“Why do you ask?”

“If I remember correctly you’re a criminal investigator, but it doesn’t make sense that I see you around the hospital so much. I know I am still a suspect but you don’t have to keep such close watch on me,” she told.

“You’re not a suspect anymore.”

Victoria eyed him suspiciously, “Really? Are you telling the truth?”

“Since when have I lied?”

She turned away then turned back to him, “I’m really not a suspect?”

Donghae nodded.

“What I don’t understand is why you’re here,” Victoria told. “I don’t understand.”

Donghae just smiled. “To keep you company. It’s as basic and simple as that.”

/////

Song Philip finally got the answer he’d been waiting for. Seoul University. Victoria was now at Seoul University and she’d be teaching psychology as well as be an advisor to those majoring in psychology. He had to ask himself why he’d forgotten to ask her about it. In a hour he was on the highway and another hour later he was driving down the road toward Victoria’s apartment. Taking notice that her car was not in the driveway he went to Seoul University.

Victoria’s office was locked so he tried the professor whose office was next to hers. The professor was amazingly young and elegant.

Song Philip nodded at her with a smile before he went on, “I’m a friend of Victoria’s. We use to work together at the tech college in Incheon but I haven’t been able to contact her lately. Do you by any chance know where she is?”

“Victoria Song?” asked In Ji.

“Yes, Victoria Song.”

The woman seemed to frowned, “I thought she would have called you or something if you are her friend.”

“What do you mean?” Philip became slightly confused.

“Someone tampered with her brakes and she’s now in the hospital.”

Philip closed the door after him as he sat in the jeep he was driving. What the heck? Someone tampered with the brakes in her car and she didn’t tell anyone when she ended up in the hospital? More strangely why was there nothing about it in the news? Philip felt flustered and angry but didn’t know what he could do. Deciding to get the answers from her himself he was on the way to the hospital. However, the nurses didn’t allow him to visit her.

“Visitor hours have ended. If you’re not a family member I’ll have to send you back.” her words frustrated him and he knew he had no choice but to go back.

/////

Victoria stared at the book on her lap after Donghae had left. They hadn’t talked about anything and she was unwilling to speak to him about anything that concerned herself. She didn’t know if Donghae had meant what he’d said but she was glad he’d kept her some enjoyable company during the past week in the hospital. Was she beginning to trust him a little or was it that she only wanted his presence around because she knew she’d be safe from that stalker she supposedly had at the moment? Never minding anything that had to do with him Victoria lay down on the bed pulling the blanket over her. At last she’d be out of the hospital tomorrow.

She’d found the clothes she’d worn on the day of the accident and changed into them the next morning after the last checkup from the nurse. She collected her phone and her wallet before she heard footsteps enter the room. Expecting Donghae she turned around ready to spout at him but instead found Song Philip standing there.

“Philip?” his name suddenly came from .

“Victoria!” he exclaimed as he walked over then looked at her arm. “Are you ok?!”

“Yea, I’m fine. Still alive, you see?” she held her arms out to show him that she was fine.

“Don’t tell me you’re fine when you have that around your arm!” he boasted.

Victoria frowned suddenly accepting the serious mood he’d brought with him, “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? You’re asking me what’s wrong when everything’s wrong!”

“What is wrong with you?”

“Tell me, honestly, have you seen that investigator around?”

“Lee Donghae?”

“You even know his name?”

“What’s wrong Philip?” Victoria asked becoming confused with the sudden anger her friend was showing.

“Don’t ask me what’s wrong. I think you should be asking that Lee Donghae investigator what’s wrong!” Philip raised his voice. “Did you know that no news of your car being tampered with was broadcasted through the media? There was nothing about it! And do you know why?”

Victoria stared at him struck by his sudden statement. No news about the accident had been reported to the public? So, no one knew about she was in the hospital?

“That investigator kept it from the public!” Philip explained.

“How do you know?”

“Think about it, Victoria, or have you become dumb because of him?” Philip asked staring down at her. “He works with the media. He solves crimes which are associated with the media, so why would he keep it from the public?”

“Maybe he didn’t want the stalker to find me.” Victoria reasoned.

“I don’t know what he’s implanted in your head but what I know is can you really trust him? Ask yourself and think hard, he probably knows everything about you and could do anything to you . You’re my friend, Han In Seol left you in my care, you are my responsibility.”

Victoria suddenly threw her left arm forward and pushed him back, “Don’t you dare mention In Seol! And don’t you make me sound like an object in your hands! I am myself, I am not your responsibility! I don’t need you to look after me, Philip, so don’t bother me unless I ask you to.”

Victoria sent him a glare before walking out of the room with a rush of emotions flying through her. Before she made it far she ran into Donghae by the stairs.

“You’re already out?” Donghae asked.

Victoria stared at him silently.

“Lets go.”

Victoria followed him to his car then stared at the road as the car sped off onto the highway. Even if she tried not to think of Philip’s words they were already running in circles in her mind. She glanced at Donghae through the corner of her eyes suddenly wondering how much did he know about her? What was the real reason he kept coming to see her when she was in the hospital? Why had he kept the accident from being reported? She wanted to ask, know so many things but she couldn’t ask him comfortably when he was driving.

An hour later the car came to a stop in front of large brick home. After they stepped out Donghae explained, “This is Chief Kang’s home. He has a list of people who want to speak to you.”

“Do I really need to come here?” Victoria asked following him to the doorstep.

“Since you just got released from the hospital it’d be easier for me to travel here then return to Seoul anyway. Same for you.”

“How much did he know?” the words rang in Victoria’s ears.

Donghae rung the doorbell and a young woman, the maid, answered the door.

“Chief Kang will be out with you, why don’t you come in?”

Victoria followed him in and found that the home was a masterpiece. The floors were shiny clean and the home must have cost a fortune. Victoria took a look at the marble vase of flowers on a small pillar by the door, the pictures on the walls, the oval carpet underneath the large grand piano, and the furniture that decorated the home.

“You amazed?” Donghae asked with a whisper. “I was, too, when I first stepped inside. There’s a pool outback, I’ll show it to you later.”

“You’re here!” Chief Kang’s voice echoed throughout the room as he walked toward them.

“Hi chief! I brought Victoria along.”

“Hi,” Victoria greeted.

Chief Kang smiled, “I heard about the accident. Are you doing much better?”

At the mention of the accident Victoria suddenly wondered if she could trust these two people before her. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“Come in.” Chief Kang led them through some rooms then toward his office. “I spoke with some of Il Chung and Sandy’s relatives and their parents would like to speak to you, Miss Song. You don’t have to worry about anything because they also want to meet Donghae too, so he’s going to accompany you to meet them.”

Always Donghae.

“You two can take a look through the list,” the chief said handing the paper to Donghae.

“Chief, you have another guest,” the maid interrupted.

“Ah…yes. Why don’t you two take a glance at the list during the meantime. I’m going to head out for a bit.” Chief Kang suggested then walked out of the room following the maid.

Victoria stared at the piece of paper with the list of names on it.

“Do you want to go out back? I’ll show you the pool,” Donghae told.

Victoria followed him out without an answer to his question. The pool was amazingly large and filled with deep light blue water. In a way it looked like a beautiful mirage before her. However, something else was on her mind and she was anxious to know the answer to it. It was nagging at her, Philip’s words were dominating her mind.

“Wait,” Victoria called turning around so that her back was to the pool.

Donghae swerved around to look at her.

“I want to ask you,” Victoria started, “why did you keep the accident from the media?”

“You want to become famous?” Donghae asked as if confused.

“No, I don’t want people to know about me, but…” Victoria asked silently wondering why she’d defended Donghae in her argument with Philip. “Answer me straight out. Why didn’t anyone know about the accident? Why did you keep it a secret from everyone? Why didn’t you contact any of my friends when I was still unconscious?”  

Donghae stared back at her then turned his face away. “If people found out that person who wanted to hurt you could have found you easily.”

“But you were around so that makes no strong point about why you hid the accident,” Victoria said. “Lee Donghae, I’m really beginning to wonder if I can really trust you.”