One life of a man.

After the meal, Yo-han took Dan-bi to the Choi family home and on their way he noticed how super reserved Dan-bi was. He never remembered the woman sitting beside him to be quiet like this ever. As a teenager, she used to be a loud mouth whenever he is around and she enjoyed his company. 'Seems to be serious about leaving this time but I won't allow that. I still haven't made my decision about family yet but either way you are still mine.' he said to himself. He was kind of disturb by how she has started to change towards him, it would be better if he stops her from breeding a new habit now, later might be too late.

"Why are you quiet?" Taking his sight from the road, Yo-han looked to the side to view her face.

"Nothing, I was just thinking?" She replied without meeting his gaze.

"Care to share with me? I might be of great help you know." He replied after stopping the car at the red light.

She wanted to resist telling him what she was thinking, she shouldn't probably tell him that she was thinking about them but it might actually help if she did tell him this.

"Yo-han, I want to tell you a story, a story that Nana told me some times ago, I would like to ask you one more question afterwards." She said and looked into his eyes which was filled with hope. He didn't know what she was thinking but he wanted to listen attentively and give her his attention. He broke her gaze when the light turned green and drove to the side of the road to pulled over there and gave all his concentration after folding his arms.

"Tell me, I would like to hear" He said and waited for her to start her story.

With reluctance she opened her mouth and started telling her story.

"About Seventy years ago, there was war between Country S and Country N, I guess you know that. What they fought about Nana never mentioned but she said the war lasted for about three years and the war was very bloody and a lot of people died with a high percentage of civilian death.

During that time, Nana who was just about twenty years old followed her father who used to be a military doctor to the battle to take care of Country S soldiers. Then he was in the hottest part of the war where the killings were more intense and a lot of blood flowed on the street day and night. He took with him everywhere he went his precious Daughter and his apprentice Hu Na-Mu. But he didn't take her along with him when duty called for him at the deadly provinces at that time. He left her in Na-Mu's care and the old man made Hu Na-Mu promise and swear on his life that no arm will befall Choi Sa-Rang his only daughter before he left to the war front."

_

A young man who wore a straw hat with a veil hiding his face tiptoed across the hard floor of the dojo towards the exit as if escaping from someone. Just when he reached the door did someone cleared their throat loudly, catching him off guard, he jumped out of fright and turned to look at who it is but his straw hat and the veil fell of his head, revealing that he is a lady.

"Sa-Rang where are you going to dressed like a man, Are you trying to escape my watch again." Na-Mu asked as he watched her with his arms folded as he rested by a pillar. He stood up from where he sat, walked up to her and said. "Are running off again?, Don't even think I will allow that."

"Hey, just for thirty minutes and I won't go far." Sa-Rang held his arm and pleaded like a little child.

"I can't let you go, I swore on my life to keep you safe how do you expect me to face master if something bad happens to you, don't you know that their is a war going on out their, are you planning to get yourself killed and leave master and I in grief?, I won't allow that, you are not leaving my side." He stated himself clearly before he locked the door and kept the key in his pocket.

"Na-Mu, I know that their is a war and I can protect myself out there, I am also a trained soldier if you have forgotten, why are you so overprotective?" She pouted and followed behind him every step he takes.

"I guess we both know why, I won't leave you for danger, forget about going out." He said then went back to training.

"Na-Mu, I know that you care, I just want to go to the river side you know that's where I go whenever I miss my dad, you can come with me if you are not sure of my safety, just let me go this once hmmn" She pleaded and knowing that he wouldn't want to see her sad, she made sure to sound sorrowful.

Na-Mu stopped what he was doing, grabbed a pullover, walked to her and wore it for her. " The weather is cold outside, don't forget that this is your first and last time going out until your service is needed in the military once again." He said and pulled her along with him as he lead for the door.

She giggled, satisfied that she succeeded this time like always, she nodded her head to assure him she won't ask him to let her out any other time, then she followed behind him closely.

"Na-Mu sing with me .

On this hill and that ridge where blood and sweat pervaded,

Pouring starlights of our mothers' beautiful eyes,

My fellow if unification comes as I risk this body,

Then in one life of a man, what could make me afraid?,

... " She sang as they walked the path of the riverside.

She suddenly heard something that sounded like a sack of nuts fell from a truck. She looked around but there was no truck around but she could see something. A soldiers body laying lifeless on the ground.

_

"Brigadier Sir, the enemy troops are closing in on us, we should leave this place immediately, they have leveled the troops we sent and they are coming for us, we don't have time to..."

"Pack enough bullets as you can, we are facing them head on, I will be never run." The Brigadier, a man slightly above thirty years said and interrupted the much older Colonel who was reporting to him. "Tell the men to remain on guard and prepare for an attack, we won't stay here and wait for them, we are going to meet them on the way." He added and he started fixing his arms and fetching more bullets and ammunition's.

" Brother Yoon are you suggesting that we fight an attack with attack?, We should probably retreat, we are outnumbered, call me a pessimist but I don't think we can defeat them. Their forces are stronger than ours." The Colonel tried to convince him but it was futile because Brigadier Yoon just kept checking his guns and replacing empty cartridges with loaded ones and reloading the bullets.

"Colonel, I have given my order." Brigadier Yoon said and stepped out to where all the soldiers are lined up. "Whoever has a family among you and is scared to die should fall back, I want only those who are prepared to die on my team" He yelled after the usual military salutation.

After some hesitation, almost seventy men out of a hundred fell back including the Colonel. Most of this people are still very young and are new recruits.

The Brigadier dismissed them and asked them all to go back home to their families, he summoned the thirty fearless men and beckoned them to follow him and off he went to battle. But before that, he didn't forget to release a bomb that killed all those who stepped back, the fearful ones who chose their families over their nation. This act of his brought terror on the remaining ones but made them more aligned and patriotic to their nation.

The bomb invited the enemy to their location real quick and the battle started in a flash. The Brigadier and his men fought really well and killed a lot of the enemy soldiers but only the Brigadier and two soldiers left the place alive but seriously wounded.

They wandered the thick bush day and night with no food to eat and water to drink for two good days and the two soldiers died as a result.

The Brigadier kept walking never giving up, standing whenever he falls. He was so lucky that throughout his three days journey, he didn't come across any life threat aside thirst, hunger, and his worsening wounds.

After a long walk he got very close to a town where he found a river. He wobbled to the riverside to get water and quench his thirst but before he could get their. His eyes started to close and he felt the earth turning at an angle of ninety degrees. He heard the sound of a man and woman singing a melodious military song before his body hit the floor and he passed out afterwards.