>_____<;;

“What the hell!?” Victoria scolded. “I thought you said you two were off, just friends!”

Namjoo stared up at them from where she was being interrogated in the sitting room.

“Hey, my twenty bucks back,” Chorong whispered in Victoria’s ear to which she turned to glare at her.

“You think this is the time for that!?” Victoria asked. “I was worried sick that something could have happened to you when you were just…” Victoria held her hands out not wanting to say the word, then let out a loud shout before kicking the ground.

“But nothing happened.”

“Nothing happened,” Chorong giggled, “you mean you didn’t get attacked…well maybe you did, but not that way…”

Victoria shot her sister a glare, “Can you shut up?”

Chorong snorted at her before saying, “Namjoo’s all right. She came back in one piece, if not two. As long as nothing happened to her, everything’s fine. You would rather have her end up like us?” Then she nudged the raging Victoria, “I told you Chanyeol wouldn’t leave her alone.”

Victoria rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“But what happened to you guys?” Namjoo asked.

“Oh well, I got into a fight at school and kind of electrified someone,” Chorong rambled, “while someone here fought in the police department and stabbed an officer.”

“Wow…” Namjoo commented.

“It’s not what you think,” Victoria shook her head. “Didn’t you say someone attacked you yesterday?”

Namjoo nodded.

“Well then, there are more people coming after us,” Victoria concluded. “We’re all going to have to be very careful from now on. And you,” she turned to their middle sister, “what are you going to do about your job?”

“I’m going to resign,” Chorong plopped down onto the seat next to Namjoo. “I’m not sure I can be a teacher without knowing the basics. I think I’m going to apply for a 2 year tech college, learn a little more about what helping people can do for me and all that.”

“Yea, that sounds like a good plan,” Victoria agreed then turned back to Namjoo. “And what happened to you today, besides all that on you.”

Namjoo consciously ran her hand over her neck, “I don’t know…I think he was trying to show me we can’t be ‘just friends…’” then she stopped and looked around, “Can’t I have a little privacy here?”

Victoria raised her hands, “I don’t want to know anymore anyway.”

The ringing of the doorbell interrupted them.

“Who’s that?” Chorong asked.

“I don’t know.” Victoria said before turning around to answer it.

Her sisters followed.

“Shim Changmin,” the crime investigator greeted from their front doorstep, “I heard you came in for the questioning today and roughed up the officer on duty.”

Victoria felt a snort fall from , “I did not rough anyone up.”

“With those arms, I don’t think she can,” Chorong reached out to point a finger at Victoria’s arms.

“Have a good day,” Victoria stiffly said before closing the door in his face. “Gosh, I hate cops.”

The doorbell rang again signaling that the crime investigator wasn’t just about to walk off.

“I don’t think it’s a very intelligent thing to avoid the authorities,” Namjoo whispered, “it’ll make us look more suspicious, if we’re not already suspicious.”

Victoria restrained herself from blowing up before she opened the door again.

“You’re going to have to come in and sign a form for assaulting an officer,” he said then glanced at Chorong who shot him a dirty stare.

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” Victoria started.

“How would you know what I’m thinking?” Changmin raised an eyebrow as if to challenge her.

“I’ll be there,” Victoria forced the words out after a moment of silence.  

“Victoria,” Chorong quietly hissed.

She slightly turned to her, “It’ll be fine. I’ll be back quick.”

When she closed the door behind her she turned to the crime investigator, “You mind if I drive my own car? I don’t think there’s any reason for me to go in yours.” She eyed his Camry across the street.

“Suit yourself,” he coolly said before walking off.

>_____<;;

“You stay here, I’m going to follow Victoria,” Chorong turned to Namjoo before reaching for her keys.

“Why?”

“I’m worried. The officer Victoria so-called assaulted isn’t normal,” Chorong shook her head. “Don’t go anywhere.”

“I’ll go with you,” Namjoo insisted.

“Namjoo,” Chorong sighed.

“Didn’t grandma say we’re only stronger if the three of us are together?” Namjoo reminded.

Chorong knew she was right and had a point. She sighed again, “Then, go like…cover yourself up. Hurry!”

She watched Namjoo rush toward the stairs and disappear at the top.

>_____<;;

Namjoo pulled her dresser open and stared down at the turtlenecks and sweaters sitting inside before jumping with a fright when she heard a, “Hey.”

She turned around to stare at Luhan. “Do you…always have to do that? Make some noise at least.”

“Are you going somewhere?” he tilted his head to look at the open drawer.

Her face flushed in embarrassment before she immediately reached her hand up to cover the marks on her neck. “Just…”

Namjoo quickly directed her eyes elsewhere when he looked at her neck before walking forward.

She stumbled back into the open drawer and turned to glance at it as if she had forgotten it was there. Then she turned back to Luhan who stopped in front of her before craning her neck up to look at him, “Whoa…personal space here.”

“Let me look at that.” He said calmly.

Namjoo wondered if he knew nothing about embarrassment and glanced into his determined eyes before slowly sliding her hand away. She glanced at the wall before she felt her eyes widen when he put his hand over her neck. After a second he pulled his hand back and stepped away with another one of his smiles. Without saying anything Namjoo stepped to the side to glance into the long mirror in her room and saw that the marks were gone. Quite amazed she turned to look at Luhan.

“Be careful,” he said before he started vanishing from sight, but she quickly lunged out and grabbed his arm.

“Wait!” she shouted and felt some kind of electric shock sting her hand. Withdrawing her hand, they stared at each other surprised. Her mind was a total blank before she slowly reached out to grab his arm again as if to assure herself he was touchable.

And when she did touch him, she felt something she had never felt before. A kind of warmth spread into her and her heart felt more at peace than it had ever had. She felt happy, complete, whole… It was as if the missing part of her suddenly returned.

Luhan stared at her silently, but he didn’t say anything.

Namjoo’s mind blanked and her heart fluttered and cried before letting her hand slip to her side. This was weird… She shouldn’t be feeling like this. Why was she feeling like this?

“Do we know each other from somewhere?” the words fell out from her lips.

He looked surprised, maybe a little relieved as if glad she had remembered something, but then the expression disappeared in a split second. “No.”

Then he completely disappeared leaving her baffled before Chorong started shouting her name.

>_____<;;

“That took you an awfully long time,” Chorong said when they got into the car. She tilted her head confused when she realized Namjoo hadn’t changed or grabbed a sweater. “You’re going just like that?”

Namjoo didn’t reply, which forced Chorong to lean forward to discover that the marks on her neck had disappeared.

“You covered it with some foundation?” Chorong asked pulling out of the driveway. “That’s smart.”

A few minutes later when Chorong stopped for a red light she turned to Namjoo. She hadn’t spoken a word since she’d gotten in, which wasn’t like her.

“You’re quiet,” Chorong commented.

Her younger sister turned to her, “I feel weird. Like…I’m really happy and complete…no, I felt like that when I touched him, but I feel normal again…like a part of me is gone again…”

“Ok…” Chorong raised an eyebrow unsure of how to understand this, “isn’t that good? And who’s this person you touched when I thought you were alone upstairs?”

“Luhan.”

“Luhan?” Chorong repeated confused.

“The guardian angel,” Namjoo explained.

“Oh…him, that’s right. What about him? Why did he come to you? I mean, why’d you touch him?” Chorong could feel her mind become a fast slur as she confused herself.

The car behind honked at them before Chorong realized the red light had turned green.     

“I don’t know how to say this…it’s just…weird,” Namjoo shook her head, “I mean…how do I say it? You know how I always felt like a part of me isn’t really here with me, and I often feel depressed and lonely…they disappeared when I touched him.”

Chorong tried to repress a frown worried about the wrinkles that would soon form on her forehead. “I still don’t get it.”

Namjoo slapped her legs with her hands before bending forward to bury her face in her hands. She suddenly sat back in her seat, “I’ve never seen him before, till now, I mean, and it feels like…” then she turned to her sister as if she could answer her question, “do I know him from somewhere?”

Chorong snorted, “Why ask me? I’m not a telepathy magician or something.”

Namjoo her lips before firmly pressing them together. “Do you believe in reincarnation?”

“Past lives and all those stuff?” Chorong asked before shaking her head, “No. And I don’t think I would want to live this life again. Oh no.” Out from the corner of her eye she watched Namjoo turned to look out the window depressingly. Chorong exhaled briefly, “You’re thinking he’s possibly from your past or something?” 

“I don’t know.” Namjoo muttered. “I don’t think he wants to tell me anything.” Then she turned to Chorong, “If guardian angels are so special, why don’t you and Victoria see yours?”

Chorong shrugged indignantly lost with the question. “Maybe this Luhan is a special case. Or…there’s some kind of link between you two. Who knows. I’m sure you’ll find out some time.”

>_____<;;

No stab mark. No bruises, but a red face and a bruise on his left face where Victoria had inflicted no harm whatsoever beforehand. Stubby Officer Park was glaring at her and she could see that mischievous grin he was giving her.

“Go stand outside, investigator,” Officer Park ordered. “I want to have a word with her myself.”

Victoria stiffened her brow before glancing at Changmin and wondered if he even sensed that something was off here. Changmin glanced at her once before nodding and handed Officer Park a clipboard with some forms attached to it.

“I’ll be outside,” Changmin told before closing the door.

And once again, Victoria found herself in the interrogating room with Officer Park.

“Really looks like I roughed you up,” Victoria blatantly muttered, “I could do more of a better job this time around before I sign that paper.”

He chuckled and just tossed the clipboard onto the table between them before leaning against it. “It would seem suspicious if I tried to kill you this time around, wouldn’t it?”

“Vice versa,” Victoria raised a brow and figured this time’s interrogation would be much calmer. Crossing her arms she asked, “What do you want?”

“I want to make an agreement.”

She eyed him carefully.

“You’re really not curious about why your mother’s death was dismissed as suicide?”

Victoria gritted her teeth. He was tempting her. “Don’t bring her up.”

“Oh? But I may know some things you don’t.”

Victoria tightened her fingers into her palm before angrily saying, “Then out with it!”

“Tsk…tsk…tsk…not until you agree.”

“No,” Victoria shook her head, “you explain yourself first. I’m not going to blindly shoot myself ahead.”

“Very well,” he withdrew his hands from against the table and started pacing. “I’m sure by now you know your mother didn’t die a normal death. The one who closed the case worked for that killer.” Victoria felt fury fly through her. “Now, your mother’s murderer currently has something important I need, but I don’t have enough power to get through his bases to reach him.” Victoria stared him down without bothering to say a word. “If you and your sisters help me fight them, I get what I want, and you get the murderer. How does that sound?”

“You want me to put my sister’s lives in danger for your own gain?” Victoria could feel something tick in her.

He laughed overjoyed, “Well, why not!? Both sides gain something in the end! How great would it be for you to get your hands on your mother’s killer!?”

Victoria narrowed her eyes and the chair beside her flew against the wall before she turned to open the door. “Screw you! Don’t you ever come near me or my sisters!”

Changmin immediately turned around to look at her when she flung the door open. His eyes gave away the look that he’d been there the whole time, but whether he heard anything or not wasn’t her problem at the minute.

Charging past him she started out into the hallway only to run into her two sisters.

“You’re out?” Chorong asked. “Already?”

“Get home.” Victoria muttered before shoving her way through between them. 

***Ok, I wasn't supposed to update, but I'm on post limit ;A; and boy, do I need a break from my research ~.~ After I find something to eat, I'll have to start studying for my Journalism midterm tomorrow before I really fail the class. *crosses fingers & prays that I don't fail the class* Cause writing articles are much much different from how I write my stories ;A;

***And here we have difficult Luhan being difficult, but will Namjoo's suspicion get or not? Perhaps Chorong and Victoria will be much faster at solving her problems for her than she herself hahahaha And here's tough Vic being stubborn and tough