;;;;;

Taeyeon didn’t know what was happening. Whether is was an instinctive reaction or that she really was going along with him, it didn’t make sense to her either way. Her pulse raced and the only thought that occurred to her was to get closer. However, she was still consciously aware that they were up in the tree.

She felt his one of his hands drive up her waist while his other hand crawled all over her face. And he seemed to be kissing her ever so hungrily now. Taeyeon had only started responding to his actions just a few seconds ago and was now wondering how far she’d allow herself to go. It was hard, strangely, for her to pull herself away. Finally gathering some will deep within her Taeyeon suddenly pulled back while catching some air before staring at him with bewildered eyes.

“S…stop.” she stuttered.

Leeteuk immediately pulled his hands back and watched as she jumped down from the branch landing on the ground with pain springing up her ankles. He followed her almost immediately.

Without turning around Taeyeon suggested, “Lets head back now.”
 
When she got into the car she advised herself to sit as close to the passenger door as she could. She felt awkward and wondered if Leeteuk felt awkward too. Without word from either one of them Leetuek started the engine and drove off.

The ride was deathly long and Taeyeon wanted to scream because of the awkwardness high in the air. She couldn’t think normally because she was sweating so much from feeling so nervous. She couldn’t recall a time when she’d been so brain wrecked.

The sun was drifting into the sky when they began to reach familiar roads. However, Taeyeon’s nervousness suddenly died down when the car came to a slow halt. Glancing up through the front window she saw Changmin staring back at them dressed in clothes ready for a day out. But he didn’t look too excited to see them. It was strange and Taeyeon could feel that something was amiss from all of this. Slowly and at last she turned to look at Leeteuk, who didn’t glance at her before climbing down from the van. On impulse Taeyeon followed.

Changmin had been standing a few feet in front of the van as if he knew they were out. It felt kind of creepy to look at his serious eyes. What had got him so worked up?

“What are you doing with him?” Changmin asked glancing at her.

Taeyeon couldn’t find the words to answer him because of his hard glare toward Leeteuk. Where had this tension come from?

“Maybe you should ask your mother about what happened,” Leeteuk challenged.

“I didn’t ask you. Taeyeon has her own mouth, let her speak for herself,” Changmin started.

“And what are you doing right now?” Leeteuk asked. “After you found out your mother chased her out you’re now throwing a tantrum at me for chasing her back?”

“You shouldn’t be speaking…” Changmin said aloud then lowered the tone of his voice to that of a briskly angry one, “murderer.”

Leeteuk’s face expression loosened immediately, “What?”

Taeyeon felt her eyes widen in shock from that word and turned to glance at Leeteuk then back to Changmin, whose angry eyes only belonged to the man standing beside her. Murderer? Had she heard wrong?

“Stupid is not the game you should be playing,” Changmin told, “do you want to play cat and mouse with me?”

Leeteuk’s eyebrow twitched confused. “What are you talking about?”

“I know. I know it all.” Changmin muttered with his lips almost shaking in fury. “I’m not a murderer like you say.”

Taeyeon immediately shot her attention toward Changmin. What was going on? She was speechless and her mind was twisted with questions.

“Because I remember it all. I’m not like you, my memory is not disabled,” Changmin continued, “I am more aware of the truth than you. The fact that you killed her is too painful for you that your mind locked itself up!”  

Leeteuk threw himself at Changmin almost immediately and Taeyeon let out a shout as Leeteuk threw punches into Changmin’s face.

“Who killed who?! Say it again! You’re the one responsible for it all!” Leeteuk screamed at the top of his lungs. “That’s why your still here repaying your sins!”

Changmin wrestled his way to the top and punched Leeteuk’s cheek so hard that the edge of his lips started bleeding profusely, “You’re responsible for it all! Why do you keep pushing it onto me?! You’ve ruined my life!”

“Shut up with your lies!” furious Leeteuk continued with their wrestling match.

“Stop it!! You two cut it out!!” screamed Taeyeon who tried to make a move to separate the two before her eyes but was unable to.

Who could she call for help? The monk and Changmin’s mother were no good. She looked around and her eyes finally landed upon Leetuek’s van. Walking toward it she pulled open the driver’s side, reached in, and pressed the horn so that it rang continuously.

She watched with satisfaction as the two came to a stop startled and turned to look toward the van. From the side she saw Changmin’s mother rushing out of the gates alarmed. She glanced at the van then at Changmin and Leeteuk with a menacingly glare. Taeyeon felt ready for her wrath of fury.

“What’s going on?!” the old woman demanded.

Changmin glanced at Leeteuk with narrowed eyes before he shoved him away and finally stood up.

“Nothing,” Changmin told heading into the gates.

Changmin’s mother glanced at Leeteuk unsure of what to say about the sudden situation. However, more curious about her son’s situation she followed Changmin into the house. Taeyeon watched as Leeteuk got up, face streaked with blood. He turned to look at her and Taeyeon only found herself observing his face imagining how painful the open wounds felt.

“Can you still see?” Taeyeon sarcastically asked.

When Taeyeon got into the driver’s seat and restarted the engine she turned to look at Leeteuk, who had pulled down the mirror to look at himself.

“What’s this about who’s a murderer?” Taeyeon questioned without worry.

She wouldn’t be surprised if he decided not to tell her or if he did. Leeteuk remained silent and Taeyeon took that as her answer. Well, she’d never expected much from him anyway. Stepping on the accelerator she drove toward the mansion.

Seconds later Gyuri let out a shriek while the guys leaned in to check out Leeteuk’s wounds.

“Are you ok?”

“Must hurt a lot.”

“Why’d you get into a fight with a guy bigger than you?”

“He’s only taller in size, practically.”

“I found the first aid.” Siwon told rushing into the living room where the sun shone in through the window brightly. “Gyuri, why don’t you clean up his wounds.”

“That’s sick,” Gyuri muttered. “One of you guys do it.”

“We need the hand of a woman here,” Jang Hyuk excused.

Yoona shook her head from behind with arm linked through Taeyeon’s. While the others were busy pushing the job onto one another Yoona pulled Taeyeon away from them and out the front door.

“Unnie,” Yoona started, “the monk told me something.”

Taeyeon waited for her to go on.

With arms still linked Yoona carefully looked around the whispered, “He specified that there’s a woman who doesn’t like us here. Then he clearly said that they don’t speak of her anymore. It must mean that she lived around this area before and he knew her…or maybe they all knew her somehow.”

“Past tense?” Taeyeon asked turning to Yoona.

“I don’t think she’s alive anymore,” Yoona added. “Do you think this makes sense? Or did I go overboard?”

Taeyeon turned away quickly organizing her thoughts. It didn’t make sense in the first place that summer was suddenly a hazardous season and ever since they’ve arrived in the village nothing had seemed to make sense anyway. So, what Yoona had just said made sense. If only Leeteuk could regain his memories then she’d be able to piece it all together and find out the reason why these things were happening.

Kang Shin Ae. The name finally returned to her. The girl that appeared ever so mysteriously to Leeteuk and claimed that she knew him. The girl he’d asked her to find out about. Was it finally time to start playing detective?

“Don’t speak about it,” Taeyeon told, “if you don’t want to create problems.”

“That’s what the monk said.” Yoona said.

“Is that so?” Taeyeon asked then nodded. “Then that’s what we shall do.”

“But unnie, there’s something about him that I don’t like,” Yoona started, “do you think he’s lying to us?”

“Monks…don’t lie. It’d be a sin if they did.”

;;;;;

“What’s wrong? Why did you two fight?” his mother followed him persistently toward the large white house. “Son! Son!”

Changmin continuously ignored her.

“Do you want me to tell your father about this?!” she threatened.

Changmin stopped in his footsteps then slowly spun around to face his mother. “What?!”

“Why did you fight him?! I told you to avoid him at all costs!” she directly scolded.

It took much effort for him not to glare at her, “Why? Why do you want me to take all the blame for everything? Why?”

Enraged Changmin could only try as hard as he could to keep his language appropriate to the woman before him, who was his mother.

“Why did you tell everyone I caused the boat accident? Why!” Changmin shook his head. “What do you have hidden from me?! Why do you always treat Leeteuk’s parents like that?! Why do you treat father and I like this?!”

The woman’s eyes widened and without thinking slapped Changmin’s bruised up face, “Shut up!”

Changmin turned his face to stare at her and gritted his upper jaw against his lower jaw. Still gritting his teeth with much force he stepped pass his mom.

***More mystery...and more about Changmin's mother who....put the blame on him?! For what reason? hmm....