bedroom.

Walking down the stairs, you saw your mom wearing a long black dress while your dad wore a black suit with matching black tie, hair combed back, looking presentable.

"You ready?" asked your dad. You only nodded your head in reply.

Quietly, all of you climbed into the car and silently went to your destination.

After 30 minutes of driving, you finally arrived at your destination. When you climbed out of the car, you noticed many people with black garments on their body.

Silently, you followed your parents enter a building. The three of you took a seat and waited, waited for that time to come.

And then the sound of trumpets and drums caught your attention. Focusing your eyes to the entrance of the building, you stood up along with all the other occupants in the building.

When the band started to play the national anthem, that's when you saw it. That one thing that you dreaded to see since your brother's deployment. Coffins were carried in by soldiers in their uniform, their face solemn and hard.

Everything else was a blur to you after that. Your body seemed to go auto-pilot as you tuned out almost everything from your mind.

When you finally snapped back to attention, you found yourself standing in front of your brother's coffin. The lid was closed, preventing you to see your brother's face. You said nothing. Just stared at said coffin in silence.

You just stood there, frozen up, like a statue. Finally, after what seemed like forever, you cried.

You cried and cried and kept on crying. By now, your forehead is already touching the coffin. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." you repeated the same words over and over, tears streaming down your cheeks.

You thought back of the time both of you were younger, still children with no worries about the world. You thought back of the time when you graduated, your brother smiling widely as he clapped and whistled at you. You thought back of the time when both of you were fighring over petty stuff, only to make up over a cup of hot chocolate like always. You thought of the night before his deployment, how, you went to his room, expecting him to be asleep, only to be a little bit surprised to see your brother still awake.

But most important of all, you remembered those last words that your brother had uttered to you, those words that made you embarassed but nevertheless happy, of the promise he made to you before he left.

"I'll always come back home. No matter what."

And he did. He kept his promise. Your brother came home.

With that thought in mind, you kissed the coffin tenderly. With a shaky breath, you said your final goodbye. "Goodbye, my brother."
____________________________________

Dedicated to all the people who lost their friends, their family, their loved ones, to the war.

May their soul rest in peace.

To all who are in the army, risking their lives to protect what's important to them, may you be guided and protected by your comrades that died in the battlefield.