Chapter 36

"Hey Halle," she said with disdain. "Got yourself a new boyfriend, I see."

"He's not my . . . !" she stopped mid-way. Arien was looking at her and Yui stopped playing. "Did you decide?" she asked quietly and smiled at Yui to express that nothing was wrong.

"Hey Yui." She heard Arien say. "You want to check out that shop?"

She saw him escort Yui out of her sight.

"Have you or have you not, Juniper?" asked Halle.

"I can't provide any money."

"Okay, we'll see in court then." Halle went to cut the call.

"No wait."

"What?"

"How much do you need?"

"Need for mom." Halle hissed. She said the amount.

"That's all?"

Halle was dubious. "Yeah. That's all."

"I can't transfer it to your account though. How do you want to take the money?"

"What's it with you?" asked Halle angrily. "First you said you can't call me to my number. Next you unnecessary shout at me for Elric picking up your phone. Now you're saying that you can't send the money to my account? What the hell is going on?"

"Wrong with me?" asked Juniper sarcastically. "Wrong with me? You're the one who's been wrong in every freaking way!"

"Don't start the drama, Juniper. I'm tired of it."

"Drama? Me?"

"You, Kairo, everyone even closely related to you. All of you do the same thing and I am sick and tired of it. Can you cut to the main point." said Halle. "Why is my account a problem here?"

There was a short pause on the other end. "Do you know anything?"

"Well, you didn't even tell me that you used me to get Kairo's help to get out of the mess. It took me a damn year before I overheard him speak to you. So yeah, I don't know what's going on at the moment."

"You, what?"

"Stop acting, Juniper." said Halle. "I just need the money for mum. I don't have time for you or for Kairo. Please, just make this painless."

"Painless?" asked Juniper incredulous. "When I'm going through this, you want to live a painless life? If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have to go through this."

"What the hell do you mean by this?" asked Halle. It was confusing and that was irritating.

"Elric wanted to marry you, but Kairo played with my life instead."

The only reason Halle didn't throw the phone away was it didn't belong to her. "Well then," Halle said grimly. "You deserved it, didn't you?"

"How could you say that?" she screamed.

"You ruined my life and life ruined you." said Halle with a small smile. "What difference does it make?"

"Why you—"

"Please wait on the line for a moment."

Halle searched for Arien. With that deep red shirt, he shouldn't be hard to spot. Ah, there he was. He bought her a bag full of candies. Shizuka was going to kill her. She put the call on hold "Arien!" she waved.

He waved back with a smile. "What'd she say?"

"That freaking hag wants someone else's account to transfer money."

Arien stared. "Isn't it suspicious?"

"Very much. I asked her why and her story was ridiculous. I'll say it later. She's still on the line. What should I do if I can't give mine?"

"Ask her if she can send over some hot cash."

"I thought it wasn't possible. What if it gets stolen?"

"That would be her problem, wouldn't it?"

"Right." Halle rolled her eyes. She spoke to Juniper. "How about you send the money to me directly? Or do you need someone else's address?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"I couldn't care less," said Halle. "Just answer."

"Someone else's address." She said quietly.

Halle gave the old building's address. "Write my name on it. I'll talk to them."

"You really shouldn't have, you know."

"Shouldn't have what?"

"Let Kairo go."

"Let go?" Halle was furious. "You are a piece of scum that wanted money and you got it. Don't put me in the same place as you!"

"If you hadn't done it, I would've been happy!"

"If you aren't happy just come back home." said Halle calmly. "Don't blackmail me saying that I ruined your life. You didn't even let dad come into your life. You think I can change a part of it?"

"You will pay."

"I already am, alright?" said Halle. "You have what you wanted. I was ripped off of everything I had. You don't get a say in pain and suffering. Goodbye Juniper." She cut the call.

Arien kept staring at her as she handed him the phone. "That was intense. Real sibling rivalry."

"That wasn't rivalry." corrected Halle. "That was mutual hate."

"But why?"