It was in the middle of the night when a certain girl woke up from her sleep. Sooyeon had no trouble sleeping for the first time since her mother’s passing. She felt much lighter and definitely happier as all of those emotions she had buried inside were now set free. The burden she had in her heart was replaced by something bright and the reason for that was lying right beside her. The girl remembered how she and the young man talked the entire night, getting to know more about eachother but she did not remember falling asleep in his arms. Sooyeon felt secure having Yuri’s arms wrapped around her but something inside of her was telling her that both of them cannot be together yet. She ignored what it was and focused on the happiness she had at present. The girl sniffed the young man’s chest, enjoying his sweet scent before falling back to sleep. Yuri woke up just as the sun was rising. Today, he and Taeyeon were to convince their clan sister in joining their righteous cause. After fixing his things and putting them in his knapsack, he left a note for the sleeping girl and went to meet his friend at the hillside. Sooyeon opened her eyes as the sun shined it’s rays on them. She noticed a small piece of paper on the spot where the missing young man laid before.

“Forgive me for leaving without telling you again. I had to go somewhere and I will be back soon. If your father looks for me, please tell him that I have business outside of the village. Do not forget to smile and start your day brightly, princess~.

Truly yours,
Yuri”

Sooyeon had a bright smile plastered on her face all the while she was reading the note. Her cold and sour disposition began to warm up and sweeten and it was a very good change. The maids and butlers, all of the house servants noticed something different about their mistress. The formerly cold girl actually smiled when they greeted her and as she entered her father’s room, all of them had their heads sticking out of the sides of the doorway, their eyes following where the girl went and their minds still thinking how she could change in a span of a day. Going back to the young man she thought about, Yuri reached the hillside and was now waiting for his bestfriend to show up. Taeyeon had never been late and would always be the first one to arrive. The younger ninja thought that his friend would probably be spending a bit more time with his yeochin. After a few more moments of waiting, the older ninja finally arrived. Taeyeon took note of the bright aura coming from his friend and knew why he looked so happy.

“So, I assume that you and Sooyeon had that talk last night? Your face says it all.” Yuri looked at his clan brother and smiled lightly, telling him his assumption was right. “Arasso, I just hope that your evident happiness does not give us any trouble in our mission today.” The older man tapped his friend on the shoulder and chuckled. "Remember, Soonkyu will be expecting a fight and I am counting on you to watch my back."

“Worry not, my dear friend. I actually think that the way I am feeling right will actually help us later.” Indeed, what he was saying was somehow true. His focus was at it’s peak today and he would need that to win against the former head of the hunter sect. “And about that fight, I will be the one who faces her. As the current head of the hunter sect, it is only right that I do so.”

“Oh? You seem quite confident of yourself today.” Taeyeon actually believed that with his friend’s newfound focus, he will definitely beat Soonkyu, although they still needed a back-up plan. “Arasso, if you say so, but as soon as she gets the upper hand on you, I will immediately step in.”

“Have a little faith in me, will you, brother?” The two clan brothers shared a short laugh and a hearty meal before preparing for their journey. Yuri brought out his copy of the map and reviewed their tactics once more. “Geuraeyo, Soonkyu will have set more traps inside this perimeter. We should make our approach with utmost care.”

The two Dragon ninjas reached the trees on the hills and silently made their way closer to their clan sister’s home. Just as Yuri had predicted, the former head of the hunter sect did set new traps scattered all throughout the inside of the perimeter. Most of them were trip wires connected a large log or spike launchers. There were also snares hidden under the dense foliage. Taeyeon quickly deduced the number of new traps and found a clear zone just big enough for him to land on. He instructed his bestfriend to wait for him as he removed some of the traps, giving them more space to move in. The trip wires would prove to be the greater nuisance so he cut them carefully with light but sure swipes of his dagger. The older man worked on the snares next and stayed away from them as he cut them as well. After all of the traps were seemingly disposed of, he whistled to his friend and Yuri jumped down from the treetops. Unknown to him, Taeyeon had actually forgotten to check the spot where he landed and the younger ninja got his foot snared. This quickly alerted Soonkyu and she rushed out of her hut, swords at the ready. The older ninja hid behind the bushes and waited for her to approach his brother as he prepared to sneak up on her.

“Well, well, Kwon Yuri, you fell for my trap. Maybe that will teach you not to trespass in my domain again, you nosy rat. Now, what should I do with you?” Yuri could feel an intense pressure coming from the female ninja in front of him. He knew only one other person gave off such a feeling and he was already right behind the girl. “You have not changed one bit, Kim Taeyeon. I suppose you expect me to let your friend down?”

“You have not changed either, Lee Soonkyu, and yes, it would be nice of you if you did just that.” But Soonkyu was far from beaten. She threw a smoke bomb on the forest floor, effectively blinding the man that held her at dagger-point. “Good. Your skills have not dulled a bit. Those will be useful against Siwon’s men.” The smoke was too thick to see his opponent. Taeyeon stood still and felt the air currents around him and when he s