"Wait," said Jae Ha. "Before we move on…"
To Yoon's utter disgust, the Green Dragon planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Whew," sighed Jae Ha, falling back. "I was getting tired of all that bellowing."
"URGH! This is the last straw!" thundered Yoon. "New rule! No one is allowed to kiss the same person for consecutive penalties!"
"If Yoon can make up a new rule, then so will I! In fact, I have a much better idea!" declared Zeno suddenly. He puffed out his chest and announced in proud tones, "Listen, everyone! From now on, the new penalty for guys will be to dress up as girls!"
"HUH?" Kija leapt up, looking highly indignant. "What sort of ridiculous notion is that?"
"It sounds fun," chortled Jae Ha. "Let's go with it!"
"We certainly will not!"
"It's loads better than kissing a man," said Hak thoughtfully.
Yoon seemed agreeable as well. Even Shin Ah was nodding.
Zeno pumped his fist in the air. "OK! The old penalty is now overruled!"
"This isn't happening." Kija let his face fall flat onto his palms. How did they wind up playing this insufferable game?
Yona - When and with whom was your first date?
"No one, nada, zilch," declared Yona.
Zeno - Bark like a dog.
"Woof! Woof!" yelped Zeno happily.
"Will he run if I throw a stick?" said Hak wearily to Yoon.
The handsome genius merely raised an eyebrow.
Yoon - Lie on the lap of the person to your left for the rest of the game.
"If you'll excuse me, Yona," said Yoon, resting his head on Yona's lap without hesitation.
Hak and Kija appeared thunderstruck. Jae Ha pumped his eyebrows at them and had to dodge the two boots that were sent flying at him.
Shin Ah – Hop around the group piggybacking someone.
"Yona, you're up," said Yoon automatically.
"Again?" With a sigh, Yona clambered onto Shin Ah's back, but she didn't complaint after that. Ao had scampered her way up onto Shin Ah's head, squealing with pleasure as she bounced up and down, and Yona laughed at the little critter's delight.
"Had fun, little one?" asked Hak, when the ride was over. Yona huffed at him, but before she could think of a retort, Jae Ha had already begun reading out his script.
Jae Ha - Has anyone ever tried to seduce you seriously? Describe the experience.
"Sadly, no. But there have been plenty of instances when I did the seducing –"
"OK, OK. We've heard enough," interrupted Hak.
Hak - Wear your clothes backwards for the rest of the game
"HA HA HA HA!" roared Jae Ha. "I daresay this dare was made for you, Hak!"
Hak looked as though he wanted to tear up the slip and thrust the pieces down the Green Dragon's throat.
Yona was highly amused. "You can't worm your way out of this one, Hak," she told him playfully.
Two painful minutes later, the tent flap was thrown aside. Out strode Hak with an expression of disgust, his dark blue robe and overcoat back to front.
Jae Ha's cheeks were puffed up in an effort to hold back his laughter.
"Looking good, Hak!" he said, flashing a thumbs-up sign.
"If you want your eyes to stay in their sockets, I suggest you shut up," growled Hak, flumping down angrily.
Kija - Say "in bed" after every sentence for the rest of the game
Kija buried his face in his hands. Jae Ha clapped him consolingly on the back.
"No need to worry, old fella. You might not be alone in this for long."
Kija shot him a look from between his fingers, and Jae Ha stopped comforting him at once.
Yona - Pretend to be hopelessly in love with the person on your left for the rest of the game
Yona's jaw dropped. Hak grinned slyly.
"Well, well. It's the Princess's first real challenge," he said with relish.
Quickly, Yona thought back to the only time she had been in love. It brought back painful memories… she remembered persistently staying on the person's shadow, sharing her sweets with him, laughing and smiling at every thing he said, and even flirting a little. She imagined doing any of those things with Hak, and thought she might as well shoot herself dead.
Hak was clearly enjoying himself. "What's wrong, Princess?" he said. "This isn't your first time, is it? Acting in love, that is."
Yona frowned. That's right. She and Hak had pretended to be 'in love' to drive away that irksome Fire Tribe prince three years ago.
"Oh? What incident was that?" asked Jae Ha with interest.
"None of your business Droopy Eyes," smirked Hak.
"I believe you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, Hak. Your clothes are on backwards."
"Thunder Beast," warned Yoon, as Hak made to toss his spear at Jae Ha. "Sorry Yona, but it's either this or the penalty."
The young genius did look a bit sorry for her. Kija was champing his teeth.
"Fine," said Yona, somewhat morosely. She took Hak's hand and rested her head on his shoulder. Kija made a choking noise. Zeno was bug-eyed. Hak's expression became blank; he hadn't expected the Princess to obey so quickly.
There was a long and awkward silence. And then –
"Zeno, it's your turn now," reminded Yoon, when no one made a move.
Zeno - Say "in bed" after every sentence for the rest of the game
A grin spread across Zeno's face. He declared, "White Dragon, you're no longer alone! In bed."
"See, Kija? Told you," laughed Jae Ha.
Kija groaned as Hak muttered, "And here we go."
Yoon - Drink a mystery brew concocted by the rest of the group. Make sure there is nothing harmful or dangerous in the concoction, and set a reasonable limit of sips the person must take to complete the dare.
"I'm in charge of this expedition!" declared a delighted Jae Ha, leaping to his feet. But –
"Just so you know," said Yoon very loudly and clearly, "if I find this brew even the least bit disagreeable, I'll serve everyone except Yona bugs and mountain grass for the rest of the trip."
Jae Ha froze in the midst of gathering a pot and a bag of salt.
"Of course we won't be putting anything weird!" he said, with a rather high laugh. "Right, guys? We wouldn't, would we?"
"You were all for it," said Hak darkly.
"Come on, Hak! Don't be like that. Help me out over here."
In the end, they ended up making a normal vegetable stew. The guys held their breaths as Yoon sampled the food, brows puckered.
"It's passable," said the handsome genius dismissively, much to the others' relief.
Shin Ah - Has anyone ever tried to seduce you seriously? Describe the experience.
Shin Ah shook his head as Jae Ha's head dipped in disappointment.
"Man! Did you have a deal with lady luck or something, Shin Ah?"
Jae Ha - What is the most romantically heart-throbbing moment of your life?
"The moment I set eyes on my beautiful master," grinned the Green Dragon.
"Hey," warned Kija, and then he blanched as he remembered his dare. "In bed!" he added hastily.
Hak - Do 20 push-ups (200 if you're kija or jae ha)
Yona jerked away from Hak as though his shoulder had caught fire, her expression betraying her relief.
Chuckling, Hak executed the dare. Upon returning to his spot, he eyed Yona critically.
"What's wrong, Princess? You've just seen the love of your life accomplish a difficult feat. Shouldn't you be looking happier about it?"
Yona scowled. "It wasn't difficult for you to begin –" She stopped herself in time. Very reluctantly, the Princess forced a smile and said through gritted teeth, "My, Hak! You're so strong! I simply adore that strength of yours!"
Hak's shoulders shook with laughter. Swelling with indignity, Yona glared at him, her face bright red.
When his laughter was spent, Hak grinned at Yona and patted his shoulder.
"You know what to do, Princess," he drawled.
Yona suppressed the urge to clobber him. Grudgingly, she laid her head back on his shoulder, missing the soft smile that touched her childhood friend's lips as she did.
Kija - Sit on the lap of the person to your left for the rest of the game.
"Man, what a pain," sighed Yoon, as a dejected Kija settled himself on the genius's lap. Kija was heavier than he looked; Yoon was getting pins and needles.
"Don't hesitate to tell us if it gets uncomfortable, Yoon," said Yona. They made an odd sight, with Kija perched on Yoon's legs, Yoon's head resting on Yona's lap, and the Princess's head on Hak's shoulder.
Zeno laughed and clapped his hands together. "You look bizarre – in bed!"
"I feel excluded," said Jae Ha huffily, pretending to pout.
"You're welcome to put your head on my shoulder, Droopy Eyes," said Hak, with an ominous smile.
Jae Ha rejected his offer at once, waving an airy hand.
"No thank you. I have a feeling decapitation will come in somewhere."
Yona - Have you ever stolen anything? Describe.
"Never," said Yona firmly. She had been a Princess, after all, and every whim of hers had been taken care of. Her father had seen to that.
"That's hard to believe," said Hak flippantly.
Yona rounded on her childhood friend. "Oh? Is that so?"
"Yeah, Yona, don't you know?" said Jae Ha passionately. "You succeeded in stealing someone's heart a long time ago – "
Hak seized the front of Jae Ha's robes. "Want to see an actual heart being robbed?"
"Oh don't, Hak! Not in front of everyone!" exclaimed Jae Ha, pretending to swoon.
Infuriated, Hak sank his fist into the Green Dragon's face.
"Jae Ha must be an 'M'," remarked Yoon, to which an uncomprehending Shin Ah cocked his head.
Zeno - Get someone to blindfold you and spin you around five times. You have to find your way back to your spot without guidance
"Ha ha ha!" Zeno seemed tickled by the idea of being blindfolded and spun around like a human top. He continued to laugh even as Yoon bound a cloth over his eyes and turned him around five times. In fact, he didn't stop until he had stumbled his way back to his spot, after weaving around the place with his arms stretched out like a drunken zombie.
"Somehow, Zeno's actions are more disturbing than the dare itself," commented Jae Ha, as Zeno fell onto the ground, still shaking with laughter, the others giving him a wide berth.
Yoon – Carry someone princess style and walk around the group five times.
''I was eyeing that,'' lamented Jae Ha.
''You would,'' said Hak darkly.
''Feeling fashionable at the moment, Hak?''
''Hak,'' warned Yona, as the Thunder Beast went for his spear again. She let Yoon pick her up, the handsome genius tottering under her load.
"My arms," he groaned. He heaved the Princess around the group, almost tripping as he did so. "My arms." And then on the fourth round, he really did trip – right on top of Kija. Both genius and Princess tumbled, knocking the breath out of the White Dragon. Hak and Jae Ha had to lift them off of him before he axphyxiated.
"Yoon, the next time you get that dare, do me a favour and forfeit in bed," gasped Kija, as soon as he had enough breath for speech.
"Forfeit instead, OK?" prompted Zeno. "Otherwise you might really kill someone. In bed."
"I got it!" said Yoon hotly.
Shin Ah - Has anyone other than your family seen you completely naked? Describe.
Shin Ah shook his head. Jae Ha sighed dejectedly. Such R-rated questions tended to bounce off the Blue Dragon.
Jae Ha – Exchange shirts with the person on your right for the next round.
Jae Ha wrapped an arm around the Blue Dragon's shoulders."Don't look so downhearted, Shin Ah! It's fortunate we're about the same size, isn't it?"
Shin Ah shook his head, his way of saying – I'm not upset.
"Good! Now let's remove that mask of yours!" Jae Ha made to lift up the black strap.
Shin Ah leapt back at once, shaking his head more vigorously, his way of saying – Never!
"Jae Ha, just do the exchange and be done with it," said Yoon exasperatedly.
When the deed was done, Jae Ha had completely forgot about his goal to remove Shin Ah's mask – he was too preoccupied with admiring his new robe.
"Look at that! I look good in blue, don't I?" he boasted, striking a pose.
"Your old robe was blue to begin with, idiot," pointed out Hak in annoyance.
"Shin Ah, you look great!" said Yona, beaming at the Blue Dragon. Ao squeaked in agreement.
Shin Ah rubbed the back of his head, blushing.
Hak - Rub noses with three players like a dog
"Which imbecile came up with such these absurd instructions?" demanded Hak of thin air.
Yoon flicked a dustball off of his tunic. "I believe it would be someone of the Green Dragon's disposition," he said casually.
Hak scowled. "Makes sense. If I hadn't seen Yoon purchasing the slips from that merchant with my own eyes, I would have traced the source straight to Droopy Eyes."
"How mean! When would I have time to think of these ideas?"
"How should I know how that perverse mind of yours works?"
"Don't change the subject."
Ah… that's right. I've got to deal with this confounded dare. Hak scrutinised the group, eyes narrowed in concentration. Let's see… who can I choose who would be less humiliating to do it with…?
Shin Ah! Hak crooked a finger at the Blue Dragon.
''Shin Ah, come here."
Startled, Shin Ah straightened up, hands tightening on his robe. He shook his head agitatedly.
"Come on. I won't bite," said Hak impatiently.
"Shin Ah doesn't want to remove his mask," explained Yona. "Hak, why don't you choose someone else?"
"Me! Do it with me in bed!" cried Zeno, jumping up and down enthusiastically.
Hak appraised the Yellow Dragon.
"I'd sooner die," he said, without a pause.
Zeno howled. "You're terrible!"
"Hak, don't make Zeno cry," scolded Yona. "Just do it. He's not going to bite."
Hak clenched his teeth – the Princess could really drive him crazy sometimes.
"Alright!" Hak bent forward. The Yellow Dragon squealed happily and rubbed his nose against the Dark Dragon's. They drew apart almost immediately
Hak's wiped his nose distastefully. Two more to go. Who else…?
"I volunteer," said Yoon offhandedly. He knew that a million years would pass before Hak would let either Kija or Jae Ha so much as shake his hand.
Hak and Yoon rubbed noses. Now all that was left was…
"Yona." Yoon kept his eyes on Yona as he jerked his head toward Hak. It's your turn now.
Urgh… Yona bit her lip. Hak turned his gaze on her.
"You OK with it, Princess?"
Yona nodded, but her heart was drumming fast. She leant toward Hak. At the same time, he bent toward her. She swallowed. Their faces were so close. She could see his eyes, gazing into hers like deep, dark pools. He was close enough for her to feel his breath …
Yona couldn't help it. She shut her eyes.
When she opened them next, Hak had torn himself away from her. There was a strange expression on his face.
"I've changed my mind," he said. "I surrender to a forfeit."
"Eh?" Yona blinked, taken aback. "Wait, what?"
"I promised I wouldn't do this anymore," he said, smiling at her. "And I intend to keep my promises, even in a game."
How could he not, when she had been making a face like that?
Yona's mind whirled. Part of her was relieved that Hak had chosen to back out, but another part was also confused. She didn't know what to do.
"Hak," she said. He turned back to her, still with that strange look in his eyes.
In that moment, the Princess decided. Before Hak could react, she put her face forward, and their noses touched for a second, then two, and then three.
Yona withdrew, her cheeks flushed. She stared at Hak resolutely. Her childhood friend stared back, just as stunned as she had been.
Suddenly, Yona remembered where she was
"S–So! Don't go doing whatever you like next time!" she told Hak, retreating to her spot. Her face was burning like the sun.
''How about doing it with me too, Yona dear?'' requested Jae Ha earnestly.
''Sorry to break it to you, but she did it with me because I'm special,'' confided Hak with a smug smile.
''Sorry to be the bringer of bad news too, Hak, but if you're trying to set a new fashion trend, I don't think anyone's following it.''
''I'll have you this time!'' Hak grabbed his spear and leapt onto Jae Ha. An all-out fight ensued.
Yoon heaved a big sigh. ''Oh, Yona... if only you knew.''
''Eh?'' The Princess blinked, oblivious to his meaning.