Rank names used in this chapter:

Jungwi - First Lieutenant

Sowi - Second Lieutenant

Daewi - Captain

“THERE’S SNOW. Everywhere. But we hear people yell, asking to be saved. I call for help, but we get no reply. So she and I keep walking towards the voices. Hwayoung stops me and says our captain tells us to wait. I ask her how long it will take the rescue team to come. She replies, ‘30 minutes’. I keep going even though Hwayoung tries to stop me. Finally, we find the group of people; two men, two women, and two kids. They are crying; even the two men have tear lines on their faces. The kids look like they’ve frozen in there. I tell myself, I have to go in. Hwayoung tries to stop me. She tells me it’s too dangerous. She reminds me that the rescue team will come in 30 minutes and then tells the people that they will be saved, just hold on.

“I tell her the place will collapse any minute. We can’t wait for the rescue team. Through my ear-piece, I hear my captain’s yell saying not to do anything stupid. But I take it off and jump right in. First I help the two kids, then the women with the help of men, and then lastly, the two men. Before the last one goes up, he tells me to go up first, but I tell him to go up instead. And right before I do, I hear a big noise followed by Hwayoung’s yell. And I look up to see the rocks fall on me- AHH!”

Something snapped and I opened my eyes, breathing heavily.

“Everything’s okay, Lieutenant Kim. You’re in my office; the safe ground.” Said the doctor, offering a glass of water. I drank the whole thing. “Do you remember what you just told me?”

“Yeah.” I said, “It felt weird. I saw it all happen, but I also saw it as if I was watching everything from afar.”

“Yes. It’s called-” He said a long English name. “It’s like making you walk back to your past to see what you forgot. We’ll stop here for now. I’ll see you next week, same time. And, take your time coming out.” He says before exiting the room.

***

A group of women sat together around the large table at the very back of the cafe and laughed about their lives. None of them wore their uniforms; it was weird to see them wear normal clothes than the dark outfits.

“Oh Kim Iseul Jungwi-nim, we’re here!” A girl waved her hand, and I smiled and walked towards them. They made space for me and I sat next to her familiar face. She smiled and handed me a glass full of beer.

“Ok, ok. In order to celebrate the news of the promotion, Kim Jungwi will have to drink this, one shot!” She announced, and I scoffed.

“Sunbae-nim,” I said in a mocking voice and she scoffed, “we have to go back to-”

“Shh,” She cut me off. “Don’t talk about tomorrow yet. We have couple of hours before tomorrow arrives. Right girls?” She asked, and the rest cheered. “C’mon,” She turned to me, and I sighed taking the mug into my hands.

While the rest chanted, I gulped down the mug full of beer.  

“Woo hoo! As expected, Kim Jungwi can drink!” She laughed, and so did the rest.

“Excuse me for intruding,” Hwayoung stopped us, “I thought sunbae wouldn’t come tonight. Didn’t Jung Taekwoon sunbae return today? And I thought you two would have a date. And from the sound of the phone call you got, it seemed like Jung sunbae wanted to talk to you before we left… So how come you’re here?” She asked, and everyone turned to me with sparkly eyes.

“You heard our smart Hwayoungie, right? Can’t drink too much tonight. I have a date.” I winked, and the crowd went crazy.

“Imagine this:” Said the one who made me drink in her most bubbly voice, “At their wedding, instead of ‘Groom enter’ and ‘Bride enter’, it will be ‘Captain Jung, enter’ and ‘Captain Kim, enter’.” She laughed, and everyone joined in. “By next year, both of them will be Captains. Wouldn’t that be something?” She said as she looked at me with happy eyes.

“Don’t joke about it, Chaeun-ah. They just announced the promotion, so we don’t know yet.”

“It’ll be yours for sure. Right kids?” She asked, and everyone yelled yes. Then she turned to me. “I can’t wait to see that day.” She smiled and her eyes disappeared. I smiled and shook my head. She poured herself a drink and drank the whole thing. Once again, she turned to me. “But, Kim Iseul, I promise I’d get married next year, so tell Jung Jungwi to wait couple of more months. Ya, I’m the senior-”

“By one day?” I cut her off, and she gave me an evil look and went on.

“Doesn’t matter, one day, one hour, I joined the school before you. I’m the senior. So, how dare you - my junior - get married before me, huh?” She said, and the rest laughed.

“I’ll let him know.”

“That way, I can give my bouquet to you. And only then, you can get married. Got it?” She said, and I laughed and nodded. “Tell Jung Jungwi that. Got it?” She said, taking the mug into her hand. But she didn’t get to finish her drink. Her phone rang, along with mine. Everything around us muted as we looked at each other.

    We stood, and hurried out of the cafe.

    Tomorrow came couple of hours earlier.

    And, I woke up with a start and tried to brush off that dream off my head.

***

“Today, we’ll try to go a little farther back in your memory. A week before the incident.” Said th