༺Masterpiece༻

XVI :: Blood Stained

"We never had a chance to say goodbye,
Do you remember me?
When winter snows are falling through a quiet sky
I’ll remember you, I promise.
When, in our darkest hour,
You held my hand and prayed I wouldn’t go,
A silent voice called out to me;
My time had come, and I had to travel Home.
Where are you? My home?"

⊱ ───ஓ๑♡๑ஓ ─── ⊰

"Sir, please understand. Sir, please. Sir..."

"Lieutenant, I have already sent you the notice. You voluntarily volunteered to be in the army and fight the northern forces. Just because your wife is having a baby, I cannot discharge you!" The harsh voice of a man in his fifties something, Commander Lee Hyun Kyung, roared at the young lieutenant, bowed down at his feet.

"Sir..."

"That's it, Cheon Seok! You joined the army yourself—"

"I did not! I did not want to! I am afraid of weapons, blood... I'm afraid of hurting. I did not want to join! I was obliged to join. Did you not take a leave off when you daughter sprained an arm? Your 31 year old daughter with a husband and three brothers? Didn't you? Even when the military suffered the crisis of losing young trainees and General Torres? Then why can't I?!"

Lee Hyun Kyung spit at the lieutenant. Fire raged in both their eyes. Cheon Seok held his head low, tears trickling down his face. His love of his life was carrying their child and at a crucial stage of pregnancy as she was in, it could be anyday when she gives birth. He had her letter clenched into his hands. She was in pain. Why can't he go?

"It's a no!" Hyun Kyung kicked the soldier in his guts. Cheon Seok's body rolled to a farther distance. Hyun Kyung repeated his actions, hitting the twenty seven year old man in his abdomen. Saline tears mixed his the sanguine fluid of erythrocytes, red blood cells.

Cheon Seok fought with pain, being rolled over and over, bleeding on the sandy patch. Had General Torres been here, he could have had taken a leave. If only the war had ended. Why did he join the war? Why didn't he die? How can he die?

"Cheon Seok, you either die now or fight the last battle today. If you survive, you can go back." 

Before he could hear anything else, he lost his consciousness.

   ⊱ ───ஓ๑♡๑ஓ ─── ⊰

"Kook, will you go to the camp this year? Please?" Chan jerked me out of my thought. Camp? What was it again? Ah right, the annual camp thing.

"Sure. Why not?"

Chan stared at me with surprise drawn on his face. I had dodged social interaction throughout my freshmen year. But these people actually care to ask me even when they have been rejected over and over. Have I only been a jerk to them?

"I mean, I appreciate. Thanks! I..."

"You thought that I would deny again, right? I'd thought that too but I think I need to experience college more. Yeah, I'll come. I'll surely come!" I patted his shoulder, smiling at him. The glow on Chan's face lit brighter. "Can you do me a favour? Send me the details on my mail."

"I can send them to your chats too."

"Yes, you can. But I'd probably not see those. I always check my mails, however. So it'd be great if you mailed them."