Day 281, 07:00.

  Hawk and Rhino visited Goldie in her ward an hour before the cadet training at 08:00.

  Rhino commented, watching Hawk help her into a wheelchair, “You sure you want to move around so much instead of resting, Goldie?”

  “I’ll be fine,” Goldie chuckled, “Hawk here has been feeding me diligently to recuperate my energy.”

  Hawk smiled as he kissed her cheek, “Still if it gets hard, you have to tell me, ok?”

  Goldie pinched his cheek, “You’re such a worrywart now. Where did the confident Hawk I know go?”

  “Gone, after seeing his beautiful wife in a coma for many years.” Hawk sighed as he whispered, holding her hands, “I could only fake it these past few years…”

  “Was I at least beautiful in a coma?”

  “Like sleeping beauty.”

  “Get a room, you lovebirds.” Rhino rolled his eyes. “Goldie, if it gets hard, press this button and it will make an alarm if you need help.” He gave her a remote with a small speaker at the end.

  “Well, I won’t be needing it but… thanks.” Goldie slid the remote into her pocket.

  “Love, don’t be stubborn and press it if it gets too hard, hm?” Hawk clicked her belt into the wheelchair.

  “…I must have slept too long for you to change so much.”

  “It’s been about 3 years, 2 months and 4 days, give or take.” Hawk shrugged.

  Goldie smiled as she caressed his cheek, “…I can’t call you a brat anymore, can I?”

  Rhino scoffed, “You still can, I saw him bet on cadets in an arm wrestling match when it was supposed to be training.”

  Hawk flinched, “Yeah I remember that, he beat me up after.”

  Hawk began to push Goldie’s wheelchair as they caught up on things.

  Goldie then asked, “So what do you plan on doing today?”

  “Squad formations.” Rhino answered, “Especially now that there is a good balance within the team.”

  Goldie was intrigued as she clasped her hands together, “Then that means there will be a Squad Leader soon, right?”

  “Of course, love.” Hawk chuckled.

  She asked, “Who do you think should be Squad Leader?”

  Rhino smirked, “Naturally, there is only one that comes to mind.”

  Hawk nodded, “Right, the one that fits the bill perfectly.”

  “It’s…”

  “8-33.” / “4-17, right?”

  Rhino and Hawk paused.

  Rhino scoffed, “8-33 is the perfect leader, she is smart and capable.”

  “No, 4-17 is. As the eldest, he has the brains and charisma to lead the group.” Hawk snorted.

  “4-17 is a lazy glutton, unfit to be a leader.”

  “8-33 is naturally more suited for an all-rounder support role. If she was leader, she would be too busy to take command properly.”

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  The two began to glare at each other as they made their case. If Goldie had some popcorn, she would be eating it right now as she watched them bicker.

  Hawk argued, “4-17 is naturally smart, because he is a lazy glutton, he does things efficiently and can make sure the group doesn’t suffer much or no losses at all.”

  “Same with 8-33 but better. She is a hard-working and self-sufficient tactician who inspires those around her.” Rhino rebutted.

  “4-17 can inspire others as well but not in the way that fits your criteria, Oh-Know-It-All-Mr-Rhino. He is the pacemaker and holds the team down.”

  “8-33 does that too.”

  “Yeah but behind the scenes. They need a leader who is unfazed by any emotional vendettas.”

  “And you think 4-17 doesn’t have any?” Rhino incredulously doubted.

  “Sure, let’s count his personal vendettas for the cafeteria food on Wednesdays. At least he doesn’t have any that will affect their mission.” Hawk huffed.

  Goldie clapped to get their attention, “As much I love you two bickering, we should head to the training hall. We’re going to be late otherwise.”

  Rhino and Hawk turned away from each other and started huffing like children.

  ***

  Present time, 08:05.

  After Goldie explained what had happened, Seohwa tilted her head, “Just that?”

  Taeseok munched, “Honestly, I don’t care who's the leader, I think everyone’s a good fit except for Jiho.”

  “Huh?” Jiho exclaimed, “Why not?!”

  “…Because you’re one of our major damage dealers and won’t see what’s happening in the team.”

  “…Why did you hesitate at the start?” Jiho scrutinised.

  “…” Taeseok chewed on some chips and offered to Jiho, “Want a munchie?”

  “Hey!”

  Seohwa shook her head, “I agree with Taeseok-oppa on this one. Everyone of us has our own strengths that make each of us good leaders… maybe, except for Jiho…”

  “You too?!” Jiho got dejected.

  “You have your own strengths Jiho but being a leader is not one of them.” Seohwa bluntly reviewed. “You’re still essential to the team even if you aren't the leader.”

  Jiho cheered up at her words.

  Rhino pointed at them, “See how she cheered 8-10 up? That’s leader material there.”

  “Oh so you’re going that route huh? Just watch.” Hawk huffed.

  Taeseok then suggested to the group, “Say, instead of standing around like this, should we do something?”

  Hwayeon nodded, “That’s a good idea.”

  Taeseok wrapped his arm around Minggu’s shoulders, “For one, I want to help Minggu-ah improve his running.”

  “Why choose running of all things?” Minggu was flabbergasted.

  Taeseok replied, “Well our healer needs to live. At least you should be able to escape if you can’t fight back.”

  “True, running is also a good way to increase stamina,” Hwayeon added.

  “Right?” Taeseok fed Minggu a chip.

  Hawk proudly puffed his chest, “See? What did I tell you? He leads the pace.”

  Yerin, who was just fiddling with the tips of her hair, sighed, “Aren’t you going to do something about this, Ms Goldie?

  Goldie hummed, “Maybe I should?”

  Yerin frowned, “Why are you staying still then?”

  Goldie chuckled, “Let me appreciate the two of them bickering a little longer. It has been a while.”

  After a while, Goldie got the remote Rhino gave her from her pocket and pressed it, causing a huge alarm sound.

  Immediately, Hawk turned around worried, “Do you need to rest, love?”

  “No, I just needed your attention. But you two have been arguing for too long.”

  Rhino and Hawk glanced at each other before apologising, “…Sorry.”

  “Anyway, you two can’t agree on things right?” Goldie smirked. Hawk knew she was up to no good. If he is the starter of chaos, she is the prolonger.

  They both nodded. Goldie clasped her hands together, “How about this? A mock battle of Capture the flag with 8-33 and 4-17 being leaders! They decide who is responsible for the flag among their group and whoever steals the flag from the other team wins. How does that sound?”

  Rhino and Hawk pondered.

  “Sounds good.” Hawk nodded.

  “Agreed.” Rhino placed his hands on his hips.

  Goldie then faced Seohwa and Taeseok, “8-33 and 4-17, you two are leaders. You can choose your two squad members for this game.”

  Seohwa crossed her arms, “I don’t mind that we’re doing this but why are you guys deciding who the squad leader is for us?”

  “It’s more fun that way, no?” Goldie giggled like a little child.

  Taeseok eyed Seohwa, “We can’t change their minds so might as well… ladies first?”

  “That would be unfair to you then. Should we do rock paper scissors and whoever wins gets first pick and we alternate?” Seohwa suggested.

  “Sure.” Taeseok licked his salty fingers clean before they did rock paper scissors.

  Taeseok won with paper as he chose, “Minggu-ah~”

  “Wait, me? Seriously?” Minggu pointed at himself in self doubt, “You know, I can’t fight right?”

  “You’re not going to.” Taeseok assured.

  Seohwa chose, “Hwayeon-unnie.”

  Hwayeon smiled as she sided with Seohwa, “I’ll do my best.”

  Taeseok looked between Yerin and Jiho and decided, “Yerin-ah~”

  Yerin sighed, “This is stupid, you know.”

  “Is it? You might go against Jiho, you know?” Taeseok provoked.

  Yerin suddenly felt a little motivated, “Ok, I guess there is something to look forward to.”

  “Jiho.” Seohwa called out to him. She saw he was pouting as she chuckled, “Are you pouting because I didn’t choose you first?”

  “...”

  “I trusted the fact you’ll be by my side regardless if I chose you first or not.” Seohwa explained, “I chose Hwayeon-unnie since she understands Taeseok-oppa better.”

  “…Ok.” Jiho continued to pout but wasn’t that moody anymore.

  After they chose their teams, Goldie led them to the simulation room in Sector A. They saw a wide surreal forest inside.

  She watched them look in shock at how this forest which had no sunlight came to be.

  She explained, “Fascinating right? This is the Simulation room that combined the power of an Illusionist and our engineering team. So that’s why, it may seem like a wide forest underground but actually they’re all just an illusion. And if you destroy them, they will recover after a certain period of time.”

  “With that said, let the Battle Royale between the Munchies…” She gestured to Taeseok’s team then to Seohwa’s team, “…versus, the Musketeers BEGIN!”