Packed lunch, check. Water, check. Files, check. Enough money, check. Map, check. Phone fully charged, check. Pet carrier for Dragon, check. It was late in the morning, the sun high up and watched over the still-sleepy eyed Bom who made her way towards Cheonan station. She made a mental note of the things she needed for today. She was on her way to Seoul and it was her first time to travel towards the capital alone. I'm not alone, she reminded herself and gripped the pet crate handle with the sleeping cat inside, I'm with Dragon. Diligent as she is, she had already researched the necessary requirements with regards to bringing pets aboard the train. Pets are only allowed on board if she takes the Subway Line 1, but not on the Express highspeed rail. The travel time for Subway Line 1 is comparably much longer compared to highspeed. Gwenchana, she thought. I'd rather spend two and a half hours with Dragon that to spend an hour without him.

Bom stood on the train platform, mindful of standing just behind the yellow line. She gently set down the crate, and Dragon's spirit hovered behind her. He looked especially transparent today with the bright sun piercing through his everything. Bom looked at him, too afraid to let him out of her sight worried that he might be gone if he looked away.

"I'm not going anywhere else," he whispered in her ears. Bom could only nod in reply.

The train arrived at the quiet station like a bullet stopped midway. The doors automatically opened with a distinct buzzing sound. Bom swiftly picked up the crate and made her way her designated seat. 22A, she read her ticket. I hope I won't get any seatmates. She settled down on the plush seat relieved that she got the one beside the window. She set the crate on the seat beside her while Dragon sat across from her.

"You should have bought walnut cookies." Dragon spoke.

"Eh?"

"Molla," he shrugged. "It suddenly came to my mind. A memory of travelling by train, sharing walnut cookies with the family. Haven't you experienced anything like that?"

Bom slowly shook her head and looked out the window. She hadn't gotten enough sleep last night as she worried about this day. She will be visiting Yonsei University and to familiarize herself with the prestigious Medicine program of the university. Her father was so excited about it and personally requested her to travel alone. My girl is a big girl now. And soon enough, you'll be a lady. I'm so proud of you to take over my footsteps, his father said last night. But what Bom didn't tell him was that she also has other plans in Seoul. She had already called the Department of Design and Arts of Yonsei the day before and had arranged a meeting with the admission director. Over the phone, he was impressed with Bom's qualifications and wanted to meet her. And here she was on the train without telling her father about the other meeting.

"Bom," Dragon called out to her.

"Mmm?"

"You look tired." he said. "You should probably catch some sleep before we arrive in Seoul. I'll be fine. When you wake up, I'll still be here."

Their travel time was still long. Althought called subway, Line 1 still ran aboveground. From Cheonan Station, Bom will have to go down at Seoul City Hall Station and transfer to Line 2 that will take her to Sincheon Station, the nearest train station to Yonsei. With her heavy eyelids, Bom smiled at Dragon who now floated beside her before she dozed off. In her dream, she saw a galaxy similar to her painting she kept hidden inside her room. She was in the middle of the galaxy, the stars continuously revolved around her. She was the center of attention. The perfect daughter. The perfect student. The perfect girl. But the stars around her cannot see her perfection. Too fixated with flaws, the stars burnt out and left her still in the middle but in the dark.

"Bom," she heard somewhere in the distance.

"Bom," the voice repeated.

"Mewww," a cat meowed and Bom opened her eyes all of a sudden. She noticed the train had stopped running and Dragon was standing in front of her.

"Hey sleepyhead," he called out. "We're here at Seoul."

Bom rubbed her eyes as she looked out the window. The train was stationary and almost empty of passengers. "Omo," she uttered as she grabbed the crate by its handle and got off at Seoul City Hall Station. It was past noon, and although there were no distinction from the Seoul metropolitan air to the air at Cheonan, Bom immediately knew that she was in the big city. She carefully studied the different arrows and made her way to Line 2. The train ride to Sincheon Station was fast and it took her just 10 minutes to get to the station. The Line 2 was busier than Line 1, with Bom encountering a lot of commuters on a jam-packed train. She got out of the subway and she saw Ehwa Women's University to her right and Yonsei to her left.

"Uwaa," she said to herself in exclamation. She walked towards the Yonsei University gate but she was stopped by one of the guards. Animals were allowed inside the campus but not inside the buildings. He stopped her to ensure that the cat was properly collared and safe in its crate. Bom agreed to abide by the rules and said that she will not let the cat inside the buildings.

"Mianhe Dragon," she whispered as she made her way inside.

Bom was at a forkroad. Her alotted schedule can only allow one visit to a building. Her train is scheduled to depart at 3:30 in the afternoon and it's either she go to Yonsei's Medicine Campus or the Design and Art Campus which are opposites of each other. To my dream or to my father's wish? she thought as she continued to stare at the large university map in front of her. She heard other students walking to and fro the university main road. But she took no notice of them, and they didn't notice her as well. Just like my painting and my dream. The girl who's in the center of the universe.

"Bom, make up your mind," Dragon told her and the cat mewed.

"Ne," she answered and tucked a stray hair behind her air. "I'm choosing the one I want." 

~~

She slowly set down the crate and let the cat out. She was in front of the Department of Humanities and since no pets were allowed, she left the cat near the entrance of the building. It was already winter and the university students thinned out as the winter vacation neared. The Department of Humanities building looked void of students which was located at the farther most right of the university campus. 

"Wait for me to come back, okay?" Bom said and the cat rubbed its body against her legs.

"I'll wander around and try to see if I can figure out anything," Dragon said and floated away. "I won't wander far off so be back soon, okay?"

~~

The skyline of metropolitan Seoul was busy as usual. The trains sped by continuously. Cars and buses whizzed by the wide streets. Sea of people crossed the streets as one. Everything was the usual picturesque city of Seoul. Except for one unsual cat, with its unusual color of white, too white that it was almost glowing blue and its blue leather collar with a silver pendant that hung from it.

"Meww" it purred.

It pranced in its peculiar cat-like manner, zigzagging the streets of Sincheon in vague familiarity. Until it stopped in front of a Ducati motorcycle shop with its large windows bearing displays of different, shiny, motorbikes. The cat's deep blue eyes widened in awe, as if it was a little child lost in a huge toystore with all the money in the world. And the cat stayed there in front of the shop for quite some time. The people either ignored it or simply didn't care. But for the cat, he was at the center of the universe.

It wasn't until this girl from Cheonan, panting and out of breath calling the cat's name, that the cat's eyes left the large window of wonder and back to the background of metropolitan Seoul.

"Dragon!" Bom called out to the cat as she caught her breathe. Her abrupt stop caused several people behind her to bump at her.

"Jeosonghamnida," she profusely apologized with a 90-degree bow to the people behind her. She quickly picked the cat up and placed him inside the empty crate.

"Yaah," she said. "Why are you here? I thought you said you wouldn't wander far off. You're out of the campus."

"This shop," Dragon said. "I remember staring at this shop for days. And the feeling of wanting one."

"Ducati?" Bom repeated as she read the shiny silver brand name on one of the motorcycles on display.

"Working all night just so I could afford one." Dragon continued. "Or...maybe I'm not too sure."

"Do you remember other things?"

"Ani," Dragon shooked his head. "It's just these certain images and scenes that flashes through my mind."

Bom looked at Dragon, who grew fainter and fainter as the afternoon sun slowly started to fade behind thick clouds. Bom checked her watch. It was almost three.

"Omo, the train," Bom muttered. She still wanted to stay and to help Dragon with his memories. But Dragon looked at her, his eyes as if telling her, We should probably go back now. The cat was snuggly curled up in a ball inside the crate, its chest slowly and rhythmically going up and down, in deep slumber. He must be tired, Bom thought. They still had a long travel time ahead of them, and slowly, side by side, they made their way back to the station.

~~

The train ride back to Cheonan was significantly quieter, the sun slowly setting off the horizon. There were fewer passengers too as the train traversed south of the capital. Bom watched the sleeping cat beside her and felt the sleepiness hit her again. With the box of walnut cookies in her hand, she softly dozed off to dream land. Dragon, too, was silently dreaming. Although he was unsure whether his were really just dreams or parts of his memory. 

[ DRAGON'S DREAM ]

I'm surrounded by people. People surrounded me. They all want me. The 'perfect guy', 'Yonsei's poster boy', 'the ideal namja.'  Yea, that's me. I'm in the middle of the galaxy. These little stars surrounded me, lighting me up. But these stars, they shine so bright.

So bright. Blinding me. Until I could no longer see. I could no longer see what's ahead of me.

And just like that, the stars burned out. The lights fade. And what's left of me? Nothing but my speeding Ducati.

[ END OF DREAM ]

Dragon's eyes shot open as he woke up from his dream. It didn't feel like a dream, but a part of him. A part of an answer to a mystery. He slowly looked outside the window. The sky had turned darker and few stars were visible in sight. They were nearing Cheonan and Bom beside him was still asleep. I guess I have to wake up the sleepyhead again, he thought with a smile.

Somewhere, unknown to them, in a nondescript hospital, confined to the four bleak white walls, an empty room, someone was lying down on a hospital bed, the thin white sheet tucked to his chin. His eyes were closed, his two hands on top of his chest, his chest rhythmically falling up and down. He looked like he was just asleep, except the machines hooked up to his body and nose say so otherwise. And the mechanically beeping of the cardiac monitor beside the bed filled the room with void.

~~

Long update! o.o Hope this chapter answered some questions, although it opened a few more questions too :D Again, I tried my best to be as accurate as possible for the places and geography I mentioned here. Seoul Subway Line is really interesting, and if ever I get to visit Seoul, I want to get the chance to visit all the train stations. Thanks to these website for providing me about the details about Yonsei and the subway: here, here, here. Yes, I did my research. :P Also, I just found out that the City Animal of Cheonan is Dragon! Waaah, totally a coincidence! Cool. Anyway, I blabbed too much again. Thank you for reading my story (which is my most favorite to write) and please comment, subscribe, vote if you like it. <3