N.O

Chapter 8

I held my new found sister in my arms as the fire turned everything around it into ashes. Tears pooled my eyes as I thought about what would happen to us as time went on.

Everything happened so fast yet so slow. First, days old Yeonhwa was laid in my arms, then he ran back in before I could comprehend what was happening.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a firefighter coming towards me, but I didn't pay any attention to him until after he told me to step back. When he saw that I wasn't willing to move, he pushed me back as waterfalls fell from my eyes. How will my life be? I thought to myself. How will I be able to take care of this little girl and Mother while he fades away?

Questions kept burning into my head just like the flames engulfing him through the window. At that point I screamed.

I shot up again from another nightmare. No, a memory. It took a second to catch my breath, but then the memory started to haunt me.

Wrapping my arms around my knees, I slowly started to cry. "I'm sorry," I spoke softly with cracks in my voice. "I'm so sorry."

After I had calmed down, I looked at the digital clock on the wall to see it was three in the morning. I then turned my head to see if anyone had woken up to any sound that might've came from me. I sighed in relief and laid back down to try to sleep, but to no avail.

Two hours had passed and not one bit of sleep until the Section Leader and Kim Jiseong waltzed in, turning on the bright fluorescent lights. Everyone around me groaned in discomfort while I just tightly shut my eyes.

"Good morning, sleeping beauties. Today's your first day of training. Everyone get up and change into the clothes we gave you yesterday." After his directions, the Section Leader walked away, leaving Kim Jiseong with the rest of us, except he walked to the woman's side to tell them the same thing.

We all got up in a very groggy manor and got dressed. The entire time, Saejun was mumbling things like "I want my bed" or "just five minutes won't kill anyone." Just acting like the child he is.

Within fifteen minutes, everyone was ready and we headed outside.

"You're all late," said General Kim with an old fashioned stopwatch. "All of you should be ready within five minutes not fifteen. I expect better of you next time. Now follow me."

We all did as ordered and walked to the canteen to pick up a small breakfast. He then lead us to a room that had boxing rings, but without the elastics that keep you inside. This was definitely open range training.

Next to me, Saejun stuck to me like a cuddly grizzly bear with honey, while everyone else just stared at the only person who was using the punching bags; Yeseul.

"Yeseul," said the Section Leader with a stern voice, but to no avail. "Yeseul." He said it a little louder with still no answer as she kept punching away. "YESEUL!" the demanding general yelled to get her attention, successfully making her stop and had the rest of us either look up or jump back in fright. Saejun ended up dropping his eggs and almost fell back if it wasn't for my hand against his shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?" General Kim asked her in a frightening tone as he walked up to her.

She didn't answer as she kept breathing heavily, holding onto the punching bag like it was something she cared about.

"I expect an answer in return," said the angry general once he got next to her.

"I thought...I thought I'd get a head start," she said in between breaths.

"A head start?" he scoffed. "There is no such thing as a head start. You start when I tell you."

"But what about--"