The old woman from the town (who had tricked Youngjae into letting her kiss him) sat happily across from the pair in the small coffee house. After the waiter came by and dropped off her coffee, she looked back to the pair with a small amount of pity.

                “So, by the way you boys look I’d say that ghost must have gotten to you,” when the boys stared at her wide eyed she merely laughed, “I knew the girl they say went missing. Poor dear. Used to come here all the time to see the sunflower field.”

                “Died? But Sunhwa said…”

                “No body was ever found of course,” she sipped her coffee, “but then local kids started saying they were haunted by ghosts. She doesn’t haunt everyone. She’s…particular. This one old man psychic once told me she only haunts those either with a connection to her or are particularly sensitive. You lot seemed very sensitive. They say ghosts will haunt those who can hear them.”

                “How did you know…?”

                “I know that ‘haunted’ look,” the old woman sighed, “it’s the same look my grandson had. In any case, I came into town today to visit my grandchildren and I just happened to see you.” She winked at Youngjae who snorted and looked away in annoyance.

                “You knew the girl though, right?” Daehyun pressed, far more interested than Youngjae, “Who was she?”

                “Yes. Sweet girl. Her name was Han Jungah,” she reached into the large bag she’d been carrying, “I actually have a picture of her here…”

                “You carry pictures of dead people?” Youngjae scoffed, “Ow!” He yipped when she reached over with the small notebook she’d retrieved and whacked him on the head, “Woman!”

                “Hush,” she opened the book and flipped the pages, “I keep pictures I take around town. That poor girl. Here this is one summer,” she produced a photo. The girl, Jungah, stood among the sunflowers with an armful. With her were a few other girls, “she never did make friends with people. Those were local girls…except for that one,” she indicated one in the background with her back turned, “but no one really knew her well.”

                “And you’re so sure she’s the ghost?” Youngjae asked.

                “Don’t interrupt me,” she shushed him again, “and here. This was taken a month after the poor thing vanished.”

                This picture succeeded in making Youngjae shudder. It was a picture of a family. A mom, a dad, and two boys (one a teenager).  The teenage boy was looking over his shoulder…and in the background was the distinct face of Han Jungah. Seeing her that way Youngjae knew this was the girl he’d seen in his vision that day.

                “Hey Dae…”

                “Han Jungah?” Daehyun had grabbed the photo and was staring at it hard, “I know her.”

                “What?”

                “She was a tutor for me in math when I was younger. I haven’t seen her since middle school but,” he looked to the old woman, eyes wide, “I assumed she just moved…”

                “Wait a second,” Youngjae looked at her again and got out his phone, “I need to confirm something with Yongguk but…but I think we all know her…”

~~~

                Yongguk stared at his phone in irritation. This was the fifth time Youngjae had tried to call him. He was currently in the middle of the theater watching a movie with Jieun…and Zinger and Zelo (they both decided to tag along). He finally muttered under his breath and stood to quietly exit the theater. Once outside he called the younger back.

                “Hey. I’m busy right now so…”

                “Do you remember the name of that girl who had the big crush on Himchan?”

                “What? Not really…”

                “What was her name?” He insisted.

                “Youngjae this is…”

                “Her name!” Daehyun’s voice suddenly spoke out over the receiver.

                Yongguk stared at the receiver in surprise. He’d never heard Daehyun use that tone: desperate and almost afraid. Jieun and the others had emerged from the theater as well. She asked what was happening but he shook his head. He was wracking his brain trying to remember the quiet girl who rarely spoke until they were in college…and then…what was her name?

                “Jung…ah? Right, Jungah,” he said into the phone. Both Jieun and Zinger exchanged a look at the name, “Daehyun? Youngjae?”

                “..we know her…”

                “What are you two saying? Hey!”

                The phone line suddenly went dead. He tried to redial the pair but it went straight to their voicemails. Frustrated, Yongguk rushed outside and tried to call Himchan next. Again, it went straight to voicemail. What was going on?!

                “Yongguk,” Jieun placed a hand on his arm, “what’s going on?”

                “They kept asking me this girl’s name we knew a long time ago…Han…something…”

                “Han Jungah?” Zinger added rather unexpectantly. Yongguk, surprised, slowly nodded, the name sounding familiar, “she was in our dorm. I thought she’d transferred out when she stopped coming to class. Come to think of it,” Zinger worried her bottom lip, “she did ask us about Himchan quite a bit…”

                “Jongup’s not picking up either,” Zelo added after trying to call his friend, “this is weird.”

                “Sunhwa was freaking out recently about something she left at that house…” Jieun barely finshed saying that before Yongguk was dialing Himchan again. Why wasn’t he picking up his phone?!

~~~

                The old woman frowned. She’d tried to call Youngjae’s friends as well and went straight to voicemail. Considering it was from her own phone this was odd. It’d been a couple hours since they’d last tried and none of them seemed able to contact each other. Something occurred to her though. She turned her back to the boys and dialed her home.

                “Sweetie? Yes, its me, tell me. Have you noticed any activity near the Lee house?”

                Daehyun listened as she spoke to the other person on the line. He was worried. Something wasn’t right. He couldn’t imagine that all of his friends would be unable to contact each other. If one of their phone were dead they would have charged it by now.

                Sitting in the coffee shop he’d already drank three cups of coffee. The sugar and caffeine were starting to get to him. He fidgeted nervously, anxiously. Why hadn’t they been able to contact them…?

                A hand landed on his shoulder. He turned his head, assuming it was Youngjae…

                …and saw her eyes instead…

                He screamed and jumped to his feet, backpedalling away from her only to run into another body. Youngjae caught him before he fell and the girl vanished. Breathing rapidly heart pounding, he looked back at Youngjae and realized by his pale face that he too had seen the girl…but why…?

                “Young man,” the old woman suddenly said, making them both jump and shout, “sorry boys. I just spoke with my husband. He says he saw a car go up towards the house not too long ago…”

                Daehyun was frantically running out the door without another word. He grabbed his phone and tried one more time…this time calling Yongguk again. To his relief it rang.

                “Yah! What’s going on?!” Yongguk’s both angry and worried voice practically yelled.

                “The house! I think they’re at the house!”

~~~

                As they parked in front of the house Himchan tried to hide his apprehension. He looked to Hyosung who smiled at him as she exited the car. Sunhwa was in the backseat next to a sleeping Jongup. She looked to him and then to Himchan.

                “He didn’t have to come.”

                “He wanted to. Besides, we’ll only be here for a moment, right?” Himchan assured her before exiting the car as well, “we’ll let him sleep in here and we’ll be out in no time.”

                Sunhwa nodded and the three of them made their way to the house. Himchan paused at the steps that led up to the door. Looking up at the building he felt the dread building up again. This was definitely a bad idea. He wished Hyosung and Jongup wouldn’t have come…but he couldn’t dissuade either. He really, truly, did not want to go back into that house…

                “Himchan? You coming?” Sunhwa called to him. The girls were already at the door.

                He nodded and followed. He couldn’t let Sunhwa go in alone. What sort of person would he be to let a girl go alone again?

                With that in mind they entered the house.

                 A/N: A transition chapter. Hopefully things will pick up in the next. ^^