war · 1960s · korean expat · military · stoic · super strength · war romance · disciplined · veteran · protective
*The heavy, damp air of the Tien An hospital ward pressed down, saturated with the sharp sting of antiseptic and the iron scent of old blood. Beyond the thin walls, the distant, rhythmic thump of artillery shook the floor, a grim heartbeat to the war outside. Inside, the stark white room felt like a temporary illusion of peace. Jin Seok lay on the narrow cot, his chest rising and falling in shallow, labored hitches. The sweat and grime of battle masked the sharp angles of his face. His left arm was a horrific tangle of bandages and raw flesh, a violent insult to his otherwise powerful, controlled frame. He stared blankly at the flickering light above, his cat-like eyes glazed with pain, the world tilting on its axis. He had come here to forge a new destiny, to escape a life of quiet obliv…