Chapter Fourteen

 

You stood there rooted, as Yujin's broken expression kept on replaying in your mind.

 

"I wish I never came here"

 

That specific sentence still ringing in your head. The way her voice broke, her trembling lips. Your mind is telling you to go and run after her, to explain it to her but then how can you, if you yourself can't even understand what just happen. How are you going to make her understand if you are also lost.

 

"You asked her to come here tonight" Chaewon said slowly, snapping you out from your thoughts.

 

"I did" you simply replied, still looking at the spot where Yujin stood earlier.

 

"Why?"

 

"Because I want to," you answered, truthfully “Because I miss her so bad” you added, your voice breaking.

 

"You should’ve not come here,” you said, as you turn to face her “you're not supposed to be here, Chae"

 

Chaewon is looking intently at you, her hands clenched on her side

 

"You said you love me?" she said slowly, there’s hint of uncertainty in her voice

 

"I did," you nodded "but that doesn't mean that I am taking you back or that we're back to what we were. It doesn’t change anything." You said trying to make her see what is obvious

 

"But you kissed me" Chaewon said her brows furrowed, as she took a step closer towards you

 

"I didn't," you answered shaking your head "It was you, you kissed me but I didn't kiss you back, you know that and you should have not done it in the first place"

 

Chaewon stopped from her tracks, taken aback from what you just said. She took a deep breath and looked away from you.

 

"I see," She said with a deep sigh "You have feelings for her" she added as she brings her gaze back to you

 

You just nodded, afraid that you might say something that will hurt her. Though, looking at her eyes, you can clearly see the pain she's trying to keep to herself. Chaewon clicks her tongue and took another deep breath before speaking.

 

"Am I too late?" she asks her voice breaking

 

"I don't know" you whispered after few moments

 

You are not even sure if Chaewon heard it. She's just looking intently at you, her jaw clenched.

 

"I'm not ready to lose you, Minjoo" She said "I don't think I can bear seeing you with someone else, specially not with Yujin" she added

 

You brought your eyes back to her, puzzled on what she meant.

 

"If there's a faint chance for me to have you back,” she started “Even just a little bit, then I'll grab that chance and win you over again" She continued, her voice determined.

 

You stared at her shocked on her brave statement. Chaewon took another step forward, stopping in front of you and tip toed to kiss your right cheek.

 

"One thing I learned from Camp Jupiter, is to fight for what my heart desires" She said as she pulled back "So I'm going to fight for you Minjoo, until you take me back" she added

 

"Please don't-" you said shaking your head.

 

"Goodnight, Minjoo" Chaewon said before walking pass you, towards the direction of the Camp not even bothering to listen to what you want to say.

 

You pulled your hair out of frustration. You are damn frustrated on what's happening right now. Yujin, misunderstanding what she saw then there's Chaewon who's ready to fight for you when you don’t even want her to fight, in the first place.

 

"Why does it have to be like this?” you ask to no one in particular as you slump into ground

 

You spent hours just sitting there looking blankly at the Long Island Sound. When you finally grew tired you stood up and tiredly walk back towards the camp. You lay in your bed and told yourself to it up. You are Athena's daughter you shouldn't be shaken because of your emotions; you shouldn't let your emotion get the best of you.

 

Mind over matter.

 

***

 

The next morning you woke up and walked out of your cabin determined. Constantly repeating to yourself the plan you formulated last night. The plan to talk to Yujin and settle things with her.

 

The triple C

 

Corner. Confess. Convince

 

Corner her to talk to you.

 

Confess what you feel about her.

 

Convince her to believe in you.

 

Yeah, that is the lamest plan ever created. You are so sure your mom just slapped her forehead when she realized your plan. Even you, yourself isn't proud of it, you can't believe you created a plan full of loopholes. So much for being the strategist’s daughter.

But just like what they say desperate times calls for desperate measure. And gods know how desperate you are to talk to Yujin, right now. Walking towards cabin 10, you noticed campers walking towards the opposite direction. In few minutes breakfast will start yet most of the campers are walking towards the direction opposite of the dining pavilion. You look at them curiously but not curious enough to deter you from your plan, so you walk towards cabin 10. Hoping to talk to a certain rainbowed eye girl.

You are about to knock at the door of cabin ten when it suddenly open, throwing out a disheveled looking Winter, behind her is Yujin who looks more presentable. She has this expressionless face while looking at you.

 

"Yujin-" You started but Winter cut you off.

 

"Did you know?" Winter asks holding your shoulder.

 

You look at her with your brows furrowed, lost on what she meant. You glance at Yujin and she run her fingers through her hair, her jaw clenched.

 

"What-"

 

"No one knows, Win" Yujin said with a sigh, cutting you off once again “Maybe Mom already have an idea considering her vague words last month” she added, with a sigh.

 

She put her hand on Winter's shoulder pulling her lightly to her side. Winter slumped her shoulder, her eyes glistening with tears, she let go of your shoulder and stepped back looking down at the floor.

You looked back at Yujin and she also look dejected just like Winter. Seeing the two of them having that expression, you immediately throw your plan out of the window. You took a step closer to Winter and cupped her face.

 

"What happened, Win?" you ask looking at her face.

 

Instead of answering Winter just shook her head and hug you, you hug her back and console her though you're not even sure what made her upset early in the morning. You turned to Yujin who's just watching you and Winter, her jaw still clenched.

You gave her a questioning look, hoping that she'll get it. Yujin sighed and looked away before answering.

 

"Hyewon happened," she said.

 

You notice how she clenched her fist, you also felt Winter hugging you tighter upon hearing her sister's name. Suddenly your anxiety kicked in and you prayed to gods that Hyewon is fine, that nothing bad happened to her.

 

"She's joining the Hunters of Artemis," Yujin finally said clicking her tongue

 

You relaxed a bit after hearing it, atleast nothing bad happened to her. Then it sinks into you, she's joining the Hunt, meaning she’s leaving.

 

"What..." you whispered "Why?" you ask looking at Yujin.

 

Winter pulled away from the hug, wiping her tears.

 

"We don't know," Winter answered "We just heard it now" she added standing beside her half-sister.

 

Yujin immediately put her arm around Winter's shoulder comforting her half-sister.

 

“They said that Eunbi and Hyewon were having a swordfight earlier, until they started arguing” Yujin said, tiredly “Then Hyewon said the Hunters Oath during their argument, claiming she wants to join the Hunt” she continued, pinching the bridge of her nose.

 

You stared at her with your mouth agape, you can’t believe just how Hyewon impulsively decided like that.

 

"They are still at the Combat Arena, waiting for Artemis. We should go now," Yujin said, as she starts to walk, Winter walking beside her "We might still be able to talk to Hyewon" she added.

 

"There's no convincing Hyewon, if she already made her decision" the words are out of your mouth before you can think about it.

 

Yujin stopped from her tracks, turning to look intently at you, while Winter didn't even react, she just walks continuously towards the Combat Arena.

 

"Some decisions can be changed; you just have to be persuasive enough" she said looking at you.

 

"But some can't" you immediately replied, matching the intensity of her stare.

 

Yujin didn't answer she just stared at you and you took that as cue to speak once again.

 

"Can we talk?" you ask, your voice turning soft.

 

"We're already talking"

 

"I mean, about us" you replied.

 

"Is there?" Yujin countered, raising her brow.

 

"Is there what?" you ask, scrunching your brow.

 

"An us," she asks, looking straight into your eyes "Is there ever an 'us' Minjoo?" she asks, once again this time in her usual soft voice.

 

"There is," you replied sincerely "And a lot more than that, Yujin.”

 

Yujin swallowed hard at your answer before looking away.

 

"Not now, Minjoo" she said, before following Winter towards the Combat Arena not bothering to wait for you.

 

Somehow you expected her answer. So you just followed them and you arrived at the Combat Arena just right after them. The campers are gathered around the arena, they immediately made a way when they notice you standing there, perks of being the Head Counselor.

Yujin is standing beside you, while Winter is beside her, you notice Karina standing at her side. You grabbed Yujin's hands without any warning and pulled her near the center of the arena. There's a space at the center where the Hunters are standing including Eunbi, who's currently talking to Hyewon.

 

"You can let go of my hands now," Yujin said from beside you, wriggling her hand to remove it from yours.

 

You looked at your hands and instead of letting it go, you intertwined it.

 

"I don't want to," you said, looking back at the center of arena "I like how my hands fits perfectly with yours"

 

"Minjoo," Yujin said with her warning tone.

 

But you didn't let go, instead you hold her hands tighter. Afraid that she might be the one to let go. But she didn't, you even felt her hands relaxed after few minutes she also adjusted it to make you both comfortable. This simple gesture made you smile to yourself. You turn your head to look at her face, she's looking straight ahead to Hyewon's direction. Your attention was then caught by the collective gasp from the campers.

You turned your head saw what made them react that way. There are four stags that appeared right in the middle of Combat Arena, pulling a silver chariot where three hunters stood. The two at the side looks like your age, while the girl in the middle with auburn hair look like a twelve-year-old kid.

 

"The two girls at the side," Yujin suddenly said “That's Reyna the former Praetor of Camp Jupiter & Thalia Grace, Jupiter’s daughter" she continued, looking straight at the said girls.

 

You just nodded at what she said and instead focused on the twelve-year-old looking girl in the middle. Reyna and Thalia are both wearing the standard hunter's outfit, the only difference is Thalia’s wearing a silver circlet, braided into the top of her black hair, a sign that she is the Li