121. Are You Insane?

"I heard you want to drop the charges against my brother. Is that correct?"

"There is no reason why I should explain my decisions to you. I've heard enough scolding from my parents today over that."

"If you are doing it because you think my brother is insane, then I'd rather you didn't."

"Mora, why did you ask to see me?"

"I was feeling lonely. No one informed me it was your birthday today hence it's good I decided to pass by despite Mijin and I not being in good terms."

"She told me she doesn't want to see you."

"Of course she wouldn't. She probably sees my brother when she looks at me."

Yeon's eyes were focused on their path. They had been walking for almost ten minutes. Upon his birthday festivities concluding, Mora had requested Yeon's parents if he could escort her back to where she stayed and despite not wanting to do so, Yeon obliged. He didn't understand why Mora was insistent on visiting his parents every now and then when Mijin didn't want anything to do with her and was very verbal about it. "You two like playing victim against each other. None of you wants to take responsibility for anything."

Mora smiled. Her eyes were on Yeon the entire time. "I've apologized to you hundreds of times over the phone but you never reply. I was surprised you picked today when I called you..."

"My mom picked my phone up."

"Oh- I should thank her then. If it were your dad, he wouldn't have..."

"Mora." Yeon suddenly came to a halt. He looked at the tall building infront of them and frowned. He hadn't planned to take Mora this far especially this time of the night. "I've practically escorted you up to where you stay. I need to go home now."

"Can't you come inside? You're already here anyway or are you afraid of me?"

"Why would I be? I have nothing against you anymore. That's why I'm dropping charges against your brother and what he did despite you and Mijin having a part in it." Turning to face Mora, Yeon added. "I'm choosing to move on as hard as it is. I just want peace and all this to end."

Mora reached out her hand to touch Yeon but he took a step back. "Please, just come inside. It won't take long." Mora appeared a little hurt from her expression. "I promise."

"It's late and I'm tired."

"I've never invited anyone to my place before...and I live alone now."

Yeon shifted his gaze inside the reception. Everything seemed normal. Looking around, he wondered to himself if Elric's mother had still put people to watch his every move and if they were still watching him at the moment. "Mora, why are you staying in a hotel, a very expensive one at that? What about your mother?"

"I can't disclose details concerning my mom but as for living alone, it's only until my dad is sentenced then I'll go back to our main home."

"Isn't it too big for one person?"

"It is, yet I have all my memories there..." Rubbing her hands together, Mora stated. "It's kinda getting chilly. That's why I'm inviting you but you don't want to come in."

Checking the time, Yeon finally agreed. "You have only ten minutes and I'm gone. I'm only agreeing because I pity you."

Mora smilled. "That's all I need."

Once inside, Yeon could feel the tension in the air as if their presence had been immediately noticed. Additionally, whomever they passed bowed their heads in respect, Mora acknowledging them with a nod accompanied by a gentle smile.

"Why is everyone looking at us?" Yeon whispered once they got into the lift.

"Because this is my grandmother's property." Mora replied cheerfully. "It's nice to be acknowledged isn't it? My father can't do anything here. My mother's side of the family hates him to the core."

Yeon appeared mesmerised by the experience of having someone tend to them as soon as they got out of the lift. "How wealthy are you guys? I never knew...."

"It's just one of the few things we own." Mora cut in, not wanting to dwell on the topic with strangers around. "My mother's family was into real estate."

"Wait..." Yeon paced ahead of Mora, who'd been following one of the staff of the hotel. The man took a halt as soon as Mora stopped walking. "Maybe you can help Stan and I find a place. We want to move in together."

"Really?"

"Yea...but not now. Though, it's still good to have a place in mind for when that time comes." Reaching for his pocket, Yeon took his phone out and said. "I should probably let Stan know about this..."

"Yeon." Mora called out, covering her hands with his. "We are here."

"Oh sorry. Look at me making plans when I haven't even asked you properly."

"Not at all." Mora assured, urging him to come inside her room. "I'd be happy to be useful to you. Didn't you say you've forgiven me? Consider this my way of saying thank you though I hardly doubt it's enough to make up for what I've done to you."

Mora giggled at Yeon's lack of response. He seemed distracted for his attention was captured by how homey Mora's place looked like.

"Are you sure a mare college student should be living like this? Why are you even attending a community collage to begin with? You should..."

"I applied since Mijin was studying there too. We got along really well from the moment we met and when I found out she was studied there. I informed my father about it and the rest is history."

"Right...." Yeon said, not wanting to encourage the discussion to shift to his sister again. He couldn't stand another blame game from the two. "I get why you feel lonely living here."

"It is. That's why I like spending time at your place after my classes. Perhaps someday you could consider inviting me over to Stan's place too." Mora replied and dismissed the statue of a man standing by the entrance and when the door closed, Yeon looked back at the sound of it.

'Time to go. Inviting her there is ocompletely out of the question. Perhaps it was a terrible idea to ask for her help in finding a place for Stan and I. Me and my big mouth!'

"I've seen your place, my ten minutes are up so I'll head down home."

"...But I haven't spoken to you yet about what's bothering me."

"Mora, if you fought with Mijin, fix it. Don't replace her with me...and don't ask me to help you patch up either with her."

"You must really hate me so much." Mora sulked. She seemed saddened by the need for Yeon to leave for her eyes began forming tears. All this time, her gaze was at Yeon.

"O-okay... What do you want to talk about?" Yeon stuttered, a tinge of guilt nibbling at his consience.

"I want to meet my fated mate too like you. If Elric could, anyone can."

"If you want to have a discussion about love, you should consider talking to Stan."

"I'm not that close with him." Mora walked closer to Yeon and was glad when he didn't try to run away from her as he did earlier. "I received information that you need volunteers for a project."

"Who told you about it?"

"Mijin."

"Mijin?" Yeon seemed surprised for he never mentioned a word about his project to his sister. 'Perhaps mom and dad did.'

"We had an argument a few days ago. She literally kicked me out, telling me to go find my fated mate and stop coming over to your parents...but how can I meet someone when I'm so stressed about the ongoing predicament of my family? My elder brother doesn't want to see me too whenever I visit. I never wanted this when I exposed my father. Now it appears I'm the one on the loosing end here..."

"Why did you expose him?"

Mora seemed surprised by Yeon's question. "What?"

"Why did you do it? I find it hard to believe you'd do something like that without expecting this outcome. Your father is everywhere in the news. I'm sure you can hardly breath well in campus with everything that's been going on. Didn't you think things through?"

"Actually, the support group got disbanded since no one has been showing up... and the school has refused receiving funds to support it despite telling them it's my grandmother sponsoring it."

"Do people know about your brother?"

"Actually, no one really knows much about what's going on except for those that have been involved with my father."

"I understand you are having a hard time but don't you think handling this on your own is too much? Can't you reach out to your family somehow?"

"Which family? I have none."

"Your mother's side of the family."

"I can't leave the country and I don't want mom to come here. She just got released after being suspected of being my father's accomplice." Mora advanced towards Yeon to hold his hand but he took a step back again.

"Look, I hope you still don't habour feelings for me Mora."

"No. However, I'm still interested in you."

"What's the difference?"

"I want to be part of your life. That's all. I'm not asking you to like me back or anything, just put up with me until the case is done and I'll leave you and everyone alone."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why now? If you'd wanted to know me you could have approached me in campus a long time ago. Perhaps I wouldn't have been labeled the campus loner."

"Look at the time Yeon, maybe you can spend the night here." Mora suddenly changed the subject. "This room is a presidential suite."

"No." Yeon immediately turned and began walking towards the door.

"Yeon wait!" Mora held onto Yeon's hand to which he froze, remembering what Elric had told him of his skepticism concerning Mora touching him.

"Hey, let go."

"If you leave, I'm going to kill myself, Yeon."

"If that is a joke, it's a very bad one."

Letting go of Yeon's hand, Mora reached for a glass of water beside a shelf next to her and smashed it on the floor, prompting Yeon to retreat from reflex.

"I told you if you leave, I'll kill myself."

"Hey...!" Yeon yelled when Mora bent down and took a piece of the broken glass then squeezed it tight at the palm of her hands. After a few seconds, her palm was dripping blood.

"What do you think you're doing!" Yeon grabbed onto Mora's wrist. "Let it go!"

"No!"

"Stop!"

"Just stay!"

"Mora..!"

"You don't want a dead body on your hands Yeon..!"

"Stop!" Yeon yelled when Mora took another broken piece and was about to stab her neck with it when he grabbed her arm.

"Stop it!"

"Let go!"

"No! What the hell is wrong with you!"

"Just stay! Don't leave me!"

"Fine! Damn it I'll stay! I'll stay okay?" Yeon had completely panicked. He couldn't believe what had just happened in a span of a few seconds. "Just let go of it, you're bleeding..."

"Okay." Mora dropped both pieces of glass and smiled as if she wasn't in pain at all.

"What's wrong with you? Are you stupid?" Yeon was extremely furious. His instinct was to look for something to stop the bleeding but wasn't sure if he were to let go of Mora's wrists, she might try to do something crazy again.

"If I didn't do this you wouldn't have chosen to stay, or hold my hand the way you are now."

"Are you mad? This is not how you ask someone to sleep over! Fuck! I need to call for help... Look at your hands!"

"No one has to know." Mora whispered.

"What the hell are you talking about? Are you blind? You're bleeding!"

"This...? It's just a minor accident. I fell while holding the glass. Didn't you see? You were standing right infront of me."

"What?" Yeon wasn't sure what Mora was implying.

"That's what happened right?"

"What are you talking about? Mora..."

"Yeon, do you want them to blame you for this?"

"Why would anyone blame me for what you did?"

"Do you think they will believe me if I say it was you who attacked me or I fell down holding a glass?"

"Mora...y-you're fucking insane..."

"You wound me Yeon but I forgive you." Mora giggled, her eye looking at the blood trailing from her wrists to Yeon's hands. "Now, I'm sure you know a thing or two about first aid so we should probably take care of this before I bleed to death, don't you think?"