Defence

47

"We didn't leave because we wanted to make sure you were ok," Yoona said calmly, looking at her sincerely, "and we wanted to talk."

Victoria looked at her then turned her attention to the ceiling. "What's there to talk about? Can't it wait?"

"No, it can't wait." Yoona protested.

"Yah, you shouldn't be acting like that," Taecyeon scolded lightly.

Victoria shot him a glare.

"Actually, after you blacked out I think Taecyeon was more worried than I was," Yoona confessed trying to make her feel better.

Victoria detected a note of sadness in her tone and turned to look at Yoona before glancing toward Taecyeon. What was this she was feeling? With no time for an excuse they wouldn't accept, Victoria decided to go with it just to make up for last night's scene.

"What?" she asked looking blankly up to the ceiling.

"Where did they take you?" Yoona went first.

"I can't say," she simply replied.

Yoona kept herself from giving a sigh, "What did they force you to do?"

"Plenty."

"Can you answer seriously?" Taecyeon said from the side.

Keeping her eyes on the white ceiling she gave in, "I was young, how was I supposed to know where we went? Somewhere behind the mountains, near the border to the sea. A place with no name." Victoria paused. "90% men, 10% women. It was an area of male supremacy. They forced me to do things, learn things I would never have learned in this city." Victoria searched her memory. "Whether it was warm or cold, the women threw me outside for crying so often. I possibly stopped crying as a child my second week there. And life as a teenager, well...lets see...other than being forced to learn through combat you could say I was constantly harassed. Even though I was bruised up I was forced to go on trips with the men...you know...what I constantly did..."

"All the men at the base love me and that means you should give me just as much attention."

Taecyeon's expression tightened at that remembrance of So Young's words.

As if Victoria read his mind she said, "And if you're wondering whether I was sexually harassed, assaulted, or raped...it could have happened."

Yoona felt her throat close angrily wondering why Victoria spoke of it as nothing.

"Am I that defenseless? Do you think I'm easy?" Victoria asked them while shooting them hard glances. "The girl from yesterday...she wasn't good with defending herself, was she?"

Taecyeon knew she had a point. So Young merely looked weak with her punches.

"Maybe they did things to her, but I started carrying a gun at a much younger age than she. I was forced to mature at an early age." Victoria explained. "I traded blows with the others, the men, just to show them that I was an equal."

She heard their slow breaths echo in the thick walled room.

"Is that enough info?" she asked.

Yoona returned her gaze, "No. You're not saying it all."

Victoria didn't retort.

"Fine," Yoona got up, "I'll leave. But I'll be back anyway. So prepare the rest of your story for me to hear." Yoona turned to Taecyeon. "Let me know the date of her discharge when you find out, please. You should get some rest as well."