Work Text:
Before all these weird dreams started, she was a traveler.
Dream traveler, to be exact. Yeji had a ‘special ability’ to have vivid, lucid dream anytime she wants. She would travel from one place to another, even the ones she never visited in real life. Some people might say that’s completely bollocks; that it just another dream. But Yeji knows each street, each shops, each food truck and sometimes, even the people live in the cities. If you don’t believe it, you may go to the place yourself and find out she’s not making up anything. The people might even answer to your question about a girl with cat eyes, if they ever see her in perhaps, their dreams. And the people would say yes. They never know who and how she got inside their dreams, though. It’s just as if she was there, flesh and bones; it doesn’t feel like a dream.
That’s pretty much how Yeji sees the world, through the dreams.
But ever since last month, it stopped. She no longer has those kind of dreams. She barely has dreams at all in her sleep. And when she does have, it’s nothing but a random situation. Something … normal. Like the kinds of dream people usually have. Something made from their memory or people they know.
It breaks her. For all her life, that’s the only way Yeji interacts with the world. She never really gets outside her house. She befriends people through her dreams. The girls in high school might never know anything about her if it weren’t for her dreams. Nobody in this small town would really know her either if it weren’t for her dreams. And now, losing her ability, Yeji shuts herself from the world.
***
Perhaps, everything would be easier if she doesn’t have to buy groceries.
She curses herself for forgetting something as simple as groceries. This happens a lot recently, her forgetting stuffs. Before losing her ability, she remembers everything. Sometimes, she might even sneak into the grocery shop’s owner’s dream to tell him what she needs and she will stop by in the morning. Everything was easier then. She never needs to walk at eight pm to the shop before. Now her life is more … normal. And Yeji’s not sure if she likes it.
Thirty minutes later, she walks out of the shop with her hands hugging a big shopping bag. The owner asks her why she came so late at night, how that’s very unusual. She only replied it with a thin smile which she hopes he would think she’s just tired, not angry and on the edge of crying. She’s still trying her best to hold her tears back when she suddenly bumps to someone.
“God, sorry! Are you alright?”
Yeji is fine, but a few items fall off when she jumps a little, surprised by the voice. “I’m okay.”
“Are you sure? Oh wait, let me help you with that.” The guy picks up the stuffs and putting them back inside her bag.
This is a small town, which means, everyone knows everyone. But Yeji doesn’t know him. She never saw him before. Before she can think of anything else, she blurts out, “I don’t know you.”
He gives Yeji a confused look before laughing a second later. “Well, maybe because I’m new here. I just moved in last month.”
“Of course,” Yeji mutters to herself. Of course she doesn’t know him. She never really seen anyone when her ability gone. Even if she did, she probably wouldn’t notice. She has been too busy trying to get her ability back.
“By the way, I’m Hyunjin,” he thrusts his hand, waiting for her to shake it.
Yeji hesitates for a moment, “I’m Yeji.” And then their palms meet each other. And then an electrical buzz pulsing through her veins, fast and hurting her brain. Like a terrible headache. The guy—Hyunjin, probably doesn’t feel anything, because he doesn’t flinch like she does. Because he asks her if she’s okay.
“I’m fine,” Yeji says again for the second time.
“You look kinda … pale.”
Nobody says anything for few minutes. They just look at each other, not sure what to say next.
“I’ll walk you home,” Hyunjin says, finally breaking the silence.
“Why?”
“Why not?”
“But we just met and—“
“Hey, look,” Hyunjin sighs. “I know you’re probably thinking that I might be not a good guy, which is okay. And normal. And you should. But I swear I’ll do no harm. You look pale, and if anything happens to you, I don’t want to be the last person who saw you alive and leave you alone on the street at night.”
“Okay,” Yeji mumbles. “Okay … I guess. That’s okay.”
He gives her a warm smile. “Where to?”
***
The walk is quiet.
Yeji’s mind isn’t, though. It’s been buzzing with questions since that headache, mostly started with ‘what’ and ‘how’. What happened to her earlier? How did that happen? How could she be the only one who felt that?
“Felt what?”
Yeji jumps a little, again. Crap. She thinks that aloud. “The electrical buzz.”
“What electrical buzz?” Hyunjin looks at her, puzzled.
“You really didn’t feel that?”
“Is this some kind of way of you telling me you have a crush on me? Because I get that a lot.”
Yeji can feel her cheeks reddens. Suddenly she feels so stupid and so tired and she just wants to arrive at home as fast as she can. “Nevermind, you wouldn’t understand.”
“Maybe I would, if you explain to me what is this electrical buzz you talking about.”
But Yeji shakes her head. And then her eyes catch something he carries the on his shoulder the whole time. “Is that a camera?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m a photographer, if you’re wondering. If you ever need one, give me a call. I can give you a friend discount.” Hyunjin grins. “Shameless promotion, I know. But really, if you need a photographer, do call. As long as I’m still around here, I’ll gladly help you.”
Yeji chuckles, trying not to think about the f word he said—how it feels strange to her, as no one ever actually said that before. “What do you mean if you’re still around? Aren’t you just moved in?”
“Right. You see, I’m a traveler.” Yeji’s heart beats faster at the mention of that word. “Most part because I’m a photographer—I have to capture the world. The other is just because … well, I like traveling.”
“How’s the world?” she asks curiously.
“Well, it’s great! It really is. Through the lens, the world is magnificent. I’m sure you’ve seen pictures in magazines or online to know what I’m talking about, right? But when you’re actually being there, being part of the people, of the place … it feels different. It’s beyond magnificent; in fact, I can’t seem to find the most suitable words to describe it.” She can his eyes smiling.
Yeji knows that feeling. “You must’ve traveled a lot.”
“Hmm, I wouldn’t say so. The world is a big place, and there’s always a new part of it for me to explore.”
“And you never want to stop?”
“I don’t think I will. Even if I’m old and have to be carried by a wheelchair, I would like to go outside and see the world. I can’t stay in one place, there’s always another.” Hyunjin pauses before adding, “This is my tenth town in the past four months.”
“Are you planning to stay for long?”
“This is the longest I’ve been in. Maybe until next week.”
Yeji nods. She feels a sudden rush of disappointment, which is silly. She tries to shrug it off. But Hyunjin doesn’t seem to notice, instead, he continues talking about this town. About the people. The places. The park with the blue slide. Yeji never really think this town is interesting until she hears it from Hyunjin.
“I think I’ve met almost everyone,” he says. “Except you.”
She laughs. “Fate made us met today, though.”
“And I thank fate for that,” Hyunjin smiles.
Yeji is grateful the night is pretty dark, otherwise he would see how red her cheeks are now. “So, what’s your favorite part of this town?”
“Truth to be told, I never really think about that. This town wasn’t in my plan. So I guess … moving in is my favorite part. I didn’t know what to expect, but the new experience, that is what I’m aiming for.”
“Meeting new people, new places,” she mumbles.
Hyunjin’s beams at that. “Exactly! Are you a traveler too?”
“Not anymore.”
Hyunjin stops walking. He turns to face her. “What happened?”
Yeji hesitates, not sure if she wants to tell him. “You wouldn’t believe me.”
“I wouldn’t if you never tell me.”
So she tells him. She doesn’t know why, but everything just pours out of her chest. How she found out about her ability. How she travels from one place or another, even to the other part of the world. How that makes her feel. How everything’s stopped since last month. And Hyunjin never, not even once, interrupts her. He just listens. Yeji feels like the weigh on her shoulders have been lifted.
“My house isn’t far from here, I can go by myself,” Yeji says, since Hyunjin hasn’t say anything after she finishes her story.
He shakes his head. “I’ll walk you to your front door.”
So they continue the walk. But this one even quieter than the first time after that bumping incident. Yeji steals a glance to the guy beside her, but Hyunjin’s eyes are fixed on the ground. She heaves a sigh. Her eyes are hot with tears, it takes everything in her not to burst out crying. And finally, finally, they arrive at her house.
“Thank you for, umm, walking me home.” Yeji considering to offer him a cup of tea, but that probably would make her sound even sillier. So when he doesn’t respond, she reaches for the doorknob.
“Yeji, wait.”
She turns around, but she glances at anything that’s not him.
“I’m sorry I haven’t say anything, but it takes a lot to process. I believe in you, I do. And honestly? It doesn’t sound that crazy. It sounds cool, even. How you can be somewhere without actually being there. At least you’re not telling me that you can fly like Superman or become a green giant when you’re angry, because I would freak out at that.”
Yeji laughs a little and he gazes at her softly. “Yeji, I don’t think … I don’t think this is a coincidence. Me moving here a month ago, you losing your ability around the same time. The electrical buzz. I’m not an expert in this stuff, but, maybe it really was fate that brought us here.”
“For what?”
“You and I, we’re not that different. We like to see the world. But we have different ways. So what if …” he takes a step closer to her. “What if fate wants you to stop traveling unconsciously? What if fate wants you to see the world as I see it?”
“And how is it, the world in your eyes?”
“Shining, shimmering, splendid.” They both laugh. “Okay, I don’t have a magic flying carpet, but Yeji, would you come and see the world with me?”
She nods. Another electrical buzz pulsing through her veins when Hyunjin kisses her forehead. It’s just as fast as the first time but this one doesn’t hurt. It’s not a terrible headache. It gives Yeji a reassuring calm, if that even makes sense. Yeji doesn’t care, though. Her heart filled with hopes. She knows she can see the world again now. She knows later that night, she could take herself in a lucid dream. But she knows she wouldn’t need to that. She already gets a whole new world to explore with him.