ROA

The moment I woke up from unconsiousness. I heard beeping sounds. At first, I thought I was back at the hospital. But this time was different, a toe-curling pain came crashing on my back. I let out a loud gasp then I heard voices. Voices I've never heard before. I close my eyes back shut, listening to the conversation. 

 

"Why did you save her? We could just hid her body somewhere."  I cupped my own mouth, stopping myself from gasping again. A woman with a weird accent spoke, terrifying me to the bones. 

 

"The surgery was sucessful. I wouldn't want to waste this rare chance." A man with a similar accent replied. I opened my eyes just in time to see the man's sadsitic little smile. 

 

"Look the brave soul is awake." The man spoke this time with his gaze on me. Both the man and woman were wearing full army uniforms armed with guns and other weapns. The man eyed me like I was his next dinner however the woman remained expressionless. I looked around my surroundings. I was in a hospital just not the one I was usually brought into. It was dark. The ward was small with only one other bed. The white sheets were filled with blood. A shudder leaked through my spine. This was not the way I planned to die. 

 

Grabbing the scalpel on the tray beside. I pointed it at them. "Who-who are you?" I heard myself stutter.

 

"Ah, so she speaks." He cried out mockingly. 

 

"I asked who you are," This time my voice was firmer. I wondered where this stupid bravery was coming from. I was about to die anyways. 

 

"Who are we?" The man scoffed. We're from the North." 

 

"North? Chuncheon?" I babbled in confusion. 

 

He shook his head, groggily chuckling. "Go higher than that," 

 

"No-north Korea?!" This was ridiculous. It made no sense. Why would I be captured by North Korean soldiers? How did I even end up here? But then their uniforms their strange Korean accents. It all pinpointed to North Korea. What the hell was happening?

 

"Bingo! Now we can talk," He glanced at the female soldier. "Sergeant, tie her arms first. It's obvious she's about to throw a fit." 

 

My eyes widened. The man stared back at me. "If you dare try to escape, I will personally feed your body parts to the dogs." His sadistic smirk reappeared. "You got that." 

 

I stayed still while the woman tied the my wrists to the sides of the bed. I was numb at this point. I could barely comprehend what the hell was happening. 

 

"Let's start with your name." He said as he lit up his cigarette right in front of my face. I bit my lower lip, not saying anything. "This won't do huh?" The man called for the female soldier. "Yah! Hyunsoo-ya, tell the bastards to bring her in." 

 

Her?

 

Several soldiers came strolling in with a petite woman in a wheelchair. Her head was down, unconsious, so I couldn't see her face. The man harshly grabbed her head and lifted it up for me to look. 

 

Jisoo.

 

No. not Jisoo. I pushed myself up only to met with extreme pain on my back. "Jisoo-ya!"

 

One of the soldier taped . I turned to the man. "Don't touch her. Please I'll do anything." I cried out, begging for Jisoo's life. 

 

"Name!" The man shouted shoving the chair to my direction. 

 

I flinched at his tone. "Ro-roa. Kim Roa." 

 

"Age?" 

 

"22," I croaked out. 

 

He stepped forward. "What is your relationship with Jeon Jungkook?" 

 

"Who? Who are you talking about?" I said, my voice cracking. 

 

His eys narrowed at me. "Tell those bastards to cut off one of her fingers." He said so nonchalantly I almost choked. 

 

"No no no!" I begged in desperation. "I don't know who you're talking about. Please believe me." I tugged on my restraints forefully. 

 

The man yanked the flap of my ear. ", I waited 6 days in here for you to wake up. I didn't wait that long just for you to tell me bull." He picked up the chair he shoved earlier before speaking again. "So tell me your relationship with Jeon Jungkook,"

 

His left eyebrow rose cockily. "Lovers?"  

 

"Bestfriends?" 

 

"What? Siblings?" 

 

"I told you I don't know him," I snapped. I half-expected him to hit me. And so he did, punching right on the cheek. I just didn't expect that it hurt like a . I felt like my jaw ripping apart. I whimpered in silence as I tasted the blood on my lips. 

 

"The next time it will be your fingers along with hers." He pointed to Jisoo. "I'm gonna ask again what is your relationship with Jeon Jungkook. How special is it that you'd save his life?"

 

Save his life? "What do you mean?" I asked in total confusion then it all came back. Me running from Chanyeol. The streets. The alleyway. Him. The gunshot. I remembered running to him. But save his life?

 

"Did I get shot instead of him?" Yes of course that explains the back pain, the surgery, but it still doesn't explain why North Koreans were after me. "Is that why I am here? I don't know him. He's a stranger. The gunmen... It was the first time I saw him." 

 

I observed as the soldier's face deflated. "Am I supposed to believe that you saved a stranger's life. Whom you have no relationship with? What? Are you all angels and saints in the South?" 

 

It probably made no sense to him. "Ple-please just let her go. Sh-She has nothing to do with this." 

 

"Are you a South Korean spy?" The female spoke after prolonged silence, surprising me. 

 

I shook my head allowing the tears to drop. "No, no I'm not." 

 

"I see your relationship with him is very special. Would you lose fingers for him?" She asked boredly as she pulled a metalic tool from her pocket. What the ?

 

"For that cold-blooded bastard you would?" She placed the tool on the table, wearing the rubber gloves beside it. The female soldier looked straight at me. "Do you think that we're bad? He's done worse. Way worse."

 

She placed a piece of cloth on my mouth. I knew what she was about to do. I squirmed as she grabbed my hand. She puts the tool between my fingernails. I close my eyes, turning away. "I'd like to apologize, but don't say you don't deserve it." 

 

Maybe I did. 

 

A few moments later. I felt it. The excruciating pain. It was so intense my whole body my shuddered. Black spots danced around my sight, but the pain didn't go away. I couldn't let this happen to Jisoo. She wouldn't bare it. I wouldn't bare it. I had to do something. 

 

I could barely breathe, but I stood up. "Help! Someone help!" I screamed, not caring if it was useless. 

 

Then I heard gunshots from afar. Was it hope or something worse?

 

"What the ?!" The man started shouted orders to his men. 

 

The door slammed open. Revealing the one responsible for the gunshots. It wasn't him. He was an older man, wearing similar uniform. He came towards me with keys. For once, I felt relieved and grateful. He unlocked my restraints. "You want you and your friend to live. Start running to the truck outside. I'll bring your friend with me. I promise." 

 

I thought of just bringing Jisoo out of here myself, but I didn't know where the hell I was and there was a high chance that the newcomer might kill me as well, so I obeyed. 

 

I found the car right outside and another soldier. He was young and tall. He approached me with a piece of bandage pointing to my finger. "Oh, thank you." 

 

"Please go inside," He said as he open the door of the car for me. I nodded and waited, hoping nothing went wrong. 

 

The ajussi came back with Jisoo in his arms, clothes all tattered and bloody. "Hurry! Hurry!" 

 

He led Jisoo inside. I took her in my arms. "Hyungnim, are you okay?" The young soldier asked the ajussi. "I'm fine. Just drive safely." He replied sharply, wrapping his wound with bandage. 

 

"What about Jungkook?" Jungkook? Jeon Jungkook? The one they kept on asking about earlier?

 

"Ah, hyung? He's back at the facility. He's waiting." The young soldier replied while taking a side glance at me. 

 

"Uhm ajussi, may I ask who Jungkook is?" I interrupted hesistantly. 

 

The ajussi gave me a surprised look. "I'll explain everything once we arrive at my facility. Please don't ask anything right now."  He coughed loudly. "And it's Colonel Rhee that youngster over here is Lieutenant Kim." 

 

"Alright, thank you for everything." I said softly. I was supposed to introduce myself, but he made it seem like the conversation was over. I went back to caress in my arms. 

 

--

"We're here," Lieutenant Kim annouced, waking me up from my sleep. Jisoo was still sound asleep. "She must have been really exhausted. She should have been awake by now.' He spoke as if he knew her with a hint of worry in his tone. "Uhm do you know Jisoo?" 

 

"Yes, she's an old friend." He revealed reluctantly. I nodded. Jisoo was keeping secrets how did she know of a North Korean soldier? I wondered, but it made me feel assured as I wasn't fully trusting of these men. 

 

"Let's go in," The young lieutenant carried Jisoo inside. With Colonel Lee, I entered the facility. It appeared quite similiar to the hospital. Slightly run-down. Dark and secluded. 

 

They led me into an office with a large North Korean flag hanging over the wall. "Please sit anywhere you life," Colonel instructed. 

 

"Would you life anything? Cofffee? Juice?" The Lieutenant offered. I refused. "Water will be fine, I guess." 

 

"Before anything else, would you like to tell us your name?" Colonel asked politely. 

 

"My name is Kim Roa," 

 

He nodded. "You have a pretty name," I smiled gently in reponse. "I assumed you're still in shock by all of this. Is your injuries okay?" 

 

"Yes, uhm, are we still in Seoul?" 

 

He batted his eyelashes. "No, no we are not. We are near the borders right now." 

 

"Borders? You mean we're in DMZ right now?!" I said taken back. 

 

He nodded. "Don't worry you're still in the South Korean territory. You are safe." He heartened. Am I?

 

"If it is okay with you, I'd like to go home with Jisoo preferably." I commended desparately. 

 

Colonel rubbed his hand together. "You see, Miss Roa. You are in a troubled position right now." He paused. "Without protection, the moment you leave this place. I guarantee that you will die." 

 

I shook my head. "I'm fine. Just let Jisoo go home," 

 

"The way you say you're fine with dying... is that the reason why you saved Jungkook?" He asked tiptoeing against what shouldn't be said in his terms. 

 

"Jungkook... The man in the alleyway who almost got shot... Right?" 

 

 "If it weren't for you, he'd be a dead man." 

 

"He's here isn't he?" 

 

"She's smart for a girl who stupidly gets in the way to get shot." In a spur of a moment, a man comes out from the shadows with arms crossed. Jeon Jungkook. Unlike the others, he wasn't wearing a uniform. Just a plain white shirt with black pants. He was wearing a thigh holster and a knife was sneaking out of his combat boots. He had that cerain aura around him. Cold, strong, powerful, and dangerous. His stance and grace was shaped to perfection. Anyone could tell he was a fighter. 

 

"Jungkook-ah," The Colonel reprimanded him but I didn't care. It was true anyways. Maybe he was better off dead. Like I was. 

 

"Why did I say something wrong?" He directed at me, glaring coldly, but he was subtle still weary of the Colonel. "Why did you save me? What do you want?" 

 

"Compensation money?" 

 

"An applause for a heroic deed?" He kept on taunting. He was no better monster than the man who held me hostage in the hospital. No better than the woman who ripped my fingertails off my fingers. I knew I was being a , but who could blame me? It was all his fault I got tied into this mess. There had to be a reason why someone was after his life. 

 

"So how can I get out of this situation?" I asked Colonel Rhee, ignoring the broody man in front of me. 

 

"I asked a question!" He let out an outburst. I scoffed. Who should be the one throwing tantrums right now?

 

"Because I wanted to die!" I countered with the same amount of temper. "That's why I saved you," 

 

"Why? Did you also want to die? Should I have left you alone?" 

 

He shamelessly smirked at my retort. "Then why didn't you just die? Why bring people into your troubles?" 

 

I narrowed my eyes at him. It's not my fault I keep coming back alive. I wanted none of this. Yes, I deserved his temper, but he didn't need to say that. It was needlessly painful. 

 

"I know... Why didn't I just die? Then maybe...they'd still be alive... right?' 

 

Everything went silent. Only the ventilation could be heard. This time I successfully prevented the tears from spilling out. I had enought of crying, thinking, and living. 

 

The defeaning silence was broken by Lieutenant Kim. "Jisoo's awake."