After half a minute she turned off the engine and stepped out from her car without an expression on her face as she stared at him. He didn’t know how long their stare lasted but he broke away from it first.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice not angry but curious. When he didn’t reply she pressed on. “You suddenly went quiet and never called once or came to see me. What’s going on, Donghae?”

“I…it’ll sound strange if I explain to you…”

“So that’s why you’ve been putting up a cold front with me?” she asked. “Are you trying to confuse me now? Or are you testing me?”

“No!” his voice came loud and clear.

Victoria just stared back at him, “Forget it. Don’t try to explain to me either and don’t show up in front of me.”

With that he watched her walk away and drive off without even looking back. He knew he was at fault because he found it difficult to tell her about Hee Sun’s pregnancy and because he knew…what Hee Sun wanted from him.

/////

Victoria swerved from lane to lane thoughtlessly and only came to a stop when she almost rammed into someone else. Stepping on her brakes abruptly she parked her car and waited for the other person to get out of his car before she got out. When she slammed the door behind her she felt like laughing when she saw who it was she almost hit.

“How coincidental,” she muttered then glanced at Eunhyuk before turning away.

He slightly frowned at her, “What’s with your driving? Road rage?”

“Well, if you’re still alive then that settles this manner,” she said before heading back to her car. Feeling his eyes on her back she turned around, cocked her head then asked, “Do you know if your step sister and Donghae are up to anything?”

“What?”

“I’m just curious.” she sounded cool.

“Why? Aren’t you and Hae seeing each other?”

Victoria’s stare turned mean, “Forget it.”

She got back into her car and immediately drove off. When she got home she waited for his call, but it didn’t come. And it didn’t come the next day either. No apology from him.

/////

Hee Sun entered his car very excitedly. “Oppa, do you want to eat something? I’ll treat.”

Eunhyuk glanced at her curious, “Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?”

“Do you want to eat or not?”

“No, I already ate.” Eunhyuk replied starting the car.

On the drive back home Hee Sun chatted happily, one of the times she was happy rather than silent, but he preferred her chatty than not. But still he wondered if Victoria’s words were true. Did Hee Sun and Donghae have something? He couldn’t decide on that yet because he hadn’t seen or talked with Hae for a while now.

“Hee Sun-ah,” Eunhyuk began, “have you seen Donghae around?”

“Oppa?” she repeated with a smile on her face. “He’s been with me all week. Why?”

“Nothing.” Eunhyuk opened the window to let the wind rifle his hair.

What was going on? But he didn’t have the right to jump in and throw questions…yet.

/////

Victoria wasn’t sure how she survived the weekend alone with just Melodix even though she found it a bit relaxing. She was just feeling the “I don’t care-just let it go” phase. After watching some movies and drifting in and out of her own thoughts she finally turned the TV off. Laying down on the couch she stared up at the ceiling.

“Stalker, where are you? Come attack me so he can have a reason to be back in my life,” she quietly said aloud. “You’re crazy, I’m crazy. I’ve left you too soon, In Seol.”

After letting out a depressing sigh Victoria came to the conclusion that she really wanted to know why Donghae was giving her the cold shoulder. No matter what she knew he wasn’t going to tell her.  

His, “I…it’ll sound strange if I explain to you…” already told her that he would never let her in on it. The investigator who had to keep his mouth shut about his investigations was really keeping his mouth shut about everything else.

Why couldn’t he tell her? Why couldn’t he even say a word to her? Did he not trust her? Why would he just suddenly turn away and cut off contact? It was strange…did something bad happen? But still why couldn’t he even tell her a little about it? Why…why had Hee Sun been at his place…hugging him? That image, that scene aggravated her. Or maybe…she’d get the answer from Hee Sun. Why was she coming up with the solutions so late?

/////

“Bye oppa!” Hee Sun waved toward Donghae before turning to head into the dorm.

Her belly had obviously grown over the weekend and she was beginning to wear larger shirts than before. His heart sank every time he saw her. And whenever she smiled so expectantly at him he felt even worse toward Victoria.

The words she’d say every time when she was little flew into his mind, “Oppa is mine!”

Donghae swerved the car to head back home eventually before he’d call Eunhyuk out.

/////

Victoria watched as Donghae drove away then stared up at the dorm. She took a step forward then paused. She felt hesitant and scared to hear the answer if Hee Sun would give her the answer to why Donghae was avoiding her. Turning around Victoria shook her head feeling foolish.

/////

Eunhyuk had just driven out of the parking lot to the business building when Donghae phoned him.

“You have time?” Donghae asked.

“I was about to call you sooner or later out for a drink. Where are you?”

“Seoul. I can come down.”

“No, I’ll be there. Wait for me.” Eunhyuk told before hanging up.

The sun had began drifting below the horizon when Eunhyuk finally got to Seoul. He had a few curiosities that sparked his mind and he’d also like to know the answers to those questions.

He found Donghae sitting alone at a square table with a few drinks in front of him. Slowly walking over he joined his friend casually taking a bottle.

“What’s up?” Eunyuk greeted. “It’s been a while. No, it feels like it’s been a mere month, eh?”

Donghae smiled before holding out his cup to Eunhyuk who poured him a drink. “It’s been a long time.”

“Have you and Victoria not been getting along?” Eunhyuk questioned.

“No.” he replied.

“Then you and Hee Sun have a thing going on?” Eunhyuk asked and finally got Donghae to raise his head to look at him.

“Why would you ask that?”

“Are you sure?” Eunhyuk asked. When Donghae didn’t answer he added, “Because Victoria asked me about you two.”

Donghae set his cup down, “She what?”

“Did you two argue last week?” Eunhyuk tilted his head. “And I’m pretty sure none of this is my business though.”

“You are quite the nosey one.” Donghae agreed.

“So what’s your motive for asking me out?” Eunhyuk questioned curious. “You seemed more depressed lately. What’s happened to your happy self?”  

Donghae didn’t reply but had Eunhyk pour him another drink. “If I tell you, you might never forgive me.”

Eunhyuk stared at Donghae with the same level of seriousness. “Whatever it is, just tell me.”

“Hee Sun is pregnant.”

Eunhyuk literally dropped the bottle from his hand onto the ground. Even the clash of the glass breaking against the hard ground didn’t move him. His stare was perpetuating.

“You…” Eunhyuk began.

“I don’t know what happened. I didn’t ask for the details because she only told me she was pregnant and asked me to help her.” Donghae explained saying each word very slowly.

“Help her? Help her!” Eunhyuk raised his voice, anger filling him.

Donghae clenched his jaw and Eunhyuk watched it outline the side of his face, “Yea. It’s been 2 months, she can’t deal with it alone and she’s afraid…”

“Shut up!” Eunhyuk spat suddenly standing up. “Who! Who! Whose is it!”

Others turned to stare at them but Eunhyuk didn’t care. He only stared at his friend who didn’t even look up at him. Donghae’s gaze…was somewhere else.

“Making sure she’s healthy and happy was all I could do during this time. The baby can’t survive if she cries all day,” Donghae’s voice became quieter and quieter.

Eunhyuk turned away from him in disbelief. He turned back to Donghae ready to yell again but just bit his bottom lip. Turning away Eunhyuk stomped away from the table and toward his car.

/////

Victoria made her way up the steps and onto the second floor. She paused by the end of the wall just behind the end of the hallway. Hee Sun’s room was 3 doors down from the right. If she got there what would she say to this girl? Did she just want to know if she and Donghae were seeing each other? Or did she actually want to tell this girl that she didn’t like seeing her with him? Pressing her lips together Victoria began to take a step forward but backed up when she heard a knock on the door then a voice.

“Hee Sun! Open the door!” it sounded familiar.

Taking a peek from where she was she saw Eunhyuk. The door opened a second later and she heard the chirpy voice.

“What are you doing here?”

“Let me in.”

“Why? What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be home?” Hee Sun stood her ground.

Eunhyuk glanced down at her, “How can you hide it?”

“Hide what?” Hee Sun asked still chirpy.