Taecyeon entered the car and looked over at her without word.

“What?” she asked starting off.

“Are you ok?” he questioned.

“I talked to my parents this morning.” she explained. “My mom was glad I made it back alive, but my dad, he’s a Chief at another station on the other side of town, he doesn’t sound happy. Actually, I think he’s got eyes watching me right now.”

“What?” Taecyeon was confused and watched as Yoona concentrated on her rearview mirror.

“Got your seatbelt on?” she asked. “If not, you better do it now.”

“Wha…” Taecyeon started but his mouth clamped shut when she increased her speed and change lanes at least 20 times zigzagging between cars.

15 minutes later Taecyeon found his soul feeling very light within him as he remained bent over with hands on top of his knees. It was hard catching his breath after all that time.

“Are you ok?” Yoona grabbed a towel out from her car and handed it to him. “Sorry.”

“I do everything else…but I don’t drive like that at the least.” Taecyeon muttered wiping his lips.

“You’re making me look bad.” she said.

“No, you’re making me look bad.” he told standing up to find a few others looking over curiously in the parking lot. “I feel sick.”

She laughed. “You can throw up again after lunch. How about that?”

- - - - -

It was impossible to sit still and just do nothing. Even when Taecyeon had said nothing about washing dishes as he had done so every morning she did dishes. And after doing dishes she grabbed the keys to the gym and ran a few laps until she began perspiring. Yet, it wasn’t enough to stop her yet. Something in her was hungry. If she didn’t put her mind to doing something physical she was scared she’d fall into a pit again. The last time she’d felt something like this she’d had Jung Mo to keep her on track. But she was alone this time.

Lifting the punching bag and hooking it up to where it was supposed to be she got into position. Held her hands into fists. Because Taecyeon had wrapped the bandage around her hand so tightly it was kind of hard for her to create a fist with it. Once she held her hand into a ball she felt the skin that had already began repairing itself rip apart and blood oozed out. She pictured dry skin in her mind. When her hands had gotten dry to the max it would open up itself and bleed if it wanted.

She held herself back and punched the thick heavy bag with all her might tossing her left fist forward then right, then left. All that she had cooped within her flew out. She felt her chest heave heavily, sorrowfully as each small breath came out of her with a quiet whimper of pain. She let out a loud angry shout and punched it again. Once and twice before finally pulling herself to a stop. Victoria grabbed the bag and leaned against it.

“Get a hold of yourself, Victoria.” she said aloud. “Don’t lose it like this. Just because she’s looking doesn’t mean she’ll find you. Because it’s not going to happen. It’s not.”

She heaved and huffed for more air before taking the bag down and dropped it to the floor. Opening the door and closing it she turned around and dropped the keys on the ground when she saw Donghae standing there staring at her.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

Victoria hid her hand behind her. His eyes followed her.

“Are you stressed about something?”

Victoria let her eyes remain on him. The square door in the window…had it let him see her frantic fight with herself just a moment again?

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I thought you might be hungry.” he held a bag of packed food for her to see.

Victoria glanced at the eyes and moved her eyes away wondering why he had to come now. She picked up the key with her left hand and walked up toward the door hiding her bloody hand from sight. For some reason she felt that this man didn’t need to see her bloody hand the same way Taecyeon had.

“Go on.” she held the door open.

Donghae glanced at her quietly and walked up the stairs. Victoria glanced at the clean place for the first time and walked up the stairs.

“You can set it in the kitchen. I’ll head in in a moment.” she explained walking toward the bedroom searching for any signs of a band-aid.

Her hand was swollen and throbbing with endless pain. The blood was becoming thicker and clearly the bandage around her hand wasn’t enough anymore. She was afraid the blood would drip on the floor and leave a mark any second. From the corner of her eyes she could see Donghae standing at the doorway.

“Don’t turn, don’t turn.” she told herself silently.

“Victoria,” he called from the door.

She didn’t turn.

“Victoria.” his voice, worried, became louder then he stepped into the room pulling her up.

She found herself looking up at him.

“What happened?!!” he shouted.

She found herself sitting in the same room at the hospital while the doctor cleaned her wound carefully then wrapped it slowly and gently almost the same way Taecyeon had.

“That should be good,” he told. “Did you wrap your hand yourself?”

“No. Someone did it for me.”

“That person did a good job.” the doctor complimented. “I’ll have the nurse hand you some more sets of band aid out front. Can you tell Donghae to come in?”

Victoria nodded and walked out. Stopping in the hallway she turned around and watched as Donghae walked into the office.

- - - - -

“It must have been hard for you,” the doctor commented.

Donghae sat down.

“So what’d you have to say this time?” Donghae waited.

“She must have hit glass,” the doctor explained.

“Like punch it?”

“It seemed to have started healing just fine but she strained it too much reopening the wounds.” the doctor explained. “It should be fine in a while if she doesn’t work her right hand too much. Besides, who is she?”

“Ah…” Donghae smiled. “Someone unique.”

When he walked out he found Victoria sitting down on some chairs by the entrance. She looked dazed. He sat down beside her and turned to look at her for who knew how long. Victoria never once turned to look at him. It was as if she’d totally phased herself out of the world.

“Sorry,” Donghae began, “I’m not good with blood when I see it. Was my voice loud just a while ago?”

Victoria didn’t reply. He was slowly becoming used to her no-reactions. He nudged her finally attaining her attention.

“Did you hurt yourself?” he asked.

Victoria moved her eyes down to her hand and felt her fingers twitch a little.

“Honestly, I saw you going at it with the punching bag. You seem stronger than you look.” he told.

“I don’t like blood either.” Victoria slowly replied. “But it’s something I’ve seen everyday.”

“What?” he asked.

Victoria turned to look at him and smiled. “Didn’t you say you were hungry?”

No matter how hard he looked at her he didn’t know how she managed to smile such a sad smile. Feeling his heart go out to her he ruffled her hair with a smile and lightly held her close so that her head slightly leaned against his shoulder.

“Whatever it is that’s bothering you…it must have been hard on you.” she heard him say.

Victoria felt her heart become warm as it overlapped a beat. 

- - - - -

“I’m still sorry about last night.” she continued. “Sometimes it feels like your body moves on its own, right? Mine did just that last night.”

Taecyeon frowned and laughed at her, “I’m not the type to harness hard feelings toward others. Besides I wasn’t that hurt, well…except for when you kneed me in on the back.”

“I did that, huh? Sorry.” she apologized again. “And thanks for sending me home. You did get your car last night, right?”

“Yes,” Taecyeon replied before recalling he’d reached home worried. “It may have been one of the longest nights too.”

“Sorry.” she apologized again.

He held his hand up and shook his head, “No. It’s ok. I’m not blaming you.”  

“You’re just those kind of cool guys, aren’t you? Now I wonder why there aren’t any girls flocking after you.” Yoona told.

Taecyeon felt himself heat up in the moment before he told himself that she still had a fiancé.

Before Yoona dropped Taecyeon right back to work after their meal she stopped him.

“If you don’t mind, can I have your number?” Yoona questioned. “In case I ever go out again and need a partner.”

Taecyeon didn’t refuse the offer. Yoona watched him walk through the doors and intended to head back to the station but the ringing of her phone stopped her.

“Yoona,” the voice was familiar, Donghae’s mother.

“Oh…hi aunt.”

“I was wondering if you have time right now. If you’re on break can we meet up for a quick coffee?”

Yoona found herself sitting at a small table in a dimly lit café. The light from above hung down a feet low from the ceiling. She couldn’t help but wonder if the light would drop on them during their talk.

Donghae’s mother seemed unable to sit still. She kept sipping her mug of coffee and glancing around heaving a small sigh here and there. It was as if she were trying to figure out the words to start with.

“I heard you went down to Kwangju,” she finally started, “and you decided to cancel the wedding because of that. But I see that you’re already back in less than a week. How long did you expect the trip to be that you told my son to call off the wedding?”

The woman was kind at times but most of the times she was a scary woman. The kind of woman who didn’t stop to think that she might regret the words coming out of . In a way, the woman seemed fearless. That part scared Yoona.

“Yes,” Yoona replied, “some things happened and I ended up coming back. But I don’t really think it was rash of me to cancel the wedding. You know I’m very dedicated to my line of work especially when it requires me to get up from bed in the middle of the night.”

“My son hasn’t had it any easier,” the woman opposed, “he left in the middle of the night to Busan to track down someone who stole from the company.”

Yoona remained silent. And so the woman just wanted her to shut up. Her line of work and Donghae’s line of work differed very much.

“I know you like my son. I care for his future and I think you’re a good match for him.” the woman explained. “When you were gone my son picked up some woman from the road. I don’t like her. Don’t let him two-time you.”

Yoona felt her eyebrow twitch but she remained calm in her seat. Never let another person get the better of you, she’d learned in the interrogation room.

“It’s his interest. I really have no right to stop him.” Yoona told. “Now,” she got up, “I’ve been on break for almost over an hour now. I still have work awaiting me. Excuse me.”

Yoona got from her seat bidding the woman farewell and walked out. Donghae? Seeing another woman? Yoona didn’t know how she felt about that.