Nichkhun opened the car door for Jessica. She smiled, thanking for Nichkhun action before entering the car. Nichkhun then took the driver’s seat and drove away.

“do you want to stop somewhere first?” asked Nichkhun while his eyes still on the road.

“nope. I’m good. Thanks, for asking oppa,” said Jessica.

“so, what’s doctor said?”

“the baby is fine, me also fine. Nothing to worry about. Urgh, how many vitamins that they want me to stuff in?” her hand reached the medicine that was given earlier. She hated medicine or any kind of supplements, especially in solid form. She always avoided taking medicines since she was young.

“it’s for your good sake. Think about the baby Jessica,” He smiled.

“it’s easier to be said than done,” she replied sarcastically.

“you don’t want to be sick right? And you can’t get sick. So, you have to take care of your health. Those supplements are for you to avoid getting sick. The baby needs enough food too. You don’t want to drink milk, you refused to take vitamins and always stuffing yourself with bowls of ice-cream… are those actions good for your baby?” Nichkhun blabbered non-stop.

“aigoo~ look when doctor in you speak.. OK, I get that. I’ll obediently drink my milk, take my medicines. And hey, ice-cream is good, full with calcium, magnesium and many more. It is part of my supplement too. Isn’t it doctor?”

“yeah, not to forget, a lot of sugar too. Seriously, too much sugar is not good for your body you know. Your doctor didn’t comment anything with your sugar level? ”Nichkhun asked. Jessica shook her head with cute expression. Nichkhun laughed at hers. Honestly, his life changed when Jessica came. She really knew how to make his day.

Once they arrived in front of Nichkhun’s house, Jessica came out and followed by Nichkhun. Nichkhun opened car’s booth, picking up the groceries that he bought while Jessica’s appointment at the hospital. Ahjumma came out to help him with the groceries.

Before both Jessica and Nichkhun entered the house, a black car stopped in front of his house. Jessica saw a tall woman came out from the car and smiled brightly towards Nichkhun. Jessica turned her head toward Nichkhun. Beside her, she can see that Nichkhun startled with that woman appearance. Jessica excused herself to give Nichkhun and that woman some privacy.

*****************************************************

“what are you doing here Vic?” Nichkhun eyes still glued on Victoria’s face. Victoria smiled and approached Nichkhun. She held Nichkhun’s hand and caressed them, like she always did in the past. Nichkhun pulled his hand from her grip but she refused to let them go.

“long time no see khun-oppa~” she said, ignoring Nichkhun’s question.

“look, who are you coming here and act like nothing happen? We were done like years ago,” he said, annoyed with Victoria’s act.

“oppa I’m sorry, for what happen. Sorry for leaving you behind. Is there any other chance for me to get you back?”

“huh!” Nichkhun can’t believe what he heard. He saw Victoria’s eyes started to teary. Such a great act.

“I have my own life now. Why do you bother to disturb my life?”

“is that your new girlfriend? The girl that I saw just now?”

“after you left me with the other guy, do you think you still have the right to ask that?”

“oppa, I’m sorry I did you that. I’m sorry but I lied to you. That guy was just an act. I was just covering things up.”

“well, good for you then. I don’t want to hear anything and I hope you can just get out from my house before I do something horrible to you.” Nichkhun turned his head, about to enter the house, he heard Victoria called out his name.

“I was sick. I was sick and I don’t want you to know. are you satisfy with that?” Nichkhun looked upon Victoria’s face. Tears rolled down her face.

“I was diagnosed with leukemia, and my doctor said that I had no chance to survive. I don’t want you to suffer with me,” Victoria confessed. Nichkhun looked puzzled with her confession.

“then why do you come back? Just go die and never show your face to me ever again. Let me live with what you created me to believe.”

“yeah, that was what I planned. But I recovered oppa. It’s a miracle that I recovered. It took about a year to recover and once my doctor told me that I fully freed from the disease, the first person that I deadly want to see is you. I miss you so badly it hurts oppa.” and he missed her to. until today, he still missed her. He wanted to run and embrace her, but Nichkhun knew, he shouldn’t fall for Victoria’s trap ever again.

“do you think it is easy like that? Do you think that I’m going to believe that? I’m not that stupid Vic. Just go back and… and never appear in front of me ever again,” he said before shutting the door before her face.

********************************************

Nichkhun stared on the paintings in the room. He haven’t entered this room for months. Today he entered again. He didn’t why, but he really wanted to look at his ‘Victoria’ today. That face, the face that he always missed. Looking at Victoria’s appearance, she looked like she lost a lot of weight. He didn’t know how to describe his feeling now. Did he feel happy, with Victoria’s appearance, or may be angry? Did he ever be angry to Victoria? He kept asking himself. He wished that he can believe Victoria’s story, but he afraid to be hurt again. He reached his handphone, searching over his contact number. Once he found the contact that he searched, he stopped. Nichkhun hesitated, whether to call or not. After long consideration, he dialed the number.

“hello~” said the voice. Nichkhun paused, didn’t know what to say.

“hello, who’s that?” asked the voice.

“hello Krystal. It’s me, Nichkhun” he finally said.

“omo oppa, haven’t heard from you for such a long time” said Krystal.

“are you busy right now? I have things to ask you”

“I’m good now. It’s lunch time now, so I’m free until….” She paused before continued “2PM. So, shoot”

“OK, it’s about Vic. I’m sorry for stealing your lunch time just to ask you about this”

“NO, it’s OK oppa. I can help you if I can”

“great. She comes back. Do you know about that?” Nichkhun asked. There’s a short silent from Krystal.

“yeah, she did come to see me yesterday. Wae oppa? you never ask before this?”

“she came to my house this morning. And she did say something weird. she said the reason why she left me was because she had leukemia. Is that true? You must know the truth right? Since you guys are bestfriend and you’re her doctor,” Nichkhun’s tone was serious. his heart skipped like crazy, like it’s going to jump from his chest.

Krystal sighed. She promised Victoria 2 years ago, not telling Nichkhun anything, not until she died. “she said that?” she asked.

“emm”

“well, yes oppa, she was diagnosed with leukemia 2 years ago. I promised not telling you this, but since Vic herself said that, I think I can break the promise now. The past 2 years was the worst time for Vic, oppa. when she was diagnosed, she couldn’t accept the fact. I was there oppa. she cried like there’s no tomorrow. When I told her to inform you, she refused. She didn’t want you to know about this”

“wae? She knew right, I truly loved her at that time? Did she think that I can’t accept her because of that?” Nichkhun asked.

“she knew that you’ll accept no matter what. But, you know Vic, she never wants people that she cares sad because of her. she didn’t want to stop you, from reaching your dream. She knows your dream oppa, she didn’t want you to stop chasing your dream and nursing her.”

“that’s why she created story that she changed and left me with other man? Just to make me hate her?” Nichkhun couldn’t believe that.   

“ne oppa. After you guys broke up, she told me that she wanted to undergo the treatment. We couldn’t promise for recovery because she’s at the final stage. The progress was so fast. Her condition became worsen day by day. We couldn’t find the suitable bone marrow for the surgery. She was about to give up but I guess God bless our Vic, she recovered after that. It’s hard to believe but yeah, miracle happened oppa” Nichkhun couldn’t imagine how bad Victoria’s condition. Now, he hated himself for easily believed what happened 2 years ago. He didn’t even make any effort to know the truth. He just accepted what Victoria told him. Now, hearing the story from Krystal, he knew that he stupid.

“I don’t know what to say now. Hearing that, I know that I was stupid, stupid because I choose to believe Vic’s lies, not even trying to search for the truth. Thanks Krys, for telling me that and for always being with Vic” Nichkhun said before ending the call. He sank down next to bunch of the paintings, with his mind full with Victoria’s image. He grabbed the glass of wine beside him and drank them in a second. He needed to clear his thought. His hand clenched on the glass tightly until the glass break in his grasp. After that he reached the wine bottle with his bloody hand. He gulped down the wine.

******************************************************

  Jessica climbed down the stairs. She wanted to find something to eat. She always felt hungry these days. Ahjumma was not around so she just ate anything that was available. She opened the fridge and found some fruits. When she was about to reach the fruit, her eyes catch a glimpse of the room beside the kitchen. It was the ‘forbidden room’, the room that she shouldn’t enter if she didn’t want to create any problem with Nichkhun. that’s what ahjumma told her when she first came to this house.

“why do I feel a bit weird looking at that room today?” she asked herself. She observed that room from far. Then, she realized, the door was left ajar. Nichkhun never let that room unlocked.

“hmm, why does it open today? It’s weird. ok, I know it’s weird but Jessica, you can’t go to that room” she made her mental note. But, the more you warning yourself, the more you wanted to discover what’s behind that door. Why Nichkhun kept them locked for 24/7? Why he didn’t let anyone, not even ahjumma entered that room?

Jessica shook her head, shooing all those thought away. She reached the fruit and immediately sat at the table. She should busy herself, let’s do something else Jessica. And, at the same time, she heard glass scattered from that room. She automatically stood up and faced that room. She really wanted to go there.

“mm… maybe there’s a cat? But, we never have a cat in this house. A ghost?” she said and almost immediately she can feel goosebumps. She knew what she should do. She should go upstairs and called for Nichkhun’s help. She didn’t know where was Nichkhun but she knew that’s the right things to do. However, she didn’t go upstairs and look for Nichkhun. in fact, she crept down the narrow hallway that connected that room to the kitchen. She was now in front of that white wooden door and she clearly saw the door was left slightly ajar.

Jessica pushed the door slowly and entered the room. It was a bit dusty but the images in front of her made her amazed. She can helped but fell in love with the paintings in front of her in a second. She slowly walked approaching the beautiful paintings.

“wow, that’s so beautiful. Why does he has to lock up a room filled with the beauties.” made ‘O’ shape. Her hand touched the paintings. She knew nothing about paintings but she knew that the person who painted all those pictures has a great talent. Jessica turned to her left and she saw a giant painting of a woman with long brunette hairs, wearing a summer dress, smiling brightly under beautiful sunset. Her hand was holding her straw hat, preventing it from the breeze. That was so beautiful. She amazed with the painter’s talent. The painting, it’s looked like a real picture.

“but, the girl in the picture… why does she seems so familiar?” Jessica asked herself. She tried to think. Then, the image of the tall woman who came earlier in the morning came to her mind.

“OMG, that girl? who is she actually? She must be someone special, doesn’t she?” she whispered. She wanted to touch that painting. She wanted to feel the painting. She knew it’s weird but she wanted to. Her hand slowly approached that painting.

“what are you doing?” said a voice behind her back. Jessica startled with the remark. She almost jumped. She slowly turned her head toward that voice. There, she saw Nichkhun, sitting on the floor with emptied bottled in his hand and glass shards everywhere.

“OMG, you almost kill me oppa…” she said. Her eyes saw Nichkhun’s bloody hand. Jessica eye’s widen as she saw that. “omoo~ your hand’s bleeding oppa? what the hell you’re doing here oppa? are you trying to kill yourself? Hmm?” she asked. She squatted beside him and tried to hold Nichkhun’s hand. To her surprised, Nichkhun pulled his hand from Jessica grasp.

“but… but your hand is bleeding oppa,”

“I said what are you doing here inside this room?”again Nichkhun asked her with extremely cold tone. 

“I.. I saw the door open and I heard glass scattered. So I thought maybe there was a cat inside. And I think if I come in, I can scare the cat and hush him out”

“whatever you reason is, go outside now.”

“but, at least let me treat your injury first”

“I don’t need that. Just. Leave. Me. Alone”

“I can’t do that. Look, your hand bleed to much. To much blood and it make me nauseous. Oh my God, I want to vomit,” she said while running out of the room.