Astronomy // Duty After School

Chapter Ten.

"Keep trying until you don't drop the Go stone," Chun-ho said pacing all around the inner circle that was formed. So-yeon's shoulders drooped a bit as she failed yet again to keep the stone from falling. Chun-ho walked over to help. "Trainee Cha So-yeon." So-yeon opened her eyes, raising her head at the sound of Chun-ho's voice closer than it was before. "Bring your elbows together." So-yeon obliged. "Relax your left hand," Chun-ho said, raising the girl's gun. "Hold your breath. Focus." He waited for the gun to be steady before he let go and cautiously placed the Go stone on the gun. "Fire." So-yeon cautiously pulled the trigger, opening her eyes and looking at the unmoved Go stone in surprise. Chun-ho nodded once, getting up to go and help out the next group.

"The hardest thing for me?" Na-ra asked, repeating (Y/n)'s question as she sat before (Y/n). "I don't have one yet."

"So cool," (Y/n) mumbled under her breath.

"Daebak!" Ha-na squealed as Na-ra pulled the trigger and the Go stone remained in place. "Na-ra did it!" (Y/n) glanced admirably at Na-ra before remembering she still had a stone to shoot. Beside the pair, Yu-jeong pulled the trigger and the Go stone did not fall. Ja-yun smiled proudly.

"Yu-jeong also did it!" Yeon-ju smiled. All around the area, triggers were being pulled and Go stones remained in place.

"I did it! I got it!" Sun-yi beamed at In-hye.

"Did you see that?" Jun-hi proudly asked So-yun.

"Three for three, all right!" Hae-jun praised, patting (Y/n)'s helmeted head as the Go stone remained unmoved. The girl tried not to smile over the praise, but inside, her heart fluttered from it. She hadn't realized she was into praise until she was actually getting the validation her hard work paid off.

"It's nothing..."

"Either way, it's a pretty good accomplishment that you've managed to keep the gun still even with an injured hand," Hae-jun said.

"What do you eat first when eating ramyun?" (Y/n) asked. Hae-jun sent her a bewildered look.

"Where's this coming out of?"

"Conversation starters?" (Y/n) shrugged. Hae-jun's lips turned up into a very appealing smile.

"The broth for most cases," Hae-jun answered the previously asked question. Practical hearts had formed in (Y/n)'s eyes. "I've got a preference for soupy noodles... But I think the pairs are switching. Why don't you go see who you can help out?"

Platoon Two was getting quite used to the training by the end of the week. There were far fewer complaints, the food was still bad-tasting, but they needed to eat to keep up with their training, and they were proving to be quite good at it now that they were actually trying. Now that they were used to it, they were getting proper sleep, and strengths in certain areas were starting to show through.

"Hey, Chi-yeol, have you seen the names of those who have left?" (Y/n) ventured to ask. The two had been sitting in silence for quite some time. Luckily enough for them, they had the last watch of the night, meaning it felt more like waking up super early rather than waking up in the middle of the night and still needing to go back to bed. "Would you like to join me in looking at them again?" (Y/n) asked after Chi-yeol nodded in confirmation. The two went off and entered the very room (Y/n) had referred to. They gazed at the circles labeled with classroom numbers and the names of those who had left. There were also messages addressed to those who had departed.
"I can't help but wonder... if they made a wise choice by leaving or if they were cowards for going through it," (Y/n) said. The two gazed at the five names that had circles and little friendly notes inside. "Sure, they're probably taking the safe choice by leaving, but... how weak do you have to be to be unable to handle a bit of fitness and practice with guns?" Chi-yeol didn't know what to say as his thoughts were put into words. "You two are close, huh? Yeong-hun, I mean."