- - - - -

Yoona watched through the large side window as Taecyeon ran along the sidewalk. Once he saw her he happily waved toward her. Yoona waved back.

She had called him to meet with her at a small café. If she were to interrogate him without him knowing it was best to do it at a remote location where few customers happened to visit the café.

The door opened with a chime created by the ornaments hanging above the door. He walked pass the long wooden counter and sat down before her at the square table at the back corner of the room next to the large windows. A dim light shone from above encasing their faces in dancing shadows.

“Did you eat yet?” he asked.

“Already did, you?”

“Me too.” he replied with a smile. “What’s the reason for calling me out?”

Yoona glanced at the second cup of coffee she was having that morning, “I wanted to talk about Victoria.”

Taecyeon’s happy smile disappeared. “Victoria?”

Yoona nodded. “Donghae said you should know her better than he does. Do you?”

Taecyeon wondered what he’d just gotten into. How should he explain himself? Should he go with the lies Victoria had told him to tell? That she was just his cousin? But Yoona was a Sherriff. Imagine what kind of a position it’d put him in.

“Why?” Taecyeon skipped around the question. “Are you curious about her?”

“It’s important.” Yoona vaguely answered.

Taecyeon found himself at a loss.

“Be honest with me.” Yoona told calmly. “Please.”

He stared at her then lowered his eyes. “I don’t know her well. Now that I think of it, I don’t even know her background. It’s the truth.”

“How…did you meet her?”

“You’re confusing me.” Taecyeon told.

“Just answer me. I need to know.” Yoona was insistent.

“Can I know why this is important?” Taecyeon asked worried.

Yoona couldn’t be sure. He was ignoring her. What if he was one of those men who’d been with her during those 14 years?

“Are your parents really abroad? Do you really live apart from them?” Yoona asked. “You really don’t know Victoria?”

He stared at her long and hard. “That’s the truth.” Taecyeon paused. “Look Yoona, I don’t know what is wrong but if you want to know more about Victoria, shouldn’t you ask her yourself?”

Taecyeon left immediately after he’d handed Yoona Victoria’s number. Yoona stared at it for the longest time as if staring at it would force the person, herself, to come to her.

- - - - -

Taecyeon left the café heavily confused. Not only had Yoona doubted him about being a regular citizen but she’d sounded ever so desperate about learning more of Victoria. Was there something going on between the ladies? Something that was more than just Donghae?

Now that Yoona had sparked the curiosity in him, he wanted to know. Who Victoria actually was, why had she been running that night, where her family was, and what she actually did for a living. Why had she seemed so distant and clueless about some things everyone knew of. He wanted to know the answers now.

When he got home he found the apartment empty. Absolutely no life existed inside. He searched the rooms, found her clothes, but her bag was gone. Taecyeon then recalled how angry she’d gotten when he mentioned her bag. Had there been something inside that she didn’t want him to know of? He turned around and ran down to the gym. Of course there was no one in there.

Finally grabbing his phone he called her again and again but no one answered. He was worried again. He thought he’d be able to keep track of her by making her carry the phone but he’d forgotten about her willingness to answer the phone. She’d been so good about it before. Always texting him her location but then she hadn’t said a word that morning. That morning she’d been strange. With the breakfast…something she never made a notion to do.

Swearing under his breath he got into his car and sped down the road continuously calling her.

After twelve minutes someone finally picked up but it wasn’t Victoria.

“Ahh…yes?” it was a man. Sounded like a man in his mid thirties. “I think a young lady with long hair came by a while ago. She must have left her phone in the shop.”

Taecyeon arrived at the snack shop some ten minutes later and retrieved the phone from the shop owner. Walking out he glanced down the sidewalk where the man had said he’d seen Victoria go. If he found her he swore he’d give her the lecture he’d been keeping in mind.

- - - - -

Victoria stopped by the side of the street waiting for the bus to arrive. Among the group she was standing with were some working men and women along with some students were planning an outing together. She felt envious, jealous. It would have been nice to grow up with friends, going on outings together then growing up old and just work like a normal person. Without realizing, she’d become dazed and when she finally noticed that the people around her had stepped into the bus she began to take a step forward but felt someone pull her back. A hand clasped shut.

“Act like we’re friends and I’m just bluffing you.” a voice whispered from behind.

Victoria reached up to grab her attacker’s wrist then glanced at the bus driver still waiting. She nodded and waved for him to drive off. After a long stare and shaking his head the bus finally took off.

“We’ve really tried so hard looking for you,” So Young said shaking her head tossing watching as Jung Min tossed Victoria onto the deserted playground.

The wood chips underneath her stung her skin. She wasn’t sure if she had started bleeding from the sharp stings.

“You should know better than to attack outside,” Victoria muttered standing up.

“We’ve been around this area for some time now,” Jung Min explained, “barely anyone comes by.”

“That,” So Young pointed to the woods next to the picnic table, “is where you crushed the breath out of me, remember?”

Victoria glanced toward the woods and smirked. “Sure. Why not?”

So Young felt an annoyed smile climb on top of her lips. “Can’t we just get rid of her today?”

“No.” Jung Min stated. “Did you happen to meet Jung Mo the other day?”

Victoria glared.

“Ah…it still seems like that flame never dies down, eh?” Jung Min teased circling her.

Victoria stood still feeling the cold air flap her bangs away from her face.

“Oh…Jung Mo?” So Young repeated. “That snobby kid who always waits for you every morning?”

“Snobby’s better than an idiot,” Victoria commented and received a slap instead.

“I want to kill her so bad.” So Young muttered.

“So Young!” Jung Min scolded.

The young girl turned away avoiding the man’s strong glare.

“You know what holds me back from getting rid of you so easily?” Jung Min wondered.

“Are you sure you can get rid of me so easily?” Victoria challenged. “You can’t even beat me in a 5 minute match.”

“If you care so much, why don’t you just drag her to your freaking bed?!” So Young screamed from the side.

Jung Min smiled at Victoria coming to a stop before her, “You’re smart, fast, and cunning. Something I would have never expected from a girl who was suddenly brought in the night they were out on a midnight chase. I don’t know if we should consider it your luck or our luck.”

Victoria returned his stare. Her eyes never left his sharp angled face.

“Ah…the night they killed in the woods?” So Young added. “I hear a lot of stories about that night. About how one of them escaped.”

Victoria gritted her teeth. Jung Min gripped her around the chin with his hand tightly.

“Angry? Then why don’t you just throw your blows at us? No need to hold back.” he whispered. “If you hold back now, you won’t have the hands or feet to do it later.”

He tugged at her threateningly then tossed her to the ground. She allowed herself to fall back. For some reason, she found the pain assuring. It helped cool her thoughts bringing them away from the ache she supposedly felt earlier that morning when the sun first reached the sky. Victoria felt him grab her shirt and he pulled her up.

“What’s this? Not putting up a fight?” he questioned.

Victoria stared at the ground then moved her eyes over to his face putting on a glare, “Why don’t you just kill me now?”

He stared at her frozen in spot with her sudden demand.

“Wouldn’t that make things easier?” she added. “I’m not resisting, so why don’t you do it?”

His grip on her shirt tightened.

“Yah! What are you doing?!” a voice screamed.

“Oh ! We’ve been found!” So Young muttered.

“I thought this place was abandoned!” Jung Min cursed then before dropping Victoria onto the ground he whispered, “I’m not hesitating next time if you ask for it.”

With that she watched the two dance off across the yard and into the woods. Taking a breath of the cool air she lied on the ground staring up at the sky.

“It would have been nice…if it did happen.” Victoria stared at her breath freezing in mid air before a familiar face stood over her.

“Yah! Get up right now!” the angry Taecyeon ordered.

She found herself sitting back in the apartment with a warm cup of water in front of her. They sat at the kitchen table across from each other.

“Here,” Taecyeon said placing her phone in front of her, “I said it was expensive. Don’t make me get another one.”

Victoria glanced at it then looked at him, “Well, I told you I hated it.”

“Why did you leave it behind?” he asked. “Were you planning to run away?”

“Me? Run?” she joked.

“Don’t even joke with me,” he started, “you left it behind on purpose.”

Victoria didn’t deny it.

“I finally thought of something I should have asked before,” Taecyeon told. “Will you be honest with me?”

“Be honest with me.” Yoona told calmly. “Please.”

He recalled Yoona’s plead. And he hoped Victoria would do the same. When she stared at him he saw nothing in her eyes. He wasn’t able to read them. They were cold and glassy unlike Yoona’s eyes that were often readable with sadness.

Victoria repositioned herself in her chair leaning back more comfortably with one arm around her chair. “What is it that you possibly want to ask, Ok Taecyeon? Didn’t I say that I would only stay here for a short amount of time then leave?”

Taecyeon stared at her.

“Ok, I admit I left my phone behind on purpose.” Victoria admitted. “I wanted to leave and that would have been better for you, wouldn’t it? But why, when you were so annoyed with me before, did you come look for me?”

Victoria leaned across the table this time.

“I’ve observed you during this short week we’ve cohabited together,” she went on, “you’re a lonely man who’s filled his life with nothing but work at that company. Am I right? Your family, you’ve never spoken about them even once to me. Not that I expected you to but wouldn’t you have called them at least once? Or wouldn’t they have called you?”

Taecyeon felt his eyebrows twitch. Maybe in anger or annoyance that she was belittling him freely.

“You’re a kind of man who’s been alone majority of his life,” Victoria concluded. “I am not that much different. The only real difference is how we’ve lived and you don’t want to know about me, trust me. It’s not a beautiful experience.”

He gripped her hand almost threateningly. “Take it back.”

“What?” she wondered. “What’s there to take back? I just spoke the truth, didn’t I?”

Victoria eyed his grip.

“You’re not ordinary,” Victoria commented.

“You’re not ordinary yourself.” Taecyeon responded almost pushing her back when he let her go.

After a long glare he got up and began to walk out.

“Since I’m back, give me a week more. I promise you then, that I’ll be gone.” Victoria said without turning around.

Taecyeon paused in his steps then walked out the door unable to fix his train of thoughts. Victoria took a deep breath and put her hand over her face. She’d learned long ago that it was easier to forget someone you hated than someone you might become attached to. She might feel bad being so arrogant toward him as it wasn’t her usual self of display but there was no way to go around it. Now that Yoona had stepped into the picture and Yoona was close to Taecyeon she might start asking him questions. Then he’ll want to find more about her. It’ll easily tangle them up and Victoria knew she would be in more trouble.

If she stayed any longer, So Young and Jung Min would discover her. And…she’d die the next time they did discover her.