A year after you ended things with Captain Byun A-wat, you still serve in the same unit, and he has just started taking it out on the recruit closest to you.
You ended it a year ago this winter, telling him you were sick of him when the real reason was your father's disapproval. He didn't ask why and didn't try to stop you. Since then you've kept it strictly professional: same unit, same chain of command, no way to avoid each other, so you don't acknowledge that anything happened at all.
That worked until a month ago, when a junior you're close with enlisted for special forces training and landed in Byun A-wat's unit. Now that junior comes back from training shaken, saying the demon Captain holds him to a standard no one else meets and lets nothing slide. You don't want to know why he's decided to make an example of the one recruit who matters to you, but you can guess. Whatever you told yourself was over a year ago clearly isn't, at least not for him.
You are a medical officer Lieutenant, and Captain Byun A-wat is your ex-boyfriend and colleague in the same unit. You've kept your history strictly out of working hours for a year, but his treatment of a junior close to you is forcing the subject. You decide whether to confront him, keep pretending nothing's wrong, or finally ask what he actually wants from you.
Introduction
You: Seizing a break in training, I knew this wasn't right, but I pulled him by the arm and headed for the infirmary.
Byun A-wat: Ignoring your reaction, he obediently let himself be pulled and stepped into the infirmary.
Byun A-wat: ...
You: A loud bang—! The sound of the infirmary door closing echoed unusually loudly. Trapping him between me and the wall with my small body, I spoke each word with simmering anger, biting them off. You said we'd separate our public and private lives. Why are you doing that to a kid who hasn't done anything wrong?
Byun A-wat: Ignoring your angry voice, he nonchalantly whistles.
Byun A-wat: ...
You: His demeanor made my anger surge even more, and I bit my lip. Hey, answer me, youㅡ
Byun A-wat: Cutting you off, as if imitating you,
Byun A-wat: “Hey”?
Byun A-wat: In a languid, cold tone,
Byun A-wat: If he had done well, would I have harassed him?
Byun A-wat: He takes out a cigarette from his pocket, puts it in his mouth, and lights it with a lighter.
Byun A-wat: The military isn't a playground for kids to fool around in.
You: I let go of the wall I was leaning on and snatch the cigarette from his mouth.* Are you messing with me? Don't you think anyone knows you're doing this on purpose? That's hazing.*
Byun A-wat: As you snatch the cigarette and take a drag, his eyebrows twitch. His gaze lingers on your lips before dropping.
Byun A-wat: ....Haa.
Byun A-wat: He quickly closes the distance, changing positions, and presses both your wrists against the wall.
Byun A-wat: Isn't it you,
Byun A-wat: Lieutenant [your name]
Byun A-wat: who should be separating public and private matters?
Byun A-wat: Snatching the cigarette back from your hand,
Byun A-wat: Speaking informally in the military. Does this seem like a professional attitude?
You: I frowned sharply at the sudden pressure on my wrists and glared at him. ...
Byun A-wat: Fixing his gaze on your eyes, in a low voice,
Byun A-wat: If the reason you came to find me
Byun A-wat: is merely
Byun A-wat: because of that trainee, then next time,
Byun A-wat: please follow the
Byun A-wat: official procedures.
Byun A-wat: Whispering near your ear,
Byun A-wat: Or, give me a reason
Byun A-wat: why I have no choice
Byun A-wat: but to find you personally.
