Work Text:
Anemoia
(n.)
Yearning for a time you have never actually experienced
Minhyung stirred, a faint but familiar ache in his chest. The sun-drenched field, the scent of fresh-cut grass surround the area, one he’s not familiar with.
“Minhyung-ah… What are you doing?” A voice, clear as a bell but strangely distant, asked. He turned to see someone, so familiar, tilting their head, a small smile grazing their lips. The face was unclear, only shimmering edges were recognizable. Yet it felt warm.
Confused, Minhyung asked, "Who are you?"
“Lee Minhyung! Stop joking, you’re hurting me.” the other says laughing.
“But, I don’t really know you.” Minhyung insisted.
“You know me. I promise. Lee Minhyung.” The person starts to walk away from him.
“Where are you going?” Minhyung called out
“Silly, we have our strategic combat class in the Arena, MinMin right?. Let’s go, we’ll be late!” The other extended his hand
As Minhyung walks towards the other and extends his hand to hold the other, slipping away, the place starts to darken, edges fading into a shadow.
The voice, sharp and undeniably real, cut through the fading dream. Minhyung’s eyes fluttered open to see Minseok, hands on his waist, a stern expression on his face that oddly resembled a scolding mother. A smile tugged at Minhyung's lips.
“Morning.” He replies.
“Finally..” The other uttered and left the room.
Minhyung sat up, pushing away the lingering haze of sleep. He tried to recall the dream, this being the fourth time he'd dreamt of this unnamed, yet deeply familiar, person. He didn't know their faces, but he knew they knew him, and they were at some kind of university taking magic classes in the dream. Reaching for his notebook, he quickly jotted down what he could remember, determined to piece together the fragments of these recurring visions.
“LEE MINHYUNG!!!” His support belted out an A4 note, calling his name.
It's time to face reality. He sighed.
After tiring hours of stay in LoL park and a victory against DK, Minhyung finds himself tired and wants to just lay and sleep.
As he drifted off, he found himself back in that familiar field.
“Lee Minhyung!” A voice shouted, and he instinctively turned. A ball, glowing blue, was hurling towards him. He froze. The ball hit his head. “Argh.” he groaned, rubbing his forehead.
“Are you okay? MY GOSH, I am so sorry.” A hand, warm and gentle, touched his forehead. “I thought you understood my signal.”
He squinted, trying his hardest to paint a face that matches the voice.
“I’m still adjusting with your magic, it’s really strong.” The voice claimed, pride in his voice.”
The dream shifted, a montage of blurred images: shared laughs during practical spell lessons, intense study sessions in the ancient library of the magic academy, the thrill of perfectly executed team maneuvers using magic. The hidden hand held in the dining area. Quiet hugs of reassurance. Each scene featured the same vague, familiar figure, their presence a constant, comforting warmth. He started to recognize patterns, phrases, even subtle magical quirks that felt inexplicably his.
“Sleeping again?” That same voice called out. “We need to leave and review the games, we shouldn’t be complacent.”
He just responded with a nod. It's reality again…
As he lies down in his bed, he can’t help but wonder, what’s wrong with him and his dreams?
Before, the dreams were just signs, but never anything else. Now, the dreams became more vivid, infused with an emotional depth that startled him awake some mornings, a profound yearning left in their wake. He felt a deep sense of unfamiliarity, a deeper sense of sadness, and confusion.
One night, the dream was different.
The vague figure was clearer, their features sharper, their eyes holding a familiar light. They stood before him, the dream world shimmering around them.
"Minhyung," the voice, now undeniably distinct, asked, "Do you remember me?"
Minhyung's heart pounded, a strange sense of recognition blooming in his chest. "I... I feel like I should."
Suddenly, the dream shifted. Minhyung was no longer in the field, but in a familiar room, the harsh white light indicating a hospital or infirmary. Minseok was there, sitting beside his bed, a worried frown on his face.
"Minhyung, are you alright? You collapsed during practice." Minseok's voice was gentle, filled with an unfamiliar concern. "You were also muttering in your sleep.”
Minhyung looked at Minseok, then back to the fading image of his dream, the realization hitting him with the force of a powerful, emotional blow. It was Minseok. All this time, the vague figure, the familiar presence, the warmth, the shared moments – it was always Minseok. Not the competitive teammate, not the person who often annoyed him, but a version of Minseok from a life that felt so real, yet never existed. A life where they were magic university students, close friends, perhaps even more.
A surge of emotion, a mix of profound relief and bittersweet longing, washed over him.
Yeah, I ran away countless times just out of fear
Leaving you waiting at the starting line
The morse code amidst the ruins an old promise, promise
Not knowing the reason of my tears, my anemoia
Minseok, noticing the shift in Minhyung’s expression, his eyes teary, filled with wonder and sorrow. "Minhyung?" He called his name softly.
Minhyung reached out, taking Minseok's hand, his gaze fixed on him. "I... I remember you," he whispered, a tear escaping his eye. "I've been dreaming about you. All of it. A life where... We weren't just gamers. We were magic university students, wizards, playing in fields, taking classes together, just... us."
Minseok, surprised but sensing the deep emotion, squeezed Minhyung's hand. He didn't understand Minhyung's dreams, but the raw vulnerability in his botlane partner’s eyes was undeniable. "Hey," Minseok said gently, "It's okay. Whatever you dreamt, it's okay."
He held Minhyung's hand, offering comfort, allowing Minhyung to process the profound connection he had just uncovered. Minseok found himself intrigued.
Later, Minseok, true to his supportive and analytical nature, delved into research. He discovered the concept of anemoia—a yearning for a past one has never actually experienced. He read about its psychological effects, how it could manifest as vivid dreams and a deep sense of familiarity with unlived moments. With this knowledge, he approached Minhyung.
"Minhyung," Minseok began softly, sitting beside him in the quiet of their shared practice room. "I've been reading about what you described. It's called anemoia. It's like your mind is experiencing a parallel life, a 'what if' scenario." He explained the theory, providing context and validation to Minhyung's bewildering dreams.
Minhyung listened, understanding replacing the previous confusion in his eyes. "It felt so real, Minseok. Like you were... slipping away in those dreams. Especially when I was benched for a while, it felt like the connection was fading, like you were slowly disappearing from that other life too." He confessed, the vulnerability evident in his voice. The recent period when Minhyung had been out of the starting lineup had been tough, creating an unexpected resonance with his dream-self's fear of loss.
Minseok's heart ached at the confession. He squeezed Minhyung's hand, looking him directly in the eye. "Hey," he said, his voice firm and reassuring. "That's not happening here. My future... is you." He paused, a genuine smile gracing his lips. "Under the veil of light, you're my light. We're in this together, in this reality."
Minseok continued to provide steady support, helping Minhyung in their current life. Slowly, the vivid dreams of the alternate universe began to fade, becoming less frequent and less intense.
It was as if the parallel self was reassuring Minhyung that he was doing fine in that other life, and more importantly, that he would be just fine, perhaps more than fine, in this one.
As the final Nexus exploded, the word ‘Victory’ flashed on their screens, the roar of the crowds filling their ears. Minhyung glanced at Minseok. Eyes meeting halfway, a smile appeared. A small pat and high five, seemingly a silent promise that no matter the universe, they were exactly where they were meant to be.