/ / / / /  

Yuri moved around restlessly in the kitchen. She couldn’t bring herself to head upstairs and wash up nor could she bring herself to go sit in the living room and wait for Changmin to return. It was suddenly so nerve wrecking that he hadn’t come back yet.   

“That wretched being wouldn’t have gone to another motel, would he?” Yuri asked herself sarcastically.   

She let out a frustrated sigh and scratched the back of her not so itchy head. Pulling out a seat at the kitchen table she continuously tapped her fingers against the tabletop.   

Eunhyuk halted at the doorway and she turned to glance at him.   

“Sorry, I usually get thirsty at night,” he apologized wondering if he’d interrupted her.  

“No, it’s alright,” Yuri shook her head before pulling out her phone.   

“Are you worried about Shim Changmin?” Eunhyuk asked.  

“N…no,” Yuri answered.   

“Why don’t you just give him a call and see where he is? That might ease you a little.”  

Yuri quieted.

His suggestion seemed helpful but she wasn’t sure about the ‘ease you a little’ part.    

After a moment Yuri turned around, “Eunhyuk, for what reason did you decide to stay?”   

He looked away from her.   

“It wasn’t because of what I said, was it?” she questioned.   

He didn’t reply.

Yuri spun back around and glanced at the phone she held in hand.   

/ / / / /

Nana sat quietly rubbing her fingers against each other. For guilt or for love? The questions ran through her mind and she was unsure if she was getting herself into more trouble than needed. They hadn’t spoken to each other for the last few minutes. Not because Nana was surprised with his small request, but because she didn’t know what was right or wrong at the moment. There were so many complex ways to view his point of views that she found too many faults, yet rights.   

The ringing of Changmin’s phone woke her and she turned to see him answer the phone.   

To be honest, she was a little nervous about heading back. What kind of conversation was going to take place? This was the exact kind of problems Junsu had warned her to stay away from.   

“Men and women are troublesome,” he’d told her one night after sharing a bottle of soju. “Don’t ever get entangled with them, you hear me?”   

Was this the kind of troublesome he’d meant?   

They reached the house a few minutes later and after she got out of the car she found him walking toward her.   

As he rubbed her head he said, “I won’t give you trouble. I promise.”   

She watched him go unlock the door and found him looking kind of pitiful. Nana felt sorry for him, again. Walking through the door she slipped her shoes off and followed him down the hall into the kitchen where they found Yuri sitting. Nana paused at the doorway when she spotted Eunhyuk standing by the counter with a glass of water. Had the two been chatting before they arrived?   

“I want to talk to Changmin,” Yuri told, “you can go up first, Nana.”   

“Actually, we want to talk to you as well,” Changmin said.   

Yuri ran her eyes over them. Changmin pulled out a seat for her and she sat down reluctantly, mindful of everyone around her. Had Yuri and Changmin been arguing without her knowing? The atmosphere was stiff.   

“Go first,” Yuri ordered.   

“You no longer need to mind my business,” Changmin started off, “Yuri, we’re not junior high school students nor high school students anymore. You can stop looking after my back. I’m sorry, if I made you mad this morning but I can make my own decisions and look after myself. I’ve come to the decision that I want to protect Nana.”   

Nana looked up and felt Yuri’s eyes land on her instantly. Should she feel guilty or not?   

“Oh…oh…really?” Yuri stuttered trying to pull on a smile.   

Nana wasn’t sure how to read the situation nor the expression on Yuri’s face.   

“Ok, that’s good for you,” Yuri nodded.   

“Then…” Changmin started, “what is it that you wanted to say?”   

Nana didn’t understand why she was still sitting at the table. Why hadn’t Changmin just let her go upstairs so he could deal with this himself? There really was no need for her to be there.   

“Nothing, never mind.”   

“Yuri,” Changmin said, “why don’t you go ahead and do something for yourself?”  

“I will.” Yuri smiled.   

Changmin was first to get up. Taking her by the hand he led her up the stairs. While on the way up so many more questions infiltrated her mind.  

 At the top she finally asked, “Is it necessary to lie like this? I mean, there are other ways to get Yuri and Eunhyuk together. Why must it be this?”   

“Because Yuri cares too much,” Changmin let go of her hand, “she needs a wound before she can find a cure for it.”   

As Changmin walked off toward his room Nana only found her mind in a much more confused state than before.   

/ / / / /  

Eunhyuk glanced over at Yuri. It had all been…unexpected.   

“You should go up first,” Yuri told without turning around.   

Without a word Eunhyuk left the kitchen and headed up. It was quite unbelievable. He wasn’t sure about Changmin, but from Nana’s side of the story he couldn’t quite see it that she was attracted to Changmin. She’d been silent throughout the whole conversation. She could have at least said something, but she kept avoiding all eyes.   

Eunhyuk lie down on his bed and crossed his arms behind his head. If there was one thing he started noticing recently, it was that Yuri didn’t seem to mind him. She didn’t like him the way she thought she did.   

/ / / / /  

“Should we go out tomorrow?” Victoria asked. “Take Eunhyuk out with us? He looks stuffed up.”   

“He says he’ll deal with it by himself,” Donghae replied turning onto his side. “Besides, I’m not letting you go out there. They’re still hunting for us everywhere.”   

“We can’t hide forever,” Victoria stated. “I’m not going out to get caught anyway.”   

“Exactly,” he pointed out, “so you’re not going out.”   

“Seriously, what is wrong with you?” Victoria asked. “I can’t be a normal person and walk around the streets?”   

“I’m not saying you can’t, it’s just it’s not safe for you to do so.”   

“Whatever,” Victoria sighed turning away from him.   

“Yah, Victoria,” he called.   

/ / / / /  

Yuri dragged her feet up the stairs hopelessly. She didn’t know herself anymore. Walking into the room she found Nana lying in bed with her eyes closed. How had Changmin gotten so close to her so fast? What did he have that he’d decide to put his life on the line for her?   

Unable to think anymore Yuri grabbed her pajamas and headed into the bathroom.   

/ / / / /  

Breakfast was eerily silent and barely anyone seemed to be talking. Victoria glanced around confused with the atmosphere. Had there been an argument last night that she’d possibly missed out on? If she spoke out first it wouldn’t tempt anybody, would it?   

“Did everybody sleep well last night?” Victoria asked.   

“Of course,” Changmin was the only one to reply.   

“Do you work today? If not, why don’t we all go out for some fresh air,” Victoria suggested.   

“You’re not going out.” Donghae flatly told.   

Victoria told him, “I am and you’re not stopping me.”   

“Victoria,” he started.   

“I was going to go out anyway. Is there anything you guys want?” Eunhyuk offered.   

“Maybe some lunch?” Changmin asked with a grin.   

Yuri suddenly set her spoon down with a clatter, “I’m going to go to work. Would you mind doing the dishes for me, Victoria?”   

“Sure,” Victoria replied.   

She watched as Yuri walked off. Something about Yuri told her that she was upset about something. Victoria turned to look around the table. Nana had been awfully silent and was doing a good job avoiding all eyes. Changmin also seemed to be putting up a happy front as if to say that he hadn’t done anything, nothing at all. There was something going on between the others she didn’t know about just as she’d predicted.   

When the others left, Victoria washed up the dishes that had piled up alone. She turned around when she heard footsteps and expected Donghae, but found Eunhyuk.   

“Have you and Hae been arguing?” Eunhyuk asked standing over the counter.   

Victoria nodded.   

“The usual things, huh?” Eunhyuk went on.   

“Obviously, he just never seems to get it,” Victoria explained. “Besides, what was with the atmosphere this morning? I’ve never seen Yuri so silent. Did something happen last night?”   

Eunhyuk’s expression changed and Victoria wondered what it could be.   

“It’s not much,” Eunhyuk slyly answered.   

“So something did happen?” Victoria turned the faucet off. “What is it?”   

Eunhyuk pressed his lips together into a small smile.   

“It’s just something between Shim Changmin and Yuri,” Eunhyuk lied.   

Victoria raised an eyebrow.   

“You got involved?” Victoria asked.   

Eunhyuk averted his eyes and she quickly walked around the counter so she could be next to him.   

With a smirk she continued, “You got involved, didn’t you? How? What happened exactly?”   

Eunhyuk took a step away, “Nothing, seriously.”   

Victoria made a face and laughed.   

“Liar. I haven’t said this before but you’re pretty good at lying,” Victoria pointed a finger at him. “Is this part of the reason why you’d been so quiet these days?”   

Eunhyuk didn’t reply.   

“Not really, huh?” Victoria said.   

“Do you think you can read Nana?”   

The question gave her more surprise than usual. It was more of a shocker because it was a question from Eunhyuk, he was asking about Nana. She hadn’t really seen the two of them interact at all. Not since Donghae had been found, unless there were of course things she’d missed out on.   

“Nana? Why?” Victoria asked. “Any reason why?”   

“Then…never mind.”   

“She’s hard to talk to,” Victoria honestly opinionated, “because she doesn’t give out a lot. I get the feeling that she feels insecure, but hides it by being tough.”  

“Isn’t that a lot like you?”   

“What?”   

“Just joking,” Eunhyuk grinned.   

She watched as he walked off. Now Eunhyuk was starting to amuse her a lot more.   

/ / / / /  

“Did you have fun the other night?” Donghae asked Nana.   

She turned around surprised from the window beside the front door.   

“The night it was raining,” Donghae continued on when she looked kind of confused, “I heard you went to a motel.” 

He watched amused as Nana’s face flushed pink and laughed.   

“I was just joking,” he reached a hand out to gently push her shoulder.   

“Oh…”   

“I haven’t really talked to you even when we’re under the same roof,” he said, “you’re doing fine, right?”   

“Am I supposed to be uncomfortable then?” Nana asked.   

He laughed at her.   

“I’m glad you’ve started talking, if not to me then to Changmin,” Donghae smiled, “I should thank that guy for being so nice.” 

Nana’s eyes fell upon him before she looked away.   

“Your brother would be proud,” Donghae tried, “to know that you’ve made some new friends and stepped outside of your box. But he wouldn’t like it if you weren’t sincere about anything.”   

“You don’t even know him,” she quietly muttered, “and you talk like you can understand him.”   

“If I had a younger sister, that’s how I’d feel,” Donghae explained.   

Nana turned back to look at him.   

“Hee Sun, Eunhyuk’s little sister, I was proud of her when she was able to step out of her box,” Donghae went on, “you’re different from her in many ways, but I think you two could become friends. She’s a little older than you so you might have to call her unnie.”   

“Was that a joke?” Nana wondered.   

“You were supposed to laugh,” he nudged her with his elbow.   

The corner of Nana’s lips curved up and she turned away.  

“See? It’s not so bad to laugh,” Donghae pointed out, “if you smiled more instead of showing us that gloomy face, you might feel better as we would.”  

Nana’s smile disappeared.   

“You don’t have a boyfriend, do you?” Donghae asked.   

“What are you…trying to probe into my life?” Nana turned back to him.   

“A lot of us have already entered your life,” Donghae said, “Victoria, Changmin, Yuri, and Eunhyuk. And me of course. If you stop drawing lines, you’ll figure out sooner or later that everyone just wants to do something for you. We’re all friends, and we’ll be yours too. So when you’re in pain, we hurt with you too.” 

Nana tilted her eyes to the ground, “You say it like it’s the easiest thing in the world, but I’m not lucky like the rest of you. Once I believe in someone, no matter what happens, I lose them no matter how hard I hold on.”   

“But there are some people who come and stay forever,” Donghae pressed on. “Have some hope.”   

She looked at him quietly without saying anything.   

“I’m going to head out, do you have anything in mind that you want to have for lunch?” questioned Eunhyuk as he entered the room.   

“I’m not picky, anything’s fine,” Donghae replied before turning to Nana, “you want anything?”   

“I was planning to take Nana with me so you and Victoria could patch up,” Eunhyuk said.   

“Oh really? Cool!” Donghae happily smiled.   

***Alas, it has begun! The game between the four side characters! And Eunhyuk just dragged Nana out without even asking her xD

***By the way, what is with this new thing? Makes copy and pasting much harder! Arrgh! When I update the chapter it ends up as one huge paragraph and takes forever to fix it to how it should look! How annoying!

***Were you guys bored when I suddenly made the decision to take last week off from updating? Well I'm back, so don't worry! I'll update every few days or something. Heck I was supposed to finish this story before spring semester begins, but I guess I'm going nowhere T^T

***I have an Eunhyuk & Nana moment for you in the next chapter, so hang around for it ^^

***Hrmm...I'm debating on whether I should take the ambiguity around EunNa up a notch...should I?

***I've come across a magnificent fanfic author and I aboely love her stories! Her style's so different from mine and it's like reading a book! Maybe I'll start writing when I wake up from my sleep considering it's almost 4am right now xD   

***Eunhyuk & Nana will be dragged into a homicide case assigned to Yuri's precint! Watch out for the things I have in store for you all! keke~~

***p.s. this chapter layout or something looks weird compared to my other chapters. anybody know why?