The Illuminators

11. The Kiss

After their meeting, Mit-ka stayed behind to dispatch messages to his troops, while Saet-sa and Miyu-ra headed back to the camp. As the outline of tents appeared ahead, Saet-sa, walking slightly in front of Miyu-ra, adopted an unexpectedly formal and rigid tone. "Yuyu, you can't stay in my tent tonight, and that's an order," he declared unequivocally.

Surprised by the shift in Saet-sa's demeanor, Miyu-ra hurried to catch up with him, her confusion evident. "Why?" she asked, seeking clarity. But he was dismissive, a stern edge creeping into his voice. "If you're to accompany me tomorrow, you need to start following my orders, no questions asked," he responded without slowing his pace.

Feeling both unsettled and defiant at his response, Miyu-ra pressed on, her voice firm. "No, that's not fair. I need a reason!" Saet-sa stopped and turned to face her, his expression steely. "You can't share a tent with me while Mit-ka is here. It's improper, given the public perception of your engagement to him."

Frustration flared within Miyu-ra as she countered, "That engagement isn't real. It's just a public assumption," her irritation palpable.

Saet-sa's voice took on a sharp edge, his own emotions mingling with professional frustration. "If it's not real, why let this misconception continue? Why allow people to believe a lie?"

Backing into a defensive corner, Miyu-ra argued, "It doesn't matter. I won't be staying in Mit-tara. I'm going back to my hometown eventually. I'm not going to marry anyone in Mit-tara"

That rejection stung, even when he understand that it was not directed at him, it hinted that she does not feel the same attraction he felt. "And then what?" Saet-sa challenged, his tone intensifying. "What will you do once you're there? Get married, have children, continue with your family's ways?"

Caught off guard, Miyu-ra hesitated, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty and unacknowledged fears. She had never considered life beyond her obsession with returning to her mother. "I... I don't know," she admitted softly, her usual poise shaken.

Seizing the moment to press his point, Saet-sa continued, "And if you're really planning to leave Mit-ka, wouldn't it be fairer to end this charade? Let him move on?"

The weight of Saet-sa's words hit Miyu-ra hard, exposing deep-seated fears she had avoided. The realisation struck her painfully—she was terrified of losing Mit-ka, her only ally, as selfish as that was. Her voice broke as she responded, "Why do you care? You probably just want me out of your way. You think I'm a burden, don't you? Just a task you're forced to endure, an annoying duty. Why can't you leave me alone, grumpy man? You just can't stand being challenged, you always want everything to be under your control. Everyone follow exactly what you say. Well, you can't have that with me!"

"That's not true," Saet-sa replied softly, his tone shifting to one of genuine concern. "I care about you, Miyu-ra."

But Miyu-ra, overwhelmed by her revelations and the fear of being vulnerable, shook her head in disbelief. "Impossible. I kept challenging you, being difficult, make you snapped everyday."

Saet-sa interrupted her, his voice tinged with frustration and a hint of vulnerability. "Have you forgotten that I promised to help you find your family after the war? Why would I offer that if you were just a duty?"

Miyu-ra paused, her mind racing, then whispered, "Is it....is it lust? Chie-ri said men..."

"Chie-ri is a child!"Challenging her understanding of such emotions, Saet-sa asked pointedly, "What do you know of such feelings? Do you even understand what attraction feels like?"

Her silence spoke volumes. Overwhelmed and uncertain, Miyu-ra struggled to process the rapid turn of emotions.

Frustrated and possibly scared by the depth of their conversation, Saet-sa abruptly ended the discussion. "I thought as much. Now, please leave. I have work to do."