I sighed as I looked at my hand, "I don't know either." The dream seemed all too real.

 

    "What don't you know?" Woohyun said as he set his lunch down on the table. Woohyun handed me his bowl of instant ramyeon while he took a bite of his sandwich.

 

    "How would I know if I don't?" I was still in my silly train of thought as I broke my disposable chopsticks apart and slurped my noodles.

 

    Woohyun chuckled, "Don't be confusing with me."

 

    "Sorry, my Nampabo," I cooed, playfully pushing his arm.

 

    "Yah! I told you not to call you that!" He pushed back.

 

    I chuckled, "Sorry."

 

    We sat in silence for ten minutes. His eyes focused on his food as he devoured it without mercy like a lion. I stared out the window with my cup of ramyeon still steaming in front of me and my pencil in my hand. A tree stood alone without its leaves in the public park just across the campus. I stared at the tree. I observed its slight sways and bare branches.

 

    Suddenly, its leaves flourished around the tree. They filled every gap with its green color. Suddenly, I was leaning on its branch. In front of me was the boy. His eyes had a sense of warmth when his hand reached for mine. He smiled. My world seemed to suddenly change colors. It was new and different. I started to have the slight feeling of trepidation. But he looked so reassuring. His hand in mine made me feel safe and secure.

 

    He leaned down until I felt his warm breath his my ear. "Do you know?" He whispered.

 

    I shook my head no.

 

    The daydream faded.

 

    I sighed, "Woohyun-ah."

 

    "Hm?" He looked up from his sandwich.

 

    "Whenever you're in your own world, do you ever feel like there's something missing? There's a missing fragment of reality? Of this paradise?"

 

    Woohyun chuckled, "Well if you're in your own world, how can there be a reality?"

 

    I hesitated, "There's just something tugging. I feel like there's a paradise, something will make the world around me a paradise. I will be happier."

 

    Woohyun chortled, "Whatever it is, it'll be waiting right in front of you before you even notice." He placed his hand on top of mine. The fans above our heads spun faster, making me shiver as I started writing down broken lyrics in my journal.

 

    Woohyun's hand was warm, but I was still shivering.

 

***

 

    A guitar player was leaning against the LED screen of the subway map. He had jet black hair that covered his face as he looked down at his callused fingers strumming his guitar. He was tall and wore a black hooded jacket with dark denim jeans.

 

    I was somehow enchanted by him. I was mesmerized in such an inscrutable way. I had a short propensity to hum along to his voiceless tune. Soon enough, my broken lyrics had a melody.