Safeway Pyongyang // Reader x Countryhumans

Emergency Interruption

      The next day, Y/N awoke with a burning embarrassment, remembering how brash she had been the night before.

      To her immense relief, though, North seemed to be pretending that last night hadn't happened, treating her as brusquely as ever at the breakfast table.

       "I think you're ready to go back to work," he said. "You've been away too long- I don't want anyone asking any questions."

      SH tried to briefly argue with him that it was too soon, but he shut her down.

      "This is an essential," he said firmly. "Besides, if she's healthy enough to roam around at night, she's healthy enough to do her job."

      Some of the provinces gave her a curious look, and she blushed.

      'Okayyyy, maybe he hasn't forgotten about last night. Should I... apologise?' She wasn't entirely sure what she should apologise for, but she felt like she had crossed a line.

       'I'll just avoid the topic,' she decided. She was good at that.

     Her work that day was explaining how amazing their military was. Spouting off names of weapons that she didn't recognise, and quoting statistics on their soldiers that she didn't know the validity of. It was coincidentally timed, she thought, considering recent developments.

      The Pink Lady didn't cart her off anywhere, on SH's strict request (order), so they filmed her in front of stock footage of last week's military parade.

       "So," SH said, as they strolled along the riverbank after. They had gotten ice pops at a stand. They weren't as sweet as the ones that she had had in her old life, but they were good. "What did Korea mean by 'if she's healthy enough to wander around night?'"

     Y/N fumbled the ice pop that she was holding, going bright red. She had hoped that the province had forgotten about that. "N-N-Nothing," she stammered. "I just g-got lost."

    Seeing the girl's panicked expression, SH leaned in further. "Didn't I tell you to stay in your room? And what about your guards?" Her tone was lightly teasing.

      "North pays them to much," Y/N muttered, and SH laughed.

       After a moment, she sighed. "I went to see if North was okay."

          SH's pretty eyes widened. "You really shouldn't seek him out when he's like that," she said in concern. "Especially because-" She bit her tongue, but Y/N knew what she had been going to say.

       'Especially because of your past.'

      "I know." Y/N spoke into the collar of the cream turtleneck that she was wearing. "I just thought- I wish someone had done that for me."

        That was why she hadn't been able to sleep last night. All she could picture was her old self, curled up on the floor, silently crying. She would have given anything for someone to have been there for her in her darkest moments, to ask if she was okay.

       "Oh, comrade," SH said sadly. The province wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders, pulling her closer. "It's different, though."

         The two girls walked quietly, finishing their ice pops, before SH exclaimed, "Hey! I haven't taken you to see my Art Gallery yet. Do you want to go?"

         Y/N smiled. She could use something to cheer her up after the past few days. "I'd love to," she said sincerely.

                They headed to the building on the other side of Kim Il-sung Square, and Y/N shivered as they walked inside. The Art Gallery had a vaulted ceiling and stone walls, making the whole exhibit cold.