Chapter Text
The chilling evening breeze was accompanied by the chirping of crickets that made the autumn night seem somewhat peaceful. There was not a cloud in the sky to block the shining stars that beautifully spread across the same, decorating it and making it every bit of mesmerizing to the eyes of the boy who sat on his window frame, watching the night progress while staring at the breathtaking view as if he was searching for something in it. His eyes drifted from one star to another, as if they were any different from each other. There were barely any thoughts that passed through his mind, his body was still and almost numb, except for the few waves of anxiety that passed through him as the shouts from downstairs grew more heated. His big, kind eyes closed every so often as his parents took a break from screaming at each other and sleep tried to overtake him, but he fought the urge to fall into its trap every time.
His thick lips pulled into a small smile every time a bird flew carelessly past his window as he envied it's freedom. It wasn't the first time he'd thought about it. Freedom was the last word he would use to describe his life with, in fact the word had never been in his vocabulary ever since he had learned its meaning. That had never been a problem before, in fact he liked the peace that came from not doing anything. He didn't have to worry about things, for which people his age worried about.
He had accepted that his family was strict and he knew that one day he would get the chance to make his own decisions. That's what he believed until he met a certain person in his small town of Hayang who changed his way of thinking within a week.
"Jimin". His father's gruff voice behind him snapped him out of his trance, causing him to face the angry man. His mother stood hidden behind him with her head to the floor as if she couldn't look at her son without feeling guilty about what would come of the conversation. "Pack your bags, you're leaving tomorrow morning" his voice was stern, lacking doubt. His words made Jimin frown, confused by his father's sudden order as he ever so cautiously got down to his feet. If he had listened to their fight earlier instead of staring blankly out the window, he would have understood what the man in front of him meant.
"Where to" his voice sounded strange to his own ears as he had gone almost two days without uttering a word. He looked at his mother for some reassurance that his father didn't mean what he said, but she remained focused on the wooden floor. "You're enlisting in the army". Whatever he was expecting to hear, it definitely wasn't that. The curve of his brows deepened as he looked at his mother once again, waiting for her to confirm his father's words, but when she finally looked at him with tear filled eyes, it was all he needed to see to believe him.
"I refuse" his voice trembled, fear filling him as he tried to stand his ground, but he knew what his father was capable of. The man's eyes darkened as he took a few steps closer to his frail son. He was towering over him, sending chills down Jimin's spine with his murderous glare. "You dare speak your mind after what you've done?" His mother rushed towards them, ready to intervene in case Jimin's father tried to hit him. It has happened before when Jimin had the audacity to talk back to his father or even disagree with him. "I'm 18 years old, I- I should be able to decide wether or not I want to enlist" his stutter gave away just how intimidating his father appeared in his eyes. He was used to it though, his father's demandingness and the pitiful looks his mother gave him whenever he was being treated like a piece of garbage.
"I care not how old you are, you live in my house and you follow my rules. You have two options here, you either do as I say or you leave my house" Jimin could tell by the way his dad hissed the words through his teeth that he was on the edge of losing his patience, but that didn't seem to matter as anger quickly took over the young boy. It wasn't the first time his father's foul mouth had uttered such words, but they seemed irrelevant in his ears before he was pulled out of the dark by the same person who changed his way of looking at things. He had never felt a rage so strong before as he looked into the man's eyes. "Great, consider me gone". He hissed back surprising not only his parents but his own self as well. His father seemed at a loss of words as he glared at Jimin as if he was the devil himself, and before the boy could speak another word he felt a heavy hand against his cheek, the stream of pain taking him by surprise as his mother let a cry slip through her lips. She tried to approach him only to be stopped halfway by her furious husband, who stormed out of Jimin's room with a tight grip wrapped around her wrist, dragging her behind him before slamming the door shut.
Jimin was left alone with his hand on his throbbing cheek. It was when he could no longer hold his tears back that he collapsed on the floor, feeling as helpless as ever. He was not only a disappointment to his parents, but homeless now too. It felt like hours passed until his door gently opened, revealing his mother behind it with an apologetic smile as she approached her son who was now lying in his bed and staring into the ceiling. He didn't notice her presence until she was sat on the edge of his bed, nervously playing with her fingers, unsure if she could look at him in the eyes. "Sweetie" she whispered, causing Jimin to part his eyes from the empty ceiling and look at her. He knew she had no say in his father's decision and he wished he could blame her for not standing up for him, but he knew just how terrified she was from her husband. It's when he looked down that he noticed the ice pack in her hands. There was a moment of silence as his mother gathered up the courage to speak.
"Your father can be unreasonable sometimes, but he thinks the best for you". Her attempt at defending him made Jimin sit up straight, the anger from earlier flowing back through his veins at her naivety. "Is throwing me in the military the best for me?" She rose her hand to his face and placed the ice on his bruised cheek, making him flinch at the cold feeling of it. His mother didn't meet his eyes as Jimin tried not to break down once again. "It will keep you distracted from-". She didn't finish her sentence making Jimin feel a burning sensation in his chest. He didn't care whether his father would be disappointed but he couldn't bare the thought of his mother being disgusted with him. "From what mother?"
The tremble in his voice made her finally meet his eyes and a sharp pain stabbed him through his heart. Her eyes were drowning in tears that Jimin knew she tried so hard to keep from falling down her cheeks. "Are you disgusted with me for kissing a boy too?". His words came out as a whisper, almost as if he was dreading to say them, afraid of his mother's answer. She was quick to shake her head in disagreement but the pressure in Jimin's heart never faded. "There's nothing you could do that will make me feel that way about you". With shaking hands she caressed his cheek, her touch light as feather, afraid that if she applied any more pressure he would brake. "Then why are you letting him send me away, mom?". His chest burned so much he couldn't help but let his tears roll down his cheeks. He knew that the society they lived in wouldn't accept that he liked someone from the same gender, hell, he couldn't accept it either, since he was constantly reminded how strange and wrong it was, ever since he was a kid. But it was never his intention to feel that way, it took him by surprise.
"Because If I stop him, I'll never get to see you again, and I can not bare the simple thought of not knowing where or how you are". The look on his mother's face was reason enough for Jimin to obey his father, as he knew he couldn't turn his back on the one person who truly cared for him, and the fact that he knew he would have to enlist sooner or later, whether it was his father's wish or the government's, was what made it easier for him to start packing. 'Do it for her sake'. He repeated those words in his mind as he packed the few clothes he owned and a pair of shoes. He grew up in a small town where a humble life wasn't an option, and while he wouldn't call himself poor, he wasn't very rich either.
It didn't take him long to finish packing, as his mother patiently waited for him to sit back next to her. Jimin knew his mother was worried by the look of concern that married her face, and he didn't need to ask to know that he was the cause of her distress. He wasn't calm either, knowing what awaited him once he set foot in the military base. He had heard stories from old soldiers who had once been in the army and he only wished they were just exaggerating, now that it was his turn to serve his country. His mother's gentle touch snapped him out of his destructive thoughts and he closed his eyes, slowly reducing the wrinkles that had formed on his forehead from so much frowning. "I love you Jimin, never forget that" he could only nod at her words, unable to find his voice, which seemed to be stuck somewhere in his throat and soon enough, realization dawned on him once his mother left him alone in his thoughts. He was going away for almost two years, away from what he knew, away from his house, his mother and away from 'him'.
He was back to sitting on the frame of his window when thoughts of the boy who put him in this situation flooded his mind. No, he didn't blame him for it, in fact, Jimin was the one who overstepped the line and kissed him before getting caught by his own father, and even now, as the consequences of his actions surfaced, he did not regret doing it. Every time he closed his eyes he could see him, his smile was engraved into the boy's memory, as was the occasional giggle he let out whenever Jimin resented his teasing.
Jimin couldn't help but wonder how such a pure feeling could be so wrong in the eyes of everyone. He wished he didn't care what other's would think, but it was simply impossible since he grew up pleasing the people around him. "Jimina". A familiar voice outside caught his attention and he looked down only to be greeted by the smile he couldn't stop thinking about. His heart skipped a beat as the boy began to climb to his window, partly because he was afraid he might fall. He quickly stepped back, making room for him to enter safely. "Kai". His voice came out as a whisper as he was too stunned to speak properly, besides, if his father heard them he would go insane again. The blinding smile on Kai's face slowly faded once he saw the sack next to Jimin's bed and he looked back into his dearest friend's eyes with a frown displayed on his face. "Are you going somewhere?" Jimin's chest burned from his dear friend's expression as he struggled to get the words out of his mouth. Even though he was relieved to see him, it only made it harder for him to leave. Kai's fear didn't leave his gaze as he took a step closer to him and with doubt in his actions, he slowly raised his hand only to place it on Jimin's red cheek. He almost forgot about his father's cruelty thanks to Kai's sudden appearance. "Jimin". His voice was gentle, as was his touch, and it made Jimin sink into his palm. He had never felt a touch so soothing and stress-relieving before, it was part of the reason why he dared to cross the boundaries between them.
"I'm enlisting in the army". Jimin opened his eyes again to observe his reaction, but it only made it harder for him to stop the tears from forming in his eyes. Kai didn't move for what seemed like hours to Jimin, his silence intensifying the sick feeling in the boy's stomach. At one point it became so unbearable that he grabbed the hand that was cupping his cheek and gave it a light squeeze, hoping that the contact would finally get Kai to speak. "Did he make you do it?". He said as soon as he felt Jimin's feather light touch, before retrieving his hand back to his side. There was a hint of disappointment in his voice and it only fueled Jimin's heartache. A nod was the only thing Jimin could answer with as he knew how the boy in front of him felt when it came to free will. He remembered clearly the day they met, how Kai was running so fast, he almost sent Jimin flying. His curiosity got the best of him that day as he followed Kai until they both couldn't run anymore. Kai was upset that day and that was the only time he ever showed Jimin such side of him. He was so impressed with Jimin's dedication to follow him that he decided to befriend him. The only details he knew about the whole situation were that Kai had run away from home and had been living with his grandmother ever since.
Jimin knew there was a reason he ran away but he never asked, he didn't need to know and since then Kai never missed a chance to remind him how important it was to live his life the way he wanted. His kindness and his carefree smile were the reason Jimin felt the way he did, he wasn't complicated, he didn't care about anything but the present and that made Jimin completely admire him. Every moment spent with him was filled with joy. Jimin couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so hard before meeting Kai, and he was so careless that when Jimin kissed him two days ago, he simply laughed before kissing him back. A week was enough to lead to this, and even if Jimin didn't really like boys, he knew that Kai would always hold a special place in his heart no matter what happened after he left for the army.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to". Kai mumbled under his breath. Jimin knew he was right, but if joining the army would free him from his father and allow him to finally breathe freely without having to turn his back on his mother, then he would pay the price. "I want to". Jimin's voice was low and almost inaudible. He tried not to break down when Kai reached out to Jimin's face to wipe a tear from his cheek that the latter hadn't noticed falling. "But I'll come back as soon as I'm done, and we'll be friends again". It was Jimin's turn to give hope to the boy who pulled him out of the dark and Kai closed his eyes for a second as he took a deep breath before looking into Jimin's eyes again.
"Is it because of what he saw". Jimin knew he meant their kiss, and even if it was pointless to deny it, he didn't want Kai to feel bad about something he wasn't guilty of. "No, I just want to get away from this shit hole for a while without ending up on the streets". He forced a smile, but he knew Kai wasn't buying his excuse, though the same didn't ask any more questions or try to stop him, he just pulled him into his arms and held him tight for what felt like hours to Jimin, who tried to keep that hug sealed in his mind, scared that he might never get to hug him again, before Kai gently pushed him back, only to press his lips to Jimin's. The sudden touch of lips took Jimin by surprise but he soon eased into it. Every second that passed seemed like a minute as he rested his arms around Kai's neck, pulling him deeper into their kiss. Jimin's heart burned even more now that he knew this would probably be their last kiss and it made him hate the world for not giving them enough time. When they broke their kiss, Kai quickly rested his forehead against Jimin's as they both tried to catch their breath. "Promise me you won't let anyone hurt you". He was concerned more than anything and Jimin could tell by the way he stroked his cheek gently while staring into his eyes with an unexplainable look of fear. "I promise". Jimin whispered, his eyes refusing to leave Kai's, who pulled away as soon as he heard his words before climbing up on the window, and with one last look at Jimin, he dissapeared into the night. Jimin's heart broke into a million pieces as he stared out the empty window until sunrise. He knew he wasn't going to get any sleep, especially when the emptiness he felt inside grew bigger by the minute.
He didn't know how long he had gone without moving a muscle. The sun had already made it's appearance when his mother called him downstairs for breakfast, and even though he didn't feel hungry, he sat down at the table with his parents anyway. His father avoided eye contact with him which only made Jimin eager to leave. "You should eat honey". His mother nudged him. He knew this would probably be his last proper meal for the next two years, but his stubbornness got the better of him. "I'm not hungry". His voice was stern and somewhat cold which made his father drop his utensils and glare at him. "You can starve for all I care, but watch your tone with your mother". Jimin's fists clenched under the table as he tried not to talk back to the man who left a bruise on his cheek yesterday for doing so. Not only was he inpatient to leave, but his hatred for his father grew even greater as he doubted anyone would treat him as badly as he did, even in the military.
After their breakfast, he ran upstairs to get his sack after his father kept reminding him that he was going to miss the bus. His mother stopped him at the front door with a bag in her hands and a worried face. He knew she was afraid of letting him go on his own for the first time, so he wrapped her in a comforting hug before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'll be okay". He told that more to himself than to his mother, and with a last squeeze of her hand and a nod to his father, he closed the door. He grew more and more nervous the closer he got to the bus stop, his heart racing once he saw the bus approaching. With a deep breath, he got into the vehicle and sat down as he waited for the driver to drive off. Luckily, no one sat next to him, which gave him plenty of room to put his bags away.
Once all the passengers were seated, the driver took off and Jimin watched through the small window as the bus moved faster. Out of the corner of his eyes he caught a movement, causing him to turn his head completely to the side only to be greeted by the smile of his friend, who was struggling to keep up with the bus on his bike. Jimin's heart sank at the sight of Kai waving at him, and just as he was about to wave back, the bus sped off, leaving Kai far behind. He tried to look back, but he was gone. A single tear rolled down his cheek, but he quickly wiped it away, refusing to cry for the hundredth time in two days. He would miss him the most, he had become his source of energy, his vitamin, and now he had to deal with his absence in the worst place possible.
The bus ride was long enough for Jimin to mentally prepare for what was to come. All he knew about the military was that there would be a lot of physical activities and even though Jimin wasn't the thinnest, he was still considered frail compared to boys his age. Halfway through the trip, his stomach began to protest at the lack of food he had been providing it for the past few days, but he remembered the bag his mother had given him before he left. He opened it in hopes that it would be food and not some piece of clothing he forgot to pack, and to his relief it was a lunch box and he couldn't have been more grateful to his mother at that moment. He thanked her inwardly before digging into it. The lack of sleep also caught up with him, making it impossible for him to keep his eyes open for the rest of the trip until someone nudged him out of his slumber. He blinked a few times, trying to regain consciousness faster, and when he finally looked in the direction that the nudge had come from, he quickly sat up straight at the sight of the driver. “Get off already, I have to go”. The old man grumbled and Jimin immediately got up. With a few apologetic bows, he got off the bus only to stop in place at the sight before him. It was huge, Jimin had never seen a hall this big before since the only thing he knew was his old town, where the biggest building was the hospital which was two times smaller than this one. He noticed people going inside so he followed them only to be shocked again by the interior of it.
There was a big empty space in the middle of the hall surrounded by many chairs. "The 1965 54th division enlistment ceremony will begin soon. We will proceed with the ceremony in the main hall". Jimin was snapped out of his thoughts by a man's voice speaking into a microphone. He looked around trying to find the owner of the voice, and when he finally did, his eyes scanned the man standing on a small stage in the middle of the hall, wearing a black uniform with the Korean flag on one shoulder and many badges on the other. He was so impressed, he belatedly noticed that everyone around him was with someone close, whether it was their families or girlfriends, the hugs and kisses that were exchanged between them made him feel like a misfit in a way. He couldn't help but wonder if he was the only one that came alone.
"Men who are enlisting, please come forward" A crowd of men started walking towards the middle, standing right in front of the general and Jimin quickly followed. The moment everyone who was enlisting gathered around him, he noticed that the majority of them had already cut their hair and he nervously ran his fingers through his locks before the high-rank man spoke again. "Line up with the person in front of you and stretch out your arms".
Everyone took their place waiting for the next command as Jimin felt overwhelmed by the general's gruff voice. "Attention! Salute the national flag!". Everyone brought up their hands to their foreheads, including Jimin who was struggling to keep up with the orders. "About face! Salute your parents!". With a swift move, everyone turned from the national flag to the other end of the room where all the parents stood, hands still on their brows. "Salute!" All the men around him shouted at the same time, except for Jimin, who knew that his parents hadn't even made the effort to come see him off. "This is the end of the enlistment ceremony. I wish all family members a safe journey back home amid the rain".
The general's voice softened as he directed his attention to the audience. "Parents, please do not worry about your children. These men have proudly become a member of the Korean army, and I promise we will nurture them into strong men". Jimin wanted to laugh at the irony he felt from the man's words. His father was certainly not concerned about his enlistment, but he was interested in the 'him becoming a strong man' part. He wasn't going to let Jimin hurt his pride by admitting he likes boys, if anything, it was the last thing his father would accept before he died.
After the ceremony was over, they were directed to the military base, where they were divided into four groups, each group being led by a man in combat uniform, whom they were to call 'sir'. They were lined up on either side of the room, leaving room between them for the sergeant to pass. "You are new soldiers, but that does not mean you are civilians. You are nothing but new recruits." His strict voice was enough to intimidate Jimin, who followed him with his eyes as he paced back and forth between them. Even though he knew that special treatment was non-existent there, he was still unaware of how cruel and merciless they could be. "You'll be training for 5 weeks until you're assigned to your units. Until then, don't think. All you need to do is train your asses off". 5 weeks? Jimin repeated in his mind, afraid he had misheard. "Yes, sir". The sudden shouts startled him as he tried not to flinch too hard. "I don't hear you. Do you understand?". The sergeant's voice was loud enough to be heard in the other side of the base. "Yes, sir!". This time Jimin joined the rest in their affirmation, even though his voice was overpowered and almost incoherent. The sergeant stopped in front of him before facing him properly, Jimin's heart raced when the man ruffled his hair. "Everyone that didn't get the chance to cut their hair, follow me". Jimin looked around, hoping to find others, who like him still had a full head of hair, but found none in his group. He hesitantly followed the sergeant, wishing to be over with the haircut as fast as possible. He felt safer around the other recruits, even though they didn't seem much braver than Jimin.
"Sit down". He ordered as soon as they entered a room where a few other recruits were already getting their trim, and without waiting for the sergeant to repeat himself, Jimin sat on the chair. A boy approximately his age threw a cloth around him to keep hair away from his clothes and he soon began fulfilling his duty. The strands of hair fell from every side of his head until he was left with a light feeling on his neck, as if his hair had weighted tons. That moment, Jimin realized how much a haircut can change someone's appearance. His face looked way sharper than before, erasing some of the softness his features possessed. "When you finish here, return to the rest of your groups. Get dressed and begin your training!". The sergeant's voice echoed through the halls, sending chills down Jimin's spine, even though it wasn't directed to him only. "Yes, sir!". With that, he left the poorly lit room with a smooth turn, his absence finally letting Jimin relax.
He did as the sergeant said, quickly changing into his uniform and waiting for him to call them outside. He didn't know what to expect from this "training", but it wasn't what awaited him. The moment they stepped out front, a bunch of men started screaming out orders at them to start running in order while shouting their names and class numbers. Next were the obstacles they had to go through several times, before taking a short break, only to continue the so called "training" by doing a hundred push ups while singing the military song. Jimin slowly caught up on the lyrics as he was struggling on the 15th push up. He didn't think it would to be this hard the first day as the seniors expected them to know the song by heart and be able to carry out the whole training routine with ease. By the end of the day, Jimin was exhausted, he was covered with several cuts from the obstacles and his body was so sore, he didn't think he would've been able to repeat this process the next day. The moment he was allowed back into their shared room, he let himself fall on his assigned bed. Groans escaped from everyone's mouth as they all seemed just as drained as Jimin. It was such a relief that he could finally close his eyes and relax that he almost didn't pay attention to a pair of eyes looking at him. "It was fucking awful, and mind you, this was just the beginning". The boy to his right spoke up, causing Jimin to peel his eyes open and look at him with confusion written all over his face as he remained quiet, unsure if it was him he was talking to. "I can't wait to get this trial shit over with". The boy finally confirmed Jimin's doubts by turning his head to face him once again. He wasn't sure why he talked to him, but he didn't want to appear mean so he nodded in agreement. "I'm Taehyung by the way, I saw you at the camp earlier, you seemed lost". Jimin frowned at his words even though he was right, he was completely lost and unaware of his surroundings. He copied everything he saw the others do, in hopes that no one would notice his lack of knowledge and experience, but he guessed that didn't really work.
"Why did you think I was lost?" He didn't want to blow his cover yet, in case he had a chance of blinding him with lies, but his roommate didn't seem hesitant at all. "Well, to begin with, you didn't know the military song". Jimin arched his brows at his straightforward accusations. Why did he care if Jimin was lost or not? Did he want to make fun of him? His defensive side quickly overtook him but before he could even deny the truth the boy spoke again. "I'm not trying to offend you, just looking out". His smile seemed genuine, though Jimin still didn't truly believe his intentions were good. The last thing he saw coming was his first interaction being a good one. "Why?". Jimin sounded almost thrown off by the kindness of the recruit, but he quickly wiped away his judgmental expression after realizing how mean he sounded, but Taehyung only chuckled at him without letting his smile fall off his lips. "You'll get in trouble if one of them catches you lacking". Jimin frowned again, bewildered by the sudden change of tone in his voice. He wasn't smiling when he warned him which only increased Jimin's anxiety. "They don't tolerate imperfection". He couldn't wrap his head around it. It was his first day in the military and they expected him to be perfect? Wasn't this the point of enlisting? To be taught how to become perfect? "How do you know that?". It was probably a dumb question to ask since the possibility of Taehyung studying the environment before joining was high. "My brother fulfilled his mandatory service last year, he's the reason I came prepared". That didn't calm Jimin down, in fact, it only made him more anxious about the next morning. He was lucky it was Taehyung who noticed him today and that he was kind enough to warn him.
"What's your name?". The big eyed boy asked him, bringing back his cheerful smile. "Jimin". He answered still skeptical about the whole interaction. "I can help you adapt if you wish to accept my offer". Jimin wondered what benefit it would bring the boy to help him in the military, a place known for it's cruelty, but before he could ask the same question to him, Taehyung already had an answer. "My intentions are pure, I promise". Jimin finally nodded, accepting whatever help he offered him, since he didn't really have much choice. He would rather get helped than get punished. "We have a roll call tomorrow, right after awakening, the senior will storm in and ask for our names and status, he'll expect everyone to respond by properly addressing him". Jimin felt a small rock lift from his chest at the little information he was given as he finally let a faint smile marry his lips. "Thank you". He whispered, watching as Taehyung's smile grew wider, somehow making him feel a little better before falling into slumber's trap, all thanks to the amount of exhaustion that he gained from the excessive training.
...
A loud bang jolted Jimin out of his deep sleep, accompanied by the sound of trumpets so loud, it was impossible not to wake up. He recalled Taehyung's words from the previous night as he quickly stood up straight next to his bed. "Goodmorning, recruits! Begin the roll call from the youngest!". Everyone remained quiet as they all looked at Jimin, including Taehyung who pressed his lips into a thin line once Jimin turned to look at him, giving him a hint with his eyes to start. "Recruit Park Jimin, sir!" The senior raised his brow, staring at Jimin for long enough to make him shift in his place. He was hoping he would show him some mercy but it didn't seem like the case as the senior got too close to Jimin, making him feel like the smallest creature in the planet. "Did you forget your name, recruit?". Jimin flinched at his loud voice, avoiding eye contact at all costs. It would be too much for his poor being. "No, sir!". He swallowed hard as he did his best to answer in a composed way, even though his heart was threatening to jump out of his chest. "Then what took you so long to carry out my order. Are you trying to provoke me, you piece of shit?". Jimin was quick to shake his head in denial as he seemed unable to speak up. The man grabbed him by the collar before pushing him backwards, causing him to lose his balance and land on the floor. "I a-apologize, sir". He managed to say before the senior got any angrier, hoping that he would let this one slide. The senior sighed in exasperation before turning to face the others. "Resume the roll call!". He shouted again and the rest of the recruits continued the task in a smooth way, making Jimin feel like a misfit once again. Once they were done, they saluted their senior off after he gave them orders to tidy up their beds and present themselves at the training base, and it was only when their door closed that Jimin could finally breathe properly again. "I'm sorry, I should've warned you about-". Taehyung tried to say but Jimin interrupted him before he could finish his apology. "You did, I just got startled". Jimin forced a reassuring smile before making his bed.
They all got changed and went to the base where the same senior who pushed Jimin clapped for them to be quicker. He felt as if the older's gaze was focused on him the whole time, making him more and more nervous to begin his routine. They started off with a jog around the field while singing the song Jimin still didn't properly know the lyrics of. They continued with the obstacles and it was time for the rifle training to begin. They gave them instructions on how to manage the fire arms and Jimin was grateful that he was able to pick up fast on it, while another boy, not much older than him, struggled to catch the gun a few times. "Are you going to keep dropping your rifle! On the ground! Give me 50!". The recruit immediately complied, getting on the ground to start his punishment. Jimin had a feeling his time spent there wasn't going to be the most enjoyable, in fact, it was already starting to feel like hell and it had only been a day.