“I thought that the army cannot be seen by anyone in this village. Sooo… why did you volunteer to help me?” Jonghyun asked, when they were already halfway home. Kibum turned to glance at Minho, who was sweating profusely now from the heat and the exertion of carrying Jonghyun on his back. Kibum’s eyes followed a drop of sweat on his face as it flowed from his forehead, down to the tip of his nose and onto the ground. Kibum had no idea why he found it so fascinating but it almost caused him to walk into a tree as he was not watching where he was going.

Minho stopped in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder at Jonghyun, who tightened his grip around Minho’s neck to keep himself stable.

“How did you know about the army being here?” Minho asked, his voice a bit threatening.

“Relax, man. I’m the village head’s son. I know these things,” Jonghyun explained. He didn’t sound like he was in much pain anymore. Such a drama queen, Kibum thought. Minho looked relieved as he began walking again. Kibum did the same, facing ahead but his ears were focused on the conversation behind him.

“It’s true that I’m not supposed to be seen outside. I hope you realize that this is a huge risk I’m taking for you,”

“No one asked you to,” Kibum muttered under his breath, in annoyance. This guy has some nerves to actually brag about helping Jonghyun for an injury that wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for him.

“So should I just leave your friend here?” Minho asked Kibum directly, having heard his earlier comment. Everyone stopped moving again. Kibum glared at Minho and the latter returned the look with more intensity.

“Go ahead! We can manage just fine!” Kibum hissed.

“Oh god. Can we please just get Jonghyun hyung home? Choi Minho-shii, please ignore Kibum hyung. I apologize on his behalf. Will you please help us get our friend home?” Taemin said, being the wise one again.

“Taemin!!” Kibum said, indignantly.

“Hyung, please, shut up for once. I wanna go home before it gets dark. It’s scary here at night,” Taemin said pitifully. Kibum was shocked beyond what words could describe. The once obedient boy was actually talking back at him.

“Alright then, boy. Your Kibum hyung could learn some manners from you,” Minho said to Taemin.

Kibum opened his mouth to retort but Taemin interrupted him by telling Minho to follow him. Minho passed Kibum with a smirk that the latter wanted to just wipe off of his face. Kibum had no choice but to follow the other three from behind, seething in anger.

Soon, the forest started clearing up to show Kibum’s paddy fields. His house could be seen clearly in the distance. It only took another couple of minutes to get to the verandah of his house. Minho placed Jonghyun on the nearest bench and started stretching to release the tension in his back. Kibum ordered Taemin to get Park-ahjusshi since Jonghyun looked like he was in no condition to walk anywhere. Taemin passed the rifle he was holding back to Minho before taking off. Kibum’s grandmother came out just then to see the boys.

“What happened, child?” she asked Jonghyun, with a worried expression when she saw him clutching his knee.

“I fell down from a tree and hurt my leg,” Jonghyun said pitifully.

“Goodness! Are you terribly injured?”

“Don’t worry, halmeoni. Taemin went to get Park-ahjusshi. He should be here soon to fix Jonghyun’s leg,” Kibum explained. His grandmother sighed in relief. Then, she noticed the stranger in the army uniform for the first time.

“Kibum-ah, who is this?” she asked curiously.

“He’s-“

“Choi Minho, British army, at your service ma’am,” Minho bowed formally, casting Kibum’s grandmother a charming smile.

Two faced liar! Kibum thought to himself. He was being mean just a few moments ago and now he’s suddenly so gentlemanly.

“He helped carry me here, halmeoni,” Jonghyun explained. Kibum’s grandmother nodded in understanding. She then patted the boy on his cheek as a sign of affection.

“Thank you for your help, young man,”

“It’s nothing, ma’am. Just doing my job,” Minho said and Kibum scoffed. Only Minho heard it as Kibum’s grandmother was busy fussing over Jonghyun’s injury. Minho and Kibum had a silent stare down unbeknownst to the other two. Kibum never thought that there could be this level of animosity between two strangers. He was slowly realizing that it was possible, though, as his hate for this military boy only increased with every moment he looked the latter in the eye.

Such a rude, sarcastic and annoying person, he was. Kibum couldn’t find a single reason to like him at all (but that was probably because of the in-built instinct Kibum had to hate everyone in army uniforms.)

“I should get going then. The troop will be waiting for me. Good day to you, ma’am,” Minho said after a while to Kibum’s grandmother. Kibum noticed that the sky was turning red already as the sun began disappearing at the horizon. The sooner this boy left, the better.

“So soon? But I didn’t even offer you something to drink!” she fretted. Minho didn’t seem to protest so she stood up to go grab something for him to drink but Jonghyun grabbed hold of her hand before she could move.

“Halmeoni, I want something to drink too! I’m the sick one here… Can I have something with lots of honey in it?” Jonghyun asked, putting on his best puppy expression.

“Honey? That is what caused you this injury in the first place, Jonghyun-ah. No more honey for you!” Kibum’s grandmother said sternly before going into the house. Jonghyun wore a crestfallen look now that looked like a puppy that was just refused its treat. To think about it, Jonghyun really was just refused a treat. Kibum couldn’t help but laugh at the fitting comparison.

“Yah, it’s not funny!” Jonghyun shouted at Kibum. Kibum immediately tried to cover his laughter, looking away from him. His eyes fell on Minho who was standing beside him and currently, staring at him. No sarcasm, no witty comments, no smug expressions. Just plain staring. Kibum’s laughter died instantly, looking at the serious look Minho was wearing now.

“What?” Kibum asked him, after clearing his throat twice. Minho seemed to snap out of his trance at that, just as Kibum’s grandmother came out with a cup of tea for Minho. Minho took the cup, saying thank you to her before gulping down the hot drink in one go as though he was in a hurry.

“Woah, slow down son!” Kibum’s grandmother said to him. It was too late for that, though. Minho had already finished the tea and he passed the cup back to her, bowing in respect before turning to leave. He stopped just as he was passing Kibum. Turned away from the others and only facing Kibum, he whispered something before leaving.

“You should do that more often, smile-,” he said before adding, “- It looks better than that ugly scowl you were wearing earlier,”

Then, he walked away. Through the paddy fields and towards the forest. It wasn’t long before he disappeared among the trees.

Kibum had no idea whether to take that as a compliment or feel insulted. He was left very confused instead.

~~~~~

“It was definitely an insult!” Kibum said to himself in realization, slamming his chopsticks on the table. Luckily the rice bowl didn’t topple over with the force Kibum applied on the table.

“What on earth are you going on about Kibum-ah?” his grandmother asked, looking at him like he had lost his mind. Kibum ignored the question as he continued his mind rambling.

It has been three days since they went into the jungle and met Minho. And for three days, Kibum had been racking his brain trying to decode Minho’s last remark. He doesn’t know why it was so important for him to know if it was a compliment or an insult, but it has been all that Kibum could think of for the past three days. After a lot of thinking, Kibum finally decided that it was an insult. Minho was mocking him, saying that he doesn’t know how to smile. Well, Kibum could say the same for that boy too. It’s the classic tale of the pot calling the kettle black.

“The nerves of that boy…” Kibum thought out loud, angrily.

“Kibum, would you mind coming back to reality for just a second?” his grandmother asked him.

“Yes, halmeoni?” Kibum asked her back, snapping out of his reverie.

“Thank goodness, Kibum. I was thinking you lost your sanity for a second there!” she said, shaking her head. Kibum also shook his head saying that he is indeed, sane. He picked up his chopsticks and resumed eating like nothing happened (very sane, indeed.)

“Kibum-ah, how’s Jonghyun now?” she asked after Kibum was done eating. He was helping her put away the plates.

“He’s fine. It’s just a small fracture. Should be better soon…,” Kibum said nonchalantly. Jonghyun had a temporary cast put on for him after Park-ahjusshi checked his leg the other day. Jonghyun’s father then took him to a hospital to get a proper cast for the fracture and now he was resting at home. Kibum would have gone to visit him but whenever he thought of how he behaved with Jonghyun’s father the other day, he would immediately change his mind. Kibum realizes now that he shouldn’t have been so rude, no matter how angry he was, although he still stood by his decision. Jonghyun’s father had done so much for him and the other villagers, after all, and he didn’t deserve to be treated like that.

“That’s a relief, but it seems like you won’t have help harvesting this time around then,” Kibum’s grandmother said sadly. She was always worried about Kibum overworking himself when she herself doesn’t mind working in the vegetable patch into the night when it was vegetable growing season. It was the same genes running in the both of them so it came as no surprise to Kibum. He pulled his grandmother into a hug and kissed her forehead.

“Halmeoni, it’s not like that lazy hyung would have been of any help anyway. Don’t worry about me, I’m young and I’m strong! Look at my biceps,” Kibum flexed his practically non-existent muscles. Kibum’s grandmother just played along with Kibum.

“Oooooh, look at my baby! He’s so strong and mighty!” she said, ‘admiring’ Kibum’s muscles. Kibum smiled at her.

“Hello, is anyone home?!”

Someone called from outside the house, interrupting their conversation. Kibum pulled away from his grandmother to go check who it was. Whatever good mood Kibum was in just a moment ago, well, it dissipated instantly when he saw the people at his door.

There were four men standing in his verandah. Jonghyun’s father, the white man he saw last time at his house, another Korean in army uniform and what do you know, Minho, who was wearing an indifferent look. This cannot be good.

“Good morning, Kim Kibum?” the white man asked, speaking fluent Korean.

“Yes, I am,” Kibum answered trying to sound as confident as possible. He cannot be seen as a pushover by these people. He bowed in respect to Jonghyun’s father, who in turn, nodded back at him.

“Ah, it’s nice to finally meet you, young man. Mr.Kim here told me of how you refused to help the army and I just thought immediately that I had to meet this young chap and commend his courage,” the white man said. His words were sweet but his eyes were conveying a totally different message. Something along the lines of ‘You’re going to regret challenging me.’

“Well, thank you,” Kibum said sarcastically. The white man’s cool act started cracking and Kibum could already see hints of anger on his face.

“Let me get to the point. I am General Whitfield of the British army. It was my order that Mr. Kim passed on to you the other day. You’re still young so you may not understand the urgency of the situation we’re in now. As a citizen of this country, it is your duty to help the army without expecting a pay. Your courage to speak your mind is admirable but it is a bit foolish in this situation, boy. I am willing to forgive your earlier ignorance if you agree to supply us half your yield. So what do you say chap?” the white man finished.

Kibum looked at each of the men there. The white man was wearing a somewhat smug look as though he was the most powerful man on the planet. The other army man was just standing there looking stern. Jonghyun’s father looked like he had aged ten more years. Minho, on the other hand, just looked plain annoyed.

“I’m sorry but I thought I made it clear that I can’t be helping the army. I have a duty to the country, yes. But I also have a duty to my family. I put my family first, in case it wasn’t clear to you. I am not being ignorant. I am being self-sufficient, something we all have to learn to do in these tough times to survive, right General?” Kibum told him, with finality.

The white man seemed to be having a hard time keeping his temper. It brought endless amusement to Kibum.

“I don’t think you understand, Kim Kibum-shii. The army can and will take what they need in order for us to succeed in a battle. You have no choice but to give us your yield. Anyone who stands in our way will branded a traitor and shall receive punishment. I’m sure you wouldn’t want that….,”

Typical military behavior that Kibum was already expecting. When things don’t go their way, of course they would resort to threats and violence.

“But General, I think your logic is a bit flawed. The last time I checked, it was the Japanese army that was running the government. So wouldn’t I be a traitor if I helped you?” Kibum could tell that he had crossed a certain limit as the white man’s face drained of color and then turned scarlet just as quickly. Jonghyun’s father looked at him in shock. Kibum thought he saw Minho smile but if he did, it disappeared just as quickly as it came.

“Kibum, mind you-“ Jonghyun’s father began but the white man cut him off.

“Don’t test me, boy! This is no child’s play. Do you want your field and your house taken away?!” the man bellowed.

“Are you threate-“

“Kibum, what’s going on?”  Kibum’s grandmother came out just as Kibum was about to chew the white man’s head off with his words.

“Oksun-shii, I need to have a word with your grandson privately,” Jonghyun’s father said to her before pulling Kibum by his hand down the stairs and to the back of his house.

“Ahjusshi-“

“Keep quiet, Kibum!” Jonghyun’s father yelled at him. Kibum could only blink in shock. Kibum had never been yelled at by him. He had seen Jonghyun being yelled at but Kibum was always treated well, only getting scolded lightly occasionally for misbehaving as a child. So to see Jonghyun’s father so angry at him was new to Kibum and to be honest, it scared him a little.

“Kibum, you don’t know how many lines you have crossed! You not only insulted the British army just now, but you are directly defying an order from a British General. I stayed quiet this whole time thinking you’ll come to your senses soon, but that doesn’t seem to be happening,” he paused to breathe and calm himself down.

“Listen, Kibum. You cannot take on the entire army by yourself. That general is an egoist. He will go to whatever length it takes to make sure that he gets what he wants. I’m saying this for your own good. Do as the man says or you’ll lose everything you own. How will you pay for your grandmother’ medications then? Just do this and I promise that I will help you if you ever need money for your grandmother. You’re like a son to me too, Kibum, and I can’t stand by watching as you dig your own grave with the British army,”    

Kibum was dumbfounded. Was he really being that stupid by challenging the General? Looking back, Kibum realizes that he didn’t really consider having his house and paddy fields taken away from him. Wouldn’t that be worst than giving up half his yield? Maybe Jonghyun’s father was right, he didn’t need the trouble from the army so he should just give them what they want, right? His grandmother’s asthma medications were expensive and she can’t go a day without them. She’s too important to Kibum for him to be worrying about his pride. Kibum couldn’t trust the British army but he could trust Jonghyun’s father and that would have to do for now.

“O-okay…. I’ll do it…,” Kibum agreed, looking at the ground. He then remembered something.

“But I can’t supply right away. It’ll take at least another month for me to finish harvesting all the rice from the paddy field,” Kibum said to Jonghyun’s father, who looked unconcerned by this.

“That’s okay Kibum. We’ll arrange something. Thank you for agreeing,” he said, turning to walk back to the front of the house. Kibum followed silently behind him, a million thoughts running in his head.

“General, he has agreed to the deal. Half the yield for the army. But it will take a month before he can start supplying because he’s working alone,”

“Do you expect my men to starve for another month then?” the white man yelled again. Kibum’s grandmother flinched at the sound and took a step back into the house.  Kibum had the perfect answer to that rhetorical question but he stayed quiet in respect to Jonghyun’s father.

“Kibum can’t help it. It’s a lot of work harvesting rice especially to be doing alone. First, there’s the harvesting process and then, the extraction proc-,”

“Okay, okay, I get it!” the white man said, deep in thought. Kibum could practically hear the wheels turning in his head as the man tried thinking of some way to get the rice sooner.

“If I may suggest something…..” Minho’s voice broke the silence that ensued. Kibum saw the white man throw him a scowl before nodding ever so slightly, giving him permission to speak.

“We could have a couple of men work for him to speed up the process, sir. We’re not that busy now anyway. They could carry the rice harvested to base camp every day too,” Minho spoke in a very respectful tone. Even Kibum agreed that that was a brilliant plan, although he would never admit it out loud.

The white man seemed to consider this for a bit.

“That’s actually not a bad idea. Kibum could use the help. That is, if the army is free to help,” Jonghyun’s father said.

“Alright  then. We’ll have two men come help you until all the rice is harvested. They’ll carry rice back to the base camp every day for the army’s daily needs-,” the white man ordered to Kibum and then turned to speak to Minho, “-Minho, you and Yunwoo will help Kibum starting tomorrow,”

Kibum and Minho’s eyes met and they shared a look of disbelief. The latter looked like he was regretting suggesting this idea in the first place. If there was anything that they had in common, it was their inexplicably intense dislike for each other. Neither liked the idea of getting stuck together but it was not like they had any say in this matter, right?

“Well, that’s settled then. Now how long will it take to supply the rice?” the white man asked in a demanding tone.

“Assuming that the men you send to help me are efficient, it should take about a week. Two, at most,” Kibum replied nonchalantly. Minho shot him a flaming gaze that Kibum ignored just to annoy him that much more.

“A week, that is it! No longer than that, you understand boy?”

Kibum forced a nod to reply the man.

“Shall we leave then? General, we have things to discuss,” Jonghyun’s father told the white man. The general just nodded once and turned to leave, Minho and the other guy behind him. Just as they were about to leave the general called back to Kibum.

“Boy, you should really learn to mind your words. Or one of these days it’s going to get you in a lot of trouble because of it,” he said, before walking away.

Was that supposed to be a threat? If it was, well, it didn’t do much in scaring Kibum like threats were supposed to. He cast a sideways glance at his grandmother, who had been standing at the door, watching the whole conversation. She looked worried and disturbed by all the commotion.

So much for giving his grandmother peace of mind.

So much for staying out of everything war-related.

Kibum realizes that suddenly he had no control over anything in his life.

(A/N) Another quick update! If things go as planned, I should have another chapter up tomorrow!

Thank you for reading and commenting!!! I hope you guys are enjoying this story so far!!

Have a good day!!