Safeway Pyongyang // Reader x Countryhumans

Getting Ready

    Y/N's heart plummeted down to her feet. "A-Am-Ameri- You're going to go to war with him?"

    "Of course." SH gave her a strange look. "The only reason that we've put it off for so long is out of mercy."

    "Right on." South Pyongan raised her tea cup like a glass of alcohol in a toast. "Too long if you ask me. So, is this going to be the year, Korea?"

    "Maybe." North was looking Y/N dead in her eyes, daring her to say something. "You know that we could crush him easily. It would really be unfair to fight him if we don't have to."

    "No one can stand against sheer North Korean military power!" Hae cheered. "Ura!"

    The other provinces all enthusiastically joined in the cry, all except Ryanggang, who sighed heavily before giving a lacklustre "Ura," and North Hamgyong, who crossed his arms and said it under his breath.

    North Korea just kept steady eye-contact with Y/N. The message in his flinty glare was clear. 'Talk and you're dead.'

    "Don't worry," SH comforted. "We'll keep you safe when we do finally take him out."

    "And don't worry about any friends you have back there," Kangwon said. "We don't have a problem with America's people, just America himself. As long as they're not in the military, they'll be safe."

    "I-I don't have any friends back there," Y/N stuttered, taking a seat next to SH and Kangwon. "Just... here."

    SH hugged her with one arm. "Aw, we love you, too."

    For the rest of the meal, Y/N avoided making any eye contact with North, keeping her gaze on her fish and rice instead, even though she could feel the force of his eye on her. The fact that he only had one seemed to concentrate the glare.

    She was glad when her and SH finally took off to work.

    "Is something wrong?" SH asked worriedly. "You seem quiet."

    "Oh, ah... no." Y/N mustered a fake smile. "I'm fine. I just feel... a little nauseous."

    "Are you okay? Do you need to skip work?"

    Reading the concern in SH's eyes made Y/N feel guilty. "No, no. I'm fine, really."

    "Okay." SH didn't seem convinced. "Just remember- just because you have to work, doesn't mean that you can't take sick days."

    "Unhealthy workers are unproductive workers?" Y/N tried, and received a laugh from the province.

    "Exactly."

    The next day, Y/N didn't have work, beyond being paraded out to Kim Il-sung Square to record a brief video on how excited she was for Liberation Day. Everyone was too busy getting ready for the celebration tomorrow. After her vlog, she got paired off with Hae and Hwang to decorate the high-rise with red and gold streamers, and revolutionary North Korean decorations.

    She was also given a lecture on the history of the Liberation War by the male Hwanghae, mostly about how great North was, as well as Kim Il-sung's amazing feats.

    "Is this... true?" she asked, as she received a tale of Kim Il-sung single-handedly turning some impoverished villagers into a group of guerilla fighters to overthrow the Imperial Japanese forces.

    "Mostly." Hwang shrugged.

    "It's a creation myth- it's fun!" Hae exclaimed. "As long as it's semi-true, that's okay."

    Y/N felt uncomfortable with the knowledge that she had learned yesterday, but she kept it to herself. It really wasn't any of her business, even if she lived here now.