As she did everyday jisoo dragged her tired body out of the bed. It was about 8 in the evening she had guessed. Her eyes darted at her roommate who was sound asleep in her bed. She pitty her. She pitty herself and every other woman going through this filth each and everyday.
As she was lost deep in thoughts her stomach growled she had been starving. Just when she was about to get up to look for any remaining trace of food from the morning. The main door, flung open.
"miss rye" (appointed head to look after the comfort camps) she was as strict as her appearance.
"get up! " she yelled at chan-ri who woke up almost clenching her chest in fear. "w-what happened? "eyes still heavy from sleep.
"I need one of you to serve as tonight's waitress for higher officials since the official waitress fell sick. I need the name. " she spat.
"I'll do it! " jisoo volunteered without even taking a minute to think.
"fair enough! be in the main hall in 20 minutes." she commanded. "and-" she stopped, to look at her. "get cleaned up first and wear something appropriate." she settled her glasses on the bridge of her nose. Jisoo simply nodded in a yes.
As soon as miss rye left chan-ri got up from her bed to approach jisoo. "why did you volunteer? You wouldn't be able to rest fully till morning! " a frown appeared on her face.
"I finally got a chance to do something that normal girls in normal circumstances do. I want to do it. " tears of desperation pricked her eyes.
Chan-ri looked down at her face. "okay. " she smiled at her warmly. "do it."
"now all I need is to wear something appropriate like miss rye said. I don't have anything appropriate." jisoo scanned the bundle of her clothes. All white shirts folded neatly into a card box placed next to her bed.
"maybe I do. One of the comfort woman gave me this a year ago when a soilder tore my clothes."
An angry frown appeared on both of their faces. Until chan-ri broke the silence. "Wait I'll show you! " she quickly went through her box and came with a knee length, baby pink, buttoned up frock. "here, would it work? "
"better than those shirts. Thank you ri! " jisoo immideatly hugged her roomate and went to get cleaned up.
||
After getting dressed up neatly, jisoo rushed towards the main hall. The area was filled with the aroma of meat, vegetable and chicken stocks, fresh bread and beer. Just by passing through that area made her stomach rumble. She hadn't eaten anything since morning and by now she was starving. But taking food which she was not allowed to eat came up with severe punishments. Patiently, she looked around for Miss rye since she was never allowed to leave her camp and knew nothing about the place.
"you! " she turned around to a defeaning voice.
"miss rye. I -i was looking for-"
"Enough. Follow me." she rudely cut jisoo off. She gulped as she followed her to the kitchen.
"we have a replacement for park soyaa."She spoke and other waitresses noded respectfully, looking at jisoo.
"don't mess up!" miss rye warned her before she left.
Jisoo envied these women. They got to wear descent, tidy clothes and prepare meals for the officers. Something that jisoo loved to do. She loved to cook. She used to prepare meals for her family with her mom before she was dragged and kidnapped by the imperial forces and thrown into these comfort stations.
She took a sigh, but the most important thing these women had that jisoo didn't was their dignity.
"hello? " a waitress waved her hand in front of jisoo." take this tray. The officers are all seated now. " jisoo noded and carefully took the tray from her hand.
"It'll be fine. Don't worry." she assured jisoo looking at her nervous expressions and in return earned a shaky smile back from her.
Jisoo walked slowly, holding the tray tightly in her small hands as she scanned for the table 14. That's who she was ordered to serve. The place was full with men in uniform. Gossiping and laughing out loud. She scanned the place one more time before her eyes finally laid on table 14. She took a deep breath and walked towards it.
When she reached the table, jisoo respectfully bowed down to the men. That's when her eyes laid on a familiar face that hadn't left her mind since.. Major Kim.
"are you ready to serve yet? " a manly voice shook her out of her thoughts.
"y-yes. " jisoo stuttered as she turned towards the other soilder and set their meals like wise.
"l-let me know if you need anything else. " she offered and stood aside the table folding her arms. She wasn't allowed to leave as long as the men were done eating. Pretty tiring.
Taehyung's eyes would peek at jisoo from time to time. Sometimes while taking a sip of his beer. Sometimes whilst talking to one of his fellow men. And everytime her face from the other day would appear in his mind.
Like usual, the men fell back into little conversations about warfare, occupation and battles. Jisoo hated wars. The occupations had separated her from her family. Her beloved family.. Her vision became blurry from the tears that suddenly appeared in her eyes.
"ah- bring me some more beer. " one soilder commanded her and she obediently rushed back into the kitchen and came with a large mug of beer in her hands.
"your beer sir. " she carefully put the mug in front of him.
"if I'm not mistaken.. You're a comfort Woman aren't you? " the soilder asked jisoo almost in a whisper, scanning her from top to bottom. Even though she was dressed in a much longer dress that was enough to be called moderate. The buttoned up front still wasn't enough to make her rack look any smaller. Rather it made her body look more appealing.
"aren't you? " the man brough his hand forward to caress her arm in a seductive way. Her body started to tremble and her legs started to shake.
"y-yes s-sir. " just when she thought serving as a waitress would make her get rid of that comfort woman status for a while, these men would never fail to remind her.
Taehyung's grip tightened around his glass as his eyes witnessed the situation in front of him. Had he held onto the glass longer, it'd have broken into his hand.
"you, why are you standing there idly? Go and bring me a steak, now! " taehyung's voice came out louder than necessary. It made jisoo squirm in her spot and that man immediately put his hands away from rubbing against her skin as he hastily took a sip of his beer.
Jisoo nodded and nervously walked towards the kitchen. Her legs felt like jelly. She felt like she would fall at any moment and by the time she had reached the kitchen. She was crying and was out of breath.
"are you okay miss jisoo? " asked the waitress who earlier comforted her.
Jisoo's eyes immediately looked at her in surprise. Other than chan-ri, she was the second person who had called her by her name and not addressed her as a "comfort woman. " She nodded. "he ordered a steak. "
"sure. It'll take a couple of minutes. I'm sure the men can wait. " the waitress smiled and vanished from the sight only to bring a tray with hot, steaming steak. Jisoo grabbed the tray fom her and left the kitchen.
Her feet stopped, she looked around.
The table no.14 was empty.
