~_____~

Namjoo turned around from the stove to see Tao chopping the veggies she needed for her dish very slowly as if to make them precise in size and looking nice were most important. Scraps of old leaves lay scattered aside on the table in a mess and Namjoo watched him work away concentratedly. It wasn’t hard to see that Tao was putting the most of his efforts into the smallest things. Realizing this made her remininsce back to the earlier days when he just joined the group.

To complain, whine, and plead had been his ways. She wasn’t sure what had happened mid-way that influenced him to change his ways. Thinking about how he was changing allowed her curiosity to grow. He was definitely like a child just growing up; leaving his youth behind to step into adulthood.

Stepping forward Namjoo glanced at the cut pieces he had sitting on one corner of the cutting board then looked up at him.

“Good job, Tao,” she complimented, “they look nice.”

His eyes slid over to glance at her before he quickly looked away. This sudden movement made her want to laugh.

“Is there…is there anything else?” Tao wondered setting the knife down and Namjoo took the cutting board over to the counter.

“No.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

Knowing he wouldn’t stop until she gave him something to do she said, “You can get the rice ready and set out some plates.”

“Ok,” he answered enthusiastically.

When Tao started moving around Namjoo stole a glance of him through the corner of her eyes. In some ways Tao was similar to Kris. He always wanted something, always having the need to converse, and she was made the center of it all. Namjoo was still feeling sorry that she’d given up dinner with Kris for Tao.

She didn’t have a preference between the two yet, but she definitely did feel like she knew Kris on more terms than Tao. Both of them were good people and that made it troubling.

“Do you always eat alone?” Tao asked a few minutes later when they were both at the table eating.

Pulling the spoon out of she nodded while chewing.

“Then…can I come eat with you instead of Donghae?” Tao questioned. “He’s not that entertaining.”

Quickly swallowing she told, “Sometimes...I’m not always in. I eat out too or I’m with Suho.”

“But you nodded earlier…” Tao tried than gave up. “Are you and Suho always together?”

“We work together.”

“There are other people on the team right now too, why don’t you hang out with them?” After the question, Tao immediately shut his lips. “Never mind. Forget what I said.”

A moment of silence passed.

“What about you Tao?” Namjoo asked with an edge of curiosity and patience in her tone. “Do you always eat alone?”

He gripped onto the end of his utensil and never placed the food on his spoon into his mouth. “Who would want to eat with me?”

Namjoo lifted her head up to look at him and they ate the rest of the meal in utter silence. As if Tao had been watching all along, once she finished what was on her plate and began to get up he jumped from his seat, taking the plate from her.

“I’ll do it,” Tao offered, “I’ll wash the dishes. Just sit there, don’t move at all, ok?”

Her lids fluttered appalled before turning around to watch Tao turn the sink on and grab the sponge. Another moment of silence passed on and Namjoo glanced at the leftover rice on the table before getting up to put it back in the rice cooker. She turned when Tao took the plate from her. As if to keep himself busy he focused on washing the dishes and spoke without looking at her.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if in the future I did everything and you could just sit?”

Namjoo peered up at him. What future was he talking about? What kind of things was Tao already thinking about?

“I don’t think I’d mind,” Tao went on dreamily, “doing the dishes, washing the laundry, cleaning the house; I suddenly feel like I want to do all of those.”

“Tao…”

Was he talking about him in her future? Their future?

“I’d like it if was like that,” Tao finally turned the faucet off and turned to look at her. “I like you a lot, Namjoo. I wish…you didn’t have to work so hard and do everything yourself. If…if I could do some of it for you…”

Namjoo felt her mind rush, the words in her head scrambling into pieces before she could totally grasp what it was he said and what she wanted.

“Why?” Namjoo asked, her eyes set on the tiles of the kitchen floor before looking up at him. “Tao, why do you like me?”

There was nothing good she saw in herself. Sometimes, even Namjoo disliked herself. And here came along a person who’d spent more time behind bars than enjoying life telling her he wanted to take her burden. It was bizarre.

“I know, right?” Tao asked. “You’re just annoying and you’re always rough with everyone. You even seem heartless and mean, but I guess that’s not any worse than me. I don’t know why I like you either. I prefer someone whose appearance is a super model’s.”

Whether he was joking or not, Namjoo couldn’t find it in her to laugh. Why was the tone in Tao’s voice all so grateful and sincere?

“But you make me feel like I’m the only one that exists. No one has given me anything before without expecting something in return,” Tao’s eyes seemed a little sad as he remininsced. “I got clothes from you and food, and it makes me want to do more for you. I probably don’t even deserve to be with you, but I keep thinking about who might be by your side and I don’t like those thoughts. I’m aware I’m not good enough yet, but can’t you tell me that you think about me too?”

Tao’s words caused the jumble of thoughts inside her mind to erode and everything in her thoughts became blank. Namjoo just stood in spot staring up at him. What was it that Tao was doing to her?

Her head remained tilted as she continued to look at him without motion before Tao suddenly appeared closer to her. Namjoo’s heartbeat slowed and thudded against her ribs in what seemed like each half minute. While Tao’s breath slowly touched her face her lids half lowered themselves; her pupils diluted on his lips.

The ringing of her phone seemed like an earthquake to the silence cause Namjoo to twist away. A deep breath left her at what almost just happened and wrapped her hand around the back of her neck as she frantically sought for her phone.

“He…hello?” Namjoo stuttered.

“Oh…it’s me,” Suho replied. “What’s with your voice?”

“No, nothing,” clamping her eyes shut she shook her head unable to think about Tao standing behind her. “What is it?”

“Donghae came to me earlier,” Suho started, “I think we should head to Wonju as soon as possible now.”

And suddenly everything else dropped itself from her mind. “What did he say?”  

“The gangmen spoke about Wonju,” Suho further explained, “it was supposed to be their next stop.”

“Ok,” Namjoo nodded. “Whenever you’re ready, lets do it.”

“Get some rest then,” Suho advised, “I’ll call you after midnight.”

“Who was it?” Tao asked after she lowered the phone from her ear.

“Just…” Namjoo made a turn of her head, but was unable to look at Tao directly.

“Thank you,” Tao said as if sensing her feelings, “for dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow at work.”

Namjoo nodded.

“Good night, Namjoo,” Tao smiled before walking out.

When the door closed Namjoo found herself staring at the tiled floor becoming lost in thought, a worried frown falling over her creased but wide eyes.

~_____~

As Lay bid them farewell Chorong turned to look at Kris.

Having shaken off the horror from seeing Victoria near death she felt her mind rush with matters she’d meant to dismiss earlier.

“Are you heading straight home?” Chorong questioned. “If not, lets grab a bite before letting the rest of today go.”

Kris shot her a glance before they found themselves inside a small café drinking more coffee and feeding off sandwiches. To Chorong, Kris looked like he was trying to avoid something he couldn’t. It all showed up on his face, matters and agony over it.

“What was with you earlier?” Chorong started. “You suddenly drifted off before the job ended.”

Kris glanced up at her and muttered, “Nothing.”

Grabbing her cup of coffee she watched for Kris’ face expression, “I overheard you and Namjoo talking this morning. Something along the line of you’ve been different toward her. Does it mean you two met up over break if she knows you’ve been different?”

Kris’ gloomy expression quickly disappeared into a stark frown. “It’s not your business, Chorong.”

“You get highly sensitive every time I talk about Namjoo,” Chorong pointed out, “you’re always on her defense, did you know that?”

“Did you call me out to get on my nerves?” Kris asked with no more appetite.

“No,” Chorong denied, “actually, I’m just curious about one thing. Kris, do you like Namjoo?”

The people buzzing around inside the café became noisier while she waited for his answer. Kris’ eyes drifted to and fro. Did giving her an answer or not matter so much? Did he think she had other plans in mind?

“Yea,” his voice was very quiet as his eyes glazed over the table, “I like her. I like her a lot.”

Chorong felt her heart go out to him. Suddenly, as if having enough with keeping everything inside Kris just burst.

“We were supposed to have dinner, but something came up on her side,” Kris told then smiled bitterly. “I feel so moody and depressed over it, can you believe it?”

On a part, Chorong thought Kris was much better off than her. He was able to act off his emotions, but she couldn’t. It made her envious.  

“Does she know you like her?”

Kris just stared at the tabletop.

“Why don’t you tell her?” Chorong wondered. “You probably know her more than Tao.”

“Of course,” Kris readily agreed, “I met her first.”

A smile flittered across Chorong’s face at his silly statement.

“You two met her on the same day,” Chorong reminded. “We were there when she came to pick Tao up.”

“It doesn’t make any difference,” Kris pushed her words off his shoulders.

A flustered smile melted across her face.

“Why are you talking to me about this?” Kris finally lifted his head up to look at her.

“Just…” Chorong started then quieted when she realized she didn’t know what she was going to say.

In the end a smitten smile stole her over.

“Namjoo, at first, seemed like a really cruel and immature person. Then I learned that she had her own circumstances that make her like that, and that’s why she treats us the way she does. Now she’s just a really soft person underneath that exterior. I think you break her barrier a lot since you don’t hesitate around her and you’re the only one who’s capable of that.”

Kris watched her smile at him encouragingly again.

“I think you two match,” Chorong finally said. “Since we all know Tao likes her, everybody is probably expecting them to become something. I would feel sorry for you if you keep your mouth shut till the end.”

Kris rubbed his fingers together, “Is this about me or you now?”

“Huh?”

The corner of his lips grew upward, “Don’t joke with me, Chorong. You’re one-sided for Suho. You don’t have to worry about Namjoo and I. We’ve had our time and I’m sure Namjoo can sense what’s coming from me, but I haven’t seen you or Suho together. Shouldn’t you be more worried?”

A harsh beat of her heart thudded against her rib cage and she thought it ached for a split second.

“I don’t think Suho knows anything about you,” Kris told, “he’s just a clueless person among his busy schedule. You should make things clear to him before this whole job is over and done with. If you think about it, we only met because of this job. After it’s done, we’re going back to our old lives.”

Kris was right. Not much time had been spent with Suho. She hadn’t taken initiation to talk to him about anything either. After the mission ended she would go back to being an Assistant Inspector and Suho would go back to working with Namjoo and Donghae. They’d be apart then, but Chorong thought she really wanted to keep in contact with Suho nonetheless.

“I’m going now,” Kris bid his farewell. “Good luck, Chorong.”

Chorong walked back to her apartment in a daze. All Suho talked to her about was encouragement; that she could do her job, that she had the ability to do what was beyond her expectation of herself, and that she was much stronger than she thought. But beyond that, Suho went no further.

Sighing again, Chorong sat down on the front steps of her apartment building when she arrived. The stars were lighting up the sky into full bloom, but why did it look so happy when she was so gloomy?

Was she and Suho not supposed to be anything at all? Even when she liked him so much that it was hard to concentrate on the plans at hand?

What was she going to do?

~_____~

Donghae turned around in the room when Victoria jolted in her sleep. She’d created so loud a racket that the pole where her IV drip hung from shook. Walking back toward her he glanced down at her to see her forehead was glistening with a light sheet of sweat. Had it been a bad dream or was she having a fever?

Placing his hand against her forehead and the other hand to his to compare the heat he thought Victoria’s was slightly hotter. According to the doctor Victoria had been shot in the stomach which resulted in some ripped tissue, but her organ wasn’t in bad shape. Recovery for her stomach would be easy, but it was the fact that Victoria wouldn’t be able to do things easily on her own. Plus, easy to digest food would be a must.

Donghae found it troublesome, because he wasn’t sure Victoria had anyone to look after her or if she had easy to digest food. He wanted to sigh, but couldn’t find it in himself to. He thought about how long Victoria must have lain there before Lay and the others arrived. The people who shot her probably left on spot expecting her to die.

“Tsh…strong willed woman,” Donghae muttered underneath his breath before reaching over to press the button for a nurse. When the nurse arrived Donghae announced, “I think she’s having a fever.”

What worried him alongside Victoria only having herself was why she’d gone to Eunhyuk’s place and what she’d hoped to find?

“The fever is a normal side effect after the surgery,” the nurse explained, “keep her warm through the night and the fever should subside by tomorrow morning.”

Donghae nodded and closed the door after she left. He nearly dozed off about four or five times throughout the night and every time he woke back up he’d press his hand against her forehead to check for her fever. It did slowly become cooler as the nurse had said, but he didn’t think Victoria would survive the night with just that thin sheet of blanket.

Why hadn’t he bothered to ask for another one when the nurse was here?

Slightly groaning he slipped out of his jacket in the cold room to gently place it around her and even made sure to readjust the blanket around her so she was tucked in well. Sighing as he sat back down all he did was watch her sleep. 

***Kyaaa!!! /dies at Tao's moves on Namjoo *.* & Donghae's hidden kindness toward Victoria

***Infatuated Kris & Chorong are on the sidelines currently ;~; 

***LOLOL at Suho though. He's the king of interruptions