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In spring, the willows along the Charles River sprout tender green buds, swaying gently in the breeze.

The campus of MIT is filled with the unique excitement of graduation season...

Young people could be seen taking photos everywhere on the lawn, the library lights stayed on all night, and the air was filled with the fragrance of lilacs and the sorrow of parting.

Suning stood at the window of her Beacon Street apartment, looking down at the bustling crowd below.

In three days, he will put on that black graduation cap, marking the end of his four years of hard study.

"Oppa, do you think this arrangement is okay?" Kim Yoon-ji's voice came from the living room.

She was carefully placing a bunch of lilies into a glass vase, gently adjusting the angle of the stems with her fingers.

“My mother’s attitude last time worried me a lot… Will this meeting put your aunt in a difficult position?”

Su Ning turned and walked to the bookshelf, organizing the mountain of papers and manuscripts piled up on it.

“My mother is stronger than we imagined.” He pulled out a copy of “Fundamentals of General Relativity” and gently brushed the dust off the cover. “As for your mother’s attitude…”

"That's her opinion based on her own experience, and it shouldn't be a burden to you."

Yunzhi walked to his side and took his hand. "But Mom is right. Interracial marriage is already difficult in America, let alone in the current situation..."

Her voice trailed off as her gaze fell on the New York Times spread out on the desk…

The front page featured the latest photos from the Vietnam War; in the blurry black-and-white images, young soldiers with mud-covered faces were seen amidst the smoke-filled jungle.

Su Ning closed the newspaper. "It is precisely because of these difficult times that we need each other even more."

The doorbell rang at that moment.

Yoonji took a deep breath, straightened her skirt, and jogged to open the door.

Outside the door, Mrs. Gan was wearing a brand new floral dress, her hair was carefully combed, and although her face showed signs of fatigue from a long trip, her eyes were bright and sparkling.

Forrest Gump stood behind her, wearing a very well-fitting suit and a neatly tied tie, but his silly grin was a bit of a letdown.

"Mom! Forrest Gump!" Su Ning stepped forward and took the luggage from Mrs. Gump's hands.

“Oh, my child…” Mrs. Gan’s voice choked with emotion. She looked closely at Su Ning and reached out to stroke his cheek. “You’ve lost weight, but you look much more energetic in the photos.”

Forrest Gump looked around the apartment excitedly, his eyes wide. "Brother, this place is so beautiful! It's much better than our house in Greentown! Look, you can see the whole river from the window!"

Yoonji bowed politely: "Hello, Auntie, I am Kim Yoonji."

Mrs. Gan gently took her hand and carefully examined the girl whom her son had repeatedly mentioned in his letters. "Good girl, Su Ning often mentions you in his letters. Thank you for taking care of him."

“Oppa took better care of me.” Yoonji’s cheeks flushed slightly as she led everyone to sit down in the living room. “I’ve made some tea and prepared some snacks. I don’t know if they’ll suit your tastes.”

Mrs. Gan looked at Su Ning's graduation photo and Yun Zhi's paintings hanging on the living room wall, her eyes filled with pride. "I can't believe my son is graduating from MIT. If only your father could see this..."

What are your plans for the future? Do you intend to pursue graduate studies?

Suning poured his mother a cup of Darjeeling tea, and the aroma filled the air.

“Yes, Mom. I’ve received a full scholarship for the Physics PhD program, and Professor Wheeler will be my advisor. He hopes I will continue my research on the singularity problem in general relativity.” His voice carried a restrained excitement. “If all goes well, I plan to complete my PhD in three to four years and then do postdoctoral research at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. It has one of the world’s most prestigious cosmology research centers…”

“My brother is the smartest!” Forrest Gump interjected, his mouth full of cookies. “He taught me math problems that even my teacher couldn’t solve!”

Mrs. Gan smiled and patted Agan's hand, but her gaze never left Su Ning. "I knew you could do it. You've always been different from others since you were little. I remember you could fix the neighbor's radio when you were seven, and you started assembling telescopes when you were ten..."

“Although I didn’t understand at the time, I knew my son was destined for great things.”

“It’s not just Oppa’s achievement,” Yunji added softly, her eyes shining. “His paper has been accepted by Physical Review, and the professors in the department say it’s the best undergraduate paper in the last decade.”

Just then, the doorbell rang again...

The sound was sharp and urgent, like a knife slicing through the warm atmosphere.

The air in the apartment suddenly froze.

Suning and Yunzhi exchanged a glance, both sensing what this uninvited guest meant.

Two officers in crisp military uniforms stood outside the door, their expressions as solemn as marble statues.

The older man showed his identification: "Mr. Suninggan? We are from the U.S. Army Recruiting Office. According to the President's latest executive order, you have been included in this recruitment list."

Mrs. Gan's teacup fell to the ground with a "clatter," shards of white porcelain flying everywhere, and brown tea stains spreading rapidly across the light-colored carpet.

"This is impossible!" Yunzhi stood up abruptly, his voice trembling. "He was just admitted to the doctoral program! He's MIT's top student! It's not easy for the country to cultivate such a talent, why send him to the front lines?"

The officer handed over a document with a blank expression: "I'm sorry, ma'am. It's precisely because he's so outstanding that the country needs him even more. We need the brightest minds to deal with the current situation."

The older officer added, "According to the information we have, Mr. Gan, your brother Foresgan is also on the draft list. His university has already been notified."

Forrest Gump blinked in confusion: "Conscription? Does that mean we have to go to war? Like Dad?"

Mrs. Gan's face turned deathly pale instantly. She gripped Su Ning's arm tightly, "No...this can't be...I've already lost my husband, I can't lose my sons too...please, my Gan...he's different from the other children..."

Su Ning, supporting her mother who was on the verge of fainting, said to the officer, "Sir, as far as I know, students can postpone their military service. I plan to enroll in a doctoral program this fall..."

“I’m sorry,” the officer interrupted him, his voice devoid of emotion, “admission to graduate school cannot be used as a reason for deferral. And…”

His gaze swept over Su Ning and the yellow-skinned Yun Zhi, a hint of barely perceptible contempt in his eyes. "Given your racial background, it will be very difficult for your application for conscientious refusal to serve in the military to pass the review. We've seen far too many cases of people trying to evade responsibility."

This statement was like a slap in the face, starkly revealing the racial prejudice hidden beneath the conscription policy.

As an Asian American, he could neither obtain "critical industry" exemptions through connections like some wealthy white children, nor protest military service on the grounds of racial discrimination like some of his fellow African Americans.

Yunzhi stepped forward, her eyes brimming with angry tears, "This is discrimination! Su Ning's grades are better than anyone else's. He should stay in the lab, not go to the jungle to die!"

The officer said coldly, "In the face of war, everyone is equal, madam."

After remaining silent, Su Ning finally spoke, "I understand. How much time do we have to prepare?"

"After passing the medical examination, you will have four weeks to handle your personal matters. The reporting location and time will be notified separately." The officer handed over the formal conscription order, saluted, and turned to leave.

The moment the door closed, the apartment fell into a deathly silence.

Mrs. Gan slumped into her chair, silently weeping.

Forrest Gump looked at his mother, then at his brother, bewildered. "Brother, are we really going to Vietnam? Is it far? Will it be like in the movies, with bombs everywhere?"

Yunzhi gripped Su Ning's hand tightly, her nails almost digging into his flesh. "Oppa, you can't go! We can go to Canada, or Mexico! My uncle is in Vancouver, he can help us..."

Su Ning gently shook her head, her gaze sweeping over her tearful mother, her bewildered younger brother, and her lover on the verge of collapse.

He walked to the window and looked down at the bustling street below. The pedestrians were still hurrying along, as if nothing had happened.

"Mom, do you remember where Dad's medals are?" Mrs. Gan looked up, her eyes blurry with tears. "In...in the box in my bedroom, next to your father's photo. Why are you asking?"

Su Ning's expression was deep and calm, his eyes flashing with a complex light. "Because soon, we may also bring back some medals."

He walked to his desk, picked up the doctoral admission letter, and examined it carefully for a long time.

Then, he slowly tore it in half and threw it into the wastepaper basket.

“I’m sorry, Yunzhi,” Su Ning’s voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the sound of traffic outside the window, “It seems our plans will have to be changed.”

Yunzhi threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Forrest Gump finally realized the seriousness of the situation. He went to his mother's side and awkwardly patted her back. "Mom, don't cry. I'll protect my brother. I run very fast, remember? Nobody can catch me."

Mrs. Gan held her two sons tightly in her arms, as if they would disappear if she let go.

This graduation season, which should have been filled with pride and joy, was completely shrouded in the shadow of war.

As night fell, Suning stood alone on the balcony, gazing at the lights across the Charles River.

Holding the latest copy of The New York Times in his hand, the front page featured the latest casualty figures from the Vietnam War.

A bitter smile appeared on his lips.

Fate gave him the most brilliant mind, but sent him to the place where thinking was least necessary.

But perhaps the battlefield is not just a place where lives are wasted; it may also be the starting point for him to accumulate another kind of capital.

In this era of uncertainty, we must fight our way out for ourselves and our loved ones.

In the distance, the bells on the main building of MIT rang eight times, their melodious chimes echoing in the twilight, like a requiem for those about to embark on a long journey.

……

Boston.

The apartment was filled with an atmosphere heavier than the farewell itself.

Kim Yoon-ji's suitcase was left open in the center of the living room, with some clothes already neatly folded inside.

Her eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying.

“My mother’s phone call was practically an ultimatum,” her voice trembled with despair. “She said if I didn’t come back, she would pretend I wasn’t her daughter. My father’s health…has also been very poor lately.”

She looked up at Su Ning, her eyes brimming with tears, "Oppa, what should I do? I don't want to leave, I don't want to leave you at this time..."

Su Ning stepped forward and gently embraced her.

He could feel her thin shoulders trembling.

Su Ning took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound steady, "Yunzhi, you have to go back."

"Why?" Yoonji suddenly looked up. "I can stay! I can explain to the immigration office, I can..."

“And then?” Su Ning interrupted her, his voice low and pained. “To have your family completely sever ties with you? To burden you with the stigma of being unfilial? And…”

“I’m about to be sent to Vietnam. Nobody knows what will happen, and I can’t leave you here alone, waiting for someone who may never come back.”

"Don't say such things!" Yunzhi covered his mouth with her hand, tears streaming down her face again. "You promised me you would come back! You said that after the war, we would go to Princeton together, and you would continue your research..."

“The plans have changed, Yoonji. From the moment I tore up the acceptance letter, our lives were completely altered.” Suning cupped Kim Yoonji’s face and gently wiped away her tears with his thumb. “Go back to Seoul, go back to your family. At least it’s safe there. That’s much more responsible than me selfishly leaving you here.”

“But my family… they won’t accept you.” Yoonji closed her eyes in anguish. “You heard what Mom said on the phone last time. She thinks our being together is a ‘mistake,’ an ‘unrealistic fantasy’…”

“I know.” Su Ning gave a bitter smile. “A Chinese soldier, living a precarious life with an uncertain future… In their eyes, I am indeed not a good match.”

"So, this separation may be longer than we imagined."

These words were like a cold dagger, piercing through the last vestige of hope between the two.

Yunzhi threw herself into his arms, clutching his clothes tightly, as if that could stop their destined separation.

“Promise me,” she choked, her voice indistinct, “promise me you’ll come back alive. No matter how long it takes, I’ll wait for you. If my family doesn’t agree, I’ll convince them. If one year isn’t enough, then two years, if two years isn’t enough, then five years… but you must come back to me!”

Su Ning didn't answer immediately; he simply hugged her tighter, feeling the warmth of her embrace and her heartbeat.

After a long while, he whispered in her ear,

"I promise you. As long as I'm alive, I will come back to find you. No matter where I am in Korea or anywhere in the world."

……

The summer heat at Fort Benning, Alabama, was intense, making the air seem distorted.

Suning and Forescan wore bulky training uniforms, sweat dripping from their foreheads onto the scorching sand beneath their feet.

"Raise your gun! Aim! Control your breathing rhythm!" The instructor's hoarse roar echoed across the training ground.

Forrest Gump learned quickly; his strong physique and single-minded focus allowed him to complete every tactical maneuver meticulously.

Suning, a graduate of MIT, quickly mastered all the theories and techniques thanks to his exceptional intelligence.

During a training break, Agan gulped down water. "Brother," he said, "I think I'd be perfect for the army. At least no one can outrun me!"

Su Ning didn't say anything, but just patted his younger brother's sturdy shoulder.

"Brother, do you miss Sister Yunzhi?" Agan leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

Su Ning collected her thoughts, carefully tucked the photo back into her inner pocket, and nodded.

“I miss her too,” Forrest Gump said honestly. “Her kimchi fried rice is delicious. But don’t worry, brother, after we finish the war, I’ll go with you to Korea to find her! I’m fast, I can be the first one to knock on the door!”

Looking at Foresgan's innocent face, a complex warmth welled up in Su Ning's heart.

A mournful assembly whistle sounded in the distance, signaling the start of a new training session.

Suning pulled Agan along and they merged into the rushing green torrent.

"Forrest Gump, remember this: when you get to the battlefield, you have to run for your life."

"Understood! Just like Jenny told me to do."

"That's right! We have to outrun the bullets."

...(End of chapter)