Akatsuki No Yona: Hak's Little Sister.

Christmas Special - Part Two

Yuki's heart raced, and she could have sworn that her insides were on fire as her mouth became uncomfortably dry. Without another thought, her feet brought her to Soo-Won's room, the place she had been just a few hours ago with him. Yuki's heart dropped at the sight of the completely destroyed bedroom. Why did she leave him alone? He needed her, yet she was so caught up in her feelings that she abandoned him.

Each breath Yuki took was shallow and slow like the freezing waves on a winter night, sending shivers down her spine. Every breath she took sent her spiraling deeper into a sea of regret.

"What should we do?" The guard asked frantically.

Yuki glanced at him in a way that made his skin crawl when her cold, dull eyes met his. "I'll handle it. Leave now," she said, biting down the feeling of needles embedded in her throat.

The guard did as ordered, leaving Yuki alone in the room. The snow outside fell faster, leaving the world in a wintery wonderland. Yuki slowly shut the sliding door to muffle the sound of the howling wind. Her eyes examined the room, noting the missing presents and the broken table. This wasn't Soo-Won's main estate, nobody in this town knew Soo-Won was royalty. They probably assumed he was just a noble and decided he would be an easy target to steal from. Maybe even use him as ransom to earn some quick money.

"Reiko, Mei," Yuki called out to her trained team, her tone laced with venom. No answer came though. They must have been taken along with Soo-Won. Perhaps even killed.

How someone was able to slip through security was beyond Yuki. This estate was protected by regular guards, plus the six specially trained ones; two of which stayed with Soo-Won at all times. Whoever was dumb enough to do this would pay a heavy price.

"Perhaps a traitor," Yuki thought as she traced her finger tips across the familiar bloodied fabric on the floor. She clenched it in her palm and glared at nothing in particular. "Eitherway, today will be a bloodbath for them." Yuki quickly left in hopes she might find some trails in the snow before they were covered up.

The snow came down harder as the sun set across the horizon. The bitter air felt almost fitting for this situation. The world moved by faster as Yuki movements slowed. She panted and ran her hands through her hair as she reached the edge of town without finding a single clue.

Yuki's heart pounded against her chest and her breathing became ragged. "Calm down, you idiot!" She scolded herself. She punched her shaking legs. "I'm so pathetic," she choked out, biting her trembling lip. She glared at the passerbys. One of them must know something, right? Right?

She pushed away from the wall when a familiar face walked by. Some shop owner from earlier. "Hey you," she seethed, "come with me."

"Fuck off-" the man tried to say.

Yuki grabbed his throat and slammed him to the ground in one swift movement.

"What do you think you're doing?!" The passerbys tried to pry her off the man, but Yuki wasn't a person that was easily stopped. Especially not when angered, or when it involved Soo-Won. Anybody that knew her knew that. The passerbys' breath got caught in their throats when bloodlust started oozing off of Yuki in waves.

Yuki glared over her shoulder at all of them. A dark glint shined in her eyes. "Shut up," she demanded. Yuki no longer cared if others saw her, or what she did. Her thoughts were muddled. All she wanted right now was to find Soo-Won. He was hurt. He needed her. Nothing else mattered.

As night fell the world was covered in a veil of darkness. Yuki had checked everywhere by this point. The houses, the stores, the bars, the forest, everywhere. But no clues.

Her body shivered as a cold breeze blew by. Part of her had given up on finding him. She tried to tell herself he was alright, but those chances were slim. Nearly nonexistent. A sigh escaped her numb lips, the cloudy puff of air rising up like smoke as her eyes remained on the ground.

The sound of feet stomping in the snow from behind her snapped her out of her self-loathing. She peeked over her shoulder as the guard from earlier stopped a few feet back.

He panted. "Lord Yuki! We have some news!"

Yuki's eyes widened. She followed him back to the estate without a moment's hesitation.

As her foot passed the entrance of the main room in the estate, arms reached for her from the shadows. On instinct, she flipped the person over her shoulder and flat on their backs. She blinked owlishly down at the person, mouth agape. Said person gave her a cheeky grin while sitting up. The maids and guards sweated dropped, some chuckled.

Yuki glanced around the room, noticing the banner that said, Merry Christmas! And all of the food, the town's people, a giant decorated tree and gifts underneath it.

Yuki glared down at the person. "Soo-Won, are you serious?"

He nodded.

"You staged your own kidnapping?"

He nodded fast and proudly, like a child.

"And everyone was in on it, besides me?"

"Yep!"

Now it was Yuki's turn to nod, very slowly. She smiled, but not a happy smile. It was like one of those you have when somebody gets on your last nerve and you smile, almost as if you can see yourself murdering them, but you do something better. She chewed on her lip as she walked across the room, towards the beautiful tree... with a torch in her hand.