The Bride of the Water God (FANFIC)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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"Didn't I already tell you, Mui? I have no place to return to." I said.

"Back there," Mui began and ignored my declaration, "you were thinking about your own mother, right?"

I didn't deny his observation since it wasn't entirely false.

"I guess, but..." I trailed off.

It wasn't in the way you are thinking of...

"Besides, from the beginning, I took you away by force." He said as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "You're not the least bit happy here, right? Then you should just go back."

I thought about it for a moment. Going back to the place that felt empty and distant in my mind. Those people who sent me adrift on the boat, will they even welcome me back? Will my "mother" take me in with open arms?

Just thinking about returning to the village made my heart feel heavy.

But here, in Water Country, I made friends. Friends that might even be just a little bit sad if I was gone from their lives, making my life feel existent.

"Does Habaek want me to leave?" I asked quietly.

Mui hesitated to speak for a moment, his hand gripping the door.

"My words are Habaek's words." He said with finality.

Just as he was about to turn around and leave, I grabbed the end of his sleeve, stopping him in his tracks.

"Mui, will you look at me?" I asked. "I mean really look at me."

His eyes widened in surprise, but then he resigned himself and looked into my eyes.

"Does Habaek mean it? Do you mean it? Do you really want me to leave?" I asked, determined.

"Yes," he answered after a slight pause, but there was a small twinge of sadness in his eyes.

"Then say it with confidence," I smiled gently. "That look on your face doesn't suit you."

There was something else in his eyes that I couldn't recognize as his hand stretched out to cup my cheek.

"You are so strong, Soah."

His hand lingered there for a few moments until he pulled it back to his side. Then he gazed into my eyes, a look of determination replaced sadness.

"Go back home."

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I want to stay

Those were the words that ran through my mind when Mui confronted me, but they didn't come out. I forced them to not come out. If what he said was true, then Habaek no longer wants my presence here, even though I thought that we were maybe getting closer.

Before I knew it, I was so distracted by my thoughts that I didn't realize I trailed off into the rain. It wasn't raining heavily, but it also wasn't light. The raindrops somehow gave me a sense of comfort as they fell on my back.

I suddenly heard a light rustle and felt fabric covering my head from the rain. I didn't have to turn around to find out who it was. Nobody but him would follow me out into the rain to help me.

"You can't go back to the palace like this." He said as he shielded me from the rain.

"It would have been fine if only one of us was soaked, Hoo-ye."

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"What might you two be doing here?" Tae El Jin walked towards our direction with an umbrella in his hands.

"Oh, we were temporarily fleeing the rain." I answered, squeezing the water out of my hair.

"I see... Well, how about I escort you back? Is that alright with you, Hoo-ye?"

Hoo-ye merely nodded silently in response and bowed. As I walked under Tae El Jin's umbrella, he whispered something to Hoo-ye that made him tense up.

"What was that?" I asked as we made our way back to the palace.

"Oh, nothing," he easily dismissed. "Anyway, you don't look so well. Is there something bothering you?"

"Well, Mui told me to return home." I looked ahead, my eyes not really searching for anything. "He said that Habaek also wants me to go back, since Mui's words are his as well."

"That's always the case, of course." Tae El Jin chuckled. "Because those two are the same person."

I stopped in my tracks to take in that statement.

Same person? I always thought that Mui's title as Habaek's older cousin seemed suspicious, but...

"I don't believe you."

Tae El Jin stopped as well to turn and look at me, his eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"I have no reason to lie to you, Soah," he said. "Why do you not believe my words?"

"I won't believe those words until they come right out of Habaek mouth. If he doesn't say anything about it, then it's fine. I trust him, so I refuse to be selfish." I said fiercely.

"Haha, you really are a strong willed girl," he said, repeating words similar to what Mui said. "I can see why he likes you. Alright, wait for Habaek to confide in you, and see what he has to say."

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