The ambulance drove off into the night, its sirens blaring loudly. If there were neighbors that had awoken because of the noise they didn’t see any. Shindong had gone with Jung Seok to the hospital and there were only 8 of them left plus Leeteuk’s mother and grandma.

“They should be fine,” Leeteuk’s mother assured, “the hospital will call after they get him a checkup.”

Leeteuk nodded and turned back to his friends who were all crowded behind him. They were all scared. It was easy to see on their expressions. Taeyeon looked the most scared but she almost failed at concealing it well. What was wrong with her? Why had she been staring at Jung Seok with those eyes just a while ago?

“If you help me carry things into the house I’ll do the rest of the cleaning,” Leeteuk’s mother offered.

“Come on guys!” Siwon spoke first, seeing his face Leeteuk would have thought it took him a lot of courage just to lead.

Slowly everyone followed him and within minutes they cleared the backyard with his mother locking the door behind them. After watching all his friends walk into their own bedrooms Leeteuk headed back into the kitchen to find his mother washing the dishes while humming to herself. Just the view of it seemed so peaceful.

Taking a step forward he said, “Mom.”

His mother jumped and dropped one of the heavy plates into the sink almost breaking it. She spun around to look at him and took a heavy breath of relief.

“Teukie  you scared me!” she exclaimed.

“You scared me,” Leeteuk told walking forward. “Why are you so scared? I mean paranoid through the whole day?”

His mother shook his head, “What are you doing here? You should be getting ready for bed. Aren’t you tired?”

“I am but I was just wondering if you wanted some help.” Leeteuk said.

“It’s alright. I’m almost done,” his mother told putting some plates onto the rack before turning the faucet off to scrub at some dirty plates.

“Mom,” Leeteuk began, “I’ve been wondering. Why is it that you don’t allow me to come here when I was younger?”

His mother sighed as if he’d asked that already, “I’m not going to tell you, Teukie.”

“Why not? Why do you hide so many things from me?”

Something sparked in his mother’s eyes and it looked as if she were seriously hurt for a moment. “It’ll get you hurt. Maybe…one day when you have kids of your own I’ll tell you.”

“But what’s the big deal about telling me now?” Leeteuk asked. “It’ll be the same as it will then won’t it?”

“It’s not…the story isn’t to be taken lightly,” his mother said. “That’s all I’ll say. Why don’t you go sleep now? If you don’t wake up in time you won’t be able to see us in the morning.”

Leeteuk sighed. “Ok, goodnight.”

He turned around to walk away wondering, with so many questions in his mind, what story could be serious enough for his mother to have kept it away from him all his life.

;;;;;

“Unni, you can’t stay here.” Yoona begged. “Sleep with me in my room.”

“I’ll be fine, Yoona. Stop being a worrywart. You’re not even my mother,” Kim Taeyeon told. “I’ll call you if there’s anything I need, ok?”   

“You’re all the way on the other side of the hallway, how am I supposed to get to you?” Yoona asked. “You don’t expect me to be a bat with super good night vision, do you?”

“You want to be a vampire?” asked Taeyeon. “I’ll see you in the morning Yoona…as a human. You better head back before they turn off the light in the hallway.”

“Unni, you can’t be serious about sleeping in this room.” Yoona sounded dead serious.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Taeyeon said and closed the door.

“Taeyeon! Kim Taeyeon!” Yoona’s persistent voice came.

“Go to sleep!” Taeyeon shouted.

Finally turning around she stared at the window Jung Seok had closed earlier and glanced at the closed closet. What had happened earlier? It all seemed so calm now as if it hadn’t occurred at all. Gulping Taeyeon sat down on the bed trying to keep herself cool.

“Keep it all out Taeyeon,” she told herself.

And with the lights on she fell asleep after trying hard to keep her eyes shut.

She awoke early the next morning and headed down the stairs almost getting lost a few times. After heading back and forth down this hallway and that she finally found her way into the familiar hallway she’d walked down yesterday. From where she was standing was the one hallway that led into the living room they’d been standing in when they met Leeteuk’s grandmother. Walking pass it she could hear whispers coming from somewhere. Spinning around Taeyeon inched forward quietly wondering who was up so early in the morning. Finding her way through the hallway-like-maze she walked pass the kitchen and poked her head in to find it empty.

It was a small yellow area with a cute countertop filled with useful machines for cooking. A sink was built in in the middle and a couple of cabinets were built overhead. A square white table sat in the middle of the room. It looked so…glittery clean.

Turning away and taking a step forward she heard someone say her name. Quickly turning back she looked into the kitchen to find it empty. Tilting her head she turned away to find Leeteuk’s grandmother standing in front of her, her face was so close, and Taeyeon had to admit looked a bit scary that she sent a shrill out from .  

“What…! Oh my!” Teuk’s mother appeared from another doorway with a bowl of veggies in her hand.

Taeyeon finally clasped her hand over silencing herself. And when she gulped she immediately bowed and apologized.

“My, my. For such a young girl to be up so early and screaming her lungs out at me,” Teuk’s grandmother snickered, “who are you and what’s your name?”

“Kim Taeyeon ma’am.”

“What are you doing up so early? Even my Teuk isn’t up yet.”

“Mother, calm down. You two just scared each other, you don’t have to make a big deal over it, mom.” Teuk’s mother told. “Taeyeon, right? Do you want to help make breakfast?”

This was the real kitchen. It was splendid. There was a full view of the beautiful flower-filled backyard and a glass sliding door that led to the deck outback. Full light shone into the kitchen reflecting its beautiful black and white marble tiled floor. A table made up of shiny stone sat in the middle of the kitchen and the counters lining the walls of the kitchen totally matched it. Another separate counter sat to the far right of the kitchen in front of a fragile expensive looking stove. The kitchen seemed so convenient and great that Taeyeon had to question the other small kitchen. There was a grey two door fridge stocked with food that would probably last a week.

When Taeyeon turned around from the huge kitchen she found Leeteuk’s mother smiling at her. For once the old woman seemed younger than she was in age.

“Are you good friends with our Teukie?” she asked.

After preparing the first dish Leeteuk’s mother had sat her down and handed her some snacks to eat before breakfast.

Taeyeon smiled as if feeling bad that she didn’t know him at all, “I don’t know him.”

“Oh? I thought Teukie knew everyone,” his mother told.

Taeyeon smiled as if uncomfortable, “Only my friends know him. They’re the only reason I’m here.”

“Oh…you should get to know him too. Although he’s too silly a boy I don’t think any girl would like him,” his mother went on.

Taeyeon continued smiled and just nodded.

The whole pack finally awoke an hour later and everyone filed into the kitchen for their first breakfast in the house.

“Before leaving, I am letting everyone know that I don’t allow any parties in this mansion.” Teuk’s grandmother started off. “Nor do I allow any type of alcohol to be brought into this house. If there is any damage I will find that person at fault.”

“Mother,” Leeteuk’s mother tried. “You don’t have to scare the kids. They’ll listen to you if you don’t threaten them.”

“Sure they will,” his grandmother agreed sarcastically.

After breakfast each one of them washed their own dishes and headed into the living room to watch TV. Getting up from where she was Taeyeon walked toward the window and glanced out to see Leeteuk sending off his mother and grandmother.

;;;;;

“Bye grandma, get well soon,” Teuk told after giving his grandma a hug and helped her into the car.

When he turned back to his mother he found a sad smile full on her face.

“Remember what I said, Teuk. You and your friends get out of the house if anything happens. I’ll come back as soon as possible,” his mother said giving him a hug of full force. “Take care of yourself and be careful.”

“I will mom. You stay safe, too.”

Leeteuk watched the car drive away slowly then disappear from sight. Blurred images of a boat moving farther from him appeared in his mind before he turned around.

“Your grandma is scary,” Junsu commented when he walked back into the house.

“Thanks for the comment,” Leeteuk said sarcastically.

“Shindong called earlier. He’s going to take Jung Seok back home and Amber is going to head back as well.” Siwon explained.

“Is that so?” Leeteuk asked. “So that means there’s only 9 of us left.”

“Yea, lets hope no one else runs home,” Seungho joked.

Yoona glanced at him with something unsaid in her expression before she turned to look at Taeyeon who remained focused on the TV.

“What is there to do here though?” Yoona questioned. “It’s alright if we go walk around, right?”

“Sure.” Leeteuk replied.

;;;;;

Taeyeon followed behind Yoona, Siwon, Seungho, and Park Gyuri. The rest had decided to stay back at the mansion and who knew what they were up to. Leeteuk probably wouldn’t restrain them from doing anything. Taeyeon felt the breeze against her face and really felt that she really was in the country side.

Tall trees lined the endless road and that was all that appeared to her. Who knew where they were going. Hopefully they wouldn’t get lost on this straight road. It’d be sarcastically funny if they were to get lost. But once nighttime fell it didn’t seem like such a funny thought to her anymore.

“Wow! Look at this!” Gyuri exclaimed. “I think it’s some kind of falcon!”

“Whoa!” everyone else exclaimed as they walked down the side of the road to get a closer look between the trees.

As they busied themselves with their falcon Taeyeon glanced down the road. She kept seeing a blurred image up ahead and some strange beating noise. Without glancing back at her friends she walked forward. The trees became thicker as if they were standing against something. Taeyeon was so busy staring into the trees imagining the scary thought of someone suddenly jumping out that when she walked pass a gate she felt extremely surprised.

Inside was a large dirt yard with just…dirt. And far ahead beyond that dirt was a wooden house made of old wood. If there was something behind that she couldn’t see anything. Who would live here? Without much thought Taeyeon had already taken a step into the yard and had allowed her eyes to take in everything around.

“Wait! Don’t go there!” a voice shouted. “Miss, run!”

Just when Taeyeon turned she felt something run against her and with a scream she landed on the ground. Within seconds she felt slobber all over her and a part of her shirt was quickly soaked.

“Get off! Boy! Get off!” the man shouted.

“Shim Changmin! What’s going on?!” a woman shouted from the house’s doorstep.