Laconic [luh-kon-ik] :using few words; expressing much in few words; concise

He was always so laconic in his replies, but somehow she didn't mind; it suited him.

Despite the normal banter with her, usual arguments with Kija, and everyday beatings of Jae-ha, he had been far to quiet recently of late in her opinion.

This quiet and brief Hak was something Yona had just noticed, and it was just eating her that she hadn't seen his internal drowning earlier. But then again, Hak had always been hard to read, even to an expert such as herself. After all, no one in their tiny bright group knew the beast as well as she did, none of the others were there to witness for example his childlike glee when the man- "Boy at the time," she giggled- first got his precious staff, the way his eyes glittered with joy when Mundok presented him with the ferocious blade. And even though he acted like his oddly stoic self (for a child) in front of the adults, afterwards he had talked her ear off about precision, sharpness, and weight balance of all things. But as she was thinking about that, Yona realized how long it had been since he had been that wild about something, even before the Soowon indecent.

Had he grown tired of her? Had he always been tired of her? Was she just a giant bother to him? Was she just-

No. He was her best friend. Her rock. Her beloved companion. Her maybe soon to be something more. There wasn't anything they wouldn't do for each other.

And as she veered her eyes towards him, the red headed princess made eye contact with the sarcastic beast, feeling the soft compassion and mischievous twinkle in his gaze, promising trouble.

"No, not quiet," she thought, "laconic."

And maybe it was for the better that he was so careful with his words, because she would savour each and every sound that came from him. And maybe, just maybe she would finally return his loving teases. Yes, tonight, she would be laconic with him, with only each others names briefly passing between their lips before sealing together in a long overdue passionate embrace and So with a subtle grin as impish as his normally were, she had decided that she didn't mind him being laconic around her…

As long as he paid her back in full.