You Said Remember Me

71

Eunhyuk watched his friend feeling his own heart break. Was Donghae that hurt? Dropping the roses on the ground along with the card Eunhyuk slowly walked forward lighting his cell phone up. When he found Donghae with knees on the ground he saw him staring at the shattered frame and underneath the shards of glass was the picture of him and Victoria. Donghae seemed lost in thought. Joining him on the ground Eunhyuk grabbed an end of the picture and slowly slid it out.

"Here," he said handing it to Donghae.

Donghae took it from him without a word.

"Get up," Eunhyuk told.

"I..." Donghae paused, "was with her an hour ago and I feel like dying already."

Eunhyuk didn't know what to do but said, "I know."

"If you know, then can I go see her again?"

"You're going to feel like dying again." And Eunhyuk wasn't trying to be funny.

"It's better than not seeing her at all each day," Donghae told. "I think I'm driving myself crazy, Hyuk."

"You are." Eunhyuk agreed. "Hee Sun's...not Victoria, so don't try to treat her like Victoria." Eunhyuk paused. "I'll permit you to fall only tonight, Hae."

Watching him hold tightly onto the picture Donghae slowly got up and walked away.

"I shouldn't have said that," Eunhyuk told himself.

After leaving the bouquet of roses and the card in his room he found Hee Sun in her room quietly looking through a thin photo book. Walking over he found that it was full of pictures of him, Donghae, and Hee Sun whenever she tagged along on their days out.

"There's not a picture where oppa's standing next to me," Hee Sun told.

"Because you never asked to stand next to him," Eunhyuk said sitting down on the chair by her desk facing her.

"No, I did but you always made me stand at the end," Hee Sun reminded.

"Ah...I guess I did." Eunhyuk agreed.

"And because oppa doesn't want me." Hee Sun added depressed.

"There's a whole world out there, Hee Sun. There's more for you to see than just your oppa," Eunhyuk began.

"I don't want to see the world."

"That's why you're still a kid." Eunhyuk pointed out.

"Oppa called me Jung Hee Sun," she said after a moment of silence, "he must have been really mad."

"You must have done something to make him that angry," Eunhyuk told.

"Why does oppa still think of her when I'm here with him?" she asked. "Aren't I enough for him? Why does he have to think of her?"

What could he say to make her understand?

"It's just like how you love him," Eunhyuk said. "That's how he loves her."

"Oppa isn't in love." Hee Sun denied. "He doesn't know what it is."

"Instead of thinking like that, don't you think there's something more important you can do to get his understanding?" Eunhyuk asked.

Hee Sun looked at him waiting for the answer.

"Shouldn't you apologize?" Eunhyuk questioned. "You might have hurt his feelings. Don't you think your oppa must be going through a lot of things right now that's why your oppa gets angry when you can't understand?"

Hee Sun was quiet and he knew that she understood his words.

"What can I give him besides that?" she asked.

"Just time. Your oppa needs some time."

/////

He must have sped back to Seoul or his mind was flying way ahead of him. When he reached the city lit up in the dark he found her house immediately. He knocked continuously on her door but no one came to answer his calls. Where had she suddenly gone? Or had someone gotten to her before he had? His heart raced. Tonight was the only night he could fall and he didn't want to pass it by without even looking at her.

"Open the door! I need to see you just for a moment! Victoria! Where are you?" he called loudly and knocked again.

He stopped to take a breath with tears on edge. His heart would literally crash tonight. The feeling tore through him like watching a fire burn through a house. Where was she? Where had she gone? Why wasn't she coming to him? He knocked again and again and suddenly stopped. Slowly turning around he saw her standing at the end of the walk with a sweater on. Her eyes stared at him wondering what he was doing there. Instead of running to her like he imagined he just stood there silently. The wind passed between them, the street lights surrounded them with a deep feeling of ambiguity, and his heart raced as if he'd just seen her for the first time. His feet moved forward slowly then quickly until he grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her longingly.

Donghae wasn't sure of her reaction or feelings, but all he only knew was that he felt joy glow within him again and the feeling of being alive was so clear. When he finally let go of her she stared up at him with eyes that showed the shock she was feeling. The wind whistled in his ears, hands still on her face.

"What...are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm running to you."

Watching a frown grow on her face he slid his hands around her tightly embracing her.

"Are you stupid?" she asked trying to push him off. "Let go of me."

"No." he replied leaning his head against her shoulder. "You...are making me go beyond crazy, so you must take responsibility."

"You're spitting nonsense," she replied.

"Because I'm crazy."

When he released her she immediately said, "Go back."

He just glanced at her and grabbed her hand suddenly make a run.

"Lee Donghae! What are you doing! Don't ignore me!" she screamed behind him.

He didn't care. The thrill of it was just what he'd been looking for. He didn't know how long he'd been running but it felt good. The run satisfied him. Finally coming to a stop he turned back to see her glaring at him while trying to catch her breath.

"Stay with me. All night, that's the only time I have," he told gripping hard onto her hand.

Her expression was still. It wasn't the expressionless expression she often wore, but just an unchanged expression that said she didn't believe him.

Giving her a peck on the cheek he said with a smile, "Smile and trust me."

"Getting your hopes up and letting them die isn't something I smile for," she told sternly then glanced at their entwined hands. "What did you do tonight?"

"Oh yea," he said finally remembering, "Hee Sun broke it, so lets buy a new one together."

"Broke what?" she asked more confused.

Donghae dug into the pocket of his jacket and held out the picture for her. The surprise in her eyes was easy for him to see and finally satisfied with the fact that she knew he kept the picture he stuck it back into his pocket.

"So lets mend ourselves just for tonight." When she didn't answer he added, "Or are you not willing to?"

"I guess this is worth the hurt tomorrow," Victoria said finally smiling.

Taking a mental picture of her he led her down the street with hands swinging between them.

/////

Eunhyuk awoke early. He'd had a restless sleep the night before. Waking up every 45 minutes was really unsatisfying. He'd really let Donghae loose last night. Eunhyuk was beginning to wonder if he was too nice.

Walking down the short hallway scratching the back of his head he stopped when he passed Hee Sun's room. Seeing that the door was open leaving a crack he backed up in his steps to see Hee Sun sitting on the edge of her bed touching her phone then putting it up to her ears. He watched her try to call someone again and again but each attempt was unsuccessful. Her depressing, disappointed sigh made him feel bad. He didn't have to even wonder about who she was calling. It was obvious.

Maybe he shouldn't have allowed Donghae to run away last night. Hee Sun was a miserable person who couldn't pull herself out of the pits of darkness. Donghae had made a decision at the beginning, but he was pulling out of it. Eunhyuk felt troubled. Victoria, who was hurt would only get more hurt if he made Donghae remain with his sister. But seeing Donghae would make him unhappy. And if Donghae wasn't with Hee Sun she would be miserable.

Turning to walk away he walked into the kitchen quickly coming to a pause when he saw his father sitting with a cup of coffee in front of him. A newspaper was sprawled out before him.

"You seem nervous," his father greeted.

"Ah..."

"You aren't going to greet me?" his father questioned.

"Morning," Eunhyuk slightly nodded his head at his father before reaching for a cup of water.

"You're up real early today," his father commented.

"Uh...well...I couldn't sleep last night," Eunhyuk replied.

He quickly turned away and began gulping down the water quickly. He was afraid his father would ask him a question he wouldn't be able to answer. And just as he was thinking that his father folded the newspaper and waited for him silently signaling that he wanted to have a talk. Eunhyuk felt like turning away but knew it'd be a disrespectful remark toward his father. Clearing his throat a little Eunhyuk turned back around and reached for the cereal box above the fridge and poured it into a bowl then poured milk into the bowl. Making each movement slowly he finally edged toward the table and took a seat across from his father.