Jaewon grinned. “I’m happy to share my blanket with you.”
“I’ll be fine without one,” she said with a glare.
“Are you sure? My blanket is only a little wet.”
She ignored him.
He sighed. “Our boots are not going to dry by morning.”
Kira finished prepping the fire and then gathered four long sticks. Rummaging through her bag, she pulled out a length of hemp cloth and ripped it into four squares. After shaking the boots out, she shoved the cloth into the bottom of each pair. She then stabbed the sticks deep into the ground near the fire and hung their boots upside down on each stick.
Jaewon gazed at her in openmouthed admiration.
“Why have I never thought to do that?” he asked.
“Women are smarter than men,” she teased.
“I’ve come to believe that is true,” he said. “So where is the nearest village? I know how much you are dying for some rice.”
Kira shook her head. “We must avoid the villages— there will be Yamato patrols in all of them. We head straight for the Tiger’s Nest Temple.”
“So that’s why we’re heading west, away from the mountains. You’re seeking a more isolated approach to the temple. But how will we know where we’re going?”
Kira gritted her teeth hard. “I can smell the dragon’s magic from here,” she said. “It’s mixed with whatever spells the monks are using to protect its boundaries. It’s a stench I can’t ignore.”
With a comical look, Jaewon leaned over and smelled his own armpit. “It’s not me, is it?”
“No, don’t worry, you only stink a little.”
“Excuse me! I’ll have you know you don’t smell too pretty yourself,” he said.
“Good, I’ll stink some more so maybe you’ll stay away from me,” she retorted.
He scratched his head and sidled closer to her. “Actually, I don’t have a very strong sense of smell, you know. Not like you.” He leaned in to take a whiff of her neck, causing her to stiffen and shove him away.
“Ow! I was trying to smell you to see if you stink,” he complained with a laugh. “You’re always so rough with me. My delicate skin is all bruised and battered because of you.”
“Such a liar,” Kira said, clicking her tongue in disapproval.
“I’m serious!” He untied his jacket and pulled up his shirt, revealing a lean, sculpted abdomen. “Here, see? All these bruises are because of you.”
Kira inhaled sharply and averted her eyes, but not before getting a good look at his lean and well-muscled torso.
“You are the biggest baby. That doesn’t look like bruises, they look like dirt. You should do a better job when you bathe.”
“Dirt?” Jaewon sputtered. He grabbed her hand and rubbed it against his stomach. “That’s not dirt, see? It doesn’t rub off!”
Kira jumped in shock, all her senses tingling at the feel of his bare skin. Her cheeks were inflamed with a fiery heat. Unnerved and angry at her reaction, she pinched at the smooth skin under her fingertips. Jaewon yelped and flinched away.
“That’s going to leave another bruise, you evil girl,” he complained, rubbing at his sore spot.
“And you would deserve it.” Ignoring his complaints, Kira took out her weapons and checked them over carefully, worried that they might have gotten wet during the crossing. Her bow and arrows were fine and her sword still dry in its leather sheath. She rose to her feet and headed out to hunt for game.
“You’re going to go without your boots?” Jaewon asked in surprise.
Kira smirked at him. “Makes me extra sneaky.”
“Maybe I should go with you,” he said, rising to his feet. “Hey, wait for me!”
She turned and watched him step gingerly on the ground, swearing as he stubbed his toe on a rock. His awkwardness was surprisingly endearing. It left her with a warmth in her chest that she was getting used to feeling around him.
“You’re going to scare away all the game,” she said.
“Wait, don’t leave me alone. What if a wild animal gets me?”
“So pathetic,” Kira sighed.
“You’ll be sorry if a tiger eats me,” he whined.
Kira shook her head. “If a tiger ate you, it would be because you’re so noisy. It’s like you’re banging a drum and shouting ‘dinnertime, come eat me!’”
Jaewon sat back down and crossed his arms. For all his complaining, she could see how tired he was.
“Cruel girl,” he muttered.
Kira smiled at his sulking face. “Ya, Kim Jaewon. Be quiet or all you’ll get for dinner is slugs.”
She laughed at the horrified look on his face as she turned and left the campsite.
In the morning, Jaewon was up first, preparing their meal. He’d taken the early morning watch and had gathered roots and vegetables and even caught three wild chickens.
“I got enough here to tide us over for the day,” he said. “As long as you don’t eat too much.”
Kira shot him an offended glare, which made him chuckle.
“Let’s face it, you have a healthy appetite,” he said. “I think you eat more than I do.”
“So?” she asked coldly.