“Yah…” Taecyeon felt his mouth drop open once he realized what she was wearing.

Quickly going toward her he pulled her up by the arm and Donghae watched as they headed to one of the rooms. Before they entered the room he didn’t miss the way she limped alongside him barely able to walk at a normal pace.

- - - - -

Yoona awoke late but found her mother in the kitchen still.

“Morning, mom.” Yoona greeted sitting at the table.

“You’re awake?” her mother smiled. “Your father says you’re going on a big job this week. How long will you be gone? Have you talked to Donghae about the wedding?”

“Ah…that…” Yoona began, “we decided to put it off till I get back.”

“That’s a shame but it’s a good thing he understands your busy schedule.”

Yoona pursed her lips and didn’t say any more.

“What day is it that you’re leaving?” her mother asked placing an empty plate in front of her.

“Tomorrow at the earliest, or Monday at the latest. Are you going to send me?”

“And pack you a box. Home food is the best anywhere you go.”

“Of course, no one beats mother’s cooking.”

- - - - -

Taecyeon, for the first time, found himself standing face to face with the girl he’d almost run over last night. She looked well, but her body wasn’t in good shape. Other than the exaggerated bruise on her left leg she also looked like she’d taken some other hits too.

“Are you ok?” he first asked.

“I’m fine.” she replied monotonously.

He looked at her again, “Do you hurt anywhere?”

“No,” she simply answered, “if I sit around for a few days the bruises will disappear in no time. No big deal.”

How could a girl simply shrug something like that off as if it were nothing at all? It was the first time he’d heard such words from a girl.

“Where are your clothes?”

“I washed them.”

Taecyeon pursed his lips then handed her the grocery bag, “I bought some band-aids for you. Bandage yourself up.” he turned toward the door. “When did he get here?’

“A few minutes ago.”

Taecyeon looked at her in a way as if he wanted to say something more but didn’t. “You stay in here.”

When he got out he found Donghae standing with arms crossed. A look that meant he was in trouble glittered in Donghae’s eyes.

“Is there a reason why you’re here?” Taecyeon got straight to the point.

“Of course there’s a reason why I’m here. You may know it, too.”

Taecyeon was silent. “Did I do something wrong at the company?”

“More than wrong. Where were you last night and what did you do, you shouldn’t be asking me.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand…”

“Ok,” Donghae nodded with arms still crossed, “we received supplies a few days ago. You were in charge of watching the process and make sure that no one stole anything. There’s an important client to my business, if I lose him everyone goes down with me. There were some valuable things that were his. Where did it go?”

Taecyeon felt his eyebrow move down. “I didn’t steal it.”

“Are you sure you want to stick with that statement?”

“I was told to bring it to the director. End of story.”

“The director?!” Donghae snorted and clapped his hands. “So, now you’re placing the blame somewhere else!”

“I’m not like that.”

“We’ll see. You can wait for our phone call tomorrow.” Donghae told, then slightly glanced at the bedroom door before exiting the apartment.

Taecyeon bit his bottom lip. “I knew something like this was going to happen!”

“What?” Victoria’s voice appeared from behind. “So, you’re being framed for stealing?”

Taecyeon turned around. “Who are you?”

“Victoria Song.” she seemed proud of something that wasn’t there to be proud of.

“Ok, are you ready to take off my shirt, grab your clothes, and leave my apartment?” Taecyeon felt irritation crawl under his skin suddenly wondering about Donghae’s impression of him.

“For Jesus Christ! Did he have to walk in here this morning to be greeted by her?!” Taecyeon felt his insides scream.  

“I don’t have anywhere to go.”

Taecyeon frowned at her.

“You don’t believe me? Up to you. Then…shall I report to the police that you were driving 35 miles above the speed limit and weren’t paying attention to the road? Which all resulted in running me over? Maybe I should go see a doctor, my injuries don’t look normal and because I’m a woman, which will make things worse, because you could have destroyed my reproductive system. I can press charges and you’ll have to serve a sentence.”

Taecyeon felt his jaw drop. Where did she come up with all these things she’d just said?

“So…can I stay here for a while? I won’t live with you forever.” Victoria crossed her arms and smirked at him. She emphasized his name dangerously, “Ok Taecyeon.”

- - - - -

“Morning, Deputy Sheriff.”

“Morning.” Yoona greeted walking into the station pass a dozen desks before reaching her room isolated down the hall.

When she opened the door she found her Chief in charge looking through some papers on her desk.

“What are you…snooping?” Yoona jokingly accused setting her cup of coffee down. “What do you have?”

“I’m just placing these articles here for you to read through,” the chief explained pointing at some snipped out articles of the assassination.

“Thanks.” Yoona said walking around her small desk in her cube-shaped room and sat down.

“Sorry…I forgot.” he apologized.

“About what?” Yoona crossed her legs.

“Your wedding was scheduled next week, wasn’t it? Did you come in yesterday to ask me for off?”

Yoona hesitated then smiled in a gesture of appreciation, “We talked…argued…it’ll be fine. There’s always time to reschedule.”

“You’re not getting any younger. Look, Yoona, I can still call in and switch you.”

“Don’t,” Yoona raised her voice then noticed it. “I want to go.”

“Sometimes…second chances don’t come around.” her chief told. “Why don’t you just take off this week and get married next week? It’s about time you settle down.”

Yoona put it into consideration. She also wanted to do that but there were some things that mattered more than marrying.

“Sometimes,” she began, “there are moments between life and death or when we find ourselves in a shoot off. To live, or die. To shoot or not to shoot. If we live we can still continue to see other people, push through turmoil, live in sorrow, or die and leave everything to be. Shooting to save is our duty, but I’d choose to die, Chief.”

“Yoona,” he opposed, “this mission isn’t connected with your friend. You can’t find anything that will connect to her. I won’t tell you to give it up because you’re set on finding her anyway and I’ve seen you try before. I’m telling you, don’t connect this fugitive with your friend.”

Yoona stared back at him, “My coffee’s getting cold. Do you want to get me another cup or buy me lunch later?”

- - - - -

The engine roared loudly and Donghae glanced at the apartment building.

“Vic,” she’d said.

He laughed to himself. There was no time to be dazing off in broad daylight. Donghae needed to get back to the company and figure something out.

“The Director’s taken a week off for vacation.” his secretary told walking beside him down the hall.

“Is there no way to contact him?”

“Well…”

“Don’t ‘Well’ me,” Donghae remarked.

“It’s…the situation’s kind of difficult.” his secretary told. “His wife is on the run, his children are home alone with the nanny, and he supposedly doesn’t have any service right now.”

“So,” Donghae stopped in his tracks and turned to face his secretary, hands behind his back. “You’re saying he purposely cut off communication, his wife is on the run, and only nanny answers the phone at home?”

His secretary nodded his trimmed head.

Donghae heaved an exasperated sigh, “Trace him. Call anyone who was last with him, and have you asked anyone about Ok Taecyeon?”

“Ok Taecyeon?” his secretary repeated after him then nodded his head full of energy. “The receptionist said yesterday after a phone call he said he had something to do.”

“Who was that phone call from?”

“Uh…”

“Go find out and get back to me.”

“But you told me to look for anyone who was last with the Director…”

“Can’t you do it all at once?” Donghae questioned.

“Yes, sir.” his secretary bowed and began walking away in defeat.

“Wait,” Donghae called, “is it possible to check and see if Ok Taecyeon is married?”

“Married?” his secretary repeated with eyebrows stretched up all the way to his forehead.

“You heard me. I’ll be waiting for your report.” Donghae walked around the corner and headed toward his office disappearing from sight almost immediately.

“How many things does he need me to do? What’s next? Does he want to know if I have a new girl at home?”

- - - - -

Victoria was sitting on the bed bent over trying to bandage up her bruises but her body was full of agonizing pain. She hadn’t bothered to change out of his shirt and dropped the gauze on the ground. Searching through the grocery bag noisily she grabbed a box of band-aids and placed them over the cuts she’d received from broken branches and other sharp things she’d received from nature.

“Yah!!” she heard him scream this time.

Looking up Victoria limped out of the room and walked up behind him to find him staring up at her undergarments and clothes hanging in the bathroom.

“Yah!!” he sounded as if he was swearing. “What is this?!!”

“It is what it is.” Victoria replied plainly from behind shocking him entirely.

“How’d you get here?! How come I didn’t hear you?”

“I hope you’re just playing stupid with me.” Victoria told. “Is it such a big deal drying my clothes? Or are you embarrassed?”

Turning to glance at him she saw that his face was fuming red.

“What’s the big problem? We all have the same bodies if you think about it, really.” Victoria told squeezing pass him and grabbed her clothes. “What a trouble maker.”

When she began to walk out she heard him, “I was too anxious this morning I forgot to ask. What were you doing running out of the trees like that? Who are you, what’s your name, your age, your occupation. Don’t you think you should explain yourself at least a little?”

Victoria turned around. At first she gave him a stern kind of serious look that told him she wasn’t happy with his nosiness but then she smiled happily as if nothing had been wrong at all.

“Fine,” she said, “Victoria Song, 26, and do you believe me if I say I was escaping bad guys?”

Taeyeon arched an eyebrow.

“And my occupation is…lazing around.” Victoria smiled and walked off.

“Is she kidding me?” Taecyeon questioned and followed her. “Yah.” he called. “Who do you think you’re kidding? You’re carrying such an expensive purse and you say you don’t work?”

“Purse?” Victoria repeated then recalled the purse she’d also stolen…and the gun she’d hidden in it. “Where is it!” it was more of a demand to know than a question to know.

Taecyeon took a step back and turned around taking a step forward. Victoria, on impulse, followed him and grabbed his shoulder to turn him around and…and what? She hesitated and released him.

“It’s important to me. There’s a reason I need to hide myself here.” she explained seriously, all jokes gone from her eyes. “If anyone asks, I’ll tell them that I’m your cousin studying communication and I needed a place to stay. Satisfied?”

He stared at her eyes during that mere second. Taecyeon could have sworn that the way she’d grabbed him was similar to the touch of someone violent. She would have hurt him. It wasn’t that he knew these things, it was that through all his years of fighting he’d come to attain his sense as a skill.  

“Don’t worry,” he told, “I never touched it.” he glanced toward his bedroom at the brown bag on the ground under the night table where it had always been.

Victoria followed his eyes and quickly turned back to look at him. She’d given herself away. She could have given herself away. What if she’d given herself away?!!!

He glanced at her concealing his suspicion and walked away. Literally running into the bedroom she reached for the bag, ped it, and went through the things inside. Her gun was safely hidden in the compartment on the side of the purse.

“Thank goodness,” she closed her eyes, clutching the bag close, and heaved a sigh of relief.