After Leeteuk collected his strength she grabbed his shoes and instead of immediately heading back to the mansion she opened the door to the watch house in hopes of finding a towel, anything to get him dry. The water had been cold and she knew that he was freezing just as she was. She made her way in with Leeteuk’s arm tucked around her shoulders. First, she glanced at the dusty TV then to the still rich-looking carpet beneath the table. Perhaps no one had entered this watch house since years ago.

She traveled down the hallway and searched through the rooms. Nothing. No towels, no extra clothes that had been left behind…well what had she been hoping for in the first place? What if Leeteuk got horribly sick? What was she going to do now that they were unable to get dry?

Leeteuk suddenly let go of her and sat down on the bed in the room.

“Are you ok?” she questioned.

Leeteuk had his eyes closed and had his hand pressed to his forehead as if he were in pain.

“I’m ok.”

Taeyeon glanced around, “Lets take a break before we head back.”

“Lets just stay here…”

“No, you’re wet and ice cold. If you don’t get warmed up and change into dry clothes you’re going to get…” Taeyeon started but stopped when he pulled her to sit down beside him and just held her.

“I…was scared.” Leeteuk whispered pressing his face into her hair.

Taeyeon bit her bottom lip. She, too, had been scared but she couldn’t say it.

;;;;;

Siwon and Seungho ran back toward the house where he’d promised to meet with Yoona in an hour. Junsu and Gyuri stood beside her.

“Any sign of Leeteuk?” Seungho questioned.

Yoona shook her head.

“What exactly is going on?” Junsu asked.

“Aish…” Siwon groaned.

“Unni’s been gone for a long time,” Yoona told, “I’m worried. What if something happened to the two of them?”

“It’s always the two of them…” Junsu started but stopped when Gyuri knocked him in the stomach.

“It’s ok. We can split up again or those who don’t want to go search can stay behind,” Gyuri suggested. “They can’t be far. They should still be in the perimeters of this town.”

“Maybe we can ask Changmin for help,” Yoona offered.

“No,” Siwon quickly rejected giving Yoona a sideways glance.

Gyuri stared at them wondering what was wrong with the suggestion.

“What do you mean no?” Yoona pondered.

“We shouldn’t bother them,” Siwon replied.

“I agree with Yoona,” Gyuri agreed. “Changmin knows this area well. He should know where to search if it concerns Leeteuk and Taeyeon.”

Siwon turned to glance at Gyuri, “But I feel we’ve been too much of a bother to them already. Lets leave Changmin out of this.”

Junsu frowned, “What’s with this next door neighbor kid? I don’t get it.”

Yoona and Siwon stared at each other as if competing for an answer then turned to Junsu.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Yoona spouted.

Junsu frowned at them.

“Should we split up again?” Seungho brought the topic back onto track. “We can’t stand here debating like this.”

“Yoona, come with me. We should go get Changmin.” Gyuri stated turning to look at the girl with long hair.

Yoona took a step forward but Siwon’s strong, low voice stopped her. “No. We’re not getting his help on this. Don’t you remember he and Leeteuk beat the crap out of each other only a few days ago? What if he’ll help find Taeyeon but not Leeteuk?”

“Why would you say that, oppa!” Yoona demanded.

“It’s true. You know it,” Siwon stared at her. “Leeteuk and Changmin aren’t just ordinary. They had a past together and it didn’t come out well. And don’t you tell me that we won’t be able to find our friends with our own heads because we will.”

Yoona glared back at Siwon before the glare melted in her eyes. She turned to Gyuri. “Oppa…I’ll go with what he says. We might be asking for more trouble if we get Changmin to help us.”

Gyuri glanced at Siwon who had no expression on his face but she knew he was silently glad he’d convinced Yoona.

“Fine,” Gyuri nodded, “but if we can’t find them by sunset I’m getting his help whether you stop me or not.”

Siwon turned his head sideways with a small nod. When Gyuri, Yoona, and Siwon took a step toward the road a voice from behind froze them.

“Don’t waste your energy,” they turned to see Zhoumi looming over them.

Gyuri stared at him wondering what was going to happen next.

“We’ll find them because I know where they are.”

“You do?” Junsu raised an eyebrow.

Gyuri eyed him carefully feeling suspicious.

“Should we go?” Zhoumi questioned.

Siwon, feeling ominous, turned to glance at Gyuri for some reason.  
 
“Them?” Yoona repeated. “Unni and Leeteuk are together?”

Zhoumi gave her a strange sideways glance that made her step closer to Siwon.

“Yes.” Zhoumi easily replied.

“Oppa…” Yoona whispered.

“Fine. Then lets not waste time.” Siwon told. “You’re going to lead the way, right?”

Zhoumi led them down the road, through bends in the road, and across a green hill then down a winding road again. Birds flew out of trees, trees waved in the wind, and the air was still with silence. None of them had muttered anything while each were in their own separate train of thoughts. One thing they were all wondering the same was: Where were they headed?

Gyuri stared down the continuous empty road wondering how many times during the day did a car happen to pass by. Zhoumi still gave off that mysterious aura he had flowing off him earlier that morning. She couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him exactly. She was sure, though, that his behavior was off.

Siwon who was walking behind Zhoumi eyed his back before turning to slightly glance at the others, who were trailing along very quietly.

“Do you think we’re going somewhere safe?” Yoona whispered keeping near Siwon.

“Since there’s so many of us I doubt anyone would try to harm one of us,” Siwon replied hoping that that kept Yoona calm, however, the insecurity she felt shone in her eyes.   

He didn’t know where they were headed. Zhoumi hadn’t explained anything but had led the way silently. If he were up to something Siwon was sure it wasn’t anything good. Seeing that these past few days had gone by peacefully after Junsu claimed Zhoumi tried to kill Leeteuk, Siwon had realized after the fight that Zhoumi wasn’t really the same. The sixth sense guy who blabbered that there was something in the mansion had suddenly become sullen and kept to himself.

Zhoumi stopped in his steps bringing the rest to a halt as well. No one said anything because it was visible just ahead of them. A dirt trail led to the blue watch house in front of the docks with the creek flowing behind.

“Where’s this?” Seungho questioned from behind them all.

Gyuri felt swing open into a little crack as she took in the environment before her. Siwon also felt surprised that Zhoumi had known of such a place.

“What is this place?” Junsu asked.

“Maybe a vacation house,” Siwon offered an answer.

“Are they here?” Yoona questioned but Zhoumi did not respond. Instead he coolly walked off ahead.

“W…wait!” Seungho called after him hesitating about whether it was alright to walk onto the property or not. “Is it ok to just barge in? What if someone lives here?”

Zhoumi neared the door, anyhow.

“I guess there’s no use questioning about whether we’re welcomed here or not,” Gyuri told.

With that Yoona bounded forward after Zhoumi.

“Yah! Im Yoona!” Siwon shouted racing after her.

“I can’t be left behind,” Seungho said following.

Gyuri took a moment to stare at the scene before her before heading on.

They observed the house as soon as they entered and followed the others through the halls. By the time Gyuri had gotten in the house Zhoumi was already out of her sight. What was this house exactly? What had it been used as? And what had it been used for? Who were the people who last occupied this building? And why did seemed unused?

“Unni!” Yoona’s shout echoed down the hall.

Gyuri hurried down the hall after the rest to find a soaked Taeyeon and Leeteuk lying on the bed together. If she were a stranger she would have thought the scene to be another remake of Romeo and Juliet.

“What’s wrong with them?” she asked.

“I’m not sure,” Siwon replied pulling the unconscious Leeteuk up. “Someone get Taeyeon.”

“I will.” Junsu replied grabbing Taeyeon’s arm at the same time as Zhoumi grabbed her other arm.

They glanced at each other silently with the rest staring.

“I think it’ll be better if Junsu brings her back,” Gyuri broke the silence, “so…you should just lead us back.”

Zhoumi turned to stare at her as if he knew Gyuri was purposely trying to distance him from them.

“Ok,” Zhoumi said, his voice strangely lower than usual.

He stood up and looked at them. Gyuri felt afraid for a moment imaging him jumping at them relentlessly.

“Lets hurry back. I don’t think Leeteuk or Taeyeon are in good condition right now.” Siwon urged.

;;;;;

Taeyeon couldn’t smile. The eyes moved left then right and again left then right staring at her mindlessly.

“Unni…” Taeyeon heard herself mumble. “Unni…unni…are you ok?”

Was it really her speaking? It took a long moment for her dream to subside and her eyes opened pushing her heavy eyelids up. It was an uncomfortable blur before she realized Yoona and Gyuri were leaning over her.

“Unni!” Yoona called again.

So it was Yoona she had heard. She was thankful it’d been Yoona. If it hadn’t been for her Taeyeon would have to go through her nightmare alone again.   

“Are you ok?” Gyuri questioned.

“Oh…yea…” Taeyeon glanced at the pink walls to find that she was back in her room tucked under two sheets of blankets. “What’s going on?”

Yoona pushed her back down as she tried to sit up.

“You tell us what’s going on,” Yoona demanded. “We found you at a blue house together with Leeteuk.”

“Leeteuk?” Taeyeon repeated before everything rushed back at her.

She felt terribly nauseous, unwell at that moment. Her mind went blank. She had nothing to say. She didn’t know what to say.

“He’s downstairs in his room with Siwon,” Gyuri explained as if knowing that Taeyeon would ask about his whereabouts. “He’s well and just like you he’s down with a fever.”

“So why were you two there?” Yoona cut in worriedly. “What happened?”

;;;;;

“I don’t know. I don’t remember why I was there. I only remember that Taeyeon was sitting beside me,” Leeteuk replied. Then noticing Siwon’s stare he added, “Really. I can’t remember the rest.”

“How did you end up there then?” Siwon interrogated. “Junsu claims you went to see him this morning about that incident a few days ago before you went out. What did you ask him?”

Leeteuk glanced at the door as if expecting someone to be standing there then returned to Siwon.

“I remember,” Leeteuk began, “some things so I wanted to find out the answers.”

“About what happened that day? I thought you wouldn’t be able to recall anything.”

“But I did.” Leeteuk told.

“Then what exactly happened that day?”

Leeteuk blinked a couple of times before he said, “I remember walking back and collapsing on the stairs before Gyuri discovered me. Junsu helped bring me back to the room before Zhoumi appeared. He did…strangle me.”

Siwon felt his eyes go wide. “Zhoumi?”