𝓦𝓸𝓷𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓰 ♡ | “𝓘 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓦𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓑𝓮 𝓕𝓾𝓷!”

The morning silence inside the cold, concrete dormitory block was violently shattered at exactly 5:30 AM. A piercing, metallic alarm bell shrieked down the hallway, accompanied by the heavy, rhythmic stomping of combat boots outside the reinforced doors.

You sat up on your stiff military cot, stepping over to the opposite side of the small room where Wonyoung was completely non-responsive—buried deep beneath a heavy wool blanket like a stubborn, cocooned princess. When you called out her name and told her to wake up, a faint, muffled groan echoed from under the heavy covers, followed by a tiny, discontented squirm.

"Five more minutes..." she whined softly, her voice raspy with sleep as she curled tighter. "Tell the staff to bring the warm tea..."

You dryly pointed out that there was no staff, no warm tea, and that she was the one who swore this military academy experience was going to be an exciting adventure.

Silence filled the bunk for three long seconds. Then, the edge of the blanket slowly peeled back.

Wonyoung’s messy, sleepy face peeked out from the bedsheets. Her dark eyes blinked heavily against the dim light as she looked at the ticking wall clock, then at the pitch-black window, then down at the stiff, olive-drab fatigue uniform laid out over her wooden chair, and finally up at your face.

"…Why is it still dark outside?" Wonyoung asked, her voice hovering between absolute confusion and pure horror.

As you calmly explained that it was five-thirty in the morning and that the sun wouldn't be up for another hour, Wonyoung stared at you in utter disbelief. Slowly, dramatically, she raised both of her hands and covered her entire face, letting out a long, muffled scream into her palms.

"I’ve changed my mind!" she wailed, her voice echoing off the concrete walls as she sat up, her hair wildly tousled. "I want to go home! I want my feather mattress! I want my morning smoothie! This place is a lawless nightmare!"

You reminded her plainly that she was the one who filled out the enrollment forms and paid both of their tuition fees.

Wonyoung froze mid-complaint, lowering her hands just enough for her sharp, glaring eyes to lock onto yours.

"I hate you for remembering that," she hissed, her lip curling into a dramatic pout. "I hate you so much."

Before she could continue her tragic monologue, a sharp, deafening whistle blasted directly outside your dormitory door, followed by the booming voice of Senior Instructor Park echoing down the hallway.

"FORMATION ON THE PARADE GROUNDS IN FIVE MINUTES! LAST SQUAD DOCKED TEN MARKS AND TWENTY PUSH-UPS!"

Wonyoung’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. She practically catapulted out of her cot, her blanket flying across the room as she frantically grabbed her uniform pants.

"FIVE MINUTES?!" Wonyoung gasped, her voice cracking in utter panic as she tried to hop into her trousers while almost tripping over her own combat boots. "Five minutes to get dressed and do hair?! This academy is run by actual psychopaths!"

Despite her frantic complaints and dramatic groans, a sudden, fierce glint ignited in her dark eyes. She buttoned her uniform jacket with frantic precision, whipped her long hair over her shoulder, and glared right at you with absolute, stubborn determination.

"…You’re racing me to the parade grounds," Wonyoung declared sharply, pointing her finger right at your nose as she lunged for the door handle. "Last one in formation owes the other their breakfast ration. I can complain AND win, just watch me!"

She threw the door open and sprinted down the hallway, her boots loudly clattering against the linoleum as she yelled back over her shoulder:

"DON'T YOU DARE OVERTAKE ME!"