Waterfalls || Yeonbin

20k Special

May 10, 1945

I leaned back on my desk chair, relaxing for the first time in five years. I brought my feet up one at a time, gently placing them on the corner of my desk, my left over my right. I feel like the weight has finally been lifted off our shoulders, smiling as I looked out the window. They were all there; Joan, Jisung, John, and Hugh. All celebrating the victory of the second world war with the soldiers on the base. Each of them had a beer in hand, even though it's merely noon. People were driving around military trucks with the British flag waving with the wind, horns beeping all over the place to spread the news. Everyone seemed excited and happy from the news that came in this morning, and trust me, I am too; but we still need to think of the future.

I know we mustn't tell anyone about how we broke Enigma, especially not the public. Considering there have been two world wars in the span of a single lifetime, who knows if a third will break out. We must keep this a secret amongst the highest of authorities in case the Germans utilize it again, but this also means that we will most likely get no recognition for our efforts. It's understandable, but slightly disappointing when you think about it. Even though we broke Enigma, we have in turn made MI6 the enigma instead.

The thought made me look away from my colleagues, knowing how hard we've been working over the last few months as the war was winding down to the end. Another thing that came out in the news: the existence of concentration camps. Although the first reports of this genocidal camps came from 1943, nobody believed them to be real. I mean, Hitler's ultimate goal was world domination, the inner makings of a villain. But committing genocide on top of that against people that did nothing? That was beyond the unbelievable, and he was getting away with it.

Yet, we're liberating these poor souls that have managed to survive. I cannot even begin to imagine what they've had to go through during the war, and I think the reality of it all will shatter my heart into a million pieces. I've read that certain groups of people were placed into these camps; the largest population being Jewish. There were also gypsies, political communities, Jehovah's Witnesses, and homosexuals. It's scary to think that could've been me in one of those camps, forced to be marked and labeled like animals. Millions of innocent people murdered and placed into mass graves; it makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about the horror and terror.

I turned my head when the door suddenly opened, seeing Yeonjun peaking his head through the door. He smiled at me and walked inside right after, closing the door behind him as he said, "I've been looking all over for you..." When he turned back to me, the huge smile was still on his face, "Have you heard the news? We've won!..." He seemed excited, jumping a little bit as he rushed over to me, "We've won the fucking war, Soobin!"

I softly smiled, not moving from my spot. I interlaced my fingers together, my elbows on each of my armrests, "So I've heard."

He took his hat off, still smiling as he came closer to me. He threw his hat on my desk, "Come on! We're going to celebrate!" He cheered, clapping his hands as well.

I pursed my lips, "I'm alright, thank you."

"What? Can't you feel the English spirit flowing through your veins?! It's incredible—"

"I don't..." I cut him off, avoiding his eyes as I spoke, "Do you know how many people were murdered at those camps?"

Yeonjun hesitated for a moment, "Darling, there will always be casualties in a war. It's a soldier's honor."

I picked my head up to look at him, raising an eyebrow, "I'm not referring to soldiers..." I replied, and then Yeonjun scrunched his eyebrows together, "You don't know?"

He tilted his head to the side, "You're not talking about prisoner of war camps?"

I shook my head, "Worse than that."