Notebook

Chapter 1

Enjoy your read!
 
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The army officer, completely alert was inspecting the vast green field surrounded by the beautiful snow-capped mountains. It was his daily duty. But on that day, he saw a small white patch in the green field moving. When he observed it keenly, it was a lamb? He heard a feeble voice calling "Hayan, wait!!". He turned to look at the source of the voice and saw a little boy about the age of 11, dressed in winter habiliment chasing the lamb. It was then, a sudden dread settled into his stomach when he saw the boy running into the field. Out of reflex, he roared  at the boy "Hey, what are you doing here? Stop right there. Do not take a step further". The boy stopped on his tracks stunned, turned to look behind him in fear. When he saw the army officer, his eyes went wide and he started running further into the field.
 
The army officer chased the boy yelling at him to stop. But little did the officer know that the boy was running away from him because he was yelling at him carrying a ‘carbine’. The boy was scared and assumed that he will be shot if caught since he trespassed into the field and thought that probably the officer was chasing him for that very purpose.

The officer chased the boy trying hard to stop him from moving further into the field. In the process, he took a huge leap to reach him but failed and fell on the ground injuring his knees, but he still crawled and lunged towards the boy to hold him back. But the very next moment everything around him stilled and he was devastated to see what he tried so hard to avoid happening, happen. He could not stop the boy from stepping on the blast mine. There was a loud explosion, the boy's limbs and his body parts blew off and then complete darkness.

His heart constricted with pain. "No!!" he screamed out, breaking out in cold sweat and sat up gasping for air. He looked around with wide eyes, rubbed his face still panting and stretched himself to reach the jug on his nightstand with trembling hands and chugged down the water, gradually easing up his mind. He voluntarily retired from the army after that traumatic incident. Ever since he found out that the boy ran away from him because he was terrified of the carbine he was carrying while chasing him, he has been feeling guilty and has been having these sleep tremors often.

After relaxing completely, he got up from his bed, when he heard his mobile buzzing,  he took a look at the mobile screen and saw that the caller was his uncle who has been taking care of him since his childhood. He attended the call and spoke "Hello Uncle Man-shik!!". "Hello son, how are you?" replied his uncle. "I am good, thank you and hope you are too. May I know the purpose of this call so early, uncle?" asked the ex-army officer worried for his uncle. To which his uncle answered, "Yes, I am fine too. And about this call…son, I want you to visit your family house as soon as possible". After listening to the reason his uncle called him, he was puzzled as to why after years, he wanted him to visit his family house.
 
The last visit was during his annual leave when he was still an army officer about 3 years ago and it was when his father was still alive. He did not visit the house after his father's death neither did he want to. It was Man-shik who took care of the house for them ever since. Hearing no response for long, Man-shik spoke again "Son, did you hear me? If yes, when can I expect your arrival?". "No uncle, you already know my answer. I am unwilling to visit, sorry" replied the ex-army officer calmly.

Man-shik had enough, he got tired of listening to the same answer for years. He wasn't going to let him off the hook this time, so in a stern voice he responded "Kim Seokjin!! I have heard enough. I need you here as soon as you can get and that is final. I am awaiting your arrival. Am I clear?". Even though Man-shik was a caretaker originally, he was no less than his father. So, after he heard his stern tone, he couldn't do much except sigh and agree to the older answering feebly "Ok, I will be there in 2 days". Later, they both exchanged their byes and dropped the call. Hoping there's nothing to worry, he continued with his daily routine.
 
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Two days later he stood there in the lawn, in front of his family house- an old bungalow. He flipped his duffel bag in one swift move holding it over his shoulder with his veiny arms on full display. He looked at the house which stood there old and proud exhibiting its worn-out walls as if it were its battle scars. True to the statement, it had battled the various weather and climatic conditions. He stood there a few more minutes feeling nostalgic just by looking at the house. Taking in a deep breath, he started moving to main door and walked into the house.