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Jae-ha currently was looking around town at the market that was set up in a nearby village. They didn’t have the funds for an inn so they were camping just outside town, and half the Happy Hungry Bunch had fallen ill due to the changing seasons and they were away from Hiryuu Castle, on their way back from visiting Princess Tao in Xing. Yona, Kija, Shin-ah and Hak all were sick with colds while Yoon was trying to take care of everyone but was worried about the young Ryokuryuu getting sick so he suggested Jae-ha take her into town while getting supplies as Zeno would stay with him due to the Yellow Dragon’s immunity, and Valerie was assisting in tending to the sick. Yona agreed as the last thing she wanted would be to get her daughter sick, and it gave her husband a chance for a bonding time with his little girl. “Daddy look at those! They look like the one momma has!” Lina was pointing to the hairpins one vendor had. “Pukkkyyuuu!” Ao purred on her shoulder. Jae-ha chuckled at that. “Why do you want one too Lina-chan? Daddy bought that for mommy back before we were married. It holds some really happy memories for her.” He smiled just recalling when he gave her it. “Actually I was wondering if there was something I could get for mommy so she feels better.” Lina said as she looked around. “Is there something we can get to help Grandma Yoon? He’s not going to get sick too right?” Jae-ha bent down to her level, petting her on the head. “… You’re too precious. Don’t worry Yoon’s the very reason we’re all still alive, little one.” He winked at her. “If he gets sick your Auntie Valerie will cure him immediately. I have a few things I need to get to help him though, so let’s find that shop right away, ok? Maybe we’ll even find a little present to cheer up mommy on the way?” “Ok!” Lina smiled wide, rushing ahead to help find the shop, Ao hopped off her shoulder as if trying to help search. “Don’t wander too far.” He chuckled, getting up and walking with her. “Oh come on daddy you’re too protective like Uncle Darkness Dragon!” Lina pouted a bit, crossing her arms. “I can defend myself with my leg just like you taught me!” “Still I’d rather you not have to resort to that Lina dear.” Jae-ha pointed out. “And you know when you complain about being protected you once again remind me of your lovely mother?” he laughed just thinking about it. “Mommy is great and doesn’t need anyone to protect her!” Lina smiled wide. “I want to be strong just like her!” Soon enough they found the shop needed for the medical supplies, after all his adopted sister told him exactly what to buy and after paying for the items need he turned to leave but then his eyes widened. “… Lina?” he whipped his head around as the small child was nowhere in sight. “Lina!” he shouted, turning to the shopkeeper that shrugged that he didn’t see where she went. ‘Where could she have gone?!’ Jae-ha’s mind went into panic, leaping into the air to get a better view as he landed on one of the roofs. ‘Her red and green hair should stand out… Still…’ he sighed and closed his eyes, trying to sense the presence of his daughter. He was glad for that radar as it helped him pinpoint where his daughter was right away as he leapt a few times to find a group of men surrounding her. Clearly bandits that were trying to kidnap her. “I SAID LET GO OF AO!” Lina leapt right up and kicked the one man right in the head with her dragon leg, grabbing the squirrel and hugging it tightly. “You little runt!” one of the men grabbed her by her pigtails, lifting her off the ground. “Just how strong is that kid? She knocked the wind of out him…” another bandit noted, pointing to the injured one. He then blinked when he saw a shadow cast over him as Jae-ha landed right on his back, smacking the bandit down to kiss the ground. “Oh crap! Where the heck did this guy come from?!” another one shouted. “Daddy!” Lina cried. “Pukkkyyuuu!” Ao cheered. “… You creeps better unhand my daughter right now…” Jae-ha hissed as he stood up, his hair shadowing over his eyes until he lifted his head, giving a look that could rival the Thunder Beast’s death glare. “Usually I find taking a life very unbeautiful, but if you bastards harmed one hair on her head… I’ll kill you all.” One of the bandits didn’t seem to take his threat as he drew a sword, but Jae-ha immediately kicked him straight into the air, making the child kidnapper land right on a roof of the nearby building. Seeing as the bandits weren’t going to listen, he proceeded to pull out his throwing knives to toss at the one holding Lina, as they hit the bandit’s shoulder he released the young Ryokuryuu. But Lina choose to jump up and kick the man square in the chest before rushing to the father after he finished taking out the other two as that scared off the rest of the men, running away quickly. Lina shivered as she saw that scowling face on her father, one that seemed almost foreign to her as she rarely ever saw him lose his temper as he bent down and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. “Why did you run off like that?! I told you to stay by me and not wander off! Do you have any idea how scared I was and if those men had hurt you?!? If it wasn’t for the fact I can sense you I wouldn’t have found you so fast, if it had been Hak or your mother with you-“ But Jae-ha stopped shouting at his little girl when he saw the tears falling down her cheeks as she sobbed. “I’m sorry daddy! Waaahhh! I didn’t mean to! I lost track of Ao and went to find her and then those bad men tried to hurt her! I didn’t want to make Uncle Shin-ah sad by losing his friend!” Jae-ha’s face softened as Ao climbed onto his shoulder, making an apologetic face as she whimpered. “Pukkkyuuu….” As if apologizing, and the squirrel had tried to wander off when hungry on Shin-ah before. Jae-ha sighed as he hugged his daughter tightly against his chest. “… You should have just told me, we would have gone to look for her together. You put yourself in danger by keeping it to yourself and rushing off like that.” He brushed his hand over her hair, trying to get the young Ryokuryuu to calm down. “I know you think everyone is over protective of you, but it’s really just because you’re that important to us, Lina-chan.” He kissed her forehead as he cleared her tears with the sleeve of his robe. Lina sniffed as she still looked upset. “… I’m sorry, really I am daddy. I won’t do it again.” “That’s my girl, now we won’t mention this to mommy or Grandma Yoon because then they’d scold you even more.” Jae-ha said, petting her on the head as he then lifting her onto his back. “Now let’s go for a ride in the sky to dry those tears.” “Ok… Thank you for saving me daddy.” Lina whimpered, burying her face into his hair as she was still crying a little. “Anytime, though that was a beautiful kick you did back there.” Jae-ha smiled as he jumped into the air. “We just need to work on it a bit more, we’ll practice when we get back.” Lina smiled finally, hugging her father’s back tightly as she held on during their trip in the sky. “I love you daddy.” “I love you too, my precious little treasure.”