Phrase: 099. She stared defiantly and 081. In so many words
Character: Hae-min, Edward
Soundtrack: Magdelena- Yamaoka Akira
Theme of Laura (reprise)- Yamaoka Akira
Laura Plays the Piano- Yamaoka Akira
Notes: A return to the Daemon-verse. We'll get back to Realverse Min in a minute. I didn't know whether to post this, but I think I did well, so I did post it.

After her brother left, Hae-min turned to the other man and just looked at him. He stared back, a worried look in his eyes. "You're so small," he said, in tones of regret. "I wish you had not decided to accommodate your brother's whim. There are other ways for this to be." Edward sighed, knowing that once the agreement was made neither Mhin scion could back down. Their overdone honor wouldn't allow it, and neither would Hae-min's pride give enough to realize that she could very well be hurt during some part of the process. "You love your brother, I am aware of it, Hae-min. You needn't risk yourself in order to please him, though."

Her gaze turned defiant. "I didn't decide to do this for him," she snapped, her Korean accent thickening in her confusion. "I do it for you. Because you wouldn't be happy if your child was born from those other methods." It amazed Edward how like Tae-yul the quiet girl could be when she felt insulted. It also astounded him that she knew him so well. No, he wouldn't have been happy to take the safer, yet more artificial methods. This way, though... He had hoped that Tae-yul would pick a surrogate mother much farther removed from the two of them, especially since the child would not be a Mhin but a Fauste.

"You comprehend... that your father may be quite irate?" She nodded, even though her lips pursed in as much fear as she'd let herself show. Perhaps she had anticipated a longer argument, time to prepare herself mentally for what she'd agreed to do. God, Edward thought. If he were straight, this would be the only woman he would ever want to be with. That would make this next a lot easier, he hoped as he stepped closer to her. "I worry about you," he said, slouching a little so his eyes were on a level with hers.

"I would do this at some point regardless. Perhaps not with you, but with someone," she challenged. Unspoken were the words, I might not even care about him like I do you. Both of them knew the reality of the situation for a princess, even the youngest princess, of the Mhin household. It was even more tenuous than his own position, and her parents would be looking to stabilize it with some marriage to a foreign house. Hae-min would never even have a choice in it. He sighed through his nose, nervous and unsure. If Hae-min were hurt by this favor between two friends, he would- perhaps he wouldn't die. But he would hate himself, and perhaps Tae-yul.

She saw him turning inward, and leaned forward to brush her lips across his, gently. "Are you afraid?" Surprised, he reached out to run his knuckles along the curve of her face.

"Are you?"