171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDNx300z7A
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA62jEf1aJm
BEAUTIFUL SOLDIER – Part 2
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnwrjNQEmf
Captain Raya walked a few steps ahead, boots crunching leaves beneath her. The night breeze danced around her uniform, and the sounds of the forest slowly returned now that the battle was over.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8w8NYIIFhM
Then—she stopped.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEdllNjzj8
Dereck, still standing with a hopeful gaze, tilted his head slightly.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdSk5BlEDp
She turned around and walked back toward him, her sharp eyes locking onto his again. “Listen, civilian,” she said firmly, “this forest isn’t safe. You need to leave. Now.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgGgOkyXBW
Dereck held his breath. She was standing so close again, close enough that he could see the faint scar on her cheek—barely visible, but telling of the life she lived.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0V7bvGHwA
He tried to sound calm. “And go where? The only thing waiting for me outside this forest is more chaos. Out here, at least I had silence… until you and your bullets showed up.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJ5NQdNmnf
She narrowed her eyes. “This isn’t a joke. You’ll be dead before morning if you stay here.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dC5OTengL
“Exactly why I should come with you,” Dereck said quickly, seizing the moment. “I’m not asking to hold a gun or march in line. I just want to stay alive. You have protection, food… a freaking team. I have a stick and bad luck.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ABRja2MMa
He took a careful step closer. “Let me come with you. I swear I’ll stay out of the way. Please, Captain.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qIP9QFfaM
Raya stared at him for a moment. Silent. Thinking.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrvIlnzF7n
Then she sighed.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQVY3EJ1Ml
“Fine,” she said. “But on one condition—you do not get involved in anything related to soldiers. You stay quiet. You follow instructions. And when the helicopter comes from headquarters, you're gone. Understood?”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQMWebJGy7
Dereck lit up with a boyish grin. “Crystal clear, Captain. I’m your most obedient shadow.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zSHPMk5rq
She gave him a look, part warning, part curious, before turning away again.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrz3haisoP
“Get your stuff. We move in two minutes.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurlvXZmOAm
Dereck grabbed his small bag with excitement and practically jogged to her side. “You won’t regret this, Captain Raya. I promise I’m excellent company.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4cT9wSVrC
She didn’t respond, but he kept talking anyway—lighthearted, joking, occasionally throwing in a compliment here and there. “Is it against military code to smile?” he asked. “Because I feel like your lips are hiding a beautiful one.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfMYZng19G
The soldiers around them began to smirk. A few chuckled. Even the grumpy one with the scarred eyebrow, Private Kito, cracked a grin.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhN0M0LLvIQ
In no time, Dereck’s charm had everyone laughing and shaking their heads—everyone except one.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEYDyefcsk
Chriss.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nvHDFs8LU
Broad-shouldered, cold-eyed, and always alert. He walked at the front of the group, but every time Dereck spoke, his jaw visibly tightened.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9cCz3DgQw
He leaned close to one of the soldiers and muttered, “Why is he even here?”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35jfr1MCmV
The soldier shrugged. “Captain allowed it.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNtY3aSLaz
Chriss's eyes flicked to Dereck, who was now joking about how he could be their emotional support guy. But his gaze lingered longer on Raya, and that was when Chriss’s fists clenched.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgb505pvh3G
The way Dereck looked at her. The way she—though not smiling—hadn’t shut him down as harshly as usual. It annoyed him.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHhjraxfwh
They walked through the dense forest for over an hour. Moonlight guided the way. As the group approached a hidden military camp between ridges, tents glowing faintly in the dark, Dereck whispered to Raya again, “So… do I get a cool codename too? I vote ‘The Lucky Civilian.’”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh94EAEz8Yv
Raya glanced sideways at him with her usual unreadable expression. “You’re lucky, alright.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrzKmE1GiA
Dereck grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoerMKa6HK
But behind them, Chriss was watching closely, jaw clenched tighter than ever.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCnvZhY3up
Something about this civilian didn’t sit right with him—and it wasn’t just the flirting.
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUlcOTWfGb
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgEBFlL5PW
171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJheutuQihx
