Everything felt like it was moving excruciatingly slow.  Painfully slow.  I squeezed my eyes shut until I saw white spots behind my eye lids.  Maybe I could push all thoughts out of my head so that I could just grab him by the hair and slam my mouth into his.  Pin him to the floor and…whoa.  Not ok.

                I couldn’t.  I couldn’t do that.

                We were frozen in time.  I eased my eyes open a slit.  He was looking down.  Appearing as tormented as I was.

                He has a girlfriend.  He has a girlfriend.  He has a girlfriend.  He has a girlfriend.  He has…ooh, he tastes good. 

                His kiss did something to me.  His body willed mine closer.  I melted into him.  Hooking the backs of his knees with my feet, he met me halfway.  His hands settled on the exposed skin between the bottom of my tee shirt and the hem of my pants.  His fingers were icy hot as they dragged over my back.

                I told myself, he has a girlfriend.

                Pressing even closer, I locked my fingers together at the nape of his neck.

                I told myself, you just met him.

                My heels dug into his legs and forced him forward.

                He has a girlfriend.

                I almost fell off the shelf.  He broke the kiss by taking a breath and pressing his lips to the crook of my neck.

                “I’m sorry,” he breathed into my ear a moment later.

                The scoff got caught in my throat.  I’m not sorry.  Not one bit.

                For that, though, I was sorry.

                “M-me too,” I replied, chin on his shoulder.  If I looked into his eyes, it would just end up happening again.  I wanted it to happen again, badly.  I was sorry for that too.  “But, um, it’s just because we got caught up in the moment.  It’ll be ok.”

                I shivered when he nuzzled into my hair and slid his hands from my back onto my thighs.

                And then again when he pulled away from me.

                He stared deeply into my eyes.  Even in the dark, I could feel him searching my eyes for something.  “We leave early in the morning.  I should get some sleep, I guess,” he whispered.

                “You should.  It’s quite late.”

                He leaned in again and hugged me, helping me slide off the shelf.  I bounced up onto my tip toes to embrace him easier.

                Pulling back after pressing his lips to my forehead, he said, “Thanks for the good luck charm.”  He grinned and touched the pocket holding my bracelet.

                I nodded and stepped back, leaning against the shelf.  “Come back soon.”  I kept from saying ‘to me.’  Come back to me.  He wasn’t mine to begin with.  I sighed heavily after he’d disappeared from the room.  I looked up to the ceiling.  I’m going to Hell, aren’t I?

                I didn’t know any other Korean soldiers, but I noticed his friends had left the same day Seung Ri did.  A new batch of Korean soldiers came here temporarily to team up with the American soldiers stationed at our school.    

                On the second day, everyone gathered together on the second floor in one of the larger classrooms to watch the President’s speech.  Even the American soldiers wanted to see what our president had to say about this.  It was cramped and I was beginning to feel claustrophobic.  I hung in the back, kneeling on a desk to get a look at the whiteboard at the front of the room where the images from the laptop would be projected.

                A news website was streaming a report before the president’s speech.  Apparently we were big news back in the States.  The reporter who was speaking while we waited for the president to grace us with his presence introduced some images from Korea.  North Korean soldiers marching in goose step down streets.  Amateur videos that had somehow captured some of the fighting.  North Korean soldiers shooting like snipers at civilians.  At other soldiers, both South Korean and US soldiers.

                Just yesterday, the reporter began, a village in northern South Korea was demolished by a ‘stray’ missile.  Everyone went silent as we watched the images of the now ghost town in central Korea.  Buildings had crumbled in on themselves.  Houses were flattened and abandoned.  And the bodies.  Bodies were being carried from the streets, taken to hospitals where they could be identified.

                The last thing the reporter said before the president appeared was that some would never be identified.  Entire families were wiped out and with no one left to claim them, no one would ever know they were gone.

                The screen switched to a podium in front of the American seal.  The president stood tall with a solemn look on his face.  He adjusted his tie somewhat nervously and forced a smile to his audience.

                “Good morning,” he said with a nod.  “As you all know by now, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea, has been shooting missiles at the Republic of Korea or South Korea.  They also have been performing land attacks on border villages, seemingly forcing their way toward the capital of South Korea.”

                Seoul.  They were heading to Seoul.  What did they want with Seoul?  Were they really stupid enough to try and take over Seoul?  No one would ever let that happen.

                “The UN is currently discussing action,” the president continued, gripping the sides of the podium somewhat casually.  “The United States of America would like to add that we do not condone North Korea’s actions.  The proper persons will be held responsible for these crimes against humanity.”

                I hated when people used the word ‘persons.’

                “The United States has a large population of Americans living throughout South Korea, most in Seoul.  I want the Americans who are still in South Korea to know that we are doing all we can to get you home as soon as possible.  Until then, please know that you are in good hands, in a safe location and you will be taken care of until we can arrange for your departure.”

                The airports are closed.  Indefinitely.  The international airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, has been damaged by missiles.  How was he going to get us out of here unless he approved more flights out of the Air Force base?

                “We also have military units stationed at the Demilitarized Zone splitting North and South Korea.  They are now working side by side throughout South Korea with the Republic of Korea soldiers.  I want our men and women in uniform to know that I, as well as everyone in the USA, support you.  We back you.  And we thank you for your service.”

                This was beginning to sound like a kiss-off, I thought as I looked to the others in the classroom.  Everyone’s face was still.  Eyes glued to the screen.

                “You also have the support of many other countries such as England, Australia, and Canada.  As well as many other United Nations members.  Discussions are underway about sending reinforcements as soon as possible.”  With that the president bowed his head and walked off screen.  He didn’t even ask if there were any questions.  A short, pudgy man with a salt-and-pepper buzz cut in a military uniform covered in medals appeared in the President’s place and began taking questions.  What just happened here?

                The room remained silent for a moment long before the whispering broke out.  I sat back on my legs still on the desk top. 

                “I think the President just basically gave us the finger,” I heard a guy near me mutter.