Chapter 108: Send-Off (3)

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There was no traffic jam on the highway because it was a weekday morning. They had set off early just in case, but...

“We’re here way earlier than expected,” Kang Ra-Eun remarked.

Seo Yi-Seo and Seo Yi-Jun nodded in agreement.

“Since Yi-Jun said he’d get his hair cut at a salon around the training center... What should we do for lunch? Do you want to go get your haircut before or after lunch?”

Ra-Eun let Yi-Jun choose. He did not ponder for long.

“I’ll get it after lunch,” he expressed.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t think I’ll have the stomach for lunch if I get a haircut before it.”

Ra-Eun could sympathize. She had gotten her hair buzzed the day before her enlistment date. She still regretted the day despite the long amount of time that had already passed. She had gotten so depressed that she would be going to the army as soon as she cut her hair that even the most delicious foods tasted like nothing. The emotions from that day were coming back to her.

“Then let’s eat somewhere else other than the restaurants near the training center. The restaurants near that area are terrible,” Ra-Eun said.

This was yet another lifehack from someone who had been to the army. Yi-Jun nodded without a word, possibly because he had heard the exact same things from his university upperclassmen who had been to the army. His final meal of choice was unexpectedly simple.

“Let’s go eat a hamburger.”

“Hamburger? Not anything like beef, chicken, or even pizza?”

“I’ve had my fill of those kinds of foods since last week. I’d been thinking, and I realized I haven’t had any hamburgers.”

Since Yi-Jun was today’s protagonist, Ra-Eun decided to respect his decision.

~

They walked to a restaurant after parking the car near the place, but...

“We’re terribly sorry, our tables are full,” the employee said.

They had no other choice but to have their meals to go. As Yi-Seo and Yi-Jun were about to search online for a place to eat in the vicinity, Ra-Eun expressed to them that there was no need to and turned the steering wheel.

“I know a good place, so let’s go eat there.”

Like Ra-Eun had said, there had been a small park in the vicinity. They sat on the bench and had an early lunch. The park was secluded, likely because it was such a small park and people might not have realized that there even was a park here.

Yi-Seo asked Ra-Eun in astonishment, “How did you know there was a place like this here?”

It was a place that she had found herself before she had returned to the past. Since she couldn’t be honest, she made an excuse. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I happened to see it on the drive here.”

Ra-Eun managed to play it off as having a good eye. The three managed to have a nice lunch without anyone bothering them thanks to her.

The time had finally come for Yi-Jun to get his haircut. Ra-Eun put on sunglasses, a mask and even a hat in fear that people would recognize her. The eyes of men were still on her because she could not hide the beauty that emanated from her entire body, but thankfully no one had yet to recognize her. The men were likely thinking there was no way that a popular actress would be at a small hair salon right in front of the training center.

Ra-Eun and Yi-Seo took as many pictures of Yi-Jun as they could before his turn for a haircut arrived.

Yi-Seo asked while giggling, “Smile a bit, Yi-Jun. Why the long face?”

“Would you be able to smile in my shoes, sis?”

He was not wrong. His turn had finally come. The hairdresser shaved Yi-Jun’s head with a hair clipper without even asking if there was a certain style that he wanted.

Ra-Eun and Yi-Seo tried their best to hold in their laughter while on the long highway. Meanwhile, Yi-Jun wanted to die. His long locks of hair were nowhere to be found, and all that was left of it was hair so buzzed that his scalp was clearly visible.

Ra-Eun took out a hand mirror that she had prepared and gave it to Yi-Jun, who was brushing the remaining hairs that were stuck on his head.

“Take a look.”

Yi-Jun said concisely, “It looks terrible.”

However, Ra-Eun expressed otherwise, “I think it looks rather good on you, actually.”

Short hair suited Yi-Jun rather nicely, possibly because he had a nicely-shaped head. Although, the man himself wasn’t able to accept it.

***

Ra-Eun and Yi-Seo headed to the Nonsan Training Center entrance with Yi-Jun. There were so many people that they started to recognize Ra-Eun one by one. She hid her displeasure and responded with a smile to people who came up to ask her if she was Kang Ra-Eun. The training center stirred up due to the sudden appearance of a top actress. Now that it had come to this...

‘I don’t give a shit anymore.’

Her sunglasses aside, she took her mask off because it was too stuffy.

‘Thank God I put on make-up.’

She had never put on make-up in her high school days even when she had plans to hang out with friends. But now, she was so famous that she needed to put on at least the basic amount even when going to the convenience store. She was beautiful even without make-up, but there was still a stark difference between when she had make-up on and when she didn’t.

Even the eyes of soldiers on duty at the training center were glued on Ra-Eun because she was even more famous than idol girl group members.

As they walked past the street vendors laid out in front of the training center, they heard a conversation coming from a group of men near them.

“Hey, Seo-Hun. Don’t you know you need to buy a gun before you enlist?”

“A gun? Is it mandatory to buy one?”

“Obviously, man! Jeez, what would you do without me?”

Yi-Jun naturally turned toward Ra-Eun.

“Do I also have to buy one, Noona?”

Ra-Eun snickered from the men’s conversation.

“Don’t be fooled. It’s all bullshit.”

Not only were they not sold anywhere, it would be a massive problem if they actually were sold.

Someone caught Ra-Eun’s attention as she entered the training center. A man was filming something on a camera. It certainly did not look like he was here as one of the enlisting soldiers. The man also belatedly noticed Ra-Eun.

“Huh? Could you be Ra-Eun?” The man walked toward her with certainty as soon as he saw her. “Good afternoon! I’m Program Director Joo Seong-Won. We’d once greeted each other in a hallway. Do you perhaps remember?”

“Oh, Director Joo. Yes, I remember.”

From what Ra-Eun remembered, he was a variety program director. Head staff members that were part of what was commonly called the ‘Director Joo Division’ had come with Director Joo and were filming the training center and writing things down.

Director Joo asked Ra-Eun as he looked at Yi-Jun, “You must be here because of an acquaintance.”

“Yes. And you, Director... Do you have a shoot planned here?” Ra-Eun asked.

“No. You could say that we’re investigating the site. Actually, I had something I wanted to ask you.”

As Director Joo was about to continue, an announcement played from the drill ground.

- The enlistment ceremony will begin at 1400 hours. We ask all conscripts scheduled to be enlisted and their family and acquaintances to gather at the drill ground.

“Ra-Eun, it sounds like we have to go,” Yi-Seo said.

Ra-Eun lightly nodded. Director Joo decided to leave their conversation for another time since Ra-Eun seemed busy.

“Could you spare me some of your time after the ceremony? It won’t take long, I promise you,” the director asked.

“I understand.”

Ra-Eun was also curious about what he was going to say.

***

The conscripts that were about to be enlisted were arranged into rows and columns. Yi-Seo teared up as she watched from behind, which she then was confused as to why she was crying.

“I think it’s because I’m watching my little brother getting enlisted into the army,” she deciphered.

Ra-Eun offered her a handkerchief in silence. Her reaction was completely understandable. It was not like Yi-Seo and Yi-Jun were on bad terms. Rather, they were rather close.

‘Complete opposite to me and my noona.’

The enlistment ceremony began at last. They sang the national anthem, took the oath of enlistment, and lastly...

“Squadron, about-turn!”

The conscripts awkwardly turned around as per the drillmaster’s command.

“Salute to the parents who birthed and raised you!”

“Yes, sir!”

The sons raised their hands in salute as a final goodbye to their family. The parents, families and acquaintances bawled their eyes out in response. Yi-Seo was one of them. Ra-Eun comforted her as she was shaking in tears.

Yi-Seo met eyes with Yi-Jun in salute. He was biting his lips to restrain his emotions from exploding. Seeing that, Ra-Eun was reminded of past memories. She wondered if she had also been like that during her enlistment.

Ra-Eun smiled bitterly and waved at Yi-Jun.

‘Good luck on your service.’

And just like that, Yi-Jun, who Ra-Eun considered a kind little brother, became a soldier.

***

Ra-Eun headed to the parking lot with Yi-Seo after sending Yi-Jun off. Rather than people scrambling to leave the parking lot, their lingering feelings kept them from leaving the training center after parting from their loving sons, brothers, friends or lovers. Yi-Seo could not take her eyes off the training center either.

Since Ra-Eun had something to discuss with Director Joo Seong-Won, she told Yi-Seo to wait here for a little bit and went back to where the director had been.

“Director Joo.”

“Oh, Ra-Eun! Did you send off your acquaintance?”

“Yes. I had to comfort my friend since she was crying so much.”

On the other hand, Ra-Eun was perfectly fine. Yi-Jun wasn’t her real brother, but she had still been very close to him. However, she was able to keep herself together not because she didn’t care for him, but because she was confident that he’d be fine in the army.

“You said you had something you’d like to ask me, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did.” Director Joo explained why he was here along with what he wanted to ask her. “I’ve actually been planning an army variety show.”

“And?”

An ominous feeling was welling up within her.

“And I’ve been thinking of making a female soldier special, so I was hoping you’d participate in it if possible.”

Her ominous feeling had been right on the mark.