The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 121: Hak and Yona's Unofficial Date

Shin-ah ran to Calista's side to meet her halfway just as Kija practically crashed into Yona. Yoon was jovially counting the fat purse of money as Jae-ha looked over his shoulder, with a certain Thunder Beast nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Hak?!" Yona asked desperately, eyes wild.

The white dragon shared a look over her head with Calista, who simply tilted her head in mock confusion. Zeno skipped over before he got the chance to ask what that was supposed to mean.

"Little Miss, Little Miss, Zeno can take you to the Mister!!" He enthused, grabbing onto her arm and dragging her over to Hak's hiding spot.

Yona glanced back out of habit and saw her friend wave at her.

"Just relax and go have some fun." Calista winked at her and she blushed. "Enjoy!!"

They didn't go too far. Zeno took her to a blind spot she hadn't noticed before and as they rounded the corner, she glanced around frantically for her bodyguard.

"Princess."

She would recognize that low timbre anywhere. Whirling around, she exclaimed, "Hak!! What are you doing?"

Hiding behind countless baskets of fruit, sat the Thunder Beast. He was hiding from the girls who ambushed him for hugs earlier, though truth be told, it was rather a tight squeeze. In retrospect, he should've chosen another spot but he didn't want to go too far away, lest Yoon scold him for wandering where he couldn't see him.

Not to mention, he was waiting for her to come back.

"I finally got freed from pulling in customers." He sighed, exhausted. "I'm just resting a bit."

He had no idea that the girls here could be so persistent. He wished that they wouldn't, he didn't want to hurt their feelings but he only had eyes for one. Peering up at her, he stared at her closely to make sure that she was alright.

He knew his sister would keep the both of them safe to the best of her ability but it didn't hurt to check. Not to mention, he wanted to see for himself.

Yona withered under the intensity of his gaze, instinctively turning to Zeno for help when she turned full circle. Realizing he had been long gone, her cheeks colored red as she was left alone with the man she had used to only regard as her protector and childhood friend.

Now, it was something much more.

"Anyways..." Hak drew out, noticing the change in her mood but ignored it since it most likely didn't have anything to do with him. "I got a little money from Yoon. Why don't we go around browsing for a bit?"

After a second, she readily agreed, trying her best to act normal around him. It wasn't like anything had changed.

That much.

Vowing to go on as she always had to see if he even remotely returned a sliver of her feelings, she followed him. With her goal set in her mind, she reduced the urge to sway on the spot when he stayed close by her side.

Side by side, they traversed around the market. They drooled at the enticing smell of classic street food from vendors who practically invented the meaning of barbeque. Browsing through a merchant's rich selection of fabric, Yona held up a patterned bolt as Hak wrapped it around her a bit to see how it would look.

The smile on her face grew brighter and wider the more time they spent together and Hak couldn't help relaxing at the sight of her enjoying herself. Aware that the dragons, Yoon and Calista were nearby, he allowed himself to indulge in the moment.

They even went to another weapons' shop.

Hak thought long and hard about purchasing the short sword displayed on the rack, wondering if it would be a good fit for his sister. She had told him that Shin-ah was going to teach her how to fight with a sword but they hadn't started yet because they didn't have a practice sword for her to use.