Love or Law

Konfessions with Kuo

The next morning the household was awakened by the clatter of hooves in the courtyard. As it turned out, Peijing's father had already been on his way to visit his sister and her guests when Ai's messenger had found him on the road between their homes. Upon reading her letter, he had kicked up the pace and rode through the night to get there as quickly as possible. Forgoing a formal greeting he had dismounted, marched into the house, down the hall and straight to his daughter's room. The resulting screaming match had everyone running out of the house at top speed. No one wanted to stick around to hear two of the most stubborn people on earth duking it out at full volume.

Shang had invited Mulan to take a stroll through the orchard to view their fall colors that morning, to which she was quick to agree. And not just to escape Po's angry relations.

Something had changed between them over the last couple days. A page had been turned and suddenly Shang was closer to her, more openly affectionate, and Mulan wanted to know what had brought it about. His words in the garden the other day, and then again in her bedroom, had made her heart race and filled her with a beautiful warmth but it was all very new and she still had no idea how they had ended up where they were. It was definitely time for some clarification.

"Shang, where are we right now?"

Shang looked around at the orchard then raised a teasing eyebrow, "I thought it was kind of obvious..." he responded.

"That's not what I mean!" Mulan answered with a laugh, "I mean us!"

"I'm not sure I understand what you're asking." Shang said slowly. He hoped this conversation was going in the direction he wanted it to but he also didn't want to make assumptions. He had set the first part of the plan he and Mei had come up with into motion yesterday. Get closer to her. But he hadn't expected such immediate results.

"I'm just confused. The day before yesterday it seemed like you were angry with me. You said we were just friends. That the thought of us kissing was absurd but then you went and said those things yesterday and I..."

"Wait, I didn't say kissing you was absurd! You did!" Shang interrupted.

"No I didn't!"

"Yes, you did! You were telling me about the rumors Ling was spreading about us kissing by the river and you said it was absurd!" Shang argued.

"I was saying the rumor was absurd! Why would you kiss me in front of everyone? Especially since I thought that you thought that I was a boy at the time! That's what I was saying was absurd, not the kissing part!"

"That's what you were saying?!"

"YES!" Mulan yelled, thoroughly exasperated by the man at this point.

"Oh." Shang was shocked. How had he misread her that badly?

"In fact, if anyone has a right to be upset it's me!" Mulan continued, now on a roll.

"Why?" Shang asked, now thoroughly confused.

"Why?! Shang! You found out I was a girl and you didn't tell me-!"

"Yes, but I apologized for that-"

"I'm not finished! You kissed me to save me from drowning and didn't tell me!"

"Yes, but-!"

"You had me sleep in the same tent as you, believing that you still thought I was a boy!"

"Well, I-"

"You dragged me around camp! You spanked me! You tied me up! You cuddled with me! You threatened to follow me to the bathroom...!" Mulan counted off on her fingers. At this point Shang was trying very hard not to start laughing. It really did sound ridiculous when she put it like that.