Chasing Liberty // Countryhumans North Korea fanfiction

Flowers For SH

1924

     If Korea had asked SH what she thought the most challenging part of revolting against Japan would be when she had first joined him, she would have thought it would be living in the wilderness, learning to fight, organizing their people into an army, or risking her life in combat. Or perhaps being hunted every day by military police who would like nothing more than to drag her back to her cage and make her regret ever leaving.

    She would not have guessed that it would be convincing a fellow province to do chores.

    “Just come with us to collect firewood,” SH said impatiently to South Chungcheong. “As long as we’re all doing it, it won’t take that long.”

    The girl looked up from her jasu hoop. “Get one of the men to assist you. It should be their task in the first place.”

    And she was still on this, even after Korea had scolded her for wanting to abstain from combat lessons.

     “It’s our job,” SH insisted. She put her hands on her hips, casting a look to where Korea was squatting in the snow with Hwang and Hae, pouring over some new books they had bartered for from Soviet merchants. He was paying no attention to the exchange.

     SJ touched her shoulder, whispering, “Maybe we should jus’…”

    “Leave’er alone,” NJ finished.

    The twins bore a deep dislike of the other girl, due to her constantly putting them down.

     “Sense from the bumpkins,” South Chungcheong said, doing just that. “Unexpected. I have more important things to do, anyways.”

    “Don’t call them that!” SH snapped, then took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

     The other province had gotten on her nerves from day one with her refusal to lift a finger to help. She insisted it was because there were some things women weren’t meant to do, but SH couldn’t help but notice that she also refrained from traditionally feminine tasks as well, such as cooking or helping mend their well-worn clothes. Usually she just worked on the embroidery she had brought with her, perched on a nearby rock or log as she looked down her nose at them all. No mean feat, considering she didn’t actually have one.

     And also, though SH wouldn’t let herself consciously admit it, seeing the beautiful flowers that South Chungcheong brought to life with her embroidery made her blood boil with jealousy. It didn’t help that when she had asked her to teach her, the girl had coldly refused.

      It would probably be easier (and more enjoyable) if she simply relented and took the two Jeollas and maybe South Pyongan to collect wood for the fire tonight. It would mean they would spend a bit longer in the cold, but at least they wouldn’t have to deal with South Chungcheong.

    SH couldn’t, though. Korea wanted them all to get along, and wanted the female Chungcheong to get more involved. If they constantly gave her what she wanted by excluding her, she’d never come around.

     “Can you please just come with us?” she tried again, putting a pleasant smile on her face. “You can work on your embroidery later.”

    South Chungcheong flicked her eyes up in such a cutting way that SH knew she was about to say something cruel.

   She wasn’t prepared for how cruel, though, as the other girl snootily said, “You may have no other skills than lying on your back, but that does not mean that I must resort to menial chores.”

    The words cut straight to SH's core, flaying her like a knife. She heard the Jeollas gasp, but couldn’t bring herself to respond with anything other than an astonished gape.