Victoria turned from between Heechul to Donghae wondering what was going on between them then made her way around the bed to the door. “I’ll be outside then.”

“If you feel that I’m taking your suspect away…” Heechul turned away then turned back to his lovely opponent with a smile. “It is because maybe I am.”

Victoria didn’t turn when she heard the door close behind her and footsteps approach. Heechul…Heechul…did she know that name? Victoria searched her memory then turned when she felt a shadow stand next to her.

“Should we go down?” Heechul questioned.

“Can’t we just talk right here?”

“I haven’t had breakfast so I’m a bit hungry. If you wouldn’t mind, have brunch with me,” Heechul smiled.

/////

“I feel some weird stuff in the air,” Eunhyuk said swirling his hands in the air. “How do you explain that?”

“Nothing.” Donghae turned away.

Frowning Eunhyuk continued, “So who is he? I didn’t know you knew someone like him.”

“Kim Heechul, criminal photographer.”

“Whoa! That sounds awesome!”

Donghae raised his eyebrow as if amused then said, “Kim Heechul eh?”

“What?” Eunhyuk questioned wondering if something was wrong. “Does this have to do with the tension I felt in the air when he suddenly called out your suspect’s name?”

“No.”

Eunhyuk smiled in a teasing way and pointed his finger at his friend, “Quick with denial, aren’t you?”

“That’s not the point here. I’m just wondering how he knows her.”

“Ah…right. He addressed her so casually too.”

But it wasn’t the first time he’d heard Heechul call Victoria’s name so casually. There was that time when he’d walked into Chief Kang’s office and heard that Victoria was the person of interest. He recalled the fit Heechul threw…or was it the emotions in his face that made Donghae want to play with that photographer some more? But back then he’d been so sure that she was involved, but he’d later found out Victoria had no part in it at all…and then…he’d been nice to her ever since. Was it as she said? That he was just being nice out of pity? Heechul was right, and he’d said he’d laugh in his face when he found out Victoria was innocent. Was he doing it right now?

/////

Victoria looked up when Heechul set down a brown tray on the circular table.

“I remember you love eating sandwiches,” Heechul said, “and I got a salad for you.”

“What?”

“Shouldn’t you be saying thanks instead?” he asked.

“How do you know I like sandwiches? Who exactly are you?”

“I was waiting for you to remember me but it doesn’t seem like you ever will.” he said with a sad voice. “Maybe I let Philip step over me too much.”

“Philip? Song Phililp?”

He smiled in reply.

“You’re his friend? That friend?” Victoria asked as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Kim Heechul…no make that Photographer Kim Heechul, it’s what I’m known by now.” he said confidently.

“Oh wow…” Victoria said with a full smile on her face. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. You’re a photographer?”

“Criminal photographer.” he corrected.

“Is that how you know Lee Donghae?”

“Of course.”

“I’ve never seen you since graduation. I can’t believe you still remember me!” Victoria exclaimed excitedly. “I never thought I’d see anyone of you again.”

“Don’t you see Philip?”

“Well…yea…”

“You don’t sound too excited.”

“Well that’s that. Where do you live now?”

“Incheon.”

“Really? I’ve never seen you around before. I just moved from Incheon a few weeks ago.”

Heechul smiled. He knew. Of course he knew. He’d paid attention to her, so much attention it felt as if he’d dedicated part of his life to this woman. But she wouldn’t know him. She never saw him as anyone but Song Philip’s shadow. At least now she remembered him and he’d want her to keep on remembering him.

After exchanging numbers they bid farewells and each were off their own ways. Victoria headed into the elevator feeling cheered up from Eunhyuk and Donghae’s nosiness. Whenever she was with them she felt like the space she had was suffocated. Before entering the hospital room again she paused. Why was she even bothering to go back? Donghae wouldn’t be lonely because Eunhyuk was there. An unanswered question she wouldn’t even know the answer to if she thought hard about it. Donghae’s senseless questions which he didn’t even know the answers to were making her just like him. How she hate the thought. Clearing Victoria walked into the room to see Eunhyuk and Donghae laughing about something. Silence overcame them when they turned to look at her.

“You scared me,” Eunhyuk said holding his right hand to his chest, “I thought you were the nurse.”

Victoria frowned at him.

“What did you two talk about?” asked Donghae interrupting them.

“Nothing.”

“You can’t have been gone this long without having said something to each other,” Donghae pointed out.

“Nothing.”

“Stop saying nothing.”

Eunhyuk reached into the grocery bag and pulled out a half eaten sandwich and began to munch on it as he watched them.

“It’s nothing because we talked about nothing that concerns you.”

“Is it so hard to answer me straight out?” Eunhyuk noticed his friend’s voice was calm and maybe he’d heard a bit of disappointment?

“Because there’s nothing to say. I don’t get why you want to know.”

“I just want to. What did he say to you?”

“Nothing about you.”

“Can’t you just tell me? You’re always going around your answers and make things harder than they are.”

“When? When have I?”

They stared at each other hard as if daring the other to speak first. A cloud suddenly overcame them both taking out the light in the room.

Donghae opened his mouth but clenched his teeth again. “Can’t you just answer me when I ask you something?”

“Why are you being like this?” Victoria questioned feeling annoyed, her cheeriness gone, and she wasn’t afraid to let her anger crawl into her voice. “I don’t need you to keep watch on me 24/7. You’re not my guardian or anyone to me. You’re just the investigator, Lee Donghae, who happened to accuse me of something I did not do. Why are you so worried about my life?”

“I was just asking you a question,” Donghae retaliated with a bit of force in his voice.

“Then forget you. And if I do have a stalker I hope he quickly ransacks my house! Lets see what you can do then while you’re still lying here like a broken chip,” Victoria lashed out then quickly clenched her jaw. She’d went overboard. She noticed Eunhyuk’s silent stare on her and turned away before she could take a look at Donghae. “I’m leaving and don’t follow me out.”

With that she her heels and walked out of the hospital room. Why, why had she allowed herself to lash out at him? Victoria stopped in the middle of the hallway and lightly bit her tongue.

“Well it wasn’t my fault to start off with. It’s because I didn’t start this morning off on the right foot and only if they’d just leave me alone,” Victoria told herself before running down the stairs.