All for One, One for All

Chapter 5

"So, those loud thuds were the sphere dropping?" Everyone in class 3-2 was discussing the loud noise they heard last night except for Cho Min Ha. She didn't want to think about last night's event so she busied herself with daydreaming about her favorite tteokbokki stall back at her universe. She always went there with Ye Rim after school. Now, all of that was just her memories. She didn't even know if she was dead or coma in her universe as all she remembered was getting hit by something big before she blacked out and awoke in this universe.

Suddenly, she heard a loud slap echoed through the classroom. She looked at Woo Hee Rak, who had his hand on his red cheek. Serve him right. Min Ha then laughed loudly at the scene, and she even snorted. Her sound of laughter (plus the snort) grabbed everyone's attention. She noticed everyone's eyes on her. Feeling embarrassed, she then quickly turned away from them and pretended to sleep, which obviously ended up with her sleeping until the first class started.

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"You fire a gun at a monkey hanging on the tree. The scared monkey lets go of the tree and free falls. Then, can a bullet hit the monkey? Anyone?" Only silence could be heard in that class. No one paid attention to what the teacher said, or maybe they didn't understand the question. Or they just didn't care about that shit. Min Ha was one of the students who didn't give a shit about the monkey. Who even shoot a freaking monkey on a tree? Wasn't it illegal to do that?

"At least try and make a guess." Then, a siren from an ambulance could be heard outside the window. "Oh come on, how many ambulances are there today? It's so loud." Min Ha gazed at the window. She wondered how many people were wounded by this sphere situation. How many people were dead because of it? Min Ha heard the teacher's remarks on So Yoon's complaint just now. He asked the students by the window to shut it close and a few whines could be heard, disagreeing to do so as it was hot that day. Then another siren sound from ambulances echoed through that class. She then heard the conversation between So Yoon and Tae Man, which made her crack up at Tae Man's stupid comment about the sound of the ambulance's siren.

"Kids, listen carefully. I said earlier that no one can help you with your life. So study hard and train hard." The teacher said before continuing his lesson. Min Ha somehow could understand what her teacher was trying to say. He wanted them to be independent and could protect themselves. But, why them? They were just seniors in high school. Did all of this study and training really worth it when at the end of this story, only four students were alive?

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It was a very beautiful day. The sun was shining, flowers were blooming, and on this day, Cho Min Ha swore that she would shoot anyone in the face. She was so mad and tired at all of this training. The platoon leader kept on yelling at them to move faster and Min Ha swore if he shouted one more time, she surely would throw a stone at him. A big stone. Or maybe a purple sphere.

She had done the course multiple times already. She had to rub her back on the sand and one time she almost fell asleep while doing it. Unfortunately, Woo Bin noticed it and without any mercy, dragged her out of that obstacle course. He even yelled at her ears and Min Ha almost (emphasize 'almost') hit him with her firearm. After that, she had to crawl out from the obstacle track that was somehow similar to a dog obstacle track. At that point, she might as well be a dog. A few more times doing it and she might bark. But her favorite part of the training was she could hit a tire with all her might and that's what she just did.

Now, she was in a prone position, waiting for the platoon leader to give instructions for their next position. "One!" Min Ha dropped her lower body and used one of her hands to lift her upper body, holding that position until the next instruction. "Two!" She changed her body position and when the platoon leader yelled "Three!", she changed position again. They had done it multiple times now and she was sure she had lost weight, at least 3 kg. To make matters worse, the platoon leader kept on yelling at them to move faster. What was with the platoon leader? Was he thought that all of the students there were athletes? Or maybe robots cause asking them to move faster was just ridiculous.

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Recording #2 - Cho Min Ha
[At school field]

Do you see what's behind me? (Pointing at the training obstacles) That is hell, everybody. I never know that even on Earth, there is a hell. And platoon leader? That's the underworld king. Start from now, I will call our platoon leader by the name of Hades. That suits him. (Heard some yelling in the background) See? Ah, I need some sleep.

Recording ended.

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"All trainees, keep the stones on your barrel as you pull the trigger." Everyone was paired up but because of the odds in class 3-2, Min Ha was a lucky one that paired up with Kim Woo Bin. She pulled the trigger but the stone fell from the barrel. "Keep on focusing, Trainee Cho Min Ha. You will be able to do it. Just relax and focus." Min Ha tried to follow what Woo Bin had said to her but somehow the stone kept on falling off. "Focus and relax. Inhale. Exhale." She tried to calm her mind. Inhale. Exhale. She breathed in and out, trying to control her breathing. When she felt that her mind and body were a bit calmer, she pulled the trigger. The stone fell after a few seconds. She sighed, frustrated at herself. Woo Bin took the stone and placed it again on the barrel. "It's better than before. The stone stayed a few seconds on the barrel. Keep practicing and I'm sure you will succeed." Min Ha felt encouraged by what Woo Bin had said and kept on trying, even though the stone kept on falling.

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It was lunchtime and she was sitting between Jang Soo and Yoo Jung. Min Ha stared at her meal in front of her. She didn't know if her meal was food or shit. They look the same in her eyes. She looked at the other kids who tried to eat the food. All of them gave a very bad reaction after a bite. No, it's not even a bite. They chewed it once then threw it back out. The only one who looked fine eating that shit was Jang Soo. But he was a different breed. She was pretty sure that if someone gave him something that looked like shit but was edible, he would eat it without hesitation.

She turned back her gaze to her meal. She suddenly felt nervous to eat it. "It's okay. The food is good. The food is so good that everyone bites it once and then throw it back out cause they want to taste the flavor once again. Just like a cow. Yes, just like a cow. And the cow is good. The cow is good. The food is good. Happy stomach." She tried talking to herself, trying to be positive.

She took a bite and almost threw it back out, just like the others. She hardly could chew for a second time. She held the food in her mouth for a few seconds, trying to swallow the food. She even covered her mouth to stop the food from coming back out. It took exactly two minutes for her to swallow. "It's not good. No good. Bad cow. Bad taste. Sad stomach." Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to eat the food again. She didn't want to do the training with an empty stomach so she just going to swallow the food without chewing, which was also hard for her to do. Jang Soo, Young Shin, and Yoo Jung, who were secretly been watching her from the start tried to hold their laughter. Min Ha could hear someone whisper, "Cute," but she didn't know who say it or if that was addressed to her or anyone there. She just didn't care as at that moment, she was struggling to finish her food.

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Letter to myself,

Dear me,
The training is hell. The food is shit. Ha ha. What a good life to live. I'm pretty sure you will get a stomach ache later so good luck in the toilet!

Sincerely,
Cho Min Ha

P.S. Try to pinch your nose while eating. You will not be able to smell and taste it. Try it tomorrow.