Chapter Twenty-Seven: Confrontations
"Alright. Seems most of those posters were taken down last night. You might be alright, but I'd still caution you to stay away." Yun was speaking casually to Tian the next day as he prepared breakfast.
Tian had heard him, but she could hardly pay attention. Her mind was too preoccupied thinking about all that had happened the previous night. Yun looked at Tian when she didn't respond. He noted her distant expression, and then the slight blush that suddenly appeared on her face. Her groaned in frustration, rolling his eyes as he stood up. Tian looked at him, raising an eyebrow.
"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine." SHe said, standing up, and dusting off her dress.
"You seem distracted. Something happen?" He questioned, looking at her. Tian paused, blushed, and then shook her head.
"No. Nothing at all." She replied, putting the pot over the crackling fire, and then sat back, watching it.
Tian wasn't about to admit what she had really been thinking about, and what had been distracting her. Yun looked at her once again, eyebrow raised, but didn't comment as he began to stir the contents of the pot. Tian's mind wondered to what happened the previous night.
Every time Tian thought about the kiss, it made her skin feel like electricity was surging through her, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. It was far from it, as a matter of fact. The only thing that frustrated the hell out of her was that Tian didn't know what to expect. A kiss was just a kiss. It didn't have to mean anything. But to Tian, it meant alot. Mostly because she really did like Jae-Ha, and he was the one who initiated the kiss. He started the kiss. So, obviously, on some level, Tian knew that Jae-Ha had some sort of feelings towards her, but she didn't know what to expect. Not to mention, he was a surprisingly great kisser. It was hard not to think about it.
"Morning Yun. Morning Tian." Jae-Ha stated, smiling as he looked over Tian's shoulders at the soup, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath in. Yun looked at him with an eyebrow raised.
"You're in a good mood." Yun stated simply, making Jae-Ha shrug as he straightened out. He looked at Tian, who was looking at him, nodded with a slight smile, and then walked until he sat in his usual spot.
"It's a beautiful morning. I see no reason not to be in a good mood." Jae-Ha stated, shrugging as he pulled out a book. Yun looked at him with an eyebrow raised. He knew something was up, but he wasn't one to pry into other people's business. He would just wait for it to come out naturally, adn then do something.
"Right." Yun replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he once again began to stir the contents of the pot. Tian looked at Yun, and then stood up as she walked over to Jae-Ha.
"We have to talk about last night." She whispered, sitting next to him. Jae-Ha glanced at her, and then shrugged as he looked back at his book.
"What's there to talk about?" He questioned, smiling slightly." I regret nothing." He stated after a pause. His green eyes looked calmly over at Tian. Their eyes met, and held the gaze." Do you? Is that what you want to talk about?" He questioned in a soft tone. Tian could almost swear she saw a look of hurt cross his eyes for the briefest of moments. Tian shook her head.
"No. Of course not." She said firmly. Jae-Ha smiled softly, looking relieved as he looked off. Tian pursed her lips, shaking her head as she sighed."I'm wondering what will happen next." She admitted, glancing back at the green haired man, who looked at her with surprise.
"What happens next?" He questioned, wanting her to elaborate on just what she meant, even though he understood on some level what she meant. Tian shrugged, and then looked off as the others began to wake and do their own morning rituals.
"Never mind." She said with a frustrated sigh, looking at her lap with a slight scowl.
Tian wanted so much to talk about what happened. She was the kind of person who wanted everything set in stone so she knew exactly what to expect, but... She found herself surprisingly lost, and not knowing what to expect, and it frustrated her. On top of everything, this new change just didn't set right with her, and that's why she wanted some clear answers. She needed some sort of direction when everything else going on around her had no damn road or anything for her to know what to expect. It frustrated her that this was just another thing that she would just have to wade out, and see what will happen as it was clear both her and Jae-Ha didn't even know what to expect from that point forward.
Jae-Ha looked at her a moment longer, drawing his eyebrows together. He could guess what she wanted to talk about, which was the status of their relationship. He wanted to bring it up as well, but he didn't want to confuse her, or give her the wrong impression. Jae-Ha wanted to focus on what they originally planned to do: get rid of the slave trade going on in this town. He had to push back his feelings and focus on the goal, or else he would be too distracted to think about anything else. He didn't want to put anyone in danger, or jeopardize the mission by getting distracted by romance. Jae-Ha was almost certain that Tian knew that as well.
On the other hand, Jae-Ha wanted something more as well. He was always the kind of guy who, once he set his mind on something, would chase relentlessly until he achieved his goal. However, this... This feelings, and this dynamic with Tian was so much different than anything he had experienced before, and he didn't want to mess that up. He didn't want to leave her in a state of confusion, and just have her think that he was just playing with her, because he wasn't, but he didn't want to put anyone in danger either. Jae-Ha supposed that's why he didn't want to talk about what happened either until he can sort out his own thoughts, and could figure out a way to properly state how he felt about everything without hurting her.
"Morning!" Min-Soo chirped, sitting next to Tian. Tian glanced at Jae-Ha for a moment, and then turned to Min-Soo as the two began talking.
Breakfast went on as normal. Min-Soo and Kija started up a conversation about the various sweets, and which ones were the best. While Hak and Yona seemed to start up some light banter, which was just Hak commenting on the bags under the princess eyes while Yona, with a slight blush, told him to shut up. Zeno was humming some tune to himself while he played with Ao. Yun was cleaning up the camp once everyone was done with their breakfast.
Afterwards, Yona, Hak and Kija escorted Min-Soo back into town.
"Just stay here, and be safe. Don't wonder too far. Just stay out of trouble, and seriously, consider what BaaBaa said about leaving. It would be for the best." Min-Soo whispered to Tian, hugging her tightly. Tian frowned for a moment, but then smiled as she hugged her friend back.
"Yeah. Stay safe yourself." She whispered, patting Min-Soo's back. Min-Soo pulled back, smiling slightly, and then waved her good-byes to the group before hurrying off to meet the other three.
"Hey! Actually get some supplies this time!" Yun called after Hak. Hak nodded, waving his acknowledgement. Tian pursed her lips, looking at Yun.
"Does he sometimes slack on that?" She questioned in half amusement.
"Yeah. Sometimes." Yun said with a sigh. Tian didn't press as she stood up.
"I think I'm going to go for a nice walk. Is that alright?" She questioned teasingly, looking at Yun, who simply nodded.
"Go ahead. I won't stop you." He said through a sigh. Tian smiled, turned, and began walking off.
"Want me to accompany you?" Jae-Ha asked as soon as she reached him so that she can pick up her satchel she had left laying there. Tian looked at him, and the shook her head with a slight smirk.
"No. I'm sure I can handle myself. How much danger can there possibly be anyways?" She chuckled slightly, shrugging as she pulled the bag over her shoulder, and began adjust it so that it would hold more securely on her shoulders. Jae-Ha watched her again, and then shrugged.
"Officers could be looking in the forest area for you." He suggested. Tian paused, and then sighed as she shook her head.
"I doubt that they would go that far." She whispered, and then smiled at him."Don't worry. I can handle myself." With that said, she skipped over the log, and then walked away from the camp. Jae-Ha watched her for a moment, and then turned away as he pulled out his book.
"I've heard you say that before." He whispered with a sigh as he turned to his place he had last left off.
Tian sighed as she couldn't even smell the campfire anymore. She wasn't sure how long she had walked for, but she was certain it had been quiet some time. She stopped slowly, and then looked around once again, clenching the satchel once again. Tian was trying to sense anything that felt off.
Officers could be looking in the forest area for you.
Jae-Ha's words reverberated in Tian's mind, causing a good chunk of her paranoia to come through. Ever since she came back, she couldn't help but to feel on edge about everything. Flashes from the fight would sear through her mind, and even the time at the fort, and none of it helped with her paranoia. If anything, it made it worse.
It's ok. I'm ok. They won't be looking for me here. I'll be ok. I'll be ok. I won't have to go back to that place ever again. Just put it out of your mind. Everything will be alright.
Tian told herself. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a couple of deep breaths, and releasing them a few times before she opened her eyes, and then looked around her once more.
It was when she turned to walk back to camp that she heard the first suspicious sound. It was the cracking of a stem from a tree. That sound made her stop dead in her tracks, her muscles tensing up. The next thing she heard made her reach for her kunai that she kept hidden in her robe, and hid it within her sleeve so it would be both accessible when needed, but hidden at the same time. The sound she heard was the crunching of some leaves.
"Well, well, well, seems the description was right, wasn't it, Kyung?" It was a male voice she heard. From the sounds of his voice, he was probably someone over the age of thirty.
"Yes, but the painting doesn't quiet do her face justice. She'll fetch a fair price." It was the second one referred to, Kyung, was probably around the same age as the other man, if not a bit younger, but from the sounds of his menacing voice, he clearly held the reins.
"Girly, you're the one that was causing all the trouble?"
"Don't deny it. Your description matches to a T. So, any other comrades you got?"
"Don't lie either. I can always sense when someone's lying."
Tian found it strange, and a bit unsettling, how well those two had their lines synced up with one another. It was as if they had rehearsed their lines before actually coming towards her.
Even though Tian knew that she should have moved, should have spoken, should have done something, she found herself unable to speak or move or do anything. She hated that right at that moment, her fear decided to come on full force, freezing her like a statue.
"You know, they say silence is golden, but you know what?" The other man, Kyung, spoke, clearly impatient with Tian's silence. He let out a yell as he knocked her to the ground."Sometimes speech is sliver!" Tian groaned as her jaw made contact with the ground. Her teeth clanked together painfully, but she managed to sit up, only to be pushed down by the second man with his foot. He then pulled her hair upwards, forcing her to look at the other man.
The other man facing her was clearly not an officer. Most likely a thug from his simple, but dirty clothing. He had a long scar running from the top of his left eye down to his jaw. A smaller scar crossed that scar on his cheek, making an x-shape scar on his hair as dark brown, and pulled into a high ponytail.
"So, Girly, any other comrades you've got with ya?" The man with the high ponytail, Kyung, smirked as he knelt down, crouching as he got with an inch of her face. Tian scowled.
"No. There's nobody else. I'm just a lone traveler." Tian spoke fast, groaning slightly as her hair was pulled once more.
"Didn't I say I can tell when someone is lying?" The second one said in a menacing tone. Tian's eyes prickled as the pain of her hair being pulled was starting to be too much for her.
"Heh, better tell us the truth, Girlie. Lee here isn't quiet as nice as me. Kyung menacing spoke, tilting his head. Tian gritted her teeth together, squeezing her eyes shut.
I refuse to give up Yona and the others. I don't want them in danger, and I don't want to drag them into this. This is all my fault. I won't sell them out.
"I'm telling the truth. It's just me. Nobody else." Tian said through gritted teeth.
"Alright. I guess that reward money is all ours then,Lee." Kyung looked up at Lee, smirking slightly. Lee out a little laugh dropping her hair with such force that Tian's face once again smacked against the ground. She could feel some blood on her face, but she didn't dare to wonder where it was coming from. She felt a wave of dizziness as she was forced to stand up.
"Just don't cause any trouble for us, Girlie." Kyung whispered, pointing a kunai to her back, and then nudged her forward with it. Tian scowled, walking forward.
I have to find a way out of this before I reach town.
Tian thought to herself, looking at both men before looking at the ground.
"Where's Tian?" Yona asked as her Hak, and Kija came back into town.
"She went out for a walk shortly after you guys left. She hasn't come back." Jae-Ha said, starting to feel a bit anxious. He thought that as long as Yona,, Hak, and Kija were still gone, that it would be ok that Tian wasn't back yet. Even if he was worried then, but they were back, it had to have been a few hours if the sun was anything to go by, and Tian still hadn't made it back.
"It's been a while." Yona said looking around as if expecting Tian to show up at any time.
"You don't think anyone has caught up to her, do you?" Kija said, eyebrows drawing together.
"Let's hope not." Yun said, but also started looking around.
"Now, let's just wait a little longer. I'm sure the Miss will show up soon."Zeno said with a slight smile, although his eyes held some worry.
"Yeah. I'm sure Tian probably just took a long walk. She has alot to think about. She needs time to process it all." Jae-Ha spoke right after Zeno, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.
"If she isn't here within the hour, we will go, and look for her."Hak said, sitting on a log, eyebrows drawn together.
Hopefully she will show up soon. I don't want to get into any trouble, but if Tian is in trouble,I'll make sure she gets out of it.
Hak thought with a slight nod of his head. He then looked around at everyone in the camp before settling his eyes on Jae-Ha, who was staring at the wooden area behind him with an intense expression. Hak looked at his feet, and then looked at Yona, who looked worried as she looked at her feet. Hak then looked down at the ground.
Tian... Be safe...
Hak thought to himself, looking up at the same spot Jae-Ha was looking in.
Tian grunted as she was once again moved forward. The kunai had torn a small hole, so small it wouldn't be noticeable, into the fabric of her dress. So when Kyung moved it forward, it dug a small, minute, wound into her skin. It was uncomfortable to the point of being painful.
"Keeping moving forward." Kyung told her in a bored tone.
I have to do something before they reach their destination. We're clearly not going into town. They must not want to chance that someone will rescue me.
Tian thought to herself. Subtly, trying to not be noticed, she slowly moved the small knife in her sleeved dress down to her hands, and began sawing at her bindings. However, Kyung noticed, and quickly took the kunai away from her, causing a wound to slice across her palm. Tian let out a pained yell.
"Didn't I tell you no tricks?!" He shouted, shoving her forward, and stepping on her hips. Tian groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. Lee appeared over her, holding a blade to her throat.
"What's the use of killing me? Where will your reward be then?" She sneered, working her hands out of the loosened binds.
"You really think we care about what those stupid officers want? The king of Sei has offered a higher reward for you. Dead or alive." Lee finally stated, pressing the blade deeper into her throat. Not too deep, but it was enough to draw a trickle of blood.
It was at that moment that Tian broke her hands free of the ropes. With her hands free, she shoved Lee backwards with enough force that he dropped the short blade that was in his hands. There was a brief moment where Kyung, Lee, and Tian, stared at the blade, and then at each other. Each knew that whoever grabbed the knife first would turn the tide of the fight. So, they each reached for it at the same time. Tian tucked herself in,and then rolled, easily grabbed the blade in the process. She then stood, the blade in her hands.
"You really think we're so easily deterred?!" Kyung shouted, rushing towards her.
Tian swayed out of the way, dodged his hit, and was able to successfully hurt Lee from hitting her. He held his bleeding hand, beady eyes glaring at her. Tian stood, blade at her center as she looked between the two of them.
I need to finish this fast! I need to get to Jae-Ha and the others, and let them know that I'm alright.
Tian thought to herself, nodding as she steeled herself for more fighting as Kyung and Lee both stood up. They looked at each for a moment, as if mentally speaking to one another, before looking at Tian with a smirk. The entire time, Tian had her eyes narrowed, carefully watching the two of them. She was trying to figure out their plan fast before they attacked, but she failed in anticipating how fast they could move.
Before she even knew what had happened, Lee had ran at her, his arm held out, and had used his extended arm, to smack against her throat, causing both the wind to be knocked out of her, and knock her to the ground. Tian gasped, holding her throat with one hand, and closing her eyes shut as she felt pain go throughout her body.
While she was distracted, Kyung had picked up the rope, and was attempting to bind her arm, but Tian had gotten her senses back. She kicked out one of her legs, sweeping Kyung off his feet in the process. She then jumped back, and looked between the two.
Lee had picked up his blade once more, and seemed to be playing with it for a moment before rushing at her. Tian had to bend backwards to narrowly avoid being sliced, and even then it still managed to cut a small on her cheek. Tian knelt over, holding the wound for a moment.
She picked up her kunai once more, holding it close to her body, but in front of her as she looked between the two once more. Once more, she had to almost dance with Lee as he tried to attack her with his own blade. All the while, she also had to dodge Kyung, who was trying to reach for her while she was distracted.
I need to finsih this!
She yelled in her mind, once again having the breath knocked out of her as Kyung tackled her to the ground. He hovered over her long enough to force her to lay on her chest, forcing her hands back in an attempt to bind her once more.
"Just be still, and work with us. Now we can go about this the easy way, or the hard way." Kyung stated, pulling her head back by the hair, and forcing her to look at him.
Tian scowled, not saying a word to him. Without saying much more, other than a sneerful laugh and a scoffing noise, Kyung threw her head back down.
Tian cried out as her head hit the ground hard. She felt disorinated for a moment. She heard a ringing in her ears, and when she came to her senses, she felt blood slowly trickling down her temple. Tian scowled, struggling against Kyung.
"Fine. Hard way it is. Lee. hold her head down." Kyung was obviously the leader as Lee did whatever the other said without complaint or anything. Lee laughed slightly as he stepped on her back, and forceably holding her head on the ground."Girly, we could easily just kill you, and still collect a large sum of money." Kyung said, tying the first loop of rope around her wrists.
Tian shook her head, trying her damnest, even harder than before, to get out of this situation. She loosened another blade from it's hidden binding on her arm, and used to slice at her bindings, and Kyung's hand. He jumped back slightly, holding on to his bleeding hand. Tian smirked, using the opportunity to cut into Lee's calf. As she felt the blood trickle onto her face, Lee Jumped back.
Tian stood up, looking between the two once more. Both were holding their respective wound, a murderous expression in their eyes as they looked at her. Tian held her breath, tensing up for just a moment.
I... I have to finish this now!
Tian thought with a slight nod as they both came rushing forward towards her. Tian braced herself, not only for the injury they would surely cause, but for a fight as well. One thing was for sure: Someone was not going to make it out alive.