Choices (Yona of the Dawn)

Chapter 9

"Where did Yona go?" Hak is sitting by a small cliff staring out into the horizon.

"I think I've finally lost it." He sighs as his head drops below his shoulders. I can't see the look written on his face but I'm almost sure what happened.

"She's still young, Hak. Give her time." From what I've seen and heard, Jae-ha has sparked a subconscious sense of urgency in Hak when it comes to Yona. It's almost as clear as day the way Hak overly cares for Yona isn't the same as the way Yona cares for Hak. I don't think it's because she doesn't see Hak in that light. I think it's because her whole life she only thought of one person as her future: Soowon.

"Apparently, Kum-ji is offering pretty young women high-paying jobs as a facade to capturing them for human trafficking purposes." Jae-ha informs the entire crew.

Earlier today, Yona and Jae-ha headed into the city and came across a suspicious shop. They learned that the shop owner is in kahoots with Kum-ji and is luring young women into this trap. The shop is still hiring until the day after tomorrow which means Kum-ji's ships are going to be here soon. Making this a perfect chance to attack and destroy Kum-ji's reign for good.

"So are you suggesting?" I narrowed my eyes at the two. Judging by their expressions, I had a bad feeling about what they were going to suggest. "Don't tell me... you're going to–"

"Infiltrate the ship." Yona and I said in unison.

Silence immediately washed over the entire ship. Everyone is equally as shocked as I was. "You've got to be kidding!" Hak suddenly got to his feet, "Princess, do you even know what you're suggesting right now?"

"It's way too dangerous. There's no way it's going to work–" Kija protested alongside Hak.

"It has to!" Yona exclaims as she lowers her head. "I can't just sit here and do nothing! Everyone can fight. Everyone plays an important role here. Everyone except me! I can do it! Let me do this! I can set off a firework to alert the whereabouts of the women."

We are all met with silence yet again. "Fine!" Captain Gi-gan finally announces. Yona's face immediately brightens up again. "Under one condition, you can't go alone." Her eyes scan Yoon– who's standing next to Yona– first and then she looks over at me.

"This is crazy," I let out a big sigh, "But I'll go with you, Yona." Hak, Kija, and even Jae-ha, were adamant about joining us but the Captain pointed out that none of them would pass as a woman. "The only one here that can pass as a woman would be... Yoon."

Yoon's face went pale. He took a deep breath and met Yona's eyes. "You're going to need someone to make the firework anyway, right?" Yoon says with a strong facade on his face, "I'll go too!"

"There we go. All done!" I offered Yoon a weak smile as he opened his eyes. Makeup ever so slightly brushed on his skin. His real hair is concealed by longer locks and a scarf. I helped Yona and Yoon with their final touches before I got myself ready.

The crew sends us away reluctantly. The three of us slowly approach the store. "Don't be nervous. I will be able to protect all of us– don't doubt that." I grabbed their hands and gave it a light squeeze for reassurance. They might not know it or truly believe it, but I know I'll be able to protect them. If everything goes the way I calculated, we're going to have no problem stalling the soldiers while we wait for backup to come.

The last thing I remember after entering the shop was falling into a trapdoor. Yona and Yoon seem to be fine, except they haven't woken up yet. Surrounding us sit about ten other women, the hope behind their eyes are completely gone; it's like they've given up on ever escaping this dark room.

"Yoon! Yona!" I softly tried to shake them away. "Wake up!"

Yoon opened his eyes first. At first, he seemed kind of dazed but he quickly snapped back when he realized where we were. "We did it?"

I gave him a firm nod. Yona slowly begins to regain consciousness. "Where are we?" she rubs her eyes.

"This is where Kum-ji has been keeping the girls he's been abducting but it doesn't seem like we're on a ship, though."

I turn to a girl that sits not too far from me. "Hi. I'm Yumi," I kindly offer my name to her first.

She weakly lifts her head and meets my eyes. "I'm Yuri."

"How long have you been here?"

"Two weeks... There's no hope. Lord Kum-ji is going to sell us all." She quietly begins sobbing.

Yona was determined to save these girls; I could see it in her eyes. Before she could pass on the determination and passion she had to the helpless girls, blinding lights spilled into the dark room as the door was nearly thrown off of its hinges. "It's finally time." A deep and scratchy voice huffed loudly. My eyes quickly adjust to the brightness and I see Kum-ji standing at the door with a sly smile on his face. I knew better than to draw attention to myself but Yona, regardless of how small she cowers into the ground, her bright red hair had already caught his attention. A disgusting smile spreads across his face as he picks Yona up by the hair: he wanted to keep her for himself. Before I could stop him, Yoon jumps to his feet and tries to offer himself to Kum-ji. He is immediately punished for his disrespect towards Lord Kum-ji. I lunged forward to catch him and pulled him closer to me and further away from them. "What do you think you're doing– interfering like that?" The distaste in his voice dripping out like venom as he looks down at Yoon and me with contempt in his eyes.

I dared to stare back at him, my eyes void from any emotion. If he laid another hand on Yoon or Yona, everything I planned, everything the crew planned, would go up in flames. I won't continue sitting here and doing nothing.

He raises his free hand up as if he's getting ready to strike me. I did not flinch nor did I cower down and avoid his eyes. His eyes shoot towards Yona for a split second and suddenly his raised hand is lowered. He freezes for another moment before throwing Yona down and stomping his way out of the room. The door closed with a loud bang as heavy footsteps began retreating further and further. We all sat in silence as we waited for the sound of his footsteps to be non audible. I quickly let go of Yoon. "Are you alright?"

Yoon winced slightly but nodded in response. "And you, Yona?" I shifted my eyes toward her body laying sprawled out on the floor. She pushed herself up with a terrible grimace on her face. "I'm fine," she managed to mutter.

"Sit still." I scooted closer to her. I pulled out a small flat pouch I kept hidden under the layers of my skirt and laid it out next to me. "I might not be as well practiced as Yoon but I do know enough about medicine to help you."

When Kum-ji threw Yona back on the floor, she had sprained her ankle. It hasn't been that long yet but it was already turning a disturbing blue color. After examining her ankle for another brief moment, I ask, "You trust me?" Yona hesitated before nodding her head. "Look away. It's going to hurt but I promise you'll feel better after."

I pull out a couple long needles from the small pouch. I feel Yoon watching my every move in curiosity. If we were in a less dire situation, I would have taken the time to explain to him what I was doing. Yona slightly pulled her leg back when I poked the first needle through her skin.

"Take a deep breath, Yona." I securely grabbed onto her swollen ankle, "Countdown from three for me."

Yona slowly and quietly counts down for me. The split second before she said one I firmly pulled her ankle. She lets out an agonizing scream but her hand quickly comes flying to her mouth, immediately muffling herself. I gave her ankle a light massage before pulling the needles out. Yona lays on the ground with her head buried into her arms, breathing heavily. "It should feel better in the next hour or so." I rubbed circles on her back in an attempt to comfort her.