Donghae has always had some margin of control over his dreams. He can’t remember when it all started, but he definitely knows that his dreams are much more vivid than they’re meant to be. He’s always been subjected to hearing about other people’s weak and only just barely memorable to some extent dreams; he knows that his are far across the spectrum to those pathetic excuses.

Dreaming has somehow always been an important focus in his life. Every day he would live his life, and every evening he would lay down his head and wait for his other life to start. Nothing is similar between the two aspects of a typical twenty-four hours for Donghae, one is filled with boring mundaneness, the other filled with wonder and mystery. Donghae can’t help but use his dreams as an escape to make his reality just that much better.

Sometimes all he needs is a good sleep to get his life back on track again.

The last thing Donghae remembers is loneliness, or maybe the desire for a companion to call his own. He can’t completely recall the details; reality is always a bit hazy when he’s in his dream state, but what is happening at the current moment is far more interesting, someone is here with him. Usually he’s just floating around in the sky or swimming through a vast ocean, but now his feet are firmly planted on a forest floor, thick trees melding the fifty metre radius around him into a clearing from dense wilderness.

Sensing that he’s no longer alone in this dreamed up landscape of tranquil isolation, Donghae turns around to spot a figure stepping lightly out of the dense undergrowth webbed between the thick clusters of trees forming the forest. The first thing that really strikes him is the silvery hair casting off a bright shimmer due to the suddenly intense sunlight. However, the hair no longer remains significant when the figure, man, is close enough in proximity for Donghae to make out the gorgeous features of his delicate face, which are a strong contrast to the sharp jawline separating the softness from a toned, yet regrettably clothed, slim body.

He could have drooled over the perfection of such a beautiful man, but Donghae likes to think he has more control over himself than that. The black skinny jeans and white button-up shirt that the mystery man is wearing are hardly forest attire, Donghae notes but somehow forgets to pay attention to as the man comes face-to-face with him, close enough to touch, yet far enough to lose in an instant.

Donghae doesn’t particularly like that last part, he doesn’t wish to lose such a gorgeous individual yet, or at least not for a few more hours. He steps forward, the man steps backwards. The same ensures again at least ten times before Donghae realises he’s fighting a neutral battle. He sits, the man sits.

Scrutinizing the male in front of him, Donghae deduces from his observations that he must be a few years older than him, though he could definitely pass as his own age of eighteen easily. The man seems to be ageless, somehow with the face of uncanny innocence and the body of a well-built man fixed with litheness that entices even more than bulky strength.

Donghae never thought he could dream up perfection until this moment. Everything else he’s dreamt of before this point seems irrelevant and insulting compared to the masterpiece that is the beautiful man before him. Donghae doesn’t want to dream of anything else. The man smiles at him as if reading his thoughts, half amused at Donghae’s fascination for him, and the need Donghae seems to possess to get closer to him intensifies.

Love at first sight? Would that be too cliché for a dream? Donghae wonders, finding himself melting under the warmth that is the man’s gaze, strengthened by the boiling sunlight. Donghae manages to alter his dream universe, switching from the scorching sun to a strong moonlight, night air staying warm but a chill causing him to snap out of his dream controlling. The man is still there, looking at him intently.

Boldness is something that Donghae acquires naturally, and so he raises his hand, reaching for the beauty in front of him. Instead of leaning backwards to maintain the even balance of space between them, the man also raises his hand, but stops an inch away from touching Donghae, waiting to see what the human will do.

Unable to stop himself now that he’s so close, Donghae presses their hands together, linking his fingers through the beautiful man’s, a gummy smile rewarding him for his effort. “Hi,” Donghae greets, smiling widely as the other man shuffles along the ground towards him.

“Hi,” The man replies, the sound of his voice sending Donghae’s heart soaring and making all of his thought processes stop immediately.

“Hi,” Donghae repeats dumbly, grinning like an idiot when hearing delightful peals of laughter from the other’s lips.

“Goodbye,” The gorgeous man answers. Donghae’s smile fades into a frown as the man lets go of his hand and stands up, leaving him sitting alone in the middle of the grassy clearing.

“No, wait!” Donghae yells at the retreating figure that keeps on walking away, not bothering to even spare him a glance.

“Goodbye.” The man yells somewhat menacingly and with a touch of venom that Donghae didn’t think such a sweet looking guy could possess. The line of trees seems to swallow the man up, but only after a reassuring smile makes its way to his lips, confusing Donghae further.

As his dream world escapes his grasp, Donghae knows that he’ll be seeing the beautiful man again. Everything seems brighter when he blinks his eyes open, welcoming the new day, a smile warping his lips as he recalls the beauty with silver hair that will be waiting to greet him again in his dreams tonight.

“So, what are you having for lunch today?” Jungsoo asks politely, flashing his dimpled smile at Donghae as they walk to the school canteen.

“Haven’t decided yet, mum gave me ten-thousand won and shoved me out of the door like usual this morning. I don’t think she’s ever going to be a morning person,” Donghae replies with a laugh, Jungsoo joining him and knowing full well of the extent to which Mrs Lee functions in the morning.

“Well we better hurry otherwise all of the juniors will be forming huge lines that won’t end until the bell goes,” Jungsoo warns, both of them laughing again as they run through the empty corridors, one of the perks of being a senior with a free period before lunch on a Monday. School doesn’t seem too bad for Donghae when Jungsoo is around, he’s the only best friend he has and wants and so every school day passes with them glued to the hip and laughing the day away.

One would say that Donghae’s life is ideal, though it hasn’t always been that way. As a child, Donghae was bullied on a daily basis. Primary school had become a prison and he hated it. Due to such loathing of the place, Donghae never focused on learning or doing well, people were going to bully him either way so he gave up. Not long before he started middle school, his father was diagnosed with cancer. His death a few years later didn’t do much for Donghae’s sanity.

The only dream of a thirteen year old boy with only his mother left in