Seohyun raised her eyes to glanced at the house she couldn’t see before nodding and wondered if there was a reason why he was so cautious. She had suggested a quiet place like a coffee shop, but Hong Chong Il had said he wanted somewhere more private to talk. At the end, they found themselves a special room at the public library where a row of desks sat parallel to one another. A white bookshelf sat in the middle of the back wall and every special tag in the room had acrylic on them. A room for the blind, she supposed.  

The room was particularly tiny, a perfectly square sized room with poor light seeping in from outside. Seohyun found out later that it was because a large tree shaded the window from the hot sun. Hong Chong Il decided to leave the lights off and walked to a desk in the middle of the room. Dragging a random chair over, Seohyun took a seat across from him.

“Why are you looking for me?” Hong Chong Il asked, his tired voice sounding as if he’d given up on any chance of life.

“By me saying government, do you understand what I’m going to ask?”

He opened his mouth to speak but retreated back into the shadows by shutting them.

“Noh Ki Young’s left hand man,” Seohyun said slowly, “right?”

He averted his eyes as if guilty.

“I heard from Noh Ki Young’s butler that you’ve been dismissed.” Seohyun told. “May I ask why?”

A long moment of silence followed. Seohyun realized he was having a hard time releasing the truth.

With a sigh she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, “I’m not a cop, Hong Chong Il. I’m an agent, here to find something valuable. My partner and I are going to set things right. It’s important I get your cooperation. After all, because of you Luhan has become involved.”

His eyes shot over at her. 

“Ring a bell?” Seohyun smirked before leaning forward. “I heard that you and Luhan have been in contact when he went overseas to study. Do you know that he’s come back?”

Hong Chong Il’s eyes went deathly wide and it honestly shocked Seohyun to see it do so. Was it wrong of her to bring it up?

“No!” he sprang to his feet. “Was that why he stopped writing me? No! He can’t be back! They’re going to kill him!”

Seohyun glanced up at him, “Who?”

“Where is he? Luhan, where is he!?”

“Would you kindly sit down first?” Seohyun questioned, a murderous edge to her voice.

He glanced at her with a glint of fear in his eyes before sitting back down uncomfortably. Tapping her fingers on her arms Seohyun tilted her head back slightly.

“So that we’re on the same wavelength, I need more details.” Seohyun told. “What e-mails were you sending back and forth? What were you talking about? What did you say that made someone such as Luhan come running back to Korea? Who’s going to kill him?”

Hong Chong Il crouched over and seeing him do so was scary indeed. Seohyun pursed her lips. He ran his eyes back and forth from side to side repeatedly. He really looked crazy and mentally disabled. What a sight for someone who used to be Noh Ki Young’s left hand man. Just what had happened to him?

“They’re watching.” He mumbled. “They’re going to know that I met with you, a woman.”

Seohyun turned to look around the room feeling the wrong kind of paranoid. He wasn’t talking about ghosts, she had to tell herself. She twisted her neck to glance at the window. Surely, no one was standing outside the window. No one had followed them in.

“I had the key and they took it before I could return it,” Hong Chong Il’s eyes looked as dead as his voice, “they were going to kill my family if I didn’t hand it over. So they took it and gave me money.” He shook his head as if in denial. “And they’re still watching.”

Was he senile?

“They’re watching Luhan too. Since he’s back, the moment he arrived at the airport, they’ve had their eyes on him. They’re just spinning him around in this crazy game before they kill him.”

“Who are ‘they’?” Seohyun asked a bit annoying by his vagueness.

He glanced around again, “His men. Noh Ki Young’s men.”

Seohyun frowned. “What about the e-mails. Talk to me about the e-mails.”

“I’ll send them to you. I have to go.” He stood up impatiently.

Seohyun got up along with him. “Wait…”

“I’m sorry. I have to go.” 

She heaved a sigh confused, impatient herself, and dug into her purse. Taking out a scrap paper she scribbled her e-mail and handed it to him. Hong Chong Il escaped from the room in no less than a second. It was nothing but bizarre.

Seohyun caught him outside just in time and tailed him on the way back. Who were these people who had their eyes on them? Would Luhan and Hong Chong Il really be killed if they weren’t careful? Why, after all this time, had Luhan no scratch on him if that were the case? What game was his father playing with him?

None of it made sense.

She watched Hong Chong Il walk into his home safely before heading back to the apartment. Seohyun still had to ask herself, was this key the ‘Golden Mary’?

After stopping by a sandwich shop she headed over to the park for her appointment with Siwon. It had been only one day since she hadn’t seen him and it had felt like an eternity had flown by. She was excited to see how he’d been doing. What new stories of his job was he going to share with her?

Seohyun kicked her legs back and forth from the bench she sat on and chewed happily on the sandwich she’d bought. From the corner of her eye she saw him wave to her and she eagerly waved back.

“What did you go to Gwangju for?” Siwon asked sitting down beside her. “That’s a long way from here.”

“To find out some things.” Seohyun replied. “How have you been doing?”

“I’m tired.”

“You look it.”

He smiled at her. “But I feel better after looking at you.”

Seohyun’s heart easily fluttered at his words.

“What did you go to find out in Gwangju?” Siwon asked leaning back.

She slowed down on the sandwich and swallowed it distastefully. “Say,” she turned to him, “there was a break-in at Hong Chong Il’s a few weeks back. Were you there?”

“Uh…yea. I remember.” Siwon nodded.

“You never caught the guys who broke in?”

Siwon shook his head, “Why?”

Seohyun smiled, “Nothing.”

She leaned back shyly into his arm and tilted her head to look at him before smiling.

When she returned to the apartment, Victoria was out. Luhan, however, was in and he was busying himself away with a bowl of whatever he was eating in the kitchen. Things still seemed the same as before she left. After dropping her bag off in her room she walked back out to grab a cup of water.

“How was your trip?” Luhan asked with head turned to look at her.

“Well, I wouldn’t say it was fun exactly,” Seohyun shut the fridge.  

He looked seemingly confused, “Then what did you do?”

“Where’s Victoria?” Seohyun changed the subject. “She looked tired the other day, she ok?”

“Ah…” Luhan turned away before turning back to her, “she was worried about you, but she says she trusts you. Was your trip really ok?”

Seohyun eyed him, “At least someone trusts me enough.”

“What do you mean?” Luhan looked innocent. 

She sighed and turned to walk away, “Never mind.”

\ \ \ \ \

Right after leaving a note on Victoria’s desk telling her that he had to run off to Lee Sook Chin’s he was out the door. It was early morning so morning traffic hadn’t started yet, thank goodness. Luhan paced through the streets and got into a taxi just starting its day and in a matter of time he was at his father’s best friend’s home. Lee Sook Chin’s secretary kindly waited for him at the front of the home.

Luhan was escorted into a private office where Lee Sook Chin was waiting with dread and worry on his face. It wasn’t what Luhan had expected.

“How far are you in on this matter?” Sook Chin asked straight away.

Luhan stared at him a little surprised.

“The key, Luhan, the key. I told you my warning at the beginning. Have you not had enough yet?” he sounded angry, despaired, and upset.

“The ‘Golden Mary’?” Luhan questioned.

Lee Sook Chin’s eyes widened before it became stern again. “A woman met with Hong Chong Il yesterday.”

The mention of Hong Chong Il caused Luhan’s heart to flip. 

“I don’t know what they talked about, but this is getting way too dangerous. You’ve got to stop looking for it and let the authorities handle it!”

“Is he…is he ok?” Luhan ignored his warning. “Secretary Hong, he’s alive and well?”

“Luhan!”

Luhan pressed his lips together.

“One wrong move and Hong Chong Il will die!” Lee Sook Chin shook his head furiously. “Leave the key alone. It will fix itself. Just let your father have it! Your mother isn’t hurt; she’s still alive and well! What good deed will come out with you going through this plot of revenge!? I know you’re well aware you’re being watched, you’re just putting everyone around you in danger. Please stop. Now!”

No word came from him.

Lee Sook Chin walked out from around his desk and spun him toward him, hands with firm grips on his arms.

“Luhan!” he bellowed.

A number of feelings infiltrated his system. He was sorry for having made them so worried, so scared for themselves and for him. Luhan knew now what he absolutely wanted to do. 

Prying Sook Chin’s hands off him he said, “I’m sorry, I’m not stopping. I’m almost there. I won’t contact you anymore, but where I am right now is a good place. I have friends who are certified to protect me. Everything will fall into place.”

And Luhan turned away to walk out.

Carefully stopping by the front entrance he peered out into the streets to find them well empty. Confident that he was alone Luhan ran out from where he was and darted into the street. That was right, they wouldn’t take his life just yet. He had a guarantee that his father’s men wouldn’t kill him until he saw his father again, but they would still be watching and they knew everything.  

\ \ \ \ \

A day had gone by and Seohyun still hadn’t received any e-mail from Hong Chong Il. She spent her day restlessly and idly running around the apartment with nothing to do and for some reason never once ran into Victoria.

\ \ \ \ \

Donghae stared at himself in the mirror, shaving cream had been neatly applied to his face. For the first time in a long time he was ready to face reality again. He wouldn’t stay as a cop any longer. He really wanted Victoria to see him for who he was and not as a thief who played with someone else’s identity. Whether she would accept him or not didn’t matter. At least he’d be himself, he’d know that he did have some good times with her.

\ \ \ \ \

Victoria stared at her phone and its charging cord carefully charged into an outlet. The damp smell of coffee beans swirled up her nose and she glanced at the cup of coffee gone cold in front of her. She was surrounded by life and yet she still felt as dead as ever.

Donghae had called her 5 times, no message had been left, and during that time she had just stared at the phone. When would he call next? When would she feel ready to take his call? 

Would she hear from him again after the last break-in?

\ \ \ \ \

It was mid-day, the same day as the day they would break into Yoo Yong Sun’s home. Again, Seohyun hadn’t seen anything of Victoria. With a sigh she her laptop, tapped her fingers on the desk, and immediately sat back when she saw the e-mail she’d been waiting for.

\ \ \ \ \

Luhan ran his eyes over the price of tickets for Jeju and paused. He would also need to talk to Victoria if they were heading there together. Grabbing his phone out he waited for her to answer.

There were plenty of other young men and women, some teens and kids at the least, at the internet café. Almost every seat had been taken when he’d stepped in and Luhan had to wait at least another 15 minutes before one was available. It was a mysteriously dark place where only the lights from each screen lit up the face of the person sitting in front. Most were gamers, some only came to chat, and very few came for homework. It was in fact a good hideout as well.

“Yes?” Victoria finally picked up.

He could make out the sound of wind rustling against the mouthpiece of her phone. “If you plan on going to Jeju, when would you go?” 

She was quiet, “Perhaps Monday. There’s no rush, but there’s also no need to wait either. Why not the sooner the better?”

Luhan stared at the price of each ticket again before turning his attention back to Victoria who’d been aimlessly wandering the past two days. Even he didn’t know where she’d gone for time alone, not that he really knew anyway. However, he was feeling worried. After the day she’d come back to the apartment in the state she had been, being around Victoria felt different. She wasn’t the confident person he knew her to be. It felt as if something in her was dragging her down, but what?

“Where are you?” the words trailed out.

Victoria seemed to hesitate and he could make out her taking a breath before answering, “I’ll head back late. You and Seohyun eat dinner without me.

“Are…are you ok?” Luhan voiced out his worry. “I can come get you and we can go back together. Or if anything’s bothering you…”

“I’ll be in time for the plan tonight. It’d be best you stay put.” Victoria said before hanging up.

The dead ring tone echoed in his ears before he set his phone down. He had a bad feeling, though, about tonight.

***Hong Chong Il's behavior is suspicious. He's rather afraid of 'those eyes' watching or rather the person behind all this

***Seohyun's going to find out more than she bargained for

***Luhan always foreshadows the worst