𝐨𝐞𝐥 𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐢𝐞 ⛤ 𝐥𝐨'𝐚𝐤 𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲

payakan

chapter 16

present day (na'teya pov)

i'm strolling along the beach, and suddenly, i spot lo'ak diving onto his ilu, making his way past the reef. curiosity gets the best of me, so i trail after him, calling for keyra. as i reach the three brother rocks, i find a hiding spot behind some seaweed, keeping my eyes on lo'ak. my jaw practically hits the sand when i discover the reason behind his little adventure – he's bonded with a tulkun. i witness him emerging from the tulkun's mouth, swimming around, and then, surprisingly, embracing him.

i can't help but come out from behind the seaweed, swimming closer to lo'ak. when he turns around and meets my gaze, a jumble of emotions plays across his face. there's guilt, like he's been keeping something from me, but mixed in there is also a genuine happiness, perhaps relief, now that he can finally talk to me about the tulkun.

"what do you think?" lo'ak signs.

"i'm amazed a forest boy could bond with a tulkun," i sign back, my eyes widening with genuine surprise at the unexpected connection.

lo'ak laughs, a hearty sound that echoes through the water, and he points toward the surface, gesturing for me to go up. i swim up, the excitement building as i join lo'ak on the tulkun's fin. the sheer size of payakan impresses me as i gaze at the magnificent creature.

"his name is payakan," lo'ak informs me, a note of pride in his voice.

"he's so big. how do you know his name?" i ask, my curiosity getting the better of me, and a genuine smile plays on my lips.

"i told tsireya about payakan at training, and she taught me how to communicate with him. so now when i see tsireya, i have someone i can talk to about him," he admits, and i sense a mix of camaraderie and gratitude in his words.

"oh, you told tsireya," i frown, my expression shifting to a subtle disappointment.

"i wanted to tell you, but i didn't know how you would react," lo'ak explains, his eyes reflecting a blend of regret and uncertainty.

"so you'd rather that the chief's daughter knows rather than your girlfriend?" i ask, a tinge of hurt in my voice.

lo'ak looks at his feet, grappling with his response. "i'm sorry, but you know now."

i shrug my shoulders, trying to downplay my feelings. "i'm hurt you told tsireya before me. you know how i feel about you two hanging out."

"she's my teacher, na'teya. i can't just never see her," he exclaims, a touch of frustration in his tone.

"i'm not saying that, but you two hang out a lot one on one. you know she has feelings for you, and i don't want you hanging out with her one on one. why can't you respect that?" i cry out, my emotions bubbling to the surface.

"bro—i mean, na'teya, she is my teacher. i can't just avoid her. i would learn nothing," lo'ak yells, his voice reflecting a mix of defiance and frustration.

i take a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "i'm not asking you to avoid her, lo'ak. i'm asking you to only hang out with her when someone else is there, like neteyam or kiri, even ao'nung. i don't understand why you're so desperate to hang out with her one on one," i speak softly, my concern evident.

"she's my teacher, na'teya. i'm going to have to hang out with her one on one occasionally," he rants, frustration lacing his words.

"fine, then i will ask ao'nung if he will swap. he can be your teacher, and tsireya will be mine," i try to reason with lo'ak, hoping for a compromise.