Chapter 2

 

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The sound of water are one of many sound that could calm Taehwan down after a long hectic day after classes. He swam a few laps before he grab a float and stay on it while thinking of the dream again for the nth time today. Taehwan sighed as he looked up to the high ceiling and wondered what is the meaning hiding behind the dream he has had for almost 3 months now. Although Gongmyung kept asking him to not think too much about it, it still bothers him so much.

“Taemin, who are you? Who is your mummy? Are you even real?” Taehwan mumbled under his breath. 

“Taemin, why did you appear in my dream? Would you tell me what is the meaning of all these dreams? Why do I keep dreaming of you?” He kept questioning himself until his phone decided to ring making him having to flip over his float to get to the seats nearby.

“Hey, I’ve got good news for you!” It was Gongmyung who sounded extra excited over the phone.

“What is it? It better be a good news that I had to leave the pool.” Taehwan grumbled.

“Mr. Lee told me he wants both of us be volunteers for the trip to Haenun Island.”

“And how is that good?”

“We can go together! Don’t tell me you forget Yuna will be one of the volunteers as well!”

“You can go ahead and sign up for yourself. I don’t even want to get close to that person.”

“Are you sure you won’t regret? Because Mr. Lee is going to give it to other people if you don’t want.”

“I’m pretty sure I don’t want to be a volunteer. Go and enjoy yourself to Haenun Island.” He hung up the call and left Gongmyung hanging.

The 24 years old grabbed his towel and quickly get changed into dry clothes as he walked down to the parking lot to start his bike to go back home. As he rammed his bike to the entrance of the school gate, he saw someone familiar whom he say last night, walking into the school carrying a light sling bag with her earpiece on.

“That looks like the girl in the alley way last night.” He mumbled under his helmet and rode off.

---

 

Haemin laid down on her comfortable bed as she looked up to the plain ceiling of the dorm in the darkness where her roommate is already asleep. She took a deep breath and sigh long enough trying to forget what happened earlier.

 

5 hours ago 

It was the peak hour at work where everyone was busy getting their cup of evening coffee. It was definitely hectic at the café but Haemin doesn’t panic and made every order quickly yet correctly. Until a group of students enter the café and queued up thinking what they should get.

“Hey, isn’t that the e?” Haemin heard a short girl among the group whispered to her friend as they turned their attention to Haemin who was ready to collect their order.

“I guess this is where she works when she doesn’t have customers.” Another one added disgustedly.

“Let’s go to other shops then. I don’t want to drink coffee that’s made by her dirty hand.” The first one said as the left the café. 

 

She grabbed her phone that was on her study table as she searched for her name in the online school board hoping there won’t be any new news. And thankfully she got what she hoped for and the latest news she saw was 3 months ago when the rumor breaks out.

“How could someone see me as a e when I only stood in front of those useless human beings in my work uniform?” She whispered to herself and turn her phone off before turning herself to the right to sleep.

Right when the clock strikes 12 midnight, she received a notification from Mr. Oh regarding the start of the counseling session for tomorrow.

‘Please attend the session tomorrow at conference room 5 at 5p.m. I’ll see you there.’

“No, I am not going.” She mumbled to herself and drive herself to sleep.

---

 

“Daddy you’re so bad!” Taemin cried as he kept punching on Taehwan who was sitting still in his dream.

“Why am I bad?” Taehwan asked confused.

“You didn’t help mummy when she needed help. Now, she’s gone!” Taemin yelled and cried at the same time.

“I want mummy!” Little Taemin cried again and Taehwan held both his shoulder.

“Then you should help daddy to find mummy. I don’t know who she is.” Taehwan said and little Taemin stopped crying as he looked at Taehwan.

“You don’t know who is mummy?” He sobbed and cried again more louder this time.

“How can you not know who mummy is? You’ve already found her but you didn’t help her so she ran away again!”

“That’s why I ask you to help me find her again.”

“Daddy, I want mummy!”

“Who is your mummy?!” Taehwan shouted but he didn’t realize he was in a class during lecture that is still going on.

“Who is your mummy?” Mr. Kim, the class lecturer, repeated what Taehwan said as the whole class turns their head to look at him who was now wide awake.

“Who is your mummy?” Gongmyung repeated slowly as he looked at Taehwan who then gulped his own saliva as he let out a wide grin.

“So, did your found the child’s mother?” Mr. Kim said full of sarcasm.

“No, not yet.” Taehwan mumbled under his breath and sat up straight after apologizing to everyone.

 

The class ended when the clock strikes 4 in the afternoon as the students slowly disappears into thin air leaving the 2 best friend by themselves.

“I told you not to sleep at class but you still slept. Plus you’ve just made a fool of yourself.” Gongmyung shook his head in disbelief.

“How can you dream of that even in class? In my opinion, I think you’re thinking away too much about that dream. It’s not good for your health if you were to continue entertain your dream.” Gongmyung shook his head again.

“That dream means nothing. It’s just that you kept thinking of it, it came back to haunt you.” Gongmyung nagged as he placed his laptop into his grip and stand up.

“I’m going over to my parent’s place for dinner now. See you tomorrow.” Gongmyung bid goodbye as he leaves his best friend alone.

“This isn’t just a dream. It is trying to tell me something.” Taehwan convinced himself and left the lecturer hall.

 

It has already been almost 2 hours since he came home to study but Taehwan couldn’t focus on his self-study when he kept thinking of the same girl he saw behind the same alleyway beside the convenience store earlier before going back home.

“Stop it!” A loud shout could be heard from beside the convenience store at the alley way.

“I thought I’ve given you enough chances. Why don’t you listen?” The drunkard guy yelled out loud which makes Taehwan walked over to the alley way to see what’s happening.

When he saw the familiar girl and two guys standing in front of her, the taller guy was ready to give the girl a slap in the face but Taehwan grabbed his hand before he could continue.

“Oh, look who we have here.” The guy laughed and the girl looked at Taehwan who has his eyebrow furrowed.

“Stop hurting her.” Taehwan said but only could get a chuckled from the 2.

“Little Haemin got herself a hero I see.” The guy said and Taehwan eyes went wide when he heard of the familiar name.

“I guess we’ve got to go to other places now. Let’s go.” The guy pulled his hand out from Taehwan’s gripped and Taehwan turned to look at Haemin who has tears rolling down her eyes.

“Are you Ahn Haemin?” He asked and Haemin wiped her tears that kept rolling.

“Are you okay?” He asked again and she nod her head before leaving the alley way back to the cafe a few stores away.

 

“Is she Ahn Haemin? I saw her entering the school last night. Yes, she was the one! Is she the one who I was supposed to be her mentor? Is that why she needs a mentor? Is Kangjoon really her mentor though?” Thousands of questions ran through his mind but none could be answered.

---

 

The unwanted next morning came and it was time for Haemin to get up to get to the first class. She couldn’t stop but to keep reminding herself to stay calm knowing that people will say things about her. She too couldn’t stop but to think about the guy who came into her rescue unknowingly last night.

“The students say they saw her at the alley way last night too with 3 guys!” 2 female students walked beside her as they said it loud and clear to Haemin’s ear even though with her earpiece on.

“My goodness! How could someone so nice looking like her get involved in such things!” The other one added.

As she was walking down the passage way to the lecture hall, she could hear wolf-whistle by most of the male students walking past her but all she did was faced the front and plastered a stoic face onto her.

Dain once asked her why not tell everyone that they’re mistaken and she answered that people don’t believe what they hear but what they saw. With such heavy steps, she enters the lecture hall and before she could push the door open, Mr. Oh called her from behind.

“Can I have a minute with you, Haemin?” He said as the 2 stood at the side of the pathway.

“Why didn’t you attend the meeting yesterday? Will you follow me for a while?” He ordered as the 2 walled to the counselors’ office to his table but there was already someone who was waiting at his table.

“How can I help you, Mr. Popular?” Me. Oh looked at the tall male student who turns out to be Taehwan.

Taehwan turned his head as he saw Haemin and his small eyes went wide at the sight of her.

“Why?” Mr. Oh asked looking at Taehwan who was staring at Haemin as if he saw something shocking.

“Umm,” Taehwan scratched the back of his neck and clears his throat.

“Nothing, I’ll see you next time.” He rushed out of the office When then Mr. Oh grabbed a file to pass it to Haemin.

“These are the date for every upcoming sessions and I really need you to come and attend. Please, Haemin.” He said with a few other things before Haemin left the counselors’ room where she was greeted by Taehwan who was standing outside the office.

“Excuse me,” Haemin heard someone following her from behind but she continued walking ignoring Taehwan.

“Excuse me,” Taehwan said once more as he stood in front of Haemin stopping her to walk forward.

“Yes?” Haemin said as if she knew that he is one of the guys who will make fun of her again like how she always gotten from her schoolmates.

“Are you okay?” Taehwan asked and Haemin remembered the same voice she heard last night.

“Who are you?” Haemin questioned him.

“I’m Lee Taehwan.” He held out his hand but Haemin didn’t receive it as she took the chance to avoid him and walk to his left.

“I hope you’re fine. I just wonder if you’re the one who Kangjoon is mentoring.” Taehwan said and Haemin let out a little sigh.

“If you’re here to ask me to go for the stupid mentor-student thing then I’m sorry to disappoint you.” She told him.

Taehwan let out a slight smile and continue following her, “No, actually I’m here to be your friend.”

Haemin stopped walking and Taehwan too was taken aback as to why he said that.

“Friend?” Haemin looked up at him with a smile plastered on his face as he nod.

“Thank you but no thank you.” Haemin said before she walked off.

“Then, will you at least stay away from Kangjoon?” Taehwan kept following her from behind wanting to let her know that she should be staying away from Seo Kangjoon.

“Why?”

“If you know who he is then I think you wouldn’t want to be near him.”

“Thank you.” Haemin said which shocked Taehwan.

“For?”

“For telling me not to be near him.” She said and walked away without turning back even though she would want to see his face one more time.

---

 

“Taehwan?” Mr. Oh came out from his office as he saw Taehwan stood there watching Haemin walking off by herself.

“Why are you here?” He asked and Taehwan turned his attention back to Mr. Oh

“I wanted to ask you if that’s Ahn Haemin, the girl whom I was supposed to be a mentor to?” Taehwan asked and the counselor nod his head as he looked at Haemin disappearing into thin air.

“Why? Do you want to be her mentor now that you’ve seen her?” Mr. Oh asked and Taehwan’s ear perked up at the sentence.

“Can I?”

“Of course,” Mr. Oh paused and continued, “you can’t. Kangjoon is already her mentor.”

“But it doesn’t look like she’s interested in this mentor thingy.” Taehwan chuckled and looked at Mr. Oh.

“Why does she needs counseling though, Mr. Oh? She looks fine.” Taehwan asked curious.

“I guess if you want to find out, you’ve got to search for yourself in the school online board.” Mr. Oh said as he slide the office room but before he enters he looked at Taehwan and said, “It would be nice if she could change. She looks like a nice girl.”

 

That night Taehwan took the chance to search up the online school board that he has long not logged into. He became curious when Mr. Oh told him earlier about the online board. As he typed in her name, hundreds of results came out as the most being the video of her at the back of the alley with 2 guys standing in front of her and they were the 2 same guys Taehwan saw last night.

“So she was rumored to be involved with ion?” Taehwan read the mean comments and mumbled to himself as remembered the conversation he heard few nights ago.

“Aren’t you guys tired of this already? I told you I don’t have anything!” She shouted on top of her lungs and squat down as she cries out loud hugging her knees.

“I don’t care. Until the day you give me the money, I will continue to hunt you for the rest of your life. So if you don’t want to see our faces anymore, go and find the money mother gave you!”

“They are her brothers.”

Taehwan decided to close his laptop for the day and quickly climbed onto his bed as he cuddled up in his comfortable blanket. Within minutes after closing his eyes, he reached the other world called dreamland.

“Daddy, will you buy me a chocolate cake?” Little Taemin asked as they walked down a familiar street.

“Let’s go in here then.” Taehwan pushed the café door open with Little Taemin being a bit too excited at the sight of the cakes.

“Welcome.” A staff at the counter welcomed the both of them.

Before the 2 father and son could walked up to the counter, Taemin shouted with his tiny voice as he ran up to the counter shouting, “Mummy!”

Taehwan watched as his son in the dream ran towards the tall figured female staff that has long wavy ponytail on her head. She ran out from where she was as she hugged Little Taemin when then she looked up to Taehwan who was standing still behind Taemin. Her features looks familiar. The tall bridge of her nose and small rosy lips together with her hazel eyes lined with a little eyeliner looks like someone he knew.

“Haemin, what are you doing?” The outlet manager looked at the situation happening as Taehwan’s ear perked up at the sound of her name.