Kaya’s happy?
What’s there to be happy about?
We almost die!
And now we’re on a stranger’s blade.
Kaya, this is not a happy moment.
Kaya?
“Shh!” Kaya silenced the voices inwardly, not willing to interrupt the two men’s conversation.
After Rojin woke up and quickly check Kaya for any bruises, to his surprise she didn’t have any, Reej took Rojin back into his arms and did some magic nursing, immediately curing all of Rojin’s bruises, including the hit from behind that Reej loudly complained.
“I swear! If I ever find out who that wind tissue brain is, I will slice him up very good.”
“Reej,” Rojin laughed. “It’s not even that serious.” The laugh was as light as the one he showed Kaya when carrying Kaya on his back. Warmth slowly spread through Kaya as she watches the men talked.
“Exactly!” Then Reej smirked. “I’m gonna get whoever this is, I swear to you!”
Rojin smiled at him, just a simple smile, nothing more. Yet, somehow this meant something to Reej as he smiled back. They just stare at each other like for a few seconds, which to Kaya seem like forever, but she didn’t mind; she felt like she could stare at them staring at each other for as long as time can last.
“Tochika,” Reej said finally, his voice calm and very low, if Kaya wasn’t behind them, she wouldn’t have heard Reej.
For a second, Kaya questioned who Reej was calling, then she remembered. That was Rojin’s actual name, not the one the voices gave him. She quickly made up her mind that she liked Tochika better than Rojin.
Nah.
I still say that Rojin’s a better name.
Way better.
And what does Tochi-
“Shh!” Kaya inwardly shushed the voices again. She didn’t want to miss the moment when they chat, it was fascinating and relaxing, the way the two men interacts with each other.
“Yes?” Rojin answered, his voice clear and a hint of happiness can be heard. Kaya smiled.
“I’m glad I made it in time,” he smiled, his white teeth bright against his tan skin. “I’m glad you are in my arms right now.”
“I’m glad to see you.” Rojin said. “Though I can handle myself, Reej.”
Reej shrugged, very child-like, “I can still protect you whenever.”
“Thanks,” Rojin answered, very child-like. “But it’s not necessary.”
Reej gave him an unconvincing but still child-like look then said, “I wanna, so I will, Tochika.” Like a child alright, Kaya thought, but so wise.
Very wise, Kaya.
They know more than the world.
Trust us.
The voices broke Kaya away from the two guys and startled her; somehow the fascination of the two men’s interactions made her forgot about the voices, which surprised her. The voices were always on her mind, yet Rojin and Reej were more interesting.
“Is this the power of human interactions?” Kaya asked the voices inwardly.
“Yes?” Rojin looked at Kaya.
“What?” Kaya asked, confused suddenly.
Rojin got up from Reej and came next to Kaya again, his eyes scanning through Kaya’s body, almost like he didn’t trust his first examination. “I thought you said something.”
Kaya shook her head.
Why on earth-
-are you interested in-
-human’s interactions?!
What’s wrong with you?!
Kaya?!
Shyly, Kaya smiled. “It’s just that you two are really close together.”
Rojin and Reej gave her an uncertain look, but then both smiled.
“Well…” Reej said, his face a little red, even the tan couldn’t hide it. “I was too happy to see Tochika again.”
“Rojin,” Rojin said. Reej looked at him. Rojin turned to Kaya with a smile, a smile that seem to only be for Kaya, like a joke they both were keeping. “That’s what Kaya and her seishin calls me.”
Reej looked at Kaya. “Kaya?”
It struck Kaya surprised when it was Kaya that was interesting and not the seishin.
“Yeah,” Rojin sat down finally, in the middle of Kaya to his right and Reej to his left. “My daughter. But so far, I gotta say, I’m not a very good father.”
Damn right.
He’s a very bad one.
Maybe in a hundred years.
Rojin is like-
“I chose him,” Kaya reminded the voices inwardly, which quickly silenced them, but she can feel the anger the voices have for her.
Reej smiled, “She’s beautiful.” This surprised and startled Kaya more. “I’m sure you weren’t that bad. Right?”
Kaya shrugged, not knowing what to say. “Rojin did gave me a piggy-back ride.”
Reej’s face lighted up. “There you go. That’s a very good thing.” Rojin just smiled. “Was it fun? Did he swung you back and forth? Jumped a couple times?”
Kaya thought about it, then shook her head.
Rojin sighed. One of his hand went and lightly hit Reej, “I forgot, you know?”
“Forgot what?” Reej caught the hand and kept it.
“I forgot that she’s a little girl and not someone strong like you, silly,” Rojin said, matter-of-factly.
Reej smirked, “The only one who’s silly is you, right Kaya? Forgetting something so important. Let me guess, you starved her?”
“No,” it was Kaya who answered. “I fell because of thirst.”
Reej threw Rojin’s hand back at Rojin and said, “How could you?”
This dude got the deal.
Yeah, Rojin.
How could you?
Forgetting about our Kaya like that.
Silly is him alright.
Kaya smiled, at the voices’ silliness returning and at the way Reej and Rojin interacts with each other.
“You!” Rojin lightly hit him again. Reej let him then caught and kept his hand again.
“I thought I already told you,” Reej started. “Water is the priority and rest comes second with food third. Did you honestly forgot about that? Kaya, next time, I give you permission to kick him.”
“It won’t happen again, I swear,” Rojin laughed.
Reej watches Rojin for a second before joining in. “You swore. Kaya’s witness, right?”
Kaya couldn’t help it as she said, “Yup!”
“Oh, here we are,” Reej said suddenly, pulling away from the both of them to look over the blade, yet Rojin’s hand still in his.
Rojin followed Reej as well as he looked over the blade over Reej’s shoulder. Together, they both said, “Kabera.”
Kaya was fascinated by their attractions to each other, it seems like no matter or what, they are connected one way or another, eyes always on each other.
Rojin looked at Kaya, “Kabera is where we will stay the night.”
“Tomorrow…” Reej let it trail but then decided to finished it. “Tomorrow, we’ll part.”
“Part?” Kaya said, a hint of sadness leaked through.
That’s good.
Well…
Won’t be good for Kaya, that is.
It’s good that you’ll all part.
I don’t think he meant all three will part.
Then what did he meant?
He meant he’ll part Rojin and Kaya.
So Kaya’s still with the idiot?
Kaya steer her attention away from the voices and looked at Rojin for explanation.
“Reej’s going North, toward Russia. We’re going West, toward Europe.”
Kaya don’t know these places, but the fact she’s still with Rojin made her feel better.
Wait.
Rojin’s taking Kaya to Europe?!
I refuse!
Kaya!
She wasn’t listening the first time.
Think she’s going to listen now?
But Kaya…
It’s not safe over there…
Please Kaya…
“Don’t think about it too much,” Reej said to Kaya, but in his voice, it felt like it was more directed to Rojin. “Beside, I will join you guys in Europe again anyway. Also, for now we still got all evening to ourselves.” Then he smile at Kaya. “I want to know all about you, Kaya.”
Kaya relaxed a little as Rojin smiled too.
“And there’s so much I wanna talk to you about,” Reej said to Rojin this time.
“Oh, yeah? Like what?” Rojin said, child-like again.
“Oh, you’ll know,” Reej answered, childishly.
Kaya smiled. Then Rojijn reached over and grabbed Kaya’s hand, “You are alright, right?”
Even though he checked her twice now, he’s still worry. Kaya nodded. “Yeah.”
“Alright,” Rojin smiled.
“Alright,” Kaya said back.
They both smiled as Reej joined them.
The voices are warning Kaya again, but right there and then, a sense of family is what Kaya was feeling. She decided, she likes the interactions and attractions the two men has for each other and the sense of family they provided for her.