The morning air was fresh. The sun came through the trees, and birds sang above the camp. The officers were already awake. They were stretching, fixing their boots, checking weapons.
Yuna stood near her tent, using a spoon to fix her ponytail.
Mi Van came behind her and said, "What are you doing?"
She looked at him and said, "I'm trying to fix my hair."
He looked at her in confusion. "With a spoon?"
She replied confidently, "As long as I can see my beautiful reflection. I feel better now that I'm used to seeing your ugly face."
He didn't answer her and just said,
"Go eat your porridge. We start training soon."
Yuna leaned on the tent playfully. "But I'm tired from all the training. Can I skip it today?" She held his sleeve and pulled it left and right, smiling. "Please?"
He looked at his sleeve, then at her face. "No. Everyone here is the same. Eat and follow me."
He turned and walked away.
Yuna muttered, "So mean... ugly. There's nothing good about him except his height… and his eyes… and his face."
Just then, Jin came up behind her and said, "He's actually handsome."
She looked at him, startled. "At least make some noise when you walk! You scared me!"
She stepped closer and asked, "Are the training exercises really that tough?"
He looked at her with a sly smile. "Tougher than you think. You know, if you make a mistake, he'll punish you with 100 sit-ups."
She stared at him, shocked. "A hundred?!"
He nodded. "And once, he punished us by making us carry huge stones. Can you imagine the pain?"
She looked at him with doubt. "You're lying. You're just trying to scare me, right?"
He smiled in a way that said, You caught me.
"Ha-ha, I was joking. Oh—they're calling me! I gotta go!"
He ran off quickly.
"Tch. Idiot," she muttered.
---
Mi Van blew his whistle. "Everyone, line up!"
Twenty officers stood in two lines. Yuna stood a bit out of place. One boot was untied. Her shirt wasn't tucked in properly.
Mi Van walked past them with sharp eyes.
"Today is a training day. Tomorrow we move. We train one day, and walk many hours the next. Got it?"
Yuna blinked. Walk for hours?
"Today: obstacle course. No excuses."
She asked softly, "Uh... what's an obstacle course?"
"Move!" someone hissed.
Yuna moved forward.
---
The team marched to the training area. There were ropes, wooden walls, mud, and a log bridge. Yuna looked around, shocked.
"Is this a movie set?" she whispered.
Lima came close and said, "Don't be scared. You'll get through all of it. We all found it hard at first, so don't feel embarrassed."
Yuna smiled at her and asked, "What's your name?"
Lima smiled back. "Lima."
Yuna smiled again.
---
First challenge: a wooden wall.
She watched the others climb it fast like cats.
Then it was Yuna's turn.
She swallowed nervously.
She ran to the wall, jumped... and hit it with her chest. "Ow!"
She slid down like jelly.
"Come on, princess!" Jin laughed.
She looked at him, her face red. "I'm trying!" she shouted.
She tried again. This time, she caught the top. But her foot slipped. She fell into the mud.
Splat.
Everyone laughed. Even Jay tried to hide his smile.
Sora rolled her eyes. "She's wasting our time."
Lima replied, "Don't forget, we were like her once."
Sora raised an eyebrow. "Why are you defending her? Did she appoint you her lawyer and I didn't know?"
Lima looked at her and said, "What happened to you? You used to be nicer."
Sora ignored her and shouted,
"Did the wall attack you, or are you just that bad?"
Silence fell. Yuna looked at her, embarrassed and angry.
Mi Van stepped forward. "Get up. Try again."
Yuna wiped her face. "No break?"
"Not until you finish."
She climbed again. This time, she made it over. But she fell on the other side. "Ow," she said.
---
Next: crawling under a net in the mud.
Yuna moved slowly. Her boots got stuck. Her hair dragged in the dirt.
"Stay low!" Jin shouted.
"I am low!" she shouted back.
Her pants started to slip. She gasped and pulled them up while crawling.
---
Last challenge: walk on a log over a stream.
Others crossed it fast.
Yuna looked at it. She looked tired.
She stepped on the log, arms wide. It shook.
"Focus... You can do this," she told herself.
Two steps.
A bird flew near her.
She screamed.
Splash!
She fell into the water.
Mi Van sighed and put his hand on his forehead.
Everyone laughed.
"What are you laughing at?" Mi Van asked.
Yuna climbed out, wet and cold. Mi Van gave her a towel.
She pushed his hand away. He gently held her arm and pulled her to the tent.
She pulled her arm back. "What do you want now? I told you I can't do these things. My legs hurt!"
She showed him a bruise on her knee. Tears filled her eyes.
"I never did anything like this before. You didn't even give me time to understand why I'm here!"
She spoke quickly. Mi Van stood silently.
Then he turned her face gently. He moved wet hair from her forehead.
"I didn't want to be mean. I just don't want others to think you're a spy. This mission is very serious. Police don't like people they don't trust."
She asked, "Do you think I'm a spy?"
He smiled. "No. Someone like you could never be."
She looked at him. Their eyes met. She stepped back, nervous. He looked nervous too.
He said, "I'll bring you dry clothes. Go wash in the river."
She pointed at herself. "Me? In the river?!"
He rubbed his nose. "I'll watch the area. No one will come."
---
By sunset, everyone was tired but proud.
Yuna sat by the fire, drying her socks.
Her hair was still a little wet.
Jin gave her a banana. "You were amazing today."
"Are you serious?"
"You didn't give up. That's brave."
Lima smiled. "For once, Jin said something smart. You were great."
Jin grinned. "I always say smart things."
Lima said, "You always say silly things."
Jin smirked. "What if I say something important like—"
Lima tilted her head.
He got close. She shut his mouth with her hand.
Yuna laughed at them.
---
Then Mi Van stepped forward.
"Listen," he said.
Everyone turned.
"Tomorrow we leave at sunrise. We walk to the second base camp through the southern trail. No delays."
Yuna gulped.
Someone whispered, "That trail has wild boars..."
Another added, "And snakes..."
She closed her eyes.
Later, in her tent, Yuna sat on the bed.
Mi Van came in and crouched in front of her.
"Don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you."