Chapter 3. Len's Suspicions
Jun woke up with a cold. She really should have worn something warmer! She pulled on a long-sleeved qi pao and slipped on her slippers.
"You're late for breakfast again!" Len declared.
Jun just sniffed.
"You haven't been looking very good… are you sure you're okay!" Jun's mother asked.
"She needs to sleep under a thicker blanket!" Grandfather grumbled.
Len sighed. Grandfather got very touchy about staying warm. Jun stirred her rice porridge boredly.
Tao Ran leaned over. "I wonder if it's something other than one night under a thin blanket."
"Eh! What do you mean? Like a two nights under a thin blanket!"
Ran sighed and sweat dropped. "I mean… well, maybe Bailong knows something."
"You mean… like maybe he's neglecting his duty and not getting Jun a thicker blanket!"
"That's not what I'm talking about…" She sweat dropped again. "I'm wondering if there's something that Jun's not telling us."
Despite her mother's whispering, Jun got suspicious. She spooned many spoonfuls of rice into her mouth. "Nothing's wrong. I just have a cold… or something."
"Well, mother's right," Len said, "You have been rather jumpy the past couple days. Just how did you get that cold?"
"People get colds. You don't have to get so suspicious on me!"
"There's colds, you see, jie jie, and there's girls who are constantly evading questions and getting mysterious colds!"
"Oh, Len!" Jun smiled and waved her hand dismissively.
Len glared at her. Jun glared back.
"I don't see anything suspicious," Grandfather said. "They are acting just like their selves."
"Acting…"
Jun spent the rest of the day in the ancestor's room planning and reading. She had decided that some way or another she was going to keep those Kong from hurting Len. At first she was going to go to their home but that seemed a rather far away place for them to withdraw to if they planned to attack again soon. She soon read about anther place closer to the Tao's stronghold. After some more research, she was pretty sure they were there. She had wanted to get some rest before hand but then decided it too risky to wait another night. She would go tonight.
Meanwhile, Len still had his suspicions…
"Psst! Bailong!" Len hissed
"What is it Len?" Bailong asked.
"Okay, cough it up, what's going on with Jun?"
"Actually, I don't know. I'm trying to find out myself."
"You're her Kyonshi. You watch her day and night. You have to know something!"
"Well… I…"
"Tell me!"
"All I know is that Jun-sama goes out in the middle of the night and won't tell me the reason. She refuses to let me follow her."
"Honestly! Do you do everything Jun tells you to do!"
"Honestly!" Bailong copied Len's voice, "Does Masun do everything you tell him to do!"
"Well, yes," Len replied, embarrassed, "He does."
Bailong glared at him, annoyed.
"Okay, I get the point, but I want you to follow her next time!"
"I won't disobey Jun-sama."
"Look, puppet, I'm the man of the family, my opinion rules out Jun's. You're going to follow her or else… or else I will!"
"Len, I don't want you to get hurt but Jun can get very angry sometimes."
"Jun can't hurt you. I've seen what she does. I know she throws her shoe at you when she's frustrated but I don't see what the problem is."
"But she…"
"Fine, I'll cover for you. Tell her I forced you."
"Alright, I try my best, Len."
"Just remember. We're doing this for Jun's own good."