Astronomy // Duty After School

Chapter Twenty.

There was only silence in the first vehicle as they were driven to what would be their new military base. After they had all cried their eyes out, grieving how many people they had seen die over the past few days, they were numb and didn't have the energy to comfort anyone. Chi-yeol rose his eyes from the ground after getting his glasses back on. He looked around at everyone. On his side of the truck, So-yun and Tae-man stared numbly ahead. Beside him, Sun-yi was crying silently, and to his left, So-chul and Jang-su were equally as numb with So-chul staring at his lap, glancing occasionally to (Y/n)'s way. Across from Jang-su, Yeong-shin stared blankly into nothingness and a teary (Y/n) was to the boy's left, her head bowed in defeat. Jun-hi sat on (Y/n)'s other side, her face as expressionless as the others. Hui-rak held onto his gun before him and Yeon-ju looked down at her lap, pouting with tears in her eyes beside So-yeon, whose eyes were closed as she held her side and leaned against the truck.
To their alarm, the truck came to a slow halt, pulling partially off the road. They blinked themselves out of their dazes, breaking out of their half-conscious forms in favor of being on alert. They heard two doors open and close and, eventually, the two soldiers driving them to their destination came around the truck.

"Hey, you guys okay? Get out for a sec, all right?"

"Are we there?" Sun-yi murmured tearfully as Jang-su and Yeong-shin exchanged a glance before hopping out of the truck to help the others. The military men showed the pair how to unlatch the back for future reference. The boys helped down the others. So-yeon was the last one out and she stumbled right into Jang-su after landing. The kids looked around at where they had ended up.

"Is this a gas station?"

"What is this place?"

"Everyone, assemble!" the passenger soldier ordered. "We're not there yet. This place seemed safe so we stopped for a minute. We've got to let the driver rest for a bit." Said man was rolling his arms. "We've got to let the driver rest for a bit. We still have another couple hour or so to go. Is anyone hurt?" So-yeon wobbled a bit as (Y/n) gazed expectantly at her. She wound up taking and raising So-yeon's hand herself. The soldier jogged over to take in the damage and So-yeon reluctantly raised the bottom of her shirt to reveal the deep gash in her side. "How far along did this class get with first aid?" the soldier asked, wandering over to one of the side compartments upon discovering there was no disinfectant in (Y/n)'s medkit. Awkward glances were exchanged among the kids considering most of them never really took the medical training seriously.

"...Yeon-ju's going to nursing school," So-chul spoke.

"No good, no good," muttered the soldier, shaking his head. "I'll need two of you girls lending a hand."

"Just the girls?" So-yun couldn't help but mutter.

"You're more nurturing," the soldier said simply. So-yun crinkled her nose and (Y/n) rolled her eyes at the comment, but she stepped forward nonetheless. Yeon-ju was a bit hesitant after hearing such a comment, but given that she was the most medically experienced (regularly volunteering and partaking in the youth programs at their local hospital), she also stepped forward. (Y/n) was given a shot of some kind. "You need to inject her with this if she goes into shock," the soldier said. "Any other time and you'd be killing a team member. Today, you girls are getting a first-hand experience at real-life TMP."

"TMP?" Jun-hi whispered. The others shrugged helplessly.

"Tactical Medical Pactition," the soldier clarified. "Some of you will need to be taking that course when you reach the military base... She's not in shock yet, but if she goes into shock during the ride, be prepared to shoot her up," the soldier instructed (Y/n). (Y/n) sent Yeon-ju a terrified look the second the soldier's back was turned. The soldier instructed (Y/n) to wash out the wound and after she had done so, Yeon-ju was tasked with drying the area before going in with the disinfectant. The wound was dressed and So-yeon was still in pain but looking even slightly better. "You'll get proper treatment once we get to the military base." The soldier glanced at the gas station. "Let's take a break here. Just rest near the truck and don't leave the area."