Everyone at the table’s face expression immediately changed when Victoria appeared behind Eunhyuk. His eyes were on the ground before he slowly looked up at Donghae and Hee Sun. A feeling of surprise was inscribed on Donghae’s face and Hee Sun seemed to dislike the sight she saw before her. Donghae’s uncle looked a bit confused, but his mother pleased that Eunhyuk had brought a friend with him.

“Hello there, please have a seat and join us,” his mother greeted getting up from where she was sitting.

Victoria turned to look at the woman with a small smile bowing respectfully toward her.

“Eunhyuk-ah, why are you just standing there?” his mother asked.

“Come bring her to take a seat,” his mother instructed extending her arm gently grabbing Victoria’s leading her toward the table.

Eunhyuk watched unable to bring himself to stop his mother. Following slowly he took a seat beside her glancing at her. He didn’t know why, maybe because Hee Sun was his sister and Donghae was with her, that he felt he had to pay attention to Victoria’s hurt. He felt…responsible for her pain.

“Eunhyuk, is she your friend? Why don’t you introduce us?” his mother asked with a smile on her face.

She was definitely pleased, Eunhyuk realized, that he’d brought a girl home. But he wanted to tell her that it wasn’t as she thought. Though, he couldn’t bring himself to explain because Donghae was there.

“She’s my good friend, Victoria Song,” Eunhyuk replied.

“H…hi, I’m Victoria Song,” Victoria quietly introduced herself.

Donghae’s face seemed broken to Eunhyuk when he took a glance at him.

“Eunhyuk, why…did you bring her?” asked Hee Sun.

Eunhyuk turned to look at his sister, but mainly let his eyes lay on his friend. “We were planning to have a meal together.”

“A meal? Then you two must be very close,” his mother exclaimed happily.

All except his father seemed to be taking the scene emotionally.

“What do you think of our Eunhyuk?” his mother turned to Victoria who finally looked away from her empty plate of food.

She looked like a little kid who was lost and never found. Hee Sun watched her with an immense stare as if daring her to answer. Donghae turned his head away from them.

“Eunhyuk…” Victoria began before Hee Sun interrupted.

“Oppa, eat this,” she said reaching for some food and set it on his plate.

Everyone shifted their attention toward Donghae this time around waiting for him to say something. Even Victoria glanced at him with a secret longing in her eyes.

“Look away,” Eunhyuk whispered.

When Donghae picked up his spoon after watching Eunhyuk Victoria finally turned away.

“The food is delicious! Everyone just eat up! Go on, don’t be shy Miss Song,” Eunyuk’s father finally broke the dark silence of anticipation.

From the corner of his eyes he watched Donghae fake a smile at Hee Sun telling her to eat up before his mother put some food on Victoria’s plate.

Finally when the table cleared of everyone’s presence Victoria stayed behind to help clean up with Eunhyuk’s mother. Dragging him aside Hee Sun stepped out onto the patio with Eunhyuk.

“What are you doing?” Hee Sun questioned. “Why would you bring her here? Were you really planning to just eat a meal with her at our house? Or were you planning to do something else in our home?”

Eunhyuk watched his upset sister rant on.

“Hee Sun,” Eunhyuk’s voice was dead serious. “Don’t talk to me like that.”

“Then why did you bring her in the first place?” Hee Sun shook her head in frustration.

Eunhyuk just watched her go angry. Nothing else but Victoria’s saddened face appeared in his mind.

“The sky and the earth, whatever you were talking about, what do you mean?” Hee Sun asked glaring at him.

Eunhyuk didn’t answer.

“Oppa…you said oppa was in love,” Hee Sun said also sounding serious, “what do you mean?”

Eunhyuk also didn’t answer this time.

“Eunhyuk!” she screamed grabbing his arm shaking him. “Who, who! Who was it! He turned away from me at dinner, why?! Eunhyuk, you know the answer, tell me!”

Eunhyuk remained dead when she shook him. Finally when she’d retreated to the silence that hung in the air like stars above them Eunhyuk grabbed Hee Sun’s hand and took it off his arm. When he looked at her again she almost had tears in her eyes.

“You know…” he paused for a long time. “So why are you asking?”

Hee Sun’s eyes began glittering with tears on edge.

“The girl he ditched us for, the girl we watched him pull over to our table on your birthday, the girl you were curious about, the girl I know you dislike. Why are you asking me?” Eunhyuk asked his voice low and quiet.

Harsh tears threatened to fall from her eyes yet Eunhyuk couldn’t see a hint of being sorry in her eyes. She loved Donghae, he knew that, she was obsessed with him, he understood that, Donghae was everything to her-she was sincere about him, but she was still so immature that she couldn’t see anyone else but herself and Donghae. He felt sorry for her, but he didn’t feel quite as bad for her as he did for his pitiful friend who couldn’t abandon her, Hee Sun-his step sister. And because of that he couldn’t leave Victoria to stare on at them.

/////

“Thank you so much, you’re so sweet for staying behind to help,” Eunhyuk’s mother thanked her.

Victoria just smiled and nodded.

“You’re so pretty, I don’t know how Eunhyuk ever found you,” she smiled. “You wait right here, I’ll go pack some of the leftovers for you so that if you’re ever hungry you can just heat them up and eat right away.”

Before Victoria could retort Eunhyuk’s mother already rushed away back into the kitchen leaving her to stand alone in the hallway. All of a sudden she wondered where Eunhyuk had gone. If he were there she’d leave, but she found it disrespectful to leave without a word. She turned around to look down the half lit hallway to see doors on both sides of the hall and a long mirror attached to the wall at the end of the hallway.

When she turned around she felt her heart stop when Donghae suddenly appeared from behind the wall stopping in his steps. They glanced at each other in silence without moving for a long time. Gulping Victoria nodded slowly at him acknowledging his presence. She couldn’t utter a useless word to him. Was this how she’d feel if In Seol suddenly appeared? Heart pounding, thudding so loud. Heat gathering her tears ready to let them slide. Anxiety doubled with heart break at seeing him again having lost the ability to speak.

Eunhyuk appeared from the door behind Donghae. He paused to watch the shattering scene before him. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Donghae’s uncle watching on without saying a word. Gently clenching his teeth he walked forward, pass Donghae, and turned around to face him.

Without a word he took Victoria’s arm whispering, “Lets go,” before he led her out.

She allowed him to lead her out like a rag doll.

/////

“Thank you for inviting us for the meal. I had an enjoyable time,” Donghae’s uncle thanked Hee Sun’s mom and dad with Donghae standing behind him.

“You’re welcome, we’ll be sure to ask you over again.” Hee Sun’s mother claimed.

“Oh no need. Don’t bother about such things. I’m afraid you’re just wasting time on an old person like me.” Donghae’s uncle smiled.

“We don’t consider our son in law’s uncle a bother at all,” Hee Sun’s mother told.

A sting of pain sunk Donghae’s heart as he bowed formally.

“Have a good night now,” Hee Sun’s father told before watching them go. “Where’s Hee Sun?”

“Hmm? I don’t know,” her mother said turning to look around. “She should have said good bye to Donghae at least.” Turning back to her husband she asked, “Isn’t Eunhyuk’s girlfriend just sweet? She even helped me clean up and to say we never even knew about her. You must tell him to bring her over again.”

“Yes, honey,” Eunhyuk’s father said without much feeling to his words as he slipped his hands into his pocket.  

Hee Sun remained seated at the end of the patio outside clutching herself letting the dinner event replay itself in her mind. Nothing else but the thought of her oppa being in love ran like a treadmill in her mind.

/////

Donghae and his uncle were silent throughout the ride back to their house. When Donghae finally stopped outside of the house he turned to his uncle.

“Go in, I think I’ll return to Seoul tonight,” Donghae told.

His uncle didn’t turn to look at him until he unbuckled his seatbelt. “Lets talk, Hae.”

Following his uncle into the house without a word he watched as his uncle sat down on one of the armed chairs.

“Have a seat.” his uncle invited.

He felt like a 10 year old being confronted by his parents. Without saying a word he walked pass his uncle and sat beside him on the small couch. They sat like that for what seemed like 10 minutes.

“What happened tonight?” his uncle asked.

Donghae let his eyes settle on the clean coffee table before them.

“There must be someone else you like,” he continued, “I know Hee Sun is not one of them. I’ve watched you grow up and I’ve seen Hee Sun follow you around, but you’ve never turned to her.”

Donghae listened attentively.

“I was always excited at the thought of you marrying, but I never wanted you to marry like this,” his uncle said turning to look at him.

Donghae felt lost in the midst of his feelings. His uncle must have seen his face expression during dinner…or he just knew Donghae too well.

“Victoria Song, you brought her once. Eunhyuk talked about her like she was someone special to you.” his uncle continued turning away this time. “Why was she with Eunhyuk?” His uncle turned back to him. “Is he seeing her? Or are you seeing her?”