Disclaimer: All credit goes to The Literary Dragon!

"Hold still, Harang dear." Dara's mom tried to keep from poking the hyper child with the needle as she put the finishing touches on his Halloween costume. Harang twisted every few seconds, trying to see what his aunt was doing behind him. She told him to look at a spot on the wall in front of him and not move.

"Ouch!" Harang bounced and she jabbed herself with the needle. She stuck her injured finger in .

"Can I go now? Are you finished?" Harang hopped from one foot to the other. At his aunt's weary nod, he raced across the room to examine himself in the mirror. He the plush reddish-brown fur of his costume. He turned his back to the mirror and looked over his shoulder. A fluffy tail hung down. He wiggled to make it wag.

"I look just like Todd!" he exclaimed, turning around and putting his hands on the glass. He stared intently at his image, bared his teeth and growled at the mirror.

"Who's Todd?" his aunt asked, putting the last of the sewing supplies away.

"Todd is the fox in 'The Fox and the Hound'," Dara said as she came into the room. "Hojin is going as Copper the hound dog." She moved to the mirror and frowned at her reflection over Harang's head. She wasn't too sure about this costume idea of her grandpa's. One hand smoothed down the thin material as the other one twisted her hair into a knot at the nape of her neck.

"Not like that, dear." Her mother came over and pulled her hair back, tying it with a piece of white ribbon. She smiled and adjusted the fit of the material across her daughter's shoulders.

"What am I supposed to be again?" Dara shook out the full sleeves of her white top. It fit her form snugly, tucked into loose red pants. She liked the way the material swished when she walked.

"It's a traditional Miko outfit," mom replied. "Grandpa's been reading a lot of Japanese legends lately. Besides, you couldn't come up with anything else." She paused and eyed her daughter's form critically. Satisfied, she finished tidying up the sewing room. Harang spun in a circle, trying to catch his fluffy fox tail. Dara picked him up after he made himself dizzy and collapsed. They walked into the kitchen where grandpa was pretending to watch the bowl of candy. He kept sneaking pieces when he thought nobody was looking.

"Stop that, grandpa," Dara scolded. She put Harang down and grabbed the bowl of trick-or-treat goodies. Grandpa frowned and tried to grab it back.

"I paid for those. I should be allowed to have as many as I want." Dara sighed in exasperation and put the bowl on the top shelf of the cupboard where he couldn't reach them. He stomped out of the kitchen muttering about ungrateful grandchildren taking his candy.

Sanghyun ran in, wearing a patch over one eye, a bandanna on his head, and waving a plastic sword around. "Avast, me hearties," he growled, trying to sound tough. "Hand over all your candy or I'll make you walk the plank." He poked Dara in the back with his sword.

Dara spun around. "Do that again, you little freak, and you'll be sleeping with the fishes." Sanghyun frowned at her.

"That isn't what real pirates would say." He ducked when Dara lunged for him and ran into the living room with her right behind him.

Dara backed Sanghyun into a corner and threatened to skewer him with his own sword. The doorbell rang. She ran for the door and he slumped against the wall in relief. "Saved by the bell."

"Trick or treat." Mir looked like a double of Sanghyun, except that he had a large hoop earring fastened to one ear. He grinned at her, showing carefully blackened teeth, and held out his goodie bag. Bom and TOP stood just behind him.

Mom came out of the kitchen and handed Mir a candy bar for being such a 'cute little pirate.' He made a face but didn't object since 'cute' was getting him candy. He spied Sanghyun, drew his sword, and ran over to start a sword fight in the middle of the living room. Mom reprimanded them mildly to not break anything. She dragged Bom inside to 'ooh' and 'aah' over her engagement ring. She wanted to know when the wedding was and if she had registered at any stores yet. TOP shifted uncomfortably. Wedding talk made him uneasy. It had taken all of his courage to ask Bom to marry him. He wasn't ready for the actual ceremony yet. Bom seemed to enjoy the planning and preparations. He was willing to stand back and let her take care of it all.

Dara studied her best friend's costume. Bom wore a form-fitting one-piece black outfit. And strapped to her back was what looked like a giant boomerang.

"What are you supposed to be?" Dara asked curiously.

Bom grinned at her. "You're not the only one who listens to your grandpa's stories." She twirled a little so that Dara could get the full effect. "I am a demon exterminator, and this." She patted the boomerang. "Is my weapon."

Dara reached out to touch it. She tugged a little and was surprised at how light it was. "Don't worry about it being heavy," Bom assured her friend. "It's made out of Styrofoam."

TOP tapped the floor with a staff he carried, making the rings jingle. "Isn't anyone going to ask about my costume?"

"Okay, TOP." Dara eyed the young man's costume. It was very purple and black. "So, tell me. Why ARE you wearing a dress?"

Bom stifled her giggles with both hands. The boy's had stopped their sword fight to listen. They laughed so hard they had to hang onto each other to stay upright. Yoogeun looked confused.

"It's a very pretty dress," he told TOP. This made everyone laugh harder.

TOP stood up straight and jingled the rings on his staff. "This is NOT a dress. I am wearing the traditional robes of a Buddhist monk." Bom stopped giggling and patted his arm consolingly. He crossed his arms and sulked.

Dara tried to stop laughing. She found treat bags for Harang and Sanghyun, grabbed the child's hand and hustled everybody out the door. "Come on. I promised Jiyong and Hojin that we would meet them before it got too dark."

^**^

"What do you think Jiyong will be wearing?" Dara asked Bom as they walked to the nearby park to meet him and Hojin. Harang was content for now to just walk beside her. Mir and Sanghyun kept having sword fights and threatening to make people walk the plank.

"Probably jeans and a tee-shirt." TOP craned his neck around to watch a bunch of girls dressed as cheerleaders with really short skirts walk by. Bom smacked him. "Last year he tied an orange and black string around his wrist. He said that he doesn't dress funny for anybody, not even Hojin."

Harang started bouncing again. 'Mental note,' Dara thought. 'Hide Harang's Halloween candy. This kid is too hyper as it is without more sugar.' She looked ahead to see the park and another small figure dancing in place next to someone clad in red.

"Hojin!" Harang squealed and took off at a run. Hojin met him halfway and they danced around each other like a pair of excited puppies. Hojin was dressed in a tan and black costume with a white front. He wore a headband that had floppy brown ears attached. A tail dangled behind him, whipping from side to side as he jumped around Harang. Dara heard a snort and looked up to meet Jiyong's violet eyes. She smiled at him.

Jiyong grabbed Harang who was pulling on Hojin's tail. "What are you supposed to be? A squirrel?" Harang squirmed out of his hold.

"I'm a fox!" He kicked Jiyong in the shin and scampered out of the way. Jiyong growled. Dara laid a hand on his arm and he calmed. TOP snickered.

"I am a man of the cloth." He held his staff in front of him and backed away as Jiyong raised his fist to hit him. Dara frowned at TOP. He promptly hid behind Bom.

Bom decided to save TOP from getting beaten to a pulp by his best friend. "You're wearing a costume," she noted. "TOP said you wouldn't. What are you supposed to be?"

Jiyong turned to face them. He was dressed in loose red top and pants with a white shirt underneath. The rusty old katana that he kept in the glass case above his sofa was strapped to his waist. "I'm a samurai."

Dara blinked at him. "I thought samurai's wore black." He looked away and mumbled something. "What?" she asked.

Hojin ran up, panting from his games with Harang. He grabbed her hand and giggled when she ruffled his hair. "The stores were all out of black clothing. Daddy had to get another color. He said that he wanted to be a warrior since you were going to be a priestess. You were going to be in red and white and Daddy wanted to match. He said-."

"That's enough, Hojin," Jiyong interrupted. Dara couldn't be sure in the fading light, but she thought his face looked a trifle red. "Why don't you go chase Harang some more."

Dara blushed a little. "That's sweet, Jiyong." Hojin and Harang were yipping in high voices. They ran in circles on the grass, chasing their tails and giggling.

Jiyong crossed his arms. "There's nothing sweet about it. I just like red." Bom nodded with a slight smile on her face. TOP slapped him on the back and gave him a broad wink.

"Hey, Sis!" Sanghyun skidded to a halt in front of Dara. "Can we go? Everyone will be out of the good candy if we don't hurry."

She nodded and called to the kids who were now doing somersaults and getting grass stains on their costumes. Hojin's dog-ear headband had fallen off and Harang's tail was starting to lose some of its fur. She picked grass out of their hair, fixed Hojin's dog ears, and turned to find Jiyong watching her. He took his son's hand and she held Harang's. Hojin looked up at her and smiled. He reached for her. She folded her fingers around his small hand and felt her heart clench at the trust in his sweet face. Bom sighed as she watched the four of them walk across the street to the first house. Mir and Sanghyun were already there, begging for candy.

TOP held out his hand to her. "Shall we go, My Lady."

Bom smiled and placed her hand in his. "Of course, Sir Monk."

-------- SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER!!! I got caught up with many things, such as waiting for Big Bang's comeback teasers and many more. LOL I'm not gonna be a lazybum anymore and will definitely update everyday like I used to! Anyways, enjoy this chapter and comments are loved! <3