123. Make It Clear

"I've been calling you all day but you weren't picking up. Are you tired of me already?"

Niel was sitting by the dressing table next to the bed when Elric walked in. He appeared exhausted and stretched his hands as a yawn escaped him. "I just got here too. Where were you?"

Taking off his clothes then slumping on the bed, Elric replied. "I went to celebrate Yeon's simple birthday dinner but don't worry. I gave a good excuse for your absence."

"Oh right. It was today." Niel stood up, a bottle of water in his hands and walked towards the bed then sat down. He seemed aloof while reaching for his phone. "Yeon's going to kill me. I should give him a call..."

"You won't be calling anyone tonight." Elric spoke, raising one of his feet towards his fated's back and nudged him. "Focus on me today, I've been working very hard lately putting up with your heat and running my mom's errands."

Niel blocked Elric's feet with one arm and put his phone back in his pocket with his free hand. He still wore his official wear and was just about to take a sip of water from the bottle when he watched Elric begin to slide his undergarment off.

"Let's take a shower together..."

"I know where this is going." Niel chuckled and looked away, raising the bottle to his lips and took three gulps. He'd been from one interview to another that day and the only positive feedback he'd received was to work as a barista. At this point, he was feeling pressured to take the job seeing that noone was willing to give him a chance to work without experience. A thought escaped his mind to ask Mijin for help considering they studied the same major and she had earlier promised to help him out but then he brushed off the idea and looked at his fated, whom he knew wouldn't like the idea.

'It's his mother anyway that's blocking my path. Why do I have to be prideful about talking to Mijin when her own son is pregnant anyways? I want to start pulling my own weight as soon as possible...'

"Want me to make something clear babe?" Elric teased, raising one of his feet again to poke at Niel's cheek.

"What is it?"

"I'm officially Yeon's best friend as of today."

"I thought you had something important to say..." Niel's eyes drifted from Elric's cunning look to between his legs and felt his stomach tightening involuntarily. 'H-he is already this wet?'

"I do..." Elric smiled and kept at his pocking, intrigued by Niel's composure. He'd at least expected Niel to push his feet away but that was not the case despite his continuous provocation.

Doing his level best, Niel struggled to keep his eyes on Elric's face then turned away as soon as he felt his ears slowly becoming hot and other parts of his body.

"I thought Stan was your best friend."

"Stan is my brother."

"Okay." Niel said simply and took another gulp of water. He was feeling thirsty, but not the kind that could be quenched with only water. He knew Elric was teasing him. However, after jumping him due to his recurring heat cycles, he'd promised himself to not overexert his fated more than he should considering his condition.

"Okay? That's all you're going to say?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I was expecting you to be a little jealous and be like, 'Uwu, I thought I was your best friend...'"

"Uwuuu! I thought I was your best friend." Niel mimicked which sent his fated to a hysterical laughter.

"I wasn't expecting you to say the exact same thing but it's perfect."

"You seem to be in a horny good mood..." Niel seemed amused, his eyes drifting towards his fated's member. Grabbing onto Elric's foot that still pocked at his cheek, he gently pushed it back to rest on the bed and said, "you are distracting me."

Elric giggled and sat up. "Anyway, what I wanted to tell you is urgent and I made sure to chase all the helps away for this. It's about Mora."

"What about her?"

"What do you think of her?"

"I think she's been through a lot and I feel sorry for her. I used to judge her but..."

"Let me stop you right there before you piss me off. I'm quite moody these days to bottle in whatever jibberish you were about to utter. So, to cut this story short, Mora has Yeon at the palm of her hand."

Niel gave Elric a blank stare, waiting for him to expound on his accusation.

"She is blackmailing Yeon."

"Mora is blackmailing Yeon? The one and only Mora?" Niel asked in a manner that insinuated he found it laughable whatever Elric was saying.

"Yes."

"And?"

"We need to come up with a plan."

"I'm guessing you have some great plan in mind already?"

"Glad you asked. A few moments ago, Yeon texted me telling me Mora cut her hands and insisted he sleep over at her penthouse. Ofcourse Yeon refused so Mora is using that to threaten him."

"Mora has a penthouse?" Niel appeared bemused.

"That's all you heard?"

"...Because what you are saying sounds ridiculous. Do you have proof?"

"What are you? Mora's sympathizer?"

"She wouldn't be that crazy Elric. She's been through a lot of trauma. Remember how she cried when she came and told everyone about her father when I came to visit you at your mom's? You personally escorted her to a room for her to calm down... How can I not sympathyse with how much trauma she's had to endure?"

"I can't believe you fell for her brainwash. Yeon told me you know about Mora's cunningness, that's why I'm opening up to you about her."

"Of course I do but blackmail, really?"

"Are you calling Yeon a liar then?"

"Good point there." Niel's reply was instant.

Elric chuckled. "Between penthouse and blackmail, which do you want me to start with?"

"Put some clothes on first..."

"Blackmail it is." Elric ignored. "We are laying low about the case and we've been keeping Mora under watch, acting normal around her so she doesn't grow suspicious that we are not only investigating her dad but her as well. There's prospects of her being a low ranking psychopath. It's already been determined her father is one and according to her brother, Mora was pretty close to her dad....among other things she likes doing which I can't disclose at the moment.

Long story short, Mora threatened to expose Yeon for being the one responsible for cutting her palm and almost slitting her throat if he doesn't spend the night with her."

"Wait, what?"

"Take your mind out of the gutter you perv. She just wanted Yeon to sleep over and tricked him to come to her penthouse where there are no witnesses or cameras. Yeon tended to her wounds and texted me as soon as he was alone. He said Mora is keeping him in a separate room, I doubt he'll even sleep at night being that close to her."

"Yeon sleeps like the dead, but go on."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He wouldn't even wake up whenever Mijin and I..." Niel halted when he saw a frown on Elric's face.

"You wanna finish that sentence?"

"Nope."

Elric grunted. "Anyway, since we have to proceed with my plan, exposing Mora is sabotaging the bigger plan. I told Yeon to act normal and if any harm becomes of him, we know the cause of it, though I doubt Mora will be that stupid. I'll let my mom know if she does anything to harm Yeon. Mother seems convinced Mora won't do anything harmful at the moment because she already knows we are suspicious of her. What we do not know is what is going on in her mind for wanting Yeon to stay."

"Well, she used to like Yeon before."

"Do you think she still likes him?"

"I don't think so...but do not trust my opinion on this. I'm just finding out now what Mora has been up to. I still find it hard to believe and I have to ask where Mijin's hand in this is. What does she stand to benefit?"

"Oh, Mijin doesn't know anything either, and she is not calling the shots but Mora is. They are currently not in good terms."

"Looks like Mora outwitted her master."

"Actually, Mora has been using Mijin this entire time."

"How so?"

"She is the mastermind behind everything, using Mijin as a means to an end and she achieved her purpose. She was merely using us too when she exposed her father to us but we still do not know what she is up to. Her mother revealed some dark things about her and the husband, that is why we consider Mora a low ranking psychopath.

Her father too has been closely monitored but he is a hard nut to crack. His cases might just end up being dismissed since very few people are coming up now to speak against him. People have been withdrawing their statements and the ones we can push forward may only get him a maximum of six months in jail or perhaps community service for a year plus. Knowing a case like this, his lawyers may make a mental health plea which will allow him by right an assigned psychiatric review and sessions for a period of time and after a while, he shall be set free. He is playing smart and Mora doesn't want that, neither do we."

"So, what's the way forward."

"Mother is working on something. That's why I've been quite busy lately. However, you and I must keep an eye on Yeon. If he is not able to reach me, he should you."

"What about Stan?"

"Yeon doesn't want him getting involved and I agree. As much as he will be furious finding out later, Stan is too protective of Yeon and filling him on our side plan makes him a liability than an asset."

Niel nodded. "Fair enough. So the plan is for me to be contactable if Yeon reaches out?"

"Not just you but each of us. Yeon said Mora is interested in him. If we pay close attention to that statement, it simply means exactly that."

"I beg to differ. Mora has always had her attention on Mijin."

Elric shook his head in disagreement. "Mora has been stalking Yeon since before his attack."

"And you know this how?"

"Well..." Elric hesitated, his eyes drifting away from Niel, who grimaced.

"You hit on her."

"I wanted to but couldn't. She gives me the creeps. Every time I saw her, she had her eyes on Yeon."

"Weird. You make her out to sound like a psychopath."

"Nelnel," Elric teased, looking back at his fated. "I've been calling her a psychopath this entire time."

"Right." Niel said unimpressed. "You made sexual advances towards a psychopath."

"I didn't...I wanted to though."

"Anyway, if you weren't able to do it, it just means there is something indeed off about her."

"Exactly."

"I mean, you practically slept with everything and anything so why not her?"

Elric frowned in silence.

"You really are moody these days. Normally you don't get offended easily."

"Then how are you planning on cheering me up babe?" Elric asked, raising his leg once more to Niel's cheek and pocked at it.

"I don't want you stressing over this case." Niel held onto his fated's annoyance of a foot, placed the bottle of water on the floor and rose above Elric, who welcomed him by wrapping his legs around his waist. "I especially don't want you loosing this pregnancy which planned with my grandparents. I've already come to terms with it."

Elric giggled, looking up at his lover. "This is a complte no-brainer. I've been through worse, like when you'd reject me constantly. That was torturous."

They kissed briefly and then stared at each other, Elric wrapping his arms around Niel's neck.

"Play?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"I'm going to blindfold you with my tie, handcuff you with my belt, muffle you up with kisses then I want you to only focus on whatever feeling I'll be giving you. The only rule is no scent released from either of us. We are going completely depend on instinct and yearning."

"Sounds interesting..." Elric smiled. "What will be my reward?"

"For there to be a reward, there needs to be unbroken rules. For one, if you let out a single scent, I won't take you on our very first date. You'd have to wait until I forgive you..."

Elric cut in, his face completely flustered. "Where will we be going? What will we do..?"

"Shhh!" Niel began loosening his tie. "The play has already begun."