Taeyeon finally opened her eyes to see a black lab on top of her her non-stop. When someone finally pulled the dog away scolding it Taeyeon slowly began to collect herself. Sitting up with a disgusted expression at the slobber over her she finally looked up when he extended his hand down to her.

“Hey, I’m sorry about that. Dark just wanted to get the stick I threw,” the tall man explained still waiting for her hand.

Finally putting her hand in his he pulled her up to her feet with a smile. He was…charming.

“Dark is playful buddy. He didn’t mean to hurt you nonetheless get you dirty,” he told glancing at her shirt soaked from Dark’s saliva and rubbing the dog’s head. “Anyway, I’m Shim Changmin. I haven’t seen you around here.”

“Oh…” Taeyeon nodded in acknowledgement. “I’m Kim Taeyeon. I came with some friends to that mansion over there.”

“Whose mansion?” his expression was readable.

“Leeteuk.”

“Teuk?”

“Teuk?” Taeyeon repeated wondering why Changmin called him that.

“Uh…yea…” Changmin rubbed the back of his head.

“Changmin, who’s that?” the woman from the door walked toward them.

“Some friend,” Changmin turned to the woman. “Teuk’s friend.”

“Ah?” the woman murmured. “You must be staying at Paula’s mansion. Her daughter was talking about her son’s friends who’d be coming to stay with him. I didn’t know he’d bring a girl too.”

Was it bad to bring a girl? Taeyeon wanted to ask but sealed shut. She stared at the woman her height. She wore a long blue dress that covered her ankles and was wearing a blue sweatshirt with an old decorated shirt underneath. Her hair was beginning to grey but it looked like she took an effort to dye her hair again and again to prevent her grey roots from showing. Changmin’s mother?

“What are you staring at for so long?” his mother asked breaking her attention.

“Oh…sorry.” Taeyeon apologized finally noticing that she’d been giving the woman a stare.

“Mom,” Changmin said.

“And stop staring,” his mother scolded Changmin causing Taeyeon to glance at him curiously. “Well I hope you have fun there. Maybe you and your friends will have some fun at that screwed mansion.”

“Mom!” Changmin scolded as his mother walked away.

Taeyeon watched her go into the wooden house and disappear.

“Sorry, she’s been a little cranky all day. I don’t know why.” Changmin apologized.

“Do you live here?” asked Taeyeon.

Changmin nodded, “My uncle is a Buddha. Maybe you’ve heard about him?”

Taeyeon shook her head no.

“Oh…well then it’s not really anything new. It’s just…some serious things have happened around here…well not really around here…but…it’s…oh well. I shouldn’t tell you.” Changmin hesitated.

Taeyeon thought for a moment staring at the wooden house then turned to him and found herself tilting her head up, “The mansion? You don’t think that you’ll scare me off with that do you?”

Changmin turned back to her as if surprised but then his expression also darkened. “Well…yea. You shouldn’t have come out here, there have been stories, but I’ll make sure nothing happens to you. You’re pretty, you know?”

“Oh…” Taeyeon felt herself blush and turned away.   

“Do you want a tour? This is just the back of our second house,” he told.

“Second house?” Taeyeon couldn’t help but repeat after him. How big was his house exactly? Did everyone live in mansions?

;;;;;

“Unni look at…” Yoona said turning halfway around and noticed that no one was behind her. Fully turning around she called, “Unni? Taeyeon-ah!”

“What’s wrong?” Siwon questioned turning around to Yoona’s attention.

“Taeyeon’s gone.”

“What?!”

“The road leads to no where! How can we lose her?!” Gyuri exclaimed glancing down the straight road that led to nowhere.

Seungho glanced behind them, “Maybe she went back?”

“Without us?” Yoona asked. “Taeyeon wouldn’t…oh my gosh what if something happened?!”

Yoona suddenly dashed forward and down the road.

“Yoona!” Siwon screamed and chased after her.

“Eh…wait! Where are you guys going?!” Gyuri exclaimed following them.

“Me too!” Seungho shouted running after them.

Panic stricken Yoona ran pass those thick trees Taeyeon had walked pass and too busy screaming Taeyeon’s name she didn’t notice the small opening that led into the yard where Dark had jumped on Taeyeon.

;;;;;

Right after Amber, Shindong, and Jung Seok had grabbed their luggage the three had left back to Seoul in Siwon’s car leaving only Junsu, Jang Hyuk, Zhoumi, and Leeteuk.

“This is so boring,” muttered Junsu flipping from channel to channel. “Only girls can bear staring at the TV all day watching their men act all girly in those dramas.”

“Well I like it,” Zhoumi told.

Junsu glanced at him then tossed him the remote. “Then you find something good to watch.”

“Sure I will,” Zhoumi said, “you just don’t understand the pleasure of watching dramas. Have you ever heard that everyday is a drama?”

“Where have you been living?” Junsu questioned.

“In Korea dummy,” Jang Hyuk commented.

Junsu chuckled, “I forgot you’re Chinese.”

“I forgot you brain is the size of a pee-wee,” Zhoumi retorted.

Junsu glared at him but Jang Hyuk just laughed again.

“Quit it guys, maybe you should have gone out walking with them if you’re complaining right now.” Leeteuk contemplated walking in and taking a seat.

“Yea guys,” Jang Hyuk said.

Junsu and Zhoumi glanced at each other before turning back to the TV.

“Dude, do you have a swimming pool?”

“A pool?” Leeteuk repeated.

“Shouldn’t mansions have a pool at the least?”

“I don’t know.” Leeteuk replied.

“What do you mean?”

“I haven’t been here for a long time…” Leeteuk began.

“You mean to say you’ve never been here before?”