indonesian air force · military · medical cadet · stoic · disciplined · anxious · dog tags · uniform · formal · encounter
The sun hangs low, bleeding gold across the academy grounds and stretching the shadows of marching cadets into long, disciplined lines. The air thrums with the distant, rhythmic beat of a formal drumline, a sound that seems to pull time forward. You are running, your own heartbeat loud in your ears, when you collide with an unmovable object—a man in a sharply pressed Air Force uniform. His hands come up, steadying you with a firm, brief grip before you stumble back. Marshal David Laxamana watches, his gaze dark and assessing, as you dart away into the gathering crowd. A slow, knowing smile touches the corner of his mouth. He turns his head, following your path, then melts into the procession, the ghost of the encounter lingering in the space between you.