Boseog didn't dream, or at least didn't remember dreaming for the next two weeks. Mostly it was just relief, her normal familiar life. If she stopped to think about it though, a tiny part of her was hoping she would dream about Ryeowook again. Even if it was just a dream, he actually seemed interested in her, though she had no idea why. She was still suspicious, even if he was real. She had no way of knowing soon he would become her greatest comfort.

  I had no way of knowing how much time passed the the mortal world since it's not the same in dreams, but I do know I was missing Boseog, even as short as our interaction seemed to be. I really wanted to get to know her, to see why I was so drawn to the young girl with the bitter attitude and nearly blank life. When I did see her next it surprised me, and not in a good way.

  The next dream I had, it was more like a nightmare. The booze finally caught up to Mom, and I was alone. Attempts to contact my father yielded no results, and there were no other relatives willing to take me in, so I was placed in an orphanage. She might not have been the best mother, but I think she did the best she could under the circumstances. Dad leaving and her depression certainly weren't things she'd ever asked for. Anyway, my dream started in pitch blackness, and there was nothing I could do about it. Even the technique Ryeowook told me about didn't word. I just kept feeling smaller and smaller, like I was about to disappear.

  I still have no idea how I knew it was her so quickly, but the minute I felt Boseog's panic? despair? ennui? some combination? I appeared to her in that pitch blackness. Despite not knowing how she would feel about it or act, I gathered her in my arms. I could feel her pull away at first, then dig her fingers into my shirt and bury her face into my chest. Not knowing what was going on but knowing the consequences of leaving her in that compressing darkness, I shifted us to that same coffee shop setting, but instead of a table, we were on the couch by the fireplace.

  I don't know how long I let myself be held before I bothered to look at who was doing the holding. For all I knew it could've been a demon, but somehow I think I knew it was Ryeowook. After my experience with that utter devouring blackness it was a few minutes before my body would obey me and I could sit up and pull away. What really surprised me was I actually wanted to cuddle closer, maybe even sit in his lap and bury my face in his neck, breathing in his scent which was some sort of mix of vanilla and oranges. That thought was what finally got me to jump back and eye him warily.

  Sighing, I let Boseog go, even though what I really wanted to do was hold onto her forever. She didn't run off/wake up or start cursing me like I expected her to though. She just sat at the other end of the couch and drew into herself, wrapping her arms around her legs and looking at me like she was a scared little kitten. I hated that look in her eyes and wished I could just make it go away. I just had to ask, "Dear One, what's wrong?" To my surprise she didn't tell me off. She actually told me, slowly and haltingly.

  Why I was telling Ryeowook about my mother's death, inability to find my father, and new situation at the orphanage I don't know. Maybe for the first time I actually needed someone and someone who actually saw me was there. I felt the tiniest bit better after I finished talking.

  Oh my Dear One, my kitten, my little hidden gem! How I wished I could ease your pain!