Everyone was enjoying their sumptuous meal courtesy of Ryeowook except for Kyuhyun who had not touched his meal yet. Leeteuk noticed that Kyuhyun’s mind was off to somewhere else so he asked him, “Kyu, you seem to be preoccupied with something. What is it?”

“Don’t you want my cooking?” Ryeowook asked with a pout.

“He is not preoccupied with something, hyung. He is preoccupied with someone.” Sungmin corrected Leeteuk. Leeteuk’s eyes went large at this statement. Kyuhyun suddenly woke up to his senses.

“Kyuhyun said he saw a girl.” Sungmin reported.

“A GIRL?!!!” Donghae chimed in. “WHY YOU DID NOT TELL ME?”

“Did you ask?” Kyuhyun replied.

In an instant, Kyuhyun was bombarded with a thousand questions by his hyungs. Questions like “Is she beautiful?” “Did you get her name?” “Did you talk?” “Do you like her?” “Where does she live?” Does she have a sister or cousin?” “When will you meet again?” poured out of their mouths.

“WAIT!!! ONE BY ONE PLEASE!!! AND WILL YOU LET ME SPEAK?!!!” shouted an exasperated Kyuhyun.

“Fine,” Kyuhyun cleared his throat to answer all of their questions when his hyungs have quietened down. The rest dropped their utensils on their plate and they were all eyes and ears to him.

“She’s pretty,” Kyuhyun told them. However this was an understatement because for Kyuhyun, her beauty was beyond imagination. “As for your other inquiries,” Kyuhyun continued as he watched his hyungs wait for the details with bated breath. “I can’t answer them because I did not manage to talk to her.” Groans of disappointment resounded at the dining hall.

“You’re so slow, maknae!” Heechul commented.

“I need to teach you some of my techniques,” Donghae said.

“If you were in my place at that time, it will also not be easy for you to utter a single word,”Kyuhyun told himself inwardly.

“Why were you not able to talk to her? Is she such a beauty that will make a person tongue-tied?” Eunhyuk asked. Kyuhyun wanted to answer it with yes but he just decided that he would like to keep it to himself. He did not want to sound strange or exaggerated no matter how true it was. He wasn’t the Donghae-type to exaggerate his “love” stories.

“Is it because she disappeared?” Sungmin asked. Kyuhyun finally realized that Sungmin has been wary of this from the moment they started talking about this. Why is he doing this? He asked himself. He was the one who open this up anyway.

“Disappeared???” The other guys asked exchanging glances with each other.

“She immediately walked away when she heard someone coming and I was not able to catch her up.” Kyuhyun answered looking straight at Sungmin’s eyes from time to time.

“Bring her here the next time you meet,” Siwon suggested and the majority seconded his motion.

“I doubt if I will see her again,” Kyuhyun said.

“If she’s just around, I am sure you will be able to see her again and during that time you can invite her to the villa,” Sungmin said as if challenging Kyuhyun.

“I will,” He replied, accepting the unspoken challenge.

-------------------

After they have eaten their breakfast, they have separated in their own ways. Siwon, Eunhyuk, and Donghae went back to the backyard to do some exercise. Yesung and Ryeowook decided to go downtown while Shindong, Leeteuk, and Heechul chose to stay inside to watch TV. Kyuhyun went to the balcony upstairs and he was followed by Sungmin.

“Kyu,” he called him. “Are you sure of what you’ve seen? I mean, how can you expect someone to vanish that fast? Are you not… hallucinating?” he asked him. Kyuhyun who was offended by his question faced him furiously.

“Hyung, I see what I’ve seen. If you don’t want to believe, I cannot force you.” Kyuhyun said crossly. “I may be having problems right now, but I can tell you, my mental faculties are still in a good condition.”

“Mianhae. I know I have offended you,” Sungmin told him. “I am just worried that’s all.” He tapped Kyuhyun’s shoulder and then he left.

Kyuhyun turned his eyes to the vast forest. In an instant, the image of her emerged again…the way she carried herself, the way she looked… the way she smiled… everything. He asked himself the same question that Sungmin asked before. How could she vanish that fast… unless she faded into thin air. With just one look at her face, he doubted if she really belonged to this world. But whether she’s a ghost, a lost spirit, or a goddess, he did not care for he was only sure of one thing; he was completely entranced by her. There’s an unfathomable connection between them and that’s what he ought to know.

 ------------------

If Sungmin’s suspicions weren’t enough to annoy him, there would always be Donghae who ceaselessly bugged him about the girl throughout the day. It did not stop until the nighttime when they were about to sleep.

“Did she say hi to you? Did you say hi to her?” Donghae asked with his stomach on the bed and his head propped up by the pillow. He was no different from a child who insisted his parents to tell him a bedtime story.

“I’ve told you numerous times already for God’s sake, I was not able to talk to her,” Kyuhyun replied while arranging his things.

“But did she do anything?” Donghae asked.

“Other than laying a puzzle in my mind?” Kyuhyun thought. “She smiled at me,” Kyuhyun replied.

“She was checking out on you, dude!” Donghae said while giggling.

“She is too innocent-looking to do that,” Kyuhyun disagreed with his hyung. That girl was different from the girls that his hyung had dated. She was not the type that would flirt with guys. That smile was different. It’s the type of smile that you would see when a person met someone whom she did not see for a long time, a smile that expressed the newfound joy of finding again the person you have longed for a long time.

“So what does she look like,” his hyung asked him.

“She’s tall, fair-skinned, with long black hair and a beautiful smile,” she simply said.

“That’s totally my ideal type! But don’t worry I won’t steal her from you.” Donghae said with a wink. “I hope I can dream of her,” he said before he drifted off to dreamland. “Good night, Kyu and sweet dreams,” Donghae yawned and then he fell asleep.

Sleeping had been the most dreaded thing for Kyuhyun. His dreams were the reason behind it. He could no longer recall the feeling of waking up after a sweet dream. He searched for his medication inside the bag but he could not find it. He turned his bag upside down but it was really empty. He had put all of his things on the cabinet. Aish! Why did he forget to bring it? He wanted to hit himself for that. It was his only weapon against the persistent nightmares. “I guess a different type of environment will help me have a peaceful sleep,” he said to himself.

------------------

That night… Kyuhyun, for the first time, did not have the disturbing nightmare of being shot… instead, his mind had woven a new storyline inside his head.

He found himself walking in a familiar area of the forest, making his way towards the bright light at the end. As he moved forward, he pushed away the long green tendrils that hang from the trees and when he finally remove the last tendril, the image of a magnificent garden appeared before his eyes.

(Just imagine it to be the garden, only bigger)

The garden was enclosed in what seems to be a giant birdcage. Curiosity took over him as he took a step ahead and opened the wooden gate. The gate did not make a sound as it welcomed him like he was a regular guest. A scrunching sound escaped from his feet as they stepped on the dried leaves and petals on the ground. He looked up and saw the bright sunshine pouring its light upon the gleaming glass roof and there also hanged a crystal chandelier to light the place during nighttime. With each wooden rod that comprised the ‘cage’, several rose vines clung to it, competing against each other to reach the highest height. These ordinary wooden bars were transformed to a splendid sight because of the deep red roses that adorned them.

The wind softly blew and it dispersed the sweet fragrant scent of the roses. He closed his eyes as he allowed himself to revel in that sweet scent. He was so engrossed that he did not notice someone coming in. A pair of hands was suddenly wrapped around his waist. “So you really came,” a female voice whispered to his ear. He opened his eyes in shock. He took hold of that hand and felt the softness of her skin. They stayed that way for a moment, her scent which is sweeter than the roses lingered in him and he fell into deep intoxication. He did not know her but he felt secured in her arms. She leaned forward and placed her chin to his shoulder. “You really fulfilled your promise,” she told him. “Do you want me to play the piano for you?” she asked. “Take it as a reward,” she giggled.

Although he did not want to let go, he just succumbed to her wish. They broke away from each other and he faced her for the first time and to his surprise, it was the beautiful stranger. His eyes followed her as she sauntered toward the white grand piano which was located at the corner. Its pure white color was contrasted by the crimson petals that fell onto it. She ran her fingers on the keys and with each movement, it created music that was worthy of praise. It seems like the gates of heaven had opened and he was the very lucky one to hear their music.

“Do you like it, oppa?” she asked, her voice sounded like a beautiful chime to him.

“Very much,” he replied with a smile.

“Shouldn’t you be leaving now?” she asked him.

“Why would I leave when you’re here, you are all I need,” he said as he sat next to her. He reached out his hand to caress her face but before it could touch her skin, she suddenly disappeared from his sight.

“Hey, where are you? Where have you gone?” He asked looking around the round garden that he’s in. Still, she did not show up. However she left a message, a message that echoed in his mind.

“We’ll meet again… for sure.”

Kyuhyun opened his eyes and the glaring sunlight hit his face, telling him that a new day has arrived. He sat up on his bed, still in disbelief that the beautiful stranger visited him in his dream.

Just who the heck are you?  

End of Chapter.