Chapter 756. Sequence 1

“He said it was at the Arts Theater in front of Hyehwa station’s fourth exit, so….”

Hyunseok’s sentence trailed off as he looked at the building in front of him. Scaffolding that was usually seen in construction zones surrounded the entire building.

“What the heck? Why is there a bunch of scaffolding here?” Beomsoo said.

Hyungseok looked it up on the internet.

“Apparently, it’s a design choice.”

The internet kindly explained that it was designed that way and that it wasn’t actually under maintenance or anything. Hyungseok tilted his head and looked at the building. The design was something he couldn’t understand with his sense of aesthetics.

“Are you sure they just couldn’t be bothered to take them down after they were done?”

“There’s no way that’s true, no matter how sloppy they are. It should be some weird aesthetic sense that we don’t know of. Let’s go inside for now.”

Unlike the exterior, which was considered ugly by Hyungseok’s standards, the interior was neat. To the left was a café decorated with black walls. The ceiling tiles were taken out, revealing the pipes and electrical lines inside, giving a cold yet simplistic image. Inside were people in their 20s and 30s who enjoyed art, sitting with coffee in their hands. On top of their tables were theater tickets. There was a sign that said that there was a discount on coffee for people showing their tickets.

“This is not the kind of place I thought it would be,” Youngjin said.

“What kind of place did you imagine?”

“I watched a play in a theater with my girlfriend not too long ago, and that place was really cramped. The chairs were all squished together, and it looked like it couldn’t even hold 100 people, but this place is huge. My girlfriend said that the theaters in Daehak-ro are all small, so I thought the place Maru-hyung would be performing at would be small as well.”

After looking around the café, they walked to the customer service center. The tickets were sold there as well.

“Hey, why are there so many girls?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

Hyungseok looked at the ladies who were walking around or sitting on the red metal chairs in pairs. They were holding coffee in one hand and a pamphlet in the other and were checking the time expectantly. Couples could be spotted occasionally as well, but the number was small.

“I think we’re the only men-men group.”

“You mean men-men-men-men group. It’s a hell party.”

“I’m ashamed, so let’s sit apart.”

“That’s what I wanted to say.”

Although they said those words, they all sat next to each other. Hyungseok could feel his heels lifting. He could see more than a hundred people walking past the information desk at a glance. From the time, it seemed like the people waiting in the lobby right now had all bought theater tickets for the play that was going to be held in the 3rd floor large theater. That theater was a large one with more than 500 seats. There were many people in the audience, and Han Maru would be performing in front of them. Even though he wasn’t related to this play at all, he could feel himself getting fired up.

“It looks like Maru-hyung is doing well, right?”

“Just look at the size of this building. Do you think they would let anyone perform here?”

“Man, the rental fees must be expensive.”

His colleagues all commented.

“So Sarge Han was serious when he said that before?” Hyungseok uttered.

His colleagues asked what he meant, puzzled.

“During our last tactical training.”

* * *

“It’s freezing,” Hyungseok said as he opened the cargo of the box truck.

It was April. While it might be Spring outside, here in Pochen, it was still snowing. Although hints of greenery could be glimpsed from time to time, the overwhelming majority was still hidden by white. Hyungseok was even a little worried that it might start snowing.

He blew warm air into his hands and looked down the hill. The observation battalion set up camp in the clearing halfway up the mountain. The military green-colored tent installed on top of the white snowy plains seemed like a blemish on a white paper. It was even more eye-catching due to the meaningless camo sheets. They were practically advertising that their forces were right there.

Until just last year, the battalion tactical training was just training for show. They would roughly camouflage themselves, roughly check the equipment, and roughly make rounds around their barracks before roughly returning. The change of such training to an ‘FM[1]’ training that even involved the communications vehicle was thanks to the new battalion commander’s ambitions. Hyungseok couldn’t care about ‘strong army’ or whatnot, but the commander, who wanted to spread his wings of promotion, was like a disaster to the soldiers below him.

“Let’s just put up the antenna quickly and communicate. You’ll only be able to get some rest that way. If we stay here, we’re all gonna freeze to death. Hey, Cheonsoo.”

“Private first class Kim Cheonsoo!”

“Watch out when you install the antenna and call me when you feel strange. Okay? Don’t break a peg or something while trying to show off your strength.”

“Yes!”

Hyungseok watched the junior installing the antenna. The junior looked pretty decent when he swung his hammer while panting. The appearance of a reliable junior was a blessing.

“Sergeant Yoon Hyungseok! Do we raise the mast all the way up?”

“No! Don’t raise the last bit. We already talked to the guys from Alfa, so you just have to line it up properly. You guys, look at this rock over here. If we install a 992 right next to his place, we’ll get a signal, so remember it and install it here next year as well. Of course, I won’t be here since I would be discharged. You guys are gonna be in trouble if you don’t remember.”

After checking that the antenna was installed stably, Hyungseok entered the box truck in order to communicate with the Alfa company. Inside the cramped box truck were four sergeants curled up into balls like puppies shivering in the cold.

“Sarge Han, you should just go to the staff tent. I’m sure you can have it easy since you’re being doted on by the first sergeant.”

“I saw him with the supply officer. It’s obvious that they would nag me to play chess with them. Why would I go?”

“You should. What are you doing in the box truck when you’re supposed to be leaving for your final vacation soon? This vehicle is designed for only four people. You should be considerate of your juniors.”

“Should I tell the company commander that the sergeants are all holed up in here?” Maru said, picking up his helmet.

Hyungseok quickly grabbed Maru’s arm.

“Sarge, you must be joking. Why don’t you sit back down?”

“Dammit, it’s so lonely not having any colleagues. My juniors are trying to one-up me now that they became sergeants. You guys forgot the things I did for you when you were privates, didn’t you? This must be why people must watch out for people.”

Hearing Maru grumble, Gitae quickly opened a hot pack and stuffed it into Maru’s pocket.

“You know how much we cherish you, hyung. Don’t do that. Take this and let it go.”

“I’m not someone who moves on bribery.”

“There you go again. Sarge Han, we aren’t strangers, are we?”

Beomsoo and Youngjin also shook some hot packs and stuffed them into Maru’s pocket. Maru smiled, as though he had no choice.

“No one’s sick, right?” Maru asked.

Hyungseok replied while undoing his simplified military vest.

“Yes. The prick that retired halfway through the march came back from the medical tent, and he looks okay now. Damn that guy. He was clearly trying to ditch training.”

“You should probe him out before you chew him. It’s really frustrating if you get chewed when you’re actually hurt.”

“I told Sunghyuk that already. The ones in power should be the ones to uphold discipline. I mean, I’m past that stage now, aren’t I?”

“At times like this, I sometimes think that the clock at the ministry of defense is actually ticking properly. I mean, Hyungseok, you’re already a sergeant. The same goes for the rest of you as well,” Maru said, pointing at the sergeant insignia on their chest pocket.

Hyungseok tapped on his own shoulder.

“And I got this as a bonus as well. Honestly speaking, you should’ve been the squad leader. Everyone follows you more as well.”

“Forget it. I received enough vacations as it is. Also, squad leaders are best avoided. Thanks to that, I reached the end of my service period in peace.”

“Yes. That’s why I got the green epaulet[2] as your junior. So that you can have it easy.”

“You get one extra vacation day for that, so deal with it.”

“It’s so hard these days because the new guys that join are all idiots. One day isn’t enough.”

“Think back to when you just joined.”

“Stop talking about old times. It’s making me feel embarrassed.”

Hyungseok grabbed the walkie-talkie.

“One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-zero. Anyone waiting on this network? This is dude next door. How is the reception?”

-Reception 33, good.

“Roger that. Over and out.”

After checking communication, he put down the walkie-talkie. Hyungseok looked at Maru, who had his legs stretched out and resting on the wireless communication device.

“It’s so weird. Sarge Han is going on his last vacation.”

“You guys are bound to go as well. We’re only a month apart, so it won’t even take that long.”

“How many days is Sarge Han going? Didn’t he get a lot of extra vacation?”

“I think he did.”

“From what I know, he got one from haircutting, posters, one-liners[3]….”

Hyungseok sighed while trying to count the number of days Maru was leaving as his final vacation. The other sergeants barely accumulated one month of holiday by including their corporal regular vacations, while Maru was getting over a month on his last leave based on extra holidays alone. While the staff members gave him a lot as well, it was still incredible for him to get all those vacation days. It wasn’t that Hyungseok was dissatisfied. In fact, he thought that Maru deserved more.

“It’s gonna be quite empty once Sarge Han leaves,” Gitae said.

Gitae was strictly scolded by Maru when he was a new recruit because of his mistakes, but after that, he became very close to Maru. Their other colleagues should all be the same. He was their direct senior, but he acted like their friend at times and like a father at others.

Hyungseok took out a sausage from his magazine pouch and put it in his mouth.

“Uhm, Sarge Han. Keep talking about the story from yesterday. Did you break up with your girlfriend?” Gitae asked.

They were talking just between sergeants yesterday, and Maru’s history came up. Maru usually didn’t talk about his own stories, but he talked about it yesterday. Perhaps his worries had been resolved, or perhaps he had become emotional because he was approaching his last leave. While they didn’t get to hear anything in detail, they heard that Maru chose to come to the military to physically distance himself from the girl he loved.

“You don’t have to tell the other person that you should break up to break up. It just disappears naturally with the flow of time.”

“It looks to me like you’re still in love with her. Why are you trying to break up?”

“Well, I don’t know the reason either anymore. It’s just, I can be sure that this state is better for both me and her. From the way nothing has happened yet, I mean.”

“Sarge Han, you’re so clear cut when it comes to other things, but you’re so vague when it comes to things like this.”

“Don’t pry too much. You’re gonna get punished if you hurt a guy before his last leave.”

Gitae said okay and closed his eyes. The transmission device turned on, and a slight hiss filled the silence. Hyungseok gulped down the sausage in his mouth.

“Sarge Han. What are you going to do once you leave? Are you going to keep doing those plays?”

“Plays? Yeah. I will. I don’t have anything to distract me for the time being, so that’s the only place I could consume my energy.”

“I hope it goes well. Call me if you have it hard. I can give you food and a place to sleep.”

Maru flattened his cap and put it on top of his eyes. The visor blocked his face, but his lips could be seen. His lips were raised upwards.

“I may look like this, but I’m actually blessed by god. In a year, I should have settled down and become quite famous.”

“Isn’t your dream a little too big?”

“If you still remember me after a year, you can see how I’m doing then.”

“I’ve never seen people do well after making guarantees so easily, but I think you should be able to do it, Sarge Han. Alright, I’ll see you a year after getting discharged. If you’re doing really well like you say you will, you treat me, but otherwise, I’ll treat you.”

Hearing that, his colleagues all chimed in.

“Let me in as well.”

“Isn’t a year too fast? Sarge Han, are you sure about this?”

“Yeah. A year is pretty short, you know?”

As soon as they said those words, Maru lifted his cap a little. His slightly narrow eyes were smiling.

“Just think of what you want to eat.”

* * *

“Ribeye beef steak[4],” Hyungseok said.

Next to him, his colleagues all nodded at once. Looking down from the 2nd floor, the theater was larger than an ordinary cinema theater. The audience seats were all filled as well. Sarge Han was acting in front of all these people?

Hyungseok looked at the audience who was waiting excitedly.

[1] Stands for field manual. Here, it means that they’re following every single training instruction without ‘roughly’ doing things.

[2] Signifies squad leader. Squad leaders get an extra day of vacation depending on how long they serve as one. This is different according to each base though.

[3] The military gives the soldiers extra days of vacation on top of the regular vacations upon promotion, for doing various tasks or winning various competitions. Hair cutting is one of the tasks, while posters and one-liners are competitions. The one-liners are basically statements (usually related to cyber security) which is picked every month and distributed to all the bases in the country

[4] One of the most expensive foods people tend to think of that’s not too overboard.

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