;;;;;

“Unnie,” Yoona said suddenly letting go of her arm.

Taeyeon glanced at Yoona before following her gaze to the driveway and felt surprised when she saw Changmin still bloody.

“I’ll go get the first aid,” Yoona whispered before turning around and Taeyeon could hear her run up the steps into the mansion.

Changmin didn’t walk forward nor did Taeyeon move toward him. The both of them remained glued to where they were standing.

“Unnie,” Yoona told appearing behind her with the first aid box.

Taeyeon half turned around glancing at the box. Yoona pushed it into her hands forcing her to take it.

“Tension will build up if you take Changmin into the mansion,” Yoona suggested, “the others will surely enjoy another fight between them, so go somewhere in the mean time.”

Taeyeon nodded and turned around nervously glancing at Changmin before she finally reached him. Coming to a stop in front of him she remained silent first.

“Lets go somewhere quiet first.” Taeyeon said at last.

Changmin sat down somewhere before the flower garden and Taeyeon took a seat beside him. Rummaging through the first aid kid she grabbed some swipes to wipe off the blood on his face. However, before she could even get to the blood Changmin grabbed her wrist and put it down on the ground.

“I don’t want you to mend me,” he told.

Taeyeon searched his face for any sign of anger, but there clearly was none.

“I’m not mending you. Just wiping the blood off,” Taeyeon corrected his sentence.

He flinched a little as the swipe touched his face. Taeyeon felt sorry but could not do anything regarding the painful wounds. Once his face cleaned up she tossed the swipes into the box and just sat beside him.

“I’m sorry for scaring you earlier,” Changmin apologized wholeheartedly while looking at the ground hugging his knees.

From beside her he looked like a hurt little boy that did not have anywhere to go. It sort of reminded her of herself when she was a helpless teenager in Australia.

“It must hurt,” was all Taeyeon was able to say.

“There’s a reason why Leeteuk and I remain distant,” Changmin started, “that picture you first saw in the house. Leeteuk’s parents, my parents, and the other couple were all good friends. Leeteuk and I got along well...back then. There was a girl, the daughter of the couple, they usually came here around the same time as Leeteuk and his parents did for summer vacation. The three of us, we played together.”

Taeyeon watched as he continued talking, explaining about himself to her. She wondered if talking made the wounds on his face sore.

“We were friends and I really liked her. However, it was always Leeteuk for her,” Changmin told. “We lost her in the boating accident.”

Taeyeon felt herself become excited at the new facts she’d just taken into memory. “How….did the accident happen?”

“The boat motor exploded some time after we left the dock and at the same time Leeteuk had been playing with the boat gears. So the adults assumed it was that that caused the motor explosion,” Changmin explained.

He turned to look at her without the same smile he always wore when he saw her. It was as if he was searching her face for any questions. Taeyeon did have questions, of course, but his gaze was too close and strong that she turned away in the end. In that moment she felt like a mouse staring back up into a cat’s eyes.

“I didn’t kill anyone,” Changmin said as if she’d asked, “it was a misunderstanding set by my mother.”

“Your mother?” Taeyeon felt herself repeat after him with shock.

Changmin didn’t turn to look at her, “I don’t know why.”

“Wait…what happened when the motor exploded? Weren’t you all near shore if it exploded just some time after you left the dock?” Taeyeon felt talkative again.

“Of course, we all landed in the water and we weren’t very close to the shore,” Changmin told, “and we weren’t grade A swimmers. I wasn’t hurt, but Leeteuk and the daughter of the couple were injured.”

A shadow overcame his face immediately as he tried to regain himself during that moment. Was it a painful memory for him? She saw him gulp before continuing.

“I wanted to save her first, but she only cried for me to save Leeteuk, so I left her by the frame of the boat that had become disconnected. However, when I went back she was gone.”

“Then…your mother said you caused the accident?” Taeyeon asked finally piecing it together.

Changmin didn’t nod nor shake his head, but Taeyeon knew she was right. There it was. The explanation behind why Changmin and Leeteuk remained enemies. And it was only because of one misunderstanding from childhood. Taeyeon finally felt it again. The fact that words were a lot stronger than verbal actions. Changmin’s mother had said something, which had left him scarred…so why had she told her to stay away from him? Why should Changmin be in danger? Taeyeon was more confused but yet she was certain that she’d found something to start off with. If she found a solid answer it’ll, hopefully, lead her to the bigger picture.

After walking back to the mansion alone Taeyeon could only worry about Kang Shin Ae and the boating accident, which had left Changmin a scapegoat. And Leeteuk…knew nothing about this. Why…did they all hide it from him? Was it to protect him?

It left Taeyeon feeling a bit burdened. Was she to find out the answers for Leeteuk or was she to search for reasons why Changmin’s mother had left the blame for him? And when she found the answers should she prove his innocence and make Leeteuk carry his guilt? What was more important to her?

Coming back to her senses Taeyeon looked up from where she stood in front of the large mansion. The building seemed to stare back at her with those three rows of windows lined above one another. Those windows resembled eyes that dared her to go further into the search.

The world wasn’t just spinning around her, it seemed like everyone else was out to get her, too. Leeteuk appeared by the doorway a few seconds later and it felt as if she were being contradicted. He seemed to stare at her silently as if speaking to her through the deep silence bound between them and in the blink of an eye Taeyeon felt her feet moving forward bringing her ever so closer to him. Climbing up the steps with each of her footsteps echoing in silence she stood atop the last one so that she was face to face with him.

“You…you really don’t know anything,” Taeyeon said. “Is there really nothing about your childhood you can remember?”

Did she really have to confirm this?  

A reflection in Leeteuk’s eyes changed as if he were suddenly seeing flashbacks but he remained still. “I already told you my memory isn’t strong.”

Should she believe him? Should she also believe Changmin’s words? But someone had to be at fault here and it had to either be Changmin or Leeteuk. Was Leeteuk really telling her the truth all along? Was Changmin telling her the truth? The both of them seemed so honest on their parts that Taeyeon didn’t want to have to decide for herself who should be hurt or not. To help one or the other…

“Can’t you remember anything? Anything at all?” Taeyeon persisted. Did she feel that if she continued to push him to remember, he would remember? What if…even if he remembered the truth he wouldn’t tell her the truth? Why did she feel so confused? It was all simple, it had to be simple: it was either one or the other.  

“I don’t know.”

He didn’t know. So, he didn’t know after all. But what if Changmin knew? What if Changmin knew everything?  

“How important was this person…this person…whom you say he killed?” Taeyeon asked hesitantly.

Leeteuk’s eyes changed again and it felt like she was reading his emotions from inside out. He couldn’t hide anything. Not his feelings.

“I don’t…know.” Leeteuk replied quietly lowering his gaze. “Someone important…” Leeteuk shifted his head up from the ground to meet her eyes, “Why are you questioning me?”

“Kang Shin Ae. I’m going to find out who she is first, then I’ll help you find your memories,” Taeyeon explained.

Was the monk wrong about her bringing the others misery? What if she were to be the miserable one in the end? Taeyeon stared at her small reflection in Leeteuk’s eyes hoping that after she discovered the truth about Changmin and Leeteuk’s strange past she’d be able to escape from the whirlpool she’d drowned in when she first stepped into the mansion.

“And if you ever do remember anything, I hope you’re able to tell me.”

“Then I also hope that you can tell me anything, if you do find anything, no matter the circumstances,” Leeteuk told.

Taeyeon just glanced at him before walking into the mansion without turning around to glance back. How to start finding out who Kang Shin Ae was? Maybe she should have planned her steps out first. Kang Shin Ae…was Leeteuk the only one who knew of her? If she was in this area…someone else should know about her. Why didn’t she think of that earlier?

“Taeyeon-ah,” Leeteuk called from behind her.

She stopped, paused, lowered her gaze to the ground, then finally turned around slowly hoping that he wasn’t going to speak anything related to last night. However, when she met with his eyes she knew what she was hoping for wasn’t true.

“That’s all…right?” asked Leeteuk. “Is that all you want to say?”

“Of course.” Taeyeon wanted to keep her words short. If she made her sentences long it’d mean she wanted to speak to him more and that was something she was not hoping for at the moment.

“Then…about what happened…”

“There’s no need to talk about it,” Taeyeon quickly interrupted.

“I was thinking you might be confused,” Leeteuk explained. “I know you disappeared for a bit…I hope I didn’t scare you…”

“I’m fine,” Taeyeon continued growing uncomfortable and nervous. “We don’t need to speak about it. I’ll pretend it never happened.”

With that Taeyeon hurried off leaving Leetuek to stare at her back blankly.

;;;;;


“But I was talking about the fight I had…” Leeteuk finished also feeling confused with Taeyeon.

Shrugging he turned around to head down the hallway to head to his bedroom when he felt a rush of cold wind from behind him. Turning around he found that he had forgotten to close the front door, but when he walked toward the door he saw a figure standing up ahead by the end of the drive. The wind blowing carelessly whipped her hair so gracefully behind her and the end of her dress waved back and forth with the wind also.

Kang Shin Ae.

The face smiled at him as if beckoning to go to her. And even if she didn’t smile Leeteuk would have walked to her anyway.

Her cheekbones really defined her face well whenever she smiled and her big eyes always seemed to glisten in a mysterious kind of way when she looked at him. It was the kind of strong-longing-look she always seemed to be sending his way. However, Leeteuk didn’t start noticing it until then. He should have been more suspicious about her but what was there to be suspicious about when he couldn’t even pin down a memory of his about her?  

“Leeteuk,” she greeted with hands entwined in front of her.

“Kang….Shin Ae?” he asked.

Another big bright smile lit up her face, “You remember my name, you haven’t forgotten.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t forget,” Leeteuk said. “But why are you here? Do you want to come inside?”

She glanced behind him and toward the mansion then quickly shook her head, “I don’t want to bother you.”

“You’re not bothering me. Do you know my grandma’s mansion?” asked Leeteuk. “You’ve been around here before, haven’t you?”

Kang Shin Ae glanced him again then toward the mansion, “Yes, I’ve been here many times.”

“Should I show you around?” Leeteuk wondered pointing back at the mansion. “I can also introduce my friends to you.”

“No. It’s alright, really.” Shin Ae persisted. “I don’t think they’ll like me.”

“Don’t like you?” repeated Leeteuk.

Shin Ae turned away and glanced around as if she would be able to find a way out.

“Can I take you somewhere instead?” Shin Ae asked in a solemn manner.

“Is it to a place we’ve been to before?” Leeteuk wondered.

Shin Ae smiled a little and deeply nodded her head and Leeteuk had no choice but to follow.

As they walked to there Shin Ae talked about the times they used to play together immensely. She seemed to be skipping most of the way with hands locked behind her. A blissful little girl, who couldn’t be any happier.

“Do you remember the time when we planted a tree together in the summer?” Shin Ae questioned expecting Leeteuk to nod and continue to talk about the experience with her but he was silent. “Leeteuk?”

She stopped in her steps and turned to glance back to see Leeteuk slowly following her without much of a heart. His eyes were a fixed gaze on the ground heavily thinking about something else.

“Leeteuk?” she called again in a depressed, yet hopeful manner.

Leeteuk, again, did not notice her as he continued to walk on dazed. Her head turned as she watched him walk pass her.

A while later then they reached the green hill with the large body of water and the lone tree guarding it Leeteuk finally turned to look for Shin Ae. At first he couldn’t spot her anywhere. When he finally turned around with his back to the fat tree he finally saw her standing near the edge of the body of water a few feet away with the end of her white dress flailing around in the wind. Her long hair wavered behind her with much life, however she did not turn to look at him like she usually would. There was a slight air of difference around her. She looked lonely and sad as if her mind her far in lost thought.

“Shin Ae?” Leeteuk called.

Shin Ae immediately turned and smiled…a sad one.

“Leeteuk…” Shin Ae called. “Come here.”

He walked toward her in a calm manner and stopped beside her.

“Could you do something for me?” she asked turning away from his eyes.

“What is it?”

“Could you get that flower for me?” came her mellow voice.

Leeteuk followed her gaze to the body of blue water. There was not a flower to be seen. Before he could say anything he felt a sudden push, yet, he was sure that from the corner of his eyes Shin Ae had not moved at all.

A loud splash rang in his ears as a big blue emerged before his eyes. His arms flailed around uselessly and he suddenly recalled he could not swim. Resurfacing he saw Shin Ae staring at him with a deep set of eyes, which he could not find the words to describe. He was able to utter no words from his mouth as the thick gravity of the water pulled him under again.

;;;;;

The memory played in her mind ever so clearly as the waves washed her off the boat frame. When her arms moved restlessly and she tried to call for Leeteuk but only ended up swallowing a whole gallon of water. Leeteuk was unable to come to her then…but he should be able to come to her now, shouldn’t he? Yet…why did she feel that his gaze was somewhere else…with someone else? When she finally chocked, couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe anymore she only recognized a darkness around her, which quickly disappeared as well as Leeteuk’s physical self. And she cried during the storms and called for Leeteuk, but no one heard her and Leeteuk was no where to be found then. If he were to come with her now she could hold his hand forever because she’d waited.

“Leeteuk!” she called with her voice piercing the thin air.

***The friend that died...realize that Changmin did not say her name at all.

***Sorry for the late update guys. I was unable to write last week because I was down in Chicago for the Mitsuwa Japanese market and was visiting China Town :) I was focused on writing a while earlier so I would be able to post up a whole chapter for you guys to enjoy. Anyhow, I won't update again until next week. Enjoy and study hard!!