When he awoke it was to the sound of a machine beeping steadily. As his eyes opened he was surrounded by white for a brief moment before it focused and revealed the finer details. A TV was on in the corner, volume turned down low, while the heart monitor next to him continued to beep. He tried to move but he arm throbbed in pain. Glancing down he realized it was in a sling. Jongup turned his head to get a better view of the hospital room. Sitting in a chair near his bed, watching the TV intently was Himchan. His head was bandaged up as were the tops of his hands. The older boy looked tired beyond words.

                “Himchan?” He called out, his voice coming out in a barely audible rasp.

                Immediately Himchan was out of his seat, scrambling to Jongup’s bedside.

                “You okay? How’s your arm? What happened? Are you thirsty? Do you need the doctor? Your mom and dad are outside. I can get them. Hold on-“

                “Slow down, please,” Jongup requested while rubbing the weariness from his eyes. How did he get here? The last thing he recalled is the flames…flames…

                “Himchan,” he began slowly, trying to organize his thoughts. He remembered the flames after running from Sunhwa and the ghost…what had happened to her? More importantly, “Sunhwa had you two in the flames…right?”

                For a moment Himchan looked uneasy. Before answering he left to check the door, making sure it was shut, before returning to Jongup’s side.  He chewed his bottom lip, making invisible patterns on the blanket on the bed. There was another minute of silence before he finally looked into Jongup’s face and continued.

                “First, we’re both fine. Hyosung has a broken leg from her fall, but she didn’t get burned. Well, maybe singed her hair a bit. You know girls,” the elder laughed in a forced manner. When it became apparent Jongup wasn’t going to join him he stopped and resumed, “everyone else is either outside or a phone call away. You sure you don’t want me to get them or…”

                “Himchan,” Jongup sighed, “I remember Sunhwa telling me she trapped you two in a burning house before chasing me out of the house. And then the ghost-“

                “Jungah, right?” Jongup stared at Hmchan with wide eyes, “when I came to, the room was just starting to fill with smoke. I’d called out for help but no one came…”

                “Hyosung, Hyosung wake up!” Himchan pushed Hyosung with his foot from where he sat. They were in one of the bedrooms, tied up. He’d managed to sit up, his head throbbing, and when he boed his head forward he could see a few small drops of blood hit the floor. He’d tried to maneuver to Hyosung who still lie on the floor prone and unconscious, but the best he could do was get close enough to prod her with his foot.

                The smoke was getting thicker by the moment. Thankfully they were low to the ground so it bought them a little time. However it was becoming increasingly difficult for Himchan to breathe. He continued to call out to alternatively to Hyosung, trying to wake her, and for someone to help them. In the back of his mind he knew however that that someone could be Sunhwa…the first hit didn’t knock him out completely. The second though….he had enough to time to see her crazed face.

                It was becoming hotter now. In Hispanic every time he tried to get to his feet he fell. He had to get Hyosung out of here before…the smoke was getting thick. He couldn’t breathe…

                Someone stood in front of him now. Looking up through bleary, watery eyes Himchan met the silent, pitying gaze of a girl he knew from somewhere. She knelt down and her face became clear. He did know her.

                “Jung…ah…?” He muttered in shock. The girl leaned towards him and began to whisper in his ear…

                “After that my hands were freed and I managed to get Hyosung out of there. I burned my hands doing so but…” He trailed off, looking visibly upset.

                “What did…she say to you…?”

                “I didn’t understand it at first. Unintelligible mutterings. But then the visions, flashes of memories came. She really was Jungah, the girl I liked back in high school…and Sunhwa, because of me…”

                It was clear Himchan was fighting back breaking down, so Jongup sat up more and wrapped his good arm around the older. That seemed to open the floodgate and Himchan choked out sob, tears pouring down his face and soaking through to Jongup’s skin.

                “My fault…oh my god, it’s my fault…! How did I not know?!”

                He let his friend cry, remaining silent the entire time.

~~~

                Once the fire died down and stories were told a hunt for Sunhwa began. Himchan and Jongup didn’t say anything about the ghost interfering. The police wouldn’t have believed them anyways. However the hype around the incident soon died down. The small town the house was in just seemed to want to forget, and in a few months the case seemed to be at a dead end. Youngjae said he thought Sunhwa’s family had something to do with it.

                It’d been nearly a year since the incident. Jongup sat alone in front of his school. Daehyun had since left for university, Youngjae not too far behind. Daehyun was sleeping again and for some odd reason these days when Youngaje had a family get together this little old lady and her husband would just show up. Jongup found out later that this was the woman who helped them find him.

                The dreams had all stopped for each of them, though for some reason Jongup still had the mark on his hand. The doctors couldn’t explain what it was. Himchan and Hyosung still seemed to be going strong, as were Yongguk and Jieun. Zinger kept in touch, checking on him and Zelo on occasion. It almost felt like nothing had changed again.

                Jongup idly drummed his fingers on the bench, listening to his mp3s while waiting for Yongguk to come pick them up again. This year they’d decided to go to the beach and were planning on staying in tents. No one argued that point.

                But when he looked up he nearly cried out in despair.

                The tall, green stalks of sunflowers surrounded him, the dusklight illuminating the yellow flowers. He immediately panicked and turned to run, wanting to be out of the nightmare before it had even begun…

                Jonguppie…

                He tensed at hearing Sunhwa’s hoarse voice behind him. Despite wanting to run, he felt compelled to look over his shoulder. Visible just past the sunflowers was the clearing he’d become so accustomed to seeing in his nightmares. From the loose dirt emerged a bloodied, pale hand, followed by another, then the arms. Those arms clawed at the dirt, pulling out a body.

                Hair caked with mud and blood, Sunhwa glared at him, reaching out and scowling. However, as she continued to pull herself out another arm suddenly reached out from behind her, wrapping around her neck. Her scowl became terror and she screamed wordlessly, trying to reach out to him again, her eyes begging him to help. He could see the satisfied stare of Jungah behind her as she was pulled back into the shallow grave…

                “Jongup!” A car blared its horn at the same time Yongguk shouted at him. With a start Jongup jumped to his feet, shaking off the feelings coming over him. Zelo was already placing his bags in the van. Once again Yongguk sat at the wheel, Himchan next to him. Zelo hopped into the back seat, greeting Youngjae and Daehyun once. Youngaje said something to himand the two began an exchange (mostly Youngjae teasing Zelo about a girl he’d shown some interest in recently). Before Jongup could follow Daehyun gently grabbed his arm, giving him a questioning look.

                “You okay?”

                “Yeah.”

                “Did you see…?” Jongup didn’t need Daehyun to finish the thought. Silently he nodded, to which Daehyun smiled, “I think that’s the last time.” Jongup nodded, somehow feeling the same, and was ushered into the  vehicle.

                “So, no girls this time?”

                “Nah. They stayed back.”

                “Gee, I wonder why?” Youngjae replied sarcastically, “I hope you’re taking us somewhere better this time Himchan.”

                “Seriously, if ANYTHING comes out of the water we are so out of there, got it?” Yongguk stated, to which he received a silent agreement before driving off towards their destination.

A/N: Fail ending is fail. ><

Thank you al lmy subbies and readers. ^^ You kept me going through this story. My next one will be featuring Infinite, called Broken Mirrors, so check it out if you're interested. ^^ I love you all!!