“How can you be so sure?”

“This place has been untouched even months after his disappearance,” Victoria tossed her hand back to point at the closed door, “and suddenly there’s a new tenant?! Does that make sense?!”

Lay turned to look around again before warning, “Lower your voice, Victoria. Someone could be listening.”

Victoria shot him a frown. Stepping back Lay moved toward the door next door and pressed his ear to it. Victoria watched him quietly without sound. There was nothing to be heard on the other side of the door, but that didn’t mean no one was there. Reaching out he jiggled the doorknob, but no one came to answer it.

“What are you doing?” Victoria asked impatiently, sounding almost annoyed.

“Someone attacked me in this room the last time I came to investigate,” Lay told. “Looks like no one is in though.”

“You came to investigate?” Victoria’s frown became deeper.

“Yea,” Lay turned to her with his eyes still on the door. “Donghae sent me to figure out what you were doing here and who may have been attacked.”

“Donghae?” Victoria asked, her brow going deeper upon her eye.

Lay nodded.

Victoria seemed to analyze his words over as if trying to see if there was something to read inbetween the sentences.

Turning on her heels she ordered, “Lets go talk to the leaser and see what may have happened to Eunhyuk’s belonging. I’ll send you back after that.”

To their dismay Eunhyuk’s belongings had been thrown away. There wasn’t one single thing left for them.

~_____~

“What do you mean?”

Suho slightly shifted his torso so that he could face her, “I mean, do you like Kris, Namjoo?”

Her face became solemn and she was well quiet even when his microwave beeped. According to the things Chorong said to him a while ago and the vibrance she gave off when with Kris offered Suho uncertain answers. Did she like Kris as he liked her? If that was so, Suho would do something about Tao. Yet, if that wasn’t the case he really had nothing to do in all this at all.

“I don’t know.”

Honestly, Suho hadn’t expected that answer at all. Yes or no was what he’d been expecting to hear. That really threw him off.

“He’s a good guy, I know that,” Namjoo went on without ever turning to look him in the eye.

Instead, her eyes were set on the tabletop as if she was digging through her head for answers.

“But if you ask if I like him that way, then I really don’t know the answer,” Namjoo told.

And again, Namjoo suddenly looked very tired. Suho felt apologetic and wondered if she would last until they found Hyukjae.

“Ok, sorry for asking,” he apologized. Getting up he opened the microwave and asked, “Do you want to go to work together tomorrow? Should I pick you up or do you want to drive?”

Namjoo offered a smile when he turned around. “You drive then.”

~_____~

Donghae just stepped out of the shower and was drying his hair off with a cotton white towel. As he approached his room his phone started ringing. Walking toward the bedside table he glanced at his phone to see that Victoria was the one calling.

Snorting he mumbled, “So now you’re calling,” before picking the phone up.

Tossing the towel onto the bed he sat down without answering and waited for her to start talking. He almost expected a report about where she’d gone and what she’d done and if she’d met anyone.

“We need to talk,” Victoria sounded adamnant, almost angry.

“Now?” Donghae asked and turned to look at the clock.

“Morning,” Victoria answered. “Be early before everyone arrives.”

“What?” He asked surprised. “You’re not going to headquarters in your state.”

“Headquarters, morning,” Victoria very stiffly stated and hung up right away.

Donghae was left aghast with what just happened. How dare she hang up on him? She was barely ready to return to action and here she was demanding to meet him early in the morning?!

Just what was she up to?

“I’m going to head out early,” Donghae informed Tao the next morning.

He could hear Tao chewing loudly behind him. When Tao didn’t reply Donghae twisted around to look at him. It was only then that Tao glanced up at him.

“Are you going to give me cab fare?” Tao questioned.

“I’ll call Namjoo to come get you,” Donghae explained.

Tao’s face slightly brightened up and there was an almost smile there. Donghae wanted to crack up at how easily his suggestion cheered him up.

“But why are you leaving so early?” Tao wondered.

Turning back to wash his dishes he replied, “I’m meeting with Victoria.”

“Then why can’t I just go with you? I can sleep in the library, not like I want to eavesdrop.”

“We…” Donghae faltered for a second and searched for an excuse, “just have things to go over.”

“Like what? You guys in a relationship or something?” Tao raised his brow sarcastically.

“Just come with Namjoo later,” Donghae said and turned the faucet off before walking away.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want Tao to tag along. It was that he wanted to find out where and what Victoria had done when she wasn’t resting at her apartment. Donghae didn’t have good feelings about what she’d been up to and prying it out of her would be better if they met up alone without anyone there.

Victoria was waiting for him nearby his office. She looked impatient, but well and alive as if she’d never landed in the hospital last week at all. Donghae wanted to snort at how strong willed she was. What exactly made her so determined about everything?

“What do you want to talk about?” Donghae asked opening the door to his office without offering her a greeting.

Victoria turned to follow and closed the door after her.

“Your dear secretary said she didn’t know where you went,” Donghae started as he turned to face her. “Although I’m pretty sure she had her tabs on you.”

Leaning against his desk he crossed his arms. Victoria stared glumly back at him.

“What do you know, Donghae?”

“What are you on about?”

Victoria glanced away and there was an expression of conflict on her face before her eyes became stern as they burned onto his face.

“You want to know where I went?”

Donghae slightly raised his head to await her answer.

“I went to Pohang,” Victoria replied and watched unexpected surprise crawl into the shape of his cheekbones.

“Why?”

“It’s not a matter of why or what I did there that matters,” Victoria pointed out. “I trusted you, Donghae, and I will still trust you. But if you continue to hide things from my team and I, know that our abilitiy to help you and recover Eunhyuk will wane. You should know that by now.”

Her eyes still sat on him sternly.

“Donghae, I’m going to ask you a question and I expect you to be honest with me,” Victoria started. “Do you know anyone who goes by the name Lee Hyun?”

She waited as he searched his head for any familiarity of the name.

Lee Hyun…

Donghae had never heard that name before. What exactly was Victoria trying to get at? Was it interesting to test him out like this?

He sought her eyes for something, but he couldn’t read them. Her eyes held the feelings of ambition and determination to get anything, something out of him. All he saw was the power she would use to fight back against him.

Why had she gone to Pohang?

“No.”

Victoria’s eyes slightly narrowed and she stared at him a bit longer.

“Who is he?” Donghae questioned.

“I won’t join you on the frontlines, but I’m not returning home either. I’ll sit at headquarters and wait after sending the others out.” Victoria ignored his question and turned to walk out.

Donghae stared at the door with unanswered questions skimming through his mind. He suddenly felt panicky. Victoria might have discovered something before Suho and Namjoo.

That couldn’t happen. He couldn’t lag behind.

Immediately reaching for the door that had just closed he opened it to head out.

~_____~

Tao was a little disappointed that Suho was with Namjoo that morning. He wanted to cozily talk with her and ask about her weekend, but he was stuck in the backseat. Tao dreaded the long hours till he might have Namjoo to himself. He felt really pumped up that morning when Donghae said he’d get Namjoo to drive him to work. Instead it had turned out like this.

His eyes drifted over to Namjoo who he couldn’t see in the passenger’s seat. He had really looked forward to catching up with her. Tao felt like whining in his seat, but he didn’t want to look like a child in front of Namjoo’s eyes.

When Suho finally pulled into the lot Tao recognized Kris’ car nearby. As he stepped out of the car he watched Kris get out of the vehicle and smile when he spotted Namjoo. It wasn’t that which irked Tao, but the shirt he was wearing proudly. It looked very familiar…

Heat of jealousy boiled up in him when he recalled Namjoo carrying that very same shirt the very same day they went shopping for him. Hadn’t she told him she was getting it for her brother?

His brow twitched and his eyes leveled up to Kris’ happy gaze.

Namjoo…had bought the shirt for him?

Tao’s mind trembled at the mere thought and he bit his lower lip. As his senses stilled he could hear Kris greeting Namjoo. They suddenly seemed oblivious of his presence.

“Tao?” Suho called out.

Gritting his teeth he stomped passed them and hurried up the stairs to the meeting room.

No, he couldn’t stand this. He wanted to rip that shirt off Kris and wear it himself.

He was jealous, a little angered, and more disappointed that Namjoo had given Kris a shirt. What about him? What about him!?

Why couldn’t he just have her to himself?!

~_____~

Namjoo had thought about it all night. Again, she hadn’t slept well but it wasn’t like she was up to make a complaint about it. Whenever she thought about what Suho had asked her, her mind would cloud up.

Finding an answer didn’t seem possible at this point. She only knew that at certain times she appreciated what Kris did for her and that he worried about her safety, even if it annoyed her to a point. She was also certain that she didn’t possess any negative feelings toward him.

That…was all she knew.

But…if what was on that sheet of paper was true, she would have no choice, would she?

Her mistake had driven her to an end if on the account that she was really pregnant.

Yet, Namjoo couldn’t help but feel guilty about Tao. On how many occasions had he professed his feelings to her, even went on to talk about his possible future with her? How much had he looked forward to becoming a good guy?

And all because he wanted to be with her.

“Does it look good? It suits me, right?” Kris asked haughtily.

From the corner of her eye she watched Tao walk away with an air of anger before slowly looking up at Kris. His cheeks were high and the radiant smile on his face was almost blinding. Kris looked energetic.

Before talking to Kris, she would have to fix things with Tao first. She would only settle her mind that way. Plus, before all else became chaotic Namjoo really wanted to make sure Tao would turn out ok.

Slightly smiling she nodded, “Mmm…”

~_____~

The lot was full of familiar cars when Chorong finally arrived at work. She wasn’t sure if she was really prepared to meet the full day head on, especially with Suho there, but there was no choice.

In the end, work would just be work no matter their personal circumstances.

Chorong found herself staring up at the building for a long time and turned at the noise of a roaring engine. Lay had just arrived. He looked well rested and bright. There was a kind of spark of energy on his face as he walked toward her.

“Why are you just standing outside? Isn’t everyone inside?” Lay asked.

“Oh…yea…” Chorong muttered before turning to force herself up the stairs.

This…this would be the most awkward moment of her life.

As they started to near the conference room she felt her heart beat louder and louder within her chest, each slow motion becoming a kind of anxious nightmare. Easing her breathing she clamped her hand up into a small fist and couldn’t lift her head up when she approached the open doorway.

She knew for sure that Suho would be inside and she was afraid to meet eyes with him lest try to find out what he thought of her now.

Chorong lifted her head when she felt Lay’s hand on her shoulder and realized she’d ultimate halted in front of the door. Although he didn’t say anything she could feel that he was silently urging her through his own form of encouragement.

“Lets go in,” was all Lay said.

Pressing her lips together she stepped in and felt the others look at them. Lay dropped his hand from her shoulder when he walked over to sit by Kris and she sullenly followed with her eyes glued to the floor.

There were knots in and she suddenly wished she had a pair of very dark sunglasses.

~_____~

Grabbing the seat nearest the door and close to the back wall, Victoria sat down. She skimmed her eyes over Donghae’s team before glancing at the others.

“I’ll be handling data and information at headquarters,” Victoria informed, “so you’ll be doing outside work as per usual. I have a list that needs to be checked off. My secretary will be returning to work, so you’ll be taking over from where she left off. Understood?”

She could hear some of them answer “Yes” while the others nodded.

Victoria slightly turned to glance to the side when the Donghae stepped through the door, but refusing to look at him turned to look at the front. She needed to maintain her demeanor if Donghae was to take her seriously. At this point, she wasn’t going to let him in on any of the information Yoona had gathered for her, not until she felt that Donghae was ready to be honest with her.

And that…was still a long way from now.   

“Four of you will be hunting down loansharks, the other two will be doing information gathering. I need those two to hunt someone down for me,” Victoria started.

“Who are you looking for?” Donghae immediately asked.

Victoria only shot him an eyeful before turning back to the others, “Since Suho and Namjoo are more familiar with the databases here, I’ll leave the information hunting to them. Loansharks can be dangerous, so I want the rest of you to prepare any weapons that may come of any use by tonight and head out tomorrow morning. Meeting adjourned.”

Without waiting for them she stood up to walk out, but was stopped by Donghae in the hallway.

Grabbing her arm he twisted her around, “What’s the meaning of this, Victoria? What are you looking for?”

Victoria stared at the hallway ahead of them before turning to look into Donghae’s eyes sternly.

“Do you finally understand how frustrating it’s been for me working with your silent mouth?” Victoria questioned.

Pulling her arm out from his grasp she continued down the hallway. 

***They were working together just fine until recently (that is excluding HaeToria) but now they're slowly going back to where they began. There's awkwardness in the air for many. 

***hohohoho~~~ Victoria is so upset at Hae! She's giving him another taste of his own med!

***Doesn't look like there's gonna be sunshine on Tao's side