4. The Trophy Wall

Chapter 004
The Trophy Wall

The 6:00 AM assembly bell screamed like an air-raid siren.

Inside the cleaning cupboard, Yugo's eyes snapped open. He'd been curled between a mop bucket and an industrial-sized container of floor wax, his oversized jacket crumpled around him, his backpack serving as a pillow. Despite the circumstances, he looked fresh like he'd slept in a five-star hotel.

He got up and stretched until every joint in his body popped, dragged a hand through his unruly hair, and, without ceremony, push-kicked the cupboard door open.

"Good morning comrades!"

His good morning echoed louder than the assembly bell did. Loud enough to wake up the dead. But the only sound answering was the reverb of his own voice.

Yugo was confused, his mouth half open as his excitement halted on its own expectation. That's when a small slip of paper fluttered across the floor toward him.

I had to check on everyone this morning for your first day, that's when I found you sleeping like a baby, so I couldn't bring myself to wake you up! Meet your class on the training grounds. Starts at 6 AM — don't be late! Hahahaha! — Rita

"Hahahaha!" Yugo laughed out of instinct.

Then he noticed the time on the cracked digital watch by his belongings. 6:02. His happy expression turned to complete horror.

"AHHHH!" He shouted before becoming a complete blur, his father's jacket almost acting like a cape as he tore through the hall, hit the exit, and cleared the stairs in one jump. He ran across the courtyard, then around the buildings. In what felt like seconds, he made it to the training grounds.

He had made it; the new recruits were almost unrecognizable. Gone were the hoodies and civilian clothes. In their place: crisp PT Academy training suits — dark tank tops, navy trousers, boots polished to a mirror shine. Contrary to Yugo, who didn’t have time to change at all.

For a moment, Yugo just stood there looking at them. Then his mom's words played in his head. No more ones.

With a wide grin, he made his way to the rest of the recruits. The training grounds were surrounded by 3 massive buildings, but what stood out most was how vast the place was — a real boot camp. He stepped up onto the concrete floor, and as he did, every head turned. Then the entire class snapped to rigid attention, delivering a unified salute.

"Sir! Good morning, sir!"

Caught completely off guard, Yugo stood tall and saluted back — pride surging through his chest. Was it the jacket? His determination? For a moment, he wondered if he looked like a real soldier, but before any expectations could settle in, a shadow passed behind him — Mr. Numbers. He didn't need to speak to command silence. His presence did it for him.

"Start your day with a hundred push-ups," he rasped.

"SIR, YES SIR!" the class thundered in unison.

Yugo was still mid walk; he hadn’t made it to the line yet, but an order was an order. Yugo was about to drop down into position when a hand landed on his shoulder. He looked up. Mr. Numbers' expression was unreadable.

"Follow me."

Yugo grinned, immediately assuming a secret training room. Special assignment. Perhaps a weapon of some kind.

He followed Mr. Numbers slightly behind him.

The school felt big, but at the same time, nothing felt far. The main building was two minutes away from the training grounds and a minute away from the dormitories. They headed to the main building and entered. As they did, a flash of glasses and purple hair in a formal uniform stood behind a counter; it was Miss Day, Mr. Numbers’ assistant.

“Mr. Numbers can I—”

Mr. Numbers just kept walking without even looking at her, while she tried to grab his attention.

Yugo just waved to the assistant, who waved back in embarrassment and confusion.

“Was someone getting expelled so soon?” Miss Day thought. “But the boy was… Smiling?” She just got more confused by the whole scene. Numbers had a reputation for failing even elite recruits. His harsh methods generated mixed opinions, but one thing was certain: the ones who passed all went on to become successful power soldiers.

Yugo kept following Mr. Numbers, who hadn't spoken a single word since. At the end of the corridor, after they passed the reception area, they took a left into the main hall and stopped by the Trophy Wall.

It was a monument to history — names, dates, black-and-white photographs of the men and women. Yugo, who normally didn't pay much attention to anything, was in complete awe as he studied every single corner of the wall. He was fifteen years old, but the expression on his face was no different from that of a child watching their favorite show.

At the centre, five soldiers stood beneath a five-star plaque engraved with the words:

SACRIFICE OVER HONOR. HONOR OVER SACRIFICE.

Yugo's eyes moved across the faces in the photograph. They landed on one in particular.

A man in the centre of the group. Grinning ear to ear — a grin Yugo knew very well… Because he saw it every time he looked in a mirror.

His father. The man Yugo looked up to the most. Yugo instantly started grinning.

He looked at the four soldiers beside him. One tall, also smiling, like he was having the perfect day. A woman with long hair beside his father. A scarred man who stood between them. And one with the same long matted hair, even though he looked sharp, like he actually had a night's sleep at least for the picture, but it was unmistakable.

Yugo turned slowly with a half-gone grin and looked at the man standing beside him.

Yugo didn’t know how to react. Maybe this was a good time to ask about his dad. How did they meet? Were they friends? But not a single word was said this whole time. Maybe he should wait, and perhaps Mr. Numbers would say why he took him there?

But Mr. Numbers said nothing. No long speech about duty. No lesson about sacrifice. His posture looked distant as he looked at the picture — crooked shoulders pushed forward, arms hanging in front of him. Like he was lost in wonder.

Then Mr. Numbers finally moved; he slowly reached Yugo with his right hand. Yugo wasn’t sure what to do as he saw that hand coming in slow motion. Yugo closed his eyes for a second out of instinct. Then he finally felt it — a heavy, calloused hand placed on top of his messy hair.

He opened his eyes, and there was Mr. Numbers just looking at him. Then Mr. Numbers quietly said, "Show your dad what you've got."

The grin left Yugo's face for the second time that day. What replaced it was quieter — a stillness mixed with something warm and complicated that he didn't have a name for yet. For but a moment, Yugo's chaotic energy settled.

Then Mr. Numbers stepped away and looked at the picture one more time.

Yugo stood still. For a moment, both stayed like that. Yugo wondered if that was a good moment to say something, but before he could gather the courage, Mr. Numbers turned to look at him again.

"And don't think you're off the hook," his voice returning to its usual rasp. "You didn't even change into your training gear; that tells me you were late — two hundred push-ups for you instead."

Yugo snapped to attention, eyes burning.

"SIR, YES SIR!"

— End of Chapter 4 —