Chapter Twenty-One: Back Home

It took three and a half months to return back to the port town of Dae-Seng. During that time, Tian spent most of her time healing from her injuries. Not just the ones she sustained from the fight to escape, but mostly the damage caused by her time spent in the fort.

She had lost a considerable amount of weight during that time, and had become malnourished as well. Yun made sure to pay extra close attention to her, and make sure she got what she needed to get better. What frustrated Yun mostly was that Tian was seemingly healing slowly. Not that he expected her to heal super fast, like he was used to with the rare beasts, but he wasn't exactly expecting her to heal slowly either. He just hoped she didn't take too long to heal.

However, by the second month, Tian had seemed better. She was looking healthy once again, and some of her weight had come back. Yun was still worried about her, and limited what she could do. Yun had already spent enough time trying to get her back to her old self, and he still wasn't happy with the results thus far. The last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt again.

"Just don't too much, OK? I don't want to have to heal you again because you were an idiot, and took on more than you could handle." Yun had told her in a scolding tone, but Tian could see the worry in his eyes. She didn't respond to him, but nodded as she looked off, biting her lips.

The routine seemed to continue as normal. Yun cooked, and took care of the group. The dragon brothers were lively. Yona and Min-Soo both worked on their defense skills together. Tian felt a strange feeling of isolation.

Sure, she helped with the minimal things. She helped prepare dinner. She would often accompany Yona and Min-Soo on their practice, watching silently. Tian was back in the group, and it seemed like everyone was taking extra care in making sure she was comfortable, and was alright. Some more than others.

Tian enjoyed that much. She enjoyed feeling a part of the group. Still, she couldn't help but have the feeling of isolation. She was a part of the group. She was safe. Everyone was moving on, and acting like nothing had happened. Perhaps they were doing it for her benefit, but that was most likely Tian's ego speaking.

Still, she couldn't help but to feel like a spectator. Tian couldn't help but to feel as though she was on auto mode. She went through the everyday actions. She smiled on cue, even laughed a bit when the occasion called for it, but it didn't feel genuine. It felt forced, and none of that helped with her feelings of isolation. She felt like what had happened only a few months ago, with the fort and everything that happened, was years ago, and she felt that while everyone was moving on, there was something holding her back.

"Tian, you've been acting strange. Even for you. Is everything alright?" Min-Soo asked her one night as they were gather firewood for the night and morning. Tian wasn't sure why she suddenly felt so defensive. She had been expecting someone to say something sooner or later. Maybe, even if she had been expecting it, she just didn't want it to happen.

"Why do you feel to ask stupid questions?" Tian answered, scowling as she sped up her pace. Min-Soo sighed, shaking her head as she fastened her own pace.

"Does Yun even know you're out here?"

"You're starting to get annoying. I'm fine. I'm not a baby, OK? I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, but-"

"Just drop it, OK?" Tian cut her friend a look, and then walked on, sighing. Min-Soo shook her head, scowling as she followed after her.

As expected, Yun fussed a bit when the pair came back, but he quickly dropped the subject with a last word of making sure to tell him before she just walks off. Tian felt oddly touched by his worry, and promised next time she would tell him.

Just a couple of weeks shy of finally returning home, Yun passed Tian as healthy enough to continue her activities as before. Tian was happy about that, and used the opportunity on gaining her strength back, but opted for practicing by herself. She may have lost some of her strength, but she knew she still had enough where she could easily hurt Min-Soo or Yona, and that was something she wanted to avoid.

"You think I'm weak, and I'm not." Min-Soo told her one day when Tian turned her down for a spar. Tian sighed, and shook her head.

"You haven't even had a year's training. I've had years of practice. Just because I've lost some of that strength, doesn't mean I've lost those years of training. I'm not gonna be responsible for hurting your dumb ass." Tian replied playfully, punching Min-Soo's shoulder.

"Ow. What did I do?" Min-Soo pouted, rubbing her shoulder. Tian groaned, rolling her eyes.

"See what I mean? And that was just playful!" Tian replied in a deadpan tone, picking up the stack of sticks she had collected for the firewood, and continued walking. Min-Soo's face dropped, and then shook her head as she ran after Tian.

"It's not that I'm weak, OK? You're just abnormally strong." Min-Soo replied flipping some hair over her shoulders. Tian scoffed, shaking her head.

"Yeah. OK. Whatever you have to tell yourself to make yourself feel better." Tian replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she continued walking with a chuckle. The two continued arguing over who was weak or strong the rest of the walk to the camp.

Tian had been working on trying to act like her old self. They whole group had slowed their pace just for Tian to get better. They worried about her, even if some didn't voice it. The last thing she wanted was to add further to their worries. So even if she felt distant, isolated, and everything else, she would smile, and continue on. Because she felt that she owed that much to this group.

Even so, when she was deemed healthy, it was still almost impossible for Tian to be alone. If it wasn't Minn-Soo or Yona by her side, it was Jae-Ha. Or if he wasn't by her side, Jae-Ha was close by, trying to act like he wasn't checking in on her. Tian couldn't decide if she was happy or annoyed by it. She was pretty sure it was a mixture of both.

"Why do you insist on following me?" She had asked many times when her annoyance had won over her happiness. Jae-Ha simply smirked over at her, and shrugged.

"You attract trouble like a magnet. I'm just making sure I can be there to save you when you need it." He replied with a slight flare, winking at her. Tian blushed, but still rose an eyebrow at him.

"I don't need you to protect me." She replied dryly, walking faster.

"Maybe. Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I won't stop trying." He replied, easily keeping pace." Besides, don't you remember me telling you I'm not so easy to get rid of?"

"Tch." She scoffed, smiling as she shook her head." Maybe. Maybe not, but that won't stop me from trying." She replied back, smirking at him. She then looked forward.

"Oh. You're happy, and you know it. Just admit it."

"Right. Whatever you have to say to make yourself feel better." She replied with an eyeroll.

However, despite her harsh words, Tian was rather happy to have the green haired man around. Tian was even happier to hear he wanted to protect her. It gave her a sense of hope, and encouraged her a little more to admit how she felt about him.

As they came closer to Dae-Seng, Tian felt an overwhelming feeling in her. She couldn't explain it. It felt somber, and heavy. Anxious and paranoid at the same time. It wasn't easy, and she tried her best keep it underwraps. However, even with all those feelings, she was happy initially when they reached the outskirts of the port city.

Tian imagined what Ha-Seon would do if he were here. He'd probably exclaim something cheesy before smelling the air with a huge grin on his face. Despite her overwhelming negative feelings, Tian managed to smile a bit as she closed her eyes, taking in the smell of the familiar town.

It smells like home. I wish you could be here, Ha-Seon.

With that somber thought, Tian had opened her eyes and looked at the town from the distance.

"Yaay! I'll be so happy to sleep in a bed again!" Min-Soo yelled out, stretching out her arms with a wide grin for a moment before dropping her hands to her side.

Min-Soo glanced over at Tian, pursing her lips for a moment. Even if she couldn't bring Ha-Seon back, Min-Soo was happy that at least she was able to bring Tian home. The hardest part, though, was coming up. It was telling Ae-Cha what happened to her son. With that thought in mind Min-Soo looked away. She wasn't looking forward to that part.

"It's good to be back." Tian replied softly, gripping her left arm with her right hand with a slight smile.

"We should let your family know you're home safe." Kija said softly, glancing over at Min-Soo.

The blonde looked at him, smiling softly, and then looked at Tian, who had dropped her smile for a more serious expression. There was a moment of silence before Tian started walking ahead silently, surprising everyone with how quick she moved. They hurried to follow her.

Tian couldn't exactly figure it out, and maybe a small or larger part of her was sure it was just paranoia, but something felt different about the town. As they walked down the streets to their first destination, Ha-Seon's home, people stared at them. Some even whispering. Tian supposed some of it was expected.

After all, some people in Yona's group was… Suspicious looking at best. Not to mention, Tian was pretty sure nobody really expected to be seeing her again after she had disappeared. Tian didn't even expect to see this place again, so she could only imagine how the regular civilians were taking to seeing her again. But it wasn't just the fact that Yona and her group were suspicious enough, or the fact that Tian was back. No there was something else that made Tian a little uneasy.

The people seemed more tense than usual. Although the town kept with it's cheerful and lively attitude, there was something in the people's eyes that made it seem as if they were expecting something bad to happen at any moment. Tian wondered if the officers had become particularly more cruel. Or were the people unnerved by their presence, and feared something would happen because of it? Tian couldn't be sure, so she chose to ignore it for the time being.

Tian's first destination was to find Ae-Cha, and tell her the news of Ha-Seon's death. She had heard that Ae-Cha had taken days off from the bakery now that she had more help, so Tian thought it best that they visit the actual home to deliver the news. Or rather she did.

"You guy's should head over to BaaBaa's home." Tian had told them once they reached the bakery. Min-Soo stopped, looking at her with her eyebrows drawn together in worry.

"What? Are you sure?" Tian nodded, smiling in reassurance, but Min-Soo shook her head stubbornly.

"No. We should go together." Min-Soo stated, clasping her hands around Tian's wrists. Tian was about to say something in rebuttal, but Yona had spoken first.

"Why don't you two go together. We'll wait for you two here." Both Min-Soo and Tian turned to look at the group, both wanting to say something, but were once again interrupted.

"Yeah. The two misses should go on. Together! We'll wait!" Zeno spoke up with a grin. Tian looked at him, noticing he seemed to be trying to convey something silently to her. Tian looked away, scowling.

"Let's just go." Tian muttered, turning around on her heel, and walking away fast. Min-Soo quickly turned on her heel, and followed after the dark haired girl.

As the two young women walked up to the door of the small home, they seemed to hesitate for a moment. Light brown eyes met dark green eyes, and not seemed to have the same type of worry and anxiety written into their eyes. Tian then looked forward, fist raised to knock on the door,but she still hesitated for a moment.

I can't avoid this any longer. If Min-Soo wasn't here wit me, I don't think I'd have the courage to actually tell Ae-Cha but she deserves to know. I can't avoid this any longer.

Taking a deep breath, holding it for a moment, and then releasing it, Tian's fist connected with the door. It was soft, almost inaudible, at first, but the second and third one were equally strong and loud. Tian bit her lips, taking a step back with Min-Soo. Tian wrung her hands together, her anxiety working up once again as she secretly hoped that Ae-Cha wasn't home, and she could put telling her off just a little longer. However, after a few moments, the door opened, and Ae-Cha looked at them with eyes wide open. Tian smiled shyly, waving.

"Hi. Ae-Cha, i-" Tian was interrupted by Ae-Cha who pulled her into a tight hug, crying.

"It is so good to have you home! Welcome back!" With that emotionally said, Ae-Cha hugged Tian harder. The dark haired girl smiled, despite her feelings, and hugged the woman back just as tightly.

It is good to be back…...