Disclaimer: Noblesse isn't mine.
Awaken (Part 11: Yuna)
"Don't cry even if I hit you hard." Shinwoo clenched his fist and stepped forward, using the momentum to increase the impact. His center of gravity lowered, aiding his balance as his hand shot toward Tao's face, and he snapped his wrist at the last moment, landing a forceful blow against the man's forehead with the tips of his fingers.
"That stung." Tao slid his hand under his hair, pulling his bangs back to reveal a pink mark on his skin, and he rubbed it tenderly as disbelief filled his voice. "That actually stung."
"This is my power!" Shinwoo folded his arms over his chest and laughed far too loudly to fit the situation. He looked to his friend, expecting to be commended for the victory.
Ikhan traced one finger along the table top with boredom as his other hand supported his head. His eyes glanced up to Shinwoo for a second then fell back down to the game board. "As expected, you're amazing."
"Did you have to say that so dryly?" Shinwoo collapsed into the seat next to Yuna as the others continued with the game. "You don't seem like you're having much fun."
"I don't really feel like playing right now." Yuna stared down at her hands. Rai's seat was still vacant, and she, like everyone else, couldn't bring herself to look at it.
Shinwoo leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. "You doing okay?"
"Never better." Yuna answered softly and showed him a smile that was far too fragile to be convincing.
"Yeah right." Shinwoo snorted at the lie. "Like I'd believe that."
"I don't know." She shook her head, sending a small shockwave of pain though it, and rubbed her temples with her fingertips. With her hands no longer filling her sight, her eyes automatically flittered to the head of the table. "I just feel nervous. We shouldn't be here."
"I want to talk to Ajussi and maybe find out something about Rai." He looked at her with something of a simper, but it didn't reach his eyes. His smile was as fake as hers had been. "We can leave after that."
"What are you two whispering about?" Suyi scooted across the couch until her arm brushed against Yuna's, and her voice rose and fell mischievously in a singsong tone. "Telling secrets?"
"No!" Yuna answered a little too frantically. She tried to ease a casual expression onto her face, something to make her answer believable, but it was too late. Suyi's eyes already held her in suspicion. "I mean… we only… It was nothing."
"You're such a bad liar."
"I was just asking Yuna if she wanted to go to the PC Bang with me after this." Shinwoo said much more persuasively. His eyes darted to the empty chair and back to Suyi. "I don't think we should stay here too long since Rai's sick."
"You two have been spending a lot of time together lately." Her timbre fluttered with amusement as she watched Takeo move his game piece several spaces, but her attention was no longer on the game. "…sitting so close."
Yuna shot him a warning glance, but Shinwoo only shrugged, oblivious to the implied meaning. "We always spend time together like this. What's the problem with that?"
"A lot more time than normal." Suyi turned toward them with a grin. "Are you two going out?"
"What!" Shinwoo flushed.
"You are! You know, you don't have to keep it a secret. Although, I always thought Shinwoo had a thing for Sei-"
"Don't say that!"
"They're not going out, and you know it." Ikhan answered just as blandly as before, and he tipped his game piece over with his finger. "Stop causing trouble."
"I just… I didn't..." Suyi stood and smoothed the edge of the skirt as she rose. "It's just weird being here without Rai, and even Seira and Regis are gone. We're just in the way. I'm leaving. Come on, Ikhan."
"Why do I have to go with…" Ikhan's voice trailed off as the elevator opened onto their floor. M-21 stepped out, glancing down the hallway once before reluctantly entering the living room. "You're right. We should all leave."
"Everyone's still here?" M-21 asked, looking over the children with his eyes, and he paused on Shinwoo a second longer than the others. "It's time for you kids to head home."
Yuna flinched at the sound of his voice. "Why… Why are you doing this?"
M-21 stooped down beside her close enough that she could see every jagged edge of the scar that marred his face. "Shut up." His lips pulled back contemptuously, and his eyes darkened, transforming into something wild and murderous. "You're so loud I want to kill you right now."
"Yuna," Shinwoo forcibly grabbed her arm, shaking her out of the hallucination. "Go home with Suyi. I'll handle this."
"What are you…" The image evaporated. She squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in her hands. M-21 still stood across the room and was unaware of her misgivings as he traded glances with Takeo. He hadn't spoken to her at all. "This is crazy."
"I've got this." Shinwoo patted her shoulder lightly, giving her another hollow smile, and turned his gaze to M-21. "Hey, Ajussi, we need to talk."
"Come on, Tao." Takeo grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the board game. "Let's walk the kids home."
"Is everyone really leaving so early?" Tao shoved the board back into the box and quickly gathered the pieces. Usually Regis did this work.
"Just leave it. Let's go." Takeo shoved him through the doorway and looked back at M-21 one last time. "Don't take too long."
"Hey, what's goin-" Tao's voice was cut off by the closed door.
"Well?" M-21 looked at the kids, expecting them to make the first move.
Shinwoo stared back silently, hesitating too much to conceal, and he took in an uneven breath. "I wanted to talk to you."
"Look, if this is about earlier, I wasn't having a heart attack. It was nothing like that so you don't need to worry." M-21 grabbed Takeo's coffee cup from the table and carried it to the sink where his and Seira's cups still waited to be washed. "I'm okay."
"You couldn't even walk, Ajussi."
"I told you that I'm okay." He tried to sound reassuring, but neither of them looked convinced. Instead, he returned to cleaning up the mess. Snacks lay scattered across the tabletop, but just like their last visit, nothing was opened.
"Shinwoo," Yuna tentatively touched the sleeve of his shirt, "we should leave. You don't have to do this for me."
"I told you I'd take care of this. I won't let anything happen to you."
"What's going on?" M-21's eyes cut across to them, and he met their gazes with accusation. "Did someone try to hurt you?"
Shinwoo boldly met his eyes. "That's what I wanted to ask you about."
"What are you getting at?"
"I heard about what happened between you two." Shinwoo protectively positioned himself in front of her. "What's your reason for doing this?"
"What are you talking about? I have never…" The words caught in his throat. He took a breath and tried again. "I would never hurt her."
"Shinwoo," Yuma whispered, pulling on his arm. "Please…"
"Yuna, tell him. I would never-" He took a step toward her.
"Stay back!" Yuna's fingers wrapped around Shinwoo's arm until they cut off his circulation, and she squeezed her eyes shut again as wave after wave of images seared through her mind.
"Leave her alone!"
"I didn't mean…"
Yuna let go of his arm and fell into a chair. Even with her eyes closed, she could see it clearly. The murderer stepped out from behind M-21, and an eerie red light glowed from his eyes like some kind of monster. Her hands curled around her head, and she sank to the floor. The memories hurt so badly. They felt so real.
Foot steps pounded down the hallway with the sound of bare feet striking the cold floor. They stopped outside of the elevator, and Regis impatiently pushed the button several times. The doors slid open, and in an instant, he was gone.
"You two need to go home right now." M-21 announced, and with that, he sprinted after the noble.
"Are you okay?" Shinwoo asked, too worried to chase after M-21. He knelt beside her and waited until she was able to look up at him.
Yuna shook her head. "I just want to go home. I think I'm… This is crazy."
A/N: Quotes taken from chapter 29 & 30.
