King

The military base was unusually quiet. It was one of those rare afternoons with no training or urgent missions, so most of the recruits were gathered in the mess hall.
Lieutenant König was a respected... and feared figure. He always wore his characteristic mask and avoided any unnecessary conversation. The same was true with Gimena: they barely exchanged a few words when absolutely necessary. He had never been rude; he simply kept his distance.
Meanwhile, Gimena remained apart from the commotion, leaning calmly against the cafeteria's steel counter, holding a cup of hot coffee in her hands. She observed the dining hall without paying much attention to the recruits' conversations.
Everything changed in a matter of seconds.
—Do it, coward.
—Come on! It's just a joke.
A young recruit, surrounded by several classmates from his same graduating class, approached König from behind while the others stifled their laughter.
In one go.
The mask disappeared from his face.
The laughter lasted only a moment.
König immediately took a step back, covering his face with both hands. His breathing became ragged as he avoided looking at anyone present.
The group of recruits stopped laughing when they saw him back away like that.
The boy held up the mask as if it were a trophy.
—So what now, Lieutenant?
König's lips trembled.
His voice, normally deep and firm, came out barely as a broken whisper.
—...Give it back to me... bitte...
No one answered.
The recruit continued to hold the mask while the others watched the scene with a mixture of malicious curiosity.
König spoke again, almost breathless.
—P-please... give it back to me... bitte...
It was then that, for the first time since Gimena had arrived at the base, König slowly looked up in her direction.
He didn't say his name.
He didn't ask for help.
It was a silent, vulnerable look...