Yongguk pulled the car into the parking lot of the grocery store. Immediately Zelo  bounded out, making a mad dash for the building with a quick, “Bathroom!”. Most of the trip into town had been quiet. Yongguk mostly watched the road while Zelo played with something on his phone. Currently Daehyun was asleep, having dozed off during the drive. He had tilted over so that his head was leaning against Youngjae’s shoulder. He stayed asleep the entire trip to town. Even when they hit a bump in the road Daehyun remained asleep.

                Youngjae looked down at the sleeping boy and gently nudged him. Daehyun didn’t stir. He poked him in the cheek. Still didn’t wake.

                “Dae,” Youngjae shook him a bit harder, calling out to him, “hey, you want anything?”

                “Mmm?” Daehyun’s eye opened and he looked up at Youngjae, “What?”

                “Rise and shine sleeping beauty!” Youngjae as he sat up straight, rubbing his eyes, “dude, seriously you look like you haven’t slept in days.” He added after noticing the darkening circles around his eyes.

                “Just having weird dreams.”

                “Weird eh?”

                “Not like that,” Daehyun grumbled and chose to lean his head against the window next to him, his eyes sliding closed again, “ert.”

                “Whatever,” the younger boy laughed and ruffled Daehyun’s hair, making the other grumble again, “I’m going in. Do you need anything? Water? Snacks?”

                “I’m fine,” Daehyun yawned.

                “What? Our fatty doesn’t want food?”

                “You’re one to talk…” Daehyun slurred off, but not without backhanding Youngjae once in the stomach lightly. The younger let out an indignant huff before shrugging.

                “Alright, be right back,” Youngjae left the vehicle, looking back at Daehyu one last time to see him nodding off again, and entered the small store. There were very few people in the store, the cashier looking terribly bored and filing her nails. He could hear Yongguk and Zelo talking to each other debating what to buy. They probably should have made a list, Youngjae mused while weaving between the aisles.  

                “You boys staying at the Lee house?” An elderly woman asked Youngjae while stepping past him to get to some canned goods.

                “Uh, yeah,” he responded, “how’d you know?”

                “I just know these things. Also,” she smiled at his mischievously, “that other young boy told me so.”

                Youngjae resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her attempt at humor but smiled in return nonetheless. As he turned to leave she reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, halting him.

                “They say that the Lee house is haunted.”

                “Excuse me?” Youngjae scoffed at her absurd comment, “That’s…”

                “A month ago a couple of local kids tried to stay overnight there. They say a girl with hollow, empty eyes haunts your dreams until you die of sleeplessness. The scent of flowers follows those she chooses as her victims…” The old woman beckoned Youngjae to come closer. The seriousness on her face was enough to silence any smart retort he had lined up. He leaned closer, as she had requested, only to suddenly feel a pair of lips on his cheek.

                “UGH!” Youngjae reeled back, wiping the offended cheek repeatedly. The old woman cackled merrily, “You old hag!”

                “Oh that was great. We don’t get enough young handsome men out here,” she breathed out and continued to laugh. Nearby Youngjae could hear Yongguk and Zelo laughing as well, having witnessed the entire scene. She patted Youngjae’s head and started to head off, “thank you for humoring an old woman.”

                “You…!”

                Youngjae stalked off, still fuming. He practically slammed open the door to the bathroom, locking it behind him, and immediately went to the sink to wash his face. He wasn’t sure if he was madder at the kiss or the fact that the woman ered him in so easily. He quickly grabbed some paper towels to wipe off his face and stared into the mirror. Behind him was a window. Seemingly peeking in was a tall sunflower (or as far as he could tell since all he really saw was some yellow). Taking a moment to turn, he was about to go investigate the flower when a sudden loud knock made him jump.

                “Yo! Let’s go!”

                “Yeah, yeah!” Youngjae shoved open the door to the exit, barely missing Yongguk, and quickly grabbed a couple bottles of water. He paused at the ice box, noticing a box of green tea ice cream bars, and picked those up as well. Having paid for the items, Youngjae exited the store, ignoring the cat call from the cashier. He hated this place so much right now.

                “Daehyun,” Youngjae called out once he reached the car, “I know you didn’t want anything but here’s some water and ice…Dae?”

                The car was empty. The door opposite of was open. Youngjae had a clear view of a dried up, browning field. There was movement in the field, the dying plants rustling together.

                “What the…? Daehyun!” Youngjae jogged to the edge of the field, “What are you doing?” He called out again before trekking into the field, “where are you going? Daehyun!”

                He was running through the field, continuing to call out to Daehyun in an attempt to find him. The other boy remained silent and unseen however no matter how much Youngjae called out to him. He continued on, pushing the flowers out of his way. Why did it seem like they were getting thicker and taller? Soon the sound of the dry crackling leaves was replaced by the smooth swish of green foliage.

                His search for Daehyun paused. Looking skywards, he was amazed to see the sky turning darker and darker until it was filled with stars. The only light seemed to be coming from the streetlights behind him, but they just seemed to create more darkness as the shadows elongated around him.

                “Daehyun!”

                …over here…

                Youngjae’s head snapped in the direction the whisper came from. To the left he caught a glimpse of Daehyun’s face before it vanished behind the greenery again. He was running through the field again, practically shouting at Daehyun. The older boy was still nowhere in sight. Something snapped behind him and Youngjae spun around to dash in that direction instead.

                “Daehyun!!”

                …it hurts…

                “Are you okay! Wait!” What if Daehyun was hurt? Why would he keep running from Youngjae then? None of this was making any sense, “DAE…!” Youngjae’s voice caught in his throat the moment he emerged from the field and into a small clearing, “…hyun?”

                Daehyun stood alone in the middle with his back towards Youngjae. Youngjae approached him immediately, ready to launch into a tirade on what a jerk the other was, but stopped in his tracks. A pale arm curled around Daehyun’s shoulders and another hand came up to rest in his hair. Differing from his more fair hair, long black tendrils of hair fell over his shoulder as a head came to rest on it. The head turned up and a girl with dark, expressionless eyes stared at Youngjae. The girl was holding onto Daehyun tightly…so tight, that where her hands were clawing into his body blood was beginning to appear.

                “Yah! Let go of him…!”

                The girl’s eyes widened and opened, a long wail erupting from her. Youngjae covered his ears instinctively, his eyes shutting tightly in an attempt to block out more than just the noise. Almost as suddenly as it started though the sound stopped. He opened his eyes and the girl was gone. Instead what he found was Daehyun on the ground, his face turned away from Youngjae. Taking a tentatively step forward, Youngjae felt the cold fear of losing his friend go on full when blood began to pool from around Daehyun’s head.

                “Daehyun!” He was about to rush to him when he felt as if something was behind him. The moment he looked over his shoulder a figure rose something in the air and brought it down on Youngjae’s head…

                “YOUNGJAE!” Yongguk’s booming voice immediately shook him awake.

                Youngjae was facing the window, hands holding himself up on the sink. He was staring at the sunflower…how long had he been in here?

                “Are you sleeping in there? Come on!”

                He pushed the door open quickly, barely missing Yongguk with it, and rushed off to collect two bottles of water and two green tea ice cream bars. Zelo and Yongguk said something to him, but he barely registered anything he was doing at the moment. What had he been doing in there? He remembered going into the field…and the…the blood…and Daehyun…

                “Aish, why is it so fuzzy?” He cursed to himself.

                The closer he drew to the van, the more fearful he became. It was slow, foreboding feeling that crept up his spine until its fingers were firmly gripping his skull. His hand was shaking as he gripped the van’s door handle. Flashes of the dream were coming back and Youngjae just hoped he was there. Please, please be there…

                All Youngjae saw after he opened the door was a figure covered by a light blanket they had brought. Dropping the items he was carrying onto the seat, Youngjae sntched the blanket and pulled it away.

                “Hey!” Daehyun scowled at Youngjae, “Seriously?”

                The breath he didn’t know he’d been holding all came out in relief. He crawled into the car and sat next to Daehyun, offering him a water and ice cream. Despite his earlier declining of the snacks, Daehyun’s expression immediately lit up and he began to eat the ice cream. That made Youngjae happy a bit.

                “You okay?”

                “Huh? Oh yeah, yeah,” Youngjae responded to his question before beginning on his ice cream.

                “What?!” Yongguk suddenly exclaimed from outside, “Okay, we’re on our way back. Hang tight. We’ll be there soon.”

                Both Zelo and Yongguk were in the vehicle and the others barely had enough time to buckle their seatbelts before he sped off. Zelo let out a small yelp of surprise, looking to Yongguk in shock as he fastened himself in.

                “What’s wrong?” Daehyun asked first.

                “The girls arrived.”

                “Seriously Bang?” Youngaje rolled his eyes, “you sped off, nearly killing us, just to…!”

                “Himchan fell down the stairs and hit his head.”

                “Go faster!” He amended instantly, fishing out his phone and attempting to call Jongup, the dream forgotten for the time being…

A/N: For Shadow who wanted Youngjae. ^^ And Yixicorn! Feel better! ^^ Hwaiting!