56. It Hurts, It Hurts!

"I had warned you earlier about approaching Niel with your horny intentions. You asked for the beating on purpose."

"I can't deny that my dear sweet Yeon. He did go berserk on me without holding back." Elric laughed then looked around, as if hoping no one was watching them. On seeing that, Yeon followed mirrored his actions and inquired if he'd been hoping for Niel to pop out of nowhere.

"I doubt he'll be looking for me since I'm the one crowned as the chaser. I enjoy my hunts especially when they play hard to get like your dear Niel. He'll come around soon. I'm more concerned of your bodyguard's wherebouts at this time of the night. You never leave his sight."

"I've been avoiding him all day without success. I was happy when you two went surfing in the morning but then he came to look for me for the boat ride afterwards. I haven't managed to avoid him until now so do not even mention his name again or he might show up out of the blue."

Elric laughed at Yeon's remark. It was true Stan had been monopolizing Yeon the entire time all to himself and knowing Yeon, an individual who found peace in solitude, he must feel suffocated having Stan around him all the time.

"I'd hoped you'd enjoy his company now that you two are fated..." Elric's statement brought Yeon to a halt and he stared ahead for a while then started looking around again. He admired the beauty of the villa and enjoyed how the palm trees swayed in the night with the ocean breeze. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath enjoying the feel of nature, the scent of flowers next to the mini shed they'd just passed, the sound of ocean waves splashing on the corals. Opening his eyes slowly, he looked at the beach and noticed just how much water had moved away...with the tide this low under a beautiful moon in the night, he felt at peace.

Looking back at Elric who'd also stopped and had been staring at him in confusion, he giggled and spoke. "This is what I enjoy the most. We used to go walking every morning whenever you'd come check on me at Stan's parents' home. You know how much I love nature."

Starting to walk again, Yeon added. "While in campus, I visited the agriculture club a lot and helped out in the garden. I do not enjoy gardening but I loved the scent of flowers...the sound of small birds tweeting in the branches and chirping of crickets. Often times, one can't pay much attention to such small things when they are talking to someone, or having another hovering around them. We tend to overlook such small things since we become distracted in small talk.

You do not try to monopolize me. You let me be me and enjoy the things I like doing. Stan on the other hand wants me to change...or rather I feel compelled to change because of him. He makes me feel like I'm erasing myself gradually by constantly wanting us to do everything together including breathing together..."

Yeon's comment made Elric burst out laughing. "You're a funny one Yeon, I wonder how you will survive a lifetime with your fated. Stan is very possesive of the things he loves and you happen to be the one he loves the most."

"I know..." Yeon laughed at his own predicament before adding. "They say there is a reason fated are fated after all. Stan in some way has his on version of peace or calm. He is like a storm, often loosing his temper unnecessarily but I can't tell if having me around changed that part of him. For my case, whenever I take in his scent, I feel like I've been elevated or teleported to my happy place....it's kind of hard to put describing a scent into words however, the night of my kidnapping, I remember that feeling vaguely. It felt as if I almost could recognize it however, often times whenever I'd look at Stan, I wanted to wage war with him. He represented an individual coming to disrupt my peace, with his unfiltered tongue lashing. Therefore, I never noticed his scent yet the first time I went into heat at the campus' main entrance, I somehow recognized his scent but he was not the one who gave me peace. My representation of the one who made me feel at peace was another."

Shaking his head, amused by his loud thoughts, Yeon continued. The ideology of fated mates is that we are meant to cross paths with them, also someone we least expect to be fated to. Who would have thought that he and I would ever date when I'd sworn to never love again?"

"You love him?" Elric asked, amused by Yeon's confession.

"I don't think so. Love is just a feeling that passes overtime. The real question is do I even like him? I constantly see Stan conjuring a life with me...where he plans for us to live, having children...working to support his family and growing old together..."

"But that's just who Stan is. He is an advent romantic. I'm sure he has already told you numerous times he loves you. We all can see it with the way he looks at you, however, he is constantly walking on eggshells trying to make sure he doesn't tip you off..."

"I find it admirable whenever I hear people say they love each other. My parents say that all the time to each other, his parents too not forgetting how crazy in love his uncle is with his wife..." They both laughed when his picture popped up in their heads. "I just believe for two people to get there, one of the most important decisions they can make for themselves as individuals is who they spend the rest of their lives with. I don't think being fated is an important component..."

"Spiritual connection bonds two fateds together and makes them weak when they part." Elric added in agreement.

"Yes! Exactly. People often throw 'I love you' in the air like it's free candy, but do they actually like the other person? One can love someone that they don't like and that's the difference. I can have a relative I love but don't like, a friend I love but don't like as well. Stan loving me despite our personalities being entirely opposite of each other makes me wonder how much opposites attract. However, scientifically, opposites indeed attract but they don't stay together for too long."

"...And you don't want your heart to be shattered again."

"I don't. I'm not like you Elric or my sister. I don't know how to care for multiple people at the same time. I'm lazy at keeping tabs and find that cumbersome, not to mention selfish with myself. I'm not couragious to risk it all..."

"You're worried about the perks of being fated to a guy like Stan."

"Yes. For now, I'm convinced I like his scent...a lot. That explains why we are fated. However, unlike him, I do not wish to be with him just because we are fated. Stan would have never noticed me if he hadn't scent manifested from my scent that night."

"That's true. That thought kills him everyday."

"Neither would I have noticed him as well..."

"Yet your scent chose him Yeon. You're forgetting that part. I understand your point of view extremely well and so do I get Stan's predicament. You forgot some additional basic theory of fated mates. When you reacted to one of his strong primary scents, I'm guessing he must have been angry and confused searching for you, you chose his scent. You're the one who initiated his scent manifestation. He becomes the first victim to being fated to you then replicates by drawing your scents out. You know this to be true. That's why many scientists such as yourself may be able to explain this theory and even extract scents, but can never decode spiritual essence. The moment any of your scents mixed up, your spiritual essence and dependency was achieved. Therefore, I fully get your concerns. However, knowing Stan, he will not waiver in his feelings for you. He may have said he loved you several times, but I think he liked you a long time ago before you two became fated...or was aware of you. Maybe he just wasn't aware of it."

"You challenge my thoughts so precisely and candidly and I appreciate that. I trust him, that I know for sure..."

"...But do you like him? ...Or do you just like his scent..." Suddenly, Elric held his head and closed his eyes briefly. He seemed to be in a lot of pain.

"Are you okay?" Yeon reached for him, worried that he hadn't yet fully recovered from Niel's beating. After all, it had just happened the day before yesterday.

"I feel a little dizzy. Maybe I should head to my room and..." Elric stopped and began fanning his face using his hands. "I feel suddenly very hot...maybe I shouldn't have surfed today."

They walked back slowly towards the villa, Elric often seeking support from Yeon whenever he began wobbling.

"This is bad...The air...It's become too thick Yeon."

Panicking, Yeon looked at Elric who seemed to be slipping in and to of consciousness and looked around for anyone but they seemed alone. It was only when they approached Elric's room that he heard Mijin's voice. She seemed to be yelling at someone as usual and Yeon immediately avoided getting involved and quickly opened Elric's room, laying him on his bed.

Elric looked at Yeon lazily and smiled then tried to say something but reached for his chest, as if he'd felt a sharp pain there. He began groaning and curling up in a motion that suggested him to be in severe pain that Yeon became frantic and ran toward's Stan's parents room, banging his fists on their door, praying...hoping that one of them was in there.

"Elric! Something is wrong with Elric!" Yeon exclaimed, relieved to have found one of them at least.

"What happened?" Dad Robin asked as he followed Yeon towards Elric's room.

"I don't know? He just started feeling hot and panting heavily...I didn't know what to do..."

Bursting into Elric's room, they found him sprawled on the floor, twisting and turning as if in excruciating pain. He was sweating profusely and his breathing was deep and slow. He seemed unlike his normal carefree self.

When they approached him closely, they each looked at each other in surprise before Yeon asked. "Dad Robin, why does he smell different?"

"Because he is going into heat Yeon."