Everyone watched as the two women got into a staring contest. One has a sweet smile on her lips, while one has a passive expression on her face. You could feel the tension and the air getting colder as time goes by. A silence occurred between them, that's until Korra broke it.
"Okay...?" Korra stood there awkwardly, "Hey, Tenzin! Didn't I need to go to the city for the press conference?"
Tenzin looked at the teen startled, "Uh, yes?" the Airbending Master said uncertainly as he knew the press conference would not start until 2 in the afternoon, and currently, it was still just 11 in the morning, too early for them to go to the city. Korra looked at Tenzin pointedly and her eyes went to the two women. Then understanding dawned on Tenzin from the messages that the teenager conveyed to him. "Yes. Actually, I think we need to go now."
"Yes, yes," Korra nodded.
Pema looked at her husband confusingly, "Wait. Isn't the press conference starting at 2?"
Tenzin, an honest person and not used to lying, fidget under his wife's gaze, "Uh, well, yes, but... Uh..."
Korra winced at the attempt of Tenzin to lie. That's why she decided to rescue the man's poor soul, "I need to be there earlier 'cause I need to be introduced to the council first. Plus, I need to prepare for my speech, right Tenzin?"
"That's right!" Tenzin said in a high-pitched tone.
"Can't you go there after lunch?" Pema furrowed her brows.
"I'm sorry, Pema, but we can't. It's a lunch meeting with the council," Korra answered.
Pema squinted her eyes, nonetheless nodded. She turned to the firebender who was now picking up her bag which she threw before she went sparring with her former student, "And what about her? You don't expect that it will go well if you decide to leave her here, don't you?"
Yuze looked at her then she rolled her eyes and huffed before she continued what she was doing. Pema looked at her surprised but then she scowled, Disrespectful, brat!
"Actually, she will go with us," Korra responded.
Yuze halted and looked at her former student with a raised brow, "Me? Why would I need to go there with you? I have nothing to do with those imbecile politicians," then she looked apologetically at the airbending master who's also a part of the council, "Sorry, Tenzin."
Tenzin waved dismissively, "It's alright."
"You will be there as my former teacher," Korra said, "And we need to catch up."
"Catch-up? We just met two days ago," Yuze furrowed as she put a hand on her waist while the other one was holding her bag.
"Please..." Korra pleaded as she glanced at Pema and then back to Yuze which didn't go unnoticed by the latter.
Yuze raised a brow So this is what it's all about? "Fine."
"Great!" Korra exclaimed, "Just give me a second."
The moment Korra disappeared from their sight, Yuze shook her head, turned around, and almost jumped out of shock.
"Oh, spirits, you all almost gave me a heart attack!" Yuze exclaimed while her hand was in her chest, looking at the three kids in front of her who were staring at her with wide eyes, "Uh... Hello?"
"Hello! I'm Ikki!" the girl who looks like the second oldest among the three waved at her enthusiastically.
"Hi, I'm Jinora," the oldest great much toned down than her younger sister.
"Hello, beautiful lady," the youngest greeted as he walked closer to the firebender, took her hand, and kissed it, "I'm Meelo," he winked.
"Meelo!" Tenzin chastised from afar while Yuze chuckled and looked down at the young kid amusedly.
"Hello, gentleman. You're a quiet a charmer, aren't you?" Yuze raised a brow with a smirk on her face as she patted the kid's head.
Meelo blushed but grinned up to her. That's when he let out a grunt as he was pushed aside by his older sister, Ikki.
"My dad said Lord Zuko and Fire Lord Izumi trained you. How are they as mentors? Are you close to the Fire Lord's children? And how did you get blue fire? And why you didn't use your bending until Korra threw a fire to you and bound your feet with earth? And are you and my mother hate each other 'cause you two give each other—"
"Woah, woah! Hold down your horses, young lady. I can't understand you and I can't answer all of your questions with how fast you are talking," Yuze said as she put her hands up in the air.
"Sorry," Ikki smiled sheepishly.
Yuze just smiled down at her, "It's okay, kid. How about you ask me what you are most curious about?"
"Do you and my mother don't get along?" Ikki asked tilting her head to the side.
"Well..." Yuze glanced at the young girl's mother who was looking at her with narrowed eyes and arms crossed, "...Yes?"
"Why?" Ikki asked again.
"Uh..." Yuze rubbed the back of her neck, contemplating if she'd give the girl her answer because, to be honest, she, herself didn't know the answer to that. Well, she knew but she doesn't know how she will tell that to the young girl. Fortunately, that's when Korra came.
"Alright! Let's go!" Korra stated as she walked towards her former teacher.
Yuze looked back again to Ikki, "I'm sorry, kid. Maybe next time I'll answer your question."
Ikki looked disappointed, "Are we going to see you again?"
Yuze shrugged, "I don't know about that."
"Aren't you just got here?" Jinora butted in.
"Yes, I am."
"Did you have already a place to stay?" Jinora asked again.
"Actually, I still don't have a place to stay."
"How about here? You can stay here on the island for a while?" Jinora suggested, because honestly there's something to the firebender that draws her in. She could feel something about the firebending master, it was almost similar to the way she felt to Korra but also different.
The three kids look at her with hope in their eyes.
"I— Uh... I don't know about that. You must ask your parent's permission first before—"
The three kids turned to their parents, "Mom, Dad, please..."
Tenzin looked at his wife who was now scowling but even Pema's dislike for the younger woman can't beat her love for her children, "Fine. She can stay on the island."
"Yey!" the two youngest shouted out of joy while the oldest simply grinned.
"Let's go, Tenzin, Sifu! We'll be late to the meeting!" Korra shouted who was now in front of Oogi.
Yuze looked at her former student and then to the kids, "Well, I guess I'll see you then?"
"See you later, Yuze!" the kids responded as the firebending master started walking. Yuze looked over her shoulder and gave the airbending kids a salute.
The moment they were in the air, Yuze leaned her back at the saddle and let out a chuckle, "You're children are something, Tenzin. The two youngest must be quite a handful. You must be glad that the oldest is nothing like her siblings."
"Yeah, I know," Tenzin let out a tired sigh, though he smiled fondly, "But I love them."
Yuze smiled sadly as she looked at the scenery, "I wonder how it felt to be loved by your parents."
Tenzin glanced at the firebender while Korra looked at her sympathetically. They knew that Yuze was an orphan and grew up in an orphanage after her adoptive mother died in sickness at the age of 7. Though she's an orphan, the former and current Fire Lord still took her as their student and became an honorary member of their family. But still, they knew the firebender was longing for the love of her biological parents.
"Why are you really here in the city, Yuze?" Tenzin asked the firebender.
Yuze stared at the city below as she subconsciously traced her embroidered name on her handkerchief which originally was a blanket when she was given to her adoptive mother by her biological mother.
"I'm here to find my parents," Yuze answered, "Someone told me that my biological mother is in here the city. I— I need to ask her the questions I long to have answered. I need to know why they have given me away." I need to know if I am wanted or have been ever loved.
There was silence for a moment before Tenzin once again spoke, "I'm surprised you get along with my children."
"Me too," Yuze chuckled, "I thought I would panic once I met them, but it didn't happen. Oddly enough, I even felt calm and relaxed in their presence."
"I think you are starting to heal," Tenzin turned his head and smiled at her.
Yuze smiled as she looked at her former student who was now looking down at the city, "I guess, I am."
Tenzin saw this but didn't give a comment about this. He knew Korra had the greatest contribution to the firebender's recovery. He remembered when that accident happened, where she got the nickname White Empress, she's been terrified near any soldiers, guards, or women who are a mother, or children ever since. Even to Fire Lord Izumi who's her pseudo mother. She refused to be near her and if they were in the same room she would always be 5 meters away from her. But now he can see that the old Yuze who loves to be near children is slowly coming back. Though he knew that fear would always be there and the memories would never fade, which is understandable with what the firebender had been through, he knew someday the young woman would heal and have peace with the incident.
"Speaking of Tenzin's children," Korra spoke as she turned to her former teacher, "Ikki asked you the question I'm most curious about," Yuze raised a brow as Korra leaned closer and whispered, "Why do you and Pema hate each other?"
Yuze crossed her arms and scoffed, "I don't know about that woman but I don't hate her nor do I like her," Korra gave her a confused look which Yuze waved dismissively, "It's complicated."
"She doesn't like Pema because she read in a newspaper when she was ten that my wife stole me from my ex-lover," Tenzin said nonchalantly.
Yuze huffed, "Well didn't she?"
"How many times do I have to tell you that she didn't steal me from her," Tenzin rolled his eyes even though he knew the firebender would not see them, "Besides, my ex and I have been drifting apart long ago before Pema happened."
"Still, you broke the poor woman's heart," Yuze sighed sympathetically then she spoke with heat behind them, "Tsk, men like you need to disappear in this world. You broke other people's hearts just for your own sake. And women like Pema need to disappear too in this world."
"Yuze," Tenzin said tiredly.
"What? Who is she to proclaim her love to you while you two were still together? She can't wait for the two of you to break up before she intervenes? The gal even has the guts to do that despite who your ex-girlfriend is and the reputation she holds."
"Wait..." Korra butted it, "Tenzin has an ex?"
"Why do you assume he didn't have?" Yuze raised an eyebrow.
"Well... He doesn't look like one and I thought he only had loved one person, which is Pema..." Korra trailed off, "Now, I'm curious. Who is his ex?"
Tenzin groaned from the front.
"You have already met her," Yuze smirked at the young Avatar's confused look, "And I'll let you find out who is she. The only clue I can give you is that she is a cranky, grumpy woman."
Korra raised an eyebrow and thought of all of the women she had met since she got in the city, but she had no one person in her mind. The young avatar shook her head and decided to think about it later on as they descended in front of a diner.
Yuze looked at Korra, confused, as the latter was preparing to take off, "I thought you were just lying about the lunch meeting with the council."
"Lunch meeting with the council, yes. Having lunch, no," Korra smirked as she jumped down from Oogi. The firebender just shook her head before she too jumped out of Oogi.
Yuze looked at the interior design of the diner. It's just a simple small building made up of wood, though on it engraved the symbol of the four nations. Then she looked up at the diner's name, "Héxié."
Yuze frowned, Why does the name sound familiar?
The firebender stared at it for a few seconds before she shrugged it off and ran to catch up with Korra and Tenzin.
They were about to enter the diner when the door suddenly opened and out of it exited three people dressed in police uniforms.
The man in the front who looks the same age as Tenzin halted, making the two younger officers following him stop too.
Meanwhile, Tenzin also halted and looked at the man with an impassive face.
"Councilman Tenzin," the man greeted with a nod of his head.
"Lieutenant Jin," Tenzin greeted the man named Jin with a bow. Then they stared into each other's eyes.
'Hmmm... These two have history, I could feel it,' Yuze thought as she sensed the tension in the air between the two men.
Then Jin broke the staring contest and looked at Korra, "Avatar." Korra simply smiled as she didn't know the man. Then the Lieutenant's gaze turned to Yuze and the latter could see the recognition in his eyes. The firebender frowned when she saw how he looked at her. It's like the man knows something about her.
Lieutenant Jin nodded his head to Yuze before he returned his eyes to Tenzin once again, "See you around, Councilman Tenzin."
The Airbending Master just nodded and stepped aside to make way for the police officers. They followed them with their eyes until they couldn't see them anymore.
That's when Korra spoke, "Who's that? Why does it feel like you two have a history? I could feel it in the air."
"He is just... an acquaintance."
Wait. Lieutenant Jin. Acquaintance. The tension between them.
Then realization struck down to Yuze, "Aha! He's the one who got involved with you and your ex-girlfriend in a love triangle!"
Tenzin's head whipped his head towards Yuze to see her smiling smugly, "What— Where— How did you know that?"
"I once stumbled on this old newspaper when I visited my adoptive mother's house, where you, him, and your ex were the headline," Yuze then smirked, "So you two don't still get along even though it was so long ago and your relationship with your ex has long ended, huh?"
Tenzin cleared his throat and fixed his robe, "We get along just fine."
"That's not how I see it," Yuze singsong, "If I didn't know better, I might assume you're still harboring feelings for your ex."
Tenzin glared at the young woman, "Yuze, you shouldn't say things like that in public. People might hear it and misunderstand it."
"Yeah, yeah," Yuze said then she smirked once again, "But I wonder why you didn't deny what I just said," she shook her head as she started walking inside the diner, "That's wrong, brother."
Tenzin groaned out of exasperation making the Firebending Master laugh.
"Who is really Tenzin's ex?" Korra asked when she caught up with her.
Yuze glanced at her with a smirk, "You'll find out soon."
"Why can't you just make it easier for me and tell me who," Korra whined.
"Well, where's the fun in that?" Yuze laugh.