Okay enough of JoonMin.

Time for some JaeMin \o/

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Hyomin's POV

My mother was all smiles the next day, humming as she cooked us bacon and eggs. My dad, still wearing his neck brace, turned the Sunday paper slowly, occasionally looking over the top to regard his wife.

Mum doled out food and put a heap of fried bread in the centre of the table. Hwayoung, Dad and I exchanged a look.

"You're encouraging us to eat saturated fat? Eomma, are you feeling okay?"

She grinned, picking up her knife and fork. "I just thought we deserved a treat today," she said, taking a bit of bread. "It's been an upsetting time lately ... But things are looking up." She beamed at me.

"She's happy you've made a friend," said Hwayoung astutely. "A special friend."

"He's just a boy and it was just an evening. No big deal."

Mum and Hwayoung smiled at each other.

"Well, we'd like to check him out, wouldn't we, Jisu?" Mum turned to my father. "Make sure he's good enough."

"Have we gone back in time to the nineteen-fifties or something?" I forked up a piece of bacon. "Should he have asked Dad's permission first?

"That would have been nice," my father said, and finally put down the paper, giving me a little wink. "But probably too much to ask in this day and age."

"Well, maybe some other time ...?" Mum sipped her tea. "We could have him over for lunch?"

"We'll see," I said, vowing to put that off as long as possible. "I'm going for a walk after breakfast. Have you seen my parka? It's freezing out there."

"That thing's too small for you." Mum shook her head. "But it's in the spare room. I was going to give it to Hwayoung."

I ate half of my egg, then pushed my plate away. "Okay if i go now? I need some fresh air."

Mum started to look disapproving but checked herself. "Fine, but don't be too long. You haven't finished the homework I set you last week yet."

"I'll be back in an hour or two and then I'll get right down to it."

Narrator's POV.

Hyomin was truly freezing as she stepped outside. Gazing up at the sky she remembered the nearly-full moon the night before and how serene it had looked. Tonight it would be full.

She whistled for Bobby, who was moching around outside her dad's shed, and slipped the lead around his neck. He rubbed his soft ears against her legs.

"I wish I had your coat," she told him, his back. "Where shall we go?"

Bobby looked at her, big-eyed and indecisive.

"Up the hill a bit?" She suggested. "Up to "no-man's land"?"

Bobby barked, which she took as agreement, and they set off, soon finding themselves negotiating the thickset trees where no path existed. It was a beautiful, bright day and she felt light and, for once, uncomplicated as they climbed.

Thinking of Joon's easy banter as they'd sat eating in Fabio's the night before, making Eunjung laugh and keeping Mr Jiho, who was at least eighty and usually most unimpressable, impressed with his tales of teaching surfing on the Gold Coast last summer. It was a life of sun and good times that bore no resemblance to her upbringing here in this endless cold, and she couldn't really relate. But Hyomin like a good story, and Joon was a good storyteller.

Suddenly Bobby stopped. Stiffening, he backtracked, ending up caught against a stubborn tree trunk.

"What's the matter, boy?" She bent to cuddle him, looking ahead of them to see what was there. At first there was nothing, but then she made out something behind a couple of trees. A dark shape. Hiding.

She caught her breath, still Bobby.

"Who's there?" She asked, sounding more confident than she felt.

The shape moved and a face appeared around the trunk of one of the trees.

"Jaejoong?" She stood up, relieved, and the looked down at Bobby, who was shaking and snarling at the same time.

Jaejoong moved so that he was completely exposed. She saw him give a pleading, friendly look at the dog, who ignored it, barking ferociously instead.

"Bobby, shush." Hyomin kneeled again, putting both arms around the quivering animal. "Jaejoong's nice. He won't hurt you."

But Bobby was trying to break free, thrashing about as she struggled to hold on to him. She'd never seen him like this before.

"Take him home." Jaejoong's voice was firm. "He's frightened."

Hyomin noticed that he had backed right away.

"What's the matter?" She said, still trying to control the dog. "Are you okay?"

Bobby continued to attempt to escape from her grip. His body moved powerfully and she struggled to hold him as his jaws snapped angrily, turning his gentle face wild, predatory.

"Bobby!" She felt the strength in her arms fade as his body strained against them.

"I'm sorry," Jaejoong said breathlessly. "I didn't think --"

Suddenly Bobby reared up, snappping viciously into the air, and she gasped.

"Run, Hyomin ..." Jaejoong backed away, his face grimacing as he did so. Suddenly he lurched forward, gasping as though in pain.

"Jaejoong!" She watched his hands flex and unflex uncontrollably.

"Please," He shook, and his eyes had grown much bigger, the brown turned darker and wild. "Just leave me!"

"But ---"

"Go!" he screamed then, and dropped to the ground.

Hyomin looked down at the dog, whose snarl was weaker and curious now, as well as afraid.

She grabbed his lead and yanked him back.

"Come on, boy," She panted and pulled the terrified animal with her, relieved when Bobby finally cooperated and they began moving. Then she was aware only of the adrenaline pumping through her veins, and of her running faster than she'd ever done in her life. Running down through the dense wood, which tore at her clothes as she moved. Running until they got back down to her dad's shed.

They reached the back of the house and as she bent over, out of breath, she watched Bobby rush in through the open back door before she looked up to where they had been.

"Who are you?" She whispered up at the woods.

Still panting, she walked slowly, treading as lightly as she could, away from the house, back towards Jaejoong. But the sound that pierced the air stopped her in her tracks.

A cry, sad and low, coming from high above.

And then, once again, she felt no fear, only a pull to the boy in pain.

Take me back to him, she heard a voice inside her head say. He's in trouble. Take me back.

And then everything went black.

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*jengjengjeng*

Hmm. I wonder what's going to happen next~