MY ENEMY

CHAPTER 3: DILEMMMA

Rosé turned to the nursery and shouted, "Yumi!"

Yumi was the nanny who took care of Hyun and Ella.

Ella? Yes, Ella was Jennie's daughter. She adopted her 3 months ago. After much planning and considering all the things, Jennie decided to adopt a child. 

Whenever Rosé and Hyun had to go out of town , she would be left lonely on the isolated shore so adopting a child was a decision Jennie would never regret.

She had always loved kids and Hyun even got a beautiful company as a sister. Hyun was Rosé's handsome boy who was turning seven this year. Jennie was contempt and happy with this small family they had.

"Yumi" Rosé called again.

But the children heard her voice and she had to go in for a moment and smile at them and play with the baby girl, now nearly three months old. Hyun was sleeping peacefully in his bed.

And Ella, oh the baby was awake and ready throw a tantrum. Over the baby's soft black hair she motioned with her mouth, "Yumi — come with me!"

"I will put the baby to bed," Yumi replied.

"She will be asleep in no time."

Rosé went with Yumi into the bedroom next to the nursery and stood with Ella in her arms while Yumi spread the sleeping quilts on the floor and laid the baby between them.

Then Rosé led the way quickly and softly to the kitchen. The two servants were frightened at what their mistress had just told them.

The old gardener, who was also a house servant, pulled the few hairs on his upper lip.

"The mistress ought not to heal the wound of this South Korean women," he said bluntly to Rosé.

"The South Korean women ought to die. First she was shot. Then the sea caught her and wounded her with her rocks. If the mistress heals what the gun did and what the sea did, they will take revenge on us."

"I will tell her what you say," Rosé replied courteously.

But she herself was also frightened, although she was not superstitious as the old man was.

Could it ever be well to help an enemy? 

Nevertheless she told Yumi to fetch the hot water and bring it to the room where the foreigner women was. She went ahead and slid back the partitions.

Jennie was not yet there.

Yumi, following, put down her wooden bucket. Then she went over to the women. When she saw her. her lips folded themselves into stubbornness.

"I have never washed a foreigner women," she said, "and I will not wash so dirty a one now."

Rosé cried at her severely. "You will do what your mistress commands you! And she has asked you to wash the women and you will do that!"

Jennie entered the room on hearing Rosé's helpless sound. She was afraid the foreigner women must have done or said something. But the scene in front of her shocked her.

There was so fierce, a look of resistance upon Yumi's round dull face that Rosé felt unreasonably afraid.

After all, if the servants should report something that was not as it happened?

"Very well," Jennie said with dignity.

"You understand we only want to bring her to her senses so that we can turn her over as a prisoner?"

"I will have nothing to do with it," Yumi said, "I am a poor person and it is not my business."

"Then please," Rosé said gently, "return to your own work."

At once Yumi left the room. She bowed to her mistress standing in front of the door. 

Jennie just nodded in return. 

Rosé with a helpless look and anger so fierce in her eyes left the room too.

This left Dr. Kim with the South Korean women alone. She might have been too afraid to stay had not her anger at Yumi's stubbornness now sustained her.

She walked towards the unconscious women. "Stupid Yumi," she muttered fiercely.

"Is this anything but a women? And a wounded helpless women!" In the conviction of her own superiority she bent impulsively and untied the knotted rugs that kept the South Korean women covered.

When she had her chest bare, now just covered with a black sports bra she dipped the small clean towel that Yumi had brought into the steaming hot water and washed her face carefully.

The women's skin, though rough with exposure, was of a fine texture and must have been very soft when she was a child. She moved the cloth to wash her neck and then her stomach.

And if she had doubts earlier, it was confirmed that the women belonged to the Navy or was a special force agent or even a Soldier because the women had abs! Hard but soft on touch goddamn 6 pack abs! Now Jennie has seen fair amount of abs but damn something about this women. Must be from the fierce training, she thought.

While she was thinking these thoughts, though not really liking the women better now no matter if she had abs, she kept on washing her until her upper body was quite clean. But she dared not turn her over yet.

It was human nature to be attracted to someone beautiful but no Jennie cannot afford to have these thoughts right now for many reasons.

First of all, this women was her enemy! Every South Korean was an enemy to the North Koreans in this time of war. Secondly, she was a doctor she cannot and shouldn't feel anything towards a patient. And thirdly..

"What are you doing Jennie!! You should not try to save her" Rosé entered and said sounding tired.

From her sound it was clear thar her anger was ebbing, and she was anxious again. Rosé saw Jennie, wiping her hands on the wrong towel. Then lest the women be chilled, she put the quilt over her.

"Jennie!" she called softly.

Dr. Kim was silent in response because at this moment even she didn't knew what could she answer. She immediately left the room.

Rosé had her hands on her face thinking if all this was a mistake. They could have been peacefully eating their dinner with Ella and Hyun. 

She would have told Jennie about how her work is going on in the town and maybe teased her about how the barista from where they ordered coffee kept gushing over the infamous doctor in the town. 

And then go for a late night walk on the beach and plan about Ella's future.

Suddenly the door opened and she was out of her thoughts at an instant.

Rosé saw that Jennie had brought her surgeon's emergency bag and that she wore her surgeon's coat.

"You have decided to operate!?!" Rosé cried.

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(A/N – What are your thoughts on Jennie saving the life of an enemy in the time of war ? Is she betraying her own country?)