56
Defence
- - - - -
Donghae opened the door to find Victoria laying on the hospital bed. Walking over to her he looked her over wondering why she hadn’t said anything about being hurt. Well of course, it wasn’t like Victoria had ever told him anything personal except for when she’d spoken to him once about those 14 years. Being locked up in that cell.
“Sorry,” he apologized reaching for her hand. “Maybe I make you feel uncomfortable and that’s why you’re never able to say anything to me.”
Victoria heard a voice in her head…then through her ears. A voice. The voice she began to like after a while. She began to see light through her closed lids and began to open them. Who? Who was there? When her eyes fluttered she thought she saw Taecyeon standing before her but as her sight cleared through she realized Donghae was standing beside her.
His eyes suddenly grew big like a child in surprise, “You…you’re awake?” after a pause. “You’re awake!”
Victoria glanced around the unrecognizable room before trying to sit up.
“I was so worried! I didn’t know if you were going to be alright!” he shouted happily. “Are you ok? Are you feeling alright?”
Victoria glanced at the excited Donghae who had suddenly sat at the edge of the bed. She looked around once more wondering how she’d gotten there.
“Why am I here?” she asked quietly sitting up.
Donghae just smiled, “You had a fever. A really bad one but you’re ok now. I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were hurt earlier. I’m sorry.”
In that moment he hugged her suddenly. Victoria felt herself go limp against him but however much as she wanted to pull herself back the energy was nowhere to be found.
“After you get out, I promise I won’t bother you about marriage or anything related to that again,” he promised, “so…lets start over. Lets do the things you want, your way. I’m sorry for pushing you.”
- - - - -
When Taecyeon reached the door he wondered if Donghae was already in there. If Victoria had awoken or not. When he slid the door open he didn’t have to wonder about the answers anymore. Closing the door he took a sigh and leaned against the wall.
Too lost in thought he didn’t hear Yoona’s light footsteps as she neared him. When he didn’t turn, Yoona stopped by the door and wondered why he wasn’t going in. Opening the door slightly she closed it again. Of course, why else wouldn’t he have gone in?
“Is it something you can’t bear?” Yoona asked turning to look at him.
His gaze was so concentrated on the floor that she wasn’t sure if he’d heard her. Without answering he turned so that his back was to her and began making his way down the hall.
“It’d be better if you didn’t hide beneath that shell of yours. Be it now or later…chances only come around once, right?”
Yoona swallowed and took a step or three before reaching out for him. She grabbed his arm and felt him come to a stop. In that instant she sort of regretted stopping him. What would she say? What was she going to do? How to say things so that it didn’t sound weird? So that he’d accept what she had to say? Would he listen if she said it?
“Step up, Yoona. You’re too pitiful if you can’t even do this,” she spoke to herself in her head. “Even Victoria can see that you can’t do it, so she only encouraged you to step away from the curb and into the street.”
With the courage she’d summoned up, she wrapped her arms around him. As much as she was shocked herself, she realized she must have shocked him too.
“I…like you.” Yoona confessed at last.
A wave of relief brushed over her but then quickly passed by when she wondered how he was going to reply.
Silence exhumed the air.
Why wasn’t he saying anything? Why wasn’t he responding?
She felt his hand on hers and her heart jumped but died once he stepped out of her hold.
“Lets talk…some other time,” was all he said before walking away and not once did he turn to look back.
- - - - -
Yoona was at a momentarily loss. Things hadn’t gone the way she’d anticipated it to. He had just walked away…
Glancing toward the room Victoria was in Yoona guess she understood. He must have been scared after finding Victoria unconscious in the apartment as he’d feared beforehand. Then to find out that Donghae knew about the gun wound and then to hear her confession. She could only imagine how tangled his feelings were at the moment. But how…could she get a step closer to him?
The door opened and Donghae stepped out. As the door closed behind him he looked surprised to find her in the hall.
“Are you leaving?” Yoona asked.
He nodded in reply, “Make sure she’s alright. I’ll see you around.”
Yoona watched as Donghae left. Donghae had been the first to leave. Who else would be in turn to leave her?
Turning toward the door she rehearsed a smile before opening it. She found Victoria sitting in bed staring out at the window but turned when she walked in.
“Yoona,” she greeted happily.
“Are you ok?” Yoona questioned worried. “I heard you were knocked out because of a fever.”
“I feel pretty fine,” Victoria told enthusiastically with a cheery smile but even through her cheery smile the fatigue from years back was catching up to her. It was clear on her face.
There were such dark bags under her eyes. Her health was not at its best. Yoona felt her heart go out to her poor friend.
“You shouldn’t hide the pain you feel, it hurts us more than it does you,” Yoona told. "I was shocked to hear that you were unconscious, the situation was really serious. Do you understand?”
Victoria stared at Yoona, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“No, nothing,” Yoona lied.
Victoria stared at her then reached for Yoona’s hand, “Just as you may need some time to yourself, I can respect that. I often want a lot of time alone as well but here…the time to be alone doesn’t exist, you know?”
Yoona felt like crying but held back.
“It’ll be ok,” Victoria comforted.
Yoona was really glad that she wasn’t alone right then.
“Thank you…for coming back,” Yoona gripped onto Victoria’s hand with a real smile.
- - - - -
After Yoona left Victoria still sat staring out of the window. Taecyeon was no where. He hadn’t stopped in during lunch even if he’d gone to work. To be alone, to be sitting and staring out into the clear blue sky that was so far away reminded her of times when she’d sat in her enclosed closet sized room. Her gun beside her. Those days…were they drifting behind her or were they coming back to her?
No matter what happened…Victoria didn’t want to go back.
- - - - -
When the late sun was starting to fold into the sky Taecyeon finally made his way down the hallway. He stopped at the door and was almost afraid to look in. Who else would be in there with Victoria? Would she be alone or would she be accompanied by someone he didn’t want to see?
Sliding the door open Taecyeon glanced in to see that Victoria had half her back to him. She was staring at something…following her gaze he found that she was only looking out the glossy window. Closing the door he leaned against the wall again and stared down at the ground.
What was going to happen from now on?
- - - - -
Victoria opened her eyes hours later to find that the lights had been put out. Indeed the room was very dark, deathly dark. She almost forgot where she was again. Feeling thirsty she slowly sat up and finally noticed someone sleeping on the bed the hospital provided for guests against the far wall in front of her.
Getting up from the bed she found her own set of clothes and went to change in the bathroom. After folding her hospital gown neatly she set it on the bed and turned back to glance at the sleeping Taecyeon. Slowly making her way over she squatted down before him and wrapped her arms around her knees. She’d never been as close to him as she was now when he slept. Now that she was looking at him face to face she decided he still had a lot of youth in his face.
She reached her hand up to touch his face but quickly threw her hand back when he suddenly opened his eyes.
“What is it?” he asked. “Do you need something? Or are you feeling hurt somewhere?”
“I thought you were asleep,” she answered standing up.
She watched as Taecyeon sat up. “What are you doing? Why are you up? Are you feeling better?”
“Do you only have questions to greet me?” she asked.
“What else do you expect from me?” he wondered.
“Because you didn’t stop by once today so you owe me a piggy back.”
Taecyeon felt surprised with her sudden order. “You…were waiting for me to stop by?”
Victoria shrugged, “Weren’t you the one who brought me here in the first place? The one held responsible should have stopped by at least once.”
“I stopped by while you were asleep,” he told turning away then turned back to her. “Why are you wearing your clothes?”
“Lets go,” Victoria said. “I don’t want to stay cooped up here. I don’t like the hospital.”
A short laugh escaped him and he stood up.
“I don’t like it here either,” he agreed reaching for his jacket and after a second thought put it around her. “Put it on.”
Without questioning Victoria slipped her arms through the long sleeves and turned back to look at him. She watched him exhale then get down before her.
“Get on, quickly,” he urged.
A smirk crossed her face and she jumped onto his back. She listened as he let out a small shout before standing back up.
“You slept for a really long time. About a day and a half,” he said as he made his way down the hallway slowly.
“Did I?” she asked tightening her arms around his neck. “I wanted to sleep longer.”
“Ach! You’re choking me!” he shouted.
Victoria laughed and slowly leaned her head forward on his shoulder. “Did you get to the apartment safely?”
“It’s pretty there,” he said, “come and see it sometime. Come and go as you please.”
The ride back to the apartment was short. While walking pass the kitchen she didn’t miss the sight of the chicken that had gone cold on the plates. He must have been preparing a dinner while she’d been unconscious. She could imagine just how surprised he must have been. For a moment she felt sorry that he had to find her that way. Other than the trouble she gave him she was always giving him more trouble.
“I’m going to go lay down for a bit,” Victoria said then made his way toward the bedroom.
As she lay down on the bed she could hear the dishes clatter in the kitchen. Just as she expected, the bed in the apartment was so much more comfortable than the stiff bed in the hospital.
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