When the afternoon bell rang, echoing throughout the school hallways, Korra breathed a huge sigh of relief. The school day was finally over, and she was one day closer to the end of the week.
Not accustomed to such a busy schedule, she was exhausted. Every morning, she woke up early, (sometimes even before the sun had ascended above the horizon) had breakfast, then either airbending practice or a session of meditation with Tenzin. School took up a large portion of the day, and the amount of information being constantly drilled into her mind wore at her, so that all she wanted to do was crawl home and sleep until the next morning. But it was not so – although it was only her first week, she had been assigned homework by teachers who had no sympathy for her. As if wasting away in school for hours daily wasn't enough, now she had to study during the evenings too! On some days, Tenzin would even feel extra malicious and decide to fit in another training session before dinner.
But Korra was tough, and although she was tired, she took it all in stride, though it did not stop her from complaining. Frequently. She just hoped it would get better with time.
Korra shut the door to her locker and turned to leave, only to come face to face with Mako. "Oh, hey, Mako," she greeted. "What's up?"
Hands in his pockets, he said, "So. Well. Bolin wanted to show you around town," he quickly added, "If you're not busy, that is."
Korra thought back to what she had waiting for her at home. Tenzin would probably want her to practice airbending. So far, their sessions had produced no results – she was still unable to produce even a single gust of wind – and so Tenzin was acting tougher on her than usual. Not to mention the pile of homework that was waiting to be completed...
"Nope!" she said. "Nope, I'm not busy."
"Okay. Bolin's waiting for us outside."
Bolin was excited to show Korra around Republic City, perhaps even more so than the latter herself. In between training, school, and homework, she rarely had time to unwind. She was grateful for the opportunity to blow off some steam, though she knew steam would be coming out of Tenzin's ears when she got home.
The brothers took her to the marketplace, a lively place full of dynamic characters shouting across stalls at each other in a cordial manner. Knowing that Korra's palate was largely limited to Water Tribe cuisine, Bolin insisted that she try out foods that she had never even seen before. A paper cup of leechi juice in one hand and a handful of Fire Nation fruits in the other, Korra was content, and so was her stomach. Mako munched silently on skewered turkey duck – his favorite – as Korra listened intently to Bolin's perpetual chatter about the brothers' usual haunts.
"Ooh!" Korra stopped in her tracks. She had spotted a stall specializing in Water Tribe cuisine. "Home food!"
Bolin and Mako peered curiously (and a little uncertainly) at what the stall had to offer. Everything looked like something a nauseous sea creature would vomit, if they could: slimy, colorless bits that did not look like plant nor animal. A pot filled with brown liquid sat steaming nearby. Korra's eyes brightened.
"I've tried your food," she said, "So now you have to try some of mine."
Mako turned a light shade of green as Korra handed him a bowl of the strange brown broth. There were dark pieces of some kind of meat floating in it. Mako looked at the broth suspiciously. Cautiously, he took a sip. "What is this?" he asked.
"Stewed sea prunes," Korra grinned, and Mako gagged. The woman at the stall harrumphed, looking deeply offended.
"The fried octopus is not bad, though," Bolin chewed. "Hey, it's actually pretty good. Can I have some more of this, please?"
After the woman had wrapped up some fried octopus for Bolin (all the while shooting angry looks at Mako) he paid her and the trio began walking. They wandered around the main road, exploring the shops for a while. Bolin gasped when he spotted a clock in a shop window.
"What is it?" Mako asked.
"Look at the time! I was supposed to be at Hasook's half an hour ago," Bolin panicked. "He was going to help me out with my physics report. I have to go. Like, now. Sorry, guys, see you later!" Before either Mako or Korra could say a word in response, he fled. Korra had a sneaking suspicion that he had just made up that poor excuse to put her and Mako in an awkward situation. The two exchanged glances, sighed, and continued walking.
It was indeed awkward. Mako was deathly silent, so Korra attempted to strike up a conversation. Out of all her new friends – Bolin, Hasook, Asami, and Mako – it was Mako who she found the most difficult to get through to. Bolin had been warm and welcoming towards her from the beginning. That was just the way he is. Hasook struck Korra as a little strange (though not necessarily in a bad way) and she did not know him very well, but they got along all the same. And Asami had clearly taken a liking to Korra, who admired the older girl and her straightforward ways.
But Mako...she looked at the person walking beside her, hands still stuffed in his pockets, silent as usual. She just couldn't figure him out. It was like he had put up walls around him, and they were far too high for her – or anyone, for that matter – to scale. In fact, she had a sneaking suspicion that he did not like her very much. "So, uh," she said nervously. "Are you ready for your match tomorrow?"
Mako shrugged. "I think so."
They shuffled along. Korra racked her brain, attempting to come up with something to say – anything that would break the tense silence that had blanketed them.
She did not have to. Mako stopped abruptly and said, "Let's go in here." Korra looked up and saw that they had stopped in front of a small tea shop. A sign emblazoned with the words "Republic City Teas" hung on the shop facade, directly above the door. Korra followed Mako inside, and a tiny bell rang to welcome them. Mako immediately moved towards a table in the corner by a window.
"Do you go here a lot?" Korra asked.
"Sometimes," Mako responded. "With a brother like Bolin, you need somewhere where you can escape and get some peace and quiet from his crazy antics." Korra laughed. Mako waved to a mustachioed elderly man, who had an apron tied around his waist. The man smiled widely when he saw Mako and quickly approached.
"Mako!" the man boomed. "Decided to drop by? I haven't seen you in awhile."
"I've got a match coming up, so I've been busy practicing," Mako said, giving the man a brief smile. Korra blinked, startled. She realized she had never seen Mako smile before this. It was...strange. (In a nice sort of way.) "Lukka, this is Korra. She's new in town."
"Well, it's nice to meet you, little lady!" Lukka pulled Korra into an enormous hug, knocking the breath right out of her. "Welcome to Republic City Teas."
"It's nice to meet you too," Korra grinned.
"So, what can I get you two?"
"The usual, please," Mako said. "I think one pot will do. And, uh..."
"Fruit tart?" Lukka winked knowingly. Mako smiled – again – and nodded. Lukka repeated their order, and with a small bow, he retreated into the kitchen.
"Fruit tart?" Korra questioned.
"I order it every time I visit," Mako said. "It's delicious."
Korra looked out the window. People walked by, going about their business. Most were coming home from work or school. She wasn't accustomed to living somewhere so crowded, but she absolutely loved the hustle and bustle of it all.
As if he could read her mind, Mako spoke up. "You're homesick, aren't you?"
She paused for a moment, thinking. Was she? She really hadn't thought about home much since she had left, but the Water Tribe food stall at the marketplace brought back a rush of fond memories. "A little," she admitted eventually. "I miss the cold. I miss my parents, I miss taking Naga out for a ride in the morning...I miss the food," she chuckled at Mako's nauseated expression at the mention of Water Tribe cuisine. "But I do love it here. It suits me, I think."
Mako raised an eyebrow and nodded silently, looking down at his teacup. Korra swallowed. "You don't like me, do you?" she accused him.
He glanced at her but did not give a straightforward response. Instead he asked, "What makes you think so?"
"The way you act."
"Really now," he said, looking slightly amused. "And here I was thinking I was being friendly, taking you here and all."
Korra shrugged. "Well. I don't know, I mean, I can't tell if you just act that way to everyone, or if there's something about me that bothers you..."
"Both are true," Mako stated matter-of-factly.
"Really? What is it about me that ticks you off?"
"It's not that it ticks me off," Mako said. "It's just something that's been nagging at me since the first conversation we've had. Something I've always wondered. Korra, are you related to Avatar Aang?"
Korra felt the breath being knocked out of her body. "No," she forced out, willing her voice not to falter. "Why do you ask?"
"That's interesting," Mako looked her in the eye. "I know for a fact that Avatar Aang was the last airbender in the world during his time."
"So?" Korra's heart beat rapidly.
"So," Mako continued, his gaze upon her intense. Lukka returned, bearing a tray of teacups, a pot, and two small fruit tarts. He placed the tray down on the table and left with another little bow. "Any airbender alive today would have to be a descendant of his."
Korra cursed repeatedly in her head. Struggling to keep her face as straight as possible, she looked back at him. Her cover had been blown. Tenzin was going to be pissed. She picked up the teapot and poured some spice tea into one of the cups in order to appear calm.
"Korra," he narrowed his eyes. "You're not who you say you are, are you?"
She averted his gaze. She had to resist slapping herself in the face. How could she have been so stupid? Of course somebody would have figured out the truth behind her (admittedly flimsy) excuse. She wished Bolin was here – to change the subject, to break the tension – anything. Mako was staring unblinkingly, expecting a response. Her eyes darted around the room.
And then she spotted him – Chun, the insufferable kid in her homeroom, had just walked in the shop. She let out an involuntary groan of disgust. Mako cocked an eyebrow and turned. When he saw what she was looking at, his face darkened considerably. Chun turned, hearing Korra's groan, and smirked. He began to walk towards them.
Korra saw Mako clench his teeth. His fists tightened around his teacup.
"Well, hello there," Chun drawled. "Korra, is it?" Korra gave a small nod. He neared her, studying her face. She wrinkled her nose in response. "So, what's going on here?" he asked, eyes shifting between her and Mako.
"We're just hanging out," Korra said truthfully. "Having a perfectly good time with some tea and fruit tarts before you came along."
"Now, why would you want to 'hang out' with filth like this?" Chun turned up his nose at Mako. "Come on, Korra, why don't you ditch him and come with me instead?"
Mako stood up abruptly. Chun straightened up as well and faced him. "What are you now, her boyfriend?" he challenged. "Why don't you go back to the streets where you belong?"
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Korra exclaimed angrily.
"Didn't you know? Mako here used to live on the streets," Chun teased. "Like some kind of pathetic beggar. Scratch that – he was a beggar. Still is." Mako glowered silently. Chun was clearly trying to get a rise out of him, and Mako was determined not to give him that satisfaction. Korra, on the other hand...
"You better shut your mouth, chump," she threatened. "Before I shut it for you."
Chun shook his head slowly in mock disappointment. "Really, Mako? I didn't think you'd sink this low. Call yourself a pro-bender? You're so weak," he spat. "You can't even defend yourself. A girl has to do it for you. Can you imagine? A girl!" he laughed at the hilarity of it all.
At that, Mako raised his hand to punch him right in the mouth. But he was too late. Korra beat him to it. Her arm shot out, startling him, and her fist crashed into Chun's face with a loud, satisfying crack. The other customers at the shop were watching them now with panicked expressions. Lukka stood off to the side, wringing his hands worriedly.
Chun stumbled backwards and fell flat on the floor, clutching his face.
"She may be a girl," Mako loomed over him, smirking. "But clearly, she can still pack a good punch."
Mako and Korra strodeout of the tea shop. As soon as they turned a corner, Korra burst into giggles. "That was awesome," she exclaimed in between laughs. Mako watched her, an amused expression on his face. "I'm sorry I took away the satisfaction of punching him," Korra apologized, still grinning. "Couldn't help it."
"Perfectly understandable," Mako nodded.
They paused.
Korra had stopped laughing. She could practically see the gears turning in Mako's head. She could tell he was thinking back to the conversation they were having before Chun interrupted. Mako had figured out that she had lied. Korra was uncertain what the consequences would be if he did discover her true identity as the Avatar, but she was sure she did not want to find out.
"What is it that you're hiding, Korra?" he asked. The question hung heavily in the air behind them. He stared at her more than a little suspiciously, as if attempting to figure her out. She met his expectant, waiting gaze, not knowing how to respond.
They stood in silence.