“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!” I yelled at the soldiers who were just looking at the ones that were approaching us, melting with the forest’s scenery. Seeing my men frozen like that, I took my own gun out and began shooting, aiming at those who were moving furiously despite our traps. “Aisht!” I cursed under my breath after missing one of the enemies. “GD!”

“Ay! Ay!” And that’s how the machine gun began rambling its bullets, hitting men and trees as well. That was it! Why did they thought that they could even deceive us anyway?!

***

I rested my hand against the palm. I couldn’t understand the words that GD was saying to me. “What was that again?” I turned my attention to the one in front of me. Outside, the silence had taken over our camp and barricades.

“I was saying that the men don’t want to fight tonight. Or tomorrow.” He repeated.

“Sorry?!”

He sighed and smiled slightly, remembering me of summer days I wanted to forget. “Kim Na Li, don’t tell me that you’ve forgot what day is today!”

“Yah! Watch your tongue! It’s General Kim for you and everyone else!” I frowned, shaking my head at the sound of my own, simple name. I didn’t like it anymore.

“Even for me?”

It was my time to sigh. How could I forget those days, all those days when he was my best friend, my best man at my own wedding? No! I have to forget that day! That day shouldn’t have existed from the very start… … “Yes, even for you! And no, I don’t know unfortunately. So enlighten me, please.”

“It’s Christmas Eve!” He threw his arms high to the ceiling. He was shocked that I had forgotten my own favourite celebration. But we were in the mist of war and there was no time for naïve thoughts!

“And so what? We’re on a battlefield here, GD! Home is far and there’s no way I’m giving up on all the lad we got to conquer from South Korea! Never! Not even in a million of years!”

“Na Li, I’m not saying that you should give up on anything here, but be open minded, alright? Your men are home-sick. They miss their families and they sure wish to see some light in this pitch black you’re holding us all. Even I started to feel a little better today that is Christmas Eve.”

“And what do you want me to do? Let them go home just like this?”

“No, just let them enjoy the night and think about their dear ones.”

I sight. The jerk in front of me as all smiles. He surely knew how to make me give in to him! “Fine! No more attacking for tonight and tomorrow! But that’s all! If I catch anyone trying to sneak out of the camp I’m going to behead him, understand?”

“YAHOOO!” GD began jumping around like a crazy kid. But somehow, that made me smile. “They’ll love you for this, I’m telling you!” He winked before leaving the tent.

“I don’t need them to love me, but to listen to my orders,” I mumbled, looking at the old wristwatch. It was barely 3 o’clock… …

I took out the plain white file from under my mattress and quickly looked over the papers inside. The news the spy sent me were strange. How could an army not have a leader?! Where was their general? I was playing with the combat knife and suddenly threw it at the pole in the middle of the tent.

“It’s worse than you can ever imagine.”

“Don’t snuck up on me like that! I could kill you!” I frowned at the man dressed in black from head to toe.

“Oh, really? Do you think you could actually get to hit me and continue to live?” His smirk was the most annoying thing to me. “Tell me, do you?”

“Take your hands off of me!” I shrugged his fingers off from my face. “This is a military camp, not a brothel!”

“It’s strange how for the both, a woman is taking the lead.”

“Have any wish before going?” I jumped in his back, resting the blade of the knife against his neck.

“Kiss me?” He was laughing.

“Idiot!” I pushed him away. “What news do you bring me?”

“They know there’s a spy among them. I think I need to lay low for a while.”

“What?! How on Earth did you managed to blow your cover?! I sent you out knowing you’re the best of the best! I’m disappointed in you, Taeyang,” I shook my head looking straight into his eyes.

He lowered his head. “I’m sorry. I have let you down, General Kim! I deserve to die!”

“You bet you do!” I couldn’t help my fingers from meeting the cold metal of the gun. Pointing it to his temple, I let out a sharp breath. “How does it feel? To know that your life hangs by a thread of hair? How does it feel to know that you’ve failed in meeting your superior’s expectations?”

He let himself fall on his knees, head still bowed.

I smirked. “You know, I could kill you right here and right now…Dong Young Bae,” I whispered in his ear. He gasped. I knew his real name. That was the biggest mistake a spy could ever make in his carrier! And the last one as well. Putting away the gun, I patted his shoulder. “I’ll give you one last chance. Find who’s the general among the soldiers! Make another mistake and I’ll bring you down myself. Got that?”

Turning around, I realized he was no longer there. That’s why I gave him another chance…because he was like wind when it came to spying. Not the same when it came to flirting!

***

“Yes! Yes! Yes! I’ll marry you, Lee Seung Hyun!”

He picked me up and the room started moving with me as his muscular arms carried me around. A sunny summer, a beautiful summer and I was going to get married to the one I loved… …

“Papa! Papa! Guess what? Guess what?” I ran to my father who greeted me all smiles.

“Hmmm…can’t figure out….there’s definitely something about you that’s changed. But what, I wonder?” His smile was definitely telling him off. Just like mother’s did! “Is it that my baby girl is getting married to that Seungri of hers?”

“Papa!”

“What? You thought I didn’t knew? Hahaha, I know everything, I have ears everywhere!”

I frowned. Sometimes, just sometimes, I wished that my papa was someone normal, not the leader of North Korea! “Oh, papa, you’re so mean to me! You spoiled my mood!”

“Oh, but there comes my future son-in-law to comfort you. Don’t be mad at papa, alright?” His hand caressed my cheek. “Papa loves you, dear!” How could I be mad at him when he was radiating in kindness? “And Seungri, where are you taking my daughter for the honey moon?”

“To Paris,” my future husband smiled while wrapping his arms around me. Mother frowned at the sudden skinship, but I was fine with it. Seungri was born in North Korea, just like I was, but lived his whole life in Paris. And he wanted to take me there as well. Away from father’s influence and political fight.

“Paris…beautiful city,” papa smiled. But somehow, his smile didn’t reach his eyes back then. “I’ve got an idea! Why not getting married right now? It will save you the trouble to plan everything out!”

“E-eh?!”

“Why not?” Seungri played along.

“Very well! My men will take care of everything! See you at the shrine!” He waved at us. His men remained behind. Strange thing, but everything was already there: the dress, the woman that was going to style my hair, the flowers, Seungri’s suit. Everything was prepared. That gave me some sort of a bad feeling… …

“Relax! Your father was very kind to help me out with this surprise,” Seungri tried his best to make me smile.

“Na Li! Come! You need to get ready!” Mother’s voice reached my ears from the stairs that led inside.

“I love you, Kim Na Li!” Seungri’s lips brushed against mine. I squeezed his hand.

“Soon to be Lee!”

His gentle smile sent me off. But I was left there, hanging with that bad feeling growing deeper and deeper inside of me.

“Calm down, Na Li!” Mother scolded while the car led us to the place where the ceremony was supposed to take place. “Why are you so nervous anyway? It’s not like he’s going to leave you or anything like that.”

“Oh, mother…” I just continued to tap my fingers against the hanbok. That bad feeling disappeared the moment I saw Seungri smiling ahead of me the moment I stepped out from the car. Our friends were there and so was my family. Seungri’s was out in Paris and not giving a damn about him getting married to North Korea leader’s daughter.

I walked towards him as fast as I could, being afraid that it could all prove to be just a dream. But his smile froze and everything happened so fast, that I barely got to see him falling in his knees, with his hand clenching on the shirt, right where the heart was beating, spreading blood on the white shirt.

“NO! NO! NO!” I ran towards him, but people pushed me away as they all panicked. Gun shots could be heard. “SEUNGRI!” I cried, stretching my hand towards him as father pulled me away. “LEE SEUNG HYUN! NO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO TO HIM! LEE SEUNG HYUN! DON’T YOU DIE ON ME! DON’T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!” I kicked the car’s door as it left the place. The memory of that stretching hand as he fell down on the wooden aisle… …

I gasped for air and shot up from my bed, holding tight the combat knife in my hand. “What do you want now?” I could feel the sweat trickling down on my chest, soaking the greenish tank top I was wearing.

“Are you alright?”

I growled. I hated being weak. I hated dreaming about that day! “What do you want, Taeyang?”

“The name of the general is Choi Sung Hyun. I haven’t seen him yet because he likes to mingle among his soldiers, but I will soon.”

“That’s good. Very well, Taeyang! You did well,” I felt that I needed to praise him. “Don’t,” I hissed as he stretched his hand to touch my exposed shoulder. “No skinship with your superiors!”

“But I…”

Turning to him I felt the need to slap myself. Even GD would have been better at rejecting a lover. But this man, this Dong Young Bae was so persistent, so tempting and so close sometimes! That all I needed to do was to stretch my hand and touch those muscular arms or him, run my fingers over his y abdomen. I could do all of that even if he wouldn’t agree with it. I could force myself on him…but there was no need for that since he was already wishing and I was backing away.

“Look, Taeyang…” I turned around only to discover that he was gone once again. I sighed. That man was going to be the death of me… …

***

“What’s with the face?”

“Since when did you drop the formalities?”

“Since now.”

“Ji Yong, have you ever regretted following me here?” I muttered while staring into the camp fire that was burning in front of us.

“Never.”

I smiled to the steam that left his mouth with his answer. “Why? I mean, it’s not like you’re leading a perfect, honey and milk life around here.”

“Because,” he shrugged. “My place is where you are. Because I’m your best friend and you’re mine,” his arm went around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. I permitted myself those minutes of snuggling. Because he was my best friend and I was his… … But as the 32 years old general inside of me woke up, I had to stiffen and sigh. He took away his arms. “You’re one strange person, bestie!”

“How come?”

“You never realized that there’s more to life than war.”

“For me, there’s nothing else apart from war.” And I walked away, leaving footprints behind me with the military boots I was wearing. That Ji Yong! He was too pushy!

I stopped on my tracks and looked around me. My men were gathered around the camp fires, tightly wrapped in thick blankets, holding hot cups of coffee in their hands while their mind was drifting to some other places, to some other people. I sighed. It was indeed Christmas Eve in our camp. But Christmas ain’t Christmas without a Christmas tree.

“Where are you going?” GD appeared out of nowhere as I pulled out the ax from under my bed.

“Going for some tree hunt,” I smiled. “Why?”

“I’m coming with you!”

“Oh no, you aren’t!”

“Yes, I am!”

“No, you aren’t, Commander Kwon! You’ll stay put here and make sure everything stays as it is. That’s an order, Commander!” I added on a tough tone.

“Yes, Mam’!”

I pushed away the tent’s fold and walked out, stepping on the snow that was creaking under my feet. The frostiness made everything sound louder in my ears as I stepped away from the camp. Was I afraid? Not even close. For, what could go wrong when I was going to cut down a tree? Nothing. And yet, everything… …

It's getting awkward because I know what follows next...I hope nobody will hate me too much! >///<