Rogue One: An Untamed Story

Chap 16: Family Fued

Liu Yang's Pov:

"I'm sorry, but Chen Jun cannot join our sect." Qiren says. He hears a small gasp and glances to the door to see a shadow. The shadow is gone before he can guess which junior disciple it was.

Inside the Orchid Room, everything falls silent and the air almost feel suffocating in Liu Yang's lungs. The refusal sinks in fully and she is filled with rage.

She struggles to keep herself composed, her fingers clutched tightly on the edges of the table between them. Her hold on the table is the only thing that holds her back from reaching forward and grabbing Qiren by the collar.

She is furious and forgoes all her manners, "How can you be unwilling to take Chen Jun in? What is wrong with you? He is but a child!"

Qiren frowns, his face the expression of someone not expecting such a reaction. He soon realises how vague he was, and proceeded to clarify.

Liu Yang does not give him the chance to explain. "Do you think because he is not wealthy like you he doesn't deserve to join your clan? Or is it because you think he's not smart enough? I'll have you know that Chen Jun is a brilliant boy!" She bares her teeth as she is on her feet now.

Qiren makes no move to stand, so Liu Yang's figure towers over him like dark, angry clouds; threatening to crash down if a single droplet were to fall.

He tries again but Liu Yang has already stormed away, abandoning the meeting abruptly.

Qiren simply sighs as the screen door is slid shut a bit forcefully.

Liu Yang fights the urge to lash out, to scream and to punch a hole through the screen door behind her. Instead, she collects herself and makes her way to where she left Ah-chen half an hour ago.

She picks up her belongings, from where she left them on a step. She does not look at Ah-chen as she says, "Ah-chen, let's go." She walks away.

She stops when she doesn't hear Ah-chen following her. She turns around, on the brink of snapping at him when she pauses. Her words die in her tongue and she realises that no one is there.

Liu Yang cusses but softly enough that only she could hear. She looks around, her eyes searching for the missing boy.

"This is not the time to play! Come out!" She says with her arms akimbo. She walks towards a pillar and looks behind it. She goes around a corner and she goes up some steps. "Don't make me count to three!"

There is neither a trace, whiff nor strand of hair from him. Chen Jun has disappeared.

Liu Yang--stressed, tired and really needs therapy right now--quickly panics at this and her search for the boy grows more desperate. "Ah-chen? Ah-chen!"

Shit. Where is he?

I thought Cloud Recesses was safe. Was I wrong? Shit shit shit.

Has he been taken? Shit shit shit.

Then, a Lan disciple comes up to her, saving her from her dilema. Liu Yang nearly hugs the disciple at the news but doesn't. She is led pass the classrooms used for the much younger disciples. She peeks inside a room to see an entire class of little 7 year-olds diligently reading from a textbook.

The disciple points with his finger at where Ah-chen sits, far from the classroom. The boy is sitting under a tree, his back turned to Liu Yang. His back is hunched over as he stares at something.

Liu Yang approaches him slowly and kneels down behind him. She puts a hand on his shoulder, startling him. Chen Jun whips his head around, his eyes red and puffy and overcome with tears.

Liu Yang becomes concerned and checks him over for any injuries while coming up with a hit list in her head for who could have done this.

He rudely slaps her hand away from his shoulder. "I heard what Grandmaster Lan and you were talking about! You want to send me here and then leave me! Yang-jie, you promised you wouldn't leave me again!"

Ah, that's why he was crying. Liu Yang thinks and explains to him her reasons for sending him here. He grows quiet when she is finished. She sighs softly. Getting to her feet, she extends a hand for Ah-chen to take. 

"It doesn't matter anymore. Grandmaster Lan has refused to let you become a disciple here. We'll be leaving to find you a new home--"

"No!"

Liu Yang flinches at his loud voice. She stares at him in shock. Ah-chen was never a impolite boy, he was cheeky but he had manners. She dismisses this as his stress from all the events that had happened to them.

She bends down and takes Ah-chen to help him to his feet. But Ah-chen stands up on his own and stomps his foot. His mouth slips into a frown and his eyes bunch together, "I don't want a new home! I want to stay with you!"

The two stare at each other silently for a few moments before Liu Yang frowns too. Her jaw clenches, "You don't know what you're saying. You'll thank me when you're older--"

Ah-chen nods his head furiously, proclaiming that he does know, he understands her reasons. But nonetheless, he wants to stay by her side. His parents are forever gone now. She is his family. His home is with her.

Liu Yang's heart pangs at this. She wants to let him stay but her desire to not rope another person she cares about into her misfortune is far greater.

Liu Yang grows impatient, "Chen Jun!--"

"Lady Liu, may I invite you over to Hanshi for some tea?" Sect Leader Lan approaches then from behind. They both stop mid-conversation to turn to him and greet him.

Liu Yang remembers that Xichen has asked her a question. She glances at Ah-chen, holding him with a stern look. She then obliges wordlessly and follows.
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A/N: *slams forehead onto keyboard* k, another chapter done.