"Sir, we've crossed over into Korea."

Baekhyun stirred, now wide awake and looking around the interior of the glider – white, barren, fine but with little decoration. Korea, he remembered, South Korea. They had been one of the United Allegiance's first takeovers – they had fallen pretty quickly, and soon the UA had control over the nation in little over ten months. Of course, since then the Allegiances had had practice in taking over countries.

Baekhyun looked out the window, confused, seeing as they were still in the air. He looked at his assistant for an explanation.

"It's a formal landing; there will be cameras and politicians when you land. You need to get ready," Hwansuk explained, gesturing to the large bathroom behind them. Baekhyun groaned; it was a pain to wash out the eyeliner afterwards. Being trusted to watch over South Korea as Governor General was a big job and he wouldn't let his father down – he couldn't let his father down.

"We touch down in an hour!" Hwansuk threw over his shoulder as his companion rose from his seat. Baekhyun pulled the bathroom door closed behind him and stepped into the shower, stripping off his clothes and leaving them on the floor. His stylists would take care of that. The shower door closed automatically behind him, water turning on and spraying him in the face. Baekhyun winced. It was the reason he hated glider showers – the water was set to default “spray your face”. He adjusted the showerhead and reached for the hair products that had been left for him to use.

He had been to a few formal landings before, even less without another major official or politician accompanying him. However, the recent invasion and attack of Japan had led the United Allegiances to believe it was time. Now that they had control over half of the world, they would use their colossal power and many invaded nations to win the war against, well, everyone else.

It was complicated, but Baekhyun liked to try and make it otherwise. Do what he was told and he would be fine; he would stay alive. He never had to worry about much. He was on the right side – the winning side. Return to South Korea, they had told him. Of course, he couldn’t refuse. They shipped him off, only telling him that he was about to take over the very country where he was born mere hours before landing.

Baekhyun didn't really care, and that was the problem. He felt indifferent. He was born in Korea; he should feel a connection to the country, right? But taking over the nation, it left no impression on him. He scrubbed his hair in frustration, the shampoo dripping down his face.

"Are you done yet, Sir?" came a faint voice through the door of the bathroom.

"Almost!" Baekhyun called back, washing the soapy lather out of his hair. He shook his head, flicking droplets of water onto the shower door, and pulled on a silk bathrobe once the water turned off. The cold air hit his skin as the shower door opened automatically, the white floor feeling icy on his bare feet. Baekhyun shivered involuntarily.

The male sat down on his dressing chair as the stylists entered the room to dry and style his black hair. Soon the hair products and blow-dryer were put away and the makeup kits brought out. Baekhyun thought that they really only needed one - the things were huge and most of the things inside of them were useless.

"Sir, please close your eyes," she instructed.

Baekhyun inwardly groaned, but complied. The eyeliner was his least favourite part. It was the liquid type today, he was happy for that. The last time the stylists tried pencil eyeliner on him, it had him flinching in pain as the sharp tip dug into his eyelid. Even the liquid type was something to dread, it hurt like a if he got it in his eyes.

"Open, Sir," the stylist hastily added.

She only got it in his eyes twice, and of course it hurt, but at least it was over with. "I think we're done." She wiped her powder and blush coated hands on a towel. An automated voice came over the speakers telling them they would be landing in half an hour.

"Sir," one of the stylists uttered, handing him an outfit to put on. The door closed behind them as they left, makeup supplies packed up and ready to go. They would be staying here with them, he was told, along with Hwansuk, his assistant. Otherwise, he was alone. Baekhyun tried not to crease the expensive crisp black and white suit he was assigned to wear.

"Landing in five minutes," the automated voice came over the glider's intercom monotonously. Baekhyun actually hated the automated voice. He thought it was annoying.

"It's going to be a live broadcast," Hwansuk told him when his charge appeared in the main room, prim and proper, "on every South Korean television."

"If they can afford it," Baekhyun muttered under his breath, knowing that South Korea was not in its best financial state. That's how the Allegiances won it over so easily.

"Touchdown in one minute," the automated voice informed again.

"Be ready." Hwansuk patted his hand on the armrest. "We'll be giving you instructions and your speech over your earpiece. Don't mess up." As far as political assistants went, Hwansuk was more emotional than most.

The landing was smooth without any turbulence, the glider landing softly on the ground.

"We have now landed," the automated voice announced.

Hwansuk motioned for Baekhyun that it was time to go and the glider's ramp opened. "Good luck," he wished through the earpiece as the light filtered in through the door.

Seoul was a sunny city. It was relatively warm that day. Baekhyun could see that the lower military officials who were standing at salute for him were sweating through their heavy blue uniforms. Baekhyun was glad that his suit wasn't all black at least, lest the sun treat him with the same brutality. "Bow when you meet the president," Hwansuk ordered, his voice cackling slightly over the intercom.

His eyes skirted around, taking in the rows of supposedly important people standing at attention before him. Most of the men and women there looked the same: blank face, dull eyes, plain suit, refusing to look him straight in the eye. None of them really looked like a figure of authority. Then he realized that was because they weren't. He was.

One man in particular caught Baekhyun’s attention, and he was really more of a boy than a man. He was standing beside two other officials dressed the same as him. He didn't look much older than Baekhyun himself, with the same blank expression and plain suit as the others. His entire outfit was black, as if a storm cloud had thrown up on him. He must've been boiling from the heat. Baekhyun watched him for a second, the sunlight casting shadows across the angular panes of his cheekbones. He had a brooch pinned to his chest above his heart, Baekhyun noticed. Not the usual symbol of the Phoenix that the UA used. It was what seemed to be a flower, soft and pink. It was a pretty little thing even without the jewels and gold that Baekhyun's pins were made of. A flower, seemingly harmless, though all the same it unsettled him. Baekhyun's eyes lifted up to meet two others, dark and angry. Disobedience, they screamed.

"I am deeply honoured to be in your country," Baekhyun recited and bowed when he approached the three officials. All the people, including reporters and standby, stood up and bowed back deep to him.

"We are honoured to have you," the tallest of the three before him replied. He was clearly the oldest, with quite a few wrinkles along his face and wisps of white hair, whilst the other two looked like they were still young and fresh. "It is of the highest esteem to have the son of an official enter our country."

There it was again. The 'Son Of' permanently tacked to the back of his name. 'Baekhyun? Who's that?' they would have asked. 'Oh, don't you know who his father is?' The truth was Baekhyun was nothing without his father. But his father was still everything that his son was and more – even without Baekhyun.

An official guided him to the podium set up in the blistering heat. The back of his dress shirt was sticky with sweat by now. "Don't mess up, kid," Hwansuk murmured to him over his intercom before he started reciting the speech for Baekhyun to repeat to the audience in front of him.

"To our citizens of beautiful South Korea, we are honoured for you to have given us the opportunity to help your country. Troubled times are approaching. The United Allegiances welcomes another grateful addition to our family. The Insurgence has gained land with the invasion and conquering of Germany, but as usual, unity will prevail. We thank you for offering to aid us in our battle against the unfortunate souls that lack the courage to try new things. Our world is waiting for us; it is time for us to take it back. This coalition between the United Allegiances and South Korea will bring us both prosperity and peace. While the United Allegiances gains another valued ally, South Korea gains a friend." Protection. Protection was what they gained, not a friend. Protection against the UA attacking them until eventually they fell. This was just an easy way to avoid a war they would no doubt lose; surrendering before the battle.

"We are overjoyed with the return of President Kim to office," Baekhyun motioned to the oldest of the three men, "and with the employment of his two sons to the government.” So, that's who they were. Now that he looked at it, they did all look similar.

"The United Allegiances looks forward to working with you and your people. This partnership will hopefully bring us both long lasting friendship. As a special thank you to our dearest partners, the leader of the Allegiances himself sends the people of Korea a message from Moscow."

Baekhyun turned towards the projection in the air behind him, the air crackling to life as the images blurred into a video. "Welcome to the United Allegiances," a man addressed, dressed in a blue suit and smiling widely. His eyes crinkled at the corners and his cheeks creased in multiple places, showing age. "Unfortunately, Dr. Choi is unable to make it today. I will be taking his place in delivering this message." It was always like this, the leader of the Allegiances always unable to make it. Being the leader of such a large group would make him busy, but Baekhyun thought that at least one person should know what the famed Dr. Choi looked like.

An hour of multiple other speeches, presented by people Baekhyun felt he should remember but had already forgotten, passed and the cameras were turned off. Baekhyun was ushered into the sleek black car waiting for him nearby. He was on the lookout for Hwansuk, but he and the stylists were to remain in the aircraft until all the officials and cameras were gone. Baekhyun sighed against the leather seats, watching a variety show on the rear-view mirror. The multi-purpose device was also displaying miniature images of a map of the city, centered on their current area, the weather, road conditions, among other little things along the side of the screen. The driver noticed his boredom and tapped on the mirror a few times, settling on a news story about President Kim be re-elected into office.

"The President beat out his opponent, Mr. Han, by only a thin margin. President Kim is unable to attend, as are his sons, because of the landing of United Allegiance’s official-" the driver tapped on the mirror again, instead settling on enlarging the map. The older gentleman must have sensed Baekhyun’s increasing boredom. From his spot in the back of the vehicle, he watched the streets of Seoul zoom by, still crowded, but not as much as he expected. The upcoming war and recent invasion played part in the poverty and debt rising in the recently captured country. The FlyOver line in Korea was much less busy than what he was used to in other parts of the world. The compartments zooming along the thick metal wire on the side of the road were less in number. Baekhyun thought he should have been enjoying the sights of a new city - but then again, it was nothing he hadn't seen. The skyscrapers and buildings, intersections and the hustle and bustle of being on time.

"Sir, we have arrived," the driver told him, stopping beside the entrance of a large, looming skyscraper. "Your penthouse is on the fourteenth floor to the sixteenth. Your possessions with be brought over shortly via. FlyOver and dropped off at the front desk. They will notify the movers and you when it arrives." He pressed a button on the dashboard, opening Baekhyun's door. "Enjoy your stay."

"And my . . . staff?" Baekhyun asked hesitantly. "Will they be staying with me?"

The driver remained quiet for a moment, hands fidgeting with his pristine, white gloves. "If you wish, Sir."

Baekhyun rarely used position against others but he would much rather have the presence of at least a few familiar faces with him during his stay. "I would like them to be housed in my building with me."

"I will send a message, Sir. They should arrive on the FlyOver and their possessions will be brought along with yours," he pulled up a holographic keyboard on the dashboard, starting to type out the message. "Have a nice day, Sir."

The door closed behind Baekhyun automatically, the car immediately zooming away. Baekhyun craned his neck to look at the impossibly tall building in front of him. The door scanned his eyes on impulse and opened for him. The lobby looked like too much effort - and money - had been put into it.

"Welcome, Sir." The receptionist smiled widely.

The elevator took his EyeScan and automatically zoomed up to the fourteenth floor. The doors opened into a huge living room, the far entire far wall dedicated to being a giant window looking out over Seoul. There was a formal dining room through the mahogany doors on his right, and the kitchens were tucked away into the left corner, hidden away from view. Baekhyun paused. He didn't bring any maids or cooks with him. He had Hwansuk and his three stylists.

The door dinged and standing close enough to it, Baekhyun opened it by hand. He saw Hwansuk, Hyoyeon, Sulli and -

"Where's Bom?" he asked, confused. Instead of his familiar stylist there was a male in her place, blonde-haired with a purple streak.

"We can't discuss this here." Hwansuk shut the door, ushering them all in. His usually playful face was serious and Baekhyun knew something bad had happened.

"This is Key, your new stylist," Hwansuk introduced, and said stylist bowed deeply.

"But where's Bom? What happened to her?" Baekhyun pushed. Hwansuk glanced at the other two stylists beside him. Sulli was clutching Hyoyeon's hand as if her life depended on it, her face pale. Key's eyes were wide and Hwansuk's breathing came in irregular gasps.

"Calm down," Baekhyun put a hand on the assistants shoulder, sitting him down on the couch. "Just breathe, Hwansuk, breathe." He couldn't risk another asthma attack now. Baekhyun rubbed Hwansuk's back for a few minutes until his breath returned to normal and he slumped back against the couch.

"We're in a dangerous situation right now, kid," he said. The rest of the stylists each found a seat on the couch, carefully, as if they weren't allowed to touch it. Baekhyun swallowed. Something was wrong.

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking at Hwansuk. The assistant removed his hands from his face, eyes intensely staring into Baekhyun's.

The younger male swallowed again. His mind wasn't functioning properly. Everything was jumbling together; words, thoughts, places, names, faces, numbers, dates, times. "Where's Bom?"

"We had to go through a security background check," Hwansuk continued.

"Where is she?" Baekhyun pressed. "What happened to her? Is she on another FlyOver?"

"They . . . she didn't pass," he answered.

"But she's my stylist! She hasn't done anything!" Baekhyun protested.

Hwansuk eyed him, expression unreadable. "Listen, kid, the world is a dangerous place. The United Allegiances are going to go to war with the Insurgence before the snow melts. Both sides are trying to get as much help for the war as possible. The rebels are acting up."

"Rebels?" Baekhyun asked, and regretted it.

"Not everyone in the countries that the United Allegiances capture wants to go to war," Hwansuk explained. "Some want to be their own country. Some don't want their brothers and sisters to get killed fighting for a cause they don't believe in. And you know the how the Allegiances work."

"You can't say no," Baekhyun recited.

Hwansuk smiled bitterly. "Well, you can say no, kid. See, that's the problem. You can say yes and go along with it or you can say no."

"And?" Baekhyun continued. "And what happens if you say no?"

Hwansuk's gaze dropped back to his hands. "There are cameras in here."

"I know," Baekhyun said.

"Go to bed, kid, it isn't safe to talk about this here," Hwansuk stood up, leading Sulli and the rest of the stylists away. The girl was leaning on him heavily, still in shock.

"Then where is it safe to talk about?" Baekhyun called after them.

Hwansuk looked at him over his shoulder. "Go to bed, Baekhyun. She’s . . . She's in a better place."

It was the first time Hwansuk had used his real name outside of formal press conferences and meetings. Baekhyun watched with wide eyes as the EyeScan opened the elevator doors and the four of them were taken down to the thirteenth floor. He toyed with the symbol of the Phoenix - the symbol of rebirth, the symbol of the United Allegiances - pinned to his chest before unclipping it and dropping it on the table. He started up the stairs to his bedroom on the second floor as Seoul's nightlife started up, lights appearing everywhere. Climbing down again, he tapped on the window, a map appearing by his hand. His penthouse was only a twenty minute drive to the nation's legislative building.

He tapped on the window again, a more detailed map coming up, showing him attractions and the traffic. He pulled the maps to the side and tapped on the window again. This time it was a news channel broadcasting the weather. Baekhyun drew his hand back and watched for a while before heading up the stairs, taking the Phoenix pin with him. His hand slipped from the railing, badge falling from the stairs when the weather was interrupted by an urgent national message.

"Breaking news - President Kim has been found dead in his family penthouse."

~

June 14

He should've known. He should've seen it coming. The United Allegiances had South Korea now. The war was looming over them. He should’ve known. This could have all been stopped. He should've thought forward, thought about what would happen when the world was divided in two. He should have predicted each side beginning to conquer countries as their own, to prepare for an oncoming war. He should've known the minute the ammunition production took an abrupt turn, the business roaring to life all of a sudden. Should've seen from the way the Allegiances captured so many countries - his own included. The signs were everywhere.

He should've known that the drafting would start.

Sehun wasn't ever particularly strong. He wasn't exactly weak but that's how he felt when the soldiers came to his village.

"Hyung, it's scary!" a little boy whined, gathered into a ball by the edge of the lake.

"Sehun-ah, you have to learn." The older boy gently glided to the edge, picking the smaller boy up. "Don't you ever see me and Dad playing in the lake? Isn't it fun?"

The little boy nodded. He had seen them splashing each other and racing. They fished sometimes too. When they went fishing they would come back with tons of fish and their mother would cook it for them. Sehun would feel bad that he couldn't help but then his mother would let him start the fire so they could cook it traditionally. 'You did the most work out of all of us,' his brother would smile, offering him a fish. Sehun wanted to join in too, but the water was too much.

"I'll drown!" He pulled against the arms holding him. "I'll fall!"

"No, you won't," the other rolled his eyes. "You see, your other friends do it all the time. Taemin does it all the time."

"Taemin's older than me!" the little boy argued, pounding his little fists against his brother's chest to no avail.

"Only by a year," was the reply with an eye roll. "Don't worry, Sehun-ah, once you learn it'll be easy as counting!"

"But what if I can't do it?" he whimpered. "They were telling scary stories at school about how somebody died here when he was learning to swim. And his ghost is still here! He'll kill us!"

"Do you know why that boy died?" His brother leaned in close. Sehun shook his head, wet hair whipping the elder's forehead in the process.

"Because he didn't have an older brother to pull him out of the water!" he exclaimed. "Don't worry, I won't let you drown."

He offered him a forearm to hang onto as they drifting around the water. "Here, hold onto my arm and don't let go. Until you learn to swim, you have to hold on to me, okay? And don't let go, or else you’ll drown."

And Sehun obeyed. He grabbed his brother's arm when the soldiers came and didn't let go. He felt like a little child again, learning to swim. Without his brother, he would drown. And it was happening again. He couldn't let them take him away. If he let go then the soldiers would take him away and Sehun couldn't survive without a brother - he would drown. And don't let go, or else you’ll drown, and don't let go, or else you’ll drown, and don't let go, or else you’ll drown, he chanted like mantra in his head.

"Let go!" they screamed, shoving him out of the way with their batons. Sehun couldn't tell what was happening with his head jumbled up, unable to make out anything from his left eye because of the blood dripping from a gash on his temple.

His Please's and No's were ignored as his grip loosened. Sehun shook his head, clamping on again like a child learning to swim, tightening his grip. One of the soldiers growled and eventually brought his baton down on him again, kicking him out of the way.

"Hyung!" he called. "Hyung!"

When the soldiers were gone and the village raided of their brothers, sons, fathers, nephews, he sat on the ground. His ribs ached from the kick the officer gave him. He thought his head was still bleeding but he couldn't tell if the wetness on his face was blood or tears. They looked at him in pity, the other villagers. They knew that his brother was all that Sehun had left, and now he was dragged off to fight in the war against the Insurgence. Sehun sat there for a while, lying on the ground where they left. No one made a move to help him. They left him there to cry.

"Liar," he spat at the dirt. "Liar. You said you wouldn't let me drown." His voice broke on the last word, choking on his sobs. He was starting to feel dizzy from his wounds and his vision was beginning to blur around the edges.

A hand rested on his shoulder, a sleeve gently wiping dirt and blood from his face, even though the gash was still bleeding and more dripped into his eyes. "Sit up," a quiet voice commanded. Sehun tried, but his hand slipped on the muddy ground and he fell back into the mud. How pitiful. He didn't bother getting back up but a moment later, his body was being lifted. He blinked blood out of his eyes and found himself sitting up again, a clean cloth being wrapped around his forehead.

Sehun's mind was still a bit fuzzy, but he tried to stand up anyways.

Jongin. The name came through his pain-filled mind like a small glowing orb of hope. Jongin could help him. Jongin had to help him. He would. Jongin would help him, right? He always helped Sehun when they were little. "Jongin," he murmured softly. "Jongin."

"Sit down," his helper urged. Sehun shook his head and then regretted it when the rest of the world shook with him. He grasped a wall for support and started walking. "I'm going to Seoul."

"You're in no condition to go anywhere," the stranger called from behind him, but Sehun went on through the rain.

Jongin.

~

"President Kim is dead."

"People don't just die for no reason."

"The Allegiances just took our country two months after his re-election. No one's happy with him."

"It wasn't his fault. It was either give in or engage in a war we wouldn’t win."

"Are you defending him?"

"Are you defending his murderer?"

"Let it go, Jongdae. His death doesn't matter anymore."

Jongdae braced his hands against the desk as his assistant left the room, pausing before he closed the door.

"After all, Korea has a new ruler now."

 

- - - 11.26.2014. 
- - - 4.3k