1 The dream

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Jiwoo had once a dream.

A dream in which gray and white clouds were timelessly motionless above a pale, greenish sea. Small, glowing waves were crushing against the rocks in brief motions, making small bubbles float on the surface of the crystal clean water. Near the shore some seagulls were flying unbothered, letting their wings flow with the ice cold breeze. The green portion of the soil separating the beach and a narrow, stony road, was of a dull, lifeless color.

Despite some movement the scenary looked completely static. Not a soul, except for the seagulls, was to be seen in that deserted place.

Jiwoo felt like she wasn't part of the dream, but just an external presence, an observer, ready to take in everything that could have unraveled before her eyes but that she was unable to interfere with. She felt her heart shattering at the thought of not being part of that reality, an unknown but strangely familiar feeling of loneliness and fear making her want to scream in despair.

She tried, but nothing came out. Then she tried again and again, all her attempts in vain.

When she woke up in the morning Jiwoo found herself staring at the ceiling of her bedroom, teary eyed and hands clutching tightly at the sheets. Her breathing was steady, but slightly fatigued. She didn't know why she felt a sting in her heart.

*

That morning Jiwoo's mother noticed that her daughter wasn't her cheerful self. Jiwoo barely talked and ate almost nothing from her breakfast. Her parents asked her what was wrong, to which she replied that she was simply tired before leaving to school with a small 'bye' and a kiss on each of her parents' cheeks.

At school even her friends noticed she was absent minded most of the time both in class and during lunch. One of her closest friends, Haseul, was particularily worried about Jiwoo. She placed her hand on the girl's shoulder as she stared at the tray of food in front of her. “Hey, what's wrong?” Haseul asked with a frown but the other just looked at her with distant eyes. “Nothing is wrong. I'm just not very hungry.” Jiwoo gently removed the hand and smiled a little, hoping her friends, who were now all looking at her, would let her be.

“But you're always hungry...” It was now Hyunjin's time to worry as she leaned her arms on the table. Jiwoo really wanted to go home and rest. Her head was starting to throb ridiculously fast. She felt like throwing up.

“I'm sorry but I don't feel very good.” She said covering and ran to the bathroom in hurried steps.

“I'm going to check on her.”

The group of friends were silent as their gaze followed Haseul leave the table and go after Jiwoo.

*

When Haseul entered the bathroom she found Jiwoo in the farest stall. She was leaning above the toilet, keeping her hands on her knees while looking dangerously pale and weak.

“Are you okay?” Haseul asked and Jiwoo turned to face her bestfriend with furrowed eyebrows, strands of hair falling beside her cheeks as she spoke, “What does it look like?”

The trace of hurt that came