You Said Remember Me

79

Victoria opened her door early in the morning to see Eunhyuk standing before her.

"Good morning," he cheerily greeted.

She frowned at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I left something behind. Can I also borrow your cook book?" he asked walking in without waiting for her to invite him.

Victoria watched him walk inside and walk toward her bedroom.

"I'll get it for you." she offered.

"No," Eunhyuk refused then glanced toward the kitchen, "you're cooking breakfast right? Go ahead and get on with it. After I get the book I'll head straight out."

Eunhyuk waved her away and Victoria frowned before finally turning away. After making sure that she was in the kitchen Eunhyuk opened her bedroom door closing the door behind him. He glanced around and headed toward the closet where he recalled finding a picture. Anything Chinese that Victoria had he needed to bring back.

Finding the box buried under some long scarves he found the picture and quickly placed the box back into the closet. Then he hurried over to the drawer and found the card and the cook book. He opened the door just in time before Victoria and found her standing there looking at him.

"I found it!" he exclaimed holding up the cook book for her to see.

"It took you a long time, do you want breakfast?" she questioned.

"Uh...I'll have to reject this time around. I'm in a hurry," turning around quickly Eunhyuk opened the door and walked out taking a last look at the picture and the card he'd stuck inside the cover of the cook book. Letting a sigh he hurried back to Incheon.

/////

Victoria had been busy posting up grades into the computer when there was a knock on the door. Looking up Victoria hesitated before she got up from her chair. Hee Sun stared back at her feeling just as awkward. It'd been a day since the incident and Victoria had never thought she'd see this girl approach her so soon.

She felt strange with the girl sitting in the same car as her. They were silent. Neither of them spoke. Victoria hadn't turned on the radio so they didn't have anything to listen to. It was just strange and no other word could describe their feelings toward the other.

After turning at a corner she finally spoke up, "Do you want to eat something?"

Hee Sun slowly replied, "I want some fries."

They found an empty table in the corner away from the rest of the busy crowd. There Victoria sipped her soda and Hee Sun accompanied herself with her fries.

"I can't say I'm sorry...even if I want to say it..." Hee Sun started. "Oppa has been my whole life. I've seen him plainly laugh with other girls and hold their hands, but it was still alright for me. For some reason you were a different story."

Victoria listened to her words slightly glancing at the table then observing her. Hee Sun wasn't looking at her either.

"Oppa ditched Eunhyuk and I for you," Hee Sun smiled bitterly as if she were recalling painful memories, "that...was the first time he'd ever leave us for a girl. Maybe that's what I saw that made you particularly different."

Victoria slowly inched her eyes toward the floor.

"And oppa only came to Seoul to see you." the way she said it made Victoria's ears perk up.

It was as if Hee Sun knew that fact all along but still chose to hurt herself by trying to have her oppa by her side.

"If...I told you that I was pregnant with oppa's baby would you have believed me?" Hee Sun finally looked at her.

It took Victoria a moment to consider the question and let their eyes meet. "No."

"Why don't you hesitate before answering?" Hee Sun questioned.

"Your oppa is naïve like you...but he knows what he does," Victoria said. "Maybe he gets lost about where he should stand sometimes but there are solid reasons he stands for. If those things are important to him they're important to me too, so in the end I have to trust him. You were important to him so you were, in a way, important to me too."

Hee Sun stared at her softly while they listened to the background noises.

"I used to wonder why oppa would choose you," Hee Sun continued, "I think now I know." She pressed her lips together. "I know I'm naïve and I know why I childishly dislike you. It's because you're a lucky woman. Maybe you lost important people to you but the most important person to me...will always think of you."

Victoria didn't say anything. Hee Sun was indirectly telling her 'sorry', she knew she did wrong in a strange way. Or Hee Sun was double checking her feelings for Donghae. She really was just a young girl growing up alone.

"Don't you...have anything to say to me?" Hee Sun questioned.

"I hope you won't hurt yourself. You're brave," Victoria told, "and you've matured a bit."

Hee Sun laughed as if she didn't take Victoria's words sarcastically, but Victoria had a feeling the girl understood her good intentions for her.

/////

Donghae looked up when Eunhyuk set 3 cards and a photo on the desk in front of him.

"You're quick." Donghae commented.

"I'm anxious to find the answer," Eunhyuk replied, "and end this case."

"Don't you think you're a little out of hand?" Donghae asked.

Eunhyuk just stared at him and watched him pick up the picture first. Donghae glanced at the Chinese sign first then the English one.

"Rehab?" Donghae asked.

"Rehab?" Eunhyuk repeated.

Donghae then glanced at the boy that had his arms tucked tightly around Victoria's shoulder. Who was he?

After Eunhyuk left Donghae sat there digging into his memory. Victoria had said something about China before.

"Sasha," Donghae said, "can you look up any rehabs in China?"

"I will be sure to do it sonny," Sasha replied in her nasal voice Donghae hadn't heard ever since he'd moved to Seoul.

"Aren't you glad to have me back Sasha?" Donghae asked bored. "Was it boring without me?"

"It was as if you've never left at all."

Donghae laughed and turned to his computer, his mood suddenly falling. The fact still remained in his mind. He'd let Jung Hee Sun cling on too long and now he'd wounded her.

"Do you want me to narrow the rehab list down?" Sasha asked.

"You already found it? You're quite fast."

"There are quite a few, should I make a few calls?"

"If you feel like it."

"Then I think that you should be leaving now." Sasha told. "Chief Kang told me to let you off early today."

"Chief Kang?" Donghae repeated. "Why?"

"He says you've some personal issues to deal with. Whatever mess did you get yourself into?" she asked.

"I'm actually not that bad," Donghae told turning off his computer. "But I guess I did get myself into some trouble."