Chasing Liberty // Countryhumans North Korea fanfiction

One Who Sows Discord

   South had made it halfway back to Busan when they caught him.

    He had been taking the road this time, as opposed to struggling through fields, since he no longer needed to worry about someone thinking his destination was too dangerous and trying to talk him out of it. Though he still pulled his bike to the side when the military convoys went by, watching from the shadows as the American-made trucks went roaring by on their way to the front.

    He hoped they would be safe until they could go home. Hopefully no one else would die between now and then. Once he talked with America he would return to North and they would fix things. Soon everything was going to be okay.

    Lights ahead caught his attention, and he slowed his pace, walking his bike to the side. But the vehicle slowed, too, tires crunching on the dirt road as it pulled up next to him, not a military truck, but a sleek black personal car.

   “Sir.” One of his American guards leaned out of the driver’s side window. “Where have you been? We’ve been searching since last night!”

    South sighed. He was really looking forward to not having them stalking him anymore.

    “I was just out for a ride,” he said, smiling. “Busan was getting a bit stuffy for me.”

   The man nodded congenially. “America wants to see you.”

    “I want to see him, too,” South said. He needed answers about Taejon. And… And Jeju. “I’m heading back right now.”

    “Get in, we’ll take you.”

    The offer was tempting (his legs were killing him, and his back hurt from when he had slept in a ditch for a few hours yesterday), but he wanted to use the few hours of biking to clear his head and think about what to say.

    “I’m okay. I can bike.”

    The man exchanged a look with the other in the passenger seat that South couldn’t see. Turning back, he said, “I’m afraid we can’t let you do that, sir. Get in.”

    South huffed. Seriously, they were just holding him up. He straightened up, clearing his throat.

     “You’re my bodyguards, and I’m ordering you to let me bike back to Busan.” He almost added ‘please’ but held his tongue.

     “We are under orders to watch you.” The man’s voice sounded a bit cold now. “Get in the car, Korea.”

     South stared at him, and his legs trembled a little. The soldier’s green eyes were chips of ice. He took a step back, and the car door opened, the other man stepping out.

   “Okay!” South said hastily. “I’m getting in.”

    “I'll get the door for you.” The blue-eyed soldier came around to open the back door for him, holding it expectantly.

     The interior of the car was dark as the mouth of a pit. South swallowed, remembering what North had said.

    ‘If you go back, he won’t let you go again.’

    That was dumb. They just wanted him to be safe. It was literally their job to protect him.

   ‘Protecting his investment. How generous.’

     Was it so hard for North to believe that someone actually wanted to be South’s friend? He really was a cynic.

     He avoided the soldier’s icy sapphire eyes, and slowly got into the car. The door slammed shut behind him. South raised a hand to try the handle, then decided not to. It wasn't like he had plans to jump out. It didn’t matter if it was locked or not.