Fooled You

4

Bal, my scholarly friend. 

We sat together and discussed many literary works, exploring the arts and exchanging writings from time to time. If I wasn't fooling around with Hak or chasing down Yona and Soo-Won, I was reading and conversing with Bal. 

Bal, my quiet advisor.

He was always gently stern. During our study sessions, he remained his forgiving self, with only an edge of severity. When my mind drifted, he'd pinch my wrist; when I failed a test, he'd sit us down and explain in great elaboration; when I was feeling hurt, he'd listen and ease my pain with simple words of his own. 

Bal. 

The kind brother I never had. 

***

Hot and cold collided to create an odd sensation of burning where Bal held my hand. 

His grip was tight, urgent--needy. 

"Bal." My voice was a hiss through the rain. He didn't respond. "Bal! Where are we going?"

Our footsteps didn't slow, but the man answered with a grunt.

"We're heading towards the walls--we're going through the undergrowth."   

I almost cringed at the thought, the prickly thorns and scratchy weeds appearing in their unpleasant glory in my head. It would give us good cover, with or without the rain. 

I pulled ahead so that I was in step with Bal, still hand in hand.

"Did you know I was planning for this day?" 

My softly spoken question was almost lost to the rain. I could barely hear it myself. But he heard.

"No." His eyes flicked to me. A pause. "But I wondered, 'why not'?" 

A smile turned the corners of my mouth.  

"Though, you didn't plan very well." He continued, almost huffy. His eyes were gone from my face when I turned a scowl on him. 

"I wasn't exactly provided with the best essentials." I retorted. "You,"--in a pointed voice--"never brought me the shawl I requested some time ago." 

Instead of the comeback I expected, an absolute blackness threw itself over me. The rain stopped pelting my skin. 

I peeked out from under the drapes of a cloak, my scowl lifting into a mild expression of irritation. "Late." 

"You're welcome, Anouk-hime." He clipped, tossing on his hood, my hands following suit, and we were running again.