Chapter Text
Chapter 1: The Invite
Morning light flittered down through parted clouds onto the city of Kuuto below it. The residents of the city were already up and beginning their day as others came home from the late hours at work or in most cases, from being out all night dancing and partying. The city had grown since it's founding nearly three thousand years ago. Kuuto was one of the oldest cities in the country of Kouka, with some residents able to trace their ancestry to nobility in one way or another, though not many could claim the final emperor as their ancestor and for good reason, for he had only had one child, a daughter and in those days the mothers line was not thought to be of great importance. So the line of the ancient kings of Kouka had been lost to time.
Did the people of Kuuto ever think about such things as they went about their daily journey? Or how about when they'd pass the old ancient Red Dragon Castle? Probably not. Those who did were historians or students of history. However there was one girl who did and was neither of these things.
Yona Yamada loved anything and everything about history and the founding of her country. As she stood outside the gate of the ancient castle with it's big red colored roof and stone architecture, she wondered what it had been like to live in such a building. How had things been during the time of the last king's rule and where had his daughter disappeared to during the uprising rebellion that had taken her entire family's lives.
Pushing her crimson colored hair behind her ear, she continued to look at the building, even as she sat on the bench near it and sketched the beautiful building when a shadow paused in front of her.
"Knew I'd find you here." came the all too familiar voice of her best friend, Hak Soto. As he sat down next to her, he snagged her glasses from her face; causing her green eyes widen at his actions.
"Hak." She growled as she took her glasses back from him.
"It's a cold day, I thought you'd be back home with gramps." He said as he looked at the picture in her hands that she was drawing.
Ever since her father had died two years ago she had gone to live with her father's best friend; Mundok Soto, who was a man who took in orphans and raised them as his own, set up community centers for the poor and was the second richest man in Kuuto who could trace his own ancestry to the old and ancient city of Fuuga where the old Wind tribe had once been before the rebellions had taken over the country centuries ago. "Uncle Mundok had some guests over and cousin Tae-woo has his girlfriend over." She stated matter-of-factly.
Hak chuckled. "Are you and Lili still fighting?" He asked. "You two have been best friends since you were in diapers."
"And that's suppose to be of comfort when she called me a fat hog who wouldn't get a man if her life depended on it, behind my back to her cousins Tetora and Ayura?" She asked, her eyes daring him to continue with this line of questioning.
Hak could see the angry tears that wanted to fall and decided to change the subject. "Okay, how about this." He said pulling out a broshure, which she took. "We are having a Halloween party at my frat house. I know you're only eighteen and all; but you'll be going to going to college next year and it'll be a good chance for you to take a look around the campus."
Yona looked at the booklet for a moment and saw the pictures that were placed in it. "It says that the party starts a week before Halloween and ends the day after." She said gaining a grin from him. "The teachers approve of this?" She asked.
Hak chuckled. "The week before is finals week." He stated. "The next week the students get off, no classes all that week."
"Lucky you." She mumbled. "I, however, still have sch-"
"Not this year." He interrupted her.
"Huh?" She asked with confusion in her voice.
"I talked to your principle." He said. "By the way, Principle Abi really doesn't change, does he?" Yona raised an eyebrow at him. "Any way, he said that between the twenty-first of October and third of November the council is going to shut down the high school because of plumbing problems in both the girls and boys locker rooms." He smiled. "So what's your excuse now?"
Yona found her left eye twitch at him. Of course he'd find a reason for me to be at his stupid party.
"To make things sweeter, I'll introduce you to somebody." He said not really thinking she'd take the bait.
Yona eyed him. Ayame did say I needed to get a boyfriend. she thought before giving in with a sigh. "He's not too old is he?" She asked.
"Naw," he shook his head. "He's a year older than myself."
Twenty isn't too bad of an age. She thought as gave him a nod.
"Great!" He smiled. "While I'm at it I'll introduce you to my somebody special."
"Oh? You finally got yourself a boyfriend?" She asked causing her best friend to blush at her obvious tease.
"That was one time and it was an accident." He complained. "Besides, she is a woman!"
"How do you accidentally kiss a guy?" She teased him as she stood up with her art supplies.
Hak stuffed his hands into his jeans and looked away from her, his cheeks red with embarrassment. "Stupid droopy-eyes dared me." He mumbled causing Yona to laugh.
"If it makes you feel better Jae-ha has a boyfriend now who is in med school." She stated as they began to walk home.
"Oh? Who?" He asked now feeling better that the lime light was off of him.
"Kija Yatsomoto." She stated as she pulled her blue coat closer to her body, thankful that she'd grabbed her knee length coat today before going out.
"Yatsomoto?" He questioned. "I've heard that name before."
"Yakuza." Yona answered for him causing his eyes to widen. "His uncle was a crime boss name Oto Yatsomoto. He raised Kija as his own, but Kija refused to go into the family business and when the turf war between the Won's and Yatsomoto's broke out three years ago, Oto was killed. Kija's cousin Zeno took over for him and has kept the peace between the two families ever since."
Pausing outside his grandfathers shouten he had to ask. "How do you know this?"
Yona smiled. "It pays off to be besties with Jae-ha, as he tells me everything." She giggled at Hak's look of shock. Opening the door and taking her shoes off in the entryway she announced her presence. "I'm home!"
Sighing Hak followed her inside. "I'm home." He said quieter as he walked into the seating area where his grandfather sat with a small blond boy next to him. "Who's this?" He questioned at the new face.
The boy hunched over slightly as he refused to make eye contact with the older boy. "This is Tae-yeon, you're new little brother." Mundok answered as he took a sip from his cup of tea.
"Oh?" He questioned as he looked at the boy. "What's his story?" He asked as the boy pulled his legs up to his chest and hid his face into his knees.
"His mother was a drug addict, while his father was an alcoholic who found pleasure beating his children." was his answer. "His uncle helped in punishing them." He looked at the boy by his side. "Tae-yeon has severe allergies that leave him unable to breathe. After authorities got to his home they found him barely breathing, his younger sister was a babe and was found dead in her crib. His parents are in jail and his uncle took his own life with a heroine overdose."
"So they sent him to you because they know you won't say no to a helpless child." Hak finished for him. "Why am I not surprised?" He asked as he poured himself a cup of tea. "How long has he been here?"
"Since you began college this year." was his answer. "He's improved quite a bit." He looked proudly at the boy. "He use to stay locked in his room, in the closet." Hak looked at the boy who was peering over his legs at Hak.
"Well, that's fine with me." He stated. "I like having little brothers." He smiled at the kid who suddenly smiled at him. "Does he talk?"
Mundok sighed sadly. "Not yet." He replied as he stood. "I believe it's about time for dinner."
The doorbell suddenly rang. "I'll get it!" Yona's voice echoed down the hall followed by her footsteps. The two men gave each other a curious look before peeking out into the hall to see who it was.
Yona quickly opened the door and smiled as she spotted the strawberry blond boy Yun, whom she had invited over. "Yun!" She said his name excitedly. "You're just in time!" She hooked an arm around his as she began to pull him down the hall and into the kitchen.
"Who is Yun?" Hak asked his grandfather.
"He's a new kid from school who lives at the old temple with his older brother." Tae-woo answered as he had been walking down the stairs and had heard Hak's question. "Welcome home Hak."
"It's just a visit." Hak stated as he walked up to his younger brother. "You keeping an eye on everybody?"
Tae-woo flushed. "Yeah." He answered as he heard somebody descend the steps after him.
Hak looked at the young woman before him and smiled at the buxom beauty. "Miss Lili."
The younger woman blushed at Hak. "Hak. It's so lovely to see you." She said feeling her cheeks heat up and her heart speed up a bit. She had always had a thing for the dark haired man.
Hak chuckled at her blush. He knew she'd had a crush on him for years. "I hear you and Yona aren't taking still." He said. "You two should resolve your feelings."
"I don't know wha-" she began.
"Lili!" Tae-woo yelled out her name, a frown on his face. "You told me you two had discussed this and were fine with each other."
Lili looked at him with some embarrassment. "I-I've got to go." She stated quickly.
"Damn it." Tae-woo cursed. "She lied to me."
Hak shook his head before looking at the door that lead to the kitchen where he heard light laughter from Yona, the young girl he had seen as his little sister for years. What the heck had been going on since he'd gone to college? He shook his head. I'm beginning to feel like a stranger in my own home.
"You need to come around more often Hak." Tae-woo stated as he went back upstairs and for once Hak totally agreed with his younger brother.