Chapter XII: Reminiscing

"We meet again father and mother."

The two paid their respects to the important persons in life of the two. Hoya was really close with Sari's parents, the leaders of the clan. And also to their beloved master.

"I really miss the old days, Sari." Hoya admitted after praying to the dead. 

"Same here, even though those days were harsh and painful. It was really worthwhile." Sari smiled in nostalgia.

"It was really fun." She added.

Hoya glanced at her and saw her eyes looking above wherein the clouds were dark and gloomy. Her eyes expressed bittersweetness.

"Do you remember the time where we attempted to sneak out from training but your dad caught us?" Hoya started reminiscing, he stifled a laughter.

"Yeah, you got caught and I got away, then ran as fast as I could." She chuckled. "Wow, I was a better runner than you are."

"Ugh, why do I have to remind that?" Hoya scratched his head in embarassment.

"When you got caught by my dad, he punished you to stand on your foot under a hot scorching sun. For three hours!!" She exclaimed and snickered.

"Hey! But when you got back your dad punished you to read history books for a week. You know you hate history."

"Tell me about it, I think that's even worse than standing on a hot noon day." She grimly thought.

"That's why your dad decided to give you that as a punishment. We know you very well, couz." He grinned.

"Yeah, mom, dad and you." She trailed, "And now, just you."

The two paused for a while in reminiscing their days as both of them leaned and sat under a huge old tree.

Still equipped in a suit of armor with their katanas on their side. The only memento left by their families.

Then Hoya thought of a funny memory from her childhood with Sari.

"You know, I remember that one time where some guys in the clan are trying to hit on you." He crossed his arms at the back of his head.

"But you knocked them out for me one by one. At that time, I don't know that they were hitting on me." She continued. "But you seem to know I was annoyed by them."

"Your dad asked me to protect you. It seems he doesn't want you around by some other guys in the clan."

Then Sari glanced at Hoya and stared hard at him. Hoya moved his head away from Sari when she got closer to him.

"W-what?" Hoya stammered.

"But you're a guy too." She continued staring at Hoya through his eyes.

He gulped discreetly and turned his head away from her.

"Your dad trusts me completely and you did too." He proved as he based on their childhood memory.

"Yeah, I can't argue with that." She moved away from him and cracked a goofy smile.

"You are the only person in my age I can trust too." She admitted.

"Same here." He agreed. "The guys in our clan are way too competitive and boastful"

"Well, the girls in our clan are way too snobbish which is unusual in becoming a samurai." She sighed.

"And in addition to that, those girls ogles at you way too much." She added.

"H-huh? Really?" He surprisingly said.

"And I thought I'm the only oblivious person here." She smiled bitterly and he saw that.

He began to smirk, "Were you jealous?"

She instantly faced him, "No, I'm not."

"Why are you so defensive?" His smirk grew wider.

"What are you talking about?"

"Why don't you answer my question?"

"Why do I need to?"

"You're avoiding my question. Admit it, you were jealous." He poked Sari's cheek.

"If that's what you think, whatever." She sighed, "I don't want to argue anymore."

"That's really you." He won this time and he felt good about it.

Then silence lingered for a while again in the air as they glanced at the sky, where the clouds appeared to have silver linings.

"I miss Master Yunho." She blurted out. "When dad became busy, he started teaching us and he is way better."

"He is pretty cool and awesome. He turns training into a fun place." He added.

"And also, he covers up for us when we did something wrong."

"He is like a big brother I never had."

"Me too. I miss him so much." She sniffed.

"Are you crying?" Hoya asked her comfortingly.

"No, I'm not." Sari tried to hold back her tears threatening to fall any second now.

"Don't worry, just let it all out." Hoya said as he moved closer to her.

Sari began to let her tears fall down. In her mind, she blames herself for being blood type AB. But in reality, she misses Master Yunho so much. She admits in herself that she is much closer to him than her parents and Hoya knows it well too.

Hoya slung his arm around Sari and patted her arm soothingly.

The one who protected and let them escape from the assassination is Master Yunho.

"If you think that it is your fault that he died, it's not." Hoya suddenly said.

"How did you know?" Sari asked as she wiped her tears away.

"I know you very well than myself, Sari." He replied that as he looked straight into her red puffy eyes.

"And besides, Master Yunho must be happy right now and in peace. He is always there to guide us. Don't you forget." He reminded her.

"Ugh, why do you have to be so... cool?" She can't seem to find the right word.

"Because that's who I am." He smiled widely and Sari elbowed him weakly. When she saw how he smiled so widely and warmly, she can't help but smile too.

Sari knew that Hoya's the only one that can make her feel for who she really is and him making her feel that everything's going to be alright. She is comfortable with him in every way. Is this happiness? Or is there another term for it?

Then the dark grey clouds that looms from the sky vanished and the sun came out with a clear blue sky.

After a long day in the cemetery, Hoya and Sari decided to eat outside before going to their part time jobs. And of course, they have to make up an excuse for being absent to school.

Hoya and Sari are now wearing there usual getups when going out. Sari in her comfy t-shirt with a hoodie and cargo pants. Her shoes, a ragged navy converse. While Hoya in his purple jacket that Sari gave as a birthday gift with a cap and wearing ripped jeans with a converse shoes just like Sari's but purple in color. Of course, eye patches on their right eyes as the clock strikes past afternoon indicating it's night time already when they got out.

"What excuse do we need to use for being absent today?" Hoya said in thought.

"How about that you suddenly got sick and I needed to be there with you?" Sari suggested.

"Do you think they will buy it?"

"I think so, it rained yesterday."

"But why does it have to be me who got sick?" He complained.

"I don't know, it just occured to me." She grinned at him as she put her hands behind her head.

"You can have it the other way around. I don't mind." Sari bumped at him playfully.

"Ok, I'll go with that." He bumped back at her.

"It seems like you don't like to be weak in the situation." She snickered.

"Shut up." He groaned.

They quickly arrived at the ramen restaurant they always go to. When they entered, they saw a familiar face at the end of the corner but it's not what Sari expected to be.

"Woohyun?" Sari muttered as she got nearer to the table and as well as Hoya.

Woohyun turned around to find her standing there with Hoya.

"Oh hi guys! How's your day?" Woohyun asked and ushered them to seat with him.

"It's fine." Hoya answered.

Then Woohyun glanced at Sari, "How about you?" Woohyun stared at her eyes for a second and noticed her eyes are puffy.

"Did you cry?" Woohyun asked worriedly and Sari flinched at the unexpected sudden follow-up question.

"No, it was allergy." She lied. Hoya didn't say anything and stood up to order food for him and Sari.

"Ok. Hey um, Sari?" Woohyun suddenly played with a table napkin in his hands nervously.

"Yes?" She looked up to him and waited for him to ask.

"Do you um have a time for for..." He fidgeted in his seat and Sari looked at him perplexed.

"For what?" She asked nicely. She knows Woohyun is a nice guy.

"Do you want to hang out with me on Friday?" He asked properly this time as he looked straight to Sari.

Sari was taken aback by his question, she just could not turn down a nice guy no matter how indifferent she is.

"Sure, I guess." She shrugged but sheis just going along with it.

Woohyun suddenly brightened up from her answer and smiled widely. All his doubts and nervousness gone away.

"R-really?" He asked again just to make sure.

"Yeah, it might be nice to go out with you for a change." She blurted out unknowingly.

Woohyun's heart suddenly goes faster, how he can't wait for this coming Friday.

"W-well, I'll be seeing you soon." He stammered but Sari chuckled.

"I see you almost everyday at school." She pointed out and Woohyun suddenly felt embarassed.

"R-right." He laughed sheepishly. "Well, I have to go now. I have something to do. See you."

He stood up and along the way, he bid goodbye to Hoya, who is now holding a tray with two bowls of ramyeon on it.

"He's going already?" Hoya asked as he set down the bowls in place and put the tray away to the other empty table.

"Yeah, he said he has something to do." Sari replied. She took the wooden chopsticks from the side of the bowl and splitted them apart.

"What did you two do while I were gone?" He asked again as he slurped down the noodles.

"He asked if I wanted to hangout with him on Friday and I said ok." She said and she wiped the soup stain from her face.

Hoya choked from the food he is eating and drank a lot of water. Sari looked at him weirdly but with worry.

"Are you ok?" She asked while chewing the food down.

"I'm ok and don't talk while you're mouth is full." He scolded but Sari gave him a look.

"Says who the one who choked." She teased and Hoya flicked her forehead.

"Ya! Aish." She glared at him and Hoya laughed evilly but deep inside a strange feeling whirred.

Why does he feel like this right now? The last time when Gikwang and Sari gone out together, it was nothing. But now, he can't seem to comprehend what he is feeling right now. Why now?

Author's note: Writer's block no more. In the next few chapters, I am gonna dedicate a chapter to Woohyun since it is his birthday. Not my bias but yeah. I'm gonna update again so just wait no more. Ahaha~ I got over my clinical depression. I prayed to God that in a snap of a finger, I'll be fine and which it did but not completely but I'm fine now. At last, really. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading and please comment below, just do not predict the outcome of the story.