"Every battle is won before it is fought."
(Sun Tze)

Mo Yeon was at a lost for words when she finally saw him–real and without fault. That was indeed him, the person she once loathed at first sight, until she herself fell in love with him, the person who took a bullet to save her, and the person who gave her the happiness she had once missed. The person who was supportive all the way, and the person she would want to spend her time through thick or thin.
That person–was none other than Major Yoo Si Jin.
*****
Si Jin walked in a swagger towards the trio, passing the line of his own men. His eyes focused on her briefly, but his expression was dark and serious. It was not like what she had last seen back home before she left, for right now, Si Jin was in his elements. He appeared in front of her as a commanding officer, not her boyfriend.
He passed by Mo Yeon and the two just like that, his eyes now focused entirely on his nemesis, who looked rather pleased with this small 'reunion'. Standing between Sun Yang and the trio, he stood in a rather relaxed stance, but deep inside his heart, he was well ready to act if anything went wrong–or if anything happened to Mo Yeon at any circumstances whatsoever.
"It's good to see familiar faces." Sun Yang began with a mocking tone. "You know, I was about to share our little story with your girlfriend over here, but look what the wind blew in. Speak your name, and here you are." He chuckled.
"I hope you don't spill out too much." Si Jin replied. "If you do, I don't know what I'll do next." And then, without looking back, he ordered his men. "All, form a line behind me!"
The soldiers immediately got to their positions in between the Major and the small group, guns poised towards the enemy. Sun Yang looked rather impressed by the spectacular discipline of the soldiers, but nothing mattered to him more than the man standing in front of him. It was a classic case of a Mexican standoff and Sun Yang's enjoying every moment of it. Risking his life over the group was not his intention, though. The doctor just happened to be there.
"Wow. Impressive." Sun Yang began, hands in his pockets.
"From now on, all of you are permitted to shoot....if anything happens to the group." Si Jin relayed his command, ignoring Sun Yang's rhetoric. "Baek Jungwi..." He called out.
"Ye, Soryeongnim."
"Take Wonsa Han and the doctors back to their vehicles. Hasa Park will follow you."
"Ye, algaesumnida." First Lieutenant Baek replied. Without further delay, the two men immediately escorted the three of them to their vehicle. Mo Yeon's bleeding leg was too painful to bear, causing Yoon Mi to have to help her out all the way to the humvee.
They reunited in the worst of all circumstances, and Mo Yeon was worried right now about Si Jin, who was confronting the terrorist who claimed to know Si Jin. She didn't want to leave without him, but she knew despite her best wishes that if she stayed, it would only put Si Jin in a precarious position. As they moved further away from Si Jin, Mo Yeon managed to look back at him, but he never looked back. All she saw was his back amidst the row of soldiers.
However, she can't just leave him back there without giving him some thoughts about her concern.
Stay safe, Si Jin-ah. I need you.
It was at that exact moment, when Mo Yeon was struggling to walk on her feet but her heart technically focused and worried for the man she loves, she saw him responding–not by words, but by his movements. He turned around, facing at her direction as their eyes met. It has been a long time since she had last seen his eyes–well, for ten days, but whenever his eyes caught hers, she could not stop feeling attracted to him. It was his weapon, but not only that, it was his way of expressing his sincerest thoughts to her.
And his eyes said–I will, Mo Yeon-ah.
That was more than enough.
Entering the humvee, Lieutenant Baek drove off back to the hospital. Mo Yeon could only watch in silence as the vehicle left the area, until the group of men from both sides disappeared from view.
*****
Assured that now Mo Yeon was safe, Si Jin turned his attention back to Sun Yang. "Looks like we're done here." Si Jin said. "All, fall back."
The soldiers lowered their arms slightly and backtracked in a cautious mode, fingers still trigger-ready. They retreated until they past the tree, and that was the point where hru finally relaxed their stance. As for Si Jin, he was still standing at the same spot, as if he had unfinished words to say to him. And unfinished words he had when he warned in a low octave, "I hope I don't see you again so soon. If we meet again, be rest assured–that you will not escape."
Si Jin's words were a mere simplistic warning to Sun Yang who had heard it way too many times. Still relaxed as ever, knowing that Si Jin won't do anything stupid without breaking UN laws, he took a few steps forward towards him, until they were so close to each other that he could hear the Major's heavy breath. Plastering a signature smirk on his battle-scarrer face, he placed his right hand on Si Jim's shoulder, tapping the part softly. "I think.....that we will. During that time, we'll see, who will prevail." Moving away finally after saying what he needed to, he turned around to his goons. "Alright, boys. Let's go home."
The rebels lowered their guns. Sun Yang turned back to Si Jin. "Well, Soryeongnim. You are free to go."
Si Jin, without hesitation, turned around and walked back to his borders.
"Just remember one thing, Si Jin." Sun Yang spoke aloud, causing Si Jin to stop in his tracks. Si Jin didn't look back though. "I have eyes all around you. Maybe you should be wise if you want to make a move on me." Sun Yang forewarned.
Si Jin just listened without a single word coming out of his mouth. When he understood it well enough, he replied. "Thanks for reminding me." Si Jin walked away just like that, together with his men he entered the humvees and the five armoured vehicles drove away from the scene.
"Why did you warn him?! Our sources are vital for our trade!" Khalid questioned in an angered tone as Sun Yang proceeded to his black SUV.
"He will know sooner or later anyway."
"But still, we can't simply–"
"You don't know the Major, Khalid." Sun Yang stopped him. He faced Khalid with a serious expression. "He can sniff out the smallest speck of dust. People like you..." Sun Yang opened the back door of the SUV, "....are no match for him." He showed off a smirk on his face before entering his ride.
*****
Uruk Capital Hospital
The humvee swerved through the corner of the entrance of the base and approached straight to the hospital, stopping just at the right moment when they reached the emergency bay of the hospital. The emergency team including Ja Ae and Dr Song received the patient, who was none other than Mo Yeon herself. As everyone unloaded from the humvee, all attention went to the wounded doctor who was limping all the way to the hospital's A&E department with the help of her fellow colleagues.
Dr Athena appeared moments later as the team led the patient through the hallway. She was about to follow up, but was blocked instantly, bumping instead to a large, muscular hand that was outstretched over her chest. She traced the owner of the hand, only to see First Lieutenant Baek who was glaring at her with suspicious eyes. "What are you doing, lieutenant?" She darted the question towards the lieutenant angrily in English.
"You are not allowed to touch our countrymen anymore, doctor." Lieutenant Baek replied crisply. "Anyone who dares to touch our people....will be dealt with."
"You are out of your mind! I didn't hurt her!"
"Then tell that to the Major when he arrives." Lieutenant Baek simply walked away from her after that, followed closely by his men towards the hallway.
As for Dr Athena, she was bewildered by the lieutenant's words. She was furious of course, but her mind was more worried about the condition of the doctor. Somehow, she felt guilty about it even though she did not do it. However, her guilt was not based on that, but rather for the actions of those rebels that were sadistically inhumane to shoot unarmed doctors. Unfortunately, she couldn't do anything about it, for there was someone she knew who was also in the rebel group.
That person was the reason for the soldiers' cold treatment towards her, and there was nothing she could do about it to regain their trust. The ignorant fool had caused too much damage already to the UN, so it was rather obvious why soldiers hate her, especially Sergeant Major Han Yeol. However, this time, the cold treatment went to new heights, all because of a wounded Korean doctor.
And yet again, there was nothing she could actually do.
Disappointed by that fact, the only thing she could do right now was just to turn around and return to her office, and pretend as if nothing had happened. She did just that, and in a frustrated move, she dragged her feet away from the hallway.
*****
"This will sting a bit." Ja Ae reminded Mo Yeon as she carefully removed the bloodstained bandage that was tied across her wound. The bandage was just a simple handkerchief, and Han Yeol tied it really well along the way to the hospital.
Sitting on the side of the hospital bed, Mo Yeon gripped the white bedspread tightly, her face showing signs of strain as she tried to bear the pain of the wound on her left leg while Ja Ae in a crouched position unwrapped the handkerchief. Eventually, the handkerchief came off, revealing the wound on her leg that was caused by a stray bullet scrapping her skin. The wound though wasn't deep, but the damage made by the bullet was more than enough to severe the blood capillaries of her skin, and a layer of skin removed in a slunting horizontal cut. Blood continued oozing out from the wound, and the pain was really unbearable.
"Aigoo, jinjja! How did you get into this situation, Mo Yeon-ah?" Dr Song opened his mouth. "This is definitely not the first time, and from the way you are doing it, you will definitely get more wounds in the future!"
"Mianhamnida, sunbaenim, but rather than talking like this to me, wouldn't it be better if you can check on Yoon Mi? She went through a lot." Mo Yeon spoke softly, trying very hard to hold the pain as Ja Ae patted antiseptic on her wound using a pair of tweezers and a cotton patch.
"Aish, this hoobae! Still concerned about others more than yourself." Dr Song interjected with a scoff. "Yah, imagine what Si Jin would feel if he sees you lke this."
Mo Yeon simply stayed silent, letting her thoughts cloud her mind.
*****
A few minutes after the humvee bringing Mo Yeon arrived at the hospital, the five strike vehicles returned back to base. While the four humvees went to the side of the base, Si Jin's ride stopped behind the parked humvee at the emergency bay. He appeared out of the vehicle first even before the driver could shut off the engine, and he rushed inside the hospital to find her.
It was nurse Choi Min Ji that noticed him first, when he ran past her in the hallway. At first, she thought that she was seeing things, but she had seen his face long enough to know how he looked like. Besides, he's in China. He couldn't appear in two places at the same time. However, she was pretty sure this time that she saw him. Turning around, her questions were answered when she saw his side profile at a distance, asking a local nurse for directions. That made her open her mouth wide.
Si Jin made his way to the emergency department, crossing paths with his fellow men who were on the verge of leaving the hospital, ignoring their salutes. He simply went ahead with only one person in mind. Trying his best not to go overboard with his emotions, he finally reached his destination and proceeded towards the section of the bed that was covered with curtains. Without hesitation, he pulled the curtains away, surprising everyone inside the space.
He was at the right spot. Three familiar faces, but only one mattered to him.
"I told you, sunbaenim. He's really here." Si Jin heard her talking to Dr Song, who was staring directly at Si Jin with a surprised expression. Ja Ae too was surprised too herself, although not as much as Dr Song.
He went into the space, gently closing the curtains this time. "Gwaenchanayo, Mo Yeon-ah?" He asked with a soft tone, his eyes entirely focused on Mo Yeon.
"Jal jinaeyo...Yoo Si Jin-sshi." She replied with a relieved smile.
I'm fine, she said. Yeah, right. Her leg was wounded, and of all the pain she was bearing, she could still say that she was fine. It angered him and also hurt him deep inside his soul, for she didn't want to burden him so much about petty little things like this. It angered him for not being able to protect the person he loves when situations arise, and it hurt him to see her returning with scars she don't deserve to get.
The only thing he can do right now, was to give her comfort.
And then, without any second thoughts or even care of the people around him, he approached the doctor and clutched her in his grasp in a tight embrace, wrapping her protectively in her arms. "Mianhaeyo...." He whispered in a soft tender tone to her ear. "I didn't come to you sooner."
He really hated himself for being so careless. If only he had arrived sooner, then Mo Yeon wouldn't be wounded at the leg. He felt so disgusted at himself, a so-called soldier who claimed to protect young children, beautiful women and the elderly, but he can't even protect the woman he loves from the hands of the rebels. It was just one simple task, and yet he failed to deliver his duties perfectly. Not only that, the wound came from the guns of the men his former ally controlled. He hated himself for it. The pain was unbearable.
As his emotions began to overrun his thoughts, eyes began to get wet, suddenly, he felt the soft touch of her hands wrapping around him, enclosing him into her cocoon of tender embrace. He heard the sound of footsteps and then the sound of the curtains being pulled, and then silence fell after that. However, nothing mattered to him more than what she had to say. Every word from her was important to him. "I don't care about that, Si Jin-ah. All I want....is for you to be with me. Here you are, hugging me right now."
Si Jin pulled away from the loving embrace, squaring his arms as he took a close look at her face–still as beautiful as ever, and her gentle smile that warmed his heart. He was so close to her, that their noses nearly touched. His eyes caught hers, those brown eyes that only the Gods can possess, and it bore a deep hole into his heart. "You are beautiful today." He spoke softly, rubbing her cheek gently with his thumb. "Mianhae. I couldn't protect you like I promised."
"Don't be. It's just bad luck." She replied, crossing her hands around the back of his neck. "You are skinny." She spoke, feeling the slight bumps from the back of his neck. "Is the exercise hard? Did you rest well?"
It was only when she spoke about it he remembered how much weight he had lost for the past gruelling ten days in Manchuria. The exercise was harder than anticipated, and the team barely did well. He had only a few hours of sleep nearly everyday, and it certainly contributed to his weight loss, albeit a small amount. Plastering a smirk in his face while rubbing her hand with his right hand, he answered, "I can't deny that. I did not rest well. However, the thought of you is the only thing that kept me going." He broke glances as he bent down slowly to a knee to check on her wound. He touched it slightly, and it was all it took to make her retract her leg slightly. He looked up at her face. "This looks bad."
"Gwaenchana. It hurt only a little." She replied, feigning a smile on her face when the inside of her was crying sick of the pain.
"Liar." Si Jin retorted as he looked at the wound, lifting her leg a little from the heel. "I got gunshot wounds before, and you saw how bad it looks. Don't lie to me that it's not painful, because even a scratch from it already makes you bleed." He took the tweezers and began dabbing antiseptic on her wound carefully.
"What are you doing?" She questioned as she tried ro bear the pain.
"I'm doing first aid. This doctor needs treatment, and I will deliver it." He said to her while staring at her at the same time, winking his left eye playfully before continuing with his thing. "I should have been a doctor back then. Look what I'm doing now." He let out a soft chuckle, tickling Mo Yeon's heart.
Same old Yoo Si Jin. Still as witty as ever.
Mo Yeon let him apply the antiseptic, as she watched from above the way he did his first aid. It was her first time seeing him doing this, and she had to admit that despite all the pain she was experiencing, he actually did really well, dabbing in a careful yet tender movement. Pain slowly disappeared from her thoughts when she watched him, completely mesmerised by his caring ways.
To think that she had dumped him at the café that day because of their different philosophical thoughts. How dumb she was back then.
Then, all of the sudden, the first aid treatment became like a romantic affair to Mo Yeon, a chance for the two to continue where they left off ten days ago. As she watched him applying a bandage on her leg, her mind rewinded back to the time at the airport all the way to the present, and she realised that the gap was just too wide to fill. Well, it didn't matter to her anymore, now that he is here, so they can slowly fill the gaps together. Maybe make some new memories too.
"Done." He said finally. "This wound should heal perfectly, but it will leave a scar." He glanced at her playfully. "Looks like your leg's not pretty anymore. Your legs moved pretty well that night, when we were 'together'."
"Aish, you byuntae!" Mo Yeon cried out loudly when she realised what he was talking about. Then, she remembered something. "Speaking about gunshot wounds, it's such a coincidence, right? I mean, I got shot here previously, and now, I am shot again on the same land!" She let out a soft giggle. "How ironic, right? Now, I have two gunshot wounds. Wow, what a feat!"
"Bullets like you, it seems. You've become the centre of attention ever since you're wit–" He immediately paused when he realised that he nearly slipped the words out of his mouth, the words he was not supposed to say to her.
"With what?"
"Uh...nothing. Are you okay now? Can you walk now?" He asked in one quick succession, distracting her from the topic.
However, Mo Yeon was no fool to his tricks anymore. She eyed at him with a slight suspicion. She wanted to press him to tell, but later decided against it since she didn't actually feel like knowing what he had to say at this point. So, she did what he wanted her to do. Standing up was the easy part, but after two steps, she found herself tripping to the pain, only to be caught by the swift hands of Si Jin. "It hurts." She complained.
"Looks like you will have to wait until it heals. You can't walk straight for the next few days."
"Mwo?! Next few days?! Am I using the wheelchair now?! No way!" Mo Yeon pushed away from his hold and sat back on the bed.
Si Jin thought for a moment, and finally came up with a 'wonderful' solution–a solution in which he would enjoy doing for the rest of his life, or for as long as she couldn't walk right. "Well, I have a solution for that problem, but I don't know whether you will like it though."
"Jinjja? What's the solution then?"
Si Jin didn't answer. Instead, he slowly let out a rather wittiful smirk, and that made her totally puzzled of what he was trying to do now.
*****
"You are not serious, right?" Mo Yeon questioned with a weird expression.
"Mworayo? It's a great idea! Besides, I get to be with you all the time!" Si Jin replied back with his signature smirk.
"Anigodeun, it's not! Now, put me down! You are embarrassing me!"
"I won't." He answered. "I'm going to do this everyday, until the day you can walk. And don't feel embarrassed, because it still doesn't change the fact that I love you more."
"You're nuts!"
"Yeah, I am, because of you. Now, shall we go upstairs?"
"Mwo?! Jamkkanma–"
"Here we go!" Si Jin interjected before Mo Yeon could even finish her words. Si Jin began sprinting along the hallway, while carrying Mo Yeon bridal-style in front of everyone in the hospital.
That act did not go unnoticed by the three colleagues Dr Song, Ja Ae and Min Ji though, as they watched the weirdly couple doing something out of the ordinary. Their actions made them totally speechless, indescribeable beyond words. "Aigoo, I really want to break them up." Dr Song exclaimed with a loud sigh, placing his hands in the pockets of hiams brown trousers.
"They are too close." Ja Ae spoke next. "Just like kids out of kindergarten."
"I....I really want to see them married! Oh, this is so romantic!" Min Ji joined her palms together, her face showing an expression of awe. Little did she know that her words only made Dr Song and Ja Ae to glance at that young nurse in a weird way.
"Gosh, this is worst than a plague." Dr Song muttered as he walked away to his left, shaking his head.
"A bunch of grown-up babies! Aigoo!" Ja Ae walked away to her left, leaving only Min Ji all by herself as she watched the couple twirling around in a happy aura at a distance like a couple, earning sone whispers and giggles from the people in the hospital.
"Yah, put me down! Put me down, you pabo! PUT! ME! DOWN!" Mo Yeon"s cries can be heard echoing across the hallway.
*****
"Gwaenchanayo, Yoon Mi-ah?" Yeung Joon placed a hand on Yoon Mi's shoulder as he sat beside her on the hospital bed at her ward.
"Ye, gwaenchana." Yoon Mi responded with a weak smile.
"She's having momentary shock." Yoon Mi's colleague Tae Jin spoke while scribbling something on his report file. "She's not okay...for now."
Yoon Mi instantly glanced at her friend, her eyes wide. "I'm okay, Tae Jin. Look at me, I'm perfectly alright!"
"Yeah, right. That nurse dropped her tray and you got spooked as if you had seen a ghost." Tae Jin retorted. "And also, why didn't you tell me that you have a boyfriend? You got me surprised when you say that soldier is your man."
"There's a reason why I didn't tell you, and it's because of that mouth of yours." Yoon Mi teased. "Secrets always spill out everytime you talk, that's why."
Yeung Joon snorted when he heard her talk like that, causing the doctor to glance at him. He was quick enough to notice the doctor's stare and immediately apologised for his rudeness. "Mianhae. I was rude."
"Whatever. I'm used to it already. Yoon Mi here..." Tae Jin darted his eyes on her suspiciously, before arching his back feigning an attempt to whisper. "...had a boyfriend too." Tae Jin giggled softly as Yeung Joon nodded his head slowly with a playful smirk.
"Yah! You blittering–"
"Oh God! Patient trying to kill me! Got to go!" Tae Jin playfully left the ward before Yoon Mi could throw a pen. However, before Tae Jin left the room, he wittifully displayed a 'Good' symbol with his left hand, grinning widely behind Yeung Joon's back. Only when Yeung Joon turned around Tae Jin stopped, and left the ward to give them some space.
With Tae Jin gone, there were only two in the brightly-coloured room, up close and personal. However, instead of proceeding with a couple talk, Yeung Joon was more than interested to know who that former boyfriend of hers was. He gave her a 'serious' look, tilting his head sideways a little as he arched forward until he was absolutely close to her face, noses nearly touching. Yoon Mi instinctively retreated with a surprised expression. "Yah, Yeung Joon-ah, mwohaneungoya?"
"Looks like someone over here had a boyfriend, I see. Tell me–how did he look like?"
"Waeyo? Does it matter now? We broke up already. The guy dumped me." Yoon Mi replied nervously, not knowing what intention he was trying to do behind the look of his eyes. In fact, the super-closeness between them was making her absolutely shaken to the core, because his eyes were so focused on her that she could feel his aura overwhelming her mind to submission.
"Well, I need to know who he is, because that guy is so stupid to dump such a beautiful woman like you." Yeung Joon spoke with a hidden agenda.
Yoon Mi stared at him suspiciously, wondering if he was telling the truth. "Jinjja?" She questioned. "What will you do when you meet him?" She went on, testing the waters.
Her reply to the question was instantaneous–and totally unexpected even in her wildest dreams, when he held her chin and then went in for a deep kiss. It caused her eyes to bulge wide open in shock, and she was frozen almost immediately. Her sense of time was lost, and she didn't know how long it lasted until the moment when he finally released his hold and pulled back slightly. It was at that moment when her sense of reality returned in a flash.
"I will tell him....that he is the biggest fool on the planet to let go of this woman, because I will love you till the very end." He avowed, brushing her cheek softly with the tip of his fingers. "I miss you, Yoon Mi-ah. Mianhae that we can't meet in a better situation." He spoke whisperingly, his face sincere and honest.
At that moment, Yoon Mi was feeling the emotional senses in her brain being activated. It's true that she too missed him for the past ten days, and for him to appear right in front of her in a foreign land was indeed a dream come true. It proved to herself that she was really in love with him, and her feelings towards the soldier were downright honest and without fault, and not just some simple feeling that will fade away after some time. They might not have known each other for a long time, but they knew better about their feelings for each other.
In response, Yoon Mi hugged him, holding him hostage in her embrace. "It's okay. As long as you are here." She said, feeling the heat of his body transmitting to her.
Slowly, Yeung Joon formed a smile on his face as he hugged her back, stroking her back in a smooth, gentle rub.
*****
Mo Yeon and Si Jin spent some time together, making up for the lost time. Nothing much happened during the rest of the day, other than lenghty talks about her work and his days during the exercise. Both of them shared nearly everything that happened during their days, and it was weird for them to have so many things to share even when they don't see each other for a mere ten days. They laughed and joked, just like any other ordinary couple in the world at the hospital rooftop until the sun began to set.
When the sun sets, it was back to business. Mo Yeon still had discussions to do despite her wound with her fellow colleagues as well as with Dr Athena and her medical staff, while Si Jin and Yeung Joon returned to their posts at the UN command tent. As for Yoon Mi, Mo Yeon excluded her from the rest of her medical duties until she was psychologically fit enough to resume her work. Yoon Mi, who was there at the meeting when Mo Yeon announced her decision could only make a futile protest.
Dr Athena decided to make it clear of the real situation of the country, in a hope that an incident like this can be avoided in the future. According to her, the Green Zone, although stable at the moment, the recent rebel activity near the Green Zone was a stern reminder of how fragile the peace treaty and the UN ruling were. At any moment, a war could break out once again, with the American-backed North Uruk still hungry to achieve their political goals led by Colonel Amang. The rebels inside the Republic of Uruk were in fact funded by North Uruk, and they had no sympathy to anyone whatsoever.
Mo Yeon saw it first-hand of their brutality, when they mercilessly massacred those sick people in their tents with their guns.
The discussion went on smoothly, and approximately two hours later, the meeting was adjourned, with the doctors returning to their posts. As for Mo Yeon, her painful wound on her leg rendered her partially mobile, thus restricting her movement. As a result, she retired early to the tent.
For Mo Yeon and Yoon Mi, it was a day of mixed feelings–one about their work, the other about the standoff, and the next one was an unexpected reunion with their loved ones. To say that their day was a bad one was not completely true after all, for in the end of the day, they were together with their loved ones, making up for the lost time.
While the two doctors rested for the night, the soldiers in the tent didn't. For Si Jin, the night was just like any other night whether or not they were in Korea, China or Uruk. Except for today, the night was a little bit memorable, for he had a perfect memory to reflect upon when the day ends. For now, he had a crucial situation to handle. His arrival in Uruk was a shocker for Mo Yeon, but for him it was all about protecting Mo Yeon to the very end.
And he was not alone. Arriving together with him was his band of comrades-in-arms, a bilateral unit consisting of men from homeland, which was him and Yeung Joon, the Hong brothers from China, and a five-team strike force led by Lieutenant Baek and his Delta Team from Eagle Brigade. Yeung Joon's role was that of a reserve, in case something went wrong. A secondary strike team consisting of China's six-men PLASOF team called Dragon led by Hong Guan was also involved in the joint operation, under the covers of the UN banner.
The operation was a joint effort from both the MSS and the NIS, under the orders of their respective leaders. Their operation will be closely monitored by the CIA and the FSB as well, including the British MI6, although the three will only act as advisors. The operation, which was also China's first active role in a joint espionage venture, was obviously aimed to eliminate Sun Yang for good, by bringing him to justice at The Hague. Even the UN was notified about this and the UNSC agreed to it.
The objective was planned quite some time ago, after Si Jin's operation in the Phillipines months ago turned out to he a set-up planned by Sun Yang. The plan was delayed following the murder of all MSS agents in Korea, thus suspending the operation briefly. It was brought back to light again after the Seoul Station Incident, and at that moment, the plan was realised. For weeks they tried to search for the wanted man who suddenly disappeared without a trace after the massacre, until two weeks before Mo Yeon left for Uruk, the MSS was the first to unlock the puzzle of his disappearance, tracking Sun Yang all the way to Azerbaijan before proceeding to Uruk, where he remained dormant in the war-torn state months after the massacre at Seoul Station.
As for the military exercise, well, it was in fact a 'last-minute' discussion period to discuss about their next course of action.
Si Jin's hunt for his former ally-turn-nemesis was an intriguing affair to him, for the two shared special bonds before everything between them fell apart. This time, he better not miss Sun Yang again, but to do so, he had to let go of that guilt in him, and also his emotional bonding with the man. The man was too dangerous to let loose right now, for internationl security was in a very tensed state following his big stint at Seoul Station.
It was time to end Sun Yang's aura of terror once and for all–and Uruk will be the fighting ground.
*****
Mo Yeon couldn't sleep that night, turning left and right in an attempt to get herself comfortable. It didn't work at all. She tried clearing her mind to sleep, but even that too failed. Her mind was too preoccupied wuth the thoughts of him, and she blushed silently when she recalled the moment where Si Jin walked with great strides, taking his shades iff halfway in ab awesomely manly way, and then walked past her just like the way he did at the airport previously
So wonderful was this guy of hers, the man with a strong body but a soft loving heart. He came down to her when she needed him the most, and she was extremely lucky that he came just at the right moment, or else, she and the rest would have become hostages under the hands of Sun Yang.
Speaking about Sun Yang, he said something to her that made her mind confused when the matter popped out in her head all of the sudden. The blushing smile on her face slowly disappeared when she recalled him saying things about him and Si Jin, and that if she knew what really happened, she will know that Si Jin wasn't a good man she had once thought he was.. From the way he said it, it seemed that the two shared a bond in the past, and Mo Yeon was curious to know what was it..
Si Jin isn't a good man? What is he trying to say?
Mo Yeon lied flat on the bed, resting her arm behind her head as she tried to figure out what the man was trying to say. How did he know her name anyway–that's the most importart part. The only people who knew her name were her fellow colleagues and friends around her circle, including the guys in the army. Even General Yoon knew her name. The rest were just fans from her TV show, but she took precautionary measures not to share so much personal information to them. She was careful and street-wise to stay away from strangers, and ever since she was nearly raped by that vile man, she had got herself a pepper spray to defend herself just in case. The hospital's data centre was also one of the safest place she could think of to store her personal information, and only authorised personnel were allowed to enter. So, if her personal information was so discreet, then how in the world did Sun Yang knew her name, and how did he know about her relationship with the Major? She never knew him close enough and he never met her too.
Such a thought was enough to make Mo Yeon a little bit spooked. The world had become smaller day-by-day, and it was scary to think just how easy someone's personal information can be obtain this days. Technology made all of it possible.
And if Sun Yang knew about their relationship, that means.....Si Jin would get into trouble too.
Her eyes went wide when she realised what situation he was in right now. He's in danger. She could sense it, and it's making her heart beat in worry. Something terrible will happen, and she didn't know how, why or when, but something told her things will get pretty ugly soon.
She instantly shot up from her bed, but in the process, her painful wound began acting up again. She hissed from the pain as she looked over to the bandaged wound and touched it softly. And then, her mind began to imagine something else.
What if it was he who gets the wound, but not me?
She instantly closed her eyes and covered her face as she began to think about the unthinkable. She had seen his marks before, and those marks were the perfect evidences of how dangerous his job was. The memory of seeing him blood-stained and nearly died began flashing back into her mind, and she began to fear if something like this would happen again. If it did, she wouldn't know how to react completely this time.
The tent became stuffy all of the sudden, and she was feeling the heat suffocating her. In need for some air, she got up from her bed, careful enough not to disturb Min Ji who was sleeping next to her bed. She took her mobile and checked the time, only to discover that it was only three in the morning.
Getting out of the tent, she noticed that the activity around the base was still active, albeit in a more silent tone. Not bothered about it, the doctor in her dark green sweater and blue short pants walked towards the direction she thought was the most quiet, since she saw no one walking around that direction. She found herself walking towards the parking lot where all the white eight-wheeled armoured fighting vehicles were parked. It was a menacing yet wonderful sight to see those large heavily-armed machines in front of her, and she wondered why the soldiers resort to using those small humvees instead of these giants for transport. Approaching to one of the vehicles, she looked at the skin of the vehicle, admiring the white colour that always and forever will be representing peace.
She didn't know why she was so engrossed with those vehicles, since she was not fond of military stuff. Nevertheless, she dared herself to touch the cold piece of metal with the tip of her fingers, the sensation tingling her nerves. She began walking around it, her fingers still brushing the surface as her eyes followed. When her fingers suddenly met a small hole the size of a table tennis ball at the left side of the vehicle, she stopped as she took a closer look at it.
The hole was not any ordinary hole. It was a hole made by a weapon that was strong but not penetrative enough to break its shield. The blast mark around the hole showed how much power the weapon did to the vehicle. And there was not one, but five of that similar sized holes that were located quite close to each other.
It made her realise in the end, that there is a price for freedom as well. The holes showed exactly how much the peacekeepers had to go through in their duty to ensure that peace is restored in this land, and how many of them had died just to see that mission realised. It broke her heart to see how fragile the human mind was–one side fighting for peace, while the other, totally driven by ideological philosophies and religious teachings, tried to break that peace. This is the world they are living in right now–a world where power is everything.
She exhaled softly, letting go of her touch on the surface of the vehicle when out of nowhere, she felt something wrapping around her waist in one gentle touch from her back. Before she could even turn around to see who it was even though she had already known who, she felt his head lying on her right shoulder, his breathing brushing through her neck. "You should be sleeping." He whispered softly, holding her protectively in his embrace.
The voice need no guessing to know who the person was, but she didn't smile at all. Instead, she was bothered about his well-being. She stayed silent, and that made Si Jin a little bit curious. Just as he was about to ask, her words echoed in his head.
I can't sleep.
"Waeyo? Did someone bothered you?" He asked back, turning her around until her face met his. Her expression was flat.
Mo Yeon took a moment to study his face, and wondered whether it was just a dream. However, the man's shocking appearance and him patching up her wound, addes with their moments on the roof told her that she was not imagining at all. "I'm worried about you, Si Jin-ah." She whispered. "Sun Yang told me....." She suddenly paused, not sure whether she should go on with what she wanted to say.
"Sun Yang told you what?" Si Jin inquired, his tone more serious now mere mention about the guy's name.
"I already am a monster...Mo Yeon, thanks to your namchin."
Sun Yang's words echoed in her mind all of the sudden. Then came another.
"... Then you'll see...that your boyfriend....is not so good after all."
"He said...." Mo Yeon stuttered. "That you...are not what I think you are."
Si Jin began to wonder what she was trying to convey right now, but whatever it was, it sounded bad. "Is that so?"
"He also said....that you made him into a monster..."
Si Jin let out a loud exhale upon hearing those words from her mouth. Looking down while holding her shoulders with his outstretched hands, he cursed internally at Sun Yang who was obviously trying to manipulate Mo Yeon into distrust. All Si Jin could do was to try and male her understand. "You know that's not true." He looked up at her, cupping her face. "I love you, Mo Yeon-ah. You know that too. I don't make monsters."
The hands on her face showed how much he cared about her, and she felt it too. She knew that he was telling the truth, based on the look of his sincere eyes. However, she still had doubts. Touching his wrist, she went on. "I believe you, but I can't stop wondering...."
"Don't say anymore." He interjected with a soft yet stern tone, surprising her in the process. For all the times they had been together, this was the second time he used that tone at her. The first one was when he had to push her to make a decision on whether or not she could save President Mubarat's life. "Don't listen to what he said. They are all lies." Then, he pulled her closer for a hug. "All I need from you is for you to believe me. That's all I ever wanted."
This time, Mo Yeon felt the sudden strangeness in his behaviour. Normally, he never rushed in his hug, but this one was pretty quick and it was as if he was doing this to cover up the flaws. His hugs were all tender and sweet and gentle, but this one was a desperate one. However, she believed him, truthfully and deeply, and to show that she really do, she hugged him back, resting her head on his chest as she felt the rhythemic beating of his heart. "I believe you, Si Jin-ah. I really do." She looked up at him. "I won't listen anymore, neither will I question about it again."
That was the answer he was looking for, and he slowly plastered a smile on his face. "Looks like you did pretty fine. You can walk this far." He spoke, distracting her away from the matter.
"Oh?" She chuckled softly. "Maybe it's because you are here. You are the balm of my heart." She laid his head back to his chest, snuggling ever closer to his warmth like a baby wanting to be loved.
A balm of her heart. That was what she thought about him. It made him happy, but at the same time, he felt guilty–guilty for not being truthful enough to Mo Yeon. However, he knew that he had to keep up with it, if he wanted to keep her safe.
Not being truthful to Mo Yeon was the most painful thing he had to do, but he had no choice. This was for her own good. If there is a price for that, he would gladly accept it. As long as Mo Yeon is safe, it would all be worthwhile. Stroking her back softly, with a painful heart he feigned a smile–a smile that showed no love or care but the greatest guilt.
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End of Chapter Five
Thanks for all the love for my story. I really appreciate it.
Happy reading!
NIS–National Intelligence Service
MSS–Ministry of State Security
CIA–Central Intelligence Agency
FSB–Federal Security Service
PLASOF–People's Liberation Army Special Operations Force
UNSC-United Nations Security Council
MI6–Secret Intelligence Service (Military Intelligence, Section 6)
Eagle Brigade–Nickname for Korea's 1st Special Forces Brigade
Korean military ranks
Soryeong=Major
Jungwi=First Lieutenant
Wonsa=Sergeant Major
Hasa=Staff Sergeant
Romanised Korean Words & Expressions
Ye: Yes
Algaesumnida: I understand
Jinjja: Really
Mianhae/ Mianhamnida: I'm sorry
Sunbae: Senior
Hoobae: Junior
Yah: Hey
Gweanchana: Are you okay/ I'm fine
Jal jinaeyo: Also means I'm fine
Byuntae: Pervert
Mwo: What
Anigodeun: No
Jamkkanman: Wait a minute
Mwohaneungoya: What are you doing
Waeyo: Why
Namchin: Boyfriend