GB 91

Both So Eunpa and Haero doubted their ears. There was no need to turn around. The scent and voice pointed to one person.

So Eunpa saluted, and Yoon Moo-hwa returned it while gazing at him with a strange smile.

“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you. In many ways.”

The emphasized “in many ways” felt pointed. 

So Eunpa looked at Haero reproachfully. It was unfair for Haero. They hadn’t made a separate appointment to meet here, and this wasn’t even the base, so how could they run into each other so coincidentally? 

Australia wasn’t even a small country!

“I hear we already know each other, and I’m very pleased that you’ve even agreed to keep it a secret. That’s great. UDT, military doctor, and captain – it’s a bit of an odd combination to see, but better than just the doctor and captain walking together. Shall we walk together?”

It’s not a suggestion, but an order… 

So Eunpa felt truly wronged. He suddenly became like a bicycle’s training wheels.

Moreover, the Yoon Moo-hwa that So Eunpa saw and the one Haero knew were completely different. They might as well have been different people. It wasn’t just because of the difference between a lover and an officer from another military branch, but because even their preconceptions were different from the start.

Yoon Moo-hwa had received special forces training, had done many joint exercises with UDT, and had commanded. According to rumors, the captain was a very terrible guy. After every training, his name was always followed by curses. What’s scariest was that Yoon Moo-hwa must know this. He was said to be very skilled at gathering information.

“Shall I buy you coffee, Lieutenant? That place is famous for its coffee.”

“Ah, I’m fine…”

“Really? I heard you like coffee. Don’t you even have a barista certificate? You’re talented.”

So Eunpa felt a chill down his spine at the sight of Yoon Moo-hwa smirking. He couldn’t understand why he knew such trivial gossip. Whether he knew it originally or found out by investigating after starting a sort-of relationship with the medical officer, either way, it was chilling.

“You should drink when I offer to buy. They’ll close soon.”

“Already? It’s only 2 o’clock.”

“They close at 2:30. But they open early instead.”

The cynical tone towards So Eunpa instantly softened when directed at Haero. It was so overly kind and soft, as if explaining everything to a child, that So Eunpa felt sick to his stomach.

What major change had occurred in their relationship? Until a few days ago, Haero had eyes of desperate unrequited love, but now the atmosphere was indescribably natural and familiar, as if they had known each other for 10 years. They seemed more like family than a couple who just started dating.

But then again, it was strange to call them family…

Yoon Moo-hwa ordered two flat whites and one long black and distributed them. The warm coffee tasted good in the chilly weather, but So Eunpa, stuck between the two like training wheels, was just uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry to you, Lieutenant. If I know a good friend who would suit you, I’ll introduce them.”

“F-friend, you say?”

‘If they’re friends with you, they’d be too much superior to me…’ So Eunpa’s expression became complex.

Yoon Moo-hwa, who couldn’t miss the meaning of that expression, pretended not to notice and added as if doing a favor, “I can’t say I’ll make your military life comfortable, as that would be too much abuse of position.”

“Are you hinting at me now? Please stop.” Fortunately, Haero intervened. Haero clicked his tongue and scolded Yoon Moo-hwa, but his expression and voice seemed too comfortable.

The puzzlement about their relationship deepened.

“Somehow I feel like I’ve heard that name before. They said Yoon Moo-hwa had a younger sibling, but at some point, mentions of that decreased. What was the name again… There were so many rumors.”

That’s what the team leader had said while cleaning his weapon. 

‘Why did this come up in the first place? I think I heard it while discussing the ship before boarding Yoon Moo-hwa‘s ship. Why am I remembering this now?The fact that it felt familiar in the first place was confirmation.’ 

So Eunpa vaguely thought that the sibling might be Haero. But if they’re siblings calling each other brother, is it okay for them to date like this? Isn’t this too strange?

“Are you alright?” At that moment, Yoon Moo-hwa looked intently at So Eunpa and asked. “You look unwell.”

“Ah…”

“You look like you want to vomit.”

His eyes seemed to ask if he was about to suddenly spill some secret.

So Eunpa swallowed hard and asked, “Captain, do you happen to have any siblings or brothers?”

At that moment, So Eunpa glanced at Haero behind Yoon Moo-hwa. Haero’s facial muscles didn’t move at all. Yet it felt like the temperature had dropped by 1 degree.

Yoon Moo-hwa looked at So Eunpa with an unchanged, neat face and answered, “No. I’m an only child.”

* * *

They started sailing again with the merchant group they were escorting.

The Suez Canal had been under renovation for 7 years due to rising sea levels, and with highly variable swells and frequent typhoons, the construction period was predicted to extend to 10 years. This meant that the canal couldn’t be used yet, so they had to use the sea route passing the Cape of Good Hope.

In the end, schedules were extended by two to three months, and while shipbuilding technology was urgently developed to shorten the period by about a month, the fact was that there was a delay in the global cargo transportation system. In this situation, it was natural that the importance of each merchant ship increased dramatically.

Moreover, the changed route was more dangerous. Unlike the systematically protected canal, the wide sea was like being left to nature, making merchant ships appetizing prey for pirates.

Were pirates the only problem? The sea was the same. The temperature changes where the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean meet were particularly severe. This led to unpredictable natural disasters called “hornet-type typhoons” that appeared without warning, swept everything away, and disappeared in an instant, as well as rough seas, creating an indescribably turbulent and chaotic situation.

As they approached waters that were extreme even among red zones, with opinions suggesting they should be called black zones now, the tension on board increased.

However, even in such circumstances, people lived on the ship, and where people live, while there is suffering, they also eat, listen to music, and fall in love.

Haero, noticing an increase in the distribution of mild anti-anxiety medications that could be prescribed easily, tapped his notebook with the end of his pen and asked, “Three months ago, the mastermind behind a mass prison break from a marine penitentiary in Pacific Sector 3 has recently grown threateningly…”

Haero lowered the radio volume slightly and asked, “What’s the reason for the increased number of sailors complaining of depression? Is it because of the extended voyage? Even veteran officers have been getting prescriptions, which seems unusual for just that.”

The medical officer was what you’d call a seasoned veteran. It’s natural to feel depressed and frustrated as the voyage gets longer. But this was somewhat different, though related.

“Ah, it’s not just because of feeling cooped up.” The medical officer, part of a navy CPO couple known for their good relationship, had experienced the same crisis.

“… While opinions suggest that its scale and danger are quite large and high, the Allied Naval Research Institute says the risk is lower than public perception…”

“It’s about time for the season of breakups. Many people usually break up around this time. It’s been two months since we set sail, right? It’s about time for communications with lovers on land to break down or for breakup talks to come.”

As the conversation continued, Haero’s eyes grew wider.

“There are satellite phones, but you can’t use them casually for ‘honey’ and ‘darling’ talk. There are personal communication devices, but they use military lines, so usage time is limited, right? So inevitably…” The medical officer lightly split his hands shaped like a heart. “They break up.”

Haero raised his voice, seemingly unable to understand, “Over something like that?”

“What do you mean ‘something like that’? It’s incredibly important.”

“Next, entertainment news. A film that garnered great expectations even before its release, with its theme of love between a famous Bollywood actor and a film director…”

Love stories everywhere.

It’s the end of winter in the southern hemisphere, so it’s early autumn in the northern hemisphere. But it’s more like warm spring weather, now more commonly known as the second spring rather than autumn. It seems to be the perfect time for love.

On the other hand, it’s still winter here, and it’s just bitter.

“When you can’t see each other, your hearts grow distant too. You’re literally far apart, after all. Dating requires diligence, you know.”

“But you succeeded all the way to marriage, didn’t you?”

“Who says marriage is success? Ah, saying that makes you sound old-fashioned. You’re surprisingly romantic, Lieutenant.”

Haero frowned at the hearty laughter.

So it seems that marriage, dating, everything is endless and requires continuous effort.

That was fortunate. Effort was what he was best at. There’s nothing more rewarding than consistently doing what you’re good at.

However, there are still aspects that can’t be overcome by effort alone.