Family Honour

Yanyu and her uncle were drawn towards the lake. Fan suggested that the lake would be the ideal place to top up their water bottles. Fan had been pushing for Yanyu to drink as much water as possible. She dipped her bottle in the lake and looked up at her uncle. "Uncle Fan!"

"Yes!"

"Do you really think I'm going to die here?"

His response was quick and sharp. "No."

"What makes you so sure?"

"You're a strong woman." Standing by the lake, he crouched next to her. "You have your father's good brawls and brains. Both are vital for this island."

The words sunk in. Standing up, she hovered her torch around. Sickle in her belt. Cicadas cried. Wet grass tickled her leg. "Should we look for Chang-Hoon and Sook-Jo?"

Fan held her back. "Not now."

"Why not?" Yanyu shivered.

"They might betray you."

Overcome with shock, she couldn't bring herself to buy into the blasphemy. Fingers frozen, and heart rate accelerating, she had to show her uncle that they could be trusted. "They're my friends..." she said with her hand on her heart. "They would never betray me."

Fan stood still. "People show their true colours in situations like these."

"I'm sure I saw them venture off into this area and my friends Yuzuko and Sakura too!"

"They'll be fine – they're tough cookies like you said."

Grunting, Yanyu threw her arms in the air. "Why are you acting like such a dick?"

Fan folded his arms. "Why are you acting like a spoilt child?"

She was silent for a moment. Lips quivered as she tried to think of an elaborate reason. In the end, she kept her response simple. "I'm worried about them."

"Worry makes you weak."

There was a high-pitched cry coming from Fan's direction. "HELP!" Yanyu trembled as the voice sounded so familiar.

"Who's that?" Fan asked, turning his head.

"That sounds like Sook-Jo!" Yanyu fled towards the screaming.

"Yanyu!" Fan chased her. Dodging stumps and skipping logs, he ducked under branches following Yanyu's torchlight.

The robots radiated rays of red light in the dark. They had Sook-Jo by the leg. Her cries for help continued.

"Sook-Jo!"

Sook-Jo looked up. "Yanyu!"

"It's okay!" Yanyu raised her sickle from her waist. "We'll help you."

Fan had his air rifle ready. "Are you ready, Yanyu?"

"Hmm." She nodded.

Yanyu charged towards them and hacked away at the robot pinning Sook-Jo. The robot defended itself with its arms. The gunshots were loud and direct. Even though none of the bullets hit Yanyu, she smelled the smoke and felt the burn.

Sook-Jo was free. Howling, she crawled towards something shining under the tree. Yanyu couldn't see what she was doing as she was surrounded.

Evading quick claws and iron kicks, Yanyu slashed some of the loose wires. The engines roared inside the robots as their movements became jerkier as if they were breakdancing.

Yanyu dented four of their heads. Fan whacked his gun against the others. Sook-Jo assisted as well and slashed the robots' defensive points. The robots fought back until the lights flickered out. The sound of a dozen robots shutting down grated Yanyu's ears. Drawing back, she escaped the smoke as the robots tumbled to the ground.

Panting, Yanyu dashed to Sook-Jo and hugged her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Sook-Jo gasped, "but I lost my brother."

Yanyu muttered under her breath. "Dammit!"

Fan dashed towards them. "What happened?"

"One minute, he was there, and the next he was gone."

Shaking her head, Yanyu ran up to the hill in front of her. At the top of her voice, she shouted. "CHANG-HOON!" Her voice echoed through the forest. She called out her lover's name again, straining her voice.

"NO!" Fan yanked his niece over his shoulder and brought her down.

"But Uncle..." Yanyu kicked back.

"No buts!" He dropped her onto the grass. "You'll attract the wrong people."

Sook-Jo waved her swords in the air as the red light overshadowed her. "There are more robots coming!"

"Keep fighting!" Fan ordered.

They targeted Yanyu. Fan relied on his sheer strength to take down some of the robots. Yanyu said to herself that she couldn't just stand there in awe of her uncle whilst he and her friend were fighting with honour.

She crept behind one of the robots, pinned it on the ground and beheaded it with her sickle. She jolted into rubble. Pain penetrated her body.

By the time she got herself up, the robots had been taken down. Her uncle strolled over to her and patted her back. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah!" Sook-Jo said, gasping for breath.

"Hello?" A slender man tiptoed out of the bushes.

"Chang-Hoon!" Yanyu threw herself at him.

He squeezed her back. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"So am I." He kissed her cheek.

"Hey!" Sook-Jo stormed towards her brother. "Where did you go? I almost died you know."

He lowered his head, sinking into Yanyu's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Did you not read the guidelines?" Fan asked. "It says it's best to stick with your partner."

"I was chased by a horde of robots," Chang-Hoon said. "Do I look like I've got time to read?"

Fan raised his eyebrow and folded his arms. "But you're a writer are you not?"

"Sometimes."

Fan sat down by a log and steered his eyes towards the starry sky. "One of my favourite writers once said if you don't have the time to read, then you don't have the tools to write. I think that's how it goes."

Chang-Hoon squirmed as if he had been caught out. "Who told you that?"

"I've read it in your letters," Fan said with a smile.

Chang-Hoon took a step back and grabbed Yanyu's wrists. "I thought you kept that secret?"

Fan shook his head. "There are no secrets under my roof."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I read all of my niece's letters before her."

"Really?" Chang-Hoon said, sighing.

"Uncle Fan?" Yanyu shrieked, cheeks burning red. "Why? That's so intrusive."

"I wanted to make sure that you weren't being hurt."

"I can take care of myself!" Yanyu insisted. "I'm not a baby anymore."

"You'll always be my baby."

"You're not- "

"I know I'm not your father, but you're the only family I have left. For years...it's always just been us two. And your online friends, even strangers call me Uncle Fan."

"That's because we think you're amazing!" Sook-Jo said in praise.

Yanyu became fixated with Chang-Hoon's eyes. "If we survive this, we're going to get married."

"Isn't it too early to think about marriage?" Fan objected. They may have been talking online for years, but they've not known each other in real life for long.

"We've been thinking about this for years."

"Where?"

"Busan, of course. And when I move there, I want you to come with me."

"I'll have to think about it." Fan stood up, his eyes still looking above. "I love travelling, but I also have to look after the school."

Fan & Yanyu - 325 points

Sook-Jo & Chang-Hoon -150 points

967 robots left