Fl 93

“Look up.”

Baek Seol smeared cream all over Gilsu’s cheek. It was made from a mixture of various herbs, highly effective but foul-smelling, so they called it “shit cream.” Gilsu had swung his fist at Park Mu-jin, as if to show him, but the result was his utter defeat. The man had only taken the first hit, then skillfully dodged and beat Gilsu mercilessly.

Baek Seol thought Gilsu might have fainted if Ire hadn’t rushed over to pull them apart.

“You shouldn’t have stopped me. I could have finished that bastard!”

Baek Seol shook his head at Gilsu’s bluster. His grandfather, who raised him, used to say that a man’s bravado never disappears, not even on his deathbed. Of course, he wasn’t his biological grandfather. But he was undoubtedly a good person who took in Baek Seol when he had nowhere to go.

“Listen carefully. We’re not here to fight. Don’t ruin things out of sheer stubbornness.”

Ire admonished Gilsu with a stern expression. In truth, he was the one who wanted to beat Park Mu-jin more than anyone. But what was important now wasn’t them, but the being hidden inside the cave. Internal conflict could easily become a prime opportunity for the enemy. Even if they found each other distasteful, they had to work together.

“I can guess. I bet he tormented the captain a lot when he was in the military.”

Gilsu was upset not only by their humiliation but also by the fact that the man treated their captain with disrespect. But what hurt more was Ire’s attitude. He had hoped Ire would curse along with him, but Ire was talking like a soldier.

“Or do you want to go back to being a soldier?”

Jang-cheon scowled at the remark that crossed the line. “Hey, watch your mouth.”

Ire, however, smiled and patted Gilsu’s shoulder.

“That won’t happen. I like it here. I’m doing this for all of us. We can’t keep living as thieves forever. There’s a limit to what we can steal and bring back. Even your beloved revolution needs to be able to eat to be possible. You said you wanted to get married and have children, didn’t you? You don’t want your children to live like you, do you?”

Of course not… Gilsu was speechless at Ire’s words. Feeling awkward, he was about to tell Ire to stop nagging like an old man when Jang-cheon finally smacked him on the back of the head. “Grow up, you brat.”

“Ah, damn it. Why’d you hit me!”

As they bickered, footsteps were heard outside the tent. The door soon opened, and a man in a military uniform appeared, carrying two baskets.

“They told me to bring this…”

Seo Young-jun gave a somewhat awkward smile, and Baek Seol went up to him, pressing his face close.

“Have we met somewhere before?”

Gilsu grabbed Baek Seol by the scruff of his neck.

“Don’t try anything. That corny trick only worked a hundred years ago.”

After handing over the baskets, Seo Young-jun nodded at Ire, and the two moved to another tent through a connecting door. Once they were alone in the other tent, Seo Young-jun took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. From the adjacent tent, murmuring voices continued, and Seo Young-jun glanced in that direction.

“It’s fortunate you’ve made good friends.”

Ire, listening, smiled bitterly. The time he spent with them as a trainee flashed through his mind. Those moments when he was happy to finally have friends his own age. Although they met in the military, he had relied on them quite a bit and opened his heart to them. He had even bragged to his younger siblings that he would bring them home someday.

It had only been a year and a half, but it felt like an eternity ago.

“You’re a good friend too.”

At that, Seo Young-jun nudged Ire’s arm.

“I’m so happy I could cry, you bastard. I thought Oh Nam-gi and I were completely out of your life.”

“As if.”

Their conversation continued but didn’t last long. Seo Young-jun stubbed out his cigarette, glanced outside, and quickly left, saying he’d be back. His demeanor suggested he had stopped by under the pretense of delivering food. It was a little sad that they couldn’t speak freely.

After Seo Young-jun disappeared, Ire noticed that the adjacent tent was unusually quiet and moved towards it. He wondered if something had happened, but they were just drooling over the food they had taken out of the baskets.

“Is, is this a special meal?”

Ire shook his head. “They always eat like that.” Jang-cheon looked incredulous. To be able to eat such precious food as a soldier… Even though the mess hall at the base served better food, he didn’t mention that.

Feeling the stark difference, Gilsu began to understand what Ire had meant. He thought that perhaps, as Ire had said, Zone D could develop, and a day might come when they could have children and eat food like this to their heart’s content. His resentment vanished, replaced by a thumping excitement.

* * *

“I’ll stand guard.”

“That’s enough, go inside.”

Ire insisted on standing guard, but pushed Gangsan into the tent. The tents in district a, a little further away, had also mostly gone to sleep, with only a few standing guard. Ire sat on a portable chair in front of the tent, checking his gun.

The surroundings were deathly quiet, with only the chirping of unknown birds to be heard. After checking his gun, he silently gazed at the calm lake. The dark water exuded an eerie atmosphere, unlike during the day. Staring at the surface, he tilted his head back.

Stars were visible scattered across the sky. He remembered Mateo sitting him down when he was young and explaining constellations. He had also told him myths associated with the constellations, but at the time, he was too young to understand most of what he said.

He cupped his hands together, forming a circle, and brought them to one eye like a telescope. While observing the stars, his mouth slightly agape, someone’s voice suddenly cut in.

“What’s in the sky?”

Kim Ha-yoon had approached without him realizing it. Normally, the man was skilled at hiding his presence, but not this time. He had noticed him approaching but deliberately didn’t turn around.

Ire glanced at the tent and gestured for Kim Ha-yoon to go away. His colleagues already misunderstood their relationship, and he didn’t want to fan the flames. Kim Ha-yoon, as if to spite him, brought a chair and sat beside him. Ire scowled and lowered his voice.

“I told you to go, why are you sitting?”

“Did you mean ‘go’? I thought you were beckoning me to come.”

He was dumbfounded by the glib reply. He whispered for him to get lost now if he understood, but Kim Ha-yoon leaned his face closer.

“It’s harsh to someone who rushed here because they missed you.”

The smell of alcohol wafted strongly. Ire asked if he had come here after drinking, and Kim Ha-yoon casually rested his head on Ire’s shoulder. A few soldiers standing guard at a distance glanced their way. Annoyed, Ire pushed him away, but Kim Ha-yoon lowered his eyebrows in an uncharacteristic, pitiful expression.

“I’ll leave if you comfort me.”

He opened his lips and then closed them again. He wanted to tell him to get lost and stop his nonsense, but many eyes were watching from various places. Fortunately, his colleagues seemed to be asleep; the tent was silent as a tomb. Ire nodded dismissively.

“Why? What? What’s wrong?”

“My father has regained consciousness.”

“……”

“I thought he would die then and there. He’s got a long life ahead of him.”

Seeing the clear disappointment on his face, Ire was lost for words. He had felt it before, but Kim Ha-yoon seemed to have no good feelings towards his father. He didn’t seem to think that he enjoyed all sorts of benefits because of such a father.

His complaints just sounded like the spoiled ramblings of a rich young master.

“Oh, I see. That’s too bad. Are we done? Please go now.”

As he gestured for him to leave quickly, Kim Ha-yoon sighed and rested his head on his shoulder again.

“That old man is desperate to marry me off. I don’t want to live my whole life married to a woman I don’t love.”

He offered a silent prayer for the woman, whoever she was, who would be unfortunate enough to marry him.

“So, how about marrying me instead? You’d look quite pretty if you cross-dressed. What do you say?”

“Are you having a fit? Why are you getting worse?”

“Your skin is soft, but your mouth is really rough. You know that’s your charm, right?”

Finally unable to stand it, he recoiled in disgust and stood up. He looked around, grabbed Kim Ha-yoon’s arm, and pulled. Despite his irritation, urging him to get lost, Kim Ha-yoon stubbornly remained seated. His blood pressure rose, and he considered kicking him, but he didn’t want to draw attention, so he held back as much as possible.

“Ire-nar-geu-yeo.”

Gritting his teeth, he threatened him, and Kim Ha-yoon snorted and mimicked him. “Ah, damn it.” In a fit of anger, he kicked the chair. The crooked chair tipped over to one side, and Kim Ha-yoon reached out his arm. As he tried to grab him, Kim Ha-yoon pulled first, and Ire was dragged along with him.

With a crash, they tumbled sideways, ending up in a heap, with Ire sprawled on Kim Ha-yoon’s chest. At the same time, one side of the military tent collapsed, and a groan was heard from inside. “Ah, move! Get off, I’m crushed too!” “Shh, be quiet!” “They’ll hear us!” Ire realized his companions inside the tent were not asleep and were secretly listening, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

As he tried to get up immediately, Kim Ha-yoon pulled him into a tight embrace. “Let’s stay like this for a moment. I want to hold you.” At that, a gasp was heard from inside the tent, and Ire finally couldn’t stand it and headbutted Kim Ha-yoon.