TRY AGAIN :: ᴊᴀᴇʜʏᴜɴ | ɴᴄᴛ

1

We're like leaves
on branches
in Autumn.

Soldiers//G. Ungaretti

.

27th October 1950
Border between
North and South Korea

JUNG JAEHYUN, after making sure he was far enough, let his body fall on the clayed and cold floor, his aching back against the block of sandbags placed all around the refuge.

A long and tired sigh escaped his lips chapped by the cold, as he threw his head back and his eyes met the imponent dark sky, decorated by its beautiful singular stars: such a peaceful image, he thought, unlike the one he was living since eight months.

Eight months full of blood, sweat and tears. Desperation, desolation and fear.
The contrast between what the view showed in that exact moment and the upper space, was beyond incomparable.
If the heavens were peacefully lulled by the awesomeness of its numerous, yet unique details, the scorched land in which Jaehyun dwelled along his fellow soldiers was a hell on earth dominated by pure evil and violence.

A land where, everyday, young soldiers lost their lives for a nation that couldn't find a stable peace, their corpse falling on the hard soil, just like weak autumn lives.

A land where shining blood was more common to be seen rather than clean water and pieces of humans were more available than actual tasty food.

And if the male, once just a simple man with a simple life, was used to hear the joyful laughter of his dear ones or of his friends, he now had to adjust to the dull crying of the many bombs used to kill and sow terror.

A torture that started on 14th March and knew no end, yet.

The day meant war, few hours of the night meant a temporary peace and that was the case both militaries were experiencing, fortunately.

Jaehyun carelessly removed his dirty helmet, as he ruffled his hair, trying to get rid of the dust in them.
His moves, unlike when in real action, were slow and sloppy, as if he totally lost his will to live.

After staring at the silent battlefield for ten good minutes, the brown haired man finally decided to take his diary from the internal pocket of his jacket.
He shook it, letting all the dirt fall on the ground and opened it, while attentively scanning its pages.

It was a habit of him, updating his diary every day.
He liked the idea of keeping up with his busy mind, by writing what was in it. But unlike others, he didn't report on the journal what happened to him during the day. Instead he reported the memories and the happy thoughts of his life, before becoming a soldier and fighting for the future of the State.

Things like suddenly remembering the good years often occured to Jaehyun, who saw this particular thing as a source of strength and courage to go through the months, by living them at their fullest. Hopeful that one day, he'll be able to experience the merry days, again.

He finally arrived on a clean and empty page. He placed the notebook on his crossed legs with a hand, while the other one searched for a writing pen in the pockets of his trousers.
After finding the tool, he clicked the tip of it twice and started filling the first line of the paper by reporting the current date: 27th October 1950.

«Are you updating your diary?»

A deep voice suddenly asked, making the boy jump on his seat.
He slowly raised his head, only to meet Taeyong, one of his mates, smiling sheepishly at him.