"Where is Stannie? I rarely see him these days." Dr. Jiwon inquired upon noticing his nephew's absence for sometime.
"He still seems to be avoiding meeting his fated. These days he only goes to Yeon's room once he's fallen asleep." Dad Joss smirked, his eyes on his cunning brother upon handing him a paper bag filled with leftover meals dad Robin had earlier made. "He was being too over attentive in the beginning. Perhaps Yeon scolded him over it."
"I think the same." Added dad Robin.
"You two may be mistaken. Are you forgetting the wedding date has been pushed foreword? Of course he wouldn't be happy about it." Peeping into the bag, Stan's uncle smiled and thanked Stan's parents. "My guess is he hasn't informed Yeon yet of the amendments regarding their union."
"You could be right." Dad Joss concurred as he sat on the couch beside his pair. "He wasn't acting this way before, only after we'd met with Elric's mom and pushed foreword their wedding day."
"I'd better have a word with him later." Dad Robin spoke while leaning closer to his partner. "This atmosphere of his has made him a little distracted that he rarely helps me cook these days..."
"No need." Stan's uncle's eyes drifted to the front door opening and Stan began walking towards them. "He is coming this way."
Both of Stan's dads stood up abruptly and began pacing towards the kitchen's back door in a bid to avoid their son.
"Cowards."
"You deal with him Jiwon, and pass our regards to your wife."
"Come on, she is waiting for the food..!"
"Where are they running off to?" Stan asked upon reaching his uncle.
"Those traitors are avoiding you."
"Really?" Stan couldn't help but laugh. "No wonder I haven't sensed any form of mischief from them lately. They must be feeling apprehensive over the wedding arrangements being delayed."
"Speaking of which, update me on what's happened so far with all the drama. I rarely watch the news you see."
"Majority of stakeholders in the incident have been apprehended, some soon to face trial. Either way, a lot has been hushed lately concerning the case with Mora's father. None of the investors he is working with have admitted to any illegal activities lest their businesses shut down. Maybe that is why there is less media coverage about the case. My guess is the guy is just too powerful and he knows that freezing his assets only influences the economy in some sort of negative way. The prices of heat suppressants and scent inhibitors has gone up if you haven't noticed yet. Anyway, I respect him as a business man to have invested in the study of scents and medicine. His hands are practically everywhere in the medical field both for fated's and pairs but as an individual, he is rotten to the core. He probably has a way to maneuver himself out of his own demise, probably dragging this case long enough until the public becomes tired of it and demand for the prices to go down hence labelling him a hero or something. It has started already anyway..."
"What I'm more concerned is can I move without having to watch my back? I miss my old life."
Stan chuckled. "Uncle, don't think so highly of yourself. Who would want to kidnap an old geezer like yourself?"
"Old? I look much younger than your annoying parents!"
"Who cares, you are all a bunch of old grandpas."
"Says the guy who can't protect his fated!"
Stan's eyebrows knitted briefly, his eyes shifting to look up the stairs. "Yea. I've failed Yeon on that part."
Advancing foreword, Dr. Jiwon patted his nephew's shoulder in assurance. "Don't ponder over it. In actuality, I'm relieved you didn't use the power of fated mates and I wouldn't have blamed you either if you did. Involving other's in your plan was a good decision, especially the police."
"After that day, it hit me just how short life can be and promising forever to Yeon is as good as being hubristic. That's why I'm planning to spend my time with him taking a day at a time. Sadly, my biggest challenge has been something I'd thought to be extremely simple like giving him a loving pet name."
"Need help?"
Stan grouched. "I'd rather ask auntie."
"Jerk."
"Bigger jerk."
Stan and his uncle's laughter echoed in the empty living room. They went on for a while until Dr. Jiwon spotted Yeon walking towards the main door from outside. Stan's back was facing him hence his uncle brought it to his attention.
"Don't look back. Your fated spotted you. Wanna make a run for it like your coward parents?"
"I left him conversing with the security outside..." Stan whispered. "I don't know what to say to him..."
"Why are you avoiding him?"
"J-just because... I'm stressed about the wedding among other things."
Stan's uncle grinned from ear to ear. "Stay here. I'll cover for you." Lifting the paper bag up from the table, he quickly strode towards the door before Yeon could get in. They seemed to be conversing for a while and Stan felt a sense of relief for a moment, that feeling dissapearing as soon as he spotted a half vexed Yeon walking towards him.
"Your uncle told me you wanted us to discuss about our wedding. You should have told me the date had been pushed forward."
'That traitor!' "Y-Yea... I-I did...I was going to..."
"What's up with you stuttering all of a sudden? I already told you I'm fine."
"I'm not avoiding you."
Yeon raised an eyebrow, a look of suspicion on him. "I never said you were avoiding me."
"Slip of the tongue... I was to update you about the wedding but it skipped my mind with everything that's been happening lately, and everyone coming home to visit you."
"Yea right." Yeon replied, seeming unconvinced.
Brushing his hair through his head with his fingers, Stan admitted. "Actually... Yes. Something is bothering me."
"What is it?"
"I don't think I want us to move out anymore."
"You don't?" Yeon was completely taken aback. "You were the one championing the idea of us getting our own space for months..."
"What if there is another attack?" Stan cut in. "We were only two of us when those mugs took you away. It frightens me that things could have gotten worse. I don't think I can take it if something happens to you again. People died that day Yeon... What if you'd taken your ring off? We wouldn't have been able to trace you and you'd have been taken away from me.., that day... It was just a regular day at home, right here in the living room, we were laughing together and the next thing I heard was someone barging into the bathroom upstairs. They got into our room!"
Yeon smiled, thinking back to how awkward it must have been and his complacency irritated Stan the most.
"This is not a laughing matter Yeon, you could have ended up in a coma just like I did or, dead. You weren't breathing when we found you, I'm sure my parents told you already. What would I have done if you never recovered? I'm not smart science as you are, I'd worry myself to death before I could think of saving your life as you did mine therefore Yeon, I-I don't think we should move out just yet."
"What happens to the house then? Or better yet, are we still going to be living with your parents after we wed?"
Stan hesitated. "T-They don't seem to have a problem with it."
Yeon tittered, extending his hand to touch Stan's in a comforting manner. "Look I get that you are worried but life has to move on."
"How can you be so nonchalant about this? You were the victim here."
"I'm petrified but should I put my life on hold because I'm worried? Or I'm I supposed to live in anxiety for the rest of my life? Open your eyes Stan. We are surrounded by capable people who'd do anything for us. Thats my consolation. I'm choosign to look at the glass half full. Your uncle treated me well post the attacks, Elric's mother is a renowned legal representative, my mom with her military background, network and her scent.. You should know she used to hold a high ranking position, having passed a stranious scent endurance examination which ranked her as one of the few people to survive scent attacks. What about your doctor parents who have been nothing but supportive from day one? There is nothing to be afraid of."
"But I am afraid!"
"Afraid of what?"
"Loosing you!"
Yeon looked at Stan tongue-tied. He understood that fear perfectly. The time Stan had been in a coma, that was all he could think of, 'what if he'd stopped breathing and never wakes up?'
Stan didn't miss the instant change in his fated's eye colour. "Even now, you stand in front of me with your eyes like that..." He brushed his fingers gently across Yeon's cheeks, "You attract attention everywhere you go and that puts me on edge. Living alone with you, surrounded by eminent danger, my mind would go wild panicking over what could or might happen. I dont think I'll be at peace as long as Mora and her father's sentences haven't been confirmed."
Yeon simply remained silent, only staring at Stan and listening to his every word.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't burden you with my fears like this but that is just how I feel right now. The image of you laying unconscious as they resuscitated you still torments me to date."
"I'm pregnant."
Stan's face lit up in an instant. "What did you just say?"
"Does that put you in a good mood?"
"Of course yes!"
"Enough for us to get our own space?"
"Definitely!"
"Good. Once we get married, then I'll get to tell you that for real."
"Wait... What?"
"You're the one who was building castles in the air of us having a family of our own Stan, three kids that you'd take to school and what not! You made me want to have that kind of life with you and now you're bailing out?"
"Wait, Yeon..."
"Do me a favor and stop being so afraid. If anyone should be afraid here it's me."
"So... You aren't pregnant?"
"Of course not! I only said that to stop you from parroting about bullshit!"
"That's foul play Yeon, even for you..."
"I want a white custom made suit for our wedding. It should be plain, with golden buttons to match our wedding rings and that is not up for negotiations."
"I wanted to put on white...?"
"I'm not paying for the suit." Yeon jumped in. "I bought our rings already so shoulder some responsibility on what we are going to wear at the reception. We can't have everyone doing everything for us. It's our wedding anyway. If you are done playing hide and seek with me, make time this evening so we can start moving our stuff to the new place."
"Wait, Yeon... We still need to come to a consensus..."
"You drafted the entire day of how you want things to be done, I have to at least have a say in what we shall wear when we walk down the isle."
"So we shall both wear white? Think of the two horses, one of us has to have a black suit to contrast on the white horse."
"No horses. Too dramatic, expensive and attracts a lot of unneccesary attention and if you really want to ride a horse that bad, we can always go horse back riding whenever you want."
"Whenever and wherever I want?"
"Whenever. Not wherever. Don't be rapacious Stannie."
Stan smiled. "If you call me Stannie again I'll call you sugar."
"I thought I was the one who had a sweet tooth."
"Mine comes in one flavour with your face on it."
Yeon scrowned. I see that you'll never stop at being cheesy."
"Never ever."