/////

Donghae hadn’t said a word to anyone. Before leaving he’d asked Eunhyuk to keep an eye on Victoria and to call Chief Kang right away if something did happen. If all went well the case would come to a closure quietly.

Stepping out of the airport Donghae took a look around. He’d had Sasha find a translator for him.

“Excuse me,” a voice said poking him on the shoulder with his finger, “Lee Donghae?”

Donghae spun around to meet a small man with a crooked smile.

“I’m going to be your translator during your stay,” he told.

“Ah…hi,” Donghae nodded shaking his hand.

The small man introduced himself as Chan Lee Wei. They traveled by taxi and after dropping his belongings off at a hotel with two rooms Donghae was headed toward the rehab.

When they finally reached the road by the rehab Donghae stared at the large purple building with three windows at the front that he’d seen in the picture. Seeing the house in front of him gave him a feeling of insecurity, a kind of creepy insecurity. Rows and rows of various flowers grew along the grass just in front of the sidewalk. What caught his eyes were the blood red roses among them. A beautiful bricked walk led up to the three story purple building with a tall arc standing at the entrance.

“My cousin came here once,” Chan Lee Wei said as they walked toward the house, “he says everyone whose been here plants those flowers at the front.”

Hearing that Donghae stopped in his tracks and turned back to take a look at the flowers. The roses that Victoria had received and roses that stood among those flowers were identical. He was sure of that.

When they walked in through the brown doors he heard quiet chatter coming from one room and the noise of people writing pressing their pencils against papers. He walked pass two rooms filled with adolescents of all ages sitting in circles talking in groups. Finally they came across a desk where Chan Lee Wei spoke to the person in Chinese. While they spoke Donghae got a better look around.

The floors were made of a dark wood and wasn’t carpeted, but clearly there was someone who cleaned it often. There were rooms and rooms of all kinds. Recreation rooms were plenty and all he could see. The kitchen must be somewhere at the back he thought.

“They said we can go upstairs. There should be a woman whose worked here for years. They might remember the girl you’re looking for,” Chan Lee Wei told.

Nodding Donghae followed him into room after room looking around at the mysterious rehab that Victoria had been to. It must have changed from the time since she’d left the place.

Walking up the stairs led to a hallway with pictures of various famous paintings lining the wall. It looked like a counseling floor where they had one on one talks. What had Victoria been going through that she had to come there? Donghae felt nervous for some reason. Was there some sort of serious reason why she’d kept this rehab a hidden secret?

They came to a door marked “Head of office”. Lee Wei knocked on the door and greeted the 50 year old woman sitting inside. Donghae watched as they conversed for a few minutes before he told him to walk in. Taking a seat Donghae was asked if he’d like anything to drink. Refusing the offer they got right down to business.

“Can you ask her if she remembers the girl in this photo?” Donghae asked taking the picture from his pocket.

Lee Wei nodded taking the photo from him and talked to the woman behind the desk. Lee Wei turned back to him with a face expression that gave Donghae a bit of hope.

“She says this girl was 18 when she came here.”

“Ask why she was here.” Donghae said.

Lee Wei turned away and turned back, “She was suffering from anorexia nervosa and had depression. Her parents died when she was 13, so her aunt requested for help.”

“How long did she stay?” Donghae asked.

“2 and a half years.” Lee Wei replied after turning back to him.

Donghae felt himself fall quickly into silent thoughts before Lee Wei called him.

Suddenly waking up he said, “How was her stay? Did she change? Did she get better? Did she make any good friends?”

Lee Wei turned to converse with the woman they talked for an especially long time. Donghae waited and waited. When they suddenly went quiet Donghae met with the woman’s eyes and they gave him the feeling that she was sorry to even speak about the topic.

“She didn’t have a good stay,” Lee Wei told, “she cried a lot and often refused counseling. She got well along with all the other kids because she didn’t talk much to them, but she suddenly began talking a lot during her second year here. Victoria began to recover from her wounded emotions. She stopped cutting and starving herself and began to gain healthy weight within a short period. They all thought she was doing well but things quickly went downhill after there was a attempt in the dorms. Victoria suddenly went quiet and just left after her aunt called for her.”

“ attempt?” Donghae repeated feeling his heart race. “How could it have happened when this is a rehabilitation center?”

Lee Wei seemed to have noticed the anger in his voice because the expression on his face showed surprise. Donghae felt sorry almost immediately.

“At that time boys and girls shared the dorm building, each had their own room. But they’ve remodeled 4 years ago so now boys and girls each live in their own dorm buildings.” Lee Wei explained.

Donghae wanted to say so much more but he knew he had a job to do. “What about the boy in the picture? Who’s he? Name, age, why he was here, and how was his stay?”

Lee Wei turned around and talked with the woman again while Donghae felt his heart sink. There’d been a reason why Han In Seol stood in such a big spot in her heart. Lee Wei turned to him again.

“The boy’s name is Ren Gei. He was 20 when his parents dropped him off. He came because of depression problems but he got along fairly well with Victoria. And he…” Lei Wei seemed to hesitate before saying, “he’s the one who initiated the attempt.”

“What?” Donghae asked.

The boy who’d had his arm around Victoria in the picture…

“She says Ren Gei and Victoria Song were very close before the incident took place.” Lee Wei added.

“Where is he?” Donghae asked in a low quiet voice.

“He was released a few months after Victoria left,” Lee Wei explained.

“Do they have his address? Tell them to give it to me.”

Lee Wei just stared at him and Donghae reached for his detective badge. Nodding quickly Lee Wei turned back to the woman.

/////

Eunhyuk couldn’t help but eye Victoria from the corner of his eye even if she were sitting in front of him.

“What?” she suddenly asked.

“When you were 18 what high school did you go to?” Eunhyuk asked.

“Why do you want to know?”

“I felt curious.”

“Did Donghae say something to you?”

“Hae?” he repeated. “Nothing.”

Victoria sighed, “Sang High.”

“Really? I went there too.” Eunhyuk told.

“Are you excited to know that fact?” asked Victoria.

Eunhyuk shrugged, “Maybe you would have gone to study abroad.”

Victoria suddenly eyed him suspiciously. Had he heard from other students about her schooling in China? What if he knew about it? What should she say?

“I went to China for schooling.”

Eunhyuk felt his ears perk up. He hadn’t expected her to say that. No, he hadn’t expected her to mention anything at all about China. But he quickly became puzzled. Schooling? What happened to rehab?

“Where?” Eunhyuk asked.

“Hangzhou.” she answered after a long pause.

Hangzhou. Donghae should be there now. Eunhyuk held back his questions. How much of what she was saying was the truth?

/////

Heechul stared at the sight before him feeling baffled. Victoria stepped out from Eunhyuk’s car with a surprised expression on her face when she saw him standing there. Heechul glanced at the driver who eyed him back before driving off.

“What are you doing here?” she didn’t sound welcoming.

“Something came to mind,” Heechul told, “so mind if I come in?”