Chapter 148: The Private (Second Class)
＜1＞
As family and friends left the auditorium, a quiet silence fell inside the auditorium.
At one corner of the auditorium entrance, teaching assistants wearing red hats ran quickly.
Enlisted soldiers who do not yet know proper military life did not take any action.
But it doesn’t matter. Teaching assistants can scare trainees even in this silence.
“Hey… In line with Oh. Don’t move.”
The classmates were frightened by the teaching assistant’s words in a deep, low voice.
I was calm with my back straight, but the comrade in front of me moved very little.
“Hey there you.”
“Yes?!”
“Come out.”
The kid in front of me put down his luggage on the side and tried to get up.
It was a very short moment, but the teaching assistant didn’t miss the chance and screamed out loud.
“Come out quickly!”
My motivation, which had been set as an example, jumped forward at the shouts that resonated in the auditorium.
“Hey… Are you here to play?”
“No… !”
“I just told you not to move. But why are you moving?”
“Sorry… “
“Get down.”
My comrades immediately prostrated themselves in the auditorium.
“If you do one, let’s come down and raise your spirits, and if you do two, come up. One.”
“Spirit-!”
“Two.”
“Let’s set it up!”
“One.”
“Spirit-!”
“Two.”
“Let’s set it up!”
“Two.”
“Spirit-!”
“I said two. Why go down Don’t be crazy-!”
That doesn’t change over time.
One of my classmates, who was watching the scene, met his assistant’s eyes.
“Hey, you jump out too.”
“Yes… !”
Another motive jumped forward in the already overwhelmed atmosphere.
It’s a situation where a sigh comes out naturally, but the moment I sigh right now, it’s motivation.
His eyes didn’t even move, he only looked straight ahead.
After a long period of motivation, we moved to the barracks dormitory.
“Attention.”
“Attention-!”
“Attention.”
“Attention-!!”
It hasn’t even been a day yet, but life has been hard.
“From now on, I will move to the dormitory. Okay?”
“Yes.”
“The only thing that comes out is the voice.”
“Yes!”
“If I have a fever, just repeat the blessing. Okay?”
“Yes!”
It was raining outside, so I put on the provided raincoat and headed straight to the dormitory.
Keeping pace, as soon as I entered the dormitory, a familiar scene caught my eye.
Military uniforms and gym clothes arranged like knives on the guard.
Mattress and blue duvet arranged under it.
I realized that I was in the army, but perhaps the most realistic thing is tomorrow morning.
“From now on, I will tell you where you belong. You belong to the 3rd company, 3rd platoon. Okay.”
“Yes!”
“Where do you belong?”
“This is the 3rd Platoon of the 3rd Company!”
After informing me of my affiliation, I was always informed of my official rank.
“From now on, I will tell you the official name. The official official statement is if his name is Hong Gil-dong. If a superior pointed him out At this time, you say the number, rank, and name assigned to you. Okay? Put the platoon number you belong to in front of the number. You there.”
The teaching assistant pointed at me.
There was quite a distance between the teaching assistant and me, but I didn’t know that he would point at me.
“Recruit No. 315 Lee Hangyul!”
“That’s what you’re talking about. Okay?”
“Yes!”
After that, I didn’t get much motivation, probably because it was the subscription period.
However, all of my classmates held their breath and spent time filling out the given questionnaires.
After the hectic first night of enlistment began, all lights except for the bedlight were turned off.
As I closed my eyes and listened, I could hear the sounds of tossing and sighing as if the bed was uncomfortable.
I also wanted to sigh, but I had to fall asleep before the other classmates started snoring.
Please, when you wake up tomorrow, this is all a dream… I hope Eunha is by my side…
＜2＞
– Wake up. Weather. All trainees of the 2nd Battalion are to wake up, arrange the bedding, open the windows, enter the public room, and gather at the small parade ground by 06:10 for the morning roll call. Weather. Weather.
Dreams are crazy. As soon as I opened my eyes, all I could hear was the assistant’s voice and the empty eyes of my classmates.
From noble mtl dot com
There was a motivation to bury one’s face in a pillow and scream, and another to sigh while looking out the window.
As soon as the thought that only one day had passed filled my head, I too looked up at the ceiling and repeated it.
“f*cked…”
Before I had time to accept the reality of joining the military, time passed by.
This question still exists.
I don’t know why.
Are there any questions like I actually served in the military twice?
Even if there was, I wouldn’t be able to choose O… I guess it will be a little comforting.
Several surveys, physical examinations, and interviews with the platoon commander.
And…
“If you step on the parade ground, roll your foot!”
“There you stick out. If you want to be me, come out!”
“You there. I told you to wear the mask straight. Didn’t you hear?!”
“Everybody get down.”
The teaching assistant shouted and motivated.
I spent time endlessly lying down and endlessly sitting and standing up.
As the day passed, the smiles on the faces of the classmates disappeared, and military songs, not songs, flowed from their lips.
That’s how the bathroom became a public room.
The act of putting your hand in your pocket has been obtained.
The act of touching something became a tentacle.
After the roll call, I lay down on the bed and was about to sleep, but the classmate next to me started talking to me.
“Haa… i really want to go home Did you say Lee Hangyul?”
“Yes.”
“You have never been motivated by your teaching assistants. Have you been to the training camp?”
“There is a sad story there, so please don’t ask.”
“I hope the weekend comes soon… I want to use my cell phone.”
“Can I call you on my cell phone?”
“I heard that calls can only be made from public phones. A cell phone is just a cell phone transaction.”
“Sorry.”
“But where is it?”
“Yes. So, let’s go to bed soon. Before the kids snore.”
“Yes. I should at least sleep… Good night.”
“Sleep well, too.”
How would you feel if you turned on your cell phone on the weekend?
＜3＞
I couldn’t make phone calls on the cell phone I paid for on the weekend.
However, I was able to exchange messages with Eunha for an hour and read the diary and letters that Eunha sent every day.
It was very disappointing that I couldn’t hear his voice directly, but Eunha sent me a lot of selfies, so I was able to soothe my disappointment.
When the first week passed and the second weekend came, I was given a chance to make a 5-minute phone call from a public phone, especially since it was Chuseok.
“Attention.”
“Attention-!”
“Attention.”
“Attention-!”
The teaching assistant sat us down in the hallway in front of the telephone room and said.
“From now on, I’m going to call you one by one, but it’s not 5 minutes after the call is connected, but 5 minutes from the point the assistant asked to make the call. Okay.”
“Yes!”
“And don’t laugh too loud or giggle. Don’t forget you’re a soldier. Okay?”
“Yes!”
“Look at the voice. Okay?”
“Yes!!”
My classmates answered louder, as if their hearts were fluttering.
“Please raise your voice like you normally do. Go into the phone room for numbers 1 through 8.”
From 1 to 8, I went into the phone room in turn.
And when the 5-minute phone call ended, every single person came out in tears.
“Next. Go in from 9 to 16.”
I went inside with my classmates and sat in front of a payphone.
I was thinking of calling my parents and then calling Eunha for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
“Everyone pick up the receiver and call now.”
“Yes!”
My classmates and I picked up the receiver and made a collect call in perfect order.
After a few beeps, I heard my mother’s voice.
-Are you a son… ?!
As soon as I heard my mother’s voice, I burst into tears.
I didn’t think so… Tears were pouring down due to force majeure.
Most of the kids bit their lips or put their fists in their mouths and struggled through the phone call.
I didn’t want to make her worry, but the sadness that had piled up up until now rose all at once.
She answered her mother with a trembling voice.
“Yes… ! It’s me… !”
– Honey! I called my son!
– Yeah?! Please change-! Son! How are you been?!
“Yes..How are you..! Heck..!”
The proper phone call failed.
However, my heart gradually calmed down and I went on the phone with my parents for about 2 minutes.
-Should I call Eunha too?! You must have been waiting impatiently!
“Yes. Did the galaxy go up well that day?
-Ayu~ I cried so much in the car. Come on, call me!
“Yes. I’ll call you back next time! Happy Chuseok!”
After I finished the phone call with my parents, I made up my mind and called Eunha.
My heart was pounding, and as soon as I called, I heard Eunha’s voice.
-Gyeol?! What is it?!
“Yes. It’s me. What were you doing?”
-Gyeol was thinking-! How’s the ending? Is the rice good? Do you sleep well? Do you have any pain anywhere? How much is the call?!
“I think we have a little over two minutes left. I get along well?”
-Yes… ! I’m doing fine… Gyeol?! Gyeol is okay..?!
Eunha’s voice trembled.
As soon as I heard my voice, I felt like bursting into tears.
“I am doing well. Eat well too. I am sleeping well.”
As soon as I heard Eunha’s voice, it was as if all the hardships I had so far were washed away.
-Really..?! It’s not a lie… ?!
“Of course not. What are you doing?”
-Just like Gyeol said, I go to school well… I do a lot of homework… How are you..! Don’t worry about me… !”
“Is Eunha crying right now?”
-Ah, don’t cry… !
“Looks like she’s crying~”
As I teased Eunha, Eunwoo hyung’s voice came over the phone.
-Hangyeol-ah-! He’s messing around right now
-Ah oppa, go! You’re on the phone with Gyeol!
-That’s real-!
It was Chuseok, so it seemed to be at the family home.
“Should I go home?”
– Yes..! I came to see it because it was Chuseok. My brother and mother also want to hear Gyeol’s voice-
-Is Hangyul okay? Do you eat well and sleep well?
This time, I heard my mother’s voice.
“Yes. I am doing well.”
-Mom-! I want to talk to Gyeol and Gyeol for a second!
-Yes~ I won’t disturb you~
I laughed for the first time after enlisting.
-Gyeolah!
“Yes. Eunha.”
-hehehe… Oh, it’s so nice to hear Gyeol’s voice.
“Aren’t you crying right now?”
-Really… Because of Eunwoo Shin… Anyway! Did you call your mother?!
“Yes. I gave it to you a little while ago Did the day go well?”
-Yes. It went up well!
“I heard Eunha cried a lot~”
– Ugh… Oh, i couldn’t help it… ! I miss you!
“I miss you too.”
– Yes! I’ll send you more pictures! I will send more letters too!
“Don’t overdo it~ I’m really glad you’re doing well.”
I was on the phone with Eunha, but the teaching assistant spoke from behind.
“You have one minute left.”
Impatient with the teaching assistant’s words, I immediately spoke to Eunha.
“Eunha. 1 Minute left. I am in good health. Thank you so much for sending me photos, diaries, and letters. I’m so glad you’re doing well. There are three weeks left until the graduation ceremony, so let’s be patient until then.”
– Yes! See you at the graduation ceremony! I am also grateful to Gyeol for replying to many messages, and I am so happy that he is in good health… ! Gyeolah. Love you! You know that I really love Gyeol a lot..?!
“I know. Me too… “
I was ashamed of my classmates and teaching assistant, so I said it in a low voice.
“I love you.”
As soon as I confessed my love, I heard the assistant’s voice.
“Ten seconds left. Everyone, finish the call.”
I gave the last words to Eunha.
“Eunha. I have to hang up now Eat well and stay well! I’ll call you again next week~”
– Yes! I love you too! I love you the most in the world! I’ll write more letters-! I love you!
“Me too. I’ll just hang up.”
– Yes!
From noble mtl dot com
I carefully put the receiver down.
I didn’t expect 5 minutes to feel so short.
In the end, I left the telephone room with tears in my eyes just like the other classmates.
I’m dying to see you.