Chapter four: First Impressions
As was agreed on, Tian was to go meet the others of their group. However, the girl said that she needed to tell the people she was living with. The last thing she wanted to do was worry them, and even if she was a bit wary on bringing three strange men with her, for various reasons, she knew she didn't really have much of a choice in the matter.
Tian felt a bit lucky that the four men all agreed, which is how Yun, Zeno, and Jae-Ha wound up sitting in the main room, being stared down by the kind older woman they had helped out earlier in the day.
"You say there are others in your group. Why aren't they here?" She questioned, looking at each of them with a steely, protective look.
"Well, they're out looking for some lodgings." Jae-Ha replied with his usual charming smile. Yun glanced at him, and then at the older woman.
"We're not a bunch of scoundrels, Ma'am." Zeno added on with his usual cheerful grin."We actually have something planned for the little Miss. Nothing bad, I promise you." The older woman still eyed them as if they were more than a little suspicious.
Sure, they may have helped her out earlier in the day, and she was grateful, but Tian had become fairly close to her. Someone she considered like a grandchild. She wasn't exactly happy when Tian casually mentioned that she was going to go with these men.
"Hmm...And just what do you have in plan for her?" The older woman questioned, eyes narrowing slightly."Tian is like my own granddaughter. I warn you if something happens to her-"
"Would it put you to ease if I told you that as long as she as she is in my care, nothing bad will happen to her?" Jae-Ha spoke up, his eyes glancing towards where the girl had gone off to, and then at the woman.
It was the first time he found himself truly surprised by the protection that seemed to rise in his voice. Normally, that was only reserved for Yona, or others of his group. Not that he would admit that last part out loud to anyone.
"Depends, why should I trust you guys? I know nothing about you guys at all. Sure you helped me, but what's to say I can trust you guys?" BaaBaa was just trying to look out for Tian. The girl was a bit impulsive, and was often finding trouble. She'd rather not live with the guilt knowing she let the girl go before thoroughly investigating the men. It was Yun that next spoke.
"Like my companion here just said, we have a plan, and we need her. We plan to help this town out while."
"And besides, it was the little miss that suggested she help us out. If anything, ask the little miss why she wanted to help so bad." Zeno added on to what Yun had just said with a smile, but it seemed more serious. The older woman just continued to stare at these three strange men with an expression they couldn't exactly place...
"I thought you found him annoying." While the three men in the other room were getting the third degree, Tian was getting her own from Min-Soo. Her best friend immediately became protective over Tian once she told her the situation.
"I still think he's annoying." Tian replied, packing some extra change of clothes in her travel bad.
"But why do you have to go outside the village? Look. I don't trust them one bit. Please, don't go. I'll tell Ae-Cha. Ha-Seon would so go after you too, ya know?"
"Look, look, I know this makes no sense, but trust me when I say that I need to go. For now. It's not like I'm completely leaving. I'll still come to work every day. Besides, Yun used all of their money to keep those bastard thugs from ruining the shop. I have to pay them back for their kindness."
"Sooooo, pay them and send them on their merry little ways, Tian!" Tian sighed once again. She hated when Min-Soo got this way. Tian was a big girl. She could tie her own sandals and everything.
"Listen, they want to help free Dae-Jeng from all this. We can prosper once those thugs are out." Tian was whispering as she told her friend the news." This is the chance I've been waiting for since my parents were killed. I'm being handed a wonderful opportunity on a sliver freaking platter, and I'm not gonna let it slip by!" Min-Soo sighed, blowing away some of her honey locks from her face.
"Just...I mean...Be careful. Ok? You're like my sister, and I don't want anything to happen to you." Tian glanced over at her friend, and smiled slightly. She touched Min-Soo's arm.
"Thank you. For the concern, but I'm a big girl. I tie my own sandals and everything." With that playfully said, Tian slugged her bag over her shoulders. She looked at her friend, who had tears in her eyes.
"You have to come and see me every day. Even if you don't have to work. I want to see you. And you will tell me every single detail of what you did. You got me?" Tian laughed slightly as her friend pulled her into a hug.
"Yeah. I'll come every day."
"A-and if something happens, anything at all, you come and get me, ok?" Min-Soo pulled back, her brown eyes looking at Tian's green eyes."What you're planning on doing. It's dangerous. I just want you to be careful. Seriously, if anything happens to you I might just have to kill those handsome boys out there." Suddenly Min-Soo became her usual playful, flirty self as her brown eyes flashed with some kind of mischief."It'll be such a waste to kill those handsome men too that I might have to kill you out of grief." Tian laughed slightly as Min-Soo pulled her into another tight hug.
"Ok, Min-Soo. Can I go now?" Min-Soo sniffled, and then pulled back.
"Here, take this good luck charm." Min-Soo handed Tian a little monkey. Tian smiled, and then tucked it away next to her breast.
"Thanks. I'll keep it close by." Min-Soo nodded. Tian nodded, looking around the room that had housed her for close to two years.
It was strange to think that she would be gone for awhile. Tian already knew that if this operation was to continue, she couldn't stay in the village. It would cause more harm than good. It would endanger the people here. She couldn't...No, wouldn't endanger these people, who had been so good to her, over something she chose to do. However, she felt a tiny string pulling at her heart. She wouldn't hear Min-Soo's snoring for awhile, if ever. She wouldn't hear BaaBaa hum that childish tune as she made sat out the fabrics, or counted storage items. She wouldn't run to Ae-Cha when things got rough for her at BaaBaa's home.
Instead, she was giving it all up for the time being to head into some dangerous mission with a pretty boy, a boy that couldn't stop smiling, a pervert, and only the gods knew what kind of people their other companions were. Even if the end result would bring her peace. Even if the end result would mean freedom for the people of this village, Tian couldn't help but to feel slightly apprehensive. Sure, she knew what she was getting herself into, but she was still scared.
Finally, she pulled herself together, took a deep breath, released it, and then grinned at her friend.
"Well, I'll see you next time I come in to work, ok?" Min-Soo nodded, sniffling again. Tian smiled gently. Her friend was always so sensitive.
"Alright. You come back soon, ok?" Tian nodded, grinning in reassurance as she walked with her friend out the door of their shared room.
"So, are you prepared to meet our friends now?" Jae-Ha questioned, glancing over at Tian with a smile. Tian glanced at him.
"I hope they're more tolerable than you." Is all she replied to, walking a little faster. Jae-Ha was easily able to keep up with her.
"You're going to have to do better than that to chase me away." He grinned at her. Tian glanced at him. He happily noticed the slight blush on her face, but she quickly looked away.
"Don't scare her off." Yun called over his shoulder at Jae-Ha, who merely grinned slightly. Zeno just looked back at them, smiling slightly, and then looked forward.
"Seriously, that old woman-"
"BaaBaa. Her name is BaaBaa." Tian spoke simply, but a bit harshly. Jae-Ha glanced at her, wondering if he had accidentally offended her.
"Right. Sorry. BaaBaa gave us quiet the third degree. We almost had to leave you behind." Tian shrugged slightly.
"Well, that's BaaBaa for you. You're lucky you didn't have to get me from Ae-Cha's house. She's been trying to get me to court her son. She would have definitely scared you three off." Jae-Ha glanced at her, looking at her for a moment longer than necessary. Something about what she just said, so carefree, as if it didn't matter to her, something about the words she said caused a hot stirring in the pits of his stomach. A slight anger built up in him, but he held it in.
"Everyone seems to love you here, Miss." Zeno then called out. It took Jae-Ha a moment to realize that what felt minutes to him, was really only seconds. If that. Tian smiled, rubbing the back of her head.
"Not really. It's really thanks to my parents. They were really liked around here, and alot of people miss them. Besides, Ae-Cha knew my parents for a long time, so I'm like family to her. And BaaBaa just took pity on me because of my parents death. It's really nothing I've done. Like I said, I tend to have a personality that pisses people off."
"Well, Zeno likes you enough, Miss." Zeno replied with a grin. Tian smiled, giggling slightly, shaking her head.
"Well...If you say so. Wait, and see if your opinion changes."
"You say that Ae-Cha thinks of you as family, yet she tries to get you to court her son. It's strange if you ask me." Jae-Ha voiced this in a lower tone, not entirely meaning for Tian to hear him, but she did. She cut him a steely look, her green eyes once again turning into a hard gem.
"Ae-Cha is just looking out for me." She said simply, walking faster again. Jae-Ha once again was able to keep pace with her.
"I told you, you're going to have to try harder if you want to get rid of me." Tian rolled her eyes, and came to a stop as Yun and Zeno came to a slight stop.
Jae-Ha stopped right beside Tian as they met with the rest of the group.
"Well, did you guys find anything out?" Yun questioned in a low voice.
"Yeah, but perhaps we can talk about it in more private place." Kija was the one to speak first, his sapphire eyes looking around.
"Oh? Who's this?" Yona questioned, smiling at the girl. Jae-Ha took that as his cue, and smiled.
"This is the girl that will help us." He said simply. Everyone then looked at Tian. She just nodded slightly, rubbing the back of her neck. Jae-Ha briefly wondered if perhaps she was nervous. He shrugged slightly, smirking as Yona continued on.
So, lemme get this straight. The people helping me out are some sliver-haired guy with a weird looking bandaged hand. Zeno, who talks in third , the grumpy pretty boy. Jae-Ha, the pervert. Some weird guy in a mask that has a squirrel following him around. A fragile, but friendly looking girl with strange, fiery red hair that is with some tall guy with a weird weapon that hangs over her. Definitely not the people I imagined would help me out, but I can't complain. Who else but idiots will help me? I can't turn this down...
Tian shook her head when she realized the girl was speaking to her.
"...And my name is Yona. It's very nice to meet you."
Yona, huh? What a beautiful name...Shit, I totally spaced everyone's names. Oh well. I'll just wing it. I'm good at that. Oh. Right. Stop talking to yourself Tian, and introduce yourself before they think you're some kind of idiot who can't speak. Although, that might be hard to believe. Ok! Focus! Don't get side-tracked!
"My name is Tian." She replied quickly, perhaps a little too quickly for her liking, bowing slightly. She then straightened herself out." I really should thank you all. Honestly, I don't know what I would have done had those guys not so brazenly said they would help." Tian gestured to Jae-Ha, although it was clear that she was speaking about the other two as well.
"It is our pleasure, Miss." Zeno replied, smiling at her. Tian looked at him, and then nodded.
"Yeah. We can't just stand by, and let the badness around here continue on. It's not right." Yona replied in a surprisingly strong voice. Tian was silent for a moment, staring at Yona, and then looked away, nodding.
"Yes. Well, thank you." She said, still not looking at them. Tian pursed her lips. She realized they were probably still talking, but at this point, she had pretty much zoned them out.
I feel...Comfortable. This will be ok. Tian nodded to herself, looking at the others as they spoke amongst themselves. She grinned slightly. Despite how they look, I think this will be a good thing. Yeah. A good thing.
They had camped outside for the night. Tian made her feelings very clear about staying outside the village while this operation was going on, and they had seemed to oblige with her wishes. Which she was very thankful for.
"Well, I think it's time to get some supper started." The youngest of the group spoke suddenly after the tent was set up, and a fire started going strong. What was his name? She couldn't recall suddenly. Her mind was still boggled up.
Tian made her own spot away from the group, but not too far away so that it wasn't obvious she was trying to keep her distance. These people weren't her friends, she decided. She knew nothing of them, and they knew nothing of her. Why should get friendly with them when this was purely business?
Still, she couldn't help but to feel amused by the group. They all seemed like a big family. It was obvious that they cared so much about one another. Even if they argued. Even if they fought. They were still close. They each had their own quirks. Their own personalities. Such polarizing personalities should have made them all not get along, but it was so obvious how much they cared about. Even if there was some slight teasing among them...
"Would you quit calling me White snake already?" The one with silver hair complained to dark haired one, scowling at him. Tian laughed, shaking her head slightly.
"Careful. I think I just saw a bug crawl on you."
"WHERE?! WHERE IS IT! GET IT OFF!" Tian laughed slightly as he abruptly stood up, and began freaking out. She shook her head, and then brought her legs closer to her chest.
Mother. Father. Are you watching this? Watching me with these people? I wonder what you guys would think. What would you say if I told you?
Tian wondered in amusement as she looked at the skies. The stars were twinkling their silvery color in the sky above. It was beautiful.
I wonder what BaaBaa and Min-Soo are doing right now. Probably getting ready to sleep. I wonder what they would think if I told them about this all...
"Guys, stop it. You're embarrassing yourselves." The pretty boy chided, handing out some bowls filled with some steaming soup. He handed everyone's bowls out, and then handed Tian her bowl. She took with a nod of her head.
Seriously, I don't think they'd believe it if I told them. Hey! A group of traveling circus monsters are gonna help us! Yeah. That'll sure cause a riot, wouldn't it?
"Why are you sitting all by yourself? You're a part of the group now." Tian glanced over at Jae-Ha as he took a seat next to her. She felt slightly embarrassed that once again, herself monologue had caused her to lose her acute awareness of her surroundings.
However, there was something about his calm tone, which was a nice departure from his usual annoying tone. that caused her to allow him to sit next to her. She was calm. She was ok with this. With the green haired man.
"I just..." She stopped mid-sentence when she realized she wasn't sure what her defense was going to be. Honestly, she saw them as people who were going to help her. She saw no reason to really become familiar with them."I always eat by myself." She added on quickly, starting to eat her food.
Boy, Min-Soo would kill me if she heard me say that. I never eat alone because that girl won't let me eat alone.
Tian smirked to her own amusement, shaking her head. She had almost completely forgotten about the person sitting next to her until he spoke.
"Ya know, it's much more fun being a part of this group, if you actually take time, and be around us. But I understand. You're still wary of us. So, if you insist, I shall stay next to you~" The last part was said a little flirtatiously, even leaning a little closer to her. Tian scowled, and moved away a little. He just had to ruin the moment. Didn't he?
"Droopy Eyes, keep it in your pants will ya?" The dark haired one called out to him.
"Ah~ But it's not very gentlemanly to let a little lady be all by herself~" Jae-Ha called out in an even more flirty tone, getting closer to Tian. Tian scowled. He did it again. She was officially annoyed with him. To think she actually thought he was more than just some pervert...
"Unless you want another broken nose, I suggest you get away from me." Tian growled out, cutting him a look. Jae-Ha merely smirked at her.
"Well, if you insist." He replied, straightening out his posture. Tian just sighed. He seemed so sincere at first. Why did he have to go, and ruin it?" Still, I don't think you should be sitting alone. You really ought to be more sociable." Tian glanced at him, unsure of what she should think of him.
One moment, he was flirting with her, being an idiot, making her feel like giving him a beat down, and then the next moment...He was actually being sincere. He was being nice. Without so much as a trace of his pervertedness. It was almost like the one he had been presenting himself as, and the man before her, speaking right now, were two different people.
"How long have you been apart of this group?" She questioned, eating her soup, although it had gone cold. Jae-Ha glanced over at the girl, studying her for a moment. Her arched eyebrows were drawn together as she focused on eating with more gusto than before. Her mind seemed to be somewhere else.
"Awhile. Although, I pretty reluctant to join. I like my freedom too much." He laughed slightly, remembering the incident in Awa. Still embarrassed by the way the white dragon found him. Getting his big butt stuck in a vase...What an embarrassing way to get caught.
Tian looked at him curiously, her mouth still full of food. She swallowed it, sighing as she sat the empty bowl aside.
"Really? You seem so close to them." She replied, glancing at the group as she did so.
"Yeah, well...They're infectious what can I say?" He replied, leaning back as he settled on looking at her for a few moments longer. It was so nice to see her relaxed. He then looked towards the group.
"Hmm..." Tian looked at the group.
The silver haired guy was fighting with the dark haired one. Calling him"an intolerable dark dragon" which seemed to have no affect on the other, who just laughed. Yona was talking with the masked guy, petting the squirrel while the yellow haired guy was talking with the pretty boy about something.
"You say you've only been in this town for little over a year. What were you doing before then?" Tian glanced over at him, and then shrugged as she looked at the fire. She smirked slightly. Why was it she felt so compelled to talk so easily with him? There was something that was just...So familiar. So comforting...
However, she immediately shut down those feelings. She wasn't going to allow herself to be so easily reeled in by the man so easily.
Besides, what was there to tell? She moved away from her birth village at the age of five when her parents moved to the wind tribe. They lived there until she was eight when they began to travel. When she thirteen she joined them occasionally before departing on her own when she sixteen. She visited the town often in travels before settling here herself just a little over a year ago. There was nothing exciting to tell. Still, she felt the want... The need to tell him something. So, she told as much as she allowed herself to tell.
"My parents were travelers. So, I got the bug from them. They settled here long before I did, but they wanted me to be with them. So, I thought I would settle here. I just..." She stopped herself mid sentence. What was she doing? What was she doing?
"I understand if you don't want to talk about it." Jae-ha said, glancing at her with a much more serious expression that made Tian's heart strum a bit faster. Why was that look so familiar?"Everyone is entitled to their secrets after all." He finished off the last of his food, sighing slightly.
Tian looked away with a small laugh, and shook her head. There was comfortable silence for a few moments before Tian spoke again.
"What about yourself?" She questioned glancing at him. It took him by surprise, although he wasn't sure why. After all, he had inquired about her past so it was only natural she'd ask about his. When he didn't answer for a few moments, she continued with the smallest of smirks."You made it clear that you weren't always with them. What were you doing beforehand?" Jae-Ha glanced at her, and then away.
"Me? Well, I was a pirate. That's about all there really is to know actually." He glanced at her, happily noting that for once she wasn't looking at him in annoyance but with intrigue, curiosity, and a bit of surprise. She looked away with a slight smirk on her face.
"Impressive. You don't look like the type at all." Jae-Ha wasn't entirely sure what she meant by that. She then looked at him with a playful expression before looking at the others. "So, what's everyone deal? Surely they didn't all travel together."
"No. We all came together because of the Yona. Although Hak has always been with her from the start."
Hak? Which one is that? Tian questioned to herself, biting her lips as she looked at all the other men in the group trying to decide who it could possibly be. Sounds like a tough name. Someone who I tough. Hmmm... I'm putting my money on it's either the dark haired one or the one with the bandaged hand. They're both seemingly close to her. Tian shrugged, twisting the blue ribbon in her hair.
"I see." Tian replied, still trying to figure out who was who. Jae-Ha noticed her internal struggle with some entertainment, and was debating whether or not he should clue her in. It would be such fun entertainment after all. So, he let it go for the time being.
There was silence among everyone as they all finished eating their food, some even going back for seconds. Tian wasn't very hungry at all, and had settled for leaning against the stump with her hands over her stomach. Her eyes were looking straight up into the sky with a slight smile on her lips. This was all very reminiscent of her traveling days. She almost forgot how much she missed looking at the sky.
"Tian, why don't you sleep in the tent with Yona tonight?" The youngest man suggested, looking at her. Tian looked at them, and then at the girl. Yona smiled at her. Tian then looked around. Everyone was settling in for the night. She must have missed that while she was admiring the sky.
"I don't-"
"You really should. Normally we let Yun sleep with Yona since their both the youngest, but now that you're a part of the group, there's no need." Tian glanced at the green haired man, and nodded slightly.
"Whatever." Tian grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulders. Jae-Ha watched as Tian quickly, but a bit unsurely, stepped into the tent after Yona. He sighed, leaning against the log as he looked up at the sky. What a beautiful night.
"You know, it's so nice to be around another girl again." Yona mentioned as soon as they stepped into the tent. Tian glanced at her, nodding slightly."I mean, it's just I haven't been around many girls since I've been traveling with them. It's kind of nice."
"I see. How old are you anyways?" Tian asked, glancing over at the red haired girl. She didn't look all that old, but she didn't look all that young either.
"I'm almost seventeen. What about you?" At this point, Yona was rolling out her sleeping mat. Tian glanced at her, and then began to take down her hair.
"I'm twenty years old." Tian answered a bit formally as she took out the good luck charm from her robe, and began to undress until she was in her under gown. Yona glanced at her as she settled into her sleeping mat.
"I see. Well, I'm happy to have you around." Tian hated to admit it, but she was starting to see why these guys were loyal to this girl. She just had one of those personalities.
"So, why are you traveling?" Tian questioned as she rolled out her mat. She sat a top of it as she looked at the younger girl. Yona seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then just grinned.
"It's a bit complicated." Tian nodded. She could understand that much." What about you? Why did you travel?" Tian shrugged. She didn't really want to answer the question more than once, but she didn't want to seem rude either. Yona was too nice for Tian to possibly be rude towards.
"It's complicated." Tian answered, settling in on her mat. She rolled onto her side, and closed her eyes.
"Right. Well, night!" Tian didn't even bother with a reply as she shut her eyes, and went to sleep...