Narrator's POV:

“See, I lived in Sogyeokdong when I was a girl too.”

“You did?” Jiyeon asked. Jieun nodded. She really hadn't told them anything at all about her past...always pushing it off as best she could. That was about to change.

“Yeah. In fact, this was my house. My room was the one you sleep in now Jiyeon. And Yoseob, your's was my brother's room.” Wide eyed, they sat closer to her, curious about the new information. “Anyways, I met your father in the year 1979, a few blocks from here...”

Jieun's POV:

“Jieun!” I spun around to see my mother rushing towards me with a basket full of bread and a few other foods she bought at the market. “Why don't you go see your father home today? I normally would but today I have to finish cooking and then washing the laundry for the Roh family. The lady's gotten pregnant and she's going through clothes at a rapid pace.”

“Ah! She's pregnant? Hopefully it's not another little Ms. Terror.” Sharing a laugh with her, I put on my shoes before heading outside. The Roh family is a powerful and influential family here in Korea. They hold quite a few high positions in the military. And since the government is a dictatorship, they're pretty high up there: and they act like it too.

I'll never forget the time my mother returned home with bruises from work. Her back was covered with purplish-blue marks. The Roh's said it was well deserved for allegedly 'speaking out of turn.' She couldn't quit though...jobs weren't that common for women, especially one with just a high school degree like my mother.

Most importantly of all, we needed the money...there are four of us. My dad, mom, and little brother. We didn't even purchase our small house; it used to be my grandparents. They're dead now. At least according to my parents. I've never been told how though. They just...disappeared one day, and the next we were at their funeral.

It was among these thoughts when I approached the worker's compound. The small factory loomed large against the mostly residential buildings surrounding it. It was a weapons factory: making arms specifically for the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), which lay a few blocks from here. It's a scary place.

As it turned out, I was half an hour early. “Nice” I grumbled. 'Why did umma tell me to go so early?' There was really nothing to do here other than stare at the pair of guards armed to the brim with whatever the KCIA saw fit. I'd say...each of them are about 22? Conscription really . It's just another way for the military to keep power. Always lovely when the government still declares the country in a state of emergency over 20 years after war isn't it?

Luckily though, as it turned out...it seemed as if my half an hour wouldn't go entirely to waste. Squinting my eyes a bit, I reached over to see a boy sitting 30 meters away on the opposite side of the square. Huh. Maybe he's early too. Or waiting until the gates open to apply for a job? He's cute though...ok, he's really hot. I felt the heat quickly rush to my cheeks as I turned away. Not that he could see my face too clearly anyways haha.

Even though I'm eighteen, I've never had a boyfriend, or had my first kiss, or held hands with a guy. Pretty pathetic right? I sighed and plopped down onto the floor, contemplating my miserable existence in this universe as per usual.

Might as well get some shut eye. This square will be abandoned for the next twenty minutes anyways. Leaning back, it seemed almost only a few seconds when I was startled upright again by that boy, standing in front of me, panting.

What the heck? I shifted and looked behind him only to find a platoon of soldiers performing drills where he had been before. I'm guessing him they told him to scram or die.

“Sorry-” he let out in breaths. “Soldiers-” I just nodded and motioned for him to sit down. We don't need Mr. Cutie to pass out. Did I mention he was cute? The way his eyes are shaped...and his nose...

We stared at each other for a few minutes until he coughed purposely. “So...picking up your father?” I nodded. The men who worked at the compound needed someone to pick them up from work to 'keep order.' Sometimes, I feel like this is secretly a prison or something.

We stayed in an awkward silence for a moment before he grunted “Wooyoung,” and nodded towards me.

“Ah, Jieun” I bowed politely, albeit a bit nervously. What am I supposed to say? What if I mess up? JIEUN. Get a hold of yourself. Aish.

“So...” I started. “Do you live in Sogyeokdong too?”

“Yup. All my life. Although, I kinda want to get out of here now.”

“Me too!” Wooyoung smiled at this and we both chuckled a bit. “I'm eighteen now...and decided to go to a university in Gwangju. I'm escaping haha.”

“Really? Jeonnam University?” he asked.

“Yeah!”

“Me too!” My eyes widened. Wtf. This was almost creepy. He doesn't look like a spy though...

He looked at me warily. “You're not part of the KCIA are you? I'm a loyal citizen, I swear.” My nose scrunched up and I stuck my tongue out of him.

“Since when do they even hire women? I should be worried about you!”

“Hey! Anything's possible with that abomination of an organization.”

I struggled to contain my laughter. I really did. We were already arousing the suspicion of the guards. “Shhh. They might hear you!”

Winking, he turned around and whispered “Hey, military! You ! Go kiss Park Chung-hee's behind already!”

I completely lost my composure there. How could he do that? Hahaha. Then, out of nowhere, he grabbed my hand and pulled me a few feet forward. “Go! Now you try!”

I turned to look him in the eye. His face was only a few inches away from my own. “Are you crazy? No way! What if they hear? We could get killed!”

Shaking his head he urged me to again. “Come on! Just let out your feelings. Like this! Hey cowards! I bet the only reason you still ban freedom of the speech and the press 20 years later is because you still secretly Hirohito's balls!”

“You vulgar beast!” I laughed pushing him down to the floor in a fit of laughter. “Stop corrupting my innocent brain good sir” I mockingly called down to him.

“You're obviously not that innocent if you knew what I meant” he replied, eyes gleaming bright.

“ert” I muttered, before sweeping my foot up and kicking him in the shin. His whimper of pain was all it took for me to fall to the floor again in another fit of laughter. My little plan backfired though, when he quickly got atop me and pinned me to the floor.

“Now, do it” he evilly smiled. “Or else.”

“Or else what?” I challenged.

“Or else...or else I'll kiss you!” My face went cherry red. Since when did I get close with this kid?

“Okay! Okay! I'll say something” I muttered, pushing him off me. Clapping his hands, he beamed and sat up straight, waiting for me to make my move. Okay, deep breath in Jieun. “Yo monkey butts!” Wooyoung fell back and hit his head on the floor laughing. I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore him. “You look like...fluffy girly marshmallows!”

“Wtf?” Wooyoung was crying by this point. “Omg Jieun what was that? Marshmallows?” He quickly rolled back laughing once more.

“Stoooop! I was trying ok!” I puffed my cheeks out and pouted.

“Awww. You're a cutie” he said, reaching up to pinch my cheeks. “Call me oppa.”

“We're the same age though.”

“I insist. Please?” The boy then resorted to a miserable imitation of aegyeo. Although with him doing it...I bit my lip.

“Eh. Alright. Fine. Wooyoung-OPPA.”

“YES!” He shouted, fist pumping the air. “And you my lady, I shall call you...Jieunie!”

“Jieunie?” I blushed. “We're not a couple! We just met!”

“Let's talk about love!” He sang while winking, and making those two gun hands cool guys always do in those American movies. I just pushed him in response.

“Ouch. Violent now are we?” I didn't have time to deliver a witty reply. The doors to the compound creeped open, swinging to the other side revealing hundreds of men who poured out of the factory with their families there to see them home. Now where could he-

“Appa!” I raced over to him before taking away some of his load off his back.

“Jieun! How are you my girl?”

“Ah, good appa. How was work?” We proceed to walk away. I caught sight of Wooyoung and waved. He responded in kind.

“Oh, same old same old. Those slave drivers really know how to work us to churn out weapons.” I shook my head at this. My poor father. “Anyways, is your mother alright? You usually don't come to pick me up.”

“Yeah, umma's fine. You know how it is. The Roh's gave her extra laundry to do.”

“What are you going to do, those spoiled crocodiles are going to keep snapping no matter what we do.” I smiled at this.

Narrator's POV:

“Wooyoung” Yoseob whispered. “Wooooyoooung.”

“Yeah” Jieun said bittersweetly. “Your father's name was Wooyoung. Jang Wooyoung.”

“Where is he now? Where are grandma and grandpa?” Jiyeon asked.

I frowned. “You haven't even let me finish Jiyeon."

“Oops, sorry haha.”

“Well, I'll skip around a bit so not to bore you. And fast forward to the day I left Sogyeokdong and the KCIA behind. Or so I thought...”