Chapter 22
'Golden Mary'
Her mind out and she turned to look at him for an explanation. Why was he talking about himself in a third-person point of view? It was strange.
“Why? Are you telling me you’re a ghost right now?” Victoria went on sarcastically.
“No, not me,” he told, “graduate of the police academy, Lee Donghae. The officer Lee Donghae.”
She turned to look at him before it dawned upon her that he had taken on someone else’s identity.
“Doesn’t anybody else know?” she asked.
Donghae slowly shook his head, “I think something happened between him and his family, so no one else knows. I’m at a loss to why this has happened. It’s too coincidental, don’t you think?”
“More like absurd,” she muttered underneath her breath.
“What?”
“Oh…nothing,” Victoria shook her head quickly. “Anyway, what are you doing out here again?”
“Clearing my mind.”
“Oh yea, that’s right…” Victoria clasped her hands together.
“Are you busy lately?” he wondered. “I was thinking you might leave after you complete your research here, but I remembered you were looking for something else too.”
She paused immediately and abruptly turned her head to look at him. What did he just say? Something else she was looking for? Did Donghae know about the ‘Golden Mary’? Impossible… How come everyone else seemed to know about it. Hadn’t been top secret?
“What?” he asked worried, afraid he’d said something alarm her.
Something creaked behind her and Victoria immediately grabbed his hand and dragged him pass the back of a closed shop, turned the corner, and turned into a narrow alley. Shoving him against the wall she brushed her hand over his lips, the other dirty wall limiting her area of movement as her back pressed into it.
Victoria held her breath and stared out into the street waiting for whoever had been following her to appear. Silence penetrated the air and Victoria suddenly wondered if she was just being paranoid after her day of running with Luhan. She started to relax her hand on Donghae’s mouth, but quickly turned to stare into the dark alley behind them when she sensed movement. For a long time nothing happened and Victoria began to doubt herself once more. Pressing her lips together she turned to look at him to find him staring at her with innocent eyes full of admiration. She stared back at him with furrowing eyebrows and a small glare before he suddenly wrapped his arms around her.
Her face quickly brushed against his hair, a kind of silent alarm going off in her head after throwing away the thought that he was attacking her. A painful wrenched shout deafened her left ear before they were suddenly kicked out off the narrow alley. As worse as the situation could become, she found Donghae clumsily tripping over his own feet pulling her toward the ground with him. Victoria silently thanked God for her quick wits when she turned to see a man holding a bloody pocket knife in his hand and grounded her foot into the ground. And however much she hated the position she was in, she had no other choice but to link her arms around Donghae’s torso before being able to steady him to his feet. That was when she saw the blood dripping from his arm.
Shutting her eyes annoyed with the interruption when their conversation had just really started, she let go of Donghae ready to attack the man, but Donghae didn’t think it. He kept his hold on her hiding her behind his arms.
“Are you ok?” he questioned. “Stay back.”
With the irritation slowly building up inside her short tempered mind, Victoria rolled her eyes wondering why she didn’t just karate chop him then.
“Who are you?” Donghae turned to the bald man in ragged clothes.
“Money, give me your money!”
“Oh, so I’ve run into a drunk and a thief,” Victoria told herself sarcastically before laughing, “make that two thieves.”
“What?” Donghae turned to her confused by her sudden laughter. “Here, stay back.”
She felt him push her to his back and watched him take a step forward only to immediately pause when the thief started wielding his pocket knife like a sword. Victoria watched the pathetic act criticizing every move silently. Donghae stepped forward, hesitated again, and the drunken man could only scream some more. Suddenly feeling angry, Victoria stepped forward and grabbed Donghae’s shoulder pulling him back, grabbing the man’s knife in his hand, and flung her foot across the drunk’s face. In one second she twisted him around and pinned him against the concrete, kneeing him in the back.
“What did you want again now?” she whispered into his ear.
He screamed and howled loudly before Victoria pried the knife out of his hand. Gently slapping the back of his head she got back to her feet, brushed her pants, and found Donghae staring at her in awe. She’d forgotten about him.
“You ok?” she asked slipping the knife into her pocket.
Donghae’s eyes followed her hand before he turned to look back at her face. When he responded in silence Victoria glanced again at his arm overflowing with blood. She suddenly wondered how much dumber he could get.
\ \ \ \ \
Seohyun walked into the apartment overjoyed with happiness that she’d forgotten about why she’d come down to the city in the first place. When she closed the door behind her she poked her head into the living room to find it empty. Assuming that Luhan had gone out she walked toward the kitchen and paused when she found him sitting at the table, his back toward her, chin propped into the middle of his palm, staring out into the street. She thought he really looked like a lonely figure then.
“What are you looking at?” she asked slowly walking over and bending over the table to get a peek at the dark street outside.
Luhan’s chin slipped out of his palm and he turned around to look at her, “Jesus, you scared me.”
“Me?” Seohyun asked before laughing. “That’s the first.”
Luhan made a face at her before wondering, “Where’ve you been all day?”
“Ah…” Seohyun stood back and headed for the chair opposite him.
“What’s with the bandages?” Luhan asked. “Did you trip somewhere?”
“It’s a long story,” Seohyun said. “Nothing that would interest you anyway, but why are you here alone? Where’s Victoria?”
He looked at her quietly for a long time before turning away.
“Aren’t you going to answer me?” Seohyun pressed on.
“She went to clear her mind,” Luhan said monotonously in the kind of tone he’d often heard Victoria speak in.
Clear her mind? Seohyun had never heard such a thing about Victoria. She’d always looked like she managed well by herself no matter the obstacles in her path.
“What could be on her mind?” Seohyun questioned. “Did something happen today?”
“Not really.”
Seohyun stared at him, his eyes clearly reflecting the moon’s image. What was it that he was thinking about?
“You didn’t, by any chance, confess to Victoria, did you?” Seohyun asked.
“What!?” Luhan shouted with a very deep frown.
Seohyun laughed before hearing Luhan mutter, “Crazy woman.”
She watched him turn away again heaved a slow sigh before her eyes trailed down toward the gold bracelet Siwon had given her. Her heart glowed in a kind of warmth she’d never felt before and she found the words to express her gratefulness hard to say.
\ \ \ \ \
Victoria paced back and forth down the long white hallway tinted with yellow light staring at the hospital advertisements. She crossed her arms, leaned against the wall, and glanced at her watch. It’d been barely 10 minutes and she was starting to feel impatient already.
Heaving another sigh she walked back down the hallway toward the reception desk and waiting area. She came to a slow pause when she saw a little girl of 3 donned in a pink dress running toward her father who picked her up with ease. The grin on his face at their sudden hug made Victoria feel a little envious. She continued watching when the little girl’s mother gently her daughter’s hair before kissing her husband, talking with smiles on their faces.
What stood out to Victoria the most was the way the little girl wrapped her little arms around her father’s broad shoulders. It was hard to imagine herself in that kind of position.
“It’s a sweet picture, isn’t it?” Donghae commented from beside her.
Victoria didn’t reply but turned to look at him and the large white bandaid on his arm. Without a word she started for the doors, Donghae right on her trail.
“Are you just going to head back?” Donghae wondered from behind.
She stopped right at the entrance to the hospital and stared around the streets. The paranoia from earlier was slowly striking her again. Was someone really following her or was she imagining some bogus? Pressing her lips together she became a little more annoyed when he came to stand right beside her. She bit her lip to restrain herself from battering out her irritation on him and turned to look down her right. An empty roundabout greeted her eyes underneath the damp streetlights.
Heaving a sigh she started toward the trash can to her far left and tossed the pocket knife she’d stolen earlier.
“Wanna go to your place?” she twisted her head back to look at him.
“What!?” he asked shocked, his eyes suddenly becoming larger than normal.
A few minutes later she walked into Donghae’s apartment to find it as empty as she’d ever remembered it to be. What first caught her eyes was the white box sitting on the counter to her right. After getting a closer look at it she realized it was a cake box.
“Victoria, I made some of your favorite steamed dumpling for you.” her mother called when she walked in through the door.
Victoria stared at the plate of fresh dumplings sitting on a white plate in the middle of a table, the steam still flowing off it.
She turned to glare at her mother, “I told you I didn’t want any! Don’t try to up to me and think I’ll listen to you!”
Panting from anger she stomped off to her room slamming the door as loudly as she could behind her in hopes that her mother would get angry at her. However, 15 minutes later after she’d started on her homework the door opened and her mother walked in with a tray of the dumplings and some fruits.
“I’m sorry, Victoria, but you should at least eat. You won’t be able to study without any energy,” her frail mother’s soft voice cooed, “don’t starve yourself. You’re not skipping lunch at school, are you? Tomorrow’s Min Ki’s birthday, do you want me to make something for you to bring to his birthday party?”
Victoria’s eyes shot up from her homework and she stood to her feet. Reaching an arm out she flipped the tray out of her arms and watched the food she’d made fall to the ground, splattering all over the floor.
“I said your food is ty! I didn’t want any!” Victoria bellowed.
Her mother stared at her with pleading, yet patient eyes, and she reached a hand out for her, but Victoria quickly shrugged her off and stomped out of the house. A stash of guilt trailed after her.
“What’s that?” she asked. “Is it your birthday or something?”
She turned around to watch him close the door and spin to look at her first before glancing toward the counter.
“Oh…stupid Hyuk…” Donghae muttered, “I told him I didn’t want anything.”
Victoria raised an eyebrow.
“Tomorrow we planned to go out for some drinks, but I’ve been written up on the schedule.”
Walking pass him she started toward the counter and stared at the box. She hadn’t had a cake for quite some time. A few other thoughts rambled into her mind before she turned around to look at him.
“If you’re busy tomorrow, we could have a few drinks tonight.”
“Wha…really?” he asked, the shock still apparent on his face.
If she could get a few free drinks and a free cake, Victoria was sure she didn’t mind.
“I could head back out and get some…” he raised and arm and pointed toward the door with a thumb.
Deciding it was too much of a hassle, Victoria plopped down onto one of the stools.
“Forget it,” Victoria told, “I’m kind of tired. Lets eat some of your cake instead.”
“Oh…ok…” he hurried over and opened one of the drawers to pull out a knife.
After cutting up the cake he handed her a plate and a cup of soda before hastily taking the seat beside her. Honestly, Victoria was still amazed by how he seemed to always remain energetic and positive around her no matter the circumstances. Whether she was angry or irritated he always seemed to brush it off as if it didn’t matter at all. Victoria silently found herself waiting for the day when he might begin to resent her.
Grabbing the fork he’d given her Victoria stabbed the cake, “By the way, how old are you? You’re not going to do one of those silly birthday chants, are you?”
“What?” he asked before briefly laughing.
Something about his expression just seemed so happy and cheerful, Victoria didn’t get it.
“No, I don’t do that,” he said, “this is my 26th birthday.”
“I thought you were younger,” Victoria commented with a smirkish smile.
“Why?”
“You just seemed too cheerful for an adult,” Victoria said.
Donghae smiled and took a bite of his cake.
“What were you thinking about earlier?” he asked.
After breaking apart her cake she took a bite out of it quietly and chewed consistently in order to keep herself busy. Donghae, though, quietly waited for her reply. A kind of deep feeling fluxed through her messing with her thinking ability.
Home sick.
“I was thinking how lucky she is to be in her dad’s arms,” Victoria quietly began, “and how unlikely it would be for me to cling onto my dad like that. That’s all.”
“Well, why can’t you? There’s nothing wrong with showing a little affection.”
A smile of how wrong he was flew across Victoria’s lips when she stared down at the broken cake before her, broken like her family.
“My father’s been dead for 10 years,” Victoria said resting her chin on top of the back of her hand, “even so, I would have never been able to cling onto him like that girl.”
“Why?”
Victoria gently clamped her teeth around her tongue realizing how sorry she’d been feeling the day she’d sent her mother off to the airport.
“I’ve never been a good person,” Victoria started, “my parents were hard workers after immigrating here from China. I rarely saw them in the mornings or afternoons. I was like an isolated child lost in the sea of work. I became too prideful, too rebellious to even show an ounce of affection. My father died like that, unable to hear anything kind from me. They say that curiosity can kill a person, but what about pride? They’re all just silly expressions.”
“At least you still have your mother. There will be a day when you can tell her how you really feel,” Donghae tried, “and I believe your father knows in his heart that you weren’t really what you seemed like. Our exteriors doesn’t always reflect what we have inside. They will understand, they’re your parents after all.”
And not once after her father died had she visited his grave. The concept of a normal life was suddenly becoming more ambiguous to her.
“I really like this though,” he smiled cheerily at her, “how you’re talking to me like this.”
Victoria had no comment for him nor his feelings. She just felt like belting out a few words, and she really couldn’t believe she was doing it to this idiot beside her.
“Oh, hold on. I think tonight was trash night,” Donghae suddenly leapt off his chair, “I’ll be right back!”
He darted out the door with a bag in hand and Victoria yawned wondering why she’d even decide to come to the idiot’s house. When silence penetrated the walls around her she turned around to take a look at his empty apartment once more. It was a really nice place, she had to admit, and it was the perfect size for two people too. She and Seohyun should have gotten an apartment like that instead of the crummy one downtown.
Victoria shook her head and pushed the plate of cake away from her before leaning upon her arms. There was no doubt that she was going to be running into a lot of trouble the next few days since she and Luhan had revealed all else to each other. She was finally beginning to wonder when it would come to an end.
\ \ \ \ \
After tossing his trash into the bin he clapped his hands together and bit his tongue. Turning around feeling like he had everything in the world he tilted his head up to the 5th floor and smiled widely. He couldn’t believe that Victoria was really there in his apartment, and she’d even suggested coming over. Donghae had really thought she was too infatuated with Siwon to even look at him, but it didn’t seem like she hated him all that much.
He let out a loud shout and punched the air before skipping toward the doors. The smile on his face held its place the entire time he walked to the elevator and rode up to his floor. He really wished Victoria would always talk to him like she had that night. Everything in his mind revolved around her perfection. Even he couldn’t figure out what it was about her that lured him toward her so much. Donghae had never felt such an overwhelming amount of exploding delight inside him before. It was kind of irregular for him to be in such high spirits, he hadn’t been so ecstatic about anything before. All this time he had been devoting his time to money, stealing, and visiting Hyukjae’s auction house.
Donghae was so sure that he was in love…perhaps for the first time in his life.
When he pushed the door opened he stepped in expecting to see Victoria turn around and look at him, but he found her leaning against the counter, her back creating a tiny arc. Walking toward her he glanced at the time on his phone before slipping it back in his pocket. He hadn’t realized it was so late already. Suddenly his mind began wondering about the time he’d spent with Victoria. Had they been together for at least two hours? Another smile tossed itself onto his face when he neared her.
Tilting his face down to his left he lowered his head until they were at the same level. His heart quietly thudded against his rib cage when his eyes flickered. Unlike her ferocious self when awake, she was stunningly calm when asleep. He hadn’t expected her to fall asleep so quick, but again, he was glad he was able to see another side of her.
She was much different compared to him. He hadn’t thought that under such a flawless exterior there would also be guilt and regret that she hadn’t been better to her family. A look at her and he thought she was a smiling angel with a great life bestowed upon her. Reality seemed quite the opposite. Donghae realized Victoria was just as human as he was. They had a past that wasn’t all too great to brag about, that was probably the only thing that linked them together.
He ran his eyes over the shape of her nose, the soft makeup on her face, her strikingly long lashes perfectly curved out, and could imagine the softness of her skin. Another second later and he wondered how it’d feel to give her a long kiss. The small thought about taking in her attractive lips made his blood run hot. With eyes still on her splendid face he slowly inched forward and gently brushed his lips against the corner of hers. Donghae quickly shot back almost tripping over his own feet and turned around with a loud cough when Victoria slightly moved.
Suddenly a little embarrassed and nervous he ran a hand over the back of his head and blinked rapidly while he waited for her to sit up. Pressing his lips together he gulped and intensely listened for any noise she might make, but after a minute or two when he heard no more he half turned around to see that Victoria was still asleep. Completely pivoting himself around he continued staring at her wondering if she was really tired. Donghae slowly reached a hand out to wake her, but Victoria suddenly rolled her shoulders and lifted her head up. She clamped her eyes shut looking drowsy before stretching her arms out with a yawn. The next thing she did was look at her watch and immediately slid out of the stool.
He raised an eyebrow surprised when she swore under her breath before taking a step forward. Victoria came to an immediately stop when she saw him as if she’d forgotten he was there. Her eyes fluttered as if she were confused and Donghae couldn’t quite help but chuckle at her. She seemed so cute he felt like pinching her, but all she did in return was frown.
“You must be tired,” was all he said.
“I think I should go now.” was all that came from Victoria before she turned to head toward the door.
With a long stride Donghae reached the door before her and pulled it open. After Victoria stepped out of his apartment he took a step out after her coming to a step when she turned around.
“Don’t walk me out,” she said sternly, turned away to walk away, but stopped and twisted her head back as if she’d been hesitating, “and thanks for the cake.”
A smile easily crept across his face as he watched her go. He really hoped there’d be another time Victoria would talk to him the same as she’d done that night again.
***This is really all I have written down for now. I don't know when I will update next, so if you don't hear from me during the next week then I'm on a short hiatus. I feel like I'm lacking a lot prior to writing right now, so I'm going to do other things to get myself running again.
Comments