Throwing the suitcases into the trunk of the car, Yoongi plops down into the driver's seat as Eunbi and Ellen make themselves comfortable at the back.

Taehyung rolls down the window of the passenger's seat as the car rumbles, refusing to start. It vibrates and jerks forward, when Yoongi lets out a frustrated sigh.

With Hyunwoo perched on his lap, Taehyung grits his teeth at Yoongi.
"Are you f-... kidding me right now?"

"No fuel!"
Yoongi exclaims, hitting the steering wheel. Ellen runs a hand down her face before reaching forward and smacking the side of his head.
"You idiot!"

Eunbi's eyes light up immediately, and she straightens up.
"Guys, wait!"

They go silent, all eyes on her.
"Jungkook always had an extra can of fuel."
Yoongi claps his hands, gritting out.
"I can always count on that man."

Eunbi yells after him as he skips up the driveway.
"Bottom left cabinet in the kitchen!"

_______________________

Hyunwoo stuck his tongue out as the wind gently caressed his face, gliding his hair back into the air.

However, the peaceful atmosphere is soon demolished as the the four of them groan at the sight before them.
"Oh god! Why?!"

Taehyung closes his eyes in frustration when the car slows to a stop behind the neverending ocean of vehicles on the road.

Thousands of people who were filled with the same desperation to escape were among the vast expanse of cars and vans honking furiously down the road.

"The missiles are said to reach in an hour and at this pace, we'd rather prepare our graves right now!"
Ellen yells. Hyunwoo's lips turn down in a pout at the scary scenarios playing through his head before tears come gushing down his cheeks.

Taehyung startles, feeling the streams of tears flowing down his hands.
"Hyunwoo!"
The boy lets out horrific wails as Ellen holds her hands out immediately.

Handing the trembling boy over to her, she engulfs him in her warm embrace, rocking him back and forth.

With his head planted against her chest, she whispers.
"Don't cry, we're all here, aren't we? We're happy! Don't cry."

The boy's bloodshot eyes travel each person in the car, and they all manage to put on forced smiles before him.

Yoongi grips the steering wheel.
"This isn't going to work. Fuck the road."
He winces, receiving a harsh pinch on the arm for his foul language as he backs out, thankful there were no cars behind him yet.

Pulling out of the road, he transfers onto the sandy ground beside it. Their eyes widen when the car starts bumping over the uneven land uncontrollably, shaking them up like tic tacs in a box.

Yoongi grins sadistically at the people stuck in the traffic, and their eyes bulge down at him. Eventually, a few people took matters into their own hands and decided to follow to leader.

"This'll be a bumpy ride, but we'll reach the outskirts well within an hour. You don't have to worry."
Yoongi says, and Eunbi places a hand on her stomach, feeling extremely uncomfortable with the swaying and bouncing of the car.
"Y-yoongi, please go slower?"

He glances back at her, taking a deep breath.
"Eunbi, we might risk not reaching in time."

"Yoongs! It isn't good for the baby!"
Ellen exclaims, kicking his chair from behind as he yelps.
"Alright, alright, geez!"

______________________

Jungkook sits perched up on a rock with his head in his hands, while Namjoon and Jessi kick around the place hopelessly.

"It's been an hour already. How much longer are they going to take?"

Jungkook groans. A sudden snap of a twig catches their ears and they jump up immediately, their fingers steady on the trigger of their gun.

"We're friendlies! Don't shoot!"

A voice from inside the dense canopy of trees echo, yet their guns never waver.

"Show yourself!"

Jungkook states, and he narrows his eyes when numerous soldiers emerge from behind the trees, all clad in the uniform they know so well with the patch of their flag across their left arm.

His eyes travel the 20 ought men before him, and they bow.

"Is this all of you?"

The man who seemed to be leading them lowered his gaze, a sullen aura encapsulating him.

"Yes, General. I can assure you that this... was nothing short of a man-slaughter."

Jungkook's heart sinks into his stomach, a terrible feeling of guilt, pain and anger seeping into him.

"I see."

An awkward silence hung in the air, as Jungkook turns around swiftly, not wanting to meet the eyes of the men before him.

"N-now that the rest of you are here, we have to wait for the arrival of Section B."

They bow once more, before settling down in the land before them.

A woman groans, and Jessi perks up.

"Are you alright?"

She stares into the woman's olive green eyes as she replies.

"It's nothing, my ankle hurts."

Jessi licks her lips, inching closer to her.

"Come inside, let me have a look at it."

The woman nods hesitantly as she limps to the tent. Rolling up her pant, Jessi winces at the purple tainted swollen skin around the ankle.

"Yeah, this is definitely a Grade 2 sprained ankle."

The woman shifts uncomfortably, her breath hitching.

"W-What do I do?"

"There isn't much to it, I have a spray and a bandage so that should work fine. It'll be difficult to walk or run, though."

The woman nods and Jessi smiles, tapping her arm in encouragement.

"Don't be so down, you're a strong woman. I can already tell. There aren't many females in the army. It takes great courage for a woman to fight for her country, don't you think?"

A small smile creeps up on the woman's face as she nods.
"I'm Jessi."

She winces when the cold spray meets her tender, inflamed ankle.
"I-I'm Torah."

Jessi sends her an awkward smile, wrapping the bandage around her ankle, tying it in place before exclaiming.
"Ah! This is so weird. I haven't spoken to another woman in so long that it feels extraterrestrial to me. I apologize if I'm making you uncomfortable."

Torah shakes her head, her round eyes now the size of saucers.
"No, it's fine. I feel the same way too. I didn't really want to be here anyways."

Jessi sighs, leaning against the makeshift table.
"Then why are you here? Your husband should've been the one to join."
She says, eyeing the golden ring that adorned Torah's finger.

Her smile fades almost immediately as her gaze falls to her ring, fidgeting with it.
"My husband passed away from cancer last year, so they took me."

Jessi's eyes widen, hissing at herself internally.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"
"It's fine."
Torah says softly, pushing herself off the bench and limping towards where the rest of the soldiers were.

"JK. How much longer?"
Namjoon whispers as Jungkook paces up and down the mossy floor.

"They should be here now. I don't know what's-"
And as if right on cue, the startling sound of an engine jerks everyone up. Their eyes widen, looking around the place frantically.

It was multiple deep rumbles that vibrated through the air, but they could see nothing around them.

"I think we're being ambushed!"
Jessi screeches as everyone stands up with their guns ready in hand.

Jungkook scrambles for his gun, and his breath catches in his throat when the trees in the distance are uprooted, falling forward.

"Aim!"
He yells above the rumbles that are now deafeningly loud.
With their fingers trained on the triggers, the trees fall closer and closer to them, yet the density of the forest shielding their view from the instigator.

"Fire!"

An instantly, the air is filled with sounds of gunshots, whizzing past the trees and sounded what seemed like bouncing off metal.

Jungkook holds his fist up, halting their attack when the rumbles die down abruptly.

A clang of metal is heard, and Jungkook tilts his head, his ears straining to hear what was happening.

"You fucking idiots!"
A familiar voice yells from the darkness of the canopy.
"It's us! Section B!"

Jungkook's face lights up as they lower their guns instantly. The startlingly loud engine pierces through the air again, and the fallen trees are pushed aside as they now entered the light.

Jungkook's eyes widen at what seemed like 20 tanks full to the brim with soldiers.

They stare in awe at the magnificent war engines before them as the hatches pop open, and grinning soldiers climb out.

However, a certain red faced, angry soldier walked up to him instantly.

The captain of the troop while Jungkook was still a mere soldier.

"Are you out of your mind, ordering open fire on baseless assumptions?! What if we were shot?!"
He yells, his face inches away from Jungkook's.

And he didn't like his subordinate talking to him that way. Not one bit.

Jungkook tilts his head, a mocking smirk forming on his face as his eyes stared into the ones of the captain before him.

"If you had informed us when you were arriving, that would've been of great help to us, Captain. After all, that's why these exist."

He says, holding up the walkie-talkie attached to his belt.

The captain opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off by the taller man before him.

"And don't question my orders, Captain. You're under me now. Remember your place."

He grits out, poking his index finger against the Captain's chest, shoving him backwards.

The red faced man seethes before him, powerless before storming back to the tank, slamming the hatch shut.

The soldiers of Section B stare between the two of the them, and straighten up immediately when Jungkook's attention is diverted to them.

"Now that you've arrived, we shall waste no more time. Acquaint yourselves with the remaining soldiers from Section A and get ready to move."

They salute, shouting in unison.
"Yes, General!"

Yet through all of this, Jungkook's eyes searched desperately for a single person.

The soldiers walk past him, and he failed to connect the face of the person in his mind with anyone before him.

His hand snaps out, grabbing hold of the arm of a soldier walking past him and he startles with widened eyes.

Jungkook leans close to him, speaking in a low voice.
"By chance, is there a soldier that goes by the name Park Jimin in this troop?"

The soldier nods immediately, pointing to the last tank that stood silently at the edge of the entrance of the canopy.

"Thank you."
He says bluntly, letting him go and taking hurried strides to the tank.

Upon arrival, he climbs up the ladder, popping the hatch open and jumping in with a loud thud.

His chest heaves with loud breaths when his eyes fall upon the man sitting with his back against him on the tiny bed stuffed along the side of the cramped space.

His hand slowly reaches out to the blonde man that seemed to be stuck in a trance, gazing into another world.

When his hand makes contact with his shoulder, the man startles, jumping up immediately and turning around.

Jungkook's eyes soften when their eyes meet, but his heart skips a beat when he sees hints of anger and resentment in the man's eyes.

He releases a wavering breath, parting his plump lips to speak.
"G-General."

Jungkook furrows his eyebrows, tilting his head in confusion as a turmoil of emotions tumbled inside him.
"Jimin, I-"

"Is that what you are now? General?"

Jungkook shakes his head, stepping forward slowly only for Jimin to step back.

"We promised we'd make it through this. We promised to lie low with our heads to the ground, and slink our way through this war. But now you're a General?"

"Jimin, I-it was given to me and I couldn't refuse-"

"Couldn't refuse? Why?! Is it because your father was a General? Are you trying to live up to their expectations of being his son?"

Jimin's voice cracks towards the end of his sentence, and his lips quiver from trying to control the raging ocean inside him with whatever means possible.

Jungkook could do nothing but stare at the ground in silence, his own storm now rising up his throat like burning bile.

"H-Have you forgotten why we're here, Kook? Don't you ever think of your wife? Ellen? Yoongi? Taehyung?"

"I think of them every morning I open my eyes till it shuts at night."
Jungkook snaps back immediately.

Jimin's lips press together into a thin line.
"If you didn't know, missiles have been launched toward every city in the country and they're being evacuated as we speak."

Jungkook's head snaps up to him instantly.
"What?"

"Soldiers who are volunteering to help with evacuations and stabilising the situation are being accepted, and we could've been back with them by now."

He spits out, walking forward slowly, till he's beside Jungkook.

He turns his head slowly to him, speaking in a low voice.

"But we can't. Why?"

Jungkook grits his teeth, the outrageous ocean in him now barely beneath his breaking point, poking at him torturously from the inside as Jimin finished his sentence.

"Because you're the General."