Waking Up

Adara stood gloomily near the waterfall, watching the water from the fall hit the rocks and spread into tiny droplets creating a thin foggy mist. Her mind was clogged and disturbed since her face-off with the assassin. Her face was colorless due to the extreme mental stress she was under, her straight silky hair was put up in a loose ponytail with a few strands of locks over her face which blew slightly with the mild wind. Her expression was clearly distraught and grim. She has been under the care of the old lady medicus of the Nangbuk who fed her concoctions to calm her mind preventing any more mental break down. But her condition was still not fully stable. It has been three days since they came to Nangbuk for the mission, which ultimately failed. Word has to be sent to all three Mountain Sect Councils about the incident. Since Adara was unconscious Jiva took upon himself to send the messages to the Shrugnan Council. Yeosonian Council received reports from Namgoong Jae and Tianxiaian Council from Yi Yun. But none of them mentioned that it was Adara who let the assassin away. For the next two days they helped the villagers to re-build their houses and bury their dead.

Adara has not spoken a word since she woke up. No one has ever seen her like this. She just stares blankly with sunken eyes and an empty expression. The group was extremely worried about her, especially Yi Yun who has taken it upon himself to take care of her since she opened her eyes. After sleeping for about half a day she woke up. Yi Yun was so troubled seeing her sudden condition that he didn't leave her side for even a second. Daksh tried to be too but Yi Yun practically started a fight with him to keep him away from Adara.

He said, "Look xiong you are not needed here. Please join the group and help the villagers. I am here with jiejie, so don't worry."

Daksh, "I'll stay with her too. One person is good for her but two are better. So…"

Yi Yun, cutting him midway, " I think one is enough. And frankly, I don't want you to be near her anymore. I thought I made it clear yesterday itself."

Daksh, "Look here Tianxian you are really overstepping your boundaries. I have kept quiet till now but this is getting too far. Watch your limits."

Yi Yun, " Or else what? What will you do? And on what right?"

Daksh, " And what right do you have by just knowing her for about a week pray to tell?"

Yi Yun, reaching his sword, "Oiiii Daksh xiong don't make me draw my sword on you."

They stood at the brink of another fight when the lady medicus intervened and scolded them for creating a ruckus in front of Adara who was still unconscious. She asked Daksh to leave her hut much to Yi Yun's pleasure. Since then Yi Yun stuck by Adara's side until the next morning she opened her eyes. Yi Yun dozed off for a while looking after her but suddenly jerked up awake when he heard some sound. Opening his eyes he saw Adara sitting on the bed looking gloomy. He rushed to her, sat down on his knees beside the cot placed his hands on her, and asked,

"Jiejie! You woke up. How are you feeling?"

Adara didn't answer his question and stared blankly at him with sunken eyes. Yi Yun's heart broke to see those lotus petal eyes without their usual shine. No matter what Adara felt for Yi Yun she always had a sparkle in her eyes whenever he saw her. But now that sheen was lost somewhere and he felt desperate to do anything to bring them back. Getting no answer from her he didn't ask anything else from her as the lady medicus has strictly advised not to pressurize Adara during this delicate time. So Yi Yun just spoke to her. He then said,

"Jiejie, are you thirsty? Let me get you some water."

Yi Yun got up to fetch the cup from the table beside him. He brought it and handed it to Adara who drank it in one go; closing her eyes and letting out a deep breath. Just then the lady medicus entered and rushed to Adara. She spoke to Yi Yun,

"Did miss say anything?"

Yi Yun, "No I asked her how she is feeling but she didn't reply."

The lady medicus, "Then let her be herself for some time gongzi."

Yi Yun, "I am going nowhere leaving her."

The lady medicus, giving out a lovely smirk, "I know how gongzi feels about this but let her be herself a little while."

Yi Yun reluctantly left to join the others in the village for some time. The other guys were sitting near a small eatery and chatting with each other when No Min Joon spotted Yi Yun walking towards them. He spoke out,

"Ohhhh Yi Yun-shii is here."

All of them looked at him and stood up. Namgoong Jae hurriedly spoke,

"Yi Yun-shii, how is aghassi?"

Yi Yun, "She woke up."

All the guys looked happy hearing that, then Jin Ho came forward and asked,

"Did she say anything about what happened suddenly?"

Yi Yun, "No xiong, she is quiet. I asked her how was she feeling but she didn't reply. I think she needs some time to settle. I am sure she will speak."

Adara calmed down, yet her mind is still in a riot with the revival of the memory she locked away for good fifteen years ago. After the medicus checked and said that her vitals are stable and her mind has calmed down, Adara got out of bed and walked towards the window of the room. The view she saw was mesmerizing. On the backside of the cottage, there was a waterfall among the rocks. She slowly went out of the cottage into the front porch; walked down the stairs into the garden pathway; while crossing she saw the lotus pool at the corner where a single blue lotus was blooming. She stopped to look at it and it somehow made her a little happy. She then walked slowly by the gate turning right into the road and going round the cottage into the rocks of the waterfall. She stood there watching the water falling into the rocks. The sound of the water falling and flowing calmed her mind but it was still clogged. She stood there for quite some time then suddenly she looked up hearing approaching footsteps. Looking at the person she felt a strange sense of companionship that she never felt with anyone before. Yi Yun came forward with a mild smile on his face and spoke,

"It's good to see jiejie up on her feet. Here, have some porridge. I bet you are hungry."

But Adara stared blankly at him. Yi Yun understood her situation and set away the porridge bowl aside and sat down on the rock. He then looked up at Adara and said,

"Why don't you sit down and we can watch the water together? If that is alright with you."

Adara paused for a second before sitting down beside him. They both watched the water together for a few minutes before Yi Yun spoke again,

"Jiejie, let me tell you a story. You know my parents, back in Tianxia, they are my adoptive parents."

Adara, looked up surprised at him. Yi Yun smiled at her and continued,

"My father found me in the jungle beside the Silver Stream fifteen years ago. I was fleeing from the capital during the coup. My parents were killed by the Commander's men and my elder brother died helping me to run. I still remember his voice, you know jiejie. He was shouting, telling me to run, arrows piercing his body from all sides. I ran into the jungle. Suddenly my foot slipped on a rock and I fell hitting my head between them and going unconscious before my father found me."

Adara listened to his story with a pained look on her face. Yet she didn't speak at all and kept looking at him. Yi Yun looked back at her and they kept looking into each other's eyes. They both felt a strong connection with each other. Adara felt as if Yi Yun was the only one she can trust. Yi Yun looked straight into her eyes and calmly said with an affectionate tone,

"Don't worry jiejie all will be good. You will find the answers you seek."

After pausing for a second he spoke again, standing up, "Take your time jiejie, I will leave the bowl here. Eat some. You need your strength back."

He turned around to leave when suddenly he heard,

"Yun'er...!"

Yi Yun swiftly turned towards Adara. She was looking at him with a much-relieved expression. Then she spoke again which made Yi Yun's heart beat fast, perplexing him.

Adara spoke, "Don't leave."

Yi Yun stood stupefied hearing those two words. More than that he was overwhelmed with joy as Adara spoke after a very long time. And that not being enough, her first words after days of silence was his name. He managed to swallow the joy in him and came back sitting beside her. Adara finally then spoke,

"Thanks for being here for me. But I am still not in a position to talk about what happened. I know you and the rest are curious and I too want to get things off my chest but somehow I am not being able to. I am sorry."

Yi Yun took a breath and placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "It's absolutely fine jiejie. All I…I mean we want is for you to get better first. You know, you speaking curtly to me with a straight face is much better than you not speaking at all. So first you get back to your usual self; the rest will settle on its own."

Adara kept looking at Yi Yun with a perplexed look. All this time it has been disappointing being with Daksh who made her feel small and insignificant even after knowing her for a long time. And yet this person who barely knew her for days made her feel like she is the best person to exist in this world. Adara felt bad for treating him harshly till now.

Adara spoke again with an apologizing tone, "Yun'er...I am sorry for treating you badly. But you took care of me even when I never spoke to you nicely. Why?"

Yi Yun being an overtly straightforward person found it very difficult to hold back the words he wanted to tell Adara but somehow he felt that the situation right now was not favorable so he, smirked and said,

"Because jiejie took care of me too."

Adara was surprised and asked, "When did I take care of you?"

Yi Yun, "You did, back in your Mountain Sect. We were incapacitated by the bulgeomul and if it wasn't for you we would have surely died. And then the way you took responsibility for all of us especially when you beat me up yet refused to leave me untreated for it."

Adara was baffled at Yi Yun's perception of her. Because she never actually thought that she took any special care of him or the others. On the contrary, she felt that she was being slightly rude to him. Not that she wanted to, but life has changed her for good. She became more skeptical and paranoid than before. She felt the same thing with Yi Yun, perhaps slightly more, due to his visible inclination towards her and overtly straightforwardness. But as time passed she realized that underneath that unambiguous attitude lies an insecure person who gets scared and cares deeply.

Adara, letting out a soft faint chuckle, surprised, said, "You think too greatly of me Yun'er. Perhaps a bit too much. Thanks though."

Yi Yun, with a serious face, turned towards her, holding her arm, "Jiejie, I really meant when I said those, whether you believe it or not."

Adara, this time giving out a faint smile, "Ok..ok I believe you."

Yi Yun smiled as well with his usual smirk and Adara couldn't help but notice it. She felt much better and composed after a while. With her, rendered weak she forgot about the others so when she realized that, Adara asked Yi Yun,

"Hey, where are the others? It's been a couple of days."

Yi Yun, realizing that Adara has almost recovered, said, "They are here in the village, helping them to set things right. Do you want to visit them?"

Adara, "Yes! Yes of course."

With that Yi Yun stood up and reached out his hand and said, "Let's go meet them then. They have been worrying about you."

Adara nodded, holding his hand and standing up. They started to cross the rocks towards the bank when suddenly Adara stepped on a small pebble which made her foot slip she lost her balance and she about to fall sideways in the water when Yi Yun swiftly acted out catching her by pulling her hand with his and the other hand on her waist. This made Adara lean on Yi Yun to face each other. With one hand held by Yi Yun, her other hand automatically grabbed his shoulder. The sudden situation made them stare at each other's eyes while holding onto them. The situation was awkward for Adara but yet she felt her heart racing. She hadn't felt such for a long time so it was quite unexpected for her. Yi Yun's mind on the other hand went blank staring at those eyes he always found captivating, but now that those were just a few inches away from his he found his heart racing at an ineffable speed. Moreover, this was the first time both were consciously in each other's embrace. Suddenly for him, time stopped for a few seconds. Adara on the other hand got flustered and hastily moved away but kept holding his hand. Yi Yun also jerked back to reality and turning a little red he managed to fumble out,

"Ahhhh…are you alright? You have not hurt anywhere?"

Adara too flurried, replied, "Yeah yeah I am alright. Sorry, I fell on you."

Yi Yun, "That is alright. Let's go. They might be at the eatery now."

With that they left, walking towards the village.