Part 2

Monday routines were always the worst. After exercise, they get breakfast, then class. They only got thirty minutes to shower, to fix themselves. Sungmin, for a guy, is too meticulous and the time given would never be enough.


For the past four years in the Academy he had always arrived on Mondays... grumpy.


He taught himself to shower at night to appease the gross feeling he would always feel. Thank goodness he got promoted on his second year and got his own room. He couldn't stand sharing bunks and bathrooms with all those men.


So much for being a solider, well, he is the second Kim Heechul, so it doesn't matter.


He grunted as he sat on his desk, front row, centre aisle. He looked straight at the blackboard as the room started to fill.


"I found your paper lying outside the cabin, pumpkin." a low voice whispered to his ear. Sungmin eyed his assignment on his desk, he dropped it again. Somehow, whenever they would have paper works, the sheet would miraculously drop on the floor and someone would find it for him. "And yeah, found some minor errors. But... since I'm a very good subordinate, I changed them."


Sungmin turned to the source. There he was again, Cadet Master Sergeant Cho Kyuhyun, fully fixed, bathed and perfect for the day – a total opposite of Sungmin whose bloom seemed to die down with the autumn leaves.


Older grunted.


"Thanks." he answered back. Cho took the desk beside him, a knowing smirk still plastered on his face. Sungmin felt his heart thump. Cho Kyuhyun, one of his friends in the Academy, a witty know-it-all cadet who likes to pester other people most of the time. What were they exactly?


"Guns for tactical inspection, uniforms and the like are to be fixed." A voice resonated in the room and everyone fell on attention. Sungmin left hanging on his reverie. The buff man saluted and everyone followed. "Submit your papers and let's talk about the rifles needed."


"Field training exercises would be shortened to prepare for the National Tactical Inspection. The Chief of Staff and the Commander in Chief would be present. Every platoon is to combine in companies. Army, Navy and Air Force would be there."


Sungmin listened to their Wing Commander.


The buff guy was one of the best cadets in the Aerospace Division and everyone bow down to him. Sure, a lot of lower ranks are older, but Kim Youngwoon leads a Wing like no other.


"Also, I would like to announce the results of the aviation test." Youngwoon continued. "I am glad that Squadron C did a good job at the practicum. Seventy five percent of this class started aviation during your freshmen years and that seventy five percent succeeded in handling military planes."


Sungmin could hear the sigh of relief from around the room. He took the aviation course as well. He was best in class.


"Cadet Master Sergeant Cho Kyuhyun!" Youngwoon called and smiled at the tall man. "Stand up, Cadet."


The younger towered the Commander.


"Congratulations. You aced the courses for this term, and we're expecting you to ace the remaining examinations before graduation." A pat on the back and Sungmin suddenly felt his stomach churn.


Cho Kyuhyun - the aerospace cadets’ one and only genius. The boy who looked like he doesn't care for the world but keeps on rising up the curriculum ladder both in written and hands-on exercises. The boy was transferred to Sungmin's squadron two springs ago for reasons only the higher ups knew and Sungmin couldn't be more pissed. He heard that the younger passed every initiation in frats and orgs and joined none. Kyuhyun continued to ace his classes as graduation drew closer.


Somehow, Sungmin felt jealous. The limelight of Squad C was once on him, well, it happens, although it pains him as the Squad Comm. Some lanky cadet on the first row surpassed him.


"Lee Sungmin!" he heard his name called and stood up. Youngwoon looked at him. "You'll still be holding Squadron C. You're one of the best Squad Comms in the camp. You're doing well, especially in field exercises."



Sungmin bowed.