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Every single night, Jungwon has a dream where he and Nishimura Riki exist in another world, one where he is in love with Ni-ki, and Ni-ki is in love with him. And every single damn night, he wakes up right as Ni-ki is about to kiss him.
It’s absolutely frustrating, as if the gods above are mocking him— telling him he and Ni-ki can be together in every single possible world, yet he can never truly be with Ni-ki and he can never kiss the love of his life.
Love of the life, he scoffed. Yet I doubt Ni-ki even knows who I am beyond the fact that I’m his next door neighbor and I go to the same high school as him.
Jungwon aggressively brushed his teeth, glaring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror as he got ready for bed.
He’s the love of my life that he’ll never know about. Unreciprocated love, is it called? He huffed. What’s the use of liking— loving someone— who will never love you back?
Ni-ki’s eyes were always friendly when they greeted each other in the halls of the school, or when they bumped into each other when getting into their houses— but never loving.
And it wasn’t fair that Jungwon could only see Ni-ki’s affectionate, fond eyes in his dreams. Sure it was just his imagination, but it felt so real… and it made his heart flutter to see it, even if it were in his silly dreams.
He rinsed his mouth and nearly stabbed his toothbrush back in its holder, slightly frustrated that he would remember every single one of his dreams where he was with Ni-ki, and that he was being tortured with all these worlds where Ni-ki loved him so deeply, yet he knew sinkingly, that it all wasn’t real.
It didn’t help he couldn’t get over his crush for the Japanese boy, and it didn’t help that Ni-ki was just so… so… Ni-ki.
A 18-year-old Japanese male with soft, puma eyes and fluffy dark brown hair, with moles dotting his face like the ocassional stars dotted across the light sky, and the sharp jawline and slender figure.
But oh, it was so much more than his good looks.
Ni-ki was friendly and an extrovert, always one to include everyone and anyone if he felt they were left out. He helped the younger kids when their soccer ball got caught in the thorny bushes, and he was the first to carry heavy books for his classmates just because. He would smile brightly to cheer up those around him.
Ni-ki was the only one Jungwon ever saw— and it almost made him laugh because back then, he thought these kinds of things were simply fairytales and silly romance novels. Just fictional.
But maybe Ni-ki was fictional— a fairytale prince come to life.
So yeah, Jungwon couldn’t get over his crush.
And of course, there was absolutely no way he would ever confess because… what if Ni-ki rejected him? That would be worse than just simply not knowing whether or not Ni-ki liked him back.
Jungwon, to put it simply, was a coward.
He entered his bedroom and slipped under his covers, turning off his bedside lamp. The room was pitch dark except for the faint light coming from behind his curtains.
Jungwon closed his eyes.
What’s my brain gonna conjure up this time? He thought fleetingly, before letting sleep wash over him. Can I just have one night where I’m not tortured with a Ni-ki I can never have?
+ _ +
Jungwon opened his eyes and found himself dressed in a plain white tunic and trousers— which he recognized were of the traditional Korean style, somewhat similar to a hanbok if he knew correctly.
Okay. He exhaled. Okay— what the hell is this?!
Jungwon glanced around and found he was surrounded by red-gold walls of some sort of palace, with a colorful silk bed in the corner of the room and a table filled with tray of fruit across the room.
The door slid open abruptly with a thud.
Startled, Jungwon fell on his bottom to the floor and he groaned in pain. A peal of laughter made him look up and he found Ni-ki standing in the doorway, wearing a navy hanbok robe with golden accents.
“Wonie,” Ni-ki said fondly. He glided across the floor and gracefully sat in front of Jungwon, where he still sat in an awkward posture from when he fell.
“The queen wants you in her chamber again— but I’m afraid she only wants to scold you again for insignificant matters.” The other spoke softly, his soft hand cupping Jungwon’s left cheek, and his thumb rubbing it.
What is this? Some historical drama where Ni-ki’s the crown prince and I’m a servant at the palace?! And like, it’s forbidden love?!
Jungwon gulped.
I guess it’s exactly that.
He hated himself for relishing in the way Ni-ki looked at him like he had done something amazing, like he meant so much.
He hated the way he smiled at the way Ni-ki tucked his head carefully in the crook of his neck and how Ni-ki embraced him as if he were made of porcelain, yet he meant everything to him.
I wish Ni-ki would do this in reality, Jungwon closed his eyes. But dream Ni-ki isn’t bad either.
“Jungwon? Are you ill? You don’t speak much words today.” Ni-ki pulled back from their embrace, worried eyes searching Jungwon’s brown eyes.
Jungwon shook his head. “I’m fine. Really.”
Ni-ki tilted his head.
“Seriously, Ni-ki. I’m okay.” Jungwon insisted.
Ni-ki pouted, his brows creased. “If you really insist you’re fine…”
He brushed a strand of Jungwon’s hair behind his ear— which Jungwon now realized was all long, and his hair was shaggy with a mess of long locks. Not long enough that it went past his shoulders, but it was longer than his real life hair.
A knock sounded on the door, and it slid open slightly as a head poked in. Jungwon recognized it to be Sunoo.
Jungwon always found it odd how Ni-ki’s friends would also appear in his dreams. But he supposed his brain was weird, and it wasn’t like the others did anything bad in his dreams, so he didn’t find himself caring too much.
Well, it wasn’t too weird— he always saw the other five boys with Ni-ki during school and ocassionally when they came over to Ni-ki’s house— so he supposed it was possible his brain wanted to conjure Ni-ki’s friends into his weird story-like dreams.
Dream Sunoo— in this dream— wore a simple white hanbok with a cream colored vest on top of it.
“Crown Prince… Your Royal Highness…” Sunoo uttered. “The Empress requests that Jungwon comes to her chambers. Right this minute— she seemed urgent.”
Ni-ki sighed heavily and stood up, but not before his hand reached out to gently pat Jungwon’s hair. Then he offered both hands to Jungwon. He took Ni-ki’s hands, and the prince pulled him up to his feet.
Ni-ki leaned in close and whispered in Jungwon’s ear, “Be careful. Do not let my mother scare you. If she does anything, tell me right away, alright?”
Jungwon nodded, a slight smile pulling at his lips. Selfishly, he loved it when Ni-ki acted protective of him, as if he really did love Jungwon.
Well, at least, Ni-ki loves me this way in all my dreams. Just not in reality.
Sunoo looked slightly impatient. “Your Highness. The royal advisor also told me to send message to you for you report to the scribe’s hall. Also as urgent.”
Ni-ki nodded with a slightly annoyed huff.
“Guess we’re both going then. See you soon then, love.” He leaned in close, this time towards Jungwon’s face. And Jungwon watched as Ni-ki was about to press his lips onto his—
+ _ +
Jungwon blinked, the sun shining through his bedroom windows, cutting through his curtains. He groaned.
Another dream where it cuts off right when he—
He kicked his sheets away. It really was torture.
He got off and started getting ready for school, his mom calling him down for breakfast.
This was going to be another long day.
+ _ +
Jungwon opened his eyes in another dream. As soon as he closed his eyes to go to sleep, another dream with him in another world appeared in front of him, seemingly all real.
Right from the start, this time, he was standing in a dark forest with the red moon (Why is the moon red?! He thought, startled) glowing in the pitch dark sky. Ni-ki was standing in front of him with lovey-dovey eyes. He was smiling but his eyes were sad.
“I wish we could be together forever.” Ni-ki whispered softly, his hand grasping onto Jungwon’s tightly as if he was afraid that if he let go, Jungwon would disappear.
“Why can’t we?” Jungwon asked.
“You said it yourself,” Ni-ki buried his face in Jungwon’s neck. “A vampire and a human can’t be together.” He mumbled into Jungwon’s skin.
Jungwon poked his tongue around and didn’t find any sort of sharp fangs. So he supposed Ni-ki was the vampire?
What kind of dream—?! What the hell. Jungwon thought. I haven’t watched any vampire related things recently— where the heck is my brain getting these from?!
Ni-ki pulled back, eyes teary. Jungwon was startled and automatically reached out to brush the other’s tears away. Ni-ki opened his mouth and Jungwon caught sight of the fangs he had in his mouth.
Ni-ki was trembling as he pulled Jungwon into a tight hug. Jungwon let him, and took in the pine scent the other emitted.
He pulled back from the hug and put his forehead against Jungwon’s.
“Please tell me you are here right now. Please tell me you’ll stay.” He pleaded, sounding so broken and desperate.
“I’m here. I’ll stay.” Jungwon whispered.
“Jungwon… Please let me kiss you. If I can’t be with you in front of everyone else and if you can’t live in eternity with me, please let me kiss you right now,” Ni-ki begged. “Please tell me— I— I’m sorry— I know I must look so desperate— but I really—”
Jungwon leaned towards Ni-ki, aiming to kiss him—
+ _ +
Damnit, I woke up. He cursed, opening his eyes to the white ceiling of his bedroom.
And…
Dreams are so weird, Jungwon thought as he got up from bed. Vampire Ni-ki? In what kind of world.
+ _ +
Jungwon was wearing a fancy white tunic and a teal colored satin cloak that went down to the floor, with some heavy golden crown on his head. Apparently in this dream he was the prince, and Ni-ki was…
Huh, where was Ni-ki?
Jungwon looked around but didn’t find anyone else in the throne room with him. He got up from the throne and exited the room, walking down the hall.
He found Heeeung and Jake— also Ni-ki’s friends in reality— standing there whispering to each other.
“Hey!” Jungwon called out loudly.
The two turned to him, and their eyes widened. They bowed their heads.
“Your Majesty!” Jake gasped. “What may we help you with?”
“Where’s Ni-ki?” Jungwon asked.
“He’s with all the other servants. In the kitchen.” Heeseung replied with furrowed brows.
Jungwon nodded. “Thanks.” He said hastily, before rushing down the hall. It morphed into a door in front of him. He opened the room, and entered the room to find himself suddenly in the kitchen.
Ni-ki was standing by the pots, stirring the large, silver pot with a wooden spoon. Jungwon briskly walked over to him, and the room once filled with other servants was now empty.
(Dreams are weird, Jungwon scoffed.)
Jungwon noted the plain brown clothes Ni-ki was wearing and the dirt smudges on his face.
So, a world where he was royalty and Ni-ki was a servant.
Ni-ki turned around and his eyes widened at the sight of Jungwon.
“Your Majesty?! What are you doing here?!” He gasped.
“Ni-ki, can’t you just kiss me?” Jungwon begged.
Ni-ki’s eyes went even wider in shock.
“W—What?! What do you mean, Your Highness?!” He squeaked out.
“I like you so much Ni-ki,” Jungwon said, his true feelings spilling out. If he didn’t confess in real life, it wouldn’t hurt for him to just say it in his dreams, right?
Ni-ki smiled shyly. “I like you too. Was… it that hard to confess to me?” He asked.
Jungwon blinked. But he wasn’t given a chance to reply as Ni-ki shuffled closer, abandoning his pot of soup. He felt the other’s lips on his, and he—
+ _ +
Jungwon woke up.
He woke up to the bright morning, to the sun pouring in through his windows.
What if I just… just told him? That I liked him? He wondered.
It felt like a foreign thought that rang through his head, but…
Would it be so bad if I ended this torture— and just confess to Ni-ki, whether or not he likes me or not? I can’t take this torture every night— what if I just told him?
That was how he ended up at Ni-ki’s homeroom classroom at lunch period that day.
He found Ni-ki seated at his desk as usual— the Japanese boy would spend his lunch breaks in his classroom, chatting with his friends and eating lunch there.
Jungwon poked his head into the room and instantly locked eyes with Ni-ki’s friend, Park Sunghoon.
The boy waved. “Oh, Yang!”
Ni-ki perked up and his face lit up with a bright smile as it always did when he saw Jungwon. “Jungwon! Wanna join us?” He asked, motioning to the seat next to him.
Jungwon gulped. “Um, thank you but… actually, can I— um— talk to you? Alone?”
Ni-ki raised an eyebrow but wordlessly stood up, walking out the door with Jungwon following right after him.
Jungwon drew in a shaky breath.
“Is something wrong?” Ni-ki asked, looking concerned.
Jungwon shook his head. “Not… exactly.”
He fidgeted. “Um…”
Jungwon glanced up and was startled to find Ni-ki intently staring at him, patiently waiting for him to talk.
“I…”
His heart hammered in his chest.
“IlikeyouNishimuraRiki!” Jungwon blurted out quickly, then clenched his eyes shut in fear of seeing the rejection in Ni-ki’s eyes. “I understand if you don’t—”
A startled gasp sounded from behind them.
Jungwon opened his eyes. He and Ni-ki both turned around to find Ni-ki’s five friends standing in the classroom doorway behind them, eyes all wide and looking surprised but also… happy?
Heeseung squealed— full on squealed— in delight.
“Aw~ Oh my gosh! I’ve been waiting for this day to happen!”
Sunghoon nudged Jake. “Ha, I won the bet. 20 bucks, now.”
Jake mumbled something and fumbled around with his wallet before handing 20 bucks to the former who snatched it with a satisfied face.
Jay poked Ni-ki’s arm. “See! I told you Yang Jungwon here liked you back! I told you so!”
Ni-ki blushed.
Jungwon just blinked at him.
“Wait, you like me?! Back?!” He stammered. “I— I thought… that it was one-sided on my end. I… didn’t know you liked me.”
Ni-ki’s face was tomato red. “I… liked you. When you first greeted me when I moved in next door to you last year… and then my crush got worse when I found out you went to the same school as I was now, and you kept being there, and I couldn’t resist wanting to just invite you to everything, and when you rejected them, I thought maybe you hated me or that you didn’t like me—”
Jungwon sucked in a gasp. “And I said no to all those invitations because I thought you were just pitying me. You were a popular student even after transferring here recently, and you were so extroverted and outgoing— everything I wasn’t— and I liked you so much and I thought— I thought you were just being pitying and I hated that— and I—”
He paused, suddenly feeling so breathless.
“I loved you so much, even when I haven’t interacted with you much. It felt like such a silly crush because I only observed you from afar but I just saw how amazing you were— to me when you tried to include me— but to everyone else around you.”
Ni-ki stared back at him with wide, shiny eyes.
“And I thought you were really beautiful, but I also admired you approching me that day when I moved in and how you’re so smart, and you just keep on track of your life on the rails and you just keep going on— focusing on your studies and just… being Yang Jungwon.” He breathed.
“Wow.”
Jungwon jumped, turning to the voice— Sunoo— who was looking at the two of them with a wrinkled face.
He had honestly forgotton Ni-ki’s friends were there.
“Sweet confessions, but when are you two gonna kiss?”