"Captain Park!" Jin exclaimed when he saw the familiar man in uniform waiting for them in front of the small plane on the tarmac of Incheon International Airport.

     His face, which had been so gloomy after their departure from Seoul, had just lit up and he hastened to let go of the suitcase he was dragging and to address his superior with a military salute. The stern-faced man gave him a friendly smile, returning his military salute with a hand raised to his forehead.

     "Dismissed, soldier," he ordered.

     Obediently, Jin lowered his hand and spontaneously threw himself into the man's arms. Surprised, the man patted Jin roughly on the back.

     "Captain, I'm so glad you're coming with us!" Jin's tone expressed relief.

     His captain may have been a man with rough manners who did not hesitate to brutalize the recruits under his command, but he was nonetheless a soldier whom he respected and in whom he had complete confidence to prepare them for what they would face. Far from all makeup and idol attire, he thought bitterly. 

     He also wondered what his captain thought of his well-groomed appearance and that of his dongsaengs. No doubt he found them to have the appearance of fragile young men.

     "Seokjin," his manager called him to order, "that's not the way to behave towards your superior in the army."

     "I'm sorry," Jin immediately said, sitting upright, almost at attention.

     "It's nothing," the soldier replied to Sejin, "in this ordeal, I don't blame his attitude. Besides, Seokjin and I know each other well since he was placed under my command when he was transferred to the DMZ. This is also why I was chosen to accompany you. It is clear that I share part of the blame that was accused of my three young recruits."

     Observing Jin, he found him changed. Even though he was still obviously an easily frightened and a little too affectionate boy as he had known him, his attitude had changed and he seemed less radiant. Which was normal given the circumstances but something intrigued him.

     Indeed, Jin's bandmates stood behind their manager, far from Jin and almost seemed, according to his military experience, to form a united front against Jin. It wasn't working at all. He was going to have to change that if he wanted these boys to have any chance of emerging victorious in these cruel games against the fearsome North Koreans.

     "I understand, so we'll leave it to you," Sejin said coldly. 

     He seemed to have difficulty trusting a man who had allowed his recruits to provoke a diplomatic conflict with their worst enemy. The captain seemed indifferent to the manager's animosity and nodded. After all, he wasn't there for him, only for the seven boys who had been sacrificed for their nation.

     "Once we arrive in Pyeongyang, we will only have a few days to prepare you militarily for crossing the DMZ, so you will have to follow my orders to the letter," he said seriously. "It will be rudimentary training but it might save you if you are disciplined enough."

     "We are idols and we were trainees for a long time before this. We know discipline," Namjoon said with pride.

    The captain snorted disdainfully. 

     "That has nothing to do with it," he replied, "practicing dance for hours and stressing over a casting call has nothing to do with encountering a mine ready to explode or the constant fear that a soldier in ambush will pull the trigger of his rifle to take your life . This is why training normally lasts months and not just a few days. You should know after talking to Seokjin about his military training."

     Ashamed, Namjoon looked down and Park understood by looking at the others that none of them, except Jin, were truly aware of what awaited them. He was amazed.

     "Didn't you prepare them mentally for what you were going to face?" he asked Jin in a reproachful tone.

     Seeing the crestfallen looks of his dongsaengs and having no desire to burden them further by explaining to his captain that it was they who had refused to listen to him, he declared shamefully:

     "I'm sorry, I was so devastated by what was happening to us, I didn't have the chance to talk to them about it." 

    The soldier gave him a disappointed look that made him want to disappear.. 

     "You disappoint me, Soldier Kim Seokjin. I thought one day you would be a good corporal for the young recruits from our division but I got too far ahead of myself. Right now, you are far from ready if you let fear get you and prevent you from using your common sense. I tend to overestimate my recruits a little, I fear, and that's also why I sent you and your two comrades on a surveillance mission alone."

       "I'm sorry for disappointing you Captain," Jin apologized in a whisper. "I will try to regain your trust."

     The captain frowned and replied:

    "Shouldn't you regain the trust of your friends first?"

     Surprised, Jin wondered if the others' animosity towards him was that obvious to him. But he knew that the man had a good sense of observation and that it shouldn't have been difficult for him to notice it.

      "Well, enough of the cladding," declared Captain Park, regaining his appearance as a high-ranking military officer. "Please know that we will travel aboard a private North Korean plane sent by Pyeongyang and that we will have as a traveling companion Mr. Kim Chin -Hae, the representative of North Korea and the soldiers who accompany him to ensure his protection. This way, we will avoid talking about military strategy during the flight, is that clear?"

     While the others simply nodded, Jin exclaimed as he had been taught in the army: 

     "Very clear, Captain!"

     He raised his eyebrows as he stared at the other BTS members who seemed perplexed by his displeased look.

     "You are all soldiers now, young men, not just Kim Seokjin and I hear you behaved like one until we parted ways, is that clear?"

     "Very clear, captain," Jin repeated, hoping the others would follow his example.

     "I-it's clear, Captain," Namjoon finally said awkwardly, quickly imitated by others.

     "Very well, soldiers. Any questions before we board?"

     The boys were now afraid of being rushed by this man who treated them like soldiers and most had no reaction but Jimin asked with hope:

     "Are you going to come with us?" 

     Even though the man intimidated him a lot, his strength exulted and reassured him.

     "Inside the DMZ? No, you will enter alone. I am only responsible for escorting you to the entrance. Then I should go back and return to the southern border to welcome you there. If you make it there ."

     This last sentence disturbed the young members of BTS and a shiver ran through them. He had just reminded them that there was a chance that they would not return alive from the Demilitarized Zone.

    "Now it's time to board. Come on, proud South Korean soldiers, do not show your fear to your enemies, only your determination.

     After only about thirty minutes of flight - a journey that the members of BTS would have liked to have been much longer, the small  plane was allowed to land at Sunan International Airport, the Pyongyang Airport.

      Guided by Kim Chin-Hae, their detestable host surrounded by his three bodyguards dressed in a North Korean military uniform and with an expressionless face, everyone got off the plane. 

     The boys were surprised to discover both the small size of the airport and its almost empty corridors compared to Incheon airport in Seoul where they had been, as always, surrounded by journalists, fans and the curious in an airport packed with familiar sounds. 

     Here they were surrounded by silence and emptiness.

    It could have been nice for the idols who could never travel without being constantly surrounded, but since they had just arrived not anywhere but in North Korea, it was more uncomfortable than pleasant. There was even something scary about feeling so alone. As soon as they stepped out of the plane, a few unsmiling hostesses were waiting for them to guide them through the airport and that was it.

    "Why is no one there?" Jungkook asked with surprise, looking around him, curious to discover this ultra-closed country where South Koreans and probably most of the world citizens did not usually come.

    "It's always like that," the North Korean ambassador informed him, "we receive few tourists and very few North Koreans leave the territory because we are particularly attached to our country. We don't need a big airport."

    Very attached to their country, really? Is that why they're trying to get away from there through the DMZ to reach the South? Jin thought wryly following the diplomat's words. 

     The man had been more talkative since takeoff, as if suddenly regaining some prestige and power on returning home. He had thus indicated to them that that day, they should go first of all to attend the draw of the Elected North Koreans as they called them rather than using the term "sacrificed" which the Southern Province had chosen.

    Then, together with the group of North Koreans, they should attend a meeting where they would receive the final necessary details for the Games. 

     Finally, the North Koreans would fly to the South and the South Koreans could rest at the hotel one night before heading to their training camp where they would stay for three days before entering the DMZ at the same time as their adversaries from the North. From there, they should get out as fast as possible to win the Games. 

     The program seemed simple. But they all knew that it was not and that many dangers awaited them in these hostile places.   

     Jin looked at everyone who was with him. Ten people from the South, who had received authorization to enter North Korea. Besides his group, his manager and Captain Park, there was also a cameraman named Min-Jae who was usually a war reporter - the allusion was terrible for Jin - and Sun-Hee, the make-up artist sent as a versatile preparer to take care of the BTS appearance before they enter the DMZ. 

     Seeing that the young woman was nervous, Jin gave her a reassuring smile. He didn't see any point in someone like her ending up here, but she had nothing to do with it and she probably had to insist on being chosen, probably because she was close to the young idols and wanted to give them support.

     "Are you okay, noona?" he asked in a low voice.

     "Yes," the young woman lied. "And you, aren't you too nervous?"

     "No, I'm okay," he in turn lied.

     This made them smile and eased their nervousness somewhat. 

     "We'll be fine," Jin said more confidently as he met Captain Park's gaze who walked not far from them. 

    The group finished their journey through the airport, scrupulously following each indication given to them. Normally, no South Korean would have been allowed to travel to this territory because it was prohibited by the South Korean government, and they all knew that here they had to obey North Korean laws and were being careful in every of their move.

    After going through security with each a suitcase, the idols and their three companions from the company found themselves faced with a confusing sight. 

     In the parking lot, at the airport, there was almost no cars. But Jin realized there was something else more disturbing that the absence of cars: a double guard of honor forming awide paved hallway awaited them, seeming to go on forever. 

     Like the others, he was shocked to see so many people gathered in front of them because there was absolutely no noise, only silence reigned. How could so many people gathered produce such silence?

    Jin had only encountered North Korean soldiers. They had seemed pretty normal except for their hatred for him and the fact that they had threatened to kill him. He now had in front of him the North Korean people who seemed anything but normal to him. Their expression or rather their lack of expression as they stared at them made him feel uneasy and he was sure he wasn't the only one feeling this discomfort.

    "Hum, should we... greet them?" Sun-Hee whispered, uncomfortable, to Sejin who remained puzzled and looked at Park without getting any more response. They had obviously not been warned of such a welcome.

     Jin almost laughed nervously at Sun-Hee's question which seemed more like a joke to him. Even if they tried to greet these people with expressionless faces, would they answer them? He seriously doubted it.

    "I'm not sure this is what they expect, noona," he whispered to Sejin's lack of response.

    "Why are these people looking at us like that?" Namjoon worried, out loud, questioning their North Korean guide more than his manager who seemed as confused as them and would have no answer to their questions.

    "The North Korean people have come to welcome you, for you are today our nation's honored guests," Mr. Kim explained with grandiloquence. He had an unpleasant smile that Jin knew only too well: it was the same smile as he had given it to her before making a deceitful offer.

    "Why are they really here?" he asked bluntly, sensing that the North Korean dignitary was hiding something.

    His harsh tone drew shocked looks from all the South Koreans who accompanied him and the Captain Park sent him a warning look.

    "Mr. Kim Seokjin, I recommend that you be polite to me," M. Kim replied in a honeyed tone. "You're not in South Korea anymore, do you remember that? We are here in North Korea and I am a very high-ranking person here if I wasn't already enough in your eyes when we were in Seoul. You don't want to get in more trouble than you already have, I guess?" He added with a grin that was perfectly visible to the other members who worried about it.

    "Stop now, Jin," Yoongi stopped him in a low voice, before the latter could reply. Then he whispered to him : "You can't go wrong here: if you piss them off, you're dead, and possibly us too with you, do you understand?"

    Unwillingly, Jin nodded without taking his eyes off Mr. Kim and didn't add anything but remained worried. Yoongi added with a discreet but painful nudge:

    "And stop staring at him, you look like you want to kill him."

    "Ouch! I got it Yoongi, no need to pinch me," Jin replied irritably, looking away.

    The North Korean's sentence was heavy with threats, real threats he knew that and the people in front of them had a frightening attitude: none of them had moved for several minutes and they were immersed in a frightening silence, staring at them with their lifeless eyes. Jin thought that if he were them, he would have had cramps. How long had they been in this position?

    "Well, you will now walk downtown," Mr. Kim explained. "The guard of honor goes all the way there. From here, the regime's cameras will be the one allowed to film. Yours can only be switched on again at the hotel and the next day in your training camp."

    This was not reassuring: why were they not allowed to film when the two countries shared the broadcast? Everyone looked at Sejin with concern, but the man himself seemed uncertain as he asked Min-Jae to turn off the camera and several North Korean cameramen swirled around them. 

     They were not the only ones who appeared around them: many soldiers were now gathered, carrying their weapon, a rifle, slung over their shoulders, ready to escort them.

     Captain Park mechanically placed a hand where his rifle usually was, then remembered that he had not been authorized to carry it and uttered a curse. Jin understood that he would be of no use in protecting their group if they were attacked. It wasn't reassuring.

    "This excessive security is not necessary, I can assure you," Sejin indicated and behind who had taken refuge Jimin in sight of the armed men, clearly afraid.

    Hoseok meanwhile grabbed Namjoon's arm and would with all his might, so the other grimaced and made him release his grip slightly. Sun-Hee had clung to Min-Jae and the others remained still, frozen, and not knowing how to react. The North Korean soldiers weren't going to kill them anyway, that would be against the Accords and would plunge the two nations into war, right?

     "You have to understand : our country is not used to hosting South Koreans, forgive us for being overly cautious, but you will have to deal with it," Kim Chin-Hae replied in his annoying honeyed voice. "Now you will leave your suitcases here: they will be taken by van to your hotel with Miss Lee Sun-Hee and Mr. Kang Min-Jae who you will meet there for your, uh, preparation."

      His mocking tone did not escape Jin who blushed with shame. The North Korean was already pointing out what he considered ridiculous. 

     The singer watched as Sun-Hee reluctantly pulled away from the group with the cameraman to head for the van that had been brought forward to be loaded with their suitcases. Passing by him, she whisper "courage." Jin didn't answer contenting himself with giving her a smile that was meant to be reassuring but he felt he was going to need that courage to cross Pyongyang. Sun-Hee then resumed her walk to the van.

    "Good," Mr. Kim continued after watching the two South Koreans walk away and now turning to the seven artists, "as for you, young men, you will follow the guard of honor on foot to its end."

    "We're going to walk the whole way?!" Hoseok exclaimed.

    "That's right Mr. Jung. Well, only your and your friends. As for your manager and the Captain Park as well as myself, we will follow you nearby by car, behind the guard of honor. Thus, only the candidates will be in the field of vision of our cameras, because it is ultimately you that we want to see, the, uh, heroes of the South," he added with his mocking smile which, definitely, Jin found far too familiar for his liking.

    "But..." Sejin wanted to protest as he had to watch over the members until they entered the DMZ and did not want to be separated from them in any way. 

     The BTS members looked at him with concern, worried about having to make the journey alone to Pyongyang.On foot, what's more, although it was certainly a long way from the airport.

    "Mr. Sejin, have you forgotten what I just reminded Mr. Kim Seokjin just now? You are here in North Korea: obey the rules we set for you or suffer the consequences."

    Helpless, Sejin turned to the seven idols:

    "Don't worry boys, we will follow you closely and intervene in case of problems."

    "I don't think you should intervene no matter what, Sejin hyung," Namjoon contradicted him, pointing at the soldiers and thus the immediate danger surrounding them.

    "Whatever my use, I stay close," promised Sejin nonetheless, "be strong boys. Be proud."

    As always, for the cameras, Jin thought.