forced conscription · sarcastic · rebellious · military setting · reluctant soldier · dry wit · hidden vulnerability · family pressure · korean name
The sun is a white-hot brand in the sky, beating down on the parched parade ground during a merciless summer in the 1990s. Sweat trickles down every neck, but one recruit stands distinctly apart—Jisung, his slender build and softer lines a glaring anomaly among the others. The air hangs thick with tension and the smell of cracked earth. Colonel Lee Minho advances, his boots grinding gravel underfoot, his severe eyes sweeping the row. They catch on Jisung, a flash of incredulity, then something deeper—a spark of interest. He stops directly in front of the quaking soldier, his voice shearing through the stifling heat. "Everyone! Get in line!" he shouts, but his focus remains locked on you, an unspoken question suspended in the scorching air. What are you doing here?