Days dragged by, as Seung Ho stayed in base camp together with the rest of what remained of his platoonmates. The North Korean side was surprisingly quiet the past few days, and some even assumed that they might have retreated and were even contemplating the idea of surrendering to their Southern counterparts, especially since they were running low on ammunition and oil.

“I’ll give them three days. Three days, and they’ll surrender.” Joon confidently declared, and the rest of the platoon nodded along.

“No, they won’t. They’ll fight on until the very last man in the country doesn’t survive. It’s pride before survival for them.”

“In a way, we’re quite similar, aren’t we? Sometimes both North and South Korea have the same ideologies, just expressed and displayed in different ways. They’re more extreme, which can’t be blamed since they’re communist after all.”

That was one point to contemplate, and Seung Ho considered that thought before his platoon sergeant came to look for him.

“Yang Seung Ho!”

“Yes sir!”

“We’re now sending you together with the other platoon ICs over to the enemy’s soil to attack Pyongyang and get as much information as possible out of the citizens there. Get ready and report to Lieutenant Nam over there, I’m giving you just one minute!”

“Yes sir!”

When both of them left, everyone else started to discuss this change in things in hushed tones.

“Do you think he was sent because he did something wrong the previous time, so they think that it’s okay to sacrifice him in such a dangerous mission?”

“Nah, I think they just have faith in him.” Joon watched as Seung Ho’s figure disappeared into the slight morning mist.

“He’s Yang Seung Ho after all. The guy who has a clear mind and straight goals – he’ll make a great leader.”

Seung Ho darted his eyes this way and that as his grip around his rifle tightened. There was chaos everywhere in the capital of North Korea, and he loathed disorder.

“What are you standing here for? Move it!” Someone hissed in his ear, and he got the message. He had no intention of staying in the middle of the mess either.

The South Koreans must had attacked the North for attempting to invade their soil the previous time, and he personally thought it was a bad idea, given that they didn’t even have a decent map to guide them around this ‘locked-up’ country.

However, he wasn’t in the mood to criticize his superiors’ strategies. Glancing at houses in the vicinity that still stood strong, he managed to avoid the flurry of bullets and flying grenades as he ran past some of the houses. Most of them were empty as the rich citizens, mostly generals and other high-ranking officials, had since fled for their safety, and he was giving up hope on finding any sign of life.

There was one house, however, that caught his attention. The lights were still switched on even though it was daytime, and Seung Ho stood in front of it, wondering whether to go in and check if there was any one inside, until a movement by the window caught his eye. He saw a girl peeping at the window and she gasped when she saw him.

“Gotcha.”

He made his way stealthily to the door and was glad to find it unlocked. The interior of the house was as expected of a rich North Korean family, and he couldn’t help but feel immense pity towards the poor citizens who slogged away just to feed these rich families who hardly moved a finger. There was no time to explore, no time to admire the paintings and photographs of the family that once resided here, not even time to play a piece or two on the grand piano which he loved to play. Seung Ho had memorized the position of the room which the girl was in, and he was certain that she must be alone, for she seemed terribly afraid. That would make things a lot easier for him.

As Seung Ho approached the room, he saw the girl facing the door, crouched in a corner of the room. As he moved forward and she came into closer view, he saw the sadness and fear in her eyes, and somehow the tears in them must have glistened in a way that made his heart soften. She was just a teenage girl who was helplessly defenseless, and a tinge of hope flickered across those brown eyes of hers as she hoped that he was could save her, get her out of this messy place.

With just one look, Seung Ho knew right there and then that there was no way he would leave her with his fellow soldiers, and he would fight to protect her if he needed to.