Chasing Liberty // Countryhumans North Korea fanfiction

An Appeal

    “Comrades.”

     North gazed out at the gathered crowd, hundreds of people standing around the City Hall, which was being cleared of reactionary propaganda and intelligence, prepared for the Premier to return, which he soon would.

    He had much to say to them, though he did not want to keep them here for long. Even though it was dark, it still made him wary, gathering so many in one open space.

     Still, he was glad such numbers were here, having emerged from their houses and shelters to hear him speak, pressing close to the podium and its soft lights like it was a fire in a blizzard. They had stayed for him, despite all the threats.

    “Today, Pyongyang has been Liberated,” he announced, his voice ringing over the microphone. He was using one, for once, so that all standing here could hear him. He would do a broadcast later, so the entire city could.

    “Ever since the People’s Army enacted the strategic retreat, every soldier has been dreaming of the day we would see the ancient capital of our country freed, and our people in it, as I know you have, as well.”

    He scanned his people, men and women, old and young. Their faces were thin, worn by the month of brutal occupation.

    “I know you have faced great suffering during the enemy’s rule,” he said gravely, and he saw a few people look down, expressions weary and grief-stricken. “I promise it will never happen again. Pyongyang will never be taken by anyone ever again.”

     Maybe he had glanced at China standing hidden off to the side as he said that. His soldiers had been as well-behaved as his own since they had entered the city, and seemed to have no intention of keeping it. But it was best the foreigner knew to keep it that way.

    He smiled at him, and North looked back to his people.

      “We will make sure order is established as soon as possible,” he assured them. “The Imperialist invaders who sought to take our country from us have had their ambitions crushed, and are now in full retreat from the northern half. Soon we will push them from the south, as well.”

    His people stared at him solemnly, with fierce, hard eyes, the light of belief shining in them.

    North blinked for a bit too long.

     “On behalf of the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Worker’s Party, I would like to thank you all for standing firm and rallying around the rightful government, those who want to see our country free and Reunified.” He raised his voice. “Each and every one of you is a valued citizen of Korea, who I am proud to call Korean.”

    He strafed them all with an admiring look. The hundreds of dark and earthen eyes returned it, just as proud as him.

    He tried to examine each face individually, recognizing many of them by name- Pak Sun-do at the front, Kim Nam-il and Ko Gum-jin together in the middle, Oh Ok-sim, Ri Yu-sik, Kim Chun-hyoung, dozens of others- looking for anyone that didn’t look proud, that could be a traitor in their midst, just waiting to strike, to inflict more suffering on his people.

    Chagang had wanted him to have armed soldiers at his side, but he had denied him. Having a few unarmed men and women standing vigil around the square to showcase that the KPA were the ones who had freed Pyongyang, and would not harm those here, was enough.

    “You may have heard the enemy’s lies about our People’s Army,” he continued. “You may have been told that there will be reprisals for assisting the enemy in any way. I want to assure you this is not true.”