>_____<;;

Victoria was awoken by the banging on her door before it suddenly opened and Chorong ran in. Pulling the blanket off her she forcefully pulled her up before rummaging through her closet for some of her clothes.

“What are you doing?” Victoria sleepily asked in refusal to be awakened. A noise of annoyance slipped her lips when Chorong tossed a shirt at her then a pair of jeans.

“Get up!” Chorong ordered.

“Aish!” Victoria grabbed the shirt away from over her head and tossed it aside. “What is with you!?”

“The damn investigator is here!” Chorong spat. “I need your up to deal with him because there is an uninvited guest downstairs.”

“What, what, what?” Victoria stuttered shaking her head to help understand the situation. Sitting on her knees she leaned forward with large eyes, “Who’s here!?”

“Changmin, guy you had a one night stand with!”

Grabbing her shirt she tossed it at Chorong, “I’m not talking about him!”

Chorong caught her shirt before frowning, “Then who?”

“The uninvited guest!”

Victoria let out an annoyed sigh before getting up and threw off her pajamas before snatching the shirt from Chorong and slipped it on.

“Oh…Su…ho?” Chorong said as if there was something she needed to be embarrassed of.

Victoria grumbled again after pulling on her jeans and said, “At least give me the decency to brush my teeth.”

“What in the world do you think he wants!?” Chorong asked following Victoria down the hallway.

Before Victoria could close the door on her Chorong pushed it open and stood at the doorway.

“You don’t think he wants to ask about Daesung again, do you?”

Victoria rolled her eyes irritated and aggressively brushed away at her teeth.

“Or do you think he’s here for something else?” Chorong went on. “Do you think he’s on to us? Have we been that suspicious?”

Victoria rinsed with some water before spitting it out loudly.

“Shut up already,” Victoria snapped. “We’ll make some ooh-la-la lies or something. He doesn’t have anything on us anyway.”

Chorong followed her down the stairs and before they reached the bottom of the staircase Victoria ordered, “Go accompany your boyfriend, while I go deal with the nosey investigator.”

Chorong rolled her eyes unable to protest before walking away. Victoria cleared and rubbed hands against her legs before she started toward the door.

>_____<;;

Namjoo had been bombarded by empty dreams the whole night, which nonetheless meant she’d slept really well. When she woke up she felt that really warm presence beside her and felt slight agony sink into her. She wanted forever for them. It was going to be difficult now, she realized, to forget what she’d seen…experienced. But none of those mattered anymore. The Joseon Dynasty no longer existed and Luhan was with her now. They would be happy together, they would.

For a few minutes she felt herself float against his chest; up and down, up and down along with his steady breathing before moving away from him. Now sitting in front of him she locked her eyes on his sleeping face with a smile rocking her lips. So this was how her guardian angel looked like while sleeping. So calm, so at peace.

Luhan’s hand twitched when he realized her fingers were no longer there and she watched his eyes slowly open. His eyes landed on the lamp before turning to look at her.

“Morning,” Namjoo casually greeted.

He stared at her for a few seconds before looking away almost shyly and Namjoo felt like laughing. It was different from his usual cool demeanor she always saw. The feel of the atmosphere was cut off when she heard her sisters talking loudly in the hallway before running down the stairs.

“I think something’s going on,” Namjoo turned to look at him before getting to her feet.

She turned around when she realized he wasn’t coming after her.

“I don’t think it’s anything dangerous,” Luhan said, “you don’t need me.”

After a moment Namjoo extended her hand out, “Even so, we’re family. I was a part of yours, and now you’re a part of mine. Come on.”

Conflict surfed through him before he rose from the bed and instead of taking her hand he wrapped his arms around her. Namjoo stood there in silence momentarily confused by the sudden display of affection.

“Whether then, now, or in the future, being by you has always been my happiest moment,” he turned his face into her hair before letting go of her.  

Without allowing her to say anything he grabbed her hand before they left the room.

>_____<;;

“Did I come at a bad time?” Suho asked when Chorong walked into the kitchen.

“Oh no,” Chorong shook her head, “no you didn’t, don’t worry about it. Um…are you, like, hungry or something?”

“Hungry?” Suho repeated. “I had a bagel this morning…”

“Oh…” Chorong turned around from the counter to look at him.

Suho stared back at her nervously and shyly. Was he being too awkward? He probably was, that’s why the atmosphere felt funny. Tapping his fingers against his legs he glanced around. He didn’t know how to start off a conversation with her. What kind of things did she like talking about? What was there he could say?

“Oh…I got accepted into the program,” Chorong spoke.

“That’s great!” Suho exclaimed excitedly. “You’re going to enjoy it.”

“Ah…” was all Chorong had to say before they became silent again.

Suho glanced around the kitchen awkwardly before saying, “Well I…didn’t just come to ask about the door…”

“What?” Chorong’s head immediately shot toward him.

Suho slightly shrunk back into his chair surprised. Chorong looked away embarrassed and held her hands together. While Chorong bit onto her lower lip Suho contemplated about continuing what he was going to say or not. Why was he so bad at this?

Clearing his throat he said, “I mean, we weren’t able to catch dinner after the musical. Um…if you’d like…should we go grab dinner together some time?”

Chorong’s eyebrows shot up and her mind instantly blanked out. What was there to say? Would could she say? What did she want to say?

“Chorong? Victoria?” Namjoo’s voice floated through the air and Chorong was instantly relieved.

Honestly, Suho was a little disappointed he didn’t get to hear her answer but he was glad that Chorong was more relaxed upon her sister’s entrance. He realized that Chorong really liked the company of her sisters and was happy to see that.

Curiosity perked his mind when he saw Namjoo walk into the kitchen hand in hand with someone. He instantly spotted Chorong turning to look at him as if she was afraid he might say something. Sensing that something was probably going on he stood up.

“Oh…hi!” Namjoo enthusiastically greeted.

Suho smiled and greeted her in return.

“Oh this…this is Luhan,” Chorong introduced. “Luhan, this is Suho.”

Suho nodded toward him and glanced back at Chorong, “I think I should be going.”

He started toward the doorway, but Chorong immediately grabbed his arm and pulled him back with an awkward laugh.

“No, no, um…why don’t you stay for a bit,” Chorong said before turning to Namjoo and gestured toward the other room before Namjoo’s lips parted and she nodded upon understanding the signal. Grabbing Luhan’s shoulders she shoved him forward, “Why don’t you two get to know each other? We’ll be back.”

Suho watched Chorong leave with Namjoo before looking at Luhan awkwardly.

>_____<;;

After taking a deep breath she finally opened the door to see Changmin standing on their doorstep.

“Care to have a word with me?” Changmin questioned.

Victoria shot her hand out to place it on the opposite side of the door frame in order to block him and smiled.

“A word about?”

“Look,” Changmin said, “I really don’t have any bad intentions toward you or your sisters.”

“Then why do my instincts tell me otherwise?” Victoria asked before glancing inside the house.

Finally stepping onto the porch she closed the door after her.

Changmin shot her a smile in reply. “Don’t you think I have a life separate from being an investigator?”

Victoria slightly laughed at him, “I don’t know about that. You could be investigating even in your free time.”

“You don’t really trust me, do you?”

Victoria crossed her arms and chuckled. “It’s really an easy word to say, isn’t it? Trust. But sorry, I don’t immediately trust strangers right away, even if they’re the police. So spit out what you have to say so I can spend the rest of my Sunday in peace.”

“Didn’t you want Byun Tae Won’s address?”

“Not anymore.”

“You already stopped by,” he stated.

Victoria narrowed her eyes in observance, “I’d really like it if you don’t pry into my mother’s death any longer. It’s personal business for my sisters and I.”

“Ok,” he nodded, “I can respect that, but I’d also like it if you could be sincerely honest with me.”

Pressing her lips together she nodded. “I’ll take up your offer if I ever need it.”

“One more thing,” Changmin said.

Victoria raised her brow while waiting for him to continue.

“Why do you believe your mother was killed?”

She took a long time contemplating on her answer. Since he didn’t seem so bad and he’d wanted a sincere answer she decided it would be no harm to say it.

“Just…someone told me so.” Victoria stared at him and waited for his reaction. Changmin did look surprised, but she couldn’t see anything else in his face. “Someone on the Crest Hill told me and he’s not someone you can deal with. I don’t need you to believe me.”

And strangely, for some strange absolute reason her eyes shot toward the road as if she was aware someone was watching. For a few seconds she eyed the streets before looking back at Changmin.

“If I take off my suit,” Changmin said then quickly paused, “I mean, if I step out of my investigator uniform, do you think we can be friends then?”

Victoria eyed him suspiciously.

“I’m serious.”

Was it all right to let a criminal investigator so close to them? Even without his uniform, he was still an investigator no matter the case. Victoria wasn’t too confident about befriending him, but honestly she didn’t know what she really wanted.

“We’ll see,” was all she said before stepping back into the house.

>_____<;;

“What? What’s going on?” Namjoo questioned after Chorong let go of her when they reached the sitting room.

“Changmin is here,” Chorong told. “While you were back in the past, we learned that Daesung tattled on me and now the criminal investigator knows something is up.”

“Oh…when you mentioned Changmin I was thinking he was here to see Victoria.”

“I wish that was the case,” Chorong said.

Namjoo blinked before asking, “Then what’s Suho doing here?”

Chorong let out a breath before throwing her hand out to her side. Namjoo frowned and tilted her head to stare at her.

“Oooh,” she cooed, “he said something, didn’t he?  He asked you out?” 

“No! That is not it!” Chorong defended to which Namjoo snorted.

“He did too, but I bet you didn’t give the poor guy an answer.”   

“Ugh…” Chorong groaned before turning away from her. “You guys never help me.”

“What do you want us to do?” Namjoo shrugged. “Just say yes.”

“Yes!?” Chorong spun around in total opposition.

“Well, if you’re so hesitant, why didn’t you just say no in the first place?” Namjoo questioned before poking her sister. “If you didn’t reject him, say yes. Just go for the heck of it. A date won’t kill you.”

“I’m not saying it will!” Chorong snapped.

Namjoo snorted, “Oho! Then you will say yes.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

Namjoo turned away and scratched her ear. “Stop yelling. You’re hurting my ear.”

“Who’s hurting who?” Victoria asked when she passed the sitting room.

Namjoo threw her hand back and pointed at Chorong, “She’s going on a date.”

“Am not!”

“A date?” Victoria raised a brow before smiling teasingly. “Ah…so that’s why he stopped by, and so early in the morning.”

“No!” Chorong  opposed.

Victoria snorted before glancing over at Namjoo.

“I heard Changmin stopped by,” Namjoo said. “He say anything?”

“He wants to be friends,” Victoria told and watched her sisters exchange glances. “No, you two are not getting any ideas from this because nothing will happen.”

“We didn’t say anything,” Chorong shrugged.

“I can see it in your eyes.” Victoria pointed her finger at them. “You guys better watch your backs.”

“Talking about that,” Chorong said, “there was a car outside our home this morning. But it drove off when Suho came.”

Victoria frowned before glancing out the hallway. “Strange, I also felt like someone’s watching us.”

“Is this a sixth sense thing?” Namjoo asked.

“We won’t know until we catch him,” Chorong muttered.

“Anyway, where’s Suho?” Victoria glanced around.

“Chorong made him stay in the kitchen with Luhan,” Namjoo turned to look at Chorong as if she’d done something wrong.

“What?” Chorong questioned innocently. “It would’ve looked weird if the three of us left him alone in the kitchen.”

Victoria raised a brow before saying, “Then why don’t you go get your men while I go upstairs to sleep more.”

“He’s not my man!” Chorong shouted after her.