“You’re early,” Kibum says sharply. He crosses his arms, looking around the living to keep from focusing on Jonghyun’s figure. Jonghyun drags a chair loudly across the floor.

Jonghyun takes a seat directly in front of him, “the circumstances have changed. I’m here for you in your time of need.”

Key glowers, “I don’t need you.”

Jonghyun smiles kindly at the aggressive Key, “yes you do. I’m always watching over you. I know something is wrong. I can see it in your countenance, you’ve been depriving yourself of sleep again. Tell me about the dreams.”

Kibum lies down on the couch, “dreams … What dreams?”

Jonghyun sighs, “stop running from your problems. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me anything.”

Key rolls over to face the back of the couch, “I was in a white room. I didn’t know how big it was, it just seemed so vast … in the room there were two Minho’s. I remember there being an echo in the room, but when one of them spoke … his voice didn’t echo like mine. I remember walking right through the Minho with the echoing voice, but the other one was different. He was my ghost. I could touch him, but I couldn’t feel him. He started bleeding … and I couldn’t stop the blood…”

Jonghyun leans forward, “what did they say?”

Kibum can’t fight the tears from stinging his tired eyes, “my ghost said he was running out of time. The other Minho kept asking about my ring. I kept telling him I didn’t know where it was! But he kept asking! He wouldn’t help! He just kept asking!” Key’s voice becomes more erratic the more he talks.

Jonghyun stands from his seat, “what else happened?”

Kibum gives pained groans between each breath, “The ring came out of my ghost’s mouth. It was covered in blood.” Jonghyun moves next to Key cautiously, “I don’t understand.”

Jonghyun pats Kibum’s head, “you seemed to have done some of the deductive work. You know one of them is your ghost. Who does the other Minho represent? What do you know of that gives the impression of tangibility without having physical form?” Key remains silent, confused by the question. He lies next to Kibum on the small couch, “it may be more abstract than you think.”

Key grabs Jonghyun’s arm and pulls it over his body, “have I told you about this dream before?”

Jonghyun plays with Kibum’s fingers, “no, this is the first time you’ve told me about this dream. It’s very promising.”

(~ '-')~