Jimin had gone out after a few hours to meet with his father, General Konu. He'd told me he'd be back and to not stay up for him. But I couldn't help it.

I had taken a shower when he left, cleansing my body from the filth it had taken up both physically and verbally.

The worst injury I'd sustained was a short but deep gash along my hairline. I didn't even know where I might've gotten the injury but with my body recovering from shock I was finally beginning to feel the pain.

Finally I'd changed into clean pajamas and crawled into bed. And waited.

Even if I wanted to, my body was still too wired to fall asleep. I hugged my pillow and stared into the darkness.

The sirens outside had died down mercifully, though there was still plenty of rumbling in the skies from air traffic.

I almost missed the click of the hotel room door opening. I immediately tensed when I heard shuffling in the other room. A few moments later a weary looking Jimin entered the bedroom.

I sat up, not even pretending to have been asleep.

He glanced at me, unsurprised. "You're still awake."

"I..." My voice died and I wound up fidgeting with a corner of the bedsheet around me. I didn't know what to say anymore.

"Lay back down okay?" Jimin murmured. "I'm here now. I'm going to shower and then I'll be back."

I nodded and curled up in the mattress, watching him in the dim lighting as he grabbed some clothes and walked back out.

I resumed staring blankly up at the ceiling, trying to find some way to calm down. Had it really been this morning when I'd been peacefully half asleep making a dopey fool of myself?

It seemed so long ago.

Finally I heard the bathroom door slide open and Jimin was walking back in. His hair was still damp and dark and he wore loose gray pajama pants and a sleeveless bro tank. His silver Marks had a muted glow about them as if they too were exhausted beyond measure.

He finally clambered into the bed and immediately rolled up against me. I silently soaked in his touch and curled my arms around him. I could feel that his already hard muscles were tenser than usual.

"You want to talk about it?" I murmured.

Jimin didn't answer for a few moments before he exhaled heavily. The tensed muscles loosened a little under my arm. "Father wants me to become a trainer again to the recruits at the Northern Militant Camp."

"Is it... is it that bad to train the recruits for you?"

Jimin grunted an affirmative but didn't elaborate.

I knew Jimin detested training and military camps with a dark passion. He had history with both and it had to be hard on him to have to return to it all.

"Did we figure out who attacked the Infinity Council?" I asked.

Jimin hesitated. "The Pure Reformists."

I closed my eyes, focusing on keeping my breaths steady. I couldn't help but wonder if my parents had already joined that radical and violent group.

"Were they trying to accomplish something specific?"

"They attacked the leaders of the New Order, Jiyeon," he said quietly. "What they were trying to accomplish, and succeeded in accomplishing might I add, is starting a war."

My blood iced and I lifted my head, eyes wide. "Are you serious?"

"I may joke around about bananas and melons, but I'd never joke about this, partner."

War.

It was only a few months ago that I first met Jimin. A flirtatious, sultry boy packed with horny thoughts and innuendos. Just a few months ago we'd been getting to know each other and the hardest situation in our lives was deciding what joke to pull on each other next.

"We knew it was coming, Jiyeon," Jimin murmured as if sensing my thoughts. "It just happened to come a little sooner than anyone anticipated."

"But... how did it happen so fast?" I asked breathlessly. "The Reformists only came to existence less than two months ago."

"That's where you're wrong," Jimin murmured softly. "That's the thing that Infinity Council has been lying about to the New Order, to the entire world. Think about it Jiyeon. Before the Outworlders landed on Earth, so many countries were at war or at least high tensions with one another. Do you really think that it would all end just like that?"

His voice wasn't accusatory. But it was so matter of fact I felt no less stupid ever thinking that perhaps decades of old hate between nations and ethnic groups would cease to exist within a couple years.

Jimin continued. "The Pure Reformists were first found in Europe almost a year ago. There were several uprisings in their part in the countries in Europe. That's why we have a General of Warfare, and who's so important. It's his job to bring down those uprisings immediately and then cover up so everyone thinks everything's peachy."

The Infinity Council lied to us. The world wasn't at peace. It never really was. Violence had begun again long ago and the Council had pretended that everything was alright to try and contain it.

"But despite Father's best efforts, whispers of the Pure Reformists began spreading. Other countries began to simmer with unrest and resentment." Jimin exhaled, as if every word he spoke was lightening the burden upon his chest. "Father knew it was just a matter of time before the unrest reached here."

He shifted so he was facing me. The silver tendril across his cheek cast a frosty glow to his dark gaze. "That's why I'm needed as a trainer. I've been gathering recruits under Father's secret orders so that when the Reformists began to rise in this country, we'd be ready."

"And now that the Reformists are here."

"Yes." Jimin's eyes slid shut. "I'm to resume the role as trainer to new recruits starting tomorrow."

I gazed at this beautiful boy whom I'd so quickly come to care for.

"Jimin?"

"Hm?" One of his eyes opened.

"I want you to train me."

Both eyes were opened now. "What?"

"I asked a few times before but this time I mean it. I want you to train me how fight. How to defend myself."

"Jiyeon it takes months, maybe even years—"

"I understand that," I quickly cut in. "But I want to at least start learning. If what you say is true Jimin, if war is upon us, then I don't want to be caught in the unawares. Just a few moves could serve as a lifesaver for me."

Jimin hesitated and I silently pleaded at him.

He finally nodded. "Alright. I'll make a deal. You sit in on my class tomorrow, see what you're really in for. And if at the end you still want to train, then I'll get you enrolled into a few classes somehow."

"Thank you!"

"Don't thank me yet," he said softly, darkly. "You're about to enter a whole new world Jiyeon. Leave the cute cockroaches and underwear jokes aside. In the world of warfare, it's either you make it, or you break."

"You made it though," I whispered.

Jimin's eyes fluttered close again. "I don't know about that yet."

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