Sergeant Cole did one of the bedsheets of the bunk bed and throw one at May's front.
"Catch it, soldier! Heck!" Shouted Sergeant Cole.
May was caught off guard and did not move for a second.
"Ten pushes!" Sergeant Cole shouted again.
May's eyes widened and she asked, "Are you talking to me? Push?"
"Yes, you! Push-ups now! Shithead! Be alert next time!" Sergeant Cole said.
May scratched her head but followed the order and did the push-ups while Sergeant Park was teaching the group to how properly do their beds.
"We want cleanliness and tidiness in here. Clean your own mess and if you don't, you will be punished! Remember to read your Smartbook at your free time. Light's off at 9:00 PM! Everyone should be inside your unit. If you are caught outside, you'll be punished! Understood?" Sergeant Cole shouted.
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Also make sure you all shower before going back to bed or you'll be punished. We hate the stinky smell. So don't dirty our mattresses or stank! Hooaah?"
"Hooaah!" the girls answered in chorus.
"You, shithead, stop the push-up!" Sergeant Cole instructed May who extended her push-ups more than ten.
"Thank you, Sergeant!" May answered as she stood up.
As soon as Sergeant Cole and Sergeant Park left, May pouted her lips and exclaimed scornfully, "Shithead? The heck, can she at least upgrade it to pig head?"
Keira laughed and threw the Smartbook to May.
"Here, read it, they say it's called Smartbook because it will make you smart!" Keira said laughing.
"Hey, where are you going? It's almost bedtime!" Lana asked Keira who was walking outside.
"Yeah, I know, just a few minutes… I just need some air. I'll be back soon," answered Keira before going out.
The lights were dim and Keira walked a little bit more to a very nice spot while she looked at the sky. She knew that no one went on that spot except for two persons only.
"Hmm, there are so many stars tonight," she murmured and smiled.
Then she sighed, they were like twenty people inside their unit, though she was glad she's with Lana and May.
"Why are you still outside? Go back to your unit, its almost bedtime," said a voice from her back.
Keira let out a wide smile. Based on John's report, this was Zach's favorite spot, as well her father's, whenever he's inside the boot camp. It would definitely become her favorite spot too.
She did not turn around. But continued to look up.
"Yes, I know I'll head inside soon. I heard from my father that I'll be able to often see shooting stars from this spot, so I wanted to confirm and try it every night... I'm sure it's not against the rules," she murmured.
"Field Marshal Chan is right. You are at the right spot, but I don't think you'll see one tonight, so go back to your unit," Zach said as he looked at Keira's back who was wearing the all-white cotton hoodie jacket with lettering ARMY at the front, partnered with jogging pants.
After seconds of silence, Keira turned around and smiled at him.
"General Lim? Is that you?" Keira asked as she looked directly at Zach.
Zach creased his forehead, showing a bit of uncertainty but he had an idea on to why Keira was asking.
"I'm sorry?" He replied back.
'Zach, what are you doing? You should tell her to go back to her room instead of asking that stupid question! You will be in big trouble so try to stay away!' Zach scolded himself inwardly.
Keira was about to speak when Zach suddenly pulled her at the side of the nearest wall to hide.
"Shhh," Zach whispered and gestured Keira not to make a sound.
"Wait guys are we allowed to this place?" Asked a man for a distance.
"Of course we are, but we need to head back soon. Let's explore the camp more tomorrow. I'm sure we will have a lot of spare time then," said another man.
Keira heard their footsteps leaving the area so she said, "Is that you who voted the last yes for me to pass?"
Zach did not respond and just stared at Keira which made the latter to wickedly grin.
"General Lim, don't you know the saying 'Silence means YES?' So it's you then…" she added with a pleased smile.
Before Zach could utter a word, Keira tiptoed and gave him a kiss. It was a very quick kiss on his lips that left him dumbfounded.
"Thank you for giving me a chance. I promise you won't regret it, General Lim," Keira whispered before she quickly ran away from Zach toward her unit to catch the bedtime curfew.
Zach stared at Keira's back totally staggered. He shouldn't have pulled Keira to hide. He did it because it's inappropriate if those soldiers saw them together that might have caused gossips.
But now he regretted it because Keira had the opportunity to fulfill her promise about kissing the one who voted 'Yes' that made her pass.
"How come she's so bold?" Zach murmured. It was already dark but the reddening of his face was burning hotly because of embarrassment.
Keira's words flashback. "I promise you won't regret it."
Zach's sighed because now he felt like he was somehow regretted it.
At that moment, three shooting stars showed up and fell from the sky.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*The next morning*
"So, let's go! Get up! Get up! Brush your teeth! Precise bunk making is an element of the unit's esprit, morale, and discipline!" Shouted Sergeant Cole as she roamed around the unit.
Keira yawned and looked at her wristwatch. It's 4:30 in the morning. Every day was like that. Sergeant Cole roamed around inspecting how they do the bedsheets.
"Make sure it's tight! I don't wanna see any crumpled sheet, understood?"
"Hooaah!" Responded the girls.
"You got twenty minutes to be outside for the formation!" Shouted Sergeant Park before the two left.
"Let's see whose vocal cords will explode first." May murmured to Keira jokingly.
It was because the Sergeants did a lot of noise, yelling and jostling to get them out of the rack.
Keira laughed in a low tone and said, "Shhh, stop mumbling and let's hurry outside."
Outside, they were instructed to line up as they salute at the same time the anthem started and the national flag was being raised.
Afterward, Sergeant Park shouted, "Right face! So, step-up and with the left foot forward march!"
"Left, step up. Left, right, go left… left, right... go left… left, right, your left," shouted Sergeant Park once more, as they followed the marching cadence trying to keep up with the tune.
"Alright, this time I'm gonna give you a 'halt' command, so you gonna stop at the count of one… two… Halt!" Shouted Sergeant Park.
"One, Two," said in chorus Keira's group as they stopped.
"Stop that shaking, it's not cold! Get the cold out of your mind! C'mon give us a good formation!" Shouted Sergeant Park so Keira stopped her body's shaking.
The heck, it's so cold outside and they only wear a not that thick cotton jacket.
Zach was watching from a distance, then sighed as he looked at Keira.
They were instructed to march inside the meeting room where they were mixed with other units.
Keira smiled and greeted Drey. But then, before each of them could talk, Lieutenant Kang shouted, "Settled down, soldiers, sit in a line!"
Keira followed immediately with a smile because she saw Zach in the corner then she pursed her lips when Jeru went in and smiled at her.
Keira: ".....?"
They all sat on the floor with crossed legs.
As expected those Sergeants did a lot of shouting and checking. Even the unshaved men were noticed.
Keira had to keep her hair tightly bound in a bun.
Suddenly, Lieutenant Kang asked for the Three General Orders.
Keira bit her lip because she hasn't read a page on the Smartbook so she slightly bowed her head to avoid eye contact with Lieutenant Kang and be called.
"You! Stand up and recite the first General Order!" Ordered Lieutenant Kang, but the soldier only scratched his head.
"Do push up and don't stop unless I tell you so!"
"You, soldier, stand up and recite the first General Order."
It was Lana and she completely recited it as expected.
Keira wanted to hide because Zach was present and she would feel shy if she was called and answered with just an open mouth.
'Oh my gosh,' she mused nervously as her heart started pumping irregularly when Lieutenant Kang stopped at her side.
"You soldier recite the second general order!"
Keira let out a deep sigh. She's safe because Lieutenant Kang called the one behind her.
Her eyebrows arched when Lieutenant Kang bent down and held Drey's chin.
"Did you shave, soldier?"
Drey's face was blushing hard as he answered, "Yes, I did, Ma'am!"
"Then why do my hands can still feel roughness on your chin? Are you sure you have shaved well, soldier?!"
"Yes, Ma'am, I'm sure!" Drey answered like a robot.
Lieutenant Kang smirked and walked pass Drey. Then called another soldier.
Keira looked at Drey and their eyes met, so she winked at him and the latter smiled.
She was startled when she heard Zach interrupted shouting, "Look at the front and don't move your heads elsewhere!"
Keira quickly followed and stared at Zach who looked too expressionless at that moment.
'Hmm, how come he never spares a glance at me!' Mused Keira but cheered up herself instead.
She did not need to have interactions with Zach every day or every moment. Just seeing him every day like this would be enough. Making sure she was visible before his eyes.
'I left a nice mark!' Keira mused referring to the kiss last night then she smiled on her own.
....
Senior Liu's phone rang and he quickly answered it. He suddenly hoped he would receive good news this time.
"What is it?" He asked.
'Oh please, give me something good this time.'
He stood up suddenly from his chair upon hearing the report of the man at the other end of the line and rushed out of his office….
Finally, he had heard something good after years of waiting.
___
"Stop the car." Senior Liu instructed when he finally saw a familiar woman who was talking to one of the workers.
Mr. Liu sighed as he smiled. Tears fell down from his eyes.
"I knew you're alive. Thank you for being alive," he murmured as he cried and laughed at the same time at the back seat of the car.
Secretary Wu looked at the rear view mirror. He was really sympathetic toward Senior Liu. He had longed for many years and now he finally would be at peace.
"Sir, would you like to approach her? It's time that you talk to her, explain her everything, so all misunderstandings will be cleared," Secretary Wu asked, giving encouragement.
Senior Liu wiped his tears and said, "She looks so happy and peaceful now, Wu. She won't be pleased to see me, that's why she changed her name and hid. She doesn't want to be found."
Senior Liu stared at her lovingly. She looked exactly the same. The cheerful person who enslaved his heart until his last breath. He would love only one woman in his life…
"Let's go, Wu. Seeing her from a distance is already enough. I don't want her peaceful world to get shaken once more…" Senior Liu said, his eyes reflected too much sadness.