Seulgi knew the Strategist would come but she had not expect the sentries to be unable to stop her when she did. She had been in the midst of short discussion with her band of brothers when her Joohyun had barged in, alarming all of them.

Intimidated by that expression of intense rage reflected on the usually stoic Strategist’s face, all of them but the Colonel had excused themselves from the tent politely. Seulgi laid down the book that she had been holding and walked towards her fuming Strategist.  

“Joohyun, let’s discuss,” Seulgi cooed, trying to not further trigger her already raging Joohyun.

A resounding slap rang across the room in the next moment. The Colonel had actually seen the slap that was coming for her but she did not dodge because she knew she deserved it. Seulgi clenched her jaw because she knew that the confrontation that would soon follow would be much tougher than she had anticipated. The slap stung her face so badly but she had to bear with it.

“Joohyun, let’s discuss,” Seulgi repeated and this time, she was met with the agitated words from the Strategist.

“No! There was no discussion. I told you I would be with you no matter what. Why are you still doing this?! Why?!” Joohyun screamed, a scream that Seulgi was certain even the sentries and patrols could hear but that did not matter anymore, did it?

“I told you…” Joohyun’s voice was faltering.

What the Colonel had not expected was to see Joohyun collapse before her.   

Catching the Strategist in her arms, Seulgi felt panic rise quickly within her. “Joohyun, I am sorry, what is happening?” The Colonel did not get her reply as she felt the energy in the Strategist’s body ebbing away.

It was hours later that the Strategist’s eyes fluttered open and the Colonel immediately summoned for the physician to take her pulse once more.

“As spoken before, it is anxiety, caused by stress.” The physician diagnosed and warned the Colonel to not further agitate the Strategist.

Once the physician had gone and they were left alone, Seulgi tried to look into Joohyun's eyes refused to meet them. Seulgi held Joohyun’s hands and no matter how matter times she tried to worm her hand out of hers, Seulgi still clung on. Her heart ached at the sight of her Joohyun looking so pale and rejecting her touches.

“I’m sorry. Really sorry, but it is for…”

“The country and the best of your family right?” Joohyun finished the sentence for the Colonel.

Seulgi nodded. Of course the Strategist knew the lousy excuse that she would come up with.

“I have stopped the messenger from relaying your message to the Crown.” Joohyun said coldly.

“I know, they told me,” Seulgi replied, trying to keep her voice as mellow as possible.

Joohyun then struggled to get up and Seulgi helped.  

“Tell me you won’t be going for this mission,” Joohyun pleaded suddenly.

“I-I can’t.”

“Why can’t you? I told you, I will help your father, why else?”

“It is not that simple, Joohyun. The Lieutenant Colonel and Captains have volunteered for this mission only because I am going as well.”

“Then don’t go, all of you! Choose another five soldiers.”

Seulgi’s mouth fell open at what the Strategist had uttered. It was as though the Strategist had suddenly become a pampered brat who wanted everything to go her way and not the usual rational lady she knew.  

“Joohyun, this is your Proposal as well, you know the chances of it being successful is the highest if it was the five of us. You know it.” Seulgi reasoned but all of her words had fallen on deaf ears as the Strategist continued to deny.

“No, I don’t know. All I know is you cannot be away, not you.” Joohyun began again.

“Joohyun, I will be back safely…” Seulgi tried again and this time she was met with an unexpected threat from the Strategist.

“You are not going,” Joohyun said and her voice dropped lower as she continued, “or I will expose your secret.”

Seulgi felt a shiver travel down her spine, her expression had gained a hard edge to it, and her head tilted as she clarified her suspicions, “what secret are you talking about?”

The Strategist then grabbed a fistful of Seulgi’s robe on the front and tugged her violently towards herself, “I would truly be too blind if I could not tell what you have been hiding beneath your leather vest during these two years.”

It was this revelation that made the Colonel recoil back in horror as she enunciated those words syllable by syllable in her mind. Then, a flash of anger crossed her face. “You knew?!”

Joohyun knew I was a female… all along…

The Strategist then let out a cynical laughter, one that the Colonel sure was not pleased to hear. “Of course I knew, I knew it shortly after we were together. Why else did you think I have not made you strip off your robes?”

Still in disbelief that she had been found out, Seulgi shook her head. “Why have you not told me?”

“What would I get in return of telling you? You distancing yourself away from me? Whatever it was, I just wanted to be with you no matter the circumstances and yet, you want to leave me now? I will expose you if you insist on going for this mission.” Joohyun threatened again.

However, there was no giving in from Seulgi this time round as her feelings of anger was matched with that of the Strategist’s. “You are not rational Bae Joo