Chapter Text
"If what I heard during my deployment training was correct, it's been 100 years since it last snowed here!"
"Really? You're not pulling my leg on that?" Lieutenant Yun asked as Gibeom nodded rapidly.
"Of course! It was during the first time after I was deployed here, not long after I finished the basic training as a soldier. Sergeant Seo himself did the—!" Gibeom blinked before shaking his head. "What I mean to say was, I think I remembered hearing about it during the training. Also, last time when Doctor Daniel was around he said the same thing too."
Gibeom heaved a long sigh once he finished talking. That was a good save, he almost gonna start talking about unnecessary things. The topic about Sergeant Seo was still a sore point for both of them, and he didn't want to accidentally upset the lieutenant by talking to her about it.
Even if the lieutenant did often call him over to reminisce about the past, he's still overly aware of the fact that today was almost a full year since Sergeant Seo and Captain Yoo have gone MIA. And both of them were trying their best not to talk about 'that' openly.
Gibeom sent another glance towards Lieutenant Yun as she acted as if she hadn't caught the slip.
But his worries were unfounded as Myeongju continued eyeing the snow outside.
"Wanna check it out?" she said suddenly. "The first snow after a hundred years. That sounded interesting."
He hastily refused the offer, saying that he still needed to head back to the barracks. So the lieutenant just waved him off before walking out into the snow.
Gibeom paused before turning towards the barracks as he watch his lonely older sister standing under the snow.
If only there was anything he could do to cheer her up.
xxx
"If you can't protect yourself, you can't protect either your woman or your country."
"You have to remember only one thing. What's that?"
"Never get hurt."
Ever since he came back to Uruk and promoted into a Platoon Leader he had always tried his hardest to impart the same values and wisdom he learnt while under Captain Yoo's leadership to his other fellow soldiers. And while he could not be as cool and charismatic as the captain, he still want to convey the same wisdom to his junior officers so that they'll also be able to take those wisdom to heart. Because he remembered his own experiences back then, and being led by Captain Yoo and Sergeant Seo had allowed him to learn so much.
Not to mention the many incidents after; the earthquake, the plague et al, how the things he was thought earlier finally came of use—which made him realize the reason the captain and sergeant was able to be so calm at the face of danger. It was because of the many experiences they had as soldiers, which allowed them to be able to overcome any hardship they face.
It's because of that he tried to impart the same knowledge to the other recruits. So that they could get the same courage as he had back then...
Gibeom smiled as he watch all of his platoon members scrambled in preparation for the drill later—before a man suddenly walked into the barrack and stood before him. The sight of the man froze Gibeom into a stupor.
Was he dreaming? Was it an illusion in front of him just because he had been thinking about the man earlier?
Especially since today was the first anniversary of—
Yet from the corner of his eyes he could tell that the few remaining members of his platoon had also noticed the newcomer. Then, would that mean, the man in front of him was really—Sergeant Seo... Sergeant Seo is still—!
The man started walking towards him as Gibeom could not contain the wave of emotions that started flooding inside of him.
"You can't cry in front of your men."
Sergeant Seo's voice sounded rough to his ears—but then again the man DID look like he'd gone through a rough ordeal—as Gibeom continued sobbing. Who cares if any of the remaining platoon members saw him crying?
The man who was like his older brother—the man who he thought had died—was still alive in front of him! Sergeant Seo is still alive! He wasn't dead!
"What happened with your test?" Sergeant Seo spoke again as Gibeom sniffled.
Finally, after so long... he could at last be able to tell the very thing he had wished to say...!
"I passed. Now I'm a high school graduate."
Sergeant Seo smiled, it was clear that the man was indeed proud of him. Gibeom sobbed again as Sergeant Seo pulled him into a tight hug.
Gibeom cried again, before silently thanking the God for giving him this miraculous moment.