/////

Victoria walked into her room pass the small night table and stopped. She looked down to see the book Donghae had let her borrow when she’d asked for him to find her a book in the hospital. She hadn’t finished reading the book yet but just looking at it brought her the guilt she felt for lashing out at him earlier. Calling him a broken piece of chip was clearly an insult. No matter how she wanted to avoid going back she knew better. Victoria wasn’t irresponsible.

When night had fallen Victoria walked pass the field of the hospital where the basket ball court was. Deciding to take some time out of her time she walked up the stairs very slowly passing very few people along the stairs. Walking down the hallway of the third floor she found his room immediately and paused for a long time in front of the door. Finally gathering the courage she’d dropped earlier she twisted the doorknob pushing the door open.

Glancing into the room first she realized that Eunhyuk was no longer there. The room was pretty much silent, which felt sort of awkward. Turning to her left she saw Donghae’s bed against the wall occupied with a sleeping figure. Victoria watched him for a minute then backed up to pull the door shut, but a voice stopped her.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

Freezing Victoria waited then pushed the door open turning to her right. The door had been blocking her view of Eunhyuk, who was standing against the wall with his hands casually stuck into his jeans.

“You want to apologize, don’t you?” Eunhyuk asked, his eyes focused only on Donghae.

“Why do you want to know?” Victoria questioned looking at him.

Eunhyuk stepped away from the wall and stopped when he was beside her, “You can either wait for him to wake up or you can wake him up yourself. I’ll be down in the cafeteria so take the time you need.”

With that Eunhyuk walked straight down the hallway and toward the elevator.

Frowning she turned to look at Donghae who was really sleeping. She stepped in and closed the door behind her. She stood in front of the door exactly in the spot she’d been standing at when she first entered the room. She wanted to apologize but the words didn’t come so she just stared at him. And she found herself staring at him for an hour with her mind flowing into space.

/////

After two hours passed Eunhyuk returned to the room to find it empty. Victoria was no where to be seen. Eunhyuk returned to his spot and waited until Donghae budged and opened his eyes.

“You’re finally up?” Eunhyuk said.

Donghae turned to see him and rubbed his eyes, “What are you still doing here?”

“Don’t tell me you expected someone else,” Eunhyuk told walking over and taking the chair to sit down. “You were out ever since I got back 6 hours ago.”

“Oh really? I didn’t notice.”

Eunhyuk smiled a genuine one, “I took Hee Sun out for lunch.”

“Oh.”

“Did you talk to Victoria?” he suddenly addressed her by her first name exactly the same way Donghae and Heechul did.

“Who?”

“Psychology professor, Victoria Song.”

“No.” Donghae frowned. “She was here?”

“Don’t put your hopes up because she already left,” Eunhyuk told. “Hae, why are you playing this ‘I don’t know’ game with yourself?”

“Huh?” Donghae asked confused.

“You keep asking everyone if they knew why you came to Seoul,” Eunhyuk pointed out, “why? Does the question bother you so much? Are you so worried about it?”

“Not worried. I’m just curious.”

“Because you say no matter how hard you think you can’t find the answer within?” Eunhyuk asked. “That’s why you asked if you get drunk will your real emotions show?”

“I don’t get what you’re blabbering on about. I feel sick.”

“Hee Sun knows the answer, I know the answer, and probably everyone you’ve asked knows the answer,” Eunhyuk explained, “so why don’t you know the answer?”

“I don’t know.”

“See. This is how you are,” Eunhyuk said. “Just like how she avoids your questions you always go with the ‘I don’t know’ answer.”

“Are you…becoming a therapist?” Donghae asked as a joke intending to make Eunhyuk laugh, but the serious expression never left his face. Finally giving in to the mood Donghae asked, “What’s up Hyuk? You’re rarely this serious.”

“Hee Sun…she’s upset with you.” Eunhyuk directly answered.

Donghae just stared at him.

“I don’t intend to yell at you or lecture you because it’s a dumb idea to do so. So, I just want to tell you, please find the answer everyone knows. And when you do find the answer make it clear to Hee Sun. You’re the only thing she has in her possession right now, so when you know the answer let her know that you’re no longer hers.”

“I was never anyone’s. And what’s this answer you’re talking about? Why don’t you just let me know?”

“I’d be stupid if I did tell you. You figure it out yourself, isn’t that why you’re an investigator? The answer is right in front of you. Be quick with finding it will you? Hee Sun will put her hopes on you and she’ll keep growing it. If you allow her to keep it growing you’re going to be dead sorry one day,” Eunhyuk warned. “I’m going home to shower and return later. Think about it while I’m not here, ok?”

Donghae watched silently as Eunhyuk left the room gently closing the door behind him. What was wrong with him? Why wasn’t Donghae realizing it? Why was he blocking the existence of the truth from his mind? Eunhyuk turned slightly to glance at the door to the room that kept Donghae in bed like a prisoner. Turning around he finally walked toward the elevator and made his way home.

/////

“What’s wrong with him?” Donghae asked aloud then turned to the chair still against the wall. “If you came in why didn’t you wake me?”

He felt so bored staring at the wall that he grabbed the comic book to read again. He had to admit maybe Eunhyuk was right about him playing dumb. Eunhyuk was only saying that if he didn’t do anything about Hee Sun she would continue to cling onto him, and if he allowed it to go on he’d have marry her in the end, and that was one of the outcomes he most wanted to avoid.

But what bothered him most beyond that was why had Victoria come back? Did she really intend to apologize to him? Why hadn’t he woken up when she walked in? He sighed. In fact he wasn’t really upset about her calling him a broken chip because the state he was in clearly described a broken chip. He was more upset about the fact that she hadn’t told him what she and Heechul had talked about. The aura Heechul had brought with him when he stepped into the room already told Donghae he was set up for competition. Why was it that he always felt there was competition between them no matter where they met?

/////

Victoria was sitting on her doorstep with chin in the palm of her hand as she watched Melodix run around enjoying herself. The wind whipped up her long curly hair which Victoria had forgotten about. She had thought about making an appointment with the grooming center to cut Melodix’s hair, but Victoria had forgot about it in the midst of all her emotions. Sighing Victoria stared down the street and turned around when she thought she heard silent footsteps. Getting up from where she was Victoria walked a bit down the concrete walk and look both right and left before Melodix began barking furiously. When Victoria turned back she found Melodix standing before the door growling angrily as if there were something there. Though it was a necessity for Melodix to bark everyday, but the way she was doing it now sent the shivers up and down her spine. It was as if someone was really there.

“Stay,” Victoria ordered with a demanding touch to her voice then turned away and walked to the back of the house where she noticed a shadow moving within the shadows.

Her heart pounded loudly in her ears. Never in all the years she’d lived alone had she encountered a robber, a murderer, or a stalker. But seeing this tall, thin figure ahead of her made her want to scream. In that moment when she was so focused with her fear her eyes enlarged as he came at her. Each of his heavy step made the ground shake…or maybe it was just her imagination. When he was just a few feet beyond reaching her Victoria turned to run, but her long hair disadvantaged her. He reached out for her and grabbed a hold of her hair intending to pull her back but instead with his strength he threw her to the ground.

In just a few seconds Victoria felt the back of her head smash against the grass and dirt. She moaned and with her blurred vision stared up at him. Maybe she hadn’t seen clearer earlier but this man wasn’t thin, instead he was almost round. She could make out a very small gold hoop earring on his left ear before he pulled her up by grabbing her arm.

“Let me go!” she said pushing him away with her free and arm and felt surprised when he did let go. However, he persisted with the struggle.

Fear engulfed her when she merely realized what he wanted. Her heart trembled furiously when he reached for her shirt and got a hold of it. Victoria screamed and kicked him still lying half on the ground. He gave small shouts of pain when each of her kicks reached his stomach and chest. When he gave up for a few seconds Victoria rushed to her feet and only managed a step before he grabbed her by her ankle ing her back down to the ground. This time she landed face down on the ground.

“You’re not going anywhere!” he shouted and pulled her toward him with just one pull of her leg.

She was amazingly afraid at the strength in his arms. Just like she always remembered seeing in the scary movies when the victim gets dragged to their death they’d try to grab the floor leaving behind scratch marks. And like them she tried to get a hold of the ground by trying to get a hold of the ground but felt the dirt climb up into her nails instead. He got onto his knees, flipped her over like a pancake, and before she could manage a scream he placed his hands over .

“You keep quiet or I’ll kill you,” he warned threateningly.

Melodix’s loud barks entered her ears and the dog had most likely obeyed her because she wasn’t coming to her aid. Victoria felt a flood of relief flood through her gladly because if Melodix did come he’d most likely hurt the dog. And Victoria didn’t want to imagine losing Melodix alongside having lost so many of her friends already.

With his other free hand he tugged at her shirt managing to rip it a little and laughed a little when he ran his cold, rough hand against her skin. Victoria felt herself begin to shake while she stared at him. Why of all nights did he come to her home that night? Just how worse could her day get? Where was everyone?

Feeling sick to her guts Victoria clutched the ground and tried to think of anything, anything! Until she heard something running toward her. Victoria turned to see Melodix, the tiny poodle, running to her aid. Fear engulfed her even more when she pictured Melodix being thrown like a rag doll into the garbage can by the attacker.

“You little thing…so annoying!” he surprisingly let go of his hold on and began to get up from the ground.  

Victoria found her chance to get back up before he could reach her dog and kicked his back to attract his attention. Succeeding in doing so Victoria stared at him suddenly regretting having done so. Turning around as fast as she could Victoria rushed for the front yard of her home and just before she could reach the concrete she felt his quick hold on her ankle yanking her to the ground again. Once more her face slammed down onto the hard ground. Just as he tried dragging her back fierce yellow lights came flashing into her driveway and she felt him let go of her. She could make out his footsteps fading away quickly before she felt someone hoist her up.

“What happened?” she met with Eunhyuk’s eyes and suddenly felt so thankful.