“PERSEVERENCE IS THE ESSENCE OF LIFE”

***

“Psst… Yuri, wanna sneak out with me?”

Yena proposed her idea as she see Nako and Hitomi started to doze off. They been talking for quite some time after dinner and maybe fatigueness get better of them. However, Yena is feeling energetic despite the fact that she needed to fulfill Eunbi ridiculous task in the day.

She didn’t know what is going on in her mind but she get the feeling of want to do something different with Yuri just this one time. Seeing the younger girl just keep mum for a while made Yena almost slap herself to ask the girl out.

“If you-”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

Yena hang her jaws as she cannot believe what she hear just now. Yuri just flashed her normal look at Yena, waiting for the older girl to make a move out from their room. After a few seconds, Yena snapped back into reality, wearing her most widest grin while dragging Yuri slowly from their bed and creeping out from their room.

“Wait, let’s wear this black mask first. People won’t recognize us easily with the dim light, right?”

Yena hold a mask and give it to Yuri. She manage to get the mask from the equipment store which held a promotion of Buy 1 Free 1 at the moment for chosen equipment only. At first, Yena herself didn’t know why she bought that thing as it looks silly on her but now, she gratefully thanked her past self for the buy.

Yena quickly wear the mask while tying up her hair into ponytail before helping Yuri to equip it before holding the shorter girl hand and they walking out confidently from the room.

Yena & Yuri:

“Just stick with me, okay? We will not doing anything dangerous or bad. Believe me.”

Yena whispered at the younger girl ear which made her feels ticklish. She nodded silently, fully trusting the taller girl to guide her and spending their time together. They tightened their grip and sneakily passing through Eunbi room and proceeded to descend the stairs.

There are still some customers having a late dinner and chit-chatting among themselves and Mama Ann is busy at the kitchen. Yena feels so blessed as her prompt date is progressing smoothly. They both exited their inn and strolling through the streets. Cold breeze greeted them and Yena can sense Yuri shivered a little.

“Here, take my coat.”

Yena offered Yuri to bundle up as she smiled reassuringly. The younger tried to politely reject the extra cloth as Yena herself is wearing light clothes upon her body.

“Take it, I insist. I already drank a Hot Drink to let me be warm but I just have one of it so I cannot share the drink with you. So, please take this.”

Yena didn’t waste any time and wraped the girl with her coat. She is fully satisfied as she can see Yuri is no longer quivering like earlier. They continued their walk towards a flower field on a hill within the village.

“Whoa! So pretty~”

Yuri exclaimed as she can see countless star shining brightly on the dark sky. Pleasant scent of flowers entered her nose and sbe somehow feels relaxed as if she there is an aromatherapy candle around her.

“You like it?”

Yena steal a glance at the mesmerized girl as her face lit with excitement. She somehow being thankful to Chaewon which share location of this place. People rarely come here as it is quite isolated from other place but the view is worth their journey to travel here.

“You think tomorrow extermination will be good?”

Yuri suddenly threw her question which made Yena surprise but calmly replied,

“Sure. We have strong adventurers coming from all over Wizland to vanquish them. I do hope everyone will be safe after this mission. Why?”

She is getting curious about Yuri sudden mood change as she can detect some sadness in her voice.

“I think that I am nothing but a burden so far for our group. I am not fast like Nako, cannot be as helpful as Yujin and didn't have ability to heal like Minjoo and Hitomi. Why would you all stick with me instead if leaving me?”

Yena turned her head with a face filled with agony. She tried to hide her disappointment but even with the help of Poker Face skill, she still cannot conceal it. Yuri gulped and can felt a lump in when Yena suddenly cupped her face.

“Why would you think like that, huh? How in the world you ever get that idea of you being useless and dead weight to the team? Is that how you view us? Just dragging you around just because we come here together?”

At that time, not only one heart thumping while listening to Yena question but also another two person who curiously peeking their action on a tree nearby.

Witness one:

“Are Yena finally confessing? Will this be a 18 rated scene?”

Wonyoung trying not to peek but curiosity get better of her at the moment. At her side, another girl is widening her eyes just to get a better view of those couple who oblivious that they have an additional spectator of their dates.

Witness 2:

“Such confident move, Yena. If I don’t have enhance hearing, I might spread the rumor of you harassing Yuri faster than you can quack.”

Sakura whispered. Both her and Wonyoung just chuckled as they never knew that such incident would occur in the middle of the night and they never regret the decision of tailing those two sneaking out earlier.

***

A little bit earlier…

“Yujin, wake up. Can you accompany me to the toilet?”

Wonyoung tried her best to get the puppy up but she give her no response. She silently want to ask either Chaewon or Minjoo too but the nature call just made her decide to went out alone. Just as she stepped outside of her bedroom, she noticed a certain cherry blossom peeking into something.

She want to ask her but her bladder says she got no time to waste and thus, Wonyoung just try to walk passed by the cherry blossom. However, Sakura pulled her back and asked her to hide. Wonyoung grimace as she urgently need to use the loo and told Sakura she want to use the toilet badly.

Noticing the giant baby have an emergency nature call, Sakura hold her up and dashed towards the communal in the speed of light. Wonyoung safely finished her call and exited the toilet and asked Sakura what kind of business she had in the middle of the night.

Sakura flashed her mischievous grin at Wonyoung.

“Say, Wonyoung. Do you have some energy left to watch a drama?”

Feeling curious of what Sakura says, Wonyoung nodded her head and together, they stalked a couple whom walking hand in hand into some back alley before walking off road. She started wondering why would the couple doing such irrelevant things of walking too far without any interesting things around.

Turned out, they are heading towards a small hill filled with flowers which spread a nice smell to its surrounding. Wonyoung cannot believe her eyes as she can clearly observed beautiful Wizland sky filled with stars.

“Yena really know a good date spot. I envy Yuri now.”

Sakura blurted out which earned a chuckle from Wonyoung. They both decided to climb a tree as hiding inside a bush will just get them mosquito bite and also have possibilities of being ambushed by monsters.

Wonyoung get help from Sakura to climb the tree and she take no time to familiarize herself on the branch. They both silently stay there and Wonyoung luckily obtained Night Vision as she tried hard to stalk Yena and Yuri. They both help each other by sharing each view and hearing. They gasped as Yena suddenly cupped Yuri face and bring her face near the younger one.

“Wow, this drama is getting hotter.”

Sudden intrusion of third voice making them startled and lose balance from the branch. Luckily, Wonyoung managed to grab Sakura while hugging the tree bark with her long hands as she tried to identify the source of the voice. They both looked at the branch beside them and surprised to see Hyewon smiling innocently while eating popcorn. Chaeyeon just chuckled as she is entertained seeing Sakura who almost blew their cover while stalking the couple at the field.

“What the hell? How come you both come here too?”

Sakura cursed them via their party communication which only consist of four of them that is created just now. Hyewon just shrugged and continue eating her popcorn without even bothering to explain.

Chaeyeon said that she noticed Sakura going out of the room and worried, thus she want to accompany her. Turned out, Hyewon also awake at the moment and decide to join Chaeyeon. However, they both also noticed Yena and Yuri sneaking out while Sakura is peeking at the corridor which made Hyewon suggest the idea to follow them too.

Chaeyeon refused at first but Hyewon succeed to convince her that they will need some supervision from both of them as Sakura is quite clumsy herself and need some assistance from reliable people. They are shocked as suddenly Wonyoung appeared and after some whispering with Sakura, they both disappear in a blink of an eye.

Chaeyeon and Hyewon quickly followed them and thanks to Maki, Chaeyeon obtained Erase Presence skill which made their little following activity a bit better. They climb a tree so that their view wouldn’t be obstructed but it seems Sakura and Wonyoung also thought about the same thing. As they all want to observe Yena and Yuri moment together, Chaeyeon and Hyewon decided to stay silent and watch peacefully, until Hyewon suddenly startled the other two spectator with her random comment.

Back to the present

“Eunbi will flip if she found out six of us are actually sneaking out for some amusement.”

Wonyoung commented which made the other three giggle.

“She will kill us three for sure as we are influencing our youngest to sneak out.”

Sakura laughed as they continued watching Yena and Yuri.

***

“Y-Yena, your face is too near.”

Yuri blushed as she can feel Yena breath grazed her skin but the older wouldn’t budge even an inch. She seems determined to know reasons of Yuri thinking lowly of herself.

“Aren’t you the one helping us get rid of goblin blood from earlier? Who is the person that clean the blood too? Thanks to who we can even enter Commencer without having to brawl with the guards?”

Yena questioned Yuri while grabbing the girl’s shoulder. She unconsciously shaking the girl, desperate to hear an answer but turned out Yuri starting to sob instead. Yena sighed as she feels bad for her crude action and wipe flowing tears from Yuri cheek with her thumbs. She pulled the younger into a hug which shocked Yuri and the stalkers.

“Damn, it is accelerating so fast.”

“Never know this side of Yena.”

“This is kind of fluff we need nowadays.”

“Sho