Militairy Prince

Chapter 23

Jimin wakes up and stretches. It's still early and when he looks around, he sees everyone still fast asleep. He doesn't know what woke him up, but he has a gut feeling. Something doesn't feel right, but he has no idea what it is. Just as he is about to check his watch to see what time it is, there is a loud banging on the door. The door flies open and instructor Jung walks in. "Half an hour, then I want to see you all in front of the dormitory in combat clothes," he shouts and then walks away again.

Jungkook and Taehuyng jump down from the top bunk and start getting dressed. Jimin is also out of bed and looking for the right clothes. "Come on hyung," Jungkook says, "we only have half an hour and I really want to eat something before we go." Yoongi groans and looks around, he sees that he is the last one and decides to quickly get out of bed and get dressed. His gaze falls on Jimin. He looks nervous. "Are you okay Minnie?" Yoongi asks and Jimin turns to look at Yoongi. "Yes, I'm doing well, but something doesn't feel right today," Jimin says with a serious face and he turns around again to fix the last things. He takes his dummy bullets and puts them in his pocket and then grabs his gun. He turns to Yoongi, who is now also dressed. "Come on hyung, otherwise we'll be late, we still have ten minutes to get something to eat," Jimin says and walks to the door with Yoongi following him.

After quickly getting something to eat, they join the group already waiting in front of the dormitory. They line up neatly and when everyone has arrived, instructor Jung stands in front of the group and they salute.

Instructor Jung begins his explanation. "We will soon drive in the army trucks to the same field where we held our practice battle last time. This time we again take turns in small groups and innocent civilians have again been captured by the rebels led by instructor Chan. The rebels have received reinforcements from Jimin's team. This means that there are more opposing soldiers on the ground and in the house. So think carefully with your team and don't do stupid things. I hope you have learned from last time," concludes instructor Jung.

Everyone gets into the army trucks and they head to the training field. He leans against the side of the army truck and closes his eyes. The gut feeling is still there and he doesn't know what to do with it. He feels someone take his hand and squeeze it gently. He looks over and sees Yoongi. "Are you okay?" he asks softly and Jimin nods. He still hasn't told Yoongi and feels guilty. He knows Yoongi is sad because Jimin has distanced himself, but it has to be done, just a few more months.

He looks ahead and sees Taehuyng and Jungkook. Both lean against the side of the truck with their heads and their eyes closed. Jimin is happy that things are going well between them and he hopes that when he tells Yoongi, the two of them can also build a relationship.

The army truck stops and soon the rear hatch opens and everyone can get out. Yoongi squeezes his hand one last time and then lets go. They walk with the group of highly trained soldiers and enter a large room where all kinds of camouflage equipment is ready. They are professionally camouflaged and are now only recognizable by their helmet number.

They are then divided into teams and told what the intention is. Jimin and Jungkook will be busy in the field. Taehuyng and Yoongi in the house. All soldiers from team Jimin receive a backup from the group of highly trained soldiers. As a pair you always discuss what you are going to do and you keep in constant contact with each other via an earpiece.

Then it's time to go into the field. Jimin has found a nice spot behind a fallen tree trunk with a good view of the door of the building. In front of it is a slightly higher bush where he can crouch down behind. Behind him is his buddy. Jungkook and his buddy are in the field a lot earlier. Those who pass them eventually arrive at the house where Jimin is stationed.

The whistle blows and the fight begins. Soon they hear shots and see soldiers who have been hit leaving the field, but a group also soon approaches the house. Jimin follows them with his gun. Three soldiers are at the door and five other soldiers are providing backup. Jimin signals to his buddy that he is going to shoot one of the three at the door and his buddy keeps an eye on the other five. Jimin aims and shoots and one of the three falls down. His buddy also shoots and he sees that one of the five also falls.

Another shot follows, but it misses its target and the pair at the door kick in the door and enter with the four other soldiers following at a distance, keeping an eye on the surroundings. Through the earpiece they hear what's going on inside. Jimin doesn't have a good view of the other soldiers and signals his buddy not to do anything. Then he hears a shot next to him and sees one of the four soldiers fall down. The other three were so focused on the house that they did not see where the shot came from. Frightened, they shout to the other two in the house to hurry up and soon the two come outside with the civilians and run to the point where they are met by instructor Jung.

Jimin signals that he wants to shoot again, but his buddy signals not to do so, as otherwise the civilians would be in danger.

The next group fails to free the captured civilians and Jimin is in his element. Yet he still has that nasty gut feeling. Group three manages to get in. A big fight breaks out inside, but the group still manages to get the captured civilians outside safely. Later they are scolded for putting the citizens in unnecessary danger.

The last group arrives and Jimin takes his position again. He hears the whistle and there is silence for a long time until shots ring out. Now he knows they are close and keeps an overview. Soon he sees a number of soldiers coming towards the house with a small group heading towards the door. The same principle as the first group, so Jimin signals to his buddy that he is going to shoot and he shoots and a soldier from the small group is gone. Immediately there is another shot and Jimin suddenly feels a stabbing pain on the right side of his body. Has he been hit, he thinks. He has difficulty breathing and falls unconscious to the ground.

His buddy immediately runs to him and shouts over the earpiece to stop the fight, because a soldier is unwell. He approaches Jimin and sees blood everywhere. This was not a dummy bullet, but a real bullet, he imagines and looks around in panic. "Urgent help needed, soldier down," he calls through the earpiece and immediately soldiers come running from the emergency room in all directions. They immediately see that something is wrong and ask the buddy to call for a helicopter. "Urgent helicopter, urgent helicopter," the buddy shouts through the earpiece, who stands defeated next to the group of soldiers.

Jungkook watches everything from a distance. He knows it's Jimin on the ground and he knows something is very wrong. Yoongi and Taehuyng join him. "What happened?" Taehuyng asks in alarm while a helicopter lands in the clearing next to the house. "I don't know Tae, but I think Jimin got shot," Jungkook says and before they know it, Taehuyng runs towards the soldiers near Jimin. He also sees the palace guards, who catch him and inform him what has happened. They see him look at Jimin in shock and then fall to his knees. "Nooo, Jimin," he shouts and starts to cry loudly. A guard takes care of him and takes him to the helicopter.

Yoongi cannot comprehend what is happening before his eyes. Jimin shot, how, he wonders. That means someone shot real bullets, he thinks. He feels sick and turns to puke. He feels a hand on his back. "Are you okay, hyung?" Jungkook asks. When his stomach has calmed down a bit and he has rinsed his mouth with some water, he turns around again and sees Jimin being carried to the helicopter on a stretcher. Another soldier holds an IV and they all climb into the helicopter, which then immediately takes off.

The soldiers are gathered and everyone looks defeated. Instructor Jung cancels the exercise and indicates that they are going back to base, where everyone can shower and then be expected in the classroom.

In the classroom they receive an explanation from instructor Chan on how they will proceed. A map appears on the screen showing where group four was located when shots were fired at Jimin. The three at the door are quickly excluded because it is clear that Jimin has just shot one of them and the shot followed immediately and therefore could never have belonged to the other two because they were still too shocked about the fact that their fellow soldier had been shot .

The helmet numbers of the other five are known to instructor Chan and an inspection is currently underway in the dormitory during which the wardrobes of these five soldiers will be emptied. Suddenly the door opens and two palace guards walk in and stop at Soobin. "Soldier Choi, you have been arrested for shooting Prince Jimin. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right of an attorney. If you can't afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights?" Soobin is shocked but nods and he is handcuffed and led away from the classroom.

The other soldiers look around in alarm. Yoongi looks at Jungkook. "Prince Jimin?"