[AnY] How Betrayal Taste

“I will love you as misfortune loves orphans, as fire loves innocence, and as justice loves to sit and watch while everything goes wrong.”  

- Lemony Snicket -

First thing first. That quotation have nothing to do with this post. Saw it, liked it, and just had to share it.

          I've been reading historical fictions a lot all these while. I think one of the reason I found it even more interesting is the non-existing concept of 'freedom of speech'. You see, it keeps your mind wander on what is it that characters aren't saying. People can express so many things in nowadays social setting that they not only misuse the concept, they also mistaken their own expression. It's so easy to go public that most people forget that covert is also communication style.

          Currently, I am caught up in the plot of Akatsuki no Yona. Yona and her dragons doesn't really catch my attention despite being what's supposed to be the main story line. It's her earlier setting. Or more accurately, it's Hak and Soo Won that got me hooked.

Son Hak

Soo-Won

          Hak and Soo-Won had been friends for the longest of time. Minus the time they had to spend with Yona, they were pretty much together every visit Soo-Won had to the palace.
They spar, they hunt and also discuss the country's issue together. These were the things that Yona wasn't part of. To be fair, Soo-Won was a much closer person to Hak than to Yona.

           I can't help but think about how the author would portray these two later in the series.
As of chapter 115 [SPOILER ALERT],

we know that Yona seems to have forgive Soo-Won a little. At least, she doesn't have this rage when she saw him. She accepted that Soo-Won probably did what he did for a reason that is good to him, despite the consequences. Even if she can't find it in her to forgive him entirely, the hatred has subsided.

It's different for Hak. I can't assume this is true since I'm not the author and this is just me speculating. Hak trusted the guy to watch his back. He would probably sleep so deep with Soo-Won around him. They probably share boyhood secrets. There's a difference between a friend who grew distant and a friend who turned enemy overnight.

The friend he counted on to care for his princess, and the friend he rooted to be the next king. Hak spent his days working hard so that he could be of use to Soo-Won when he'd marry Yona and ascended the throne.

Yet that very friend stab him in the back.

Soo-Won basically kill the man Hak was sworn to protect, attempted to kill the woman that begged  to marry him, and ordered the execution of his best friend. If he could have more faith and waited a while, the throne would have been his.

Part of me feels that Hak anguish was not only the betrayal. It was his lack of faith. Hak trusted Soo-Won with his life. Despite aiming for a greater good, Soo-Won never once consulted him about his plan. Worse, Hak might have only been a pawn in Soo-Won's game.

[SPOILER]

I'm glad that those dragons are great new  companion for Hak. As much as I wish (as a reader and part-fan of Soo-Won) that his friendship with Soo-Won will be mended somehow, I think it's best Hak just forget about the guy and appreciate those dragons instead. I feel bad for Soo-Won but it's the risk he took, and he'll just have to find new companions who would support him as Hak once did.

I wish Soo-Won get his wish in the end. I don't want Hak and Yona's torment be all for naught.

"One gets so used to one's own horrors, one forgets how they must seem to other people."

- Diane Setterfield -