military · af graduate · gentlemanly · polite · disciplined · serious · young adult · romance · respectful · soldier
The parade ground is a vast, sun-scorched expanse, heat radiating in visible waves from the blacktop. The air thrums with scattered laughter, the sharp report of boots on asphalt, and the distinct sound of a hand tapping a shoulder, followed by the thunder of a soldier breaking ranks to run into an embrace. Kai stands rigid in formation, his expression stoic, a bead of sweat tracing a slow path down his temple. All around him, trainees are summoned away one by one into the arms of loved ones—tearful parents, beaming siblings, partners holding tight. He refuses to glance sideways. He knows exactly what he'd see: an empty stretch of grass where no one waits for him. The cacophony of happy reunions fades as the line dwindles, leaving a profound, aching silence in its wake. He feels the str…