The forest covering the view of Armten Base was quiet and dense, but oddly peaceful. Tall trees stood close together, their leaves moving gently in the breeze. The world outside seemed far away. The silence made Y/n lean back into the car seat, her fingers resting lightly on the window ledge, eyes staring out as the car drove forward. The road was long and smooth, curving through the forest like a silent path into another world.

Armten Base was indeed another world.

There were no traffic lights here, no honking cars or city noise. It was nothing like the streets she had grown up around. This place was carved from ice and metal. It was cold, isolated and strict. A place where softness was not allowed.

Y/n had been here before. But that was a very long time ago, when she had been too young to remember anything clearly. Back then, her mother had brought her. They hadn’t gone far inside. Just her father’s quarters, then back again. But now, it felt different because she wasn’t just visiting this time.

Armten Base was known across the country as the most prestigious military base. It was built only for the best soldiers. The training here was brutal. There was no room for comfort, no space for weakness. No families, no lovers, no personal attachments. No women.

But Y/n was allowed.

Not because she was special or because of anything she had done. But because she was dying.

Not in a sudden, loud way. But slowly, like a candle running out of wax. 

Her mother had faded the same way.

The illness was passed down through generations. Her mother had not known that Y/n would suffer from it too. But she had. Worse, she had been diagnosed even earlier in life than her mother had. Now, with only one month left to live, Y/n had asked her father for the same thing her mother had asked before she died, to spend her last days at Armten Base. In a different place. Away  from hospitals and pitying eyes.

Y/n looked like her mother. Her face, her smile, even her way of speaking. Sometimes it felt like she even had the same heart. Maybe that’s why the illness had followed her too. As if it had been waiting.

The car passed through the last stretch of trees. The view opened up suddenly, and Y/n leaned closer to the window, her eyes widening with wonder. The wind blew her hair across her face, but she didn’t move it. She was too busy looking outside.

For the first time, she saw Armten Base clearly.

It was truly bewitching.

Huge metal walls surrounded the area, tall and strong, stretching far into the distance. Inside, the ground was clean and wide, with smooth roads leading in different directions. The trees stood outside the walls. Armten looked like a cold, controlled and perfectly organised private world.

It was far away from any city, village or noise of normal life. Only the best soldiers from across the country were accepted here. Those who passed the most difficult tests, almost impossible to clear. Here, they trained to become something more than human.

There were some very strict and hard-working officers in the base. Some of them had come from other countries. But they all had one thing in common: their focus. Their strength. Y/n knew all that because her father was the one leading the base.

The car slowly rolled to a stop in front of the main entrance. The engine went quiet. Y/n’s silver anklet made a soft clinking sound as she moved her foot. She looked down at her ankle, gently pulling up her white gown. Her silver juttis glimmered softly in the sunlight. She smiled a little.

These anklets were special to her. A gift from India, her mother’s hometown. Y/n almost never took them off. She loved them deeply, not just because they were pretty, but because they were a memory of her mother. Even though Y/n didn’t remember her mother much, the strong and warm emotions were still there.

A soldier stepped forward. He stood tall, in perfectly tailored uniform, and opened the car door.

“Good afternoon, Miss Everhart,” he said respectfully. “We have been informed about your arrival. Commander Everhart is in a command briefing. Chief Tactical Officer Kim has approved your entry.”

Chief Tactical officer Kim.

She had heard that name many times from her father. He spoke of him on phone calls so often. She remembered it was his approval that had caused the delay in her entry.

Y/n did not dwell on it. She did not mind. They must have their own security reasons. 

She smiled at the soldier politely. He nodded in return and got into the backseat of the car. The gates in front of them slowly opened with a smooth sound. They were tall and strong, like everything else here.

As the car entered the base, she saw the buildings inside clearly for the first time.

There were three massive buildings, each one covering a large area of land. They were made of grey and silver stone, tall and clean, with sharp, elegant designs that made them look almost royal. The windows were large and spotless, and the walls looked like they had never aged. 

“That is Commander Everhart’s quarters over there,” the soldier on the backseat said, pointing to a house on the far right of the buildings.

Y/n looked in the direction he pointed. She nodded softly. She remembered it a little. When she was young, she had stayed there briefly with her mother. The memory felt blurry but familiar.

The car turned left.

“The one over there on the far left is Officer Kim’s quarters,” the soldier continued. “And the ones behind that are where the other officers live.”

Y/n’s eyes stayed on Officer Kim’s quarters longer than she meant to. She didn’t know why. It just happened.

The car rolled forward and stopped at another gate. She now found herself in the heart of the base, surrounded by the huge, strong buildings of Armten.

The soldier who had been sitting in the backseat of the car stepped out. He came around and opened Y/n’s door with a polite smile.

“Let me show you the academy now,” he said respectfully.

Y/n gave a polite nod and gently held the sides of her gown as she stepped out of the car. As her feet touched the ground, the small silver bells on her anklet made a soft clinking sound. It seemed oddly out of place in this setting. Her shiny juttis and long white gown made her feel completely out of place too.

She followed right behind the polite man as he led her past the tall, strong gates and into the heart of Armten Academy. The stone corridors inside were wide and cold, built with smooth grey stone that looked like it had stood for years without a single crack. Everything inside felt still, but not lifeless, it was like the stillness of discipline and silence.

The walls were high, and the ceilings were arched, giving the space a powerful and strict feeling. Long glass windows allowed sunlight to fall in soft patterns on the polished stone floors.

They passed a few large pillars and turned toward a flight of stairs. Y/n carefully held her gown again and began to climb. 

As they reached the next floor, she saw long hallways on either side. The hallways had strong wooden doors, soldiers’ rooms, all lined up neatly. The air smelled clean, cold, and faintly of metal.

Everything was calm and silent.

But then, a voice rang from below.

It wasn’t loud, but it was sharp. A voice that carried even through the stone walls.

Y/n stopped. Her head turned slightly. Then she stepped toward the sound, slowly walking across the hallway until she reached the railing that overlooked the lower floor. Her hands reached for the cold stone edge, and she leaned forward just enough to see where the voice was coming from.

And then, she saw a man.

He stood in the middle of a large training area below, dressed in a dark, perfectly fitted military uniform. 

His posture was straight and strong, like it had never bent to anything in his life. He was tall and well-built, with broad shoulders and strong arms that filled out the sharp lines of his uniform. His hair was black, short, and neat, with not a single strand out of place. His skin was slightly tanned, and his jawline was sharp like a blade. But it was his eyes that caught her attention the most. They were focused, like a hunter’s, sharp and alert.

He looked very masculine, and watching him made her feel like an ancient woman reacting to a strong, powerful man. He seemed as if he had been carved from marble. There was not one movement that felt wasted.

He wasn’t even yelling. He didn’t need to because not a single person around him dared to move or breathe too loudly.

He stood in front of nearly fifty young recruits. All of them stood in lines, shoulders straight, chests up, but still, their nervousness was easy to see. Their eyes were wide, their fingers twitching. They looked like schoolboys in an assembly, scared of making the wrong move in front of a strict teacher.

“Formation incomplete,” the man said. His voice wasn’t loud, but deep and sharp, carrying authority without needing to raise it. “I said, eyes forward, straight back, drop your shoulders. If you hesitate here, you will hesitate in the field and hesitation gets you killed.”

It was like ice. It was calm, but terrifying.

He walked forward slowly, stopping in front of one young recruit. The boy was slightly shaking, his fingers tight at his sides.

“You follow orders, you survive,” the man continued. “You don’t. You die.”

Then he walked back to his spot. The boys still didn’t breathe.

Y/n didn’t either.

She realized her breath had caught in her throat. Honestly, she was slightly terrified. There was something in the way he stood, in the way he spoke… it was terrifyingly cold. As if he had never once allowed himself even a tinge of warmth.

“This is the assembly training,” the polite soldier beside her explained quietly, noticing the direction of her eyes. “It is led by Officer Kim, the one you’re looking at. He authorizes most of the activities here. He is second in command, right after your father.”

Y/n’s heart thudded slightly as she turned her head to look at the polite man who had spoken. 

So, this was Chief Tactical officer Kim Taehyung.

She nodded slowly, “He…” she began, turning her eyes back toward the training floor below, “seems strict.”

The polite soldier gave a small scoff, but not in a rude way. More like someone amused by how true her words were.

“Well… the base has his tales,” he said. “He takes his job seriously. Known as the most brutal trainer this base has ever seen.”

Y/n turned to look at him fully this time. But before she could ask more, the soldier gently waved his hand, inviting her to follow.

“Anyway, let me show you the canteen, dining, and kitchen area. Commander Everhart mentioned it would be your favorite place.”

Those words brought a smile to her face, making her forget everything else. Yes, it certainly would be. That was the place she was most excited to see.

“Sure,” she replied.

She had always wanted to be a professional chef. In fact, she had become one. She had trained, worked hard, dreamed big. But then… life had paused. Her dreams had paused with it. Hospital visits, breathless nights, oxygen masks, darkness… all of it had taken over. But, passion had never left her heart.

She followed the polite soldier as he led the way down another hallway. But even as she walked,  Officer Kim’s voice stayed in the back of her mind.

Y/n had a habit.

She often wondered too much about people who felt different… people who stood apart from the crowd. People who were hard to understand.

Even now, with so little time left, her heart still quietly asked:

What kind of man would be so terrifyingly cold?

~~~

“This is the kitchen area.”

Y/n stepped in slowly as the polite soldier led her through the wide doorway, her eyes scanning the space. 

A few cooks stood neatly to one side, their hands behind their backs, quietly watching her. She knew how privileged she was to be allowed everywhere, even inside the kitchen, a place usually restricted from visitors. But she didn’t come here to feel special. She had only wanted to remember that part of herself again.

She looked around slowly. The kitchen was warm and filled with the soft sounds of knives on chopping boards and bubbling pots. The smell of spices and oil floated in the air. It felt familiar. It felt like something she connected with.

But memories came in waves.

Drips.

Hospital lights.

White walls.

She didn’t want to die like that.

Her mother hadn’t wanted to either. She remembered that clearly. Just like her mother, Y/n wished her last moments would be spent somewhere people didn’t look at her with pity. She wanted to live where no one knew she was on the edge of dying. A place where people saw her as someone normal, so she could live before dying.

She had tried everything.

Hospitals.

Pills.

Strict diets.

Foreign specialists.

Prayers whispered late at night.

Now, it was just a matter of weeks.

Life was slipping from her hands like sand. But she had lived her life.

And she would keep living, for the little time she had left. Her last month here would be a gift, a small distinct experience before the end.

Despite the tightness slowly building in her chest, despite the light dizziness that made her legs feel shaky, she refused to let it ruin her first day. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, then gave a wide smile to everyone around her. She greeted the cooks with warm eyes.

~~~

Later that evening, Y/n sat in her new room, wrapped in a soft blanket, her back resting gently against the headboard. Her legs were covered, tucked beneath the blanket for warmth. 

“You should have rested for a while,” her father said gently, sitting beside the bed, on a small cushioned stool near her feet. “The base is vast. You were bound to get exhausted.” 

She gave him a soft smile, “It’s okay if I got tired,” she replied lightly. “I had fun.”

And she meant it. The feeling of being in a new place, of exploring unfamiliar halls and hearing new voices, it was the kind of excitement she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Her father squeezed her hand gently. She knew he had long accepted that he would lose her. All he wanted now was to make her final days as painless as possible.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I had fun, Papa,” she said again, squeezing his hand back. “I promise.”

He gave a small nod and a soft smile. But then, the phone beside him buzzed. The screen lit up.Y/n’s eyes caught the name.

‘Wife❤️’

Her heart gave a small thud. She looked up at him with a gentle smile and spoke before he could say anything. “It’s okay. You can take the call. I’m fine. I’ll sleep and rest now.”

“Okay,” he said, returning the smile. “Good night.”

“Good night, Papa.”

And with that, he left.

Y/n stayed still for a few moments, her eyes on the closed door. After all, he had a family. He should give them time too. She couldn’t be selfish. She had told herself that so many times, ever since she was a child.

Ever since her father had remarried.

She had a stepmother and step-siblings. And she had always tried to understand. Tried to be part of them, to feel like one whole family and not just her and her father. But it never quite fit. Not fully.

She knew her stepmother and step-siblings didn’t dislike her, but they didn’t feel the connection either. So she had never forced it.

With a deep sigh, she pulled the blanket tighter around her. Her hands reached for her ankles. Slowly, she removed her anklets, tiny bells that clinked softly as she placed them on the side table. Her body already felt sore from the day, but her mind was at peace.

Tomorrow would be another day.

And she was excited about the new place and the things she hadn’t yet seen.

So she closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the warmth of the bed. For once, she felt she could sleep peacefully.

But after some time, there was a soft knock at the door.

“Y/n?” It was her father’s gentle voice.

She sat up straight, fixing the blanket as he opened the door and stepped inside.

“I just came to ask you something.”

“Yes?” she asked, her eyes curious.

“Did you… by any chance meet Officer Kim?”

Officer Kim. The cold man? The man who looked more stone than human?

“I did see him,” she replied.

Her father gave a small nod. “Hm… I think it’s better if you just avoid him.”

She tilted her head slightly. “Why?”

“There’s nothing much,” he said again, calmly. “He’s just strict with his job. He wouldn’t approve your entry at first, insisting that it would be unfit for the base. Although it isn’t a big issue… it’s just better for you to just avoid him.”

She gave a small nod. “If you say so, Papa.”

He nodded again, a tight smile on his face. “Good night, then.”

“Good night.”

Then, he left the room once more.

But this time, he left Y/n with a new though, a thought that was already somewhere in her heart, about the stranger called Officer Kim Taehyung.

Y/n knew what military officers were like. Her father was one, and she had met his friends too. But she had never felt the same kind of energy from anyone as she did from Officer Kim Taehyung.

Even from far away, she could feel a coldness around him. It felt like if she got too close, it might hurt her in some way.

It wasn’t strange that he was strict with the recruits, her father had been like that too. But… wasn’t there something different about Officer Kim?

Y/n slowly rested her head on the pillow. Her fingers played with the soft edge of the blanket as her thoughts returned to him.

Maybe it really was better to stay away from him, like her father had said. Even the polite soldier didn’t want to talk much about him.

Was everyone that afraid of him?

If so, maybe she shouldn’t think about him too much after all.

~~~

The last group of soldiers had come in for breakfast. Y/n had woken up early to prepare something special just for them, cookies with jelly that could be eaten together. She’d wanted to give them a small surprise. Something sweet and nostalgic.

“It is done,” she said softly, handing the tray to one of the kitchen staff. “Can you take it outside?”

He nodded, and she watched for a moment as the cookies were taken out of the kitchen.

Then, brushing her hands on her apron, she stepped into the large dining area.

Ten young men sat around the long table, already halfway through their breakfast. Their plates were filled with rice, eggs, toast, and now her cookies.

Y/n didn’t say anything at first. She just watched quietly as one of them reached for the treat and took a bite. He let out a surprised sound, like a soft moan he hadn’t meant to make. His eyes went wide.

“Wow,” he said quickly, “these are the best cookies I’ve ever had. They taste like little drops of heaven.”

Y/n smiled. A warm, quiet smile that made her chest feel full. She was used to people enjoying her food. But this felt different. These were soldiers. Young men working so hard every day. If she could bring even a little joy to them through her cooking, it meant everything.

“If you eat it along with the jelly,” the same boy added, “it’s like… having a heaven explosion in both your mouth and tummy.”

“Like Ratatouille,” the lean one said.

Y/n’s smile grew. She couldn’t help but chime in, stepping closer until she stood at the crown of the table.

“That’s my favourite movie.”

All heads turned when she spoke.

They all looked at her at once, ten pairs of eyes, blinking up at the only woman in the entire base. She felt their entire attention on her, but it didn’t make her nervous. She held her head high and offered them a bright smile.

“My name is Y/n Everhart.”

One of the leaner boys squinted, then asked, “Are you Commander Everhart’s daughter?”

Y/n nodded quickly. “Yes.”

“Did you make them?” the youngest one asked, pointing to the cookies.

“Yes,” she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “I love cooking. I was—I am a chef.”

“Wow,” the boy said with honest awe. “You’re the best chef, then.”

Pride stirred in her chest. She stood a little taller. It had been a long time since someone made her feel like she mattered outside her illness. She was glad, here she wasn’t the girl everyone pitied. She was just herself.

“Really,” another soldier added, “you could give competition to Ratatouille.”

“Or,” Y/n said playfully as she took a seat, “I could just trap him with cheese bait and win the competition. Easy.”

They stared at her for a moment, their expressions unreadable. She swallowed nervously. Okay… maybe that was a lame joke.

But then, the loud and full laughter erupted around the table. Y/n couldn’t help but laugh with them, her heart light. It felt good.

They joked back, and as the conversation flowed, she noticed all the little things they had in common. They were just like any other guys, far from home, away from warmth, but deep down, still just young boys. She was glad to bring them joy, and to feel it herself, even if only for a little while.

But then, slowly, something changed. One by one, the boys’ laughter faded and they stiffened.

Their smiles dropped from their faces. Eyes went wide, and heads turned behind her.

Y/n felt it too, a coldness in the air, like a sudden shadow falling over everything.

The soldiers immediately stood up from their chairs. Their backs straightened, and they snapped into salutes so fast it looked rehearsed. She saw fear in their eyes. Some of them were swallowing hard. Others had started to sweat.

She turned her head just slightly.

It didn’t surprise her.

Officer Kim.

He stood tall and serious, dressed in a black combat uniform that fit him perfectly, as if it had been made just for him. His jacket was buttoned all the way up to his neck, his sleeves rolled just enough to show the muscles in his forearms.

“You are two minutes late for the training,” he said. His cold voice cut through the room, erasing any trace of the laughter that had once filled it.

No one answered right away.

Then, the boy at the front opened his mouth to speak, nervous. “Officer Kim, we were—”

“Save it,” he cut him off sharply. The soldier swallowed. “Leave for the training ground. All of you. Now.”

The boys didn’t wait another second. They scrambled out of the room, bumping into each other in their hurry. One nearly knocked over a chair as they rushed out.

Y/n slowly stood from her chair.

But the moment she did, everything tilted.

She quickly grabbed the edge of the table.

Dear God, not now.

Her head spun. The dizziness buzzed behind her eyes. Her body swayed slightly. She swallowed hard and tried to focus, gripping the table tighter.

When she looked up again, Officer Kim was already walking toward her.

He moved like a storm coming closer.

He stopped in front of her, standing tall with his hands clasped neatly behind his back. His posture was stiff and strict. Being this close to him, Y/n could barely breathe and somehow, he still managed to take what little breath she had left.

“I see, Miss Everhart,” he said, voice deep and mocking, “you’re having a picnic here.”

Y/n blinked, slightly breathless. “Excuse me?”

His lips curved into something that looked more like a sneer than a smile.

“It must be fun for you. A little… adventure. But I feel the need to tell you to stop distracting my soldiers.” His voice turned sharp. “They’re not here to join your little clown show. This is not a circus for your entertainment.”

His words hit like slaps. Y/n stared at him, her pride holding her still, refusing to look away.

“You don’t even fit here,” he continued coldly. “Your presence is an absurd joke.”

He stepped closer, his threatening presence overwhelming her senses.

She couldn’t understand how he could speak so cruelly to someone he didn’t even know.

“You used your father’s position for your little vacation?” he asked. “This is a military base, not Disneyland.”

Y/n’s heart pounded. Anger and disbelief twisted inside her chest. But she held her ground.

And still, he wasn’t done.

“Playtime is over. You’re not helping anyone. If anything, you’ve interfered with my work. You’re softening my soldiers. Distracting them. And in this place, distraction gets you killed.”

Y/n clenched her teeth.

Her breaths were getting shorter. Her chest felt tight. The dizziness hadn’t left. She tried to keep standing, but her strength was fading fast.

Why now?

Why did this have to happen right now?!

Still, she refused to show weakness in front of him.

“All this,” she said through her breathless and weak voice, “just because they laughed for two minutes?”

“Do you know the value of two minutes?” His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. “Two minutes of carelessness on a battlefield gets you killed. Gets your team killed. Gets everyone defeated.”

He stepped even closer.

Y/n almost lost her balance. She leaned against the back of the chair, her hands reaching to grip it tightly.

“Here, every second matters,” he didn’t stop. “Indiscipline is failure. I do not train non-punctual losers.”

Her chest tightened painfully. It felt like she couldn’t breathe.

No, not now. Please, not in front of him.

She needed to sit or she’d collapse. But sitting while he stood in front of her felt like surrender. She didn’t want to give him that satisfaction.

Still, her legs gave out before she could stop them.

Her knees buckled, and her hands shook. Her chest was squeezing in on itself. Even his voice was starting to fade, sounding far away. Her vision blurred.

Her fingers gripped the chair tighter, and she finally dropped into it, gasping for air, holding the armrests like her life depended on them.

He didn’t move but he’d stopped talking.

He just stood there, watching.

Her breathing grew faster. She had to take long, deep breaths, trying to calm herself while staring at the floor. Everything looked blurry for a few moments. 

When she finally came back to her senses, she looked up at him still standing there. Still unmoved.

For a few seconds, he said nothing.

Then, with no emotion in his voice, he finally spoke. “Your place is in a hospital. Not at a military base.”

The words hit her like a punch to the chest.

Her heart twisted painfully.

He knew.

He knew she was sick. He knew she was dying.

And still… he said it like it meant nothing.

He turned sharply on his heel and walked away without saying anything more.

Y/n stayed in her chair, frozen, unable to move. Her breathing was rough and uneven.

Her hands clenched into fists on her lap.

She didn’t want his sympathy.

She didn’t want anyone to treat her like she was weak or fragile just because she was dying.

She didn’t want pity.

But… how could someone be so cold? So completely untouched? So cruel?

A sound escaped her lips, part laugh, part sob.

The irony stung.

He acted like a man who was already dead.

And yet, she was the one who truly was dying.

Funny, how that worked.

To be continued…