SOLDIER | K.TH

Not Quitting

YOUMIN

"Five laps."

His dark eyes glint when I shift uncomfortably.

"Six laps. Start running."

My eyes go wide. But he doesn't look like he's playing at all, so I grind my teeth and start moving my legs.

This is all because of that Seokjin guy.

It's night, and we're running on mud.
My feet sinks in with every step, and just after one lap, I'm breathing like I'd run a mile.

Actually, one lap might be a mile.

Even though I keep in front for the first two rounds, I start to eventually fall behind.

"Faster."

"Faster."

I feel half-dead by the time I start my last. That stupid Seokjin man is already finished, his cheeks stained red.

I hear Instructor V tell him to go back to sleeping quarters, with a harsh warning.

Dizziness rips through my head.

The second time that happens, I double over and start coughing furiously in the middle of the muddy track.

"Who said you could stop."

I don't even feel it when he hits me on the side.

My body topples over to the ground, and I lie there for a beautiful second until he jerks me up by the collar.

"If you can't even do this, then I suggest you leave."

I shove at his chest.

He releases me with a click of his tongue, and I force myself to move again. It's only pure anger that's making me run now, just pure anger.

I'm going to prove him wrong.

But I only get another half mile out of me before I collapse for the second time.

I push myself up.

Sweat pours down my back as I growl, full-blown cursing at the instructor in my mind.

I'm gonna do this and rub it in his face.

I'm going to...

My chest violently heaves. I stumble over my feet, everything in my path as I fall down roughly on my hands.

Frustrated tears sting at my eyes.

"The bell is right there." He muses darkly as I scrabble. "I can even take you there if you want, trainee."

I've never wanted to tell someone to shut up as badly in my life.

"I'm...not."

"Not what."

I suck in a ragged breath, and then glare at him straight in the eye.

"I'm not quitting."

The amused look in his face disappears. His voice is colder than before as he draws back.

"Then prove it."

My entire body's trembling by the time I drag myself over to the finish. I've run out of curse words, run out of energy.

I fall unconscious the moment I cross over.

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