It was two weeks before Chang-min returned to the house. Kyu-hyun had invited him back the next day, asking him to spend another night, or perhaps the weekend. Chang-min had declined, and rambled a bit about how work had been piling up and he had the performance review to worry about. Kyu-hyun had clicked his tongue and ended their phone conversation there, only to call him back two days later to ask for exactly the same thing.

"You're boring now, Chang-min," he said teasingly. "Always working, that's not the Chang-min I remember." He added a laugh to the end of his comment, as if noting the absurdity of calling someone else boring, he who was confined to a wheelchair all day.

Chang-min eventually gave in and visited Kyu-hyun on a Sunday. He chose this day because he knew it was the day Victoria always went out. In his heart he wanted to see her too, but he knew it would probably be too much for him to bear at this stage. His poisonous infatuation would need time to cool off, and he believed that only distance could cure it.

But it wasn't only that. He wondered how much Kyu-hyun knew. The damning cry of the parrot had almost led him to confess his terrible sin, and it was only a matter of time before he came undone in front of him. Like Macbeth, who sees a ghost at his table, Chang-min's guilt also hung about his head and played with his consciousness. To think he had heard Little Red call to him, when all he ever says is "eotteoke."

Kyu-hyun was seated by the living room window when Chang-min arrived. Little Red was in his usual place. The sunlight from the window poured out gently onto Kyu-hyun, whose peaceful expression might have led someone to believe that he was meditating. Chang-min was almost regretful to interrupt.

"Chang-min," Kyu-hyun said tiredly, "you finally came."

"Of course I did."

"I was starting to worry about losing you."

Chang-min was startled. "Losing me? Where would I go?"

"I don't know. I worried you might get bored with me. I'm pretty much bored with me right now."

"I think our friendship is a little more solid than that. Come on, we've been through heaps. I wouldn't give you up out of boredom." These words seemed hollow to Chang-min and he felt quite foolish for speaking so emotionally.

Kyu-hyun smiled. "You're right. That was insulting, wasn't it? Of course I could always trust you to stay faithful to me."

Chang-min's conscious curled up inside of him at these words. Why did Kyu-hyun have to put it like that?

"But there's something serious I have to ask you," Kyu-hyun continued. His voice was gentle and he looked out of the window as he spoke, perhaps purposefully avoiding eye contact. "I want to ask you something about Victoria and you have to promise me you will me answer honestly."

"Go on," Chang-min said, hoping his voice did not sound as nervous as he felt.

"Do you think I am losing her heart?"

Chang-min took a moment to reply. "What do you mean by that? Are you asking if I think she's been unfaithful to you?"

Kyu-hyun sighed. "What else could I mean? Well, to be more accurate, I don't suspect her of having another lover, because she is here with me all the time, she would have no time for affairs. But I mean in her heart... does she still have love for me?"

"How could I possibly answer that for you?"

"How indeed." Kyu-hyun pushed his wheelchair back so that he could face away from the window. He looked instead at the parrot, who was cocking his head to one side. "Perhaps I should ask Little Red."

Chang-min had become aware of his heart hammering away in his chest and the sound of its beating filled his ears. "What would Little Red say?" he heard himself ask.

"What would Little Red say? He would say, Eotteoke! That's all he ever says, remember? The reason I've asked you Chang-min is because you are the only other person who knows her well, and I trust you to tell me the honest answer."

"I can tell you that she loves you."

Kyu-hyun looked at Chang-min carefully, his eyes narrowed into slits. It was a curious look, not a suspicious one. "Are you telling me that because you think that's what I want to hear?"

"Because I think it's true!"

"And...?"

Chang-min tore himself away from Kyu-hyun's gaze and looked instead at the parrot. Little Red cocked his head at him, with an expression that seemed eerily knowing. "And... I'm sorry Kyu-hyun." His last words came out a whisper.

"Sorry?"

"She's the girl of my dreams. I knew that from the first time I saw her. We're too similar, you and me, we always liked the same things. I have no intention of stealing her from you, but I've entertained the thought more times than I'd like to admit."

Kyu-hyun was silent, and Chang-min was too afraid to face him again. When he did finally turn around, Kyu-hyun had returned to that state of peaceful mediation. He was neither smiling nor frowning, and he did not look troubled.

After a few moments he suddenly spoke. "You know Plato once said that a friend is really just a single soul that lives in two bodies. Do you like that idea? I do. I think that's how we understand each other."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Not really. You told me the truth, didn't you? And, like I said, I know you too well."

"I only kissed her, I didn't do anything else."

Kyu-hyun sighed, and this time Chang-min thought he sounded sad. "I told you... I have nothing to fear... we have the same soul, remember? I'm not mad at her either. She has every right to be free in who she loves."

Chang-min took a seat on the arm of the sofa and stared at his hands. "I love her, but you're my friend and I love you too. What are we going to do?"

"Eotteoke..." echoed Kyu-hyun, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"Eotteoke!" cried the parrot.
 

~ Three Years Later ~
 

Kyu-hyun tapped his walking stick on the ground three times, but Little Red did not wake up. The parrot was sleeping peacefully on its perch, innocent like an angel, but Kyu-hyun was getting frustrated.

"Come on Red, I need someone to practice my speech to. It's my best friend's wedding."

He took the folded piece of paper from his pocket and read over it again. All the words he had put down earlier, the stuff about Plato and friendship, seemed so foolish to him now. He laughed out loud to himself.

"What's funny?" Victoria asked. She had just come in, putting earrings in as she walked.

"Nothing, my speech is terrible."

"I'm sure it's not."

He sighed and put the paper back in his pocket. Victoria took hold of his arm.

"Come on, darling. We'll be late."

He shook her off. "I can walk perfectly fine on my own now."

She smiled, and sighed. "Of course, I'm sorry. Will you come?"

Kyu-hyun did his best not to worry too much about the best man speech, and instead tried to savour the day. To think that Chang-min was finally getting married! Finally everything was just as it should be. At the reception he was even able to dance a bit, now that he was recovering well.

At one point he thought he noticed a strange look between Victoria and Chang-min. There was something sad and meaningful about it, almost uncomfortable. A minute later it had passed and he thought he might have only imagined it, so he brushed it off and poured himself more wine.
 

The End. Thank you for reading ~