19. When You Smile

I couldn't get the image of his face out of my mind, neither could I forget how his scent tasted like. Even so, he kept calling for someone else and as I looked at my hand, sticky and wet, I thought to myself, 'did I just help him jerk off?

Both my parents were of the same sex and I had nothing against anyone who paired or fated with a guy... a guy just wasn't my first choice, not that I hadn't tried dating guys before....but my father who'd birthed me had had it rough. I almost lost him even before I could see him. His womb had not fully developed when he got pregnant with me and he often reminded me not all marked males experienced the same reproductive changes, neither did all accept that change. He'd had to have a hysterectomy after having severe pelvic pain and fibroids. Post the surgical procedure, he went into early menopause which greatly affected his relationship with my other father which led to them divorcing.

They had been pairs but not fated mates, so my other father couldn't scent him and their spiritual essence was also weak, since only fated mates were able to experience scent manifestation and manipulation. I was forced to grow, sharing them for years and later when I joined college, they somehow managed to rekindle their old spark. Often times, I wondered what would happen if either of them had met their fated mates. Would I be the person that I am today?

Yeon's moans echoed in the bathroom, still calling for someone else and I closed my eyes, hoping to stick around until he was done but I couldn't. The thought of how he'd reacted after I manipulated my scent made my body heat up...I hadn't even realized I'd let out scent until I felt him reacting to it yet, despite that knowledge, I still wanted to hold him and help him find at least his first release, even if I despised him. However, I doubted my body which had already began to reach to his scent...or was it the memory of him moaning next to my ear when I helped him jerk off?

I had to get out of here!

Once I got to my other apartment, the privacy gave me comfort and I washed off his scent from me. I felt tired all of a sudden and only realized I'd taken a nap after waking up. It was almost time for campus curfew so I rushed back, hoping he hadn't left yet. He must be freezing too considering how much water I'd poured on him to prevent his scent from filling my apartment.

Was I cruel in doing so? Maybe a little... though if I hadn't done that, his heat would have lasted much longer.

He must be hungry too so I stopped by a fast food restaurant and had me a takeaway for two. Wait... why was bothered for his welfare? Was it because we were fated mates? Must be since I wouldn't give a care to his well being otherwise. Still though, why did it have to be him? The grumpy campus loner. He was barely my type....overly outspoken, an introvert and he hated me without getting to know me.

The lights were on when I got to the door so maybe he was awake...or had left.

He seemed surprised to see me, sitting on my bed, his wet clothes clinging onto him and from his facial expression, he seemed anxious. I wondered to myself how long he'd been sitting there.

"Could you change first before making my bed wet?" I asked him, an urge to protect him nudging me to reach out to him but I fought it and restrained myself.

He stuttered as he spoke. "I...I want to go home...My phone is dead...it was in my pocket the whole time so...I need to get in touch with my sister to come and get me."

I must have been mistaken to have thought him anxious for he looked extremely nervous, as if I was making him afraid and I knew I was staring at him but I couldn't help it. He seemed fragile.

"Just let me borrow your phone and I'll be out of your way..."

"You're still sitting on my bed." Damn it. What was wrong with me, staring at him and unashamed of it? Must be the residual scent he'd left behind still confusing me.

"Oh...I'm sorry." He stood up abruptly, almost as if sitting on my bed suddenly became too hot to the touch. I noticed he was avoid maintaining eye contact with me but at the same time, fighting with himself to remain calm. "I'm sorry I...I put you in an uncomfortable situation...but you had it coming when you kept..."

"You should eat something or else you'll get ill." I felt the need to assure him he was safe here. I wasn't some predator like Elric despite being tempted to jump him a few hours ago. Distracting myself, I walked past him and changed my duvet and the bedsheets which were not that damp but still, I had to focus on something else and not the scent he was letting out unknowingly.

I handed him a pair of pajamas to change into. "I'll give you fresh clothes when you leave tomorrow since you can't be walking close to campus in pajamas. It will only heighten the rumors from bad to worse and I don't want you walking in public with my favorite pajamas."

"Just hand me anything else. I don't need your favorite pajamas..." Favorite? I wonder why I said that or was I feeling nervous too?

"I'm picking the rest of my clothes in the morning from the laundry. Believe me, I'd rather not give them to you but I don't want to have to take care of a sick person."

"Let me talk to my sister then and you won't have to!" This guy was way too grumpy, or was I the one who'd provoked him too much?

"Stop acting like we are friends. I know you hate me and even if I were to ask you what had happened to me at the party, you wouldn't say anything. I don't want to be here you prick so let me just go home."

"It's three in the morning. Aren't you aware of campus curfew? Besides, even if I were to let you leave now, this area is under constant surveillance especially after the incident. Your sister and her boyfriend should have already informed you."

"I...hadn't realized it was that late."

I probably deserved his sour attitude, but I was too tired to go back and forth arguing with him. Besides, I had to put up with him till daylight. Brushing hair from my forehead, I sighed in frustration and felt the bump there. Coach had called me on the side after practice and scolded me to be nice to him. He was the only one I had disclosed to about what had happened when I found him and what the doctors had said about fated mates. He'd knocked my head so hard when I had asked him how to unpair with a fated mate.

"Look, will you just change already? Afterwards, once we are done eating, I'll answer anything you want. I haven't eaten all day and I hate cold food so let's eat first."

We dined in silence for sometime before it became too loud that I could hear myself breathe. I was sitting on my bed as he sat on a stool I'd handed him.

"We have a competition tomorrow, more like an inning with another collage. You wanna come?"

"Why would I want to keep company with the likes of you? I will most definitely support the other team out of spite."

Wow, he was confidently vocal with those he disliked. This was the first time I'd met someone who hated me this much after saving their life. Even so, I couldn't overlook that he kept scenting out. His marking was unstable and one glance at his eyes tells everyone what had happened to him but somehow, this guy seemed not to care.

"You know, you are quite dense when it comes to knowledge about marking." By now, I was already used to his grumpy attitude but I needed to find out how much he knew about his situation. "You smelled my scent. What do you think happens when you smell someone's scent after being freshly marked? Or do you just want to walk around with your eyes bright red for everyone to see?"

"Hey I'm not the first person to get marked you idiot! There are also plenty of people who haven't met their fated mates and are doing just fine. What makes my case different?"

"Because you are not with your fated mate post marking. Additionally, you were marked without consent and that's why you're still letting out scent and are moody. You'll keep going into heat at the slightest provocation and I'll not always be around. If Elric had taken you to his place, your ass will be sore beyond repair."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? I won't throw myself to just anyone regardless of my heat..."

"Then why did you throw yourself at me last week and today while calling someone else's name....?"

"Look, are you going to tell me what happened to me or not? I'm already exasperated by my predicament and you beating about the bush is not making anything easier....I just want to know who was responsible for marking me. I had thought it was you but was informed you're the one who found me. I don't even know if I was taken advantage of besides the marking."

Seems the hospital staff kept my secret as promised. This guy knew nothing at all and from the looks of it, neither did his family....but didn't they pick up on his scent manifestation? I'm sure his sister and the boyfriend knew.

"Can't be, your eyes are luminous red and they still reflect on light that's why anyone at his point just gets annoyed looking at you or whenever you glance their way. Your marking is incomplete, otherwise, your eyes would be dark red, almost burgundy. You look like someone who has just discovered they are in love."

"That's a relief. I should have paid more attention during biology class."

"Then what the heck are you doing biochemical engineering for?"

"Because it was either that or physical education and I hate sports with a passion!"

I couldn't help but laugh at his open declaration hate for sports....I don't know why I thought it funny. His scent must be having an effect on me. After all, he was the one who unlocked my manifestation before I unconsciously unlocked his as well. I was surprised when he laughed too.

So he can laugh...he looked better with a smile on.

"If my teammates heard you declare your hate for sports, they'll spill your guts and burn the rest of you to ashes!"

It felt good to laugh as we talked further after seeing him relax a little and through that, I got to learn he shared classes with some of my basketball team members, and his major as well. Afterwards, he insisted on finding out what had happened to him when I found him and I told him the truth, leaving out him briefly imprinting me or what I did after that. He remained silent and after a while, he finally spoke up.

"I'm sure there are medical ways to get rid of this..."

His statement struck a cord in me...I almost wanted to tell him not to hold onto such an idea yet, we weren't acquitted with each other. He must be silently hurting despite acting strong. I'm sure if what he'd experienced had happened to me, I doubt I'll be walking carelessly in public with eyes that gets unwanted attention, and a provocative scent that makes everyone horny. Come to think of it, no one had been repulsed by his scent so far. Or was it because he'd already experienced scent manipulation and all his scents were in synch? Looking at him talking, I doubt he had knowledge that he could already manipulate scents at will.

I presented other alternatives of ending an unwanted incomplete marking, and warned him of the consequences too, including pairing up with another. From his reaction, he seemed to be contemplating on the available options. Hopefully, he'll agree to a pairing though that would be impossible at this point, but he didn't know. I needed to play my part well and act disinterested in pairing then afterwards, convince him into it so we can at least get to know each other before I can tell him the truth.

"I just have one question though. Who did you piss off that they hated you so much to this extent? Spiking drinks was a silly prank, yet, you were the only one taken outside campus."

"I don't know."