Getting back home, Victoria was a mess. She’d put her hands through her hair so much it had fallen out of the style she’d had it in. Her hands were shaking and it sent ricochet tremors through her whole body.

Barely managing the front door, Victoria tried to keep quiet. The hours had passed midnight while she’d been out and she hoped no one was awake, nor that she’d wake anyone. Standing in the hall, Victoria tried to calm down more as she wiped her cheeks. The black streaks on her fingertips told her how badly her makeup was running.

Nearly tripping out of her shoes, Victoria cursed quietly and passed by the living room on the way up to her room. But she didn’t get very far because Donghae was awake and looking at her from the doorway of the front room. Victoria guessed he’d set up his bed on the couch and she watched him for a moment without saying anything.

Donghae looked like he had either just woken up, or she’d caught him mid-sleepwalk. He was steadily sobering the more he took in of her appearance and Victoria wanted to run up the stairs. But he’d cause a commotion and then the whole house would wake up. Victoria wanted that less than having Donghae stare at her.

“What happened to you?” Donghae asked groggily. Even though he was tired, the fear and worry in his voice filtered through. “Did he hurt you?” He whispered.

“No,” Victoria blurted, immediate and defensive. “He didn’t hurt me. Nothing happened to me. But, can you do me a favor maybe?” Victoria asked. The tears in her voice were sobering as much as Donghae was waking up.

“Depends,” Donghae said with a raised brow.

“Just, tell Heechul-ssi he doesn’t have to worry anymore okay? Tell him that he’s safe now and he won’t have to spend time trying not to be angry anymore.”

Donghae just nodded. “I’m going to be real honest with you. I won’t remember all of that, but I’ll do my best.” He didn’t like how she looked. Nothing had happened to her, he was sure. But she had been with Chansung and something had happened to him. Donghae didn’t want to think about it anymore. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah,” Victoria nodded. She was quiet for a while, looking off into the distance, then took a deep breath and smiled softly. She turned her attention back to Donghae. “I’m going to be just fine.”

Victoria couldn’t sleep as she sat in her room. Violent images plagued her, images of all the hurt she’d caused within this house. The silver lining behind the storm of a cloud she’d created was that she’d be home soon. She could start over as the person she wanted to be, instead of what she’d become here.

She walked her room, looking for the odds and ends she felt were enough hers to take with her. Thinking of her mom suddenly, Victoria started crying. Her mom would probably hate her if she told her any of how she’d acted here. She was an embarrassment to her family and they didn’t even know it.

With new resolve she faced leaving the Sharehouse. Even though she hated what she’d become, Victoria knew she could fix it with the routine of home. Trying out being an adult hadn’t worked for her. Victoria still wanted the structure of home and chores and her mom.

She didn’t leave a note; she didn’t wake anyone up to say goodbye. Victoria just collected her luggage and left the house before dawn. Before anyone would be awake to stop her.