Chapter 81
You Said Remember Me II
She couldn’t utter a word as the men behind him came over and grabbed her arms locking them behind her. What was she going to tell the others? How was she going to protect them? They’d panic and be just as confused as she was. What would happen now?
/ / / / /
Donghae turned his head when the doorbell rang.
Once, twice, thrice…
“I’ll get it,” Changmin offered from his seat.
Donghae watched as he stood up and walked toward the door.
“Donghae?” Changmin called right away.
Donghae got up from his seat and paused when he spotted the police officer and his men on the front doorstep. What was going on? He gulped realizing he’d have to play it out cool. Shutting the door right away would mean they were guilty at hand.
“Is there something we can help you with?” Donghae questioned when Changmin moved aside.
The officer held up a legal search warrant addressed to the police from the district attorney. His heart suddenly jumped and he twisted his fingers nervously.
“We’ve received evidence that you’ve been hiding two homicide suspects in this house,” the officer explained as directly as Donghae recalled being taught, “please step aside.”
There wasn’t anything Donghae could do. A search warrant held all the rights for the officers to do whatever they wanted.
“Please step aside. If you don’t, we may have to press charges against you for obstructing official business.”
Donghae was warned. With no further argument he stepped aside.
“Donghae!” Changmin called from the side. “We can’t…”
He held out his arm to stop Changmin from trying anything.
“Not unless you want to see yourself in jail, be quiet.” Donghae ordered.
He watched Changmin flex his jaw.
“But what’s going on?” Changmin muttered.
“I’d like to know too.” Donghae quietly replied.
/ / / / /
Nana had been zipping her tote bag closed when she heard rummaging and a lot of noises coming from downstairs. Curious about what the others were doing she walked out of the room and started down the stairs. She became confused when she saw many uniformed men moving all over the place.
Where was Changmin and the others?
She paused at the bottom of the stairs.
“What’s going on?” Nana asked.
Silence.
“You’re under arrest for suspicion of a homicide, please come with us.”
Nana’s mind blanked out and she couldn’t tell what was going on when they grabbed her hands handcuffing them.
“Sir, we have the other one.” someone appeared at the kitchen doorway.
Nana turned to see Eunhyuk stare back at her.
/ / / / /
They watched as several belongings were taken away as well as Nana and Eunhyuk who were escorted toward the police cars outside. Silence infiltrated the large home, confusion and anger sweeping the entire walls of its colors.
“What was that!?” Changmin bellowed when Donghae closed the door. “How could they just come in here and take everything and arrest both Eunhyuk and Nana!? How can you be so calm!? They just took everything! Aren’t you worried!?”
Victoria turned to see Donghae standing still, his back to her.
“Donghae,” Victoria said, “isn’t there anything we can do?”
He didn’t answer her.
“We should wait until Yuri returns.” Donghae told. “There’s no way we’d know what happened without her.”
/ / / / /
Yuri was finally released from containment after 3 hours. They’d dug whatever they could out of her for an hour, but she couldn’t provide anything relevant. Of course, she didn’t even know what was going on herself. However, to stick to her promise to protect Nana and Eunhyuk no matter at what cost, she wouldn’t let anything slip.
“Those two kids have already arrived,” the kind officer leading her out told her.
Yuri’s eyes widened and she turned to him, “Can I go see them?”
“I’m afraid not.” he shook his head.
“Just for a moment. Please,” Yuri begged.
“I’ve been given orders,” he explained. “Where’s your car?”
“They’re ok, though?”
The officer nodded and when they reached his desk, he handed her her bag.
“Thanks.”
Yuri took them from him and started toward the exit, but stopped when she realized he was following her. Halting, she turned around.
“Orders,” he repeated. “I’ll have to follow you home as well.”
“Even that?” Yuri asked. “You guys should put a leash on me or something.”
She unlocked her car and started the engine. Before driving off she glanced back at the building where Nana and Eunhyuk were being held at the back. They would be ok. At least they’d be safe at the headquarters while she tried to sort out everything. And now, she’d have to go back to the others.
/ / / / /
Eunhyuk and Nana had taken turns going to the interrogation room. After a full hour, the two of them were sitting in the same cell at the back of the offices tired from having their brain fried with relentless questions they could only try their best answering.
Nana slumped against the wall, her head bent. She’d missed her bus and now things had just turned for the worst. She couldn’t leave after all.
“What’s going to happen now?” Nana muttered.
“They’ll come for us,” Eunhyuk assured, “if Donghae can’t make it, Chief Kang will.”
/ / / / /
The stiff tension rose when the door opened and Yuri stepped in. Everyone stood to their feet questions battering off the tip of their tongues.
“What happened?” Victoria asked.
“Yuri, they came with a search warrant and took everything! Eunhyuk and Nana were arrested! What are we going to do? What’s going to happen? Where are they?” Changmin went on.
Donghae stood there amidst the mess quietly. Yuri turned to look at him aware of his knowledge about what had just happened earlier in the day when the cops had seized belongings they believed would help with the investigation or might reveal some evidence. But she didn’t have anything valuable of evidence and because of that Yuri knew she was safe. Yet, Donghae wouldn’t have been able to explain anything.
Yuri slid her feet into her slippers and walked around the couch taking a seat on the single chair.
“My Chief in charge received pictures of Nana and Eunhyuk in my house,” Yuri started, “from a person named Young Ae.”
The way both Donghae and Victoria’s eyes lit up did not go dismissed, but she couldn’t pause to ask for their explanation. She had to finish her story in order to get everything place first.
Changmin quietly drew the curtains shut and sat down on the coffee table to watch her tell of everything that happened that morning. Yuri felt like an old grandmother telling her little grandchildren about the adventures in her life.
“She claimed to be the victim’s sister. I don’t know if my Chief has confirmed this fact or not,” Yuri explained, “but I’ve been barred from my job and I can’t see Eunhyuk or Nana. I don’t know what they plan on doing with them, most likely interrogate them until they say something satisfactory, but they don’t know anything. Whether they get released or not, I really can’t say. My Chief, for sure, isn’t like your Chief Kang.”
Donghae met with her eyes.
“We can’t do anything then,” Donghae said quietly.
“But I have something on my mind,” Yuri went on, “the soju tent owner’s son came by the other day. It seems someone’s been coming around the house late at night or early in the mornings with a camera in hand.”
“They have?” Changmin’s eyes grew fierce.
“I’ll have to find out more about it,” Yuri promised.
“Young Ae,” Victoria spoke up. “Isn’t she…isn’t she part of the gang?”
They stared at her.
“What do you mean isn’t she?” Donghae questioned. “She is.”
Victoria opened to speak but nothing came.
“She’s one of them,” Donghae added, “probably decided it was best sending a woman out since it would seem less suspicious too. We can’t assume your house is a safe sanction anymore. Sorry about that, Yuri.”
Yuri shook her head.
“It would’ve happened some time sooner or later.” Yuri nodded.
“Then they could creep in during the night?” Changmin piped up alarmed.
“You’ll be fine,” Yuri assured. “Right now, Eunhyuk and Nana should be the most safe since they’re at the police headquarters. Who we should worry about, is Donghae and Victoria.”
“Your house has an alarm, doesn’t it?” Donghae asked. “The moment it goes off, the police should come running here. I believe it’d be fine either way.”
Yuri nodded and stood to her feet, “Now that that’s over, did anybody eat?”
/ / / / /
Victoria shut the door to the bedroom and turned around to see Donghae sitting at the foot of the bed, his back to her again. She couldn’t help but feel like something really big was disturbing him. She wanted to go near him, but couldn’t bring herself to. It was as if something was telling her to leave him alone. Victoria as unable to. She was sure that what had happened earlier in the day distressed him too. It was impossible for Donghae to not be affected with Eunhyuk being handcuffed right in front of his eyes.
“Are you ok?” Victoria asked from where she stood. “You think Eunhyuk and Nana will be alright?”
“For a long time,” Donghae finally spoke, “all you’ve ever wondered about to me was Eunhyuk. How many more times are you going to say his name?”
Victoria could feel the mood shift from something solemn to angry despair.
“What are you talking about?”
“What,” he turned around to look at her, “am I talking about? I’m talking about how you always talk about Eunhyuk to me as if he were the only thing binding us together.”
“Is this really the time to be angry about him?” Victoria questioned deciding to take her stand in the fight.
“I’m continuously disappointed, hurt, and angry when I’m with you,” Donghae stood up, “but I am even more so when you’re with him.”
Victoria felt her brows furrow together. Something about what he said clicked in her mind.
“What did you have to talk about that he had to hug you? That you had to hold him? Is it so horrible to tell me what goes on in your heart?” he continued. “I know you have your own things, and I’m trying not to bother you about it but you never say anything so I always have to wonder. What do you and Eunhyuk talk about?”
She felt her heart lurch. He’d seen it? He’d seen them? Was that why he’d been up the other night when she returned to the room?
“I ask myself countless times if something’s wrong with me. Why do I feel lonely when I’m with you? Is it something I’ve done? Or is it you?” Donghae asked. “Then I’m beginning to wonder if you care about me at all.”
How could he say that? Really, how could he just say that himself? Victoria felt her anger rush up inside her.
“If that’s how you feel, then you don’t believe in me,” Victoria refuted. “You’re always like this.”
“What about you? Then what about you?” Donghae raised his voice. “How can there be trust, Victoria, when you don’t tell me what’s going through your mind? That those things inside your heart, you’d rather talk to Eunhyuk about.”
Victoria gritted her teeth. He was somewhat right.
“Isn’t it about time you tell me about that day?” Donghae asked.
Victoria pursed her lips together.
spring semester ends this friday and i'm off for summer break :D i'll get back on track with YSRMII
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