“Mae that's... Are you serious right now?” I ask.

“I am not joking. I still love you after all. Once love exists, it can never be extinguished. It will always be there no matter how small.”

“Fufu. Didn't you just say you love Al?” I sneer.

“I love both of you.”

“Err...”

She continues, “I love Al. But he is becoming a bother. He doesn't seem worth it anymore. And because I don't love anyone else, rather than finding another person to love, I rather choose you.”

“.............”

“Right now, my love for you has gone so small compared to Al. But if I choose to commit to you, I will be faithful to you. And I will work hard to cultivate the love that I feel for you while simultaneously making you fall for me deeper and deeper,” Mae says with an overwhelming conviction.

I gulp, “.............”

This woman is ridiculously absurd. To seriously say something so crazy—?!

All of sudden, Mae pushes me down. She then sits on my stomach and leans down to grab the collar of my shirt. She says assertively, “I will repeat it for the last time: Give up Elizabeth, and choose me instead.”

Seeing Mae's determined and serious face this close, I can't help but feel my heart beating faster and louder, “Are you serious...?”

“Does it look like I'm joking with you right now?” she says.

Fucking hell. I can't think rationally, “Can you..? I... Oh hell... Mae, I—”

“NOOOOOOOOO!” a familiar voice screams out.

““!!””

Mae and I flinches in shock. We look ahead to the source of the voice. There, Elizabeth is watching while tears are rolling over her already tearstained face.

When Elizabeth meets my gaze, she flinches. In an instant, she leaves immediately, running away like as if her life depends on it.

“Wait!” I shout, and tries to follow her.

“No!” But Mae pushes me down.

“Come on, Mae. Stop joking arou—”

“I AM NOT!” she screams and presses down on me with all her weight. With an angry expression, she firmly says, “You don't have to follow her. Leave her alone. Doesn't she wanna break up with you anyway? Let her go. I am here!”

“.............” I'm speechless. This is getting ridiculous. She doesn't seem to be joking.

I don't know what's going on with Mae. But I don't like what's going on in my head.

But Mae has a point. Elizabeth is getting annoying to deal with. Do I really have to put up with that? I can just find someone else. Even if it's not Mae. But if I'm going to choose someone, I'll just choose Mae. I already have feelings for her anyway.

Elizabeth wants to leave? Then so be it! Whatever her reason, that's what she wants. Why should I stop her? If she wants to leave, I will let her go. She's the one who wants this. I don't have to—

『Zzzzzzzzt! Zzzzzt!』

My phone vibrates.

Mae looks down on my pocket, then to me.

“Err.. can I check it out?” I say with a wry smile.

“Hmmp,” Mae snorts. But she doesn't seem to mind. However, she still hasn't left my stomach.

I pull out my phone to check. It's Cyanía. She sent me a message:

「Master, I checked the CCTV earlier and found something really interesting. I will send it to you」

「What?」

「Cyanía is typing...」

「Cyanía sent a video」

It's a video. Cyanía sent me a video. The setting was in the SSG office. This was just earlier this afternoon.

It was after I and that guy left.

Elizabeth remained motionless in her seat. It lasted for about 10 minutes. Afterwards, she stood up and gazed at the trash bin.

Slowly, she squatted down and took the lunchbox she tossed away. She putted it on the table and opened it.

The camera can't see it clearly but Elizabeth seemed like she was crying. A moment later, she began eating.

And an excited smile was plastered on her face.

“.............” The video leaves me frozen. I don't know how to react nor what to think.

All of sudden, Mae gets up from me. She pats her clothes off then she offers her hand to help me stand up. I take it and stare at her curiously.

“You do love her after all,” she says with a smile.

“??”

“Do you understand now?”

“Understand what?”

“I can see it in your eyes. My mother told me the eyes are the window to the soul. When my father told her to look in his eyes, she said she seemed to have been mesmerized.” She continues, “The hypnotic look you had earlier is gone. Your desire for me has disappeared. It has returned to its empty state. I can hear your heartbeat earlier, you know? And I was certain you were about to agree.”

“I.............” I say, “I was being tested?”

I knew it, bloody hell!

“Yes. But I was actually serious. I wasn't joking, Mark-kun~” she's teasing me. “Anyway, you should go after her, Mark. Ms. Hecate does love you. Something is just getting in her way. Something much more important than her own desire to be with you.”

“How about you... and—”

“I am not giving up yet. I love him. I can't just give him up. At least, not until I got the answers I'm looking for.”

“You're going to get hurt.”

“I know. It's part of it. It's not like I will just willingly let him hurt me. The pain I'll endure is the pain of commiting to him. Do you get it?” she smiles wryly.  “Love is a commitment Mark. No matter what temptations are there, if you truly love the person, maybe your mind and body will, but your heart won't ever leave them. If you did, you were just confused and can't see your heart. But eventually, you'll come back to them. So don't do anything you'll regret because you can't see your heart at the moment.”

“.............but what if you love multiple people?” I ask, looking into her eyes.

Mae seems to understand what I want to ask. She answers, “If you can only choose one, I'll say choose the one you love the most. The one you won't mind sacrificing the others for. The one who is worth losing everything for. Because she will be the one your heart will be craving the most.”

“.............”

“I know you still love me, Mark. But your feelings for me aren't as deep as your feelings for Ms. Hecate. At least not anymore.” She continues, “Even if you have chosen me, eventually, you will want to be with her. I am not sure if I can quickly cultivate your feelings for me to be deep enough than for Ms. Hecate before you leave me.”

“I see...” I giggle. “I understand.”

“That's right. You wasted enough time. You should go after her now. I'll have to go to as well. I'm worried for Al,” she furrows her forehead.

“Fufu. Don't worry about him? Al has his own way. You should go home. You have scratches on your body.”

“But—”

“Mae, you should leave and rest. Trust me. You'll see Al tomorrow.” I continue, “Those guys are dangerous... Do you think I'll let you go after them?”

Al, that coward is pretty good at running away. And even if Yellowhead catches him, they won't really kill him. He'll get beaten up but I'll just see it as his punishment.

“Um...” she looks hesitant. She sighs, “Fine. I get it. You should go home with Ms. Hecate too. If you are telling the truth, then Al will be alright, isn't he?”

“Yup.” I wave at her and turn around, “Goodbye, Mae.”

“Goodbye, Mark. Thank you for saving me... Thanks for everything,” she says softly. But there seems to be a hint of regret in her voice. She doesn't sound as determined as she was earlier.

But this is how it should be.