Min-ho’s hands froze completely on the wooden steering wheel. The old engine idled weakly, its small rattle completely silenced by the deep, terrifying hum of the massive military machine parked just yards away. The two friends stood together in the small cabin, completely paralyzed. Armed officers stood on the submarine’s tower, pointing their weapons directly down at the small boat. They were so close to international safety, but the path back was completely blocked by a wall of black steel.
The electronic megaphone crackled again, delivering a final, freezing countdown to their surrender. Min-ho looked at Jun, his eyes filled with absolute defeat. If they moved, they would be shot. If they stopped, they would be arrested and dragged away, never to see their families again. The air felt completely suffocating. It felt like the absolute end of their lives. And that’s when they heard it.