Title: it all started in the dark
Word Count: 1392 words 
Genre: romance
Notes: entry for a writing contest: The Finishing Dot (prompt #2)
Description: People say that when you dream of someone often, it is the result of that person thinking of you late at night. and Jongin finds himself dreaming of the same person, over and over again.

Jongin’s eyes snap open, feeling his air knocked out of his system. His brain panics, his eyes flying from one direction to another in the dark as he struggles for breath. Where is he? He feels the entirety of his body tremble, his unkempt nails digging into the flesh of his palms. What is happening? He feels the ground beneath him sway, and a wave of nausea rushes through his entire being.

But then a pair of arms snake around his waist, pulling him in until his back meets the other’s chest. Jongin melts into the touch, his body relaxing immediately despite not knowing who exactly the person behind him is. The feeling of familiarity calming his nerves.

“Everything’s going to be okay, Jongin.” The low voice whispers in his ears and he feels his heartbeat slow down at the reassuring words. “I’m here for you.” Jongin closes his eyes again and allows himself fall into the warm embrace.

Jongin’s eyes snap open, his eyes registering his surroundings, only calming down to find himself in his bedroom. He turns on the other side of the bed and finds it empty.

It was only a dream.

Jongin is walking in the dark again, though he is remarkably calmer this time. He calls out with a, “hello?” his voice echoing off the walls – if there even are any walls in this void. “Is anyone there?” Jongin shouts, as he aimlessly walks around the dark. He starts to feel hopeless and the sense of isolation creeping into his nerves. The feeling of loneliness is crippling and he stops walking. He curls in on himself, his feet carrying his whole weight as he buries his head behind his knees. He loathes being so alone.

A hand falls on his shoulder. “I’m here.” The same low voice replies.

Jongin almost cries in relief. He looks up yet the darkness renders it useless, the entire being of his companion completely hidden in the dark.

“Who are you?” He means to ask but a sharp ringing jolts him awake, the suspect being his phone’s alarm. He turns it off and stares at the ceiling, wondering just who it is that keeps on appearing in his dreams.

Jongin is back in the dark and he finds himself standing in the middle of it. He doesn’t walk, he doesn’t speak. He only stands and waits. He doesn’t know what he’s waiting for but he doesn’t do anything about it. He waits and waits, standing alone in the dark. He closes his eyes and finds no difference between the visual he perceives with it open.

But then a hand snakes around Jongin’s and he opens his eyes. “Waiting for me?” The low voice asks.

Jongin turns to his side and yet again, sees nothing but the never-ending blackness of the void he always finds himself into. “Yes,” he answers softly, though the deafening silence makes it seem louder than he actually intended to. “Who are you?”

“I’m–“

Jongin jolts up in a sitting position, glaring at his buzzing phone on the desk. He angrily swipes the alarm off and falls back into his bed. Maybe he should turn off his alarm for next time?

Back in the dark, Jongin stands and wanders. He knows it’s useless but he cannot help but wonder if there is an end to this void he often finds himself stuck in. He aimlessly walks straight forward, his bare feet making a soft slapping sound against the smooth floor of the void.

“Keep walking.” He hears the same low voice, though this time, it echoes and sounded so far away. “Keep walking forward” He says and so, Jongin does.

Jongin walked on and on and hours seemed to have passed when he sees a tiny dot of light shining bright against the darkness of everything. With renewed determination, Jongin runs towards the light, excitement to see anything but the darkness fueling his bloodstream.

But then Jongin slips and he falls, waking up with a sore bottom as he finds himself beside his bed and on the floor. Damn it.

When Jongin returns into the darkness, the same dot of light is still there and he runs again, careful not to slip this time. He runs and runs and the dot of light grows ever so slowly.

“Keep running,” The voice says. “You’re almost there.”

The words fuel Jongin into running even faster, his legs feeling no trace of exhaustion and his lungs never lacking enough oxygen. He runs and runs until he is in the light, the brightness of the white walls and white floor blinding his eyes for a moment. Jongin rubs his eyes and gets himself used to the light.

He blinks his eyes and he sees him there, standing right in front of him.

And his breath gets knocked out of his lungs at the sight before him.

Kyungsoo.

Jongin’s eyes flutter open and finds himself at peace. He reaches for his phone and realizes he’s running late for class, leaving him into a frenzy of limbs and blanket. So much for turning off his alarm.

The sight before him startles Jongin. He is no longer in the dark. Instead, he finds himself in his Math class. Jongin is seated in his usual seat beside the window, and everyone is in their respective places. However, it is as if time stood still as the professor is frozen mid-sentence, his mouth half-open and his hand gesturing at the screen behind him. His classmates are frozen just the same, some already asleep, some falling asleep and very few actually paying attention to the professor.

Jongin turns his head and looks out the window, and finds amusement in the way the pre-schoolers are frozen in the middle of their play time. One student in particular is in the middle of falling, a face of pure horror frozen in his face.

“Hi,” a familiar voice greets and Jongin turns his head towards the direction the voice came from.

There stands right in front of his desk, is Do Kyungsoo.

Jongin smiles and greets him back with a, “hello.”

Jongin’s eyes flutter open and finds himself smiling. Only later that day does he realize that Math class is one of the few classes he shares with Do Kyungsoo.

Jongin stands in the mini-playground their school campus offers. He looks around and sees not a single trace of any other person. A feeling of mild disappointment spreads through his chest though he tries to ignore the feeling. He approaches the swing set and sits. He tilts his head and fiddles with his fingers. Where’s Kyungsoo?

And though as if on cue, a pair of hands wrap around the metal that holds the seat to the swing set and pushes him forward, flying up into the air.

When he swings back down, he sees Kyungsoo smiling fondly right beside him, a sheepish, “Hi,” escaping his plump lips.

In return, Jongin can only laugh, carefree and happy.

Jongin wakes up, only to find that he still has a few more minutes before his alarm rings.

Jongin is seated on the metal bench in the same mini-playground he previously found himself sitting on. There are kids all around, playing with one another and laughing with each other. He watches with a fond smile on his face as the kids genuinely enjoy their time in the playground.

A finger pokes his shoulder from behind and Jongin turns around to find Kyungsoo standing right behind him.

“Hi,” the older greets.

Jongin smiles and returns the greeting.

“I—uh,” Kyungsoo starts, his hand flying up to rub the back of his neck. Only then does Jongin notice that Kyungsoo’s other hand is hidden behind his back. “I was wondering if you’d like to go to prom with me?” The hand previously hidden behind his back emerges with a single red rose directed towards him.

Jongin smiles and accepts the rose. “I’d love to.”

Jongin doesn’t wake up.

And that is because it was no longer a dream.

People say that when you dream of someone often, it is the result of that person thinking of you late at night.

Jongin supposes that it’s true.

At least, in their situation.

In his relationship with the one and only, Do Kyungsoo.