The quiet pace of the ship was mirrored in the slow crashing of waves against it, rocking it gently in its embrace while the quiet of the sea raced all the ways to its depth and far where the horizon could barely be seen, only visible where the moon was.
The night was darker than any other, and given they were mostly alone where they stood, the crew's lookouts were more alert than ever, even when their numbers were enough; each of them worked as if the entire ship depended on them, so the rest of the ship could rest assured.
Behind the cabinets and quarters, therefore, was a warmth that was rarely found in open waters. Behind the small windows and resless breast of the ocean, was the love of a father that knew nothing about time and place, but just the numbing yearning for his family.
Yihyun sat back on his bunk, the pictures in his wallet speaking to him while the rest of his crewmembers were asleep. He sat there, knowing full well that he had to sleep if he wanted to truly spend the upcoming day with his family, except he could not. He was so excited to let sleep take him away from the picture, so he lied there, brushing the portrait with his fingers until he would get to touch them right.
It had been three months, and Yihyun could not believe that they were finally going home.
He thought about calling Hyejin as soon as they were given the news, but he figured he could just wait and make it as exciting for them as it was for him.
When the sleep finally beat him, Yihyun decided to put away his wallet where he always kept it beneath his pillow, and he wrapped himself in the warmth of the thoughts before anything else.
Only when his eyes were almost closed did Yihyun feel the changing tides.
The quietness of the sea suddenly stepped aside, making way for a chaos that spread above his heads and made him and his comrades rise as one. All at once, they were on their feet, weapons in their hands while they left their bunks and made way for the ship's deck.
Just like them, the rest of the ship was also all alert, their feet on deck and eyes on the new faces that were obviously unpleasant company to their last hours as sea.
Yihyun looked warily at the officers who raised no weapons in response to the ones on the ship they were intruding on, and as they stood, calm, composed, their head stood before them all, her features all in rigidity and finality.
"Men of the 7th Infantry Regiment, I am Lieutenant Colonel Jeon Minseo," her voice was no different, and her eyes scanned the crew of the ship as if memorising them, counting every last one of them, "I stand before you today not to congratulate you on your successful three-month patrol, but to inform you of a new mission."
There were no other words in the world that could have hit Yihyun harder than those very ones. He hated it, and he did with every fiber in him.
He stood straight, and he could not hide the scowl that made its way to his face without a moment of hesitation, readying him to oppose when he knew he should not, to argue when he knew he could not, he must not.
"This is a mission that will test your courage, your resolve, and your unwavering loyalty to your country," the Lieutenant Colonel kept talking, as if the pain that Yihyun's heart was made of then was nothing, as if, loud as it was, he was the only one who could hear it, "as you know, you were scheduled to return to shore tomorrow. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, this plan has changed.
"You will not be returning home as expected." Only then did her eyes turn to Yihyun alone, and she fixed her stiff glare on him, silently asking him to walk closer as commander of the unit, "instead, we will be embarking on a special operation of the utmost importance, one that will require the utmost secrecy and discretion.
YOU ARE READING
The Ocean's Memory
Fanfiction"You can forget, but this ocean, cast as it is, never will." "What makes you so sure?" "Oh, it tells me, everyday." "What? What does it tell you?" "All the stories that were always left untold."
