When Everything's Settled

"I don't care, I'll tell her that I am her cousin and that she's a hybrid," Luke said and storms to Eunica but Jin took his hand and pulls him.

"No! She won't believe you, she won't understand," Jin looks at Luke's eyes but he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulders.

"Iaz," he called.

"Stop it, Jin. We can't hide the truth from her anymore, we can't fight if we keep everything from her. She'll find it out soon and it's better if she hears it from you," Iaz looks at Eunica who's laughing with Jan.

"Then, I'll tell her!" Luke said and runs to Eunica, "Hey, cousin!" he shouted and smiled.

Eunica jumps from surprise, "What?" she asks with an annoyed and confused face.

"Well, let me get this fast, your real Mom is a hybrid and she's my father's sister which makes you my cousin!" Luke let out all the information in one blow, making Jin stop in his tracks who's planning to prevent Luke to spill everything out.

Eunica's face went blank, she doesn't know how to act.

She knows she's a hybrid.

She knows her mother.

But she didn't know that she has relatives from her side.

Jin looks away, troubled in how he will answer her questions and afraid that she won't believe them.

"Oh," Eunica nods, "Yeah, my mom's a hybrid... and uh, you're my cousin," she mumbles while trying to find how she should act and respond.

She knows that she's a hybrid and about her mother but how should she react?

Jin looks at Eunica, "Hey, you can brush off whatever this kid said if you don't believe it," Jin looks at Luke.

"Hey! It's true!" Luke shouted at Jin.

"Shut it, kid, can't you see that she's surprised and can't even respond to what you said?" Jin angrily answers back.

"No, you shut it! You can't keep the secret from her, she'll find it out anyway," Luke screamed back.

Iaz covers his mouth, "Be quiet. Eunica, what are you thinking?" he asks while looking at the dazzled girl.

"I... uh, know that you guys are not joking since everyone seemed to be serious. But.. can you tell me, what's happening and where did this come from?" Eunica asks, trying to fake that she doesn't know anything.

She'll have to them eventually, but she wants to know more about this.

"Well, Eunica..." Iaz looks at Jin, "Jin, why don't you tell her what happened?"

Eunica looks at Jin with guilt, she should've just told Jin that she knows, but for some reason, she wants to keep it away from him.

She feels like if she told them, things will change. That he might get angry, distance himself, and feel betrayed.

Jin sighs, "Okay," he went to Eunica and intertwined their hands, "Please listen, don't run, don't ask me to stop because I will, and please just believe that what I am saying."

Eunica nods, gulping from pain, knowing that she's putting Jin on a hard spot.

He started telling her what happened, who her mother is, what her father did, what Luinn did, their past, everything.

Eunica tries her best to look as if it's her first time hearing everything. No, it is her first time hearing all of this. She just knows who she is but not the things that happened. Especially with her father. Now that she learned that he might have betrayed the hybrids, her hands tighten the grip on Jin's. She pursed her lips as she slowly nods.

"Okay," she mutters.

Her father sold them. He left her. He's... not the man she used to know.

"Angel," Jin rubs Eunica's head, "It's fine if you don't believe it," he whispers as he leans his head on Eunica's forehead.

Her father betrayed them, what should she do now? He's the hope for change. He's her hope.

Iaz saw Eunica's tears, "Hey, Eunica, it's fine. Come on, let's get you some water. Jan..." he looks at Jan to give her something to drink but Eunica pushes Jin away and ran outside.

Luke stares at Jin, "Should we follow her?"

Iaz took the glass of water from Jan, "I will go. Jin, stay here. I'll handle this."

Jin nodded.

He doesn't want Eunica to know. It'll hurt her and confuse her. She doesn't know anything. How can she believe him? If he goes and follows her, he'll end up telling her that what he said was a lie.

Iaz pats Luke, "Come on, let's get your cousin."

Jan pats Jin while holding an oranger juice.

"Thanks," Jin forced a smile and took a sit on the barstool, "I hope she's okay."

With the warm breeze, Eunica took a seat on a bench just in front of the bar.

The people passing were staring at her, how can she freely sit down calmly when she's surrounded by hybrids? A mere human, half-human, alone and lost.

Eunica stares at the bar until Iaz and Luke went out. Her chest tightens, Luke, her cousin, is walking towards her.

"Hey," Iaz greeted and handed her the water, "How are you feeling?"

She took the glass and drinks it in one go, her throat's been feeling dry for a while.

"I'm..." what? What does she feel? Betrayed? Angry? Lonely? Lost? Sad? Hopeless?

Luke sits down beside her and hugged her, "Cuz, we're here for you," he whispers and rubs his hair on her shoulder like a cat.

"Eunica, I know all of this came like a storm. But believe us we only want you to---"

"I know," Eunica cuts Iaz's words and pats Luke's head, "I know. I knew about my identity before we even came here. I just..."

Luke breaks from the hug and looks at her while Iaz stares at her with confused eyes.

Eunica just continues staring at the bar, "I... was afraid. If I tell Jin, he will change his behavior towards me. I don't remember everything. But I know who I am. I don't know. I just don't want anything to change."

Still, with blank eyes, Eunica opened her mouth while Iaz and Luke just continue listening.

"I know who my mother was, I know who my dad was, I know what happened that day. But... Father. He... Really?" She looks at Iaz, "He really betrayed us?" Her eyes starting to fill with tears.

Iaz slowly nods with hurtful expression, "Yes."

Luke bows his head and plays with Eunica's soft hand, "He sold us to Judge, uh, Luinn."

Luinn. Of course. It's his fault. He used her father's need to survive and provide for their family.

"I know my father. He won't do that. I mean, he did. But not because he wants the money. It's for our family," Eunica stands up, "I'll save him."

Luke shakes his head, "Eunica..."

Iaz shakes his head while looking at Luke, if they tell her that he's personally collecting hybrids, with that selfish look on his face, Eunica will most probably lose hope. And that is not what they need.

"Alright, we'll help you get to your father," Iaz sighs and stands up, he put his hands on Eunica's shoulder, "But you might want to tell Jin that you knew first."

Luke stands up, "Yeah, he was so worried that he wanted to keep everything from you."

Eunica felt a tight know on her stomach, she forgot about that, that she has to tell Jin what she knew. That she's keeping this from him since they were at the base.

Iaz went in first, Luke was waiting for Eunica to collect herself.

"You know, if I was Jin, I won't get angry. I know you don't want anything to change. But I don't think he will act differently. Maybe he'll be a little careful when he's with you, to keep you safe, but nothing more than that. If he loves you, he won't leave you."

"But I don't think my father wants to help Luinn. If that was his plan, he shouldn't have let me enter SINS, Luke!" Eunica exclaimed.

Luke looks at her with furrowed brows, he thought she was worried about Jin, but she's only thinking about her father, trying to prove to herself that he's innocent.

"What about Jin?" he asks.

Thinking about a traitor is not Luke's cup of tea at the moment, she doesn't know everything, whatever she's thinking won't prove her father's pure intentions on helping her.

"Jin?" Eunica repeated with a flat tone, "Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I'll tell him when I'm ready."

"WHAT!? WHEN?"

"Some other time, I'll have to talk with my father first."

Luke watches Eunica leave with his mouth wide open in disbelief, she'll keep everything from Jin? This is the choice that will dismay him in the future!

'Don't worry, Jin, I'll tell you when everything's settled,' Eunica thought.