I didn't know where she was; neither did I know how I knew where she would be. On a hunch I climbed up onto the roof of the inn and there I found Sora-hime sitting by herself, her bare back towards me, trying to bandage a wound in her side.

I put a hand over my eyes and cleared my throat to announce my presence.

"What the hel… Hak!? You baka! Close your eyes! Don't you understand the meaning of privacy? I'm still a lady, you know!" she said. I peeked slightly through my fingers to see her covering herself quickly.

"My eyes ARE closed. Besides, what's the point? Your body lacks sex appeal so…"

My response was answered by a swift blow to the head as she threw her shoe forcefully at me.

...

Yona wandered around the inn; she had lost sight of Hak along the way. As she was about to leave and make her way back, she heard voices coming from above her. She stepped away and saw Hak and her sister on the roof, bickering and exchanging blows as they always did. She didn't fail to notice that the usual pained and sorrowful look in Hak's eyes was gone, replaced with laughter as he teased ne-sama.


~Timeskip

The girls sighed blissfully as they enjoyed the hot spring.

They were currently at an inn in a Water Tribe village. They had met Lili, Tetora and Ayura the day before and Yona had rescued Lili from the Nadai addicts. As a token of her gratefulness, Lili had offered them to stay at the same inn as her. However, Lili continued to conceal her identity from them, being the daughter of the Water Tribe General, An Joon-Gi. Tired of being helpless and standing by while her father did nothing about the Nadai issue in their tribe, she had left her home in search for a solution.

As for the others, they had met Zeno, the yellow dragon whilst on their way to the Water Tribe villages. There they had discovered most of the residents in the port towns were suffering from excessive usage of Nadai, a narcotic drug that causes hallucinations and even death. Some establishments were even threatened by the smugglers to circulate them to their customers.

Today the men had split up – Jae-Ha, Hak and Kija had gone to Suirei, the shop where Jae-Ha had collapsed after being given Nadai days ago; whilst Yoon, Shin-Ah and Zeno had stayed with them at the inn and were currently enjoying their own hot spring.

"With so many gentlemen around you, don't you lie to us and say there's no one you like~" Tetora said.

I drowned out their voices as they continued to tease Yona, sliding myself deeper into the warm water.

"Ne-sama?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure" I said, sitting up only to realize Yona and I were alone. I must've dozed off for a while and Lili and her servants must have gone off to get dressed.

"What do you think about Hak?"

"Huh? What kind of question is that? Hak is well… Hak. What's there to think about?"

"Ne-sama~! That's not what I meant"

"Well, let me ask you what do YOU think about Hak then? I honestly haven't met anyone so oblivious" I muttered the last bit under my breath.

"He annoys me and does weird things sometimes but he's good company and a good teacher and protects me well when he has to"

I didn't realize I literally smacked my forehead but it was too late. How dense was this girl? Hak is either gonna kill me or thank me for this…

"No silly, he doesn't protect you because it's his job. He does it out of love, Yona. Seriously, everyone knows it by now; don't tell me you don't see it?"

To my surprise, she smiled gently at me, shaking her head.

"No, he thinks he is in love with me, but he really isn't"

"What are you talking about?"

"Because he's in love with you, ne-sama; he just hasn't fully realized it yet"

I hid my face from her, staring at the ground, my shoulders trembling at her words.

"Ne-sama? Are you alrig…"

"Pfft… Hah… hah… HAHAHAHAHA~~!" I sputtered, laughing loudly as I couldn't hold it back anymore.

"Ne-sama~! It's not funny!" she whined as she watched me laugh uncontrollably till tears brimmed in my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Yona. It's just so ridiculous that it's funny" I said, wiping away my tears of laughter. "Hak has been devoted to you all this while if you've bothered to take a closer look. He would risk his life to the end to protect you" I continued in a more serious tone.

"No, ne-sama! Listen to me, I've seen the way he is when he is around you; he's happier and more carefree, like a burden is lifted from him. He's more himself, the way he used to be. Only you have this effect on him. It's always been you, even before you left 3 years ago. I am sure of this! He has been yours for a long time, and he's starting to realize it even more since Awa Port"

Without waiting for a reply, Yona got up and left, leaving me to stare after her in confusion.


Why can't ne-sama see it? I thought as I walked along the corridor with Lili. It was a beautiful night and I had thoroughly enjoyed the conversation with the women. While waiting for Tetora who had gone to ask the staff at the inn for some tea and sweets, I wondered where ne-sama had run off to; I had not seen her since I left the hot spring.

Suddenly we heard a commotion and spotted Tetora lying on the floor with a man standing over her; she was bleeding from a fresh wound.

"Yona… Take Lady Lili and run… this person is… the Nadai… the smuggler, Hiyou…"

We need to run. Take Lili away from here quickly… I can't! If I run, this person will immediately kill Tetora… If I can't run, then… I must to fight!

As I fought against the men, I know I don't really stand a chance against them but I had to protect Lili.

"Who do you think you can protect!? You're already at your limit defending against my attacks. The victory is already determined!" my attacker said.

"It's true, I'm not strong. But… your sword is dull. I know of a sword that is a hundred times faster and stronger than yours" I said, thinking of Hak and Sora-ne-sama. They had been taking turns to teach me sword-fighting for a while now.

Tell me, a weak person like me… What can I do to defeat a person stronger than me? What should I do to protect someone else?

In that moment, I anticipated his movement and lowered my stance. Dodging his kick, I hit his pivoting leg as the man fell to the ground. I was unsteady on my feet, breathing heavily, taking a moment's reprieve. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I spotted movement. I rushed to push Lili away as I braced myself for the blow to come… but it never did.

I turned to see blood splatter on the floor, but it wasn't mine.

"Ne-sama!" I cried out as I realized she had somehow appeared out of thin air to shield me against the sword blow from the new opponent.

I stared in amazement as she moved like lightning despite her injury, using hand-to-hand combat to disarm the man and then using his sword to cut down the rest of the men, finally raising the sword to Hiyou with a look of death in her eyes.

"Nobody points a weapon at my sister and lives"


I ignored the pain across my back as I held the sword steadily. I could feel the blood dripping down the back of my legs, making a puddle on the floor. Tch, it'll take more than a silly cut to take me down. And besides, Yona needs me. I promised chichi-ue, Mundok, Hak, everyone I'd keep her safe and I don't intend to break my promise.

"Wait. There's something I want to ask him" Yona says, halting me.

Just then, I felt a sharp pain as I looked down to see the man had buried a small dagger into my side.

As I fell on one knee, clutching my side, Yona slashed the man across his face, leaving a giant 'X' on his forehead. Her eyes burned with anger as the man completely lost it, screaming threats and whatnot like a raving madman.

"I won't forget your face! I will absolutely kill you!"

The man fled as Shin-Ah, Zeno and Yoon arrived at the scene. Shin-Ah moved to pursue him but was called back by Zeno and Yoon to help them with Tetora, Yona and myself.

"I'm fine, I can stand on my own. You guys take care of Yona, Lili and Tetora" I said.

They ignored me as Shin-Ah moved to help me.

"You're bleeding all over the place, you're definitely not fine at all" Yoon scolded.

"No, really, I don't ne…" as everything went black and I collapsed.