GB 11

The destroyer Yoon Moo-hwa was on was entering the assigned dock. Ships returning to port and those just departing passed by in succession. Since the captain of Yoon Moo-hwa’s ship was lower in rank than the captains of passing ships, most crew members were out on the outer deck. It was customary to salute when encountering a higher-ranking ship.

While all of this was nothing special to him, Yoon Moo-hwa thought it might be okay to show Number 8, so he put his pea coat on the child.

It was less “putting on” and more like draping and wrapping.

“Since you don’t have shoes, I’ll carry you for now.”

Even with military discipline, they lived on the ship. They dated, fought, had s3x, ate, drank, and slept. Picking up a child under the pretext of protecting their innocence would be nothing. Even if that child came from a pirate island.

Yoon Moo-hwa knew it was unusual, but he broke the rules.

As always, sailors turned to look whenever he passed by with Number 8.

Number 8 felt intimidated by those gazes. Strangely, even though the other sailors were less impressive and smaller than Yoon Moo-hwa, their passing glances were very uncomfortable.

“What, cold?”

Yoon Moo-hwa asked gruffly. Number 8 pretended to be cold and burrowed deeper into his arms.

“Still, look over there.”

He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to meet those gazes that looked at him like a strange animal, nor see the base where they would part ways upon arrival.

“You’ll regret it if you don’t look.”

Yoon Moo-hwa urged with a voice tinged with amusement.

At his call, even shaking his body, Number 8 reluctantly raised his head.

“See? You almost missed it.”

Yoon Moo-hwa was right. His low chuckle faded behind them.

The massive base sprawled before their eyes was incomparably, indescribably, enormously larger than the island Number 8 had lived on. Huge ships were constantly coming and going.

Even now, their ship blew its horn towards a destroyer passing right beside them.

Startled by the tremendous sound, Number 8 let out a short scream, and Yoon Moo-hwa laughed again, pulling him close to cover his ears.

Through all of this, Number 8 ended up shedding a few tears.

Because of the realization that everything he had seen, lived, and believed in was actually trivial and insignificant; because of the frustrating feeling of being in awe of the navy he had thought were such bad guys; and above all, because of the certainty of the approaching farewell, that Yoon Moo-hwa would never hold him like this again.

* * *

The official name was <Pacific S1 Naval Base>, but people more often called it Sector Town. With sectors divided up to 3, this place was like Sector Town 1-1, similar to a postal code.

As that affectionate nickname suggested, this place felt more like a city than the harsh space one might imagine from the name ‘base.’

In fact, marriages between navy personnel were quite common, and since one deployment could last from a minimum of one month to a maximum of 8 months or a year, the government itself had well-established systems for childcare. This included systems to help children of refugees or new settlers adapt to their new environment.

So, there was no reason to worry about entrusting Number 8 here, and the process was just part of the established system.

“Are you going?”

Yoon Moo-hwa looked down at Number 8 gazing up at him, and let out a sound that could have been an answer or an irritated groan.

“Why. Do you want to hold on?”

Yoon Moo-hwa asked, as if testing.

But Number 8 thought for a moment and then shook his head.

“It can’t be helped.”

How determined, even though his voice was dripping with regret.

Yoon Moo-hwa twisted his lips in a smile, then lightly grasped his aching side. The emergency treatment wasn’t enough; he needed to go to the hospital. But before that….

The precocious child who didn’t hold on and the gruff man were about to part without any special farewell.

That’s how it should have ended.

However, after turning and walking a few steps, Yoon Moo-hwa suddenly came back and picked up Number 8.

Number 8’s eyes widened in surprise, thinking he would never experience this in his life again.

“I just realized you might not have heard it.”

“…What, what?”

“The thanks for saving me.”

Was that so? He couldn’t remember. In fact, Number 8 was so flustered right now that he couldn’t remember anything that had happened. He could barely recall his own name and Yoon Moo-hwa’s.

“So, let’s go see my father.”

Yoon Moo-hwa said this in a very nonchalant voice, and Number 8 nodded, trying to act mature while finding it fascinating that such a big adult still had a father. Watching the child carefully wrap his arms around Yoon Moo-hwa’s neck, the facility manager who had come out after receiving advance notice could only look dumbfounded.

***

Number 8 dangled his feet, hands resting under his thighs.

As he had felt since boarding the ship, everything here was tall and big. Number 8 began to understand why Yoon Moo-hwa kept treating him like a child. From his perspective, and by the standards of the people around him, it was natural that Number 8 would appear as nothing more than a small child.

While he swung his legs, wearing the navy’s outdoor uniform, he couldn’t hear Yoon Moo-hwa’s voice at all from behind the thick door. The incredibly high ceiling and the spotless interior, free of dust or leaves, made Number 8 feel a bit intimidated. Children often don’t accurately recognize their own emotions. Similarly, Number 8 wiggled his exposed toes, unaware that he felt intimidated or lonely.

“Little one.”

At that moment, a shadow fell over his feet. Number 8 looked up. Yoon Moo-hwa had called him that once before, but unlike then, it irritated him a bit now. In a familiar environment, he would have said something.

The person who called him by the ridiculous term “little one” was a soldier in uniform. The perfectly tied hair, without a single strand out of place, was noticeable.

“Would you like something to drink?”

In contrast to her strict appearance, the kind and gentle question made Number 8 stiffen.

“We have something sweet and warm. There’s hot chocolate, and warm milk too. It tastes like formula.”

Thinking he couldn’t answer because he was considering, she asked again.

Number 8 hesitated before answering, “Milk, please.”

Shortly after, she brought warm milk.

“It’ll taste like vending machine milk. You know? Like formula.”

He didn’t know. But Number 8 nodded as if he did.

“Drink slowly. It’s not too hot, but you might still burn your tongue.”

The soldier didn’t leave, but sat down next to Number 8.

The pleasant scent coming from her made Number 8 feel a bit more intimidated again.

Now that he was here, he understood. How different he looked from these people. Number 8 worried that he might have a bad smell, and then wondered if that smell might have transferred to Yoon Moo-hwa who had carried him.

“I’m the Admiral’s aide.”

“The Admiral’s aide?”

“Yes. Like a secretary. You know what a secretary is, right?”

The aide, guessing from Number 8’s appearance that he was either a refugee child or a rescued new settler, asked carefully. Coincidentally, an informational and promotional video about the Sector Base was always playing in the waiting room. The sounds from the video were too difficult for Number 8 to understand. Still, Number 8 nodded as if he knew.

He thought his pride would be hurt the more he listened, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t his pride that was breaking. It was the world he had lived in that was crumbling. Number 8 was stunned by the shocking sense of betrayal, realizing how small the island he grew up on was, and that the adults he had found so scary might actually be nothing.

“Are you a sailor too, miss?”

Number 8 asked cautiously. The soldier nodded.

“Yes. I’m in the navy.”

Pride was evident in her voice. Number 8, fiddling with the cup, spoke in a small voice.

“Are you higher ranking than Yoon Moo-hwa who went in there?”

The soldier smiled gently.

“We’re the same rank.”

“Even with the… Admiral person?”

“No. He’s far, far above us.”

“How much?”

“Hmm… as high as the sky and as deep as the earth?”

Number 8 began to worry more seriously now. What if that person, as high as the sky and as deep as the earth, caught the smell from him?

As Number 8 lowered his head dejectedly, the soldier spoke to him again.

“Lieutenant Yoon has never brought anyone here directly before. And a child, at that. Were you rescued while drifting?”

“No. I was living on an island, and I saved Yoon Moo-hwa.”

Number 8 quickly raised his head and answered, eager to share something he could be proud of.

However, the soldier’s expression stiffened slightly at those words. Though she quickly put on a smile again, a trace of unease remained around her mouth. In other words, Gu Ye-jin, the Admiral’s aide and Yoon Moo-hwa’s colleague, was now very perplexed.

Coming from an island wasn’t surprising, but saving Yoon Moo-hwa? This little child?

“How did you save Lieutenant Yoon?”

“He was injured on the beach, so I hid him. The adults found out and caught him again… but I really tried to keep him hidden.”

Number 8 rambled somewhat, saddened.

“The adults took Yoon Moo-hwa away on a ship, but luckily we met again. The adults… I think they were left behind on the island.”

As he answered, Number 8 finally realized how absurd his actions had been and felt his body grow cold.

The adults weren’t visible on the ship, so they must still be on the island. He had now left the island forever. All for Yoon Moo-hwa alone.

He didn’t regret it, but why had he been so hasty without knowing what would happen next? Still, he didn’t regret it, but… even so… he was scared.

Seeing Number 8 squeeze his eyes shut and tremble, Gu Ye-jin pressed her lips tightly together.

As she had guessed, the child seemed to be from a pirate island.

It’s not uncommon for drifting refugees to end up joining pirate groups. The groups settle on one of the many islands not yet updated on the sea charts and expand their numbers. He could just be one of the people who settled on the island, but there was much in the child’s words to suggest he was from a pirate island. Her intuition pointed to that as well.

“Drink before it gets cold.”

Gu Ye-jin changed the subject in an even gentler tone. Only then did Number 8 carefully sip the warmed milk.

As soon as he took a sip, his eyes widened and his cheeks flushed with delight. His clear face, though a bit grimy, was pretty.

‘What on earth is Yoon Moo-hwa thinking?’

While the child seemed completely absorbed in the sweet milk and had forgotten about her, Gu Ye-jin’s expression became complicated.

If he really was brought from a pirate island, rumors would spread quickly. Social perception can be quite frightening, especially in this closed community.

Moreover, this could be a significant risk for Yoon Moo-hwa. It could become an obstacle to his promotion or honor. He must clearly know this, so what could he be thinking?

‘Well, who could understand what’s going on in that guy’s head?’

Even Yoon Moo-hwa’s father, Admiral Yoon Sang-won in that room, probably wouldn’t know.

Gu Ye-jin’s gaze fixed on the tightly closed door.