////

“Should…should I go after her?” Eunhyuk hesitated.

“Don’t.”

“W…why?”

“She probably wants to be alone.”

“Oh. You ok? Geez…the way you two argue scares me.”

“Are you stupid?” Donghae asked being sarcastic. “But do you think I interfere with her life too much?”

“Why are you asking me? I haven’t been around all the time to watch you go do this and that.” Eunhyuk stated. “Besides aren’t you just doing your job?”

“I’m not sure anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore, Hyuk.”

“Don’t talk like that. You sound emo. Talking that way doesn’t suit you.”

Donghae gently kicked Hyuk off the edge of the hospital bed with a smile.

“But if you act like you’re so worried then don’t you think there’s something else in the picture?” asked Eunhyuk.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You do know.” Eunhyuk told very confidently. “I know you know but you’re pretending not to know. I don’t know why you’re pretending not to know. There’s something else between you and that Kim Heechul isn’t there? I felt it in the air when he said ‘Victoria’. Are you two playing rivalry or are you competing for something?”  

“How would I know that.”

Eunhyuk observed his friend closely, “Ok, I’ll have to think some more about that, but you seriously aren’t keeping a watch on her 24/7 are you?”

“Of course not!” Donghae opened his eyes wider to make them fiercer.

Eunhyuk smiled, “Just reminds me of high school times.”

/////

The cab stopped slowly by the sidewalk and after paying she finally stepped out onto the cement. She turned to watch the cab go down the street. The tall green trees lined each side of the street making it look like a green bridge. The sky was clear and the clouds no where in sight. It was oddly warm for an approaching fall season. Victoria turned to head up to the door of her house but paused and turned to see Song Philip standing against his car with hands in his pants pockets waiting for her with a calm smile.

Victoria set a cup of water in front of Song Philip and sat across from him in the living room.

“I see you got your cast off.” he said. “And I see you’ve been doing pretty well.”

“You look well yourself.” she commented very plainly.

“Are you still upset?”

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not.”

“It’s been almost a week Victoria.”

“I don’t need you to tell me.”

Philip sighed, “It feels like you’ve turned cold on me suddenly.”

“I have a lot of things on my mind right now.”

Philip looked around the apartment, “Did you buy these collectibles?”

Victoria followed his gaze and landed on the items Donghae had suddenly bought her. “Is that all you’re really curious about?”

“That investigator…he still around?”

Victoria gently grit her teeth, “Still in Seoul.”

“I see. Do you still see him?”

“And why do you want to know?”

“I’m just curious as a friend.”

“Is that all you came here for?”

“Look, Victoria, can you stop trying to avoid answering my questions?”

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

Why was he so annoying? Why did she even bother listening to him?

Victoria turned to look Philip in the eyes, “Lee Donghae is in the hospital and he informed me I’m already off the suspects list. Good enough to settle you?”

Philip opened his mouth as if to protest but didn’t. After a short moment he went on, “I always hoped you’d take my open arms when In Seol was no longer here, but you took everything by yourself. When I listened to you and went to Chile you isolated yourself from me then. After blocking me out from your life I knew I couldn’t come back in.” Philip looked at her with a smile now on his face. “I’m going to England this weekend. I’ll be doing a research with some scientists from Chinju and I won’t be back for a year. So, while I’m gone you take care of yourself and I want to see you again when I come back.”

“Don’t you have classes this fall?” Victoria asked suddenly feeling a feeling of regret and sadness flush over her.

“No.” he simply replied. “And…don’t apologize to me because I don’t want to hear those words from you. I’ll take this as a farewell between us until I come back.”

Philip got up and headed for the door.

“Why…why so suddenly? You didn’t say anything beforehand. We could have had dinner together…” Victoria started suddenly feeling that if Phililp left she’d be all alone…alone…

Philip just smiled at her then waved before walking out the door. Victoria stood there staring at the door, for how long, she didn’t know. It suddenly dawned on her that Philip, her last friend standing alive, was walking out and away from her. There was no one else she knew she could rely on.

/////

Eunhyuk stopped his car in the parking lot of the dorms and waited. Hee Sun came running down the stairs 5 minutes later dressed in a skirt carrying a large bag as her purse.

When she got into the car she asked, “So where are we going, Eunhyuk?”

“For lunch.”

“Why are you in Seoul? Did mom and dad send you?”

“No.”

Hee Sun seemed to think for a bit then said, “You’re here to visit oppa.”

“How’s school? Are you paying attention in your classes? Are you professors cool?” Eunhyuk asked turning the steering wheel.

“I’m stacked with papers to write already. Eunhyuk, do you think I can just go home?”

“No way! If you study you study! I’m not going to help you if you return home like this.”

“I knew it. I can never rely on you but I can always rely on oppa.”

Eunhyuk listened as Hee Sun rant on. His typical step sister Hee Sun who he had often felt sorry for. When he’d first seen her at dinner she was so thin that she was literally a walking stick. But when his father married her mother Hee Sun eventually looked healthier and healthier. Eunhyuk had often regretted that he’d been so busy with sports he hadn’t realized that Hee Sun was often picked on. She was never able to stand up for herself because she’d grown up living that hard way in life. Then so suddenly she became the princess of a rich large business owning family. Hee Sun had always been defenseless, but thanks to Donghae Hee Sun began to see a different side of the world even though she went overboard with her feelings for him.

“Are you listening?” Hee Sun questioned then suddenly screamed pointing toward a building he had driven pass. “You drove pass the restaurant! Quickly turn back! Quickly!”

When they had walked into the restaurant and ordered their food they began eating silently at first. Each in their own thoughts.

“Eunhyuk,” Hee Sun suddenly said after drinking her cup of water. “You are oppa’s best friend, right?”

“Of course.”

“Then do you know why he’s in Seoul?”

Eunhyuk looked up at Hee Sun wondering why she was asking the same question Donghae had. He paused then came up with the easiest answer, “He’s in Seoul because he’s investigating something.”

Hee Sun smiled, a smile which was filled with disappointment as if she’d already known the answer to her question. Had she been waiting for him to tell her something?

“Do you often wonder who that girl is?” Hee Sun asked.

“What girl?”

“The girl oppa suddenly pulled over to have dinner with us, the girl he ditched us for, the girl that hit him, the girl that lives in Seoul. Don’t you wonder who she is?” Hee Sun questioned.

Victoria? Eunhyuk wondered. But why would Hee Sun be interested about the psychology professor?

“What about her?”

Hee Sun stared at him then lowered her gaze, “I think they must be close, don’t you think?”

Eunhyuk raised his eyebrow at the depressing tone to her voice.

“Oppa…he…” Hee Sun started then paused for what seemed like an hour. “He…oppa…oppa.” Hee Sun stopped and laughed, the laugh that hid her sadness. “You said he was here for an investigation, right?”

Eunhyuk nodded.

“Oppa’s partially here because of it.”

“Partially?”

“Yea…he said that to me. He said he was partially here because of the investigation…but they were walking together during the weekend, so don’t you think there’s something going on between them? Don’t you?” Hee Sun asked now looking up at Eunhyuk as if pleading with him to agree with her.

“I don’t assume things.”

“I knew it.” she reluctantly let it go.

“But what do you mean when you said he’s partially here because of the investigation?”

“He’s here because of her.” Hee Sun said as if she felt disgusted with herself for even saying it. “Oppa…because of her…he’s forgetting me.”

“No one’s forgetting you,” Eunhyuk assured after allowing her words to drift into his mind. “Eat up, so you can go back and study real well. Mom and dad will be expecting you to do well before break comes around the corner. I’m going to head back after lunch.”

Eunhyuk grabbed his fork and quickly stuffed some of the alfredo into his mouth before looking up to see Hee Sun slowly digging into her food. Why was it that he felt sad for her? This annoying girl who never got off his tail…seeing her brooding like this over his best friend…felt different.

My Little Insight to the story***The little last part between Hyuk and Hee Sun was supposed to show a bit of insight into their relationship as brother and sister even though they aren't blood siblings-just that their relationship isn't as bad as I've made it seem with them arguing the last few times they were introduced. Hee Sun and her mother were rather poor before Hee Sun's mother married Hyuk's father-and Eunhyuk does dote on her like a little sister but not in a too affectionate way. And take note that Hee Sun doesn't call Eunhyuk oppa like how she always calls Donghae oppa and the reason why...you'll find out later. The conversation between them two shows a disappointed Hee Sun. When she asks Eunhyuk if Donghae and Victoria has something going on she wants Hyuk to say no, but when he doesn't she knows that there is because her Donghae oppa didn't come to Seoul for her she feels naturally down along with the fact that she's afraid he'll forget her.