renegades [teenage mercenary]

005

The drive was silent on the way back to the base, disregarding the chatter of people and the howling wind as they zipped through the streets. It felt as if the way back was a whole new day, despite everything happening within just mere hours ago. She felt no excitement as she watched the passing stores, the new smells and sights no longer delivering her any interest.

She just wanted to go back to the base. And sleep...and then after possibly do another workout. Maybe a shower? She kept forgetting that showers were an option at the base now. Just thinking about the idea of one made her feel warm inside.

Upon the base coming into view, Rei found herself sighing in relief. No more people.

Rei carefully stepped off of the motorcycle, Ijin following shortly after cutting off the ignition, and they walked into the building.

***

They easily found Major Kang in his office, Ijin walking in first. Rei trailed quietly behind him, both of them light on their feet enough to surprise Major Kang with their entrance. Rei and Kang made eye contact and he rose immediately, his face struck with wide eyes.

"What happened? Why are you guys back early? Did Rei kill anyone? Oh my God, I knew this would be a bad idea. Ijin, I swear—"

"We wouldn't be here right now if she killed anyone," Ijin deadpanned.

Kang paused, then hummed in agreement.

He frowned when he noticed Rei's hollow eyes still watching him closely. They were almost as sullen as when she first arrived, dazed and despondent.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes."

"...Did anyone get hurt?"

"A broken nose. Could have been worse." Rei's eyes quickly flashed to Ijin as he said her name, then quickly went back to keeping eye contact with Hamchan, who gave her a scrutinizing look. "She didn't mean any harm. We were sparring."

He nodded, slowly coming back to his seat. He was relieved that nothing horrible happened. A broken nose was nothing compared to her having to deal with killing someone over here in Korea (which he wanted to think was unrealistic to worry about, but what did he know?).

"Oh, let Rei know that I left something on her table. I think it might lift her spirits a little," Hamchan said with a light smile, although Rei's features didn't make the slightest change and Ijin only seemed to acknowledge his words with a ghost of a nod. Both looked intensely at him, waiting for him to say something else, but the only thought that was crossing his mind was, God, there are two of them now.

***

Rei numbly picked up the small, plastic rectangle.

"What is this?" she asked. It displayed an abundance of small lettering in Korean and had a colored photo of her face in the corner.

"Looks like Major Kang found someone to make an I.D. card for you," Ijin said when she flipped it so he could see the design.

"I.D.?"

"Identification."

She reversed it back, noticing Rei in the fine print, and following it, the word Wa. What was that?

"Rei...Wa?"

Ijin hummed. "They gave you a false surname for the time being. It's too suspicious for you to not have one since they couldn't get any more information."

She stared blankly at her picturesque face, trying to remember when she even had the photo taken. She must've been really out of it.

"Rei Wa," she repeated, trying to get past how alien it sounded on her tongue. It was her name. An actual name. Not some number. Not some ownership.