Chapter Text
After 10 straight hours of training all sorts of hand-to-hand combat with hundreds of young men and women, Lt. General Hongseok, finally called it a day. Kino and Yuto who has been sparring with each other for the whole day plopped down on the sandy earth, panting and drenched in sweat.
“Good job, boys.” Hongseok said as he stopped by the two, “Don’t forget to have your dinner. You need lots of energy. I’m counting on both of you the most." The Lt. General extended his fist. Kino, who barely can open his eyes out of weariness, managed to take a peek at Hongseok with one eye and bumped the other’s fist with his.
“That’s a lot of pressure.” Yuto muttered under his slow pants after the Lt. General left.
“No shit.” Kino groaned as he sat up. He was stunned as his eyes wandered around the training ground and found that a lot has still stayed and continued training. Being a crybaby that he always is, this scene touched his heart and almost tore up. Worse comes to worst, this will all that they have. “But we have to live with it. We chose to be part of this after all.”
Kino’s eyes was glued to a boy, about 3 years younger than him, defending himself with a wooden baton when he suddenly inhaled sand dust out of nowhere and coughed. “Yah!” He exclaimed, hitting Yuto on his legs after finding out that it was the latter that had stood up and dusted his pants.
“Oh. Sorry.” The older of 4 days apologized in thick Japanese accent with an innocent smile. The younger smiled back and reached out his hand to which Yuto held and pulled up the former. Yuto tapped him on his shoulder before moving towards the crowd. Confused, Kino called the older.
“Aren’t you having dinner?”
“I don’t feel hungry yet. I’ll practice some more until then.”
“Okay.” Kino pulled Yuto into a tight hug, “ Be careful not to hurt yourself.”
“I will.”
The raven-haired watched the other ran towards another young man, talked a little, before taking a stance in combatting. He couldn’t help but to feel sad for the Japanese, and Kino’s 100% sure that everybody felt this way. Yuto’s more known as “The Japanese” or “The Collateral Damage”. He wasn’t supposed to be here, skipping dinner and mock fighting with a Korean. If Yuto's family didn't visit their country, his parents would still be alive.
Kino felt his stomach growl. He went to the camping site where hundreds of makeshift tent made from tree trunks, branches, leaves, scrape metals found from the old warehouse, and cut pieces of cloth lined in the middle of the forest. He can smell different kinds of meal being prepared per tents that will soon be shared to all that is living here. Whereas the training area was full of tension and seriousness, here was more animated and alive. But it doesn’t mean that the uncertainty and anxiousness weren’t there, especially when these are the families of he was with earlier.
The 22-year old was hungry, yes, but he has to go somewhere first. So, he was about to turn to his left when Changgu noticed him and called out his name, motioning with his one hand to come to him while the other was stirring a big cooking pot.
Changgu is a vital part of this makeshift community. Without him, a lot of us would have died a long time ago. We wouldn’t have the energy to train 10hours for 7days a week if not for him. Preparing menu from what is available, buying ingredients, cooking and feeding hundreds of people still amazed Kino. Who would’ve thought that the former actor can cook delicious meals?
“Yes, hyung? Woah. That smells good.” Kino felt his stomach growl again and the urge to take a bowl and eat right here was getting strong.
“Aren’t you going to eat? I’m almost done with the Tofu Stew. I’ll just prepare the table so you can eat.” Changgu began moving away from the pot to get the plates inside his tent, but Kino caught his wrist to stop him.
“I’ll eat a little later. I just...” Kino trailed as he looked at the old warehouse.
“Oh.” Changgu exclaimed as he clapped when he followed the younger’s gaze. “Yeah. Right.”
“Right what?” Puzzled, he asked the older what he meant but the latter just smiled wider than he have ever seen while pushing him away and saying that he’d save a bowl for two.
“Weird.” The raven haired murmured while shaking his head. But nothing’s weirder than him talking to a famous celebrity. He only saw Changgu on T.V. but now, the latter pushed him away, and hands were on his back. Never in his life had he imagined this.
He finally reached the old warehouse, greeted the guards stationed on the door, before entering. Upon walking inside, tons and tons of weapons were being prepared, checked, and placed carefully inside the wooden crates. In the midst of the busy noise, only one deep voice stood out. The voice continued to instruct what and how many weapon goes to what crate.
Kino waved his hand as soon as the other’s gaze landed at him. The taller nods his head once in acknowledgment. Captain Ko Shinwon, the right hand. The second busiest person here. He managed the budget, the inventory of the armory, does and safekeeps the golden minutes of the meeting, the plan a, b, c, d, e, and f. The most trusted person.
“Thank God, you’re here, Kino. I think I’m losing my sanity any minute now. How was the training? NO! IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE. DID I SAY 4? I SAID 3. THAT GOES TO 3. Okay. I’m sorry about that.” Shinwon smiled goofily that he couldn’t help but chuckle. The younger shared what was going on in the physical training while following the Captain around the wooden crates. The older might look like he was not listening but he actually was. He was fine if the other wasn’t but he still gets surprised everytime the older reacts and nods.
“I didn’t saw your name on the list.” The Captain stated when he saw the younger picked up a rifle with an empty cartridge, and raised to his shoulder lever. “I had to triple-checked it because I thought I missed your name.”
“I’m not good with weapons anyways. Save it for someone that can use it properly.”The younger placed back the rifle inside the wooden crate.
“Your bullshit will not work on me." Shinwon pointed his clipboard to the younger, "We all know that next to Lt. General Hongseok, you’re the best that we have right now, and though you’re excelling in hand-to-hand fights, its different this time, Kino.”
“For what? So that I could shoot an innocent person again?!” The younger bit back, glaring at the other, hands reddening as his grip tightens on the edge of the wooden crate.
“Kino,” The Captain slowly reached for the younger’s hand and caressed it when the latter didn’t pull back, “let it go. You didn’t kill the boy. Besides, no one blames you for it so stop being hard on yourself.”
Kino looked away; the soft gaze of the older was making him emotional. “I wish it was that easy. ” He didn’t kill the boy, but he almost did. Few minutes late and the boy who jumped in when he was about to shoot the opponent would have been dead by now.
“Just think about it tonight, okay? At least, for him.” This grabbed the attention of Kino. “Give him one less thing to worry about.”
“He has seen it, hasn’t he?” Shinwon rolled his eyes. The older was about to say something when his name was called in an unnecessary high tone.
“Captain Ko Shinwon!”
It was Marshal Jinho, the highest rank in Korean Army. The eldest and the wisest. The one that gives clarity and light when the path gets murky and dark. He might be the shortest man here, but he’s so much incredible that even the most respected person here looked up to Jinho a lot to the point that that person is willing to risk his life for the eldest.
“I swear to God, I’d drag his arse and make him join a singing competition after all of this is over.” Shinwon hurriedly whispered before he gets caught by the other.
What exactly is after all of this is over? He thought.
“Marshal Jinho. Lt. General Hongseok. Is there a problem?” Shinwon casually asked.
“It’s the Crown Prince.” The Marshal whispered after inspecting the surroundings. Shinwon and Kino exchanged worried look.
“What happened?” Shinwon probed. He was surprisingly calm like this Crown Prince problem happened every now and then.
“I don’t think he has returned yet since he left two hours ago.” Jinho rubbed his template, “It’s already getting dark and it isn’t safe for him.”
“We were planning to dispatch some of our men to find him if he wouldn’t come back for another hour.” Lt. General stated.
“Aish—. Where would he even go for two hours at a critical time like this?” The Captain ruffled his hair in frustration.
“I know where to find him.” Three pairs of shocked eyes settled on him. “Give me one hour. I’ll bring the Crown Prince back. If I’m not back in an hour, deploy our men. Okay?”
“Okay.” The eldest agreed after giving it a thought, “Be safe. We can’t afford to lose you, too, Kang Kino.”
Kino started running towards the hidden path in the middle of the forest made for Wooseok, Changgu, and those who do the grocery. In short, those people that are allowed to go to the city. Just before the hidden path, he stopped and counted three trees to the left. He walked towards it and checked the mark they left the first time they found out their own secret path.
There were two places that he has in mind. The second one was at the river. The Crown Prince like watching the river flows because as he always said, “It takes my mind off of anything”. He added that it leaves him dazed and blank which is what he needed the most after using his brain in planning and strategizing day after day. He would’ve gone there to check it first, but the young man has a strong feeling that the Crown Prince was at his first favorite place.
It was the early morning after that shooting incident so Kino was barely even able to sleep. He was outside his tent, sitting on a bench and staring at nothing, when the Crown Prince approached and asked him if the younger could accompany him to hike. Not knowing the view would have them surprised.
Kino knew he was hungry and tired and all he wanted to do was return to his tent and sleep it all away. But the moment he reached the cliff and saw the silver haired man lying on the grass under the shade of a tree, he was finally relieved to have finally found the person he wanted to have dinner with tonight.
Hopefully not for the last time.