ETHEREAL - DUTY AFTER SCHOOL. KIM SU GYEOM a.k.a KWON IL HA

11. Promises That Couldn't Be Kept

함께 지켜주겠다고 약속했잖아요!

You promised me to protect her together!

"What happened?" No Eul came splitting the crowd of classmates. She gasped when she saw Won Bin who was lying on the floor with a bloodied shoulder.

"Go get the blood-stopper!" "Yeon joo-ya, the blood-stopper!" Yoo Jung screamed while crying, luckily Yeon Joo brought the first aid kit in her hands that she used to treat No Eul.

The others shifted their gaze to Yoon Seo, one of the survivors, who got the rifle in her hand, her body shaking. "Darn, it." Il Ha with an angry face, trotted to the girl but No eul's voice stopped him.

"Il Ha-ya." She said in a raspy voice, shaking her head at him. He cursed under his breath and glared at Yoon Seo.

"No, It's not my fault. The adults are to blame. It's not my fault. It's not—" Yoon Seo said with a trembling voice and unfocused eyes, looking at the sad and angry looks from the others. She kept repeating her words and dropped her body to the floor.

No eul slowly stepped her feet to the shaking girl, crouched in front of her, and slowly shifted the rifle away from her. She looked at her with concerned and sad eyes, slowly wrapping her arms around her shoulders, and patting her back without saying any words.

Yoon Seo sobbed, lingering her arms on No eul's waist, gripping tight her uniform. The others stared at them with heavy hearts.

*** 

"How did it go?" No eul sat in the female dormitory next to So Yeon with the others. Yeon Joo came after treating Won Bin, she sat next to Soon Yi. "How's he?" So yeon asked her worried. "He's all right." Yeon Joo nodded, and her words made sighed, assuring them. "Goodness." "What a relief."

"Guys, what if they end up shooting us too?" Joon Hee next to So Yoon and in front of Soon Yi, her back facing the sleeping Yoon Seo and her friend who caressing Yoon Seo's hair, said knitting her brows, hugging a pillow. "Hey, lower your voice. They might hear you." So Yoon snapped at her, nudging her elbow.

"I'm just anxious, that's why." Joon Hee whined. "But I understand her in a sense. It was like she took the words right out of my mouth." Soon Yi said sadly, looking at Yoon Seo. "Platoon leader wants to see us all." Yoo Jung came in and informed them and they gathered in the library.

***

"As soon as the sun rises tomorrow, we will withdraw and return to the camp." Lieutenant Lee told them with a flat look.

"What?"

"Can we do that?"

"What about the mission?"

"I can't guarantee your safety here. We can't even figure out how many spheres are out there. And if they attack us all together we won't able to handle them." Lieutenant Lee added, So yeon immediately gripped No eul hand who was next to her. The latter turned to her and smiled assuring her best friend.

"Look, Lieutenant. With what happened last time, won't you get in trouble if you keep disobeying orders?" Deok Joong asked, knitting his eyebrows with a concerned look and the other shifted their gaze quickly to their leader.

"I've just decided that your safety is the current priority. I'll take responsibility. Don't worry. The sentinels should make sure to keep the guard on alert. The rest should go to bed. We'll take off right when the morning comes. That's all." He said in a gentle voice and left them confused.