Kris stared back at her, his eyes large in width with a kind of childish innocence and worry. Namjoo opened to say something, but only ended up taking a step back.

“Are you ok?” He asked immediately. “You look pale.”

Namjooo inched back when he reached forward to touch her and quickly spun around, “You came for your phone, right?”

Unable to face him she hurriedly started toward the counter where his phone was. If she gave it to him he’d leave right away, wouldn’t he?

From the corner of her eye Chorong stepped back to watch, but Namjoo couldn’t find it in herself to pay any attention to her. Her first priority was to rid her home of him.

Grabbing the phone off the counter she turned around only to come to an immediate halt. Her heart was still thudding seriously hard inside her ears and everything seemed to flash in bright colors around her. It felt like she was losing it over such a simple matter that she didn’t even believe was true. But the reason she’d been mistaken for being pregnant was his fault in the first place and she just couldn’t find it in herself to deal with him.

However as much as she wanted to deny anything he was standing in her home a few steps away from the table. There was unexpected surprise on his face when he saw that Chorong was there with her. All that meant that he couldn’t say exactly what was on his mind in front of someone else.

“Um…I…” Chorong slowly started somehow confused by everything as Namjoo gripped harder onto his phone.

A quick knock on the door cut her off and the three of them turned heads toward the door. An exasperated sigh fell out of her quietly.

She already knew who it was.

This was perfect, just perfect, she angrily thought.

Without saying anything Chorong invited herself out of their space to open the door. With her gone Kris took a step forward.

“Namjoo…”

“Be quiet,” she sternly ordered underneath her breath, “that’s Tao. So just be quiet.”

He clenched his teeth together ever so slightly before hurried footsteps started toward them only to come to a shuffled pause. She could almost hear the glance Tao was shooting at Kris and clamped her eyes shut. Namjoo really needed a moment to breathe. She hadn’t called for a full house or for so many people over.

What was this?

After a moment of regathering herself she walked forward and held his phone out, “You came to get this, right?”

Kris’ eyes landed on her silently.

“Here,” Namjoo continued, “so you can go now.”

She could feel Tao looking them over, but nothing annoyed her as much as having the two of them there with her at once.

“No,” Kris said, “I came for my phone and dinner.”

Grabbing it out of her hand he sat down at the table proudly to which Namjoo found herself biting her lips in retort. Tao shot a glance at her while Chorong seemingly watched very quietly. That piece of paper tucked safely into her pocket seemed to be biting at her mind as more seconds ticked by. Namjoo thought about it every second she saw Kris sitting at her table stubbornly.

Turning around she grabbed a couple of plates from the shelf and set them onto the table, “Have dinner too, Tao.”

And that was how she found herself sitting at the table with Kris and Tao; a complete nightmare with Chorong beside her.

“Donghae said you were at the hospital,” Tao started, “are you ok? Should I make you some medicine? I know of something that might help boost your energy.”

“Are you trying to kill her?” Kris asked. “You’re not a doctor.”

Namjoo felt her mind spin again at the mention of a doctor. Dizzy, she turned away from them.

“Are you ok?” Chorong worried.

“I’m going to go get some rest,” Namjoo stood and turned to Chorong, “just stick everything in the fridge when they leave.”

Without paying them further attention she started toward her bedroom and shut the door. She didn’t want to deal with either Kris or Tao right now. She had never asked for their attention and she was confused how everything had turned out like this.

Right now she just wanted some space.

Walking into the bathroom she shut the door before pulling the piece of paper in her pocket out. Running her eyes over everything again she folded it back up quickly with resentment. Placing it into the drawer underneath the sink she slammed it shut.

No, it wasn’t true. She would never believe it. She wasn’t carrying. She was still strong and capable in action. She was the same Namjoo before Victoria’s team joined them. Nothing had changed.

~_____~

Tao watched Namjoo walk away without so much of a glance his way.

Why wasn’t anything working in his favor today?

Turning away he stared at her empty chair before his eyes naturally moved over to the porridge sitting on the counter. It had been untouched whether Namjoo had seen it or not.

This bulging irritation seethed through him. He thought of the way Namjoo had looked at Kris earlier with deep set eyes as if she had been thinking hard about something. Something that only she knew or maybe he knew as well, because she’d let him get his way with having dinner. When he thought about it he felt angry.

Realizing that Kris and Chorong, who were from the same team, would indirectly go against him he stood up. Whatever that happened, Chorong wouldn’t back him up. It’d be better if he just upped and left.

“I’m leaving,” was all he said before walking out.

When the door closed behind him he stopped in his steps.

He only came because he was worried. Namjoo should have realized that as well. If she wanted space, he’d give it to her, but he wouldn’t next time. Next time, he’d hold her and make her talk to him.

At least, in the very least Namjoo should depend on him.

He wanted her to.

~_____~

Chorong watched Kris’ eyes follow after Tao and once the door shut placed down the spoon in his hand. He had his lips tightly shut in the kind of way when he had come to a dead end with an assignment and needed to figure a different route out.

Nothing was said for a particularly long time. Losing her still hungry appetite she also set her utensils down. Dinner had been ruined and the talk she’d finally had with Namjoo was ruined. Why couldn’t anything ever happen in peace?

Yet, it wasn’t like she could blame Tao or Kris. It must’ve been hell for Kris when Tao confessed to Namjoo and now the two of them were just putting up a fight. Chorong knew she couldn’t say anything in this sense. They still had to see Tao no matter if they liked it or not at work. They were still a team until everything was put to an end.

“Was she ok when she got back?” Kris asked.

“What happened?”

“Suho said she out and was unresponsive for an hour,” he quietly explained. “I was worried, but since you’re here I feel relieved. With all we’re doing, this running around and stuff; I don’t think she’s been eating right.”

The food in front of her seemed to jump out at her as if to tell her she should be guilty for having it good while Suho and Namjoo worked so hard.

“They went to Wonju today,” Chorong told. “Suho said they were scouting, but I’m not sure.”

A kind of spiteful laugh came through, “They’re such workaholics, aren’t they? A break isn’t even break.”

A windy silence whipped pass before Kris spoke up again, “Say Chorong, do you think you can stay here for a few days? Maybe you can help look after her.”

Chorong’s eyes slightly widened, “What are you saying? Are you crazy?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Me?” Chorong pointed to herself then shook her head. “I don’t think I can.”

Feeling kind of sullen she looked around Namjoo’s apartment.

Slightly lowering her head she said, “It’s kind of empty here, isn’t it? But I kind of feel like Namjoo likes being alone; that she’s kind of gotten used to it. I don’t think she’d like it if I asked to stay. You know what I’m saying?”

“You could try, can’t you?”

Honestly, she wasn’t sure. She was aware Namjoo was kind of out of the pack. She and Suho were kind of the same; out there and alone, but she thought she wouldn’t like it if someone tried invading her area without her permission. When alone, you’re alone.

“I don’t know. We’ll see,” Chorong managed to excuse herself from it. Finally looking up she asked, “Kris, have you even told her about how you feel?”

“I want to know how she feels first.”

Chorong was baffled speechless, “You should at least let her know about your feelings. What point is there in making her tell you hers for no particular reason at all? It makes you look conceded and selfish. Why are you so hesitant? It makes Namjoo think you’re just here to bug her or annoy the heck out of her.”

Kris looked slightly taken aback and Choring was thrown off with guilt.

“Does she…really think that?”

She hesitated, but nodded, “Yes.”

She thought disappointment overrode his face and felt more guilt gush from inside, like smoke swirling through her. Just as her earlier thoughts she wondered if anybody had realized this and talked to him, or if he had spoken about it to anyone at all.

“Am I the only one who knows about this?” Chorong wondered.

“Suho knows.”

“Su…ho?” She repeated shocked and surprised.

~_____~

“I’m back!” Yoona loudly announced her return when she opened the door.

Victoria turned to look at her from the couch with a bowl on her lap before turning the TV off.

“Took you all day?” She asked in a manner that Yoona should have been faster.

“There was a situation,” Yoona explained calmly as she closed the door before holding up a large yellow envelope. Smiling she spoke, “But I got it! What you wanted.”

“Put this on the table,” Victoria ordered handing her the bowl.

Taking it Yoona raised her brows, “Oh? You cooked?”

“The jerk brought it,” Victoria replied while busily pulling out the papers inside.

“Ah…so he came again? He really does keep his words. You know if he’s so persistent, why do you have to be like that to him?” Yoona’s voice drowned out in the background as her eyes scanned the documents.

Part of her screamed back at Yoona that it wasn’t like she wanted to be rude either. Donghae just made her that way. The way he treated her was already much for her to endure. The longer they worked together, the less she understood what was running through his mind. He was too complicated of a case for her.

Sarcastically she thought she should have taken a case on him instead.

That voice faded at once when she caught the name on the document.

Lee Hyun.

“Lee Hyun?” Victoria repeated to herself quietly at first before looking up at the ceiling to further progress her thoughts. Turning to Yoona she asked, “He’s the account holder?”

“Yes. So far as I know.”

Quickly flipping the pages that had been stapled to it Victoria scanned over the other accounts which had received payment from Eunhyuk’s account. She didn’t recognize the names.

“Who are these people?” Victoria asked.

“Who?”

Holding the paper up to her she watched Yoona run her eyes over them as well before shrugging.

“I don’t know them either.”

Victoria’s eyes darted around before she ordered, “Go to the police station tomorrow to check them out whether they’re criminals, debt collectors, loansharks, or whatever. Whatever kind of guy Lee Hyun is; I need to know why he’s connected to Eunhyuk.  Also, see what kind of debt these are and for what kind of reasons they were loaned out.”

“I’m not sure about that last one,” Yoona told. “Loans from names like these mean only the one who applied for it knows.”

Victoria pressed her lips together impatiently. She was unwilling to lose out. Whatever kind of trick Donghae was pulling she would discover. And whatever it was she found out about Eunhyuk she wouldn’t share with Donghae.

As useless as she was right now, she would still put up a front with him. This kind act of his wouldn’t soften her.

Victoria wasn’t that simple.

“Then put that as an option,” Victoria bitterly gave in. “If you can, I’d like some information.”

Yoona nodded then asked, “Do you want anything else? Anything from the store? I can get you anything.”

“Some pain killers,” Victoria answered.

“You want more?” Yoona leaned forward to look at her confused.

“The more the merrier,” Victoria replied through slightly clenched teeth.

“Why?”

“I suddenly thought of something while cussing in my head.”

There was a moment of silence before Yoona laughed in a baffled manner. She sounded both shocked and surprised as if what she was witnessing was unbelievable.

“What the heck,” Yoona commented before sitting down on the arm rest. “What are you thinking then?”

“I forgot someone, someone who’s very close by.”

“Huh?”

Victoria felt like laughing.

Why was everything so ironic?

They always say what you’re looking for is right in front of you. Victoria should have thought of this sooner.

What was wrong with her?

Donghae was hard to trust as well. She’d learned that over a short period of time. After all these things their teams had gone through, why hadn’t she figured things out yet?

She should have nailed this earlier.

Not only was Donghae suspicious as she’d so often suspected before, but she hadn’t taken the chance to put forth any action. This time, she wouldn’t let it go no matter how many soft spots she harbored inside.

“Do me another favor before everyone from work heads home,” Victoria ordered.

“What is it?”

“Lee Donghae’s biography, think you can find out where he’s from; what school he went to and where he lived?”

Her secretary raised a brow, “What for?”

“I’m,” Victoria started, “going to do some background check.”

***Namjoo's in denial, Victoria's doing background check on Donghae, and she finally knows Eunhyuk's brother's name but she doesn't know they're twins yet.

***At this point Kris & Namjoo have to make their feelings clear to each other before it's too late. She takes it as he likes being an annoyance to her, but in his case it's hard to ineract any other way without having a love & hate relationship so he continuously jokes around. Obviously there's a misunderstanding there. Lets not forget Namjoo's been lying to him all along about not hiding anything from Victoria's team. There's a lot of things they need to clarify to each other.

***And also at the same time, Chorong is trying to muster up courage to tell Suho her feelings. Lay, who is a friend at this point, will be there when she definitely needs it. Suho & Lay have definitely been her boosters all along. She can't do without them. Lets keep in mind that Chorong is just like any normal girl when in love. She's not headstrong like Vic or Namjoo, so that definitely adds to her hesitance.

***So for Vic & Hae, I'll make one point: she has a soft spot for him. He's been kind to her and an as well, but she admires him for his effort and work. Even though Hae's been acting out with hidden intentions, Victoria is still in by him but she still has her feet plotted to the ground. Of course she's insistent in getting back at him, but we'll see where this background check takes her to. ;D