Diving Deep (requests closed)

Yandere Jae-ha - Promise Me Forever

When I turned 12, my mother made me start wearing cloaks when I went into town. She said it was safer if I started to hide myself from the eyes of the guards. That I should always do my best not to attract their attention. I didn't understand at the time what she meant, but I never argued with her. Besides, I rarely went to town anyhow.

That is probably why it took me so long to notice how the older girls, the ones that refused to hide themselves away from sight, seemed to vanish.

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When I turned 14, mother made me start dressing like a boy, binding my chest and cutting my (h/c) hair short like the boys that ran around the docks. People didn't really pay attention to the fact that a new face had shown up in town, more concerned with keeping their families safe from unwanted attention.

I quickly learned that smudging a little dirt on my (s/c) face and clothes helped me blend in even better and kept eyes from staring at my face for too long. I even began to enjoy the freedom that came with pretending to be a boy.

I did not, however, care for the fist fights most boys had and was quick to show them that although I didn't like to fight, it didn't mean I couldn't. Thank goodness for father teaching me how to fight dirty when mom wasn't looking.

Most of the boys soon learned to leave me out of their fights, the rest just went home with more bruises than usual on those days.

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By the time I turned 16, I'd grown used to having to wrap my chest by myself each morning, trimming my short (h/c) hair each week in the mirror and tending to the garden behind the house I lived in.. Once every two weeks, I would travel to the forest and gather the herbs I used for cooking and medicine.

I'd learned out of necessity how to survive on my own, my mother having disappeared shortly before I turned 15 and father himself vanishing shortly thereafter. It was a choice of learning how to live or deciding how to die. And I refused to give up after my mother had worked so hard to keep me safe.

It was during one of the warm days of summer, while out picking some of the herbs that grew along the cliffs, that I saw the ship for the first time. The next day, while trading some of the herbs I had gathered for needed supplies, I heard news of one of Kum-Ji's ships having been attacked by pirates during the night.

I wondered if there was a connection, but dismissed the thought as foolish. I doubt pirates would be so easy to spot. But it was still fun to pretend, so I continued to watch for the ship each time I went near the cliffs, imagining the amazing battles they could have.

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It was on my 17th birthday that I saw something amazing. I was laying down along the cliffs and watching the tiny figures of people moving about the boat below, when suddenly one of them jumped, vanishing from my sight. Feeling the edge of a blade against my neck, I froze.

"Who are you spying for?" His voice made my blood run cold as I began to shake quietly in fear.

"I don't spy for anyone or anything, other than to satisfy my own curiosity." I tried desperately not to punch him, still wanting to celebrate another birthday next year. I might be able to fight, but even I was smart enough to know I couldn't win against someone as fast as him. At least, not while he already had a knife to my throat.

I let out a breath of relief when I felt the blade move away from my (s/c) skin, but it was short lived when I suddenly felt myself being flipped over onto my back. I found myself staring wide-eyed up into a narrowed purple eye, one being hidden behind his green bangs. I could feel my breath catch as his face came closer before he stopped, less than a foot between us as he stared down at me.