A beam of sunlight was warming the side of Himchan’s face. Himchan sat up groggily, running a hand over his face and through his hair. He turned over to crawl out of bed and nearly planted his hand right on top of a still sleeping Jongup. He wondered for a moment why the younger boy was in his bed but quickly recalled the previous night. The younger had looked so pale and spooked, he didn’t have the heart to tell him to go away. Sighing quietly, he carefully maneuvered himself out of bed, making sure not to disturb Jongup. Someone else grumbled and Yongguk rolled over in his bed, eyes cracking open slightly. He grimaced at the sight of the sunlight and rolled back over.

                However, Yongguk slowly turned over again, sitting up, and looking from Himchan to Jongup a few times. He looked as if he were trying to solve some great mystery.

                “I think he had a bad dream or something,” Himchan finally whispered, stretching his arms over his head and feeling his back crack a little, “he looked freaked out about something.”

                “Don’t blame him. How could you sleep with all the running around?”

                “What?” Himchan paused before opening the door to look back at Yongguk.

                “I think Youngjae or Zelo may have been up late, up to no good. They were running around or something. I’ll give them a good yell when they get up,” Yongguk grumbled before getting up himself and padding over to the door, going past Himchan and opening it, “when are the girls getting here?”

                “You mean, ‘when is Jieun getting here’, right?” Himchan flinched a little when Yongguk spun around, looking ready to hit him, “I’m kidding! Eesh, lighten up. Later tonight I think.”

                “Yeah, okay,” Yongguk continued on, “lemme see if there’s anything to eat.”

                Himchan looked back at Jongup one last time. He furrowed his brows in worry when the younger boy groaned a little and curled up into a tighter ball, sweat beginning to form on his brow. When he turned to approach him he felt something cool suddenly brush past and the door shut gently behind him. Himchan could only stare at the door for a moment.

                Jongup seemed to relax now though, his face looking peaceful as he slept comfortably. Himchan eyed the door again before opening it slowly, peeking outside it.

                A face suddenly appeared in front of him through the crack and Himchan screamed rather girlishly. He jumped back and landed on his rear with a hard thud. Laughter filled the room nd he immediately recognized the voice.

                “Yoo Youngjae!”

                “Oh my god, that was awesome,” Youngjae chuckled, offering his hand to Himchan, “why so jumpy?”

                “You closed the door like that on purpose, didn’t you?” He growled in annoyance, shoving Youngjae a little once he was on his feet, “shutting the door and trying to scare me!”

                “Are you freaking out because the AC and the pressure changed so the door shut on its own?” Youngjae asked, brows arched in amusement.

                “Uh, well, I…shut up and get out of here so Yongguk can yell at you for being an annoying brat!” Himchan screeched a little, shoving Youngjae out the door. He heard someone call out to him and paused to look back to a now awake Jongup.

                “Oh, sorry! Go back to sleep Jongie.”

                “Did…did something happen…?”

                “Nah, just Youngjae being an . I’ll come get you when we have breakfast ready,” Himchan smiled at him before leaving the room.

                He stopped before going down the stairs to join Yongguk. Himchan puzzled over the look on Jongup’s face again. For a moment there he looked like he did last night: scared. While he pondered this he could hear Yongguk downstairs scolding Youngjae (and maybe Zelo if he was there as well) about stomping around at night. And then he heard Zelo’s response:

                “But we fell asleep the moment we got into bed…”

                The college student turned and began walking back down the hall towards Jongup’s room. Despite the bright sunlight outside, the upstairs hall had no windows. The glow illuminated it enough for him to see, but it looked bleak. First door on the right was his room (just a few feet away from the stairway), next was Youngjae’s, and the third was Jongup’s. Daehyun’s and Zelo’s was past that.

                Himchan couldn’t shake a certain feeling of dread that washed over him as he stared at the closed door. Shaking his head at how foolish he was being, Himchan touched the door knob and slowly turned it, opening the door. A faint scent of flowers wafted through the room and bright sunlight filtered in through the window whose curtains had been left open. The bed was unmade, one of the blankets having been trailed off in what he assumed was Jongup’s haste to escape. He looked around and something just seemed…off…

                “Can I…sleep ON the bed?”

                Kneeling down next to the bed, Himchan lowered his head to look beneath it. An alarm clock was there and he reached out to take it. Even though he had it he lingered in the position a bit longer. It smelled very strongly of flowers now….not like fresh flowers though. It was as if someone had left a dried up, old, maybe slightly rotten bouquet in the sun. Something else caught his eye while he pondered this. At the fair end, wedged between the floorboards, was something…

                “What are you doing?”

                “AISH!” Himchan shrieked, his body jumping in start at Daehyun’s sudden voice and whacking his head on the bed frame.

                “Sorry,” Daehyun chuckled a little, though unlike Youngjae it seemed forced, “the others are looking for you.”

                “Right. Let’s get Jongie,” Himchan grumbled, rubbing his head, “You sleep good?”

                “…yeah…” Daehyun responded hollowly. Himchan gave him a questioning glance but Daehyun shrugged it off and continued on. He watched the younger before looking back into the room. A chill crept up his spine and Himchan jogged after him.

~~~

                “Watch out!” Himchan didn’t have a chance to respond. The soccer ball hit him in the chest and he fell backwards into the tall grass. Groaning, Himchan sat up, rubbing the offended spot irritably, and scowled at Yongguk and Youngjae. Those two would be the death of him.

                Most of their morning had been spent planning out what they would be doing next. Yongguk and the others would go into town to pick up food and other essentials before the girls arrived. Himchan and Jongup would stay behind just in case they came early. The morning was without much incident and the color was back in Jongup’s face. He didn’t look troubled at all, much to Himchan’s relief. Even Daehyun, who had Himchan worried for a moment, looked bright and happy again, eagerly joining Youngjae in his exploration of the house. That’s where the soccer ball had come from. They’d found it in the attic.

                “Open the windows when we leave,” Yongguk ordered as he helped Himchan to his feet, “the place looks nice but the air smells like old dust or something.”

                “Flowers?”

                “I guess,” Yongguk shrugged, “Sunhwa’s uncle must not come here that often.”

                “I don’t think so,” Himchan responded, “you guys going to head out soon?”

                “Yup,” he called over to Youngjae, telling him to gather the rest of the boys, “you sure you don’t want to come? We can be back real quick.”

                “I’ll be fine appa,” Himchan teased Yongguk, laughing at the annoyed look that earned him.

                “Well fine then, umma,” he teased right back, making Himchan roll his eyes, “we’ll be back.”

                “Bye,” he waved him off and headed back towards the house.

                “Jongup?” Himchan called into the house after entering. He went about the front room, opening two windows and letting some fresh air into the home, “Jongup!” Himchan huffed in irritation. He was probably sleeping again. Next he moved to the kitchen, opening a window there and popping his head out to look outside. The view was of the tall grasses behind the house. In the distance he could make out some hills, but it looked mostly flat. He wondered if the lake was really too far to walk. It’d be nice to go there with everyone…

                A sudden thud from upstairs made him jump again (for the third time) and he slammed his head against the window seal. Cursing loudly, Himchan pulled himself back in and went to the bathroom towards the medicine cabinet.

                “Jongup! Be careful! Open some windows while you’re up there!” He shouted. Opening the mirrored medicine cabinet and retrieving a bottle of painkillers, Himchan continued, “Did you want to come with me to explore the backyard some?”

                No response.

                Annoyed at being ignored, Himchan took a mouthful of water from the sink’s tap, swallowed two pills, and replaced the bottle. He shut the cabinet and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

                “Hey…”

                “GOD DAMNIT!” Himchan nearly screamed after Jongup appeared behind him in the reflection. That was three times now that they’d managed to scare him. Now he just needed Yongguk and Zelo to complete the circle.

                “Sorry,” Jongup apologized, “I heard you shouting from outside. You need something?”

                Himchan stared at Jongup hard.

                “Uh…”

                “You were…outside…?” Himchan stated slowly, his eyes flitting up to look above them again.

                “Yeah. Is something wrong?”

                “Nothing. Do me a favor: go outside and see if the others have left yet. I’ll meet you out there in a bit. I’m going to open a few windows upstairs and then we can explore this place some more,” Himchan patted Jongup on the head to rush him along, to which the younger gave him a perplexed look before complying.

                Once the younger boy was out, Himchan immediately went to the stairs. He looked up them warily before slowly making his way up. Halfway up something creaked, like someone walking on floorboards, and he quickly rushed up to confront whoever it was. More than likely it was just Zelo lagging behind.

                However, he was greeted by emptiness and utter silence. Just when he thought it was nothing, something creaked nearby.

                And Again.

                And Again.

                Himchan felt like someone had just walked over his grave, the feeling of dread crawling up his spine. Before he could take a step further something that felt like a cool gust of sir gently swept over her face accompanied by the scent of something floral. Panic was beginning to rise in his body and he knew that he wanted to be downstairs, outside immediately. Just as he turned to go back down the front door slammed open.

                “KIM. HIM. CHAN!”

                To his horror the sudden sound distracted him long enough that he missed one of the steps. With a shout he fell forward and tumbled down the stairs. The world was a spinning blur of images and pain with each step he hit on his way down. He vaguely heard the gasps and cries of others, but by the time he hit the floor Himchan was too dazed to really recognize any of them.

                “Oh my god!”

                “Himchan! Himchannie speak to me!”

                “What happened?!”

                “Quick! Call the doctor!”

                Himchan’s eyes rolled up to look at the group now surrounding him. Someone had his hand in their’s and another person was gently shaking him. Trying to focus his eyes, Himchan counted five individual around him. It took him a moment, but the voices were finally recognizable.

                “Hyosung?” He asked, sitting up and groaning at the pain in his body.

                “Don’t move!” She ordered him gently, although he could hear the panic in her voice.

                “I’m fine…just a little woozy,” he tried to reassure them. He looked up again and frowned. Hyosung, Jieun, Sunhwa, and Hana (or Zinger as she liked to be called these days) were all around him. Where was the fifth…?

                “Jongup! Get in here!” Zinger got to her feet and ran out to collect him.

                “Weren’t there…never mind,” Himchan groaned, “I’m going to need more painkillers…”

                “I’ll get them!” Sunhwa chirped, quickly rushing off to find them. Despite all the pain and weirdness…Himchan had to admit: having four pretty girls fussing over him right now wasn’t a bad thing in the least…if it wasn’t for the pain in his back afterall…he whimpered a little and cursed when he tried to get to his feet. This was going to be a long vacation…

A/N: Not quite so creepy this chapter. ^^