In the following weeks Chang-min did all he could to avoid the house of his friends, and the events of that visit played over and over in his mind. He eventually received a phone call from Kyu-hyun, asking if he would be coming to the family dinner they were hosting that weekend.

"I know it seems like a drag, but it would be so much better if you came. It would be good for Victoria, she would like to see you."

Kyu-hyun spoke in his usual dry tone and Chang-min couldn't detect any change in his manner. Indeed he had been wondering about Victoria, wondering all the time really, about what she was thinking and whether she would actually want to see him again. He knew he wanted to see her. He told Kyu-hyun that he would come to the dinner and he started regretting it the second that he hung up the phone.

What a traitor he was! How could he have the nerve to show up again in the house of his best friend, after what had occurred between him and Victoria. But it was even worse than that: he felt no regret. What he would give just to have another moment with her and pretend just for once that she was his wife and he was her husband. He hated himself for it, but he could not deny what he felt.

He dressed nicely for that evening and set off at around 6. As he did so he thought about Kyu-hyun, his thoughts naturally tending back to the image of his surly friend sitting in his wheelchair. It was a sobering thought and it only added more to his confusion.

When he did arrive at the house he was greeted by Victoria. She was wearing a blue frock with a collar that made her look like a character from a television soap opera. The perfect wife with a dark secret. She sighed when she saw him.

"You're just in time, Chang-min. The family just got here."

She said the last sentence with a hint of sadness and Chang-min recalled that she was never comfortable in the presence of her in laws. So he was here to save her from that misery. She took him by the hand and led him into the kitchen. His heart raced at the touch of her hand.

"I'm just about the get the table ready. Kyu-hyun is in the living room with the others."

Chang-min left her alone and went to see Kyu-hyun. Sure enough Kyu-hyun was sitting by the stand with Little Red, and with him were his parents, seated on the sofa, his older sister, standing, and her young son who was talking to the parrot.

"Does it talk?" he asked Kyu-hyun excitedly.

"He does indeed talk sometimes, although only if you are well mannered."

The boy looked up at the bird and said, "Dear Mr. Parrot, what can you say?"

The parrot bobbed his head, but said nothing.

"Hello, hello, hello!"

The parrot still said nothing and the mother scolded her son. "Don't yell at the parrot, he won't say anything if you yell at him."

The parrot cocked his head, and this time made a distinctive squawk. "Chang-min!" he said, and Chang-min gasped unintentionally.

"Oh Chang-min, you're here," Kyu-hyun said lightly. Nobody seemed to notice that the parrot had said anything. "I believe you are just in time for dinner."

The family made their way to the dinner table and Chang-min helped push Kyu-hyun over. Kyu-hyun sat at the front of the table and Chang-min sat across from Victoria. They began eating, and Kyu-hyun's father started a conversation discussing some story from the newspaper. Victoria did her best to join in by adding in the occasional affirmation, but neither of the parents were too interested in her inputs. She would always be looking over towards the guests and she avoided making eye contact with Chang-min or her husband. Kyu-hyun did not eat very much. Chang-min noticed that he took hardly any food for his own bowl and spent most of the time just pushing food around. Even while the family was happily talking there was an unmistakable tension at the table and Chang-min hoped that it would be over quickly.

"So, Chang-min," Kyu-hyun's sister said brightly. "How have you been? It's been some weeks since we last saw you, how is your work?"

Chang-min paused to answer and the table became quiet. Just as he was about to say something he heard the cry of the parrot. "Chang-min!" he heard it screech, just as it had done before. He looked straight ahead at Victoria and she responded with a puzzled expression. Surely she must have heard it too? The parrot, the parrot knows! he thought feverishly. He's calling my name because she said it on that day...

"Chang-min!"

"That damn bird!" Chang-min yelled and the whole table stared at him in shock. A darkness seemed to fall over Kyu-hyun as he watched his friend with a curious expression. Chang-min stood up awkwardly. "Um, excuse me for one moment." He left the table hastily and made his way to the bathroom, where he splashed his face with cold water. He shuddered to himself as he did so and said to himself, "Pull it together! I will compose myself for the rest of this evening and leave as soon as I can."

When he went back to the dining area, he walked past the parrot in his stand, and the parrot nodded his head knowingly. Chang-min did his best to ignore it.

Dinner went along smoothly enough, but by the time he returned Chang-min had lost all his appetite. "Perhaps you are not well," Kyu-hyun's sister mused, and Chang-min agreed that he should probably go home early. He said good bye to everyone once dinner was over, and left through the front door.
 

A/N: Sorry it's a bit late. There is one more chapter, and I need to work on a bit. Thank you for your kind comments~