“Can there not be some honesty from your answer?” Taeyeon challenged.

“It’s a long story,” Changmin tried to escape.

“I’m not taking that as an answer.”

They continued to stare at each other.

“Did something go down between you two?” when Changmin averted his eyes from hers she knew she caught on. “Is it that bad?”

“You’re stepping past the line, Kim Taeyeon.” Changmin told when he finally managed to turn back to her.

Taeyeon opened then took a breath and continued on, “I admit I am in no position to be speaking like this to you, but the way you looked at me when you first saw Leeteuk again…there’s something about that. You two catch my attention so it makes me curious.”

“Your character changes really fast,” Changmin pointed out, “you really caught me off guard.”

Taeyeon didn’t know whether to take it as an insult or if he was just saying it out of anger.

“It’s something about her to wonder about,” a voice from behind caught their attention.

Taeyeon half spun around to see Leeteuk standing not too far away from them. The only thing that bothered and entered her mind was why was he there? She watched as he ignored her and allowed his gaze to meet with Changmin’s. In no time Leeteuk was already standing next to her. Why…what was going on?

“Long time no see.” Leeteuk greeted.

Changmin was unable to utter a word. Taeyeon didn’t know why but she felt as if Changmin was outnumbered by Leeteuk just standing there. It was like Leeteuk held more power against Changmin. Taeyeon felt like she sympathized more with Changmin. Leeteuk had just butted in on their conversation…and Taeyeon felt that if it weren’t for Leeteuk she could have gained some good information from Changmin.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Leeteuk teased meanly. “You always have plenty to say.”

Taeyeon glanced from the silent Changmin to the talkative Leeteuk.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Leeteuk asked. “Why are you so quiet? Why are you acting like nothing’s wrong?”

“Yah, what are you doing?” Taeyeon asked Leeteuk, who ignored her again.

“Is there something to hide?” Leeteuk said.

Changmin only reciprocated his stare. Was he afraid of something?

Watching Leeteuk continue to taunt him brought back torturous memories to Taeyeon. She’d been a bully, she’d hurt others who couldn’t stand up for themselves, she’d done things she shouldn’t have done at her age, but joining her uncle on the streets and being tormented by those who were like her made her realize that she didn’t like being treated like that.

“What are you doing now?” Leeteuk taunted. “Are you thinking about ‘then’?”

Changmin slightly angled his head at Leeteuk’s last words. There was really something that the two of them were hiding. But even so watching and listening to Leeteuk taunt Changmin was something Taeyeon didn’t like.

Images scurried throughout her mind like a mouse trying to hide from a cat. She didn’t want to remember any of it but Leeteuk’s tone of voice was making everything become clear in her head again. Memories of running away during times when she had no choice but to steal from others rushed back in an instance. Being chased, screaming, being thrown against tin cans, escaping through dark alleys, running into nightclubs, being beaten, watching her uncle suffer himself…they were all horrible things Taeyeon had wanted to discard. Sending her to Australia was the worst harm her parents had caused her. And she had become mentally scarred ever since.

“Be quiet.” Changmin ordered.

“Why? Do you want to run away if I say it here?” Leeteuk taunted.

Shattering images of being held down by a man with a knife made Taeyeon’s heart stop.

“Stop it!” Taeyeon suddenly screamed with hands on her ears. “Stop it!”

Leeteuk suddenly turned to her with big eyes full of surprise. Changmin felt his eyebrows twitch into a slight frown as Taeyeon began to panic in front of them. She shrunk to the ground with eyes closed shut and hands over hear ears as if she were cowering from someone.

“Taeyeon! What’s wrong?!” Leeteuk half knelt on the ground next to her.

Taeyeon shook her head unable to tell reality apart from the things she was seeing in her mind. It was difficult to open her eyes.

“Yah! Kim Taeyeon! Snap out of it!” Leeteuk continued.

Changmin could only watch on too surprised. When he was finally able to get a hold of himself he got onto his knees in front of her and observed her face.

“Taeyeon,” he called.

Leeteuk glanced at him before Taeyeon raised her head and opened her eyes. The way she looked at him was so gentle and different from how she’d looked at anyone else.

“What are you doing? Are you crazy?” Leeteuk found himself asking.

Taeyeon looked at him and stood up glancing at her surroundings.

“I…” she began her explanation.

“I’ll walk you back,” Changmin suggested.

“No,” Leeteuk stopped him, “just go back.”

Changmin and Leeteuk stared at each other. Taeyeon glanced at Changmin once and after she received a nod from him she turned around to walk away. She could hear Leeteuk’s footsteps follow her back in no time. It wasn’t long till he caught up with her.

“You’re really something,” he complimented.

Taeyeon ignored him. She was beginning to find him a bit annoying. Quickening her pace Taeyeon tried to out walk him but Leeteuk kept up with her and from the corner of her eyes she could see the sly smile on his face. What did he want from her this time? Leeteuk’s character changed just as fast as hers. She couldn’t quite bring herself to understand his actions nor her own. What was going on with them?

“Slow down will you?” he asked after stopping her by pulling her arm.

Taeyeon turned to face him aggressively, “What do you want?!”

Leeteuk stared at her surprised then said, “You’re angry? Why?”

Taeyeon only found herself staring back at him sulking in her anger that had come out of nowhere. She didn’t even know why she was angry.

“Why?” he asked again.

Taeyeon pushed his hand off her arm and continued to walk toward the mansion. Leeteuk, again, followed her. Silence rung around them like the chirping of the birds continuously. The air didn’t whip around them calmly…no there was no wind at all. Eventually as Taeyeon slowed down Leeteuk came into step with her. It was as if he’d changed from a bully into a playful boy. With hands tucked behind his back he leaned forward with his head turned while he continued to stare on at her.

When Taeyeon finally turned to him she questioned, “What?”

Leeteuk smiled a big and nice smile, “Why were you screaming a while ago?”

Taeyeon stopped in her steps hesitating about what to say. Leeteuk waited for her to answer his question but instead Taeyeon turned to him with another question.

“Why are you so mean to him?”

“Who?”

“Do you want to hear me say his name?” Taeyeon challenged. “Changmin.”

Leeteuk turned away from her stare.

“Why do you taunt him every time?” she continued.

“Why should you have a problem with it?”

“Because I don’t like it.” she immediately replied.

Leeteuk stared at her with hard eyes. She didn’t know how to read him. If he was angry or annoyed with her in return she didn’t know. When he didn’t give her a reply Taeyeon turned away and headed toward the mansion. When they headed in they avoided each other and at dinner they also avoided each other.   

Night had quickly fell after they reached the mansion. After taking a shower and getting dressed in her room Taeyeon paused before the long mirror. Staring at herself Taeyeon knew she should be crazy for having screamed earlier. Thinking back to when Leeteuk and Changmin were calling her name she felt a bit sorry that she couldn’t get a hold of herself in time. Too bad that there was no time to feel embarrassed about such things. Holding in her breath and taking a gulp she slowly reached for the bottom of her shirt. Lifting up her shirt she could see the deep gash on the side of her waist.

;;;;;

Leeteuk lay down in bed with his arms tucked underneath his head. His mind was slowly becoming to be occupied with only one thing: Taeyeon. She was strange and he couldn’t quite help but become more curious about her. She was so interesting and different that it didn’t seem normal to him. If it weren’t for Yoona and Siwon he would have never known that such a person existed. As Leeteuk looked up at the dark ceiling his mind slowly began to think of other things. Ever since they’d arrived at the mansion Taeyeon had only concerned herself with one thing: Changmin. Why was she so worried about him? Every time she went missing she was always with Changmin. Why would she have a problem with the way he acted toward Changmin? Why should it affect her in any way?

Suddenly sitting up Leeteuk felt something different surge through him. He’d had plenty of girls before and he’d experienced all kinds of romances with them. Every time he was with someone different his feelings for them would always be at least a little different. However, this time it wasn’t the fact that he liked someone because he didn’t like anyone. It was the realization that Taeyeon had feelings for Changmin. Why was that so surprising?

“Ah…forget it, forget it, forget it,” he told himself over and over before turning onto his side and closing his eyes.