Kang Jin-Ho saluted first at First Sergeant Choi walking up to him. "Loyalty."[1]

First Sergeant Choi replied with a textbook salute as well, "At ease."

He then grinned warmly while watching Kang Jin-Ho's posture loosen up just a little. "Were you going for a smoke?"

Kang Jin-Ho nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Then, join me for a smoke over yonder.”

“Understood, sir.”

The duo walked to the back of a building, well out of people's view. First Sergeant Choi pulled out a cigarette and offered it to Kang Jin-Ho. "Here. It's a military-issue cigarette, so you might not like its taste, but complaining about stuff like that now is a bit weird, right?"

“Yes, sir.” Kang Jin-Ho didn't argue and obediently accepted the cigarette.

'Hmm...'

It had been a while since he last smoked. The last time was at the start of the boot camp when an assistant instructor offered him one outside the living quarters. Since then, he hadn't touched one.

"Y'know, sharing smokes like this with recruits used to be one of the few fun things to do around here. But the regulations have become less forgiving these days. If anyone catches me giving you a smoke, even I will get a royal roasting. You better be grateful since I'm risking my neck here, recruit."

Kang Jin-Ho stiffly replied, "Thank you, sir."

"Hey, I was just joking, alright?" First Sergeant Choi laughed affably while lighting up Kang Jin-Ho's cigarette. "You saved my life, after all. Of course, I ain't scared of giving you a smoke. They want to fire me over this? I don't care. Let 'em."

"But, sir. What if you really get dismissed over this?"

“Well, my wife will kill me, that's for...