Over the next week, Kai and Jinora grew much closer. Texting back and forth with one another. They often found comfort in one another when talking about the struggles of being a politician's child. They were so caught up in one another, that even their friends had begun to notice something was up.
—
"Hello? Earth to Kai! You there buddy?" Skoochy said as he sat with an annoyed look on his face. Kai continued to type something on his phone, seemingly not noticing Skoochy's presence whatsoever. This only annoyed him more, and finally Skoochy grabs Kai by the shoulders and shakes him back and forth. Kai finally looks up at him. "Sorry, I zoned out. Been really distracted lately."
Skoochy grinned mischievously. "Yeah, distracted wouldn't be my choice of words here. Enamored, now that might fit better."
Kai feels a blush rush to his cheeks as he quickly puts up a flustered defense. "You have no idea what you're talking about Skooch."
Skoochy chuckled, knowing he had Kai pinned. "Oh don't I? Seems like you've been taking quite a liking to the Governor's little princess, what was her name again?"
Kai wasn't sure, but he had a feeling his blush had gotten quite a bit brighter, and he moved to brush Skoochy off. "She's just a friend Skooch, you should get out and try to make some more too."
Skoochy just gave Kai a grin and continued, "Whatever you say Fong, just wonder how the other guys are gonna react when they hear a little lady like her has caught your fancy." Feeling Kai shooting him a heated glare already, he backed off. "Whatever Fong, you do you man." With that, Skoochy walked off, jointing the rest of their usual clique where they ate lunch. Kai normally would have joined them, but today, he just didn't feel up to it, so he stayed, and began eating alone.
—-
Jinora was used to eating lunch alone. Her best friend at the school was in a separate lunch period, leaving her to eat alone quite often, and by now it just didn't bother her anymore. She went through her normal routine, going up, grabbing her lunch, and proceeding to her spot in the corner of the cafeteria, when suddenly, she spotted Kai, sitting alone a few tables away from the rest of his usual crew. Taking a deep breath, she turned and began to walk towards his table. She saw eyes turn towards her as she continued.
Kai was completely oblivious. She saw him just staring down at his phone as he ate, clearly waiting for her to text him, and she had been doing so on the way to lunch, but had put her phone away once she got into the cafeteria. Steadily, she continued walking, until she reached him, and then, she took a seat right next to him.
Looking up, Kai's eyes widened as he realized she was sitting right next to him, here, in front of everyone.
She smiled softly, "Hey." She said to him casually, as if this was just a normal thing they did every day.
Kai, clearly a bit shocked, seemed to have his words caught in his throat. "H-hey Jinora." He said, barely forcing it out. She seemed confused, and asked, "Everything alright Kai?" He nodded, beginning to calm down.
"Yeah I'm fine, just a little surprised that you're here." Kai began to relax slightly.
Jinora looked at him and frowned a bit. "Why is it a surprise? I don't have any friends in this lunch period, and I saw you sitting all by your lonesome, so I figured I'd eat over here with you, if that's alright with you of course."
Kai had to admit, whether she was trying to be adorable or not, she couldn't fail at it. "Jinora of course it's alright, I'd love to eat with you, but…" he trailed off
Jinora once again couldn't understand what Kai was getting at. "But what?" She asked, a tinge of hurt in her voice. "It's fine if you want Kai, I can just go sit in my usual spot-"
Kai stopped her abruptly, "No! Please, It's just.. are you sure you want to be seen with someone like me?"
Jinora lowered her eyes to him, and softly asked," What do you mean people like you?"
Kai sighed and tried his best to explain his reasoning to her. "It's just, you're one of the more… dignified, important, smart people in the school, and you're perfectly fine being seen with me?"
Jinora laid a hand on his shoulder, "Kai of course, why wouldn't I be? You're one of my best friends."
Kai couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Jinora, I'm literally nobody at this school. I don't do anything, I don't really know many people all too well, and most people just see me as a street rat that got lucky. I don't want you to ruin your reputation by being seen with me."
Jinora looked at him with sadness in her eyes "Kai, I value our friendship more than I value what people think about me. It's high school for crying out loud, everyone's a judgemental asshat. No matter what you do, or who you decide to run with, you'll always be judged, and if everyone is going to be judging me anyways, I'd like to be happy while they do it."
Kai smiled brighter than he had in awhile. This was why he enjoyed being around Jinora so much. She was never concerned with how other people viewed her. She was determined to live her life, judgement be damned. "You know Jinora, for a woman barely starting her senior year of high school, you seem to have a pretty great outlook on life." He smiled, looking straight into her eyes.
Jinora blushed, feeling his eyes meet hers, but she did her best to hide it and continued on with the conversation. "I'd like to think so." She said, chuckling slightly. "Hey, are you going to be at the capitol tonight? My father is dragging me along again." Her smile faded slightly at the mention of another night of her being paraded in front of the press.
Kai could tell she wasn't very enthusiastic about being forced on another capitol trip. Yung had actually been planning to call in a babysitter for him tonight, to make sure he got to bed at a decent time, as Yung had told him he saw this meeting running long into the night. He frowned slightly as he looked at her, and suddenly, he knew what he had to do.
"Jinora, I'll be right back, I need to make a quick phone call." He grinned at her as he got up to call his father, and Jinora's face practically lit up at the prospect.
After a few minutes on the phone going back and forth with his father, Kai finally convinced Yung to let him tag along to the capitol. He turned and walked back to Jinora.
"Well Jin, I've got good news and I've got bad news, so which would you like first?"
She frowned, "I guess I'll take the bad news first." Kai sat down next to her, and put on the best fake sullen face he could. "Jinora, it looks like you've got a long night tonight at the capitol." She groaned and her bubbly personality from before had seemingly died down somewhat. Kai grinned slightly, pulling her in close. "But, the good news is, it looks like you won't be spending it alone." Her lips curved upward into a smile and she pulled Kai into a hug. Both of their cheeks suddenly lit up as they blushed. Then, the sound of a loud bell rang through the cafeteria.
Kai sighed. "I'll see you tonight, alright?" Jinora smiled at the thought and struggled to keep her happiness down as she said, as calm as she could appear to be with the oxytocin rushing through her veins, "See you tonight Kai."
—-
As soon as Kai got home, he rushed to get ready. He took a quick shower, and put on the nicest clothes he could find. He walked out as they were preparing to leave and when Yung saw him his eyes nearly popped out.
"Son, why the inclination to look so nice all of the sudden?" Yung said as he smiled. He had a hunch, call it, father's intuition.
Kai, grinning over at his father, decided to dance around the truth. "No reason dad, just wanted to look nice." Yung had to fight back laughter as he turned to Kai to ask a question he had a feeling he already knew the answer to. "Kai, that Jinora you've been talking to so much lately wouldn't happen to be at the capitol tonight, would she?"
Kai immediately felt blush rise to his cheeks, and he knew Yung had got him dead on. "Yeah, I heard she may be in attendance tonight." He said as he grinned back at Yung.
Yung had read his son perfectly, and he knew it. "A little word of advice son, just be yourself, she likes you for you. " Kai smiled at his father as they climbed into their Satomobile, and before he knew it, they were off to the capitol.
—-
Jinora, much like Kai, was in quite the rush to get ready once she arrived home. She rapidly shot upstairs to her room and spent almost an hour preparing. Finally Tenzin had to call for her as it was almost time to leave.
"One minute dad!" She called from her room, and moments later she emerged, and Tenzin wasn't sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. There, at the top of the stairs, stood his daughter in the nicest dress she owned, and her hair done up perfectly, nothing out of place. "Jinora you're looking extra extravagant tonight!" She smiled. "Thanks Dad, figured I may as well make the best of the night. If the paparazzi are going to be taking 100 pictures of me walking into the capitol with you, figure I my as well look good in them, right?" Tenzin chuckled, and soon after they were in their Satomobile and headed for the capitol.
—-
When Kai and his father pulled up to the capitol, it was clear the governor had not yet arrived, as the mob of paparazzi was still there waiting for him and Jinora. He thought it was disgusting the way the media talked about Jinora so much, but this wasn't the place to have a qualm about it. The two men entered the capitol with little interference from the press, which Kai was grateful for. Once they had gotten in, Yung had told Kai the usual, he was headed to his office, don't misbehave, etc, and with that, Yung was off, leaving Kai to wait for Jinora by himself.
The wait had seemed agonizing, even though in reality it was at most ten minutes. He could hear the press swarm them as they made their way to the entrance, and he knew it couldn't be anyone else. A few moments later, the entrance to the capitol opened, and in walked the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.
Jinora walked through the entrance of the capitol, and Kai had no words. He'd never seen her look more beautiful. Her eyes scanned the area until she saw him, and then she bode her father goodbye and he was off to the meeting.
Jinora quickly walked over to Kai and greeted him. "Kai! My my aren't we dressed for the occasion." She said with a grin on her face as she eyed him up and down. Kai let out a quick chuckle, "I mean, standing next to you I feel a bit under dressed." Jinora felt a quick blush rising to her cheeks. "Shut up Kai!" She said as she tried to hide it. He laughed again. "Your wish is my command Jinora. You ready to explore some more of this place with me tonight?" Jinora thought for a moment, then spoke. "Actually, I was hoping I could take you to my favorite spot in the whole capitol tonight, if you don't mind." Kai nodded, eager to see where she spent so many hours before they'd met.
"Okay, just keep your eyes closed and keep following me." Jinora said as Kai followed behind her. "Jinora I've had my eyes closed for 10 minutes now, this better be good." Jinora grinned, "It will be, trust me." She led him forward a few more steps, and out a door. Kai felt the outside air hit him, "Jinora, are we outside?" Jinora smiled softly. "Find out for yourself. You can open your eyes now."
Kai opened his eyes and was overtaken by the scene before him. He stood on the roof of the capitol, staring over the city. He could see cars speeding by below them, he could see the many skyscrapers towering above them in all directions. But most beautiful of all was the stars in the night sky above them. The roof had the perfect view to just stop and look up at the stars.
Jinora enjoyed watching Kai take in the sights from the roof. He seemed genuinely amazed. "This is where I go when I just want to get away from everything. At night, it's the perfect place to just lie down and look up at the stars." Jinora then laid down on the roof.
Kai, seemingly still breathing it in, laid down by her side. "Jinora, this is beautiful." "I'm glad you think so too." She said, as she smiled at him.
They stayed there, talking for hours about anything that came into mind.
"Okay Jin, I think I've got a little game we can play while we're up here." Kai said with a grin on his face. Jinora grinned right back. "Whatcha got for me Kai?" Kai explained his game to Jinora. "Alright, we both go back and forth, telling one another things that we wouldn't expect the other to know, or something that very few would know about you. Sound good? Jinora nodded.
"Okay Jin, I guess I'll go first. Before I was adopted, I learned to fight, and I was pretty good at it if I do say so myself. My old orphanage, they used to, uh- on second thought, nevermind-" Jinora looked at him with a comforting look. "Kai, it's alright, I'm not here to judge. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, that's fine." Kai shook his head. "No no, I can do this. My old orphanage, they used to enter me in underground fights across the city." Jinora looked horrified "I got the hell beat out of my a couple times. Not really a time I like to remember, but at least I learned to fight and fend for myself."
Jinora looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Kai I'm so sorry that you were put through that . Nobody deserves that." Kai reached up and wiped away her tears. "It's alright Jin, I'm here now, that's all that matters, I'm here, and I'm with you." Jinora turned to him and smiled. "I guess that makes it my turn." She said. Kai smiled softly. "It would appear so."
Jinora took a deep breath. "Well Kai, you're not the only one trained to fight." Kai looks up at her with a look of surprise. "No way." He said softly, and she responded with a confident, "Yes way." He grinned at her, and she grinned back. "My dad had me training in Judo and Taekwondo since I was 6. I have a black belt in both." Kai looked at her and smiled, "Remind me never to get on your bad side." She smiled back at him. "I'll make a note of it." She said.
This went on for about 30 more minutes, until Jinora got a text from her father saying the meeting was over and they both headed back down.
Before they parted ways, Jinora quickly pulled Kai in close and kissed him on the cheek. "That's for a great night. Thank you Kai." For a second, all Kai could do was stand there, as if he was in shock, but after a moment, he snapped out of it. "The pleasure was all mine. I had a wonderful time tonight, and I hope we can do it again soon."
They parted ways after that, Kai heading home with Yung, and Jinora with Tenzin.
—-
On the way home, Jinora sensed her father was very upset, and decided to inquire about it.
"What's wrong father? Is everything alright?" She asked, concern clear in her voice.
Her father sighed heavily. "Councilman Fong shot down my budget plan for the second time tonight. Spirits, that man is stubborn as a mule. I hear his son is a filthy delinquent, so maybe he should spend less time worrying about the damn budget, and more time on his screw up Vaatu forsaken kid!" Tenzin shouted angrily. At this Jinora got upset. "Kai is not a delinquent!" She screamed. Tenzin was shocked so bad he almost drove the car right off the road. Tenzin, though still shaken, fired back. "Watch your tone with me young lady! And why would you know anything about his son? Oh Raava, Jinora, please tell me you're not socializing with this boy."
Jinora took offense to that. "And what if I am? You don't know a damn thing about him, so why don't you just back off? It's not Kai's fault you can't get a budget to pass to save your life!" At that Tenzin stopped the car dead in its tracks.
He turned and looked her straight in the eye. "Jinora Gyatso! I don't know where this little hot streak of yours is coming from but once we're home you can march right up to your room and stay there! We'll talk about this in the morning. Until then, I don't want to hear another word out of you!" After that, Tenzin resumed driving, and when they returned home, Jinora did just that. Pema had thought she may have heard crying coming from Jinora's room, but she decided to let it be for now, and handle it in the morning.
Another chapter down! I feel like that one was much better than my first, and again, I'm new to this, so if you have any suggestions or feedback feel free to leave a review!