104. My Big Mouth

"Scent unification. That is what it's called."

"...And you and uncle are working on it together?"

"Yes."

"I didn't like it whenever you play with scents before. I don't like it now either."

"It's not my project any longer. There are a lot of great minds on it too. Are you aware of the growing statistics of the number of people who have experienced scent contamination? It's humongous! To think your uncle among other biologists have been looking into this matter for years, I'm surprised they can still keep a sound mind." Yeon spoke, fetching himself and Stan a glass of water. They'd just come from a stroll, which Yeon had taken the opportunity to hint to Stan about his project but from where he stood, Stan was against it, eventhough Yeon had secretly wanted to work on it with him.

"What the heck is scent contamination? Please avoid any medical jargons." Stan asked, extending his hand to grab a glass of water from his fated.

"It's a science that specializes in unifying body cells, enzymes and scents alltogether. A contaminated scent can be achieved through prolonged alcoholism, acute stress, extreme anxiety, constant abnormal homornal behaviour, pregnancy, drug abuse, overuse of power of fated mates among others. However, it's not always just dimerits since pregnancy allows for good contamination with productive results. A marked individual when expectant, be it fated or pairs, experiences change in scents for their body begins to split up scents to be transferred or shared with the fetus hence forming their two primary scents. The fetus in this case experiences scent introduction, often reffered to as contamination since the featus carries the scents of it's parents, and when a marked is together with his or her marker exchanging scents, scent unification is properly and efficiently achieved, which benefits the featus big time. However, if separated like for Mijin's case and many more people, it is strenuous and drains out a lot of energy from the one caring the pregnancy. Sex is also another example of an achieved positive contamination, pairs experiencing it moderately but for fated, it's more euphoric when scents are shared and exchanged through manipulation. That's why everyone wishes to meet their fated someday." Yeon hadn't realized he'd babbered long enough to confuse Stan further. "To put it simply, contamination brings forth unification if channeled correctly. I know what I'm saying is complex but stay with me on this one. This venture could save many lives."

"That's what you said before. I'm yet to see how many lives it has saved."

"Don't discredit this just yet yet. We have volunteers who have shown progressive results and recovery from my first project. In this one, your uncle and I are primarily working together. Overtime, we'll need funding and a larger team to help out. The downside is we lack enough equipments to cater for a larger population."

"Why are you telling me this?" Stan seemed disinterested, despite feeling threatened by the idea. If anything, he'd wished to match up to Yeon's overpowering scent, especially after feeling it's intensity when Yeon became drunk and possesively horny. Then, Yeon had crippled him with a threatening scent that left him weak and whenever he tried to push him away physically or using his scent, nothing worked that night. Yeon's possessive hunger was a pleasurable sight that enticed him and frightened him at the same time.

'Did he really forget everything? If my dads were to tell him of what happened, he'd die of embarrassment, that's for sure. Those two won't stop teasing me...'

"You told me to open up to you about the things I do. This is me being open."

"Right."

"I want you to be a part of it. Your uncle says it's an idea that needs protection if we put monetary value to it someday. The potentiality of it being a flourishing venture will manifest itself before we know it. Therefore, it's paramount to practice preparedness."

Raising an eyebrow as if in disbelief, Stan asked. "Uncle actually complemented me?"

"Why do you think so little of what you can contribute? You handle some of his finances and your aunt's."

"Yet he refuses for me to work with you guys. Either way, I won't wait for you to pacify me further if I can finally spend time with you and make good money while at it. What else do you need me to do?"

"Your consent. I need to use some of your samples and mine for this."

Stan frowned. "Not again."

"You and I are a special kind of fated since we met under different circumstances. Your uncle and his wife have donated some of their samples for a proper analysis of those who manifested normally like them, or even Elric and Niel. I hope you understand that part so far."

"Yes. Except how is it that you have my samples till now?"

"Will you just help us or not?" Yeon said irritably as the memory of him experimenting on Stan while he'd been in a coma popped up in his mind.

"If this is a venture that brings us closer, I'm willing to do anything for you."

"Don't romanticize it. This is work" Yeon grimaced. "Anyway, I have to inform you our main objective. Scent unification is primarily focused on uniting scents, which I already said before. However, this unification benefits fateds who are bereaved, like Elric's mother. The loss of a dependant scent creates a depriviation of that scent."

"Okay..." Stan seemed to anticipate for more explanation.

"Do you understand where I'm going with this?"

"Yes...?"

"I don't think you do Stan. Let's say, if something were to happen to me, you'll have my scent to cope with the loss. That is the best gift one can give their fated, despite a bad situation having to happen first to receive it."

Stan remained silent however, he couldn't hide the displasure upon listening to Yeon's explanation.

"I'm not referring to just me. Think of how I will cope if I lost you. While in a coma, our shared spiritual essence kept you alive. If you'd lost it like you'd lost your scent, half of me dies along with you but your uncle and I can make it easier to cope with the loss of a fated by unifying scents, which the partner can depend on until they die too."

"Yeon, you are too realistic it's frightening. How can you say all this with a straight face?"

"...And you are too dependent on fantasy. Pay attention Stan. This is important."

"Believe me, I am paying attention and what I heard is I didn't have any scent when I was in a coma. Our spiritual essence kept me alive. How did I wake up then?"

"Who knows?" Yeon regretted almost giving his long kept secret away. "You and I need to think of our future. If we do scent unification, we will need to store our samples in some kind of vault which you can access in future if something happens to me...or viseversa."

"I doubt I'll use it."

"Why would you not?"

"What's the point of living without you?"

Yeon stared at Stan blankly before saying. "Whatever goes into your mind sometimes, I wonder."

Stan chuckled. "You don't want to know. I guarantee half of the things will make you furious."

"If I had a mindset such as yours, you wouldn't have woken up from your coma. I kept on fighting for you Stan."

"Did you experiment on me?" Stan watched at how off guard he'd thrown Yeon with his question for Yeon neither confirmed nor denied anything. Rather, he looked a little guilty, his face completely flushed.

Surprisingly, Stan only felt relieved for he began to smile. The memory of him knowing Yeon had been safe after he'd woken up had provided him with a unique sense of peace.

"Thanks Yeon. I should thank uncle too. You have no idea how trapped I felt. I kept seeing you cry... sometimes it felt real but I couldn't even move. When I finally woke up, you weren't there. I panicked thinking you'd left me just like you used to say. Therefore Yeon, if you really intend to end me some day, then run away. Not even this ridiculous project of yours will bring me back."

"Stan, I thought I told you I'm not leaving. Why do you keep referring to the things of the past?"

"Your words would pierce my heart every time you talked about terminating our fatedship. It bothers me to date and sometimes because of that, I make stupid and selfish mistakes like knotting you. You were always careless post your marking, living without a care to what your scent was doing to others. Even now, I'm constantly on the edge because of it despite you being stable most of the time. I just thought...if one day you leave me, or I end up using the power of fateds again, I'd like to leave a part of me with you behind."

Yeon smiled. "Stan, I think you like me a lot."

"You just realized it now?"

"Yea." Yeon admitted innocently. "Yet, despite that realization, too much of something is dangerous." Looking at his fated for a while, Yeon asked. "Can you try to like me a little less?"

"No." Stan replied then laughed. "Ask uncle to like my aunt a little less. If he can do it. I'm sure I can too."

"That's definately impossible."

"Of course it is. I've grown seeing them love each other. I used to admire their relationship for the longest time and it's because of them that I consider myself lucky to have been fated."

"He must love romantic movies too."

"Yea. We share the same likes and dislikes that people often thought he was my dad as opposed to my dads."

"I already told you that earlier."

"Anyway Yeon, do not worry any longer. Now that you have assured me you've been thinking of our future, it gives me a kind of relief, one that I've been longing for. I'm also happy to hear from your own lips that you are focusing more on unifying us than separating us unlike before. You must inform Elric of this. His mother will be pleased if it works."

"It will work. You were our first test subject ."

"What?"

"Shit!"