two worlds: jaeyong

25

(description of violence and other sensitive topics will be present so if you do feel uncomfortable with it, feel free to skip the chapter!)

and of course, the short bit of happiness they could feel was cut when reality hit them. standing in front of the ruins seemed so different now, with the dust settled, the damage was evident. broken glass, metal shards, and rocks all over the ground, as it all was thrown carelessly.

but the viewer's sight would immediately be taken to the large space of white tents in the middle, covered in curtains and mosquito netting. the nurses and doctors all move around from one place to another while a helicopter comes every hour to pick up the patients who need to receive surgery in the medical cube back in the base. which is where taeyong and doyoung currently were at.

"ughh, my neck," taeyong comes out the operating room and into the icu, all the beds are occupied with patients from left to right.

"you're doing great," doyoung comforted his friend while stretching out his own neck. even if he wasn't the one actually operating, sitting in his chair, monitoring all the tubes and monitors, was his own pain.

"so are you partner," the surgeon puts his arm around his friend's. "this is why you came here with me."

"good news," taeil came to them while carrying a bin of wrappings. "we don't have anymore patients on the deck so you guys have time."

"on the deck," doyoung was confused at what taeil had said.

"translation, there are no more patients at the site that are waiting for surgery so just take a break, you guys have been in there all day."

"but," doyoung started but couldn't finish as he and his friend was being pushed to the exit.

"go outside and get some fresh air, i can watch them. besides, this was my job before you guys took over the cube," and the army doctor locked the door from the inside, giving an ok sign from the window before leaving.

the two look at each other before shrugging.

"and this is the person you have a crush on," and that remark was met with a slap on the arm from a blushing doyoung.

.

.

.

the 4 superhuman members along with general park watched from a monitor inside the planning tent while jungwoo and the woman was being projected.

"hello," jungwoo started to talk. out of everyone, jungwoo was the best person for this interrogation. as someone who was soft and had good people skills, he was more than qualified for this.

"why am i here?" the woman looked around nervously. "and where is everyone else?"

"we just want to ask some questions that i'm sure only you can provide the answers to," jungwoo said in his soft voice. "and please don't worry, there are no weapons in here and if you want, i can even show you my pockets for evidence."

the woman just nods and sits there.

"so... we saw that you are pregnant, do you have names in mind?"

"yes, mansour for a boy and nashwa for a girl. both are named after my parents," the woman answered with a soft voice.

"those are beautiful names, and what is your name?"

the woman mumbled something but it was inaudible for anyone.

"i'm sorry, i couldn't hear you," jungwoo said.

"if i tell you my name, will you give me to them again?" the woman was visibly shaking while holding her stomach.

"no, we won't and i promise, you and your child are safe here" jungwoo guessed the woman was talking about the people she was running away from (that's what they assumed).

"my name is saalima," the woman answered.

"ok, saalima, then let's start with introductions. i'll go first. my name is kim jungwoo and i am currently 24, how about you?"

"my name is saalima and i am 19," she smiled slightly. "has anyone told you that you look like a puppy?"

"my nickname is snoopy after all," jungwoo smiled once seeing how saalima was opening up and she even smiled a little bit.

"snoopy," the teen cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"it's a cartoon dog, one that i really love. here's a picture of him," the soldier takes out a small piece of paper and draws with the pen next to him. "here, let this be a peace offering."

saalima smiles brightly at the paper and folds it before placing it in her pocket.

"now saalima, i know this is something you want to avoid to talk about but it will really help us," jungwoo started but was cut off.

"you want to know about my captors don't you," the girl looks up with eyes that are so empty, it scared everyone, even the people in the planning room watching everything from a screen.

"just give us details you're willing to tell us," the questioner peddled backwards.

"no don't worry, i've wanted to tell this to someone for a while," saalima said with tears in her eyes. "it started with my boyfriend, rashif. he was someone i trusted and someone my family loved. before he joined, he was so sweet and eventually, we wanted to start a family. and we succeeded and i conceived."

saalima started having tears come out and jungwoo immediately passed her his handkerchief.

"thank you," she wiped her eyes before talking again. "but it all changed when he joined the group."

"write that down," jaehyun told yuta, who nodded and complied.

"we were always struggling, our village and during one of his trips, the boss somehow met rashif and offered him money if he would join. obviously, rashif agreed and soon, he became involved with all this. with a switch, a switch was flicked. the rashif i once knew and loved was gone and soon, it was replaced by a heartless monster. we fought a lot, until one day, he just left and didn't come back for a while. but when he returned, he wasn't alone."

she paused for a while, almost as if wanting to add suspense.

"there was so much screaming, girls being ripped from their families and their fathers or husbands being shot," the girl continued with an trembling tone. "and i was taken from my father, who was shouting at them to not take me and to take him instead. but nothing worked. we were shoved into a dark truck without any food or water. i was the oldest of them and i made it my duty to protect the younger girls. all while i was protecting my own child."

she looked down and stroked her bump, smiling slightly while she did so.

"they put us into dark rooms, barely lit with only one candle. they didn't hurt us luckily and no, we did not get raped but the rope marks are because we had our hands tied up. the whole time though, the boss would go through us one by one and see if we were fit for what they were doing. if not, then something else would happen to the girl."

"you keep mentioning a boss, do you know who it is?" jungwoo asked, hoping she gives a right answer.

saalima nods and breathes before answering.

"it's arnold, arnold davidson."