“Accident?” she repeated wondering just what had happened.

“A hit and run. Some moron rammed into Donghae. His ankle’s broken and he’s got some fractured rib bones but he’ll survive.” Chief Kang explained. “If you have time you should go visit him up in room 310. He’ll be glad to have a visitor, I know you must know how it feels to be alone in the hospital.”

Victoria managed a small smile.

Chief Kang opened his mouth to talk but his cell phone began ringing, “I’ll have to go now, but don’t forget to visit him. He should still be awake when you walk in. I’ll see you again.”

With that Chief Kang walked out of the hospital doors and down the stairs. Victoria turned away from the doors and headed toward the doctor’s office. After a greet and long talk with the doctor Victoria finally walked out of a checkup room feeling her free arm. With the cast on her arm for about two weeks she forgot how good it felt to move her arm freely without worrying about the pain. Just as she began to walk down the hallway Victoria paused and looked toward the stairs.

The reason why he had been late was because someone had made a hit and run? Did it sound a bit coincidental to her? But it wasn’t for her to worry about. Victoria took a step toward the front doors and came to another stop. At the back of her head a voice called out to her.

Victoria paused in front of a door and opened the door swiftly. The room was square and the walls were a faded yellow. Donghae’s bed sat against the wall to the right and just as Chief Kang had said he was still awake. He turned to look at her when she walked in.

“Sorry I couldn’t make it,” he apologized with a smile.

Victoria glanced at his left foot propped up on a high pillow and the blanket which covered him. He seemed unable to move.

“Don’t you find it humorous?” Donghae questioned. “You were in the hospital just less than a week ago and here I am in the hospital.”

“You talk too much,” Victoria muttered closing the door behind her.

Donghae still smiled then glanced at her arm, “You got your cast off?”

“You still need to ask?”

“How did you know I was here?” Donghae questioned.

“Who else would have told me?” Victoria asked unsure about whether she should step forward or stay rooted in front of the door.

“I feel bored because there’s nothing to do.” Donghae told. “When you leave can you make sure to buy something to keep me entertained?”

Victoria had just walked out of the hospital. She wanted to head straight home and had no plans of coming back to see him. But that voice called to her from the back of her head. He’d lent her his book when she had asked for it and he had stayed with her the night someone had tried to get into the hospital room.

“I can’t believe this,” Victoria told herself, “he’s making you feel guilty.”

Half an hour later Victoria found herself standing inside a book store staring at the comic section. Unsure of what to buy after browsing for an hour she finally picked out a comic book and paid for it at the counter. After grabbing a taxi she found herself dreading the way back to the hospital.

Donghae turned when the door opened and Victoria turned away from his gaze.

“Did you get something?” he asked looking a bit excited.

Victoria walked over to him holding out the comic book to him.

“One Piece?” he asked looking at the title.

“Take it already,” Victoria told pushing the book at him.

“I can’t take it,” Donghae said.

“What do you mean? I bought this…” Victoria began but stopped.

Donghae opened his mouth wide with a happy smile, “I really do want to read it but I can’t move right now.”

Victoria opened to retort but decided against it.

“Can you sit and just talk to me?” Donghae asked.

Victoria glanced at the chair against the wall and made her way over sitting down. They sat in silence for a bit. Victoria’s mind remained blank. She really had nothing to say to him.

“Can I ask you a question,” Donghae started.

Victoria remained silent.

“You…were you and Han In Seol married?” he asked.

Victoria looked up at him and she held the gaze for an amazingly long time before replying, “No.”

Donghae turned away and stared at the ceiling. “We are friends right?”

Victoria didn’t answer but asked, “Shouldn’t your uncle be here looking after you?”

“I told Chief Kang not to tell him. He’d just get worried and this will show him that I shouldn’t have become a detective,” Donghae explained. “You know, he really didn’t like me becoming a detective. He wanted me to teach or work in an office, but I really wanted to become a cop so I attended the police academy anyway. Maybe I should feel bad for not following his desires. But I’m glad to be here today because you know cops can kick the bad guys into jail.”

“Really.” Victoria said leaning back into her chair.

“Yea, really. Why?”

Victoria shrugged, “You said before your parents aren’t alive anymore, right?”

Donghae nodded.

“If I were you, I’d let my uncle know. It’s not a sense of pride that should be important when you’re hurt, your uncle would be worried.” Victoria said. “If you don’t want him to come see you like this then just be honest with him.”

“Are you worried about my well being?” asked Donghae.

“No. Just worried I’ll have no one on my back if my stalker is real,” Victoria replied.

Donghae smirked. “You know what I’ve noticed?” When she didn’t say anything he continued on, “I always have to read in between the lines whenever you speak.”

Victoria’s face quickly became expressionless, “Let me ask you, since you’ve asked me a question already. Since when did you find out?”

He stared at her nervously then confidently told himself that since she already knew there was no need to lie about anything. “I found out…the same day you woke up in the hospital.”

Donghae watched her eyes land on the ground of the room. She looked so mournful he felt helpless against the wall she built around herself.

“Then let me ask another question. Song Philip, who is he to you?”

Victoria stared at him strangely, “Why?”

“If I am to help watch your back you might as well inform me about some of those involved in your life.” Donghae quickly lied and felt glad he’d come up with such an excuse that sounded so credible. So, all the years of schooling didn’t go to waste after all.

Victoria still eyed him suspiciously and whether or not she believed him or knew he was lying she told him anyway. “Song Philip is a friend I went to university with, a best friend of mine and Han In Seol’s. Song Philip had another friend but I can’t remember him clearly. That’s all.”

“At first I thought you were a really uncooperative person but it turns out you do like to talk,” Donghae commented. “But I’m glad that you’ve started to open up some bit. Maybe we’ll get to know about each other more, don’t you think?”

“No, I don’t think I need to know you anymore than this,” Victoria plainly answered. “Let me ask you another question then. Why were you drinking yesterday?”

Donghae opened his mouth then stopped. He didn’t know any answers to any of the questions that dug at him. Why?

“Why did I come to Seoul?” Donghae asked.

“I didn’t ask you that.”

“I’m asking you.”

“You didn’t answer my question yet.”

“Then why are you throwing random questions around?”

“Because you keep asking me questions so I have to ask you questions.”

“Childish.”

Then they were silent.

“But really, do you know why I came to Seoul?” Donghae asked.

“How would I know? You’re the childish one asking me something you should know very well yourself,” Victoria told.

“But what if I don’t know.”

“Then don’t ask me.”

They were silent again.

This time Victoria spoke up first, “When people get drunk they show hidden emotions. Is that what you were trying to do? Find the answer by drinking?”

“I don’t know,” Donghae replied feeling tired, “I don’t know. I felt flustered, it felt like the right thing to do at that moment. That’s all.”

“I guess even detectives are foolish.”

/////

The sound of the camera’s shutter clicking resonated throughout the inspection area. The forensics team dressed in black walked back and forth quietly chatting with each other and scribbled notes down on notepads endlessly. The trail of blood on the ground that had started from the woods and ended in a cabin gave Heechul the shivers he hadn’t felt in a long time. The hacked up corpse lay in pieces in a special black bag the team had brought with them. But the murderer was no where to be found.

“How much more disgusting can things get?” Heechul asked himself. “Seriously, this killer should have cleaned up after himself.”

“Kim Heechul!”

Heechul turned lowering his camera to see Chief Kang walking toward him in a tan windbreaker instead of his old fashioned long jacket. The man sure looked happy and healthy since the last time Heechul had seen him. Walking in to find both Victoria and Donghae soaking wet at the chief’s house had never left his mind. Yet, he hadn’t had the chance to go walking around to ask what they were doing. And he hadn’t had the time to ask about Victoria’s stalker.