“I did what you asked,” Eunhyuk’s voice said from the other end of the line. There was soft music playing in the background so Donghae guessed that he was in his bedroom.

“What did I ask you to do?”

“Didn’t you tell me to visit your uncle sometimes?”

“Oh.” Donghae then found himself laughing. “So you did and what do you want from me? A gift for obedience?”

Eunhyuk snorted, “I want to let you know that you’ve become very sneaky Lee Donghae.”

“Sneaky? In what way?”

“I know it all.”

Donghae couldn’t help but lean forward in the chair wondering what Eunhyuk was being so tricky about, “And you are saying…”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“You and uncle talked about me, am I right?”  

“I didn’t say that either.”

“Ok, spill it monkey. Don’t play smart with me.”

“We didn’t say much to be honest, but you should be aware that he’s going to make a call to you sometime soon,” Eunhyuk told. “And I have one question for you.”

“What do you want?”

“Aish…don’t sound so impatient with your buddy. You’re always the hate end of our relationship.”

“You came up with that just now didn’t you?”

“Anyway,” Eunhyuk ignored his question, “we are friends right?”

“Are you seriously playing stupid with me?” Donghae questioned wondering why Eunhyuk had bothered to call in the first place if he was just going to jump over mindless words instead of inviting him out for a drink like always.

“Ok I have the real question ready to ask you now.” Eunhyuk said figuring there was no reason for him to hesitate or hold back his curiosity.

“I thought you said you only had one question.”

“I do.”

“Didn’t you already ask that?”

“I’m asking right now.”

“Then why did you ask if we’re friends?”

“I was just developing the questionnaire.”

Donghae frowned and shrugged off his questions while waiting for the monkey to go on.

“Do you and that professor have something going on?” Eunhyuk battered the words out. “Donghae?” Eunhyuk asked after he got only an answer of silence. Donghae was ready to retort but when he opened his mouth nothing came out. “I was too straightforward huh?”

“What is wrong with you? Why would you ask me that?”

“Like I said I heard some things about you being sneaky.”

Donghae searched into his memory for anything “sneaky” that he’d done back in Incheon, but nothing came to mind. What in the world was Eunhyuk accusing him of? Then it came to him.

“Are you an idiot Hyuk? Are you really an idiot?!” Donghae asked loudly.

“You’re going to blast off my ears,” Eunhyuk retaliated.

“If you’re talking about what I think you’re thinking then you’re the dumbest person I know that exists in my life,” Donghae told.

“Why are you yelling at me?”

“I’m not yelling at you.”

“You are yelling at me.”

“You’re being a girl and I am not yelling.” Donghae stated. He could hear Eunhyuk sigh from the other end of the line and muttered as a joke, “Ah, fine. I forgive you.”

“Whatever.” Eunhyuk replied sassily, but it just meant they were going to shift back onto topic.

“Ok, so tell me this thing you’re talking about that I was being so sneaky about.”

“I think you should be telling me.”

“I don’t know what the heck you’re talking about so just spill it will you?”

Eunhyuk took a loud deep breath that he purposely made noticeable, “Ok, so I heard that you brought the professor over to your uncle’s house. That’s all ok? Satisfied?”

“Good job,” Donghae commented sarcastically, “but I don’t see any reason for you to suspect anything.”

“You mean I shouldn’t become curious about why you all of a sudden out of the blue suddenly arrived back home with a girl following you?” Eunhyuk asked.

“Ok, the way you put it makes it sound different from what the situation really is.”

“You mean I’m onto something?”

“No.” Donghae solidly and meanly stated. “Something happened beforehand so I just returned home to change into a different set of clothes and dry her clothes before returning to Seoul. End of story. The end, it all ends there.”

“Ok, ok. I understand,” Eunhyuk teased and Donghae knew his friend hadn’t taken him seriously. “Call me up next time and I’ll verify everything for myself, ok?”

Before Donghae could retort Eunhyuk had hung up leaving him hanging. Ignoring all thoughts that were conjuring up in his mind he reopened his book and started reading again.

/////

Victoria had just finished checking her e-mails and turned off her laptop. She was now plopped on the couch re-reading one of the textbooks she was using for her psychology class. Classes would start the following week but she wasn’t allowed to go back during that first week. Victoria felt much regret toward it but decided all she could do was prepare herself for that second week and make the semester a blast. She had just turned the page when her phone began ringing. When she saw that it was Philip calling she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to answer or not, but in the end she took the call.

“Victoria?” his voice traveled into her ears.

“Victoria Song.”

“Are you at home? I heard the semester begins Monday, are you able to go to classes?” he sounded worried, but still feeling angry with him for the way he had treated her Victoria brushed his concern off.

“My friend is standing in for me so I’ll be fine.”

“Is that so…” it seemed like he wanted to say something else and was hesitating. Victoria waited for him to go on because she didn’t have much to say to him. “That investigator…is he still around?”

Victoria felt her face become dark. Every time Philip spoke about the investigator she felt uneasy. She had already gotten her explanation from Donghae himself so why? Was it because the mention of Donghae was coming from Philip’s lips? Because Philip was talking about him? Because she didn’t want Philip to talk about him that way?

“I’ll call you again,” Victoria said signaling the end of their conversation and hung up.

Setting her phone down and throwing her thoughts aside Victoria picked up her textbook but before even starting to read it the doorbell rang. She took a deep breath and set the textbook down hoping it wasn’t Song Philip at the door. If it was him she wasn’t sure how she’d react. But once she opened the door she wasn’t very surprised to see who was standing there.

“Hi,” Lee Donghae cheerily greeted.

Victoria stared at him blankly, “What are you here for?”

“Just stopping by,” he said glancing into her apartment then invited himself in. “How’s you arm feeling?”

“Shouldn’t you be asking about my head?” Victoria asked sarcastically.

“What?”

“Nevermind but what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at home resting up on a Saturday evening?”  

“I became bored after reading a book.”

For some reason Victoria’s eyes drifted over to the textbook she’d been looking at. She then turned back to Donghae, “What are you looking for?”

“Melodix!” Donghae called out and suddenly the little dog came bounding out of the room toward him barking furiously. “I missed you! Good girl!”

Victoria felt herself laugh sarcastically but was glad Melodix had another friend though Victoria would rather have Melodix's friend be a dog and not a human.

Donghae picked up Melodix and turned back to Victoria, “I bet you’re about dying for some fresh air, right?”

Somehow Victoria found herself sitting in the passenger’s seat. Where exactly she was going she forgot. To her left she could make out Donghae’s humming. Victoria watched all the cars pass by and found herself thinking that all of it started with someone messing with her brakes. If it weren’t for that ungrateful person she’d be at her office on campus right now.

“We’re here,” Donghae’s voice shattered her thoughts.