He threw my bags on the ground and I stared at them. They weren't even my clothes, most of them being Tuan's or ones in the closet at the precinct. Just gray, black, and white shirts. Plain, like me, I guess. 

"I'll be back in two weeks to check your progress." I nodded, "Think about what I said last night. I'm checking on that process too." Jackson got back in his car and waved before driving off. Well, doesn't this just mirror my army recruitment days? Oh wait, I wasn't recruited. 

People looked at me as I hoisted my bags over my shoulder and turned to the building. This was going to be a great start seeing as I couldn't read what the sign said. Probably something about the military. It was a breath of fresh air to see no red on the walls or windows. 

"Need help with those bags?" I looked to my right at a guy, no taller than Jackson. He looked like the Sergent type, or like he had been in the army for a bit. That's right, all of the guys in my unit are two months away from their 2 years to be done. 

"No, I'm fine." I brushed him off and walked up the stairs to the building. Jackson had called Commander Park to tell him that I was coming in early. I couldn't hear his voice, but he probably wasn't too thrilled. I wasn't either, but this was the only legal way to live. 

I opened the doors and saw the lines to get registered or checked back in. Are there that many people assigned to this little post? 

"Kim HyeIn!" I turned and looked down the lines to see Commander Park standing there, probably waiting for me. Other people, most of the people, turned to look at me as well. Commander Park walked up to me, and people tried to pretend that they were doing something other than watching us. 

"Most people salute their Commanders, but you're new to South Korea." 

"Oh um," I put my arm up in salute, and he smiled down at me. I just realized how incredibly tall he was, and how worn his face looked. I had fought him in battle before...He had to be older than 40. 

"Dangyeol." I gave him a confused look and he laughed, "That's what you say when you salute me." 

"Dan..gyeol?" He nodded.

"We'll work on that. Let me show you where you'll be staying. It's a bit away from the rest of the unit, but I think we understand why." I nodded and started following him, not understanding why I was being submissive in his presence. Also, I didn't understand why he was so soft with me. I had basically dissed him the last time I saw him...

"You'll be sleeping with other women from the other units stationed here. Play nice with them, they're just as tough as you." I would guess since they came on their own will.  

"I'll let you put your things down and change into what Staff Sergent Lee gives you. You'll have to get acquainted with the base since our training resumes in 5 days." A woman walked out of the door, about my height, and short black hair. She saluted Commander Park and he walked away. She turned to look at me and I saluted her.

"Dangyal..?" She huffed in laughter and shook her head. 

"Dangyeol. Commander Park told me you've studied the South Korean army, but I don't believe him now." 

"I've studied your maneuvers and battle strategies." She nodded and opened the door for me to walk in. Other women were there, and I looked around. They were all around my size, and sitting and talking like normal recruits. I never saw this sight in North Korea. 

"Everyone, this is Private Kim. She'll be joining Alpha for 2 weeks along with the other guy I told you about from the NIS. Treat her well, she can keep up with all of us and outpace most of you." I smirked a bit with pride, but covered it up quickly. Staff Sergent Lee showed me to my part of the wall, which was in the corner, and gave me military issued clothes to get into. She then walked out, leaving me to fend for myself. 

"You're from the North right?" I turned to face the others, my stuff being packed away. I nodded to the one who asked the question. She was probably the youngest out of the group and the prettiest. He hair was long, unlike the others, and she wore a rank with two stripes*. I had no idea what that stood for, but I'll ask later. 

"She's not from the North anymore. She's one of us. There's only 8 of us here, so let's try to act nice to each other." I was confused at her sentence ending* but shrugged it off for later. I liked her, though, she had four stripes and was the tallest. Staff Sergent Lee nodded to agree with her. 

Turning to face the wall, I held up the camouflage outfit and cocked my head. I never thought I'd be wearing a South Korean Army uniform. I looked at its shoulder, too. Three stripes, one more than the girl who asked if I was from the North. I wonder if the lines meant the same as they did in the North because if it did, I was a higher rank.

"Whoa, you're already a Corporal! How? You just came here." It was the same girl now, and she was looking over my shoulder. Song JinHwa. I shrugged and everyone else tried to get their look at my uniform before I started putting it on. 

"Commander Park said that she was specifically that rank." I pulled the pants up and buckled them, furrowing my eyebrows. Staff Sergent Lee had walked back in. Why was I getting so confused in my natural spot?

"I'm a what?" 

"Corporal. Wait, it's probably different in the North..." JinHwa was starting to get on my nerves. 

"Commander said he wanted you to his side of the base right as you got your uniform on." I leaned down to tie my boots and looked in the mirror at the same time. I should've hated the feeling of this uniform on me, but I was trying to accept things....for Jackson. 

I stood up and followed Staff Sergent out of the room and into the crowd of people. There were stares again, but being back in a military uniform made me feel big again. Well, a South Korean military uniform did. The base was big, too. The inside had high ceilings and three levels. The windows leading to the back showed a stage and then a dirt patch. There was a forest behind that, but I was sure that was a training area. 

"Your rank is Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa. That's called a Corporal here." I looked at her and she stopped at the beginning of the hallway we were about to walk down. 

"How do yo-"

"I studied North Korean Military, but only maneuvers and ranks. This door." She pointed at the first door that was open and had sound blasting out of it before walking away. 

"You all need to be quiet, my head hurts from your talking." I recognized Sergent First Class Kim's voice in the mix of others. 

"You should have been here when they had two weeks off." Commander Park was there too. 

"I was there. I've been here a long time, Commander." I laughed at Kim's remarks and the noise inside quieted. They couldn't have heard me. 

"Corporal Kim, you can come in." 

"Corporal?"

"Wait, how is she higher than m-"

"What the he-" I opened the door and walked in. I forgot the feeling of having matching outfits with 30 people. 

"Everyone, you've met Corporal Kim. She'll be here for the next 2 months and will be residing with the women. Also, if you are her subordinate, I expect to see you salute her. Give her the same respect you do Staff Sergent Lee."

"Commander." One of the unfit ones stood up and I read his nametag. Hwang Jae. 

"Yes, Private."

"Why does... Corporal Kim have her ranking?" Commander Park turned to me.

"Can you tell them your military history for us?" 

"My military history...?" I don't want to tell them about my military history...

"It is an order," I straightened up and my military self kicked in.

"I was recurited into the army at 16 and served in an Army unit for two years until I was promoted to a Corporal and trained in espionage. I was then put into a special forces troop Alpha Troop 54, which specialized in Urban Warfare. I served on that troop until I..." Well, I never really was officaly discharged, "Until I applied for asylum to South Korea."

"If you all read the books I assigned you, Corporal Kim's ex-troop has fought us before. Us being Sergent First Class Kim and I. Corporal Kim also studied South Korean warfare, so she will be well aqainted to our drills. Do you have any questions for Corporal?" 

"What rank will Yoo Youngjae be Commander?"

"Private." Well, I'll have to ask what that means too. 

The door slammed open behind me and I turned.

"Private Yoo, nice of you to join us. I see you're half dressed." I looked up and down Youngjae before turning back about. The pain in my hand struck a bit harder as I gripped it into a fist. I would've punched him in front of everyone, but I needed good first impressions. 

"Dangyeol." I huffed. He already knew everything like usual. 

"You're over in the corner. Finished getting dressed. I can take you and Corporal Kim on a tour." Youngjae nodded walking by me, barely brushing my shoulder. Then he stopped.

"Corporal Kim?" Whispers spread through the whole troop and Commander just nodded. Youngjae began to walk over again. 

"Everyone else starts right away. All of you have a 5 kilometer run around the base with Sergent First Class Kim. You should be done at approximately 0700 hours. After that, we will check our equipment and move to the training grounds. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir!" The all stood up and filed out of the door. I stepped aside, looking at all of them. Some were tall, some short' some fat, some skinny. Not a lot of them were really muscular. 

"I warned you that coming early would be boring, Private Yoo." 

"I can run 10 kilometers myself if I'm inclined to." Commander Park huffed in amusement and turned to me. 

"What about you Kim?" 

"I've run 80 before in training." Park shook his head and walked out of the door. I made sure Youngjae came out behind me. I didn't have time to see his face. 

"So, I'm sure both of you know this base inside and out already, if not what the rooms are, you at least know the structure. Women are over there, men where we came from, training grounds beyond those woods, and exercise grounds are right outside." He pointed outside of the floor to wall windows where people in full uniform were running around. The grounds and the building were 10 times better than in North Korea, but the glamor took away from what this actually was. At least in the North people knew that they would probably die when coming to these..or be groomed to die. At least that's how our base was. 

"When will we start training with our unit?"  Our unit. Yeah, right. Youngjae's just here so he can get his hands on a gun again. He always missed war and said his talents were wasted on espionage. Now he was getting his wish yippee. Our unit was made up of 6 people who were merciless and pure evil. I can't believe I was a part of that. 

"The Friday you start. If you have any troubles before then, ou can deal with them yourself or you can come to me. I know you'll probably be attacked sooner or later, especially you Private Youngjae."

"What makes you think that, sir?" Youngjae's voice had a little joke in it. I new that Commander Park wasn't joking. 

"Well, son, we'll see." 

"I'm not your son." Commander Park twirled on his heels and went up to Youngjae. They were about the same height, and were now two dogs fighter for dominance. 

"If you disrespect your Commander like that again, I'll let them beat you up. Corporol Kim, let Private Yoo get out of his own situations from now on." 

"Corporol." It was a whisper, but this was the second time her said it. Something in the tone of his voice made it seem like a bad thing. 

"That's right you weren't theri for my speech. You are going to give Corporol Kim as much respect as you do me, you are her subordinate." 

"Subordinate?" It was me who asked thie question this time. 

For Youngjae, this was a very, very bad thing.