125. A Good Mother

"I'm worried about Mijin and how she will take this matter."

"Well, she is acting as her usual self. She can't stand Mora's constant visits just as much as I can't. We are to act normal right? That's our daughter being normal." Yeon's dad replied while putting on his shirt. He'd just got back from the gym and was feeling rejuvenated after taking a shower.

"I've been thinking sweetheart that perhaps Mora staying here for us to find her weakness gives her an opportunity to equally find ours as well. We stand at a disadvantage." Mijin's mom replied, her face pale and her stare blank.

"I worry when I leave you behind alone with her here. Let me stay tomorrow and you go to the gym. Suzzie misses you."

"I'm the only one of us two who can overpower her with my scent."

Sitting down, Yeon's dad touched her partner's cheek caringly. "I don't like this at all."

"Yeon seems fine though. His relationship with Mijin has improved. Perhaps they've clarified their misunderstanding."

"I also noticed he comes home frequently these days, often accompanied by Mora. They appear too friendly and that makes me anxious."

"I find it odd too. When I mentioned to Yeon the probability of Mora using his former room, he objected but before he left, he told me it was okay...and why does Stan never stay? They leave together as soon as he gets here to pick him up."

"I smell something fishy. They are still keeping secrets from us. For all we know, anything could happen right under our noses."

"Exactly. Mora claims that Yeon picks her from her classes or sometimes they go for coffee and what not.."

"You think Yeon had a fight with Stan and he's avoiding him?" Yeon's mother panicked.

"I don't think so. Stan's parents always update me whenever there is something happening..."

"Sweetheart, we gave Yeon away to them and Stan is his fated. Stop spying on Yeon like that. With how Mijin is right now, do you really think we have time to worry about Yeon when he is surrounded by such capable people?"

Yeon's dad chuckled and stood up. "Mijin has always been your favorite."

"Yet she confides in you." Mijin's mom sighed and stood from where she sat. "I've always despised using my scent to discipline her. Perhaps I should have accepted a long time ago our daughter's narcissistic tendencies instead of trying to change her."

"Compared to Mora, we are lucky to have Mijin."

"They both can't be redeemed. However, Mijin is more unlikely to commit a crime than Mora."

Yeon's dad frowned and began walking towards the door of their room. "All this talk about that girl will give me nightmares. I'm thirsty, you need some water?"

"Yea, thanks. I'll come with you."

"Don't be so gloomy. We've go this. We have our gym back and better, Mijin is staying with us, Yeon and Stan are doing well too and Elric's mother said our common enemy is finally willing to agree to a settlement."

"Still, how did we end up here? We were only after Yeon's attackers, then Stan and Mijin...now it's Mora's family?"

"Remember what Elric's mother said. Uprooting the roots kills the entire tree. We can't take Mora down without the father."

"Right."

Kissing his fated, Yeon's dad spoke in assuarance. "I'll be back in a jiffy then check up on Mijin later."

"Oh, I'll come with you then. She's been cooped up in her room the whole day."

"Still?"

"Yea. She only ate breakfast, I'm worried for her health and that of the child."

"Then let's not waste any more time..."

Suddenly, Mijin's door opened and she smiled at the sight of her father. She seemed happy enough to embrace him, an act that shocked both her parents.

"When did you get back enough to shower? You smell like soap." Mijin spoke happily, gesturing for her dad to come into her room.

"You know, it doesn't help to want to hurt others just because you are hurting." Yeon's dad said, dragging his wife along inside the room despite her refusal.

"You haven't said a word to your mom since your visit to the doctor almost three weeks ago."

"Mother is always the one forcing her scent on me... but you are right. If she hadn't been doing that, I doubt I'd have been able to become a little resistant to her scent enough to prevent her from killing Mora's brother."

Seeking to avoid conflict with her daughter, Mijin's mom turned to leave. "I'll get dinner ready..."

"Don't bother. I'm not hungry. Besides, I only wanted to talk to dad anyway."

"She is your mother."

"Dad, you're the one who has been avoiding me the most. Keep me company today. I just want to ask you something concerning pregnancy." Glancing at her Mother who'd turned at the mention of pregnancy, Mijin added. "Mom, excuse us."

"I felt something today. It moved." Mijin said as soon as the door shut, her hand rubbing at her protruding tummy.

"Really? ...But... it's only been four months!"

Mijin laughed. "I think...it will be twenty-four weeks end of this week! Dad, for you to act complaisant and forgetful then you really don't want this pregnancy just as I don't?"

Mijin's dad chuckled. "I believe I've been open about it from the very start, though your mother insisted otherwise and I don't want us to argue about it."

"You used to be firm dad. What happened?"

"What happened to you, that's what." Mijin's dad looked at her daughter and formed a saddened smile. "I feel broken. It's often said the pain of a child is understood well by their parent."

"Mom seems okay though."

"She is only putting a brave face. We can't have both of us broken now can we?"

"I guess you are right..." Mijin responded, an image of Mora's brother looking dazed playing in his mind.

'I'd hate to look that broken...'

"Dad, answer me honestly. Do you think I'll make a good mother?"

"You and I both know the answer to that." Mijin's dad laughed, but not in a way of showing enthusiasm rather, he took his time and scooted closer to his daughter sitted in bed and covered both their feet with a blanket. "Come here." He tapped his shoulder for Mijin to rest her head on. "Actually, I never saw you as a mother from the time you were a child. You are quite a dictator, often bossing your brother around but that does not mean you are incapable of love or being loved. You just prefer to be in control without having to compromise. When you told me you were dating Niel, I honestly laughed. It was obvious the guy was into you yet you seemed to only enjoy his company."

"I really liked him dad. Maybe I still do."

Pulling her daughter to face him, he looked at her in the eye, both is hands placed at her shoulders. "Look Mijin, it's okay to have a career and take charge of your life however, to want to dominate others because of your ambitions isn't right. Not everyone can take that quietly. It was only a matter of time before your relationship with Niel failed. Perhaps you liked him as you've said, or loved him and said it back too but that was dating. Marriage is something different."

"I wasn't thinking of marriage when I was with him. I just wanted to have fun."

"Do you think he didn't want more? In a relationship, you have to consider what the other person feels too."

"He did talk of our future..." Mijin nodded.

"Anyway, I do not think that character of yours will change if it already hasn't by now. Your strong will is what has also made you cope with the misfortune that befell you. I could say you and Yeon are somewhat alike. He too refused to stay hidden or wear contacts."

"Unlike him, I'm always cooped up in here, yet no one out there knows of my predicament as opposed to Yeon's."

"He wasn't social and he doesn't care about what people think of him. That character of his is both a strength and a weakness. As for you, you are expressive and talkative in nature. You have a lot of friends hence it makes sense why you wouldn't want to meet people out there that know you and start asking questions about your growing belly."

Mijin stared at her tummy then proceeded to rub it gently and smiled. Her father watched her briefly before asking. "Did you change your mind about abortion?"

"No. I'm indifferent. I want to do it but then whenever I'd sneak out and go to get it terminated, I change my mind again. While with mom at the hospital, I confessed to the doctor that I'd booked three appointments and was a no show in all of them. I went and just froze then whenever I get home and reflect on my change of mind, I'd hate myself for chickening out."

"You know something, you've got one of the easiest pregnancies. You rarely feel nauseous, exhausted or sleepy. You're just moody from time to time and lash out."

"I probably lash out since I'm more upset with myself for wanting to end everything but then lack the courage." Leaning back on his father's shoulder, Mijin added. "I miss my job. I used to be called the math wizz at work and now I feel like a looser."

"What happened with that boy. You never speak of him."

"A lot happened."

"Did you two really have an intimate relationship before?"

Mijin nodded silently.

"Did you love him?"

"He was my fated."

"Normally, one can tell if they have feelings for someone before discovering their fateship."

"Maybe I was really happy since I have good memories with him... I guess I was going to be marked by him in the end. My eyes began to change colour so I hid it with contacts. We decided to hide our little secret since he had already briefed me of his family. I never took him seriously. We planned to elope quietly but Mora found out about our plan so we had to tell her about it. We were naive to believe she would help us. All we had to do was to wait till I graduated but then, one day, he just disappeared without a word. Mora told me he left the country. After a while, I heard he was set to wed and now, here we are."

"Was he violent with you then?"

"No. He is the complete opposite of me, which kind of made me feel bad whenever I got my way. It's hard to be upset with him that even now, he still remains the same and just stares at me like some show. The only difference is that now, he doesn't smile when he looks at me... Does he even know what he did to me? He has completely lost his mind? Anyway, mom told me he is doing much better after the first treatment."

"She told me the same thing. Perhaps you're keeping the pregnancy because you actually want to help him recover."

"No. His recovery leaves me attachment and I want to be free of Mora, but then he is improving. The doctor said I can save his life with this baby."

"Do you want that?"

"I don't know. He assaulted me. This child... I don't want to raise it."

"If things were different and you conceived normally, would you consider having a family with him"

"I don't think we love each other the way we used to."

"So you did love him before." Mijin's dad smiled. "That's good."

"You don't actually think we'll go back to how things were, do you?"

"Of course not. Honestly, I just want that boy to recover so he can bring to light the atrocities done to him by his father and his sister or anyone else. He will never be considered a potential witness with his current state of mind. That drug in him is the reason my family is in shambles right now."

"Use him then send him off."

"Yes, but perhaps I've begun to change my mind. I was furious at Yeon for dropping charges against him without informing us. Then, upon letting go, I attained some level of peace and my shoulders felt light. My dear Mijin, I'm not asking you to forgive anyone or take responsibility for this child's future. I just want you to be happy. Yeon's decision left me feeling less angry and I'm proud of his bravery despite being against it in the beginning. If you can attain that, I'll be relieved."

"What about the future after this child is born? What about Mora's brother? Who gets to keep the baby?"

"If we have to move we shall do so. If we have to sell the gym we'll do that too. Or we could move abroad...."

"My career..."

"If you want us to stay we will too. We are family."

"I wish I was as brave as Yeon."

"First my dear, you need to forgive yourself for what happened. Secondly, I know it will be hard but you need to talk to someone, go through therapy and..."

"I don't want to be convinced and manipulated to keep this baby by some psychiatrist. If I do give birth in the end, I don't want Mora anywhere near it either."

"I think you already settled the matter concerning the pregnancy, you just don't want to admit that you wish to save that boy's life."

"I know I can be selfish, but I'm not so hearless to let someone die when I hold the key for them to be saved. When it comes to Mora though, I'd watch her take her last breath and enjoy the sight of it."

"We know about Mora's true nature." Mijin's dad ignored the look of betrayal from his daughter and proceeded to explain further. "We are simply laying low because she is a ticking time bomb."

"All this time..."

"My dear, Mora is a bred psychopath. A highly volatile one at that. A simple mistake, she explodes"

"You all knew? All this time..."

"You told her about her mother Mijin. You've been evesdropping on the conversations between Elric's mother and us. That was quite dangerous so you have to really try and play along. You're smart. Please don't let her get to you. She wants your attention the most so give it to her so she can keep her guard down."

"I think she knows that you guys are after her. What I do not understand is why she keeps coming here when no one wants her here."

"We know she is suspecting us. That's why we want her even closer to us so she can expose her weakness to us. As long as her guard is down..."

"Weakness? You mean moral compass?"

"What do you mean?"

"She mentioned to me before of having a weakness...and using it however I want like some sort of moral compass."

"What is it? Tell me!" Mijin's dad couldn't contain his eagerness to know more. "I can't have her sleeping with us under the same roof!"

"What?"

"What is it?"

"Dad calm down... It's Yeon! She said her moral compass is Yeon! Jeez!"

"Yeon?"

"Yes! Now, what's this about her sleeping under the same roof with us?"