Wake up, eat, apply online, go out to look for a job, go home to eat, wait for a response, dread life, contemplate existence, sleep.

This was Chanyeol’s schedule for at least a week after what happened in the tavern. Several times, he woke up in the middle of the night due to nightmares plaguing him. He would get up to drink water, let out deep breaths to stabilize the pounding in his chest, but that wasn’t something he could easily let go.

But there was something that bothered him. Like a part of him was missing and he couldn’t understand what was going on. He would often look out his window while holding his glass of water, staring into the brightness of the moon that brightened the night sky.

Though there were times when he got nightmares, he also got pleasant dreams that comforted him. Dreams where he would spend time with Kyungsoo. Talking inside the tavern as he sat on the tall bar chair, watching Kyungsoo as he mixed drinks before serving it to him. Dreams where he sat inside the owner’s office as he helped him through that paperwork that filled the table. Dreams where they would play in the garden as they splashed water to each other, hoses on their hands with smiles on their face. Dreams where nothing but pleasant moments felt like memories passing in his mind with the continuous appearance of Kyungsoo and his lovely smile.

They felt natural as if he was living in them. His dreams were so vivid that he couldn’t discern whether they were figments of his imagination despite waking up every single time. It felt too real to be just a dream, and it made him wonder if it was the reason why his heart longed to go back.

His eyes darted to the business card on the nightstand. It looked like it was glowing again, inviting him to step closer, pulling him to return.

But he bit his lip as he turned away from it. He made up his mind, and the words that Minseok said were stamped in it, reminding him of his choice.

“What happened to you?” Chanyeol’s friend, Doo Young, asked him one afternoon when they decided to visit his flat. Their other friend, Gang Woo, held Chanyeol’s shoulders while looking at his face. “Do you even eat? You’re too skinny! If you apply as a tree, you’ll be overqualified.”

“Yah! You know I never skip meals. I’m fine. I just… I’ve been applying everywhere, but I can’t seem to get hired anywhere.” Chanyeol confessed, pushing his friend’s hands away from his shoulders.

His friends glanced at each other before looking back at Chanyeol with worried gazes. “Have you gotten any interviews?”

“Yeah… But no callbacks.” Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders before shaking his head. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I’ll probably get one soon. Anyway, let’s have a drink!” he uttered, pulling himself away from his friend’s presence.

The darkness invaded the sky, and time passed as the night grew deeper. Their topics changed from one to another until the topics became more sensitive. The deeper their talks became, the lower they placed themselves in the living room. From the couch, they were now sitting on the carpeted floor. The two were leaning on the table while Chanyeol was resting his back on the couch with an absentminded gaze on the ceiling.

“Tell us about her,” Gang Woo of them asked, earning Chanyeol’s attention.

“What are you talking about? Are you drunk?” There was a disgusted look on Chanyeol’s face as he glanced at his friend.

His friend clicked his tongue before raising his arm as if planning to hit Chanyeol. “Idiot! I’m just saying… more than looking like you’re disappointed, you look like someone who’s broken-hearted.”

Chanyeol scoffed at the sudden statement. He couldn’t believe what Gang Woo just said. Call it possessiveness, but he didn’t want to share anything about his dreams