Descendants of the Sun

Chapter 88~THIRD-PERSON POV~A cloudy Sunday of late October.

Almost at noon, Chi-yun and the two kids walked in the fifth-floor hallway to find Si-jin and Jung-joon's room. Khalil seemed to be like he's confident to speak up to Jung-joon. He felt ready but nervous to admit everything he has done to the North Korean soldier.

"Chi-yun, I'm ready but feeling nervous at the same time." Khalil admitted.

"It's okay to feel a little bit nervous, because while you're speaking, the nerves will start to calm down. So, it's okay." Chi-yun advised him; he just nodded.

The trio kept walking, turning to left then to the right until they found the room number 594. Room 594 is the room where Si-jin and Jung-joon stayed together. The door was guarded by two Alpha team members, who are supervising the room being bugged. They looked cold and serious as he thought.

Khalil deeply sighed to calm himself little by little.

Si-jin was sitting in the edge of the bed next to Jung-joon, who was still laying in his hospital bed. The room was bugged by the Alpha Team members, including the Colonel. They heard the door opened; it was Khalil seemingly entering all by himself.

A worried look crossed Si-jin's face.

"Khalil, did you come here all by yourself?"

The boy shook his head.

"Chi-yun brought me here. She's going to wait for me outside of the door."

He thought she and Fatima were outside of the room, but not really. Chi-yun and Fatima were hiding behind between the wall and the closed door, to hear what he is going to say.

"I came here to talk to the North Korean soldier. I'm not sure if you believe this or not." Khalil firmly spoke.

A silent Jung-joon looked up at the boy, then turned to Si-jin; surprise crossed Si-jin's face. He might not believe what Khalil just said, but the tone from him made Si-jin to believe anyway. Khalil knew that he had gone through so many things since Thursday. Khalil took a deep breath before speaking to Jung-joon.

"You want to know who's the one who tried to save the nurse, by shooting your back who tried to take her as a hostage? The one who felt traumatized of what he had done and end up fainted? The one who felt painful and guilty of what all had happened? The one who tried to take his own life about three times but failed?" Khalil peppered Jung-joon questions.

Jung-joon looked numb but Si-jin looked shocked now. Si-jin didn't know that Khalil tried to commit suicide three times, but he's still alive.

"You want to know who is the one who standing here right now?" Khalil asked.

Silence surrounded the whole room.

Khalil unexpectedly felt a knot tying in his throat. His silver eyes began to swell a little because tears were formed in them. But he fought them back from overflowing.

"I don't care if this room is bugged or not...but it's me. I'm the one who shot your back. I felt sorry for what I've done but I did it anyway. I thought you took the nurse as a hostage for a purpose." He firmly spoke as if he's never ashamed.

Jung-joon didn't react anything but he understood something about the boy.

"I knew what you did. But it's a good thing that you saved the nurse. You made me learn a lesson. I couldn't trust any medic in South. I guess I received a punishment from you about three days. I should have trusted a medic in South, but I was paranoid. Even though you feel guilty, don't be. You're a hero, not a murderer, young man. I know you have gone through a lot but hang in there." Jung-joon spoke.

Khalil felt his tears forming around his silver eyes and fell out. The tears ran down on his cheeks. He never felt so relieved that Jung-joon didn't do anything wrong to him. Quiet sobs came out from his lips. Jung-joon motioned him to come closer. Khalil without hesitation, slowly approached to him. Jung-joon wiped the boy's tears away with his fingers.