Moon Key

Chapter 3

"Everyone packed and ready?" leader Sander called out.

"Hyunsung's still snoring." Junghae ploped his bags on the living-room floor.

"Has anyone seen Makko?" Hyesung asked, his voice highly agitated.

As if on cue, a loud Gah! was heard from one of the rooms.

"I'm guessing it's in there." Jaebum chuckled.

Hyesung ran into Daeyeon and Yoonsaeng's room.

"Will you get this freaky thing out of here?" Daeyeon was standing on his bed, almost backed up to the wall.

"Don't be such a baby! She won't hurt you." Hyesung rolled his eyes as he picked up Makko, his pet iguana.

"Keep it in it's terrarium next time, hyung. It's getting filth all over the house." Yoonsaeng winced.

Bunch of babies, Hyesung thought.

"Hyesung-ah! Your mom's here!" Junghae called.

"Thanks for baby-sitting Makko." Hyesung beamed when he saw his mom, Jiyeon, Yesung and Ryeowook's daughter.

"Goodluck in tomorrow night's concert, dear." his mother kissed the top of his head.

"Mom, not here. Please," he whined. He heard someone snicker.

"Well, boys, Leeteuk-ssi will be here any minute. Best be ready." Jiyeon made herself comfortable on the sofa. Her face was framed with her long black hair, accenting her chiseled cheekbones.

She was once a music teacher in Cheongnam. Her voice was as heavenly as an angel. It sort of disappointed her father, Yesung, that she didn't want to be a singer, but she was more than grateful when he still left her with the choice.

Now she was content with her life, supporting Hyesung, who chose the path she strayed from. She quietly watched as Daeyeon, Shindong's grandson, caught his son in a headlock and Jaebum kept complaining about them trampling him as he was on the floor arranging his luggage.

Jiyeon tried to imagine her parents. Super Junior. She tried to imagine all of them, like the kids in front of her. She had to smile.

"Van's ready!" Leeteuk squeezed his head in the room. "Oh, hello, Jiyeon-ssi," he smirked, briefly exposing the trademark dimple of the original Leeteuk, before disappearing again.

She bid her goodbyes to the boys before leaving with Makko and it's cage in her arms. "I'll be there before it starts."

*******

It was morning and the sun was rising higher and higher. He lay on his bed, clutching the ticket Heechul gave him and willed himself to sleep. Eunhyuk's day was dreamless.

*******

He got away. Hyunsung couldn't remove the other night's failure from his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn't able to catch up with the creature. He'd always see in his mind that his prey was just around the corner, but everytime he turned, nothing.

"Hyunsung-ah, everything all right?" Sander tapped his shoulder.

He shook his head before he answered. "Yeah, hyung. I'm fine."

A staff member straightened his microphone and pated his shirt.

Feeling nervous on stage was a natural reaction for Junghae. However, tonight seemed to be different. He felt more uptight than usual.

There was that certain feeling again. While he was singing his part of Marry U (revival), he searched the audience. His gaze stopped at the spot that was relatively calm. There was one person who wasn't jumping or flailing arms or screaming high-pitched squeals. His hunch was confirmed when his eyes met Eunhyuk's.