33. Life Is Short

"I wasn't expecting to find you already up and about Yeon..."

Yeon stiffened briefly before turning around to watch one of Stan's dads walking towards him. From the look on his face, Yeon could sense a deep concern, as if he had been worried he'd run away. "Sorry, I hope you didn't look for me for long..."

"Not really, I noticed your figure in the garden when I stood by the balcony." He replied, hoping Yeon wouldn't sense the panic he felt. He'd been surprised to find Yeon's room empty. After separating his son and Yeon whom they'd found lusting after each other, they'd carried him to his untouched room, which clearly indicated that Yeon had spent the night in Stan's room.

"I got bored when I came downstairs and found nobody so I got out for some air. While in campus, I used to visit the garden a lot. While there, I'd get many samples for several projects for my major."

"Stannie did tell us you studied biochemical engineering which I'm glad since your field looks into revolutionizing the field of medicine..."

"Yes..." Yeon let out a low laugh. "Maybe I could learn a thing or two from Dad Joss since his practice and my major are closely related."

"It's a boring career my dear, I'd rather you join me in the hospital so we can disect human begins together instead of plants."

Dad Robin felt relaxed seeing Yeon smile. He was curious though to discuss with him what had happened in the morning with Stan but before he could ask Yeon anything, he was surprised when he inquired the whereabouts of Stan. "Would you like me to fetch him for you?"

"No need. We had an encounter today morning. He must have put me to bed however, do not fret since it wasn't that serious."

Dad Robin hesitated before confirming to Yeon him and his partner were witnesses to their daring escapades. "You two were inseparable, drunk in lust for each other. What Stan tried to do to you was something similar to what you had undergone during your kidnapping. He feels great remorse over what happened and as we speak, his father is giving him a tongue-lashing. Hopefully, he can reflect on his actions and not loose control like that again."

Yeon felt embarrassed with how Dad Robin openly elaborated the situation he'd found him and Stan in....however, wasn't he the one who'd purposely provoked Stan? He had been very intentional with Stan. The previous night when they got back with Elric, they'd drunk for a while....but he hadn't been too drunk to not remember what they had discussed...

"I think you should go ahead and sleep with Stan Yeon, as his long time friend and brother, I can vouch for him that he'll satisfy you well..."

"Satisfaction is the least of my concerns. I want to end everything with him. Once he completes my marking, I'd be able to move on with my life. Staying here, playing home with his parents only gives me memories with them and I'd like to not bond with anyone in my life...including you Elric."

"Ouch that hurts. I'd hoped you'd at least remember I liked you a lot and how fondly I hold the times we spend together close to my heart..."

"You're too generous with your heart Elric." They both laughed at the sarcasm before his face grew grim as he said, "I have no more room for other people, my sisters, my parents and Niel...are more than enough." Glancing to look at Elric, he asked if he had seen Niel lately.

"So that's the guy Stan is jealous of...from the way you intimately call his name, I'm getting jealous too."

"It's an unrequited love which I don't intend to act on. I must admit I was tempted to pair with him but brushed away such childish thoughts when I remembered why I will never love again...or act on how I feel..."

"Why is that?"

"Nothing special about my story but if you're that curious, you must equally tell me one of your biggest secrets Elric."

"Then I'm that curious...."

"So, what is the secret that you guard so well then...Elric? You must have plenty but all I ask for is just one."

"Well there is nothing I'll tell you that Stan doesn't know. I grew up with him after all in this house. Of the two of us, Stan is the one who keeps a lot of secrets...like his love for romantic movies. Did you know about that?"

"Really? He doesn't look it...which I find quite hilarious...him and I definitely have nothing in common. How I'm I supposed to get along with him when he has such a terrible taste for passing time?"

"I have suffered for years Yeon, you don't want to imagine the boredom I go through once he gets his hands on the remote control..." They laughed for a while before Elric inquired on the reason behind Yeon's decision to never love again.

"Two girls. One was my first love who left me to get married to a more manlier looking guy. The second one's the worst. It was her birthday and I'd thought to surprise her. My family was to take a trip but it got cancelled last minute due to a bad weather forecast. I was extremely happy so I visited her dorm and planned a surprise for her. Mijin, Niel and I hid and turned off the lights when we heard her at the door, except she wasn't alone. For about ten minutes, we had to listen to her and her lover make out. My sister wasn't much help either, she started making out with Niel...it was such an uncomfortable situation. I stayed in hiding like a fool and listened to four people make out, one of them my sister and the other my girlfriend...what a spectacle it was."

Elric had burst out laughing calling it a mini orgy party he wished to have been a part of.

"That's why right now, I can't wait for Stan to complete the marking so I can leave...I want to disappear Elric."

Yeon was startled when he felt a firm grip on his shoulder. "Sorry, I was lost in thought..."

"Don't think about it, it was quite embarrassing for us too....though I must warn you, with the large amounts of scents you were both letting out, especially you Yeon, you'd have been the first to go into shock followed by coma."

"What?" Yeon asked, shocked by the revelation of what Dad Robin had said.

"Don't go provoking Stan like that again. Stannie took the blame but I'm a doctor, I know the truth. People believe the one doing the marking controls the other however, we in the medical field know that couldn't be further from the truth. You're the one who initiated his scent manifestation when he first reacted to your scent. The result of that is you responded to one of his protective scents. If you feel sad, happy, tired, angry, hungry, lust...your fated will sense all of these from you thereby react to them and for your case, with your incomplete marking and your nonchalant nature, Stan and the rest of us can only sense once scent which you subconsciously let out regardless of your mood...yet somehow we felt acute sadness in the air when we both got here. Stan would have been continuously compelled to want to equalize your enormous scent with his which will be impossible since you already were swallowing him with yours...."

"I'm sorry....I'm really sorry..." Yeon covered his eyes to hide the guilt that had brought tears on them. What he had done was very reckless. He had no excuse...none whatsoever. Whatever he'd attempted to do to Stan was almost in line with what those kidnapers did to him.

He'd tried to take advantage of Stan!

Pulling Yeon to his embrace, Dad Robin patted his back gently to comfort him. He'd dealt with cases like this before however for Yeon's case, a marking done by three or more people was way too much...not to mention a shared imprint and incomplete marking. Maybe that's why he'd lost his ability to completely scent manifest. His depression didn't help much either. However, there was no more time to beat about the bush. Soon enough, he'd start having frequent unstable heats and without proper intercourse to complete the mark, he will soon loose his eyesight permanently.

"Yeon, I know you're afraid of what is to happen to you...you've began to feel it and can sense your heat coming soon...maybe that's why you pushed Stannie to act...I probably would have done the same if I were in your shoes but you must forgive my son, he is a little slow and heavily relies on his naive logic."

"I can't give him what he wants since I already like someone else...I don't even think I'm sure how I feel about the other person anymore."

"You don't have to love Stannie, you just need to give him a chance to get to know you...spend time with you. If you continue to shut him out, you suffer more and seeing your suffering equally tortures him. Whatever wrong he may have done, you don't have to forgive him for it, just let him have a chance to make up for it Yeon.

Life is too short to hold a grudge."