AFK - Away From Keyboard

Chapter 8:

Ren's POV:

   I walked out of the inn with Myra's laughter echoing in my ears.

That's three times I've tried to flirt with Yue now, or bait her into flirting with me. None of those times got me anywhere. Maybe I should just let up for now? No...I've never given up so easily before. Then again, most girls would flirt back. And even if they didn't, they were still aware that I was flirting. Yue was just completely oblivious.

   Back in Fieryn, I had flirted with Yue to annoy my sister, being pretty positive that Rey and her friends had set the whole scenario up; even me getting shot; until I saw Yue get dragged by her ankle into the woods. After she had escaped, two hooded figures started tracking her. I wondered why they were after her of all people.

Myra was definitely one of Rey's friends. Rey had probably asked her to keep an eye on Yue just in case her flirt of a brother ever came around again. 

It's not like it means anything when I flirt. At school I caused a ton of problems by "leading on" a bunch of the girls. Or at least that's what THEY said.

My mom keeps saying she hopes I'll grow out of "the phase" quickly.

Ren says that she would hate the flirting less if I would for heaven's sake pick a girl and stick with her for a while.

I can't explain it, but Yue's obliviousness made me all the more set on getting her to flirt with me. I've never met a girl I couldn't flirt with. She's so strange. I don't understand her emotion thing, but I definitely believe her about it.

   Someone's footsteps behind me snapped me back to the present. I turned my head and saw Yue running up to me. She took a moment to breath.

"I'm sorry if I said anything that upset you. I wasn't trying to be rude." Her blue eyes danced with worry under their delicately curling fringe. Her purple ponytail swished with every tiny movement. Her side sweep loose strands of hair streamed about her face in the morning breeze. Although it was messy, it added charm to her figure.

I wanted to laugh. She was here asking for my  forgiveness when I ought to be asking for hers. 

"You didn't say anything that upset me." I said more softly than I had intended.

Yue sighed with relief. "Oh good. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I had hurt your feelings after you tried to comfort me."

I needed sarcasm, or anger from her. Anything to get me thinking straight. I knew there was something I was trying to do, but I forgot what it was as soon as Yue had looked at me.

"Are you...sure you're okay?" She asked worriedly.

"Huh? Oh...yeah. I'm fine. I'm...great..." I looked away.

Yue gave me a skeptical look. "Where are you going then?"

I realized I had been walking away from the inn for quite a while. "Just walking around to clear my head a little." I replied.

"Okay. I'll go back to the inn then. Myra wants to talk about what town we should head to next." Yue smiled.

"You don't have to go back." I frowned.

She eyes the city Tesh, which we were approaching. The inn was situated outside the  mound of buildings. 

Yue pulled her hood over her head and walked with me into the city. I think she wears the hood to feel secure. For the first time, I was aware of all the guys that were gaping at her like idiots. Or maybe that was just my imagination...

I DO know that one kid shoved by her.

"Watch it." I growled.

The guy rolled his eyes at me and muttered something. I was ready to wack him into next year but Yue grabbed my wrist and dragged me away.

"You can't start a fight with everyone that hurts you." She smiled sadly. "Or you would be fighting all the time."

We walked a little further and came to the center of town. There were stalls set up where merchants called out ridiculous prices, and where people haggled as best they could to feel less cheated. It was purely chaotic.

"Does your mind feel cleared?" Yue shouted with a small laugh.

"Not a bit!" I smiled back. "It feels more muddled than before!"

She laughed again and then, transfixed, walked absentmindedly over to a snake charmer. He was playing a strange looking flute which made the snake slither around according to his will.

Yue said something to the man, who nodded. Then she pulled out a weird potato shaped instrument from the man's basket and began playing along with him. Her eyes glinted invitingly and almost threateningly as she played. Her body swayed rhythmically in time to the hypnotic tune. The power of my stare drew her gaze to mine. The music, combined with the look in her eye were so powerful that I felt myself getting entranced. Just like the snake, I would do anything her eyes commanded of me; all she had to do was issue the order.

She stopped suddenly, thanking the man for letting her play. He seemed to tell her to keep the instrument because she carried it proudly with her as she hurried back over to me.

"That was so interesting!" She exclaimed ecstatically. "Did you see what the snake did?"

"Uh...yeah...yeah sure." I shook my head a little. I had sort of forgotten anything existed in the world besides Yue when she started playing.

"It completely stopped following Raju's orders! He said no one had ever charmed his snake to their own wishes so well before so I could keep the ocarina and..."

I zoned out again. The snake wasn't the only creature that had been charmed; or maybe I'm part snake like Myra has been saying.

Just then a man popped out of nowhere, shoving something in Yue's face. Yue stumbled back in surprise and was just able to keep herself from tripping.

"And how about a lovely necklace for the lovely lady!?" The old man cried. "It's one of a kind! Makes a beautiful gift." He winked at me.

"I don't like flashy jewelry." Yue said kindly. "But it's a very....unique accessory."

It looked like something you would put on an elephant's head.

The old man grumbled something as he backed into the crowd.

"Oh my goodness he scared me so bad!" Yue gasped.

A gaggle of girls were standing around each jeweler's tent. A few of them waved their fingers and batted their eyelashes at me.

I was tired of trying to flirt today already. And I knew how flirting with any of them would go: Successfully. 

"Want to walk back now?" I asked Yue.

"I wouldn't want to keep you from exploring the market..." Her eye's sparkled with laughter.

"I'll sacrifice my curiosity for the sake of poor Myra. She's probably already chasing after us." I grinned.

Yue laughed aloud as we began to make our way back to the inn. I started comparing her to my sister. Rey loves flashy jewelry. All you have to do is say accessory and she starts wigging out. Rey wears bright colors while Yue wears a plain, brown, mini dress with black leggings. Not to mention her black cloak. I wonder if she wears plain things to try and blend in. It doesn't work of course, anyone with eyes would notice her. Wow...that charm song must have really affected me somehow.

The inn came into sight, and as I had suspected Myra stood at the entrance; scowling at me.