For the next couple days, Ara kept her head down.  She tried not to get into long conversations about her unexpected misadventures on the other side of the border, nor did she want to be congratulated more than she deserved.  The reason of her impromptu award was still unknown, but she knew for a fact that it was probably better that way.

Finally, the day came, and she found herself in the green room of the auditorium in front of a mirror, fixing her uniform.  

“Nervous?”

She saw Jungkook behind her through the mirror.  “A little.”

He smiled, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed casually over his chest.  “It’s normal to feel that way.”

“This is pointless,” she sighed.  “While I’m here getting an honor that I don’t really deserve, Yoongi’s fighting for his life on the other side.  It’s a bit unfair, don’t you think?” She looked away. “And we never got to talk about…the fact that you’re also…”

Jungkook looked down at his shoes.  “Right,” he said.

Ara turned around to face him.  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to worry you,” he said softly.

She took careful steps towards him.  She pulled him close and wrapped her arms around his tall frame.  “That’s the thing. I’m always worried about you, no matter what,” she said.  “You’re the only family I have left. I can’t lose you.”

“That’s not true,” he said, hugging her back.  “You have Namjoon and the rest of the team. They’ll always be on your side.”  He gently cradled her head in his chest. “I couldn’t tell you because I had to keep you safe from them.  They were going to kill you if I didn’t cooperate.”

She scoffed softly.  “Sounds familiar,” she mused bitterly.  She pulled back and brushed the hair off his forehead.  “Jungkook, I --”

She stopped at a knock on the door frame.  

“Time to go,” Namjoon said.

Ara glanced at her brother before following Namjoon down the hall and onto the stage, where cameras were flashing, lightly concealing the many faces of officers and soldiers in the audience.  She felt her heart beat faster and harder as she walked to the center of the stage to shake Chanyeol’s outstretched hand.

“Congratulations, Lieutenant Jeon,” he said.  He turned to face the audience. “Lieutenant Jeon has been under my supervision ever since she was admitted into the military, and I cannot say how tremendously pleased I am to see how much she has matured.  It is with great honor that I am able to bestow this award to her.”

The audience applauded, and more cameras flashed, the bright lights imprinted on her vision even as she closed her eyes.  She felt breathless and disoriented.

And she felt as though she was being watched.

She scanned the crowd to find Jungkook, Namjoon, Jimin, and Seokjin in the back, smiling and waving encouragingly.  She smiled back, the reassurance letting her heart rate drop a little.

Her gaze turned to focus on Chanyeol, who was securing the pin on her uniform.  Up close, his eyes were haggard and tired. There were fine lines around his eyes, as well as dark circles that encased them.  She could recognize the many years of service that he too had given to the country.

Then she saw the translucent red bullet line.

“Get down!” she yelled as she pushed the col