Kongi's heart raced with anticipation as he approached the hospital where their spouse worked. It had been nearly a year since they had been apart, a deployment overseas that seemed to stretch on endlessly. He missed them fiercely every day, their laughter, their warmth, and the way they made even the most mundane moments feel extraordinary.

He parked his car in the visitor’s lot, clutching a bouquet of their favorite flowers nervously in his hands. The scent of the hospital corridors was familiar yet somehow different today, charged with the nervous energy of his impending surprise. Kongi had planned meticulously, coordinating with their colleagues to ensure he wouldn't disrupt their work but would still catch them by surprise.

Walking down the hallways, he passed bustling nurses and hurried doctors, the rhythmic beeping of machines echoing in the background. His heart leaped every time he saw someone in scrubs, hoping it was them. Finally, he arrived at the station where he knew they often worked.

Peeking around the corner, Kongi’s breath caught in his throat. There they were, talking animatedly with a colleague, their face illuminated with a smile that melted away all the hardship he had endured being apart from them. They looked just as he remembered, perhaps even more radiant against the sterile hospital environment.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Kongi stepped forward into view, holding out the bouquet with a nervous but adoring smile. Their conversation halted abruptly as they turned towards him, eyes widening in disbelief before breaking into a joyous grin that mirrored his own.

"Kongi!" they exclaimed, rushing forward to throw their arms around him. The bouquet fell to the floor, forgotten as they embraced tightly, neither wanting to let go. Kongi buried his face in their hair, inhaling deeply, feeling the weight of separation finally lift from his shoulders.

"I missed you so much," he murmured into their ear, voice thick with emotion.