Joon-myeon couldn't help but smirk at his own reflection in the restroom mirror. It was an image he was all too familiar with, one he dreaded to set his eyes upon, yet he couldn't help but laugh at it. He hated how pale his skin was. It was pure white, like untouched snow, but it was bitterly cold to gentle hands. His eyes were carried by the dark circles that reeked of fatigue. He needed sleep, but his body rejected the rest.

A single yawn escaped his mouth, his youthful face contorting, twisting and turning in demented directions. His tongue grazed against his lips; he was parched. He turned his head toward the sink, his hands moving towards the knobs of the faucet. Before he decided to turn them on and hear the soothing sounds rushing water, he looked at his reflection in the mirror, as though he was consulting his own self for approval. He laughed at his silly acts and shook out of his trance.

He exhaled deeply as he took his hands off the knobs, letting his arms brush against his sides. Joon-myeon let his head fall back and closed his eyes.  He sighed as he felt the stress slowly crawling up his body. Joon-myeon raised his arm to pull back his sleeve, revealing his watch that read: '7:43 PM'. He ran his hand through his short, dark chocolate colored hair to calm himself down while attempting to release calm and controlled breaths.

As he relaxed into his own body, Joon-myeon opened his eyes and directed his attention towards the mirror. He met his reflection once again. This time, the image wasn't as drastic as he thought out to be. The figure on the glass sheet was him, but something was refreshingly and oddly different about it. This entity of Joon-myeon in the mirror was lively, bright, and disgustingly well-groomed than the one looking at his own reflection. Wide eyed, Joon-myeon stared at his own image in the mirror. The reflection smiled back at him, radiating an undeniable charisma that lured him in. Joon-myeon abruptly flinched when he saw it wave to him in a friendly manner.

He rubbed his eyes and looked at the mirror again in disbelief. The figure was still there right in front of him. Joon-myeon waved back to the figure and hesitantly smiled back. He froze when it pantomimed his actions. Fear developed the unknown and uneasy tension building between him and his reflection.

He questioned why that thing was here in his presence. What was the reason why he was seeing himself, but seeing something that wasn’t him? What did it all mean?  He wanted to understand the reasoning of why his mind was projecting this image through his eyes. In the back of his mind he hoped it was all a trick, but he decided to go along with the games that his mind conjured up. He eyed his own image again and how it parted their lips ever so slightly, making an attempt to communicate to Joon-myeon. “Yes?” he tried to coax the image to talk to him.

The image ceased to smile. It looked towards Joon-myeon and the corners of the image's mouth began to quiver. Then a smug smirk appeared on the figure's face, still keeping the gaze it had with Joon-myeon.

Silence.

Silence was all Joon-myeon heard from his reflection.

A quiet laughter left Joon-myeon’s cracked lips. "Is that it? Is that you wanted to tell me?" he questioned bitterly to the image in the mirror. Joon-myeon's reflection smiled at him, which sent an eerie chill down Joon-myeon spine. "What are you smiling for?" Joon-myeon yelled hesitantly. "Is this funny?"

The image in the mirror chuckled in silence; however the brunet swore he could hear his reflection mocking him. Joon-myeon was nearing the point of insanity. He turned his head away from the mirror, scared of what his reflection would do. As time passed, he permitted himself to stare at the mirror again, waiting for the other Joon-myeon to reappear. To his surprise, the glass sheet presented his fatigued and raggedy self.

Joon-myeon felt his sense of normality being pieced back together, but it was soon ripped to shreds when he heard a startling noise blast throughout the room; it sounded like a shriek of nails slowly scraping against a chalkboard. The commotion pierced through the quiet confounds of the restroom, resonating an unpleasant cacophony of displeasing, dissonant sounds.  Joon-myeon quickly covered his ears and pleaded for it to stop. The noises continued deflecting off the wall; an onslaught of pain penetrating through his eardrums. "Make it stop!" he finally screamed at the top of his lungs, hoping that his pleas would be answered. Suddenly, the sounds disappeared, leaving the room silent; euphonic noises filling the space.

"What was that?" The room echoed his question, the sound bouncing against the walls. The only answer he received was his own question, then it faded into silence. Seconds passed, then minutes, but he was still waiting for an answer. Realizing that he was the only one in the room, Joon-myeon sighed in defeat. The after effects of the noises drove up against his forehead and drilled into his ears. Joon-myeon massaged his temples while he questioned the series of events. Where were these sounds coming from and why did he see himself in such a way that frightened and scarred him?

Stiffness and fatigue started to take over, causing Joon-myeon to stretch so he could simulate his body. His tired joints cracked, creaked, and yawned while his muscles contracted and relaxed, releasing and undoing tangled knots.  Just like him, they were begging for some rest.

"You're losing it man," he scoffed as he finished stretching. He reached for the knobs and watched as the water filled the basin. As he turned off the faucet, he gripped the edges of the sink while steadily dunking his face into the pool of water. The change in temperature invigorated his body. This method could only keep him awake for a short time, but long enough to comprehend his situation. He lifted his head out of the water, gasping for air, and looked into the mirror. The image was his ordinary self, not that other entity. A tiny smile of relief appeared on his face, his soaked head sporadically dripping water on the floor.

As Joon-myeon looked to the mirror, he noticed that his reflection started moving again. The brunet flinched at the image and said apprehensively, “You again?” The image on the mirror started to move on its own and Joon-myeon fixated his stare, uncertain in its actions. The figure pointed to its own hand, causing Joon-myeon to look at his own. The brunet looked back to the mirror and asked, “What’s so special about this?” He stuck his hand in front of the mirror, making his own reflection look at it. The entity laughed and mouthed words that were not audible to the human ear.

“What did you say?” he asked. The figure proceeded to shrug his shoulders and smiled. “Don’t smile at me like that!” Joon-myeon growled. His reflection pointed to his hand again and Joon-myeon copied his actions. He looked at his hand closely. Something about it started to intrigue him. He stared at the formations made by the numerous indents across his palm.

Each line, wrinkle, and crevasse told a story. Each story formed a collection circles that identified him; a validation of a human being, and a person of this world.  In a flash, he heard a smack; the sound echoed in the room and he could feel his face searing with pain. He peered into the mirror and saw the aftermath of his actions: A crimson slash painted across his face. Joon-myeon did not anticipate in losing control of his body.

“Kim Joon-myeon.”

Joon-myeon's eyes quickly opened in shock. He heard a voice that wasn’t his own in the room. He quickly scanned his surroundings and saw that no one else was in the room with him. He started to quiver in fear. He swore that he heard another voice, but there was no physical representation of it. “Who are you? Show yourself!” Joon-myeon's voice trembled.

“I’m right here Kim Joon-myeon.”

The brunet turned his head toward the mirror and saw his reflection waving at him, a gesture that he became too familiar with. It started to become something he dreaded to see. “What do you want from me?” Joon-myeon asked hesitantly. The figure smiled which became another gesture he started to despise. “Please, I beg you. Tell me what you want. Why are you here?"

The image started to laugh at him; the sounds of its laughter filled the empty room and buried itself into Joon-myeon’s ears. His eyes widened in shock when he realized that it was the same cacophony he heard earlier when the figure temporarily disappeared. The brunet was in complete and utter shock that his own reflection was ridiculing him, mocking his existence.

The laughter came to a halt while Joon-myeon stared at the image, dreading the unknown. “Relax Kim Joon-myeon.” The figure said, loud enough for him to hear. “I’m not here to hurt you; I’m here to help you.”

Joon-myeon turned to face his reflection. “How am I supposed to trust you?” he asked skeptically.

“You should be able to trust me.” The image smiled. “You have no one else. It’s just you and me.”

He huffed at his reflection. “I don’t need you. I can solve my own problems.”

The entity laughed silently, “Really now? How has that been going for you?” Before Joon-myeon could speak the image interrupted him with, “Think about it. Have you been giving yourself the care you deserve?”

Joon-myeon held himself back, biting his tongue bitterly. He couldn’t recall anything of the sort. He was always investing his time in others to make them feel secure. After a while, he started to feel the pressure of grief and guilt weighing down his moral and ethical conscious. He started to judge everything he did; from his actions, to what he said, to what he wore, to what people thought of him and what he thought of himself.

In the beginning, it was all easy because he approved by his peers. Over time, he became tired of that mundane routine. He started to subconsciously distance himself from his so called ‘friends’. He started to question why he was spending so much time on others who did not even give a second thought about him. Soon, he became bitter. He started to hate everyone, everybody, and everything. He even started to hate who he became and what monster he created out of himself.

Even though Joon-myeon noticed this, he did not want to acknowledge it. He did not want to believe that he created his own demons out of the growing darkness that manifested his heart. He knew that people looked up to him as a role model; a leader. Leaders rarely showed weakness. He wanted to-- no, he had to do the same because he didn't want to let others down.

He cringed at the thought and let the disgust run over his body, but the reality was that he didn't want to let himself down.

In realizing his sudden turn of events, Joon-myeon made attempts to show superiority towards his demons. He wanted to suppress the monster inside of him. When he would see complications arise, he quickly shoved and buried them into the back of this mind where his heart could not reach it. As a result, he became numb to his own and others’ emotions. He became uncomfortable around people and he found it hard to relate to them. To cope up with the feeling, he pulled a veil over his façade, creating a new mask for him to parade in.

As Joon-myeon became aware that of his odd behavior, he felt that he could transform into something far off the spectrum of normality. He thought by doing this he could be on track to become somebody, but he was not being what he truly yearned to become: Himself.

Yet, even after all of this, he still chose to present an imitation; a being not even close to call human.

Joon-myeon furred his eyebrows in disgust, defiant in his emotions. "I’m perfectly fine. If others are happy, then I’m happy as well.”

The image in the mirror scoffed at him. “That doesn’t answer my question Kim Joon-myeon.”

Joon-myeon shrugged his shoulders. “Then what else am I supposed to tell you?”

“You're not telling me the truth.” The figure said sternly. “The Kim Joon-myeon I know wouldn't act like this.”

“Then who am I then?” Joon-myeon sternly told the image in the mirror. The figure was taken aback from the tears slowly trailing down Joon-myeon’s eyes. Joon-myeon still kept his gaze on the image in the mirror, his eyes clouded with tears.

“You’re Kim Joon-myeon.” The figure simply replied. "Your name alone should tell you who you are."

“What's in a name?” The brunet laughed sarcastically. "What's in my name exactly?” He emphasized.

The figure stayed silent, shocked to respond.

Joon-myeon laughed again. "I'll tell you exactly what my name tells me." Joon-myeon said through staggering breaths. "It's nothing but a label that reveals a failure."

The image looked at him with sympathy. “Kim Joon-myeon...” it whispered.

Joon-myeon disregarded the entity’s concern and continued talking. "It's ridiculous how pathetic I actually am."

The image continued to watch him breakdown.

“I'm nothing but a fool.” Joon-myeon voice slowly crumbled against the walls of the restroom, echoing his anger and frustration. “All these mistakes I've made, for what? To be treated like scum.”

“Kim Joon-myeon,” the figure stated. “Please, stop this.”

Joon-myeon looked at the figure and weakly smiled back at him. “Stop what?” he smirked. “Stop telling the truth about myself?" A pained chuckle left his lips.

The sounds of Joon-myeon’s cries echoed in the room.  That was all the entity and him could hear. After he calmed his cries, the figure started to speak. “Kim Joon-myeon, listen to me…”

"No! You listen to me. I've created a monster," Joon-myeon lamented, "and that monster is me." He was done with himself, the image in the mirror, his feelings, everything. He just wanted it all to be over.

“Stop with this.” The entity continued. “Joon-myeon, you're not what you say you are, I know that you aren't. I can hear the internal struggles inside the inner walls of your heart. They're screaming; they want to be heard, but you just don’t want to admit them to yourself because you don’t want to be who you are. Give yourself the chance to be finally selfish for once and think about what you want. Why do you choose to be somebody else when you can be yourself?”

“Because I'm not good enough!” Joon-myeon yelled back.

“To whom?” the image yelled back. “To others or to yourself?”

“I don’t know!” The brunet screamed. He looked back at his reflection, begging for a response.

“Kim Joon-myeon,” the entity replied, “people who look up to you not because to try to be a leader, because you are a leader; a natural born one at that.” Joon-myeon stared at his reflection. The entity continued on. "Do you know how you got to be where you are right now?"

Joon-myeon shook his head.

"It's because you accomplished something what humans dream of being rewarded and something that others fear to become."

"And what would that be?" The brunet questioned.

The figure smiled at him. "You were just being yourself, and that in itself is the peak of genuine beauty; imperfect perfection at its finest."

"I'm just another person, nothing special." The brunet pitifully sighed. "What's so great about me?"

“You are special Kim Joon-myeon. You may not see it, but you have changed many lives by just being yourself." The entity said with sincerity. "Being great, comes with a price. It’s a lonely road, and no one realizes that till they attempt to take it. It’s a road less travelled, but in the end that will make all the difference.”

Joon-myeon weakly laughed at the image's statement. The entity grinned and said, "I got you to smile a little bit."

The brunet's mouth slowly curved upward and said, "I read that poem when I was elementary school. I felt like I could relate myself to his words. I didn't understand why I felt different from everyone else and why they didn't understand me, but now it all makes sense now. I never imagined myself, let alone being told I would be one the few that has taken the road less travelled."

"Well you're still on that road." The figure gently chuckled. "Once you start, you're never finished; you just keep going." They shared a laugh. This time it was harmonious, not harsh to the ears at all.

Joon-myeon returned his gaze to the image in the mirror and weakly smiled. The figure looked at him with sullen eyes "When I look back to it," Joon-myeon continued, "I think it’s not fair."

"What's not fair?" The figure blinked in confusion.

"That I can't receive what others are given." Joon-myeon selfishly declared.

The figure pondered, "Do you believe that you’re supposed to get something out of the relationships that you make with others?"

"In all honestly, yes." Joon-myeon replied. "I want a friend; a genuine and honest companion."

The figure sighed in sadness. "You have plenty of them. You just aren't looking in the right place." The figure stuck out a hand and proceeded to cup the water from the sink into its palm. "Look Joon-myeon, friends."

Joon-myeon laughed halfheartedly. "What is that supposed to mean?"

The figure's exhaled a calm frustration, then chuckled. "Mimic my actions, then I'll explain." Obediently, Joon-myeon complied with the image's request, then patiently waited for the following orders. "Now, look at your hand. Notice how the lines and the imprints that shape who you are cradle this small pool water. If you let it go, you're left with a residue of water droplets that rehydrate your skin and restore your body back to life."

Joon-myeon looked at the figure dumbfounded.

"These water droplets follow the lines of your skin. Some evaporate, leaving a tiny film questionable to the human eye. Others seep into your body, healing your wounds from the inside." The figure smiled and turned its gaze over to the brunet who listened to his reflection's reasoning in wonder. "These water droplets, no matter how miniscule they are, make an impact on you. They cleanse you and leave you feeling refreshed and renewed, just like friends." 

Joon-myeon's jaw slightly opened, but no voice left his mouth. Was he too discouraged putting his faith and trust in others? Is this what prevented him from asking for friend? He glanced over to the figure who was still talking. Joon-myeon was immersed in his thoughts that he only caught the last parts of the figure's spiel. Luckily for Joon-myeon, it was exactly what he needed to hear.

"Even though the path you're taking may be lonely and you feel that you have no beside you, just reach out," the figure cupped his hand into the water and brought it in front of Joon-myeon, "and you'll see that you will find a handful of genuine, honest friends who will refresh, rejuvenate, and reinvigorate you back to life."

A calm silence enveloped them, giving Joon-myeon a moment to collect his thoughts. “You're right." he broke the silence. Joon-myeon lightly smirked, his eyes still crestfallen. "In the end," his voice trembled, "will I be happy?”

"That's up to you." The image stated. “You can choose to continue living in hostile nature or you can choose to live in pleasant bliss. Your happiness is a state of mind and the joy you feel is attitude in your heart. If you can achieve both, then you have been gifted with the impossible."

“What if I don’t have enough strength to achieve that state?” Joon-myeon replied.

“Like I said before,” the entity smiled, "just reach out, call for help, and your voice will be heard. You're not alone."

The brunet looked at his own reflection with a few tears in his eyes. “Am I worth it after all?” Joon-myeon questioned hesitantly.

“Yes.” The entity smiled at him. “Joon-myeon, you always were worth it. You are good enough.”

Joon-myeon wiped away the tears from his eyes and proudly looked at his own reflection. He placed his hand on the mirror, waiting for his reflection to do the same. His reflection smiled and mimicked his actions. “Thank you.” Joon-myeon said with appreciation. “I don’t know how to repay you.”

“You can repay me by letting me go back home.” The entity said.

“And where would that be?” The brunet questioned.

Joon-myeon’s reflection smiled at him. “Back into your life.”

Joon-myeon looked at his reflection in bewilderment and awe. “What? Since when did you…?”

“Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find yourself again.” The image chuckled. “You did just that.”

“Did it have to be literally?” Joon-myeon laughed.

The entity smiled as it started to dissipate from the mirror and back to its rightful place.

"You're leaving so soon?" Joon-myeon whimpered.

The entity smiled sadly. "I'm afraid so. My time here is done. I've served my purpose."

“Will I ever see you again?” the brunet asked.

“Who knows?” the entity whispered. The brunet sighed in sadness, but that feeling was soon replaced by soothing warmth from his reflection's smile. “Don't be sad Kim Joon-myeon. Remember that I’m always with you and when you need me I’ll be there.”

“Thank you.” Joon-myeon smiled.

“You’re welcome,” the figure grinned, “and thank you for finding your true self."

"Thank you for helping me come back to my senses." Joon-myeon said.

The figure smiled. "Take care of yourself Joon-myeon.”

A big, cheesy grin appeared across his face. "You finally called me Joon-myeon."

The entity nodded. "Well," it chuckled, "I am you and you are me. We're two halves of a whole; we complete each other and together we are one."

Those were the last words that Joon-myeon heard his reflection say before it disappeared from the mirror. The brunet took his palm of the mirror and watched his reflection follow. He smiled at the image presented on the glass sheet. He felt as though everything was back to normal. He pulled his sleeve up to look at his watch. "I need to go home," he sighed.

He looked in the mirror and fixed himself up before he left the restroom. As he arrived home, he rustled on his bed. He couldn't sleep for his mind was still playing the series of events that occurred previously. "Something's not right." Joon-myeon mumbled as he ran his hands through his tousled hair. His mind was puzzled; too complex to solve on his own.

He needed the figure's help.

Days passed and the brunet waited to meet with the entity once again. After school, he went into the same restroom and stared at the same mirror till he could see his own reflection move on its own. However, nothing happened and Joon-myeon became frazzled, confused, and distraught. The brunet took in a deep breath and suddenly his body began to shut down, leaving him in a suspended state.

The last thing he remembered before he hit the floor was the image on the glass sheet reaching out to catch him.

---

Darkness.

That was first thing Joon-myeon identified as he opened his eyes. He wondered where he was for he knew that he wasn't in the same place anymore. His hyper-sensitive ears caught the sounds of harmonious laughter which intrigued him. He looked around and singular rays light shot out from the ground. The lights then merged together forming a pathway.

Joon-myeon followed the pathway illuminated for him. He suddenly felt cold. His attention was directed towards a body of water he unknowingly entered. Joon-myeon decided to swim through the pool of water, despite the fact he didn't know where he was going. As he swam, waves that increased in size crashed into him. The barrage of waves caused him to feel the rush of emotions and memories that forgot about himself, what he tried to forget, and how they impacted him in such a way. It was pure euphoria. What made him suppress this?

The path illuminated itself for the brunet to follow. He got out of the water and dried himself off while continuing his journey. While Joon-myeon kept walking, he noticed the change in sudden terrain. Joon-myeon looked around and saw that he entered on to a vast desert. The atmosphere was arid, leaving his mouth and his mind parched. The winds started to pick up, making the sandstorm dance and distract him from the pathway before him.

He walked through the desert, uneasiness building up inside him. Through the boisterous sounds of nature, he could hear the laughter gliding through. Suddenly, the sandstorm became violent. He tried to deflect the attacks, but to no avail. He closed his eyes and let the sandstorm consume him.  The collection of wind gusts and sand particles contained the essence of his mind; a recollection the nostalgic memories and emotions that he once lost.

As time passed, the storm subsided. Joon-myeon opened his eyes and continued his journey; his body started to weigh him down. Seeking rest, Joon-myeon looked for shelter. Off in the distance, he spotted a tower and the laughter was stronger than before. He was elated to know that he was heading to the right destination.

Without warning, Joon-myeon collapsed to the ground. His arms and legs started to contort in uncomfortable formations and positions. Through his blurred eyes, he could see the image of his past still clutching onto him, not ready to release him from its grasp. Using all his strength he broke through the bond that caged him, relinquishing the authority that heavily dominated his body.

As he got up from the ground he commenced his expedition. He smiled when he felt the stress off his body; the world was finally off his shoulders. He felt as though he was in control again. The demons were brushed off like the dirt that was carried on away by the tailcoats of the wind, sinking into the depths of the sea, making it a forgotten memory.

Then something clicked in his mind. It was as though missing puzzle piece was found and the image of him was finally complete.

Joon-myeon finally arrived at the tower. As he opened the door the noises ceased. He entered the tower and saw the figure standing in front of him. Joon-myeon smiled at the figure and it returned the kind gesture warmly which was comforting to him.

"Hey there." Joon-myeon smirked.

The figure grinned lightheartedly. "Joon-myeon, long time no see."

A comfortable silence blanketed the two figures. Joon-myeon scanned his surroundings and mouthed awes and delights at the simplicity of the figure's living grounds.

"This is where you live?" Joon-myeon broke the silence and started to walk towards the entity.

The figure nodded. "Yep, it's quite nice. I'm glad to be back."

“I'm glad to have you back.” Joon-myeon smiled. "Welcome home.”

"Thank you." The entity chuckled. They stared at each other until the figure broke their gaze by looking over to the clock, then it back to Joon-myeon. "It's getting late. It's time for you to go now." the figure declared. "I'm guessing you found what you were looking for?"

"Yeah, I did. I feel complete now; like I'm myself again." Joon-myeon nodded. "Thank you."

The entity smiled and Joon-myeon nodded in appreciation. The brunet took a deep breath and his body again slowly entered suspended animation, leaving him trapped in a standstill of time. He was heading back before he could properly say goodbye.

"Goodbye Joon-myeon." the entity side, its tone bittersweet. "It's now time for you to wake up and start anew."

Before Joon-myeon closed his eyes, he waved goodbye to the figure. He saw figure return the gesture and smiled at him. Joon-myeon smiled back as he drifted out of consciousness and back into slumber.

                                                           ---                                                             

Light.

That the first thing he saw when Joon-myeon opened his eyes. Was he back to where he was supposed to be? While he collected his bearings, he took a breath of relief. Joon-myeon was back in his own time. He pulled himself off the floor and started to swing his body around. As he stretched, he couldn’t help but wonder if he experienced a lucid daydream or if he was actually taken into a new dimension; a realm that gave him all the opportunities to find what he was desperately searching for.

He smiled, knowing that through the process of losing himself, he found himself. Unorthodox as it was, he felt reborn, complete; he was a new Kim Joon-myeon. Before he departed home, Joon-myeon took one last look at his own reflection one more time. It was an image that spoke in pleasurable volumes, transcended the stereotypical boundaries created by human nature, and basked in authentic beauty. Through that image, Joon-myeon saw how that made him an imperfectly perfect person; his final form and his own true self that he began to genuinely love.