\ \ \ \ \

 

Seohyun stared in the direction Siwon had run off to and clasped her hands together. She stared around the old area wondering how it was like to live there and make a living from selling one’s own items. The feeling of accomplishment from it must feel great, she thought. It sounded like a perfectly normal life and there seemed to be less danger in such a traditional area. Seohyun wondered if after she retired would she come to reside at such a place. The thought quickly flashed by before she glanced at the gray building and wondered if she or Victoria would ever have use for herbal medicine. It wasn’t like they’ve never gotten injured before, but even so, when they got injured they’d just brush it off. 

 

While waiting she started toward one of the run down shops and glanced inside the other medicinal items sold inside. She could still recall this one time when during a practice she’d awfully skinned her calf after sliding across a carpeted room. There hadn’t been use for medicine, but Seohyun had slowly applied a kind of ointment to it once every week to make sure it didn’t pain during her important practices. 

 

The memory quickly disappeared as quick as it came to her when she saw a little boy wearing an adorable hat with a little fan on the top. She watched as he trotted across the parking lot after his mother who had entered the gray building she and Siwon had recently visited. The sister he’d trailed away from was busily chatting with a group of mates who wore the same identical uniform. His small legs unsteadily wobbled as his small steps brought him into the middle of the lot. He was so tiny Seohyun felt amazed just by watching him. 

A smile etched itself onto her face and she suddenly wondered if she’d ever have a cute child like that some day. The roar of an engine suddenly brought itself to life in her ears and Seohyun watched a car back out of its lot slowly starting toward the child. The smile on her face quickly dissolved when its speed started accelerating and she realized the driver hadn’t seen the toddler. Seohyun’s eyes quickly darted back to the sister who was too infatuated in crazily laughing with her friends to notice. 

 

Pressing her lips together Seohyun suddenly darted from the window into the street not realizing that Siwon had started toward her, a smile of happiness on his face. Seohyun charged toward the toddler who knew nothing of the world and its dangers. Though this was a rare deed she ever did, saving someone, Seohyun couldn’t watch anyone die. She’d never watched anyone die nor had she killed anyone ever. 

 

Dropping to her knees and skidding across the pavement, Seohyun wrapped her hands around the toddler and rolled across the rough ground. The screeching brakes of the car deafened her ears before she closed her eyes. A stilled darkness stared back at her before she heard voices and whispers around her. Seohyun opened her eyes realizing that the toddler in her arms was crying out of shock. Pulling herself up she let him go just as a car door slammed and the driver came running around to the front of the car.   

 

“Oh my god! Are you alright?!” he questioned bewildered. 

 

Seohyun glanced up at him and stood up to her feet. 

 

“I’m fine,” she replied with a nod before turning to look at the little boy who was now in his sister’s arms. 

Before all else someone grabbed her arm spinning her around. A surprise infiltrated her when she saw the shock and surprise on Siwon’s face. 

 

“Are you ok?!” he questioned worried. 

 

“Oh, I…I’m fine,” she managed unable to realize that her neatly tied up hair was broken and loose. 

 

“You’re bleeding,” she heard him murmur. 

 

Seohyun glanced at her skinned arms before tilting her head to look down at her broken knees. 

 

“It’s ok, it’s no big deal,” she tried. 

 

“Not a big deal!?” Siwon raised his voice. “You’re hurt!” he turned to the driver and scolded, “Be more careful next time! You could’ve killed two innocent people!” 

 

Seohyun felt her eyes grow sternly wide with surprise. She’d never seen Siwon angry nor yell before. It was something awfully new about him. So he did have a temper after all. 

 

“Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital.” Siwon grabbed hand leading her toward his car. 

 

“The hospital?” she repeated awed by how exaggerated he sounded. “It’s just a scratch. If I put a bandaid on them they’ll be fine in a few day’s time.” 

 

“Scratch?” he repeated confounded by how simple she made her injuries sound. “You’re bleeding badly and your skin tore, it’s not just a scratch. You have to see a doctor and get some medicine before your injuries get infected.” 

 

Before Seohyun could retaliate he opened the passenger’s door for her and urged her in. 

 

About an hour later Seohyun walked out of a room with large bandaids around her arms and knees carrying a small bag of extra bandaids and medicine. 

 

“Are you sure you’re fine?” Siwon repeated again when they walked out of the hospital. “Does it hurt? Do you want some painkillers?” 

Seohyun kind of backed away from him overwhelmed by his worry, “It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt that much.” 

 

Siwon heaved a sigh, “That was real scary, you know. You were that close to getting hit.” 

 

He emphasized it by putting his fingers together to show her how much space there’d been between the car and her. Seohyun stared at him and laughed. 

 

“You’re funny,” she commented, “I haven’t met anyone who’s been so worried about a few injuries before.” 

 

“Funny?” he repeated. “It’s not funny. You could’ve gotten hit!”

 

Seohyun’s laugh died down with her smile when she saw the serious worry on his face. Suddenly feeling apologetic she became quiet herself. 

 

“But at least the little boy is fine,” Seohyun said, “it was a good thing I was able to get to him in time.” 

 

They paused by his car, “That was very brave of you, but I got scared seeing that. I’ve seen someone get hit by a car once and it’s a really scary thing. I’m glad you’re alright, though.” 

 

Seohyun glanced into his sincere eyes. He was so kind she didn’t know what to do but feel a little apologetic for having not taken his worry seriously. 

 

“Sorry,” was all she could say. 

“At least you’re ok,” he smiled before reaching into his pocket. 

 

Seohyun glanced down when he gestured his hand toward her to see a pretty gold bracelet sitting in the palm of his hand. Where had he gotten that? 

 

“I got it back there at the market,” he explained, “I thought it was pretty, so I bought it for you.” 

 

“Me?” Seohyun glanced at him surprised. 

 

Siwon nodded, “Yea.”

 

She stared down at it touched by his sudden gesture. No one had bought her a gift in over 7 years. Swayed by the sudden movement Seohyun could feel hot tears whelm in her eyes. A happy laugh full of emotions escaped her lips when she reached forward to take it. Seohyun’s watery eyes observed the bracelet between her hands. 

 

“Thanks,” she thanked quickly bringing a hand up to rid the tear on her cheek. She laughed again to rid the embarrassment and looked at the stunned Siwon, “Sorry. It’s just…I haven’t received anything in such a long time. It means a lot to me, thank you.” 

 

He smiled at her feeling touched by her reaction and lightly hugged her while patting her back. 

“It must have been hard on you,” he said. 

 

A life-full smile lit Seohyun’s face up and she couldn’t help but laugh again. 

 

\ \ \ \ \

 

“So what are you going to do now?” Victoria asked. 

 

She’d decided to stop by some random restaurant to get something to eat. Now that their plates were clean they decided to talk. Victoria wanted to know what Luhan was planning to do next in order to know what she could do complement it. She didn’t want their next moves to totally clash. If either of them took a path that diverted too far from each other there would be no chance for a cooperation between both sides, and Victoria didn’t want that. If they each sought out their own ideas there would only be more conflict and certainly there was no need for more conflict. 

 

“My father’s right hand man, An Kor, I was recently tracking him down after hearing that my father wired some millions of money for something,” Luhan clarified, “and that they’re still looking for that something. But just recently An Kor went to Jeju to prepare a house for my father. Whatever house that is, I still have to find out.”

 

Victoria raised an eyebrow, “You didn’t know he has a house over there?” 

 

“Since I grew up here, I’ve only known him to have his mansion here. I never heard of that house in Jeju,” Luhan explained. 

 

“So it’s suspicious?” Victoria asked. 

 

He nodded. “Since the company he inherited is the biggest running competitor against anyone else, he would only want it to become bigger. I heard that he’s going to swallow LG whole. Yun Man, you know about him, right?” 

 

Victoria stared at Luhan sensing something in the presence of his eyes that told her he knew about the break in. She replied with a nod of her head. 

 

“I’m thinking they might be after him,” Luhan offered his opinion, “he did say someone’s going to die in the process and it might make sense since my father wants to swallow LG.”

“I guess,” Victoria partially agreed, “but anyone could just be anyone. It could even be someone who’s not involved in all this.”

 

Luhan seemed to quiet and fall into his own thoughts. They left the restaurant and headed back toward the apartment where Victoria paced back and forth in her room. When the sky began to darken, Victoria had gone for a long walk outside. 

 

A light breeze brushed her by and disappeared off into the distance. Victoria stopped in her steps and stared off into the distance pass the street light which was slowly coming to life. She was suddenly feeling a little sick for home. When young she had always heard stories about selfish people growing old and alone, but now she was thinking otherwise. What about the people who worked hard and still grew old alone? 

 

Victoria slightly turned her head and glanced toward the shadowy darkness behind her. Ignoring her own paranoia she started forward again enjoying the peace and quiet around her. The streets were nearly empty, the sidewalks abandoned. She realized she’d stepped upon the scarier side of town. Victoria slightly turned to head back the way she’d came, but stopped when she saw someone walking her way. She stared at him from afar to see that his head was hung low, eyes glued to the ground, hands in his pockets. There was something familiar about him. When he started nearing Victoria felt like rolling her eyes. 

 

As if sensing her presence, he stopped and lifted his head up. There was always something about the way they always met so coincidentally, including the way their eyes always fell in sync. Victoria suddenly felt like she was in a very ironic situation and wanted to laugh it off, but nothing actually came out of . They stared at each other for a few more seconds before he started toward her slowly. Once he was in front of her they stared at each other again until a smile fell across his lips and he laughed. 

“It always turns out a surprise seeing you,” he remarked. 

 

Victoria glanced around before turning back to meet his eyes, “What are you doing here?” 

 

Donghae shrugged, “Probably the same reason you’re out.” 

 

If she turned to head back he’d just follow her to her apartment and that was the last thing she wanted. Victoria took a step forward and walked pass him suddenly finding herself thinking about how much longer her night had just gotten. As predicted, Donghae tagged right along beside her. He didn’t say anything for quite a while and Victoria couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong with him. Usually he was always so talkative just like a chatter box. 

 

“What are you doing on this side of town?” Victoria asked. 

 

He turned to look at her with a smile as if glad she’d chosen to speak first. 

 

“Actually, I found out something today that made me feel a bit down.” 

 

Victoria felt her eyes slowly move over to look at him. She watched him heave a long, loud sigh, his chest bounding up and down. 

 

Donghae slightly tilted his head toward the darkening sky, “I’m just wondering why things turned out this way now. Things have gone a little too well for me that I’m beginning to doubt if nothing’s wrong at all.” He turned to look at her with a smile, “You know how it’s weird when things suddenly start becoming easy after you’ve become used to all the hard stuff.”

Victoria slowly nodded her head wondering what was running through his mind. 

 

“And?” she asked. 

 

He heaved another sigh, “Lee Donghae…is dead.” 

 

***Hmm...looks like somethings have disappeared in the post-ur-story box. I can't seem to find that dividing line anymore. Oh, well. 

 

***More HaeToria next chapter ^^