Love Again

70. You Owe Me

Mijin sat calmly at the coffee shop near her apartment alone. She specifically loved places like this since no one recognised her or knew of her in this area. Besides, after her dad had kicked her out of the apartment he had been leasing for Yeon, this was the fastest place she could have found that had been within her budget.

She looked around the crowded coffee shop and laughed at the idea of running away. That was Niel's way of handling things whenever he'd felt like he felt overwhelmed from their arguments, his tiff with his family or simply the pressure from assignments. He'd run away yet again after marking Elric. Serves then both right. To think that they were fated all this time...

Maybe if Niel hadn't been taking scent inhibitors they'd have already been together by now.

"Three wasted years of thinking he was mine...turns out Niel's lingering scent on me was the one that kept Elric entertained despite him not being able to take in my scent..."

Looking back, Mijin wondered to herself and how presently a lot of things made sense. She felt like she'd been conned from life...from love. She hadnt been able to take in Niel's primary scents either until that evening of their last fight when he'd scent manifested.

"Truly, I couldn't have kept them apart after all... but I loved Niel. I still do..."

A gentle tap on the shoulder took her away from her thoughts.

"You seem distracted. I called you twice..." Said Mora as she pulled a chair to sit infront of Mijin.

"You're late." Mijin responded in displeasure.

"Sorry. I had errands to run..."

"Why did you call for me?" Mijin inretupted. She felt like she was in no mood for neither plesantries nor excuses. "We agreed not to meet especially now that all eyes are on both of us."

"We held a family meeting yesterday with my family's lawyers for all of us to have the same story." Mora felt relieved when she saw Mijin's face light up in anticipation to hear more. "He will be released in two days as long as Stan's condition doesn't improve. Elric's mother's lawfirm is putting up a tough fight that this time, my parents can't bail him out till then. Moreover, his case...I mean him disclosing you as his accomplice was considered nonsensical since there is no direct evidence linking you in any of his abnormal and outrageous acts. The argument at the moment is that he is mentally imballanced and was lured by his accomplises into his herroneous acts not to mention, his blood was tested and they found traces of SC, the same drug that Yeon consumed that day and since both incidences are linked in nature, it was easier to use that simillarity for us instead of against us."

"I never asked you to update me Mora." Mijin did her best to hide her excitement at the news, relieved to have her hands clean despite her nerves almost breaking down the past one month from constant worry. She'd lay low and avoided calls from Mora's brother from prison yet despite her false composure, she'd snapped at her family members repeatedly, including Elric.

"We need to have the same script Mijin. This is the same drug that almost got you into trouble in the first place with Yeon being almost taken away by my brother... Seriously, you two need to sort out your shit..."

"Shut up. I didn't come here for a lecture especially from you. Your hands are as soiled as mine. You're the one who gave away that secret door at the back for those mugs your brother calls friends to jet in and take my little brother..."

"Hey, I never asked them to initiate his marking..." Mora spoke defensively.

Mijin sleered in response then shook her head. "...But you showed them a path that directly led to my little brother. Moreover, you've successfully painted me to others as the bad person. You even revealed to Yeon the nature of my relationship with your stupid brother. Why can't your family just leave me alone! Let me be! I kept my word and never contacted him after his marriage! He is the one always reaching out and you know this too!"