The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 92: Jealousy

Her expression betrayed nothing, but her chest was heaving and as her eyes locked on him through his mask, he had a gut feeling as to what it was.

Stepping closer to her, he slowly pushed his mask up, golden orbs wide and worried. "... Calista?"

Her eyes fluttered closed with that simple murmur, wondering how it managed to sound so tender when he spoke it into existence and she sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry..." She mumbled dejectedly. "I didn't mean to take you away like that."

The prominent red on his cheeks told her of his embarrassment and she looked away, unable to bear the consequences of her actions. He would for sure want nothing to do with her now. No one wanted someone who was clingy, insecure or annoying by their side, and she was pretty sure she was being all of the above at the moment.

Shin-ah cradled her jaw, urging her to face him as he inclined his head. His gaze was soft and searching and she found herself entranced, incapable of tearing away.

"Calista..." He said quietly, evenly. "Were you... jealous...?"

He recognized it well, the event having been very recent. Jae-ha and even Kija had a habit of looking at her when they were at the beach due to the revealing nature of her swim clothes and he was startled by how much he didn't want them to look at her like that.

The scoff answered his question quite well, accompanied by several, half-made up excuses that were never finished and she threw her hands up in frustration.

"Yes!! I was jealous, okay?!" Calista frowned deeply, her bottom lip pushing out slightly in the most adorable pout he'd ever seen. "I didn't appreciate them trying to take off your mask, or keeping making up reasons why they needed to be so close to you!! It was obvious that it wasn't okay with you!! Not to mention that..."

He tilted his head when her voice trailed off, the silence somehow sounding guilty. He encouraged her to finish her sentence, but she shook her head furiously, ashamed of the thought that crossed her mind.

"...What?" Shin-ah prompted.

That you're mine.

"Nothing." Calista replied quickly.

I'm not good enough for him. 

She tried to look at anything beside him, but was forced to meet his questioning gaze when he circled his arms around her, embracing her tightly.

"Tell me," He begged and she felt her resolve breaking at his unwavering request. "Please."

I can do this. He's never tried to hurt me. I can open up to him.

Gulping nervously, her silver eyes darted away from his timidly, pressing her hands to her chest in a makeshift shield as if to protect her heart as she voiced her insecurities.

"They're beautiful." Calista started, blinking at the tears that had already started to bud at the corner of her eyes. "And elegant. Everything a girl should be."

Shin-ah didn't understand what she was trying to get at.

But she looked down. Her knuckles were scarred from her time as a fighter, body littered with marks inflicted by others to cause pain and calloused. She was far from what a girl should be.

"I would understand if you wanted to be with someone who was more like them." Calista swallowed thickly, clearing her throat a couple of times to maintain her composure and pushed on. "I will go back and apologize, then leave so you can talk to them. I shouldn't have interfered like that— Oof! Wha— Shin-ah?! Mmph!"