SUMMARY:
Solji can control her dreams. They are her escape from reality, and she could do whatever she wants in them. She was a lucid dreamer, and the dream world was her domain. But are they really dreams?

"Hyojin... Hyojin..."
"Yes, unnie?" Solji looked to her side and smiled when she saw LE laying half awake in her bed next to her.
"Sleep with me." She said, patting the empty space next to her.
"Huh?" Solji pouted, holding her hands out.
"I want you to hold me." LE stared at her for a while before nodding and walking over.
"Ok, unnie." She lay down next to her to spoon her, and Solji felt herself relaxing into LE's embrace, a blissful smile on her face.
"Hyojin..."

Solji yawned as she sat up in bed and stretched. Remembering her dream from last night, feeling the lingering warmth from her dream, she couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face.
"Oh, unnie, you're awake?" Solji looked over to see LE walking into the room.
"Good morning, LE!" For a split second, a frown appeared on LE's face before she shook it off, replacing it with a smile, making Solji wonder if she had imagined the frown.
"Good morning to you too, unnie. Did you sleep well?" Solji nodded.
"Yup! I had a really great dream!"
"What kind of dream?" LE asked curiously as Solji winked, grinning.
"It's a secret!"

Solji made sure she dreamt of being with LE at least once a week, usually at night. She loves LE, but never told her. She just couldn't. What if LE rejected her? She had never shown any signs of being into girls. If LE rejects her, she'd never be able to bear it. So the only way she could do what she wanted to do with LE was through her dreams, where everything is under her control, and where her heart could stay safe from any possible rejection.
"Let's see... what should I dream of tonight?" Solji wondered softly to herself as she casted a glance over to a sleeping LE on the bed next to her. A smile came over her face as she lay down, having made a decision.

Hearing some shuffling noises, Solji opened her eyes to see LE climbing into bed.
"Hyojin." She smiled sleepily as LE turned to her, startled.
"Unnie." Solji just held her arms out.
"Cuddle me." Solji said with all the aegyo her sleepy mind could generate.
"Why so demanding?" LE chuckled as she lay down next to her, cuddling her as she had wanted.
"Because this is the only time I can be with you so freely. I can never do this when I'm awake."
"Why not?" LE asked.
"Because you're only mine in my dreams, my dear Hyojin." Solji replied simply, giving LE a quick peck on her lips and then snuggling close to her, falling asleep.

Solji would just think of what she wanted to dream of, and let her mind handle the rest. So the situation in her dreams was always changing, and Dream LE stayed unpredictable. Every night was a different storyline for her to experience, and she enjoyed each one as much as the last.

Solji sat up in the darkness, looking around sleepily. LE's bed was empty and cold to the touch, suggesting she had been out for quite a while. Walking out of the room, she could make out a figure sitting on the couch.
"Hyojin?" LE looked up from her phone at her and smiled softly.
"Unnie. Why are you up?" Solji smiled as she walked over and bravely sat on LE's lap, straddling her.
"You weren't in bed and I was lonely." She pouted as she wrapped her arms lovingly around LE's neck, burying her face in the crook of her neck. LE shivered as she felt Solji's breath on her skin, wrapping her arms around Solji's waist.
"I'm sorry, unnie. I didn't mean to leave you alone. I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to disturb you, so I came out."
"You should've called me anyway. I always want to be with you, Hyojin." She murmured.
"We are almost always together though." LE pointed out.
"It's not the same. When I'm awake, I have to hide my feelings. But here, I can do anything I want. And no matter what I do, you're under my control. You can't push me away, or reject me. Here, I'm safe." She said, her eyes gleaming as she claimed LE's lips in a deep kiss. LE didn't fight back, allowing Solji to dominate her and force her tongue into . She even reciprocated the action. When Solji finally pulled away from the passionate kiss, LE was left with a flushed face, and only a brief moment to get some much needed air into her lungs before Solji claimed her lips once again.

"I'll be sleeping first, LE." Solji said as she climbed into the comfortable bed.
"Yeah. Good night, unnie." Came the distracted reply from LE, who was looking at something on her laptop. They had just finished a concert, and a game of scissors paper stone to decide the roommates ended up with LE sharing a room with her. Once they had returned to the hotel, Solji was so tired that she had simply laid down on the bed and was asleep within seconds.

Solji woke up to the sound of running water. Realising that LE wasn't in bed, she walked to the bathroom, dragging her feet lazily as she walked.
"Unnie!" LE jumped, startled, when Solji just opened the door and walked in.
"You didn't call me again." Solji frowned as she started to strip.
"I did." LE stated. "But you were so tired, you didn't reply." Solji yawned as she stepped into the bathtub with LE.
"Then you should've stayed until I woke up. I hate it when you're not by my side." She said as she leaned forward so that she was on top of LE. "I told you before that I always want to be with you."
"I know, unnie. I'm sorry." LE said, the usually charismatic girl becoming meek in front of the assertive older girl, like a mere prey to a predator.
"Don't let me be lonely." Suddenly, Solji's voice grew soft, almost a whimper. "Don't leave me alone. Don't leave me."
"Never!" Shocked, LE shook her head and reached out to pull Solji close to her, eliciting a surprised yelp from Solji as she fell onto her. She raised her head, only to realise that their foreheads were now almost touching. LE leaned forward so that their foreheads touched, and gave Solji a small smile. "I'd never leave you, unnie. You know that. Wherever you go, I'd follow. No matter what it takes." Solji found herself smiling as well as she connected their lips. She reached down, and paused when LE flinched as her fingers brushed against her.
"Are you ok with this?" LE looked to her, seemingly a bit hesitant, and a bit nervous. Nodding in understanding, Solji pulled back. "It's ok if you don't want to, Hyojin. I'm not forcing you." She said. LE shook her head, reaching out to wrap her arms around Solji's neck, pulling her back.
"It's not that I don't want to, unnie. I want nothing more than to give myself to you. But..." Solji looked to her, waiting patiently for her to continue. "It's just that I...I've never done this before. I don't know what to do." Solji smiled as she crawled back onto LE, giving her a quick kiss.
"It's alright. It's my first time too. Let's go slowly." Or so she said, as she lovingly gave LE a deep kiss, reaching down. "I love you, Hyojin." She murmured as soon as she pulled away. "I love you." She breathed as she kissed LE again. "I love you." She repeated with another kiss.
"Ngh... Unnie... Slow down..." LE whimpered as Solji claimed her lips over and over again, leaving her with short gasps for air. "Un-" Another whimper was cut off by another kiss. That night, in that dream, Solji remained deaf to LE's whimpers.
"Hyojin, I love you."

Waking up in her bed, Solji curled up, still feeling rather hot and bothered from her dream.
"Unnie! It's time to wake up! We're going to head down for breakfast soon!" Jeonghwa called as she knocked on the room door. Beside her, LE let out a sleepy groan. Knowing LE was beside her, Solji could only blush as she remembered what she did to her in her dream.
"I'm sorry, LE." She apologised softly to the girl as she cursed her subconscious mind for coming up with that dream of all other things she could've dreamt of, the events of which still remained vivid in her mind.
"What for, unnie?" LE mumbled sleepily from beside her.
"It's nothing, LE. Don't worry about it." There was no way Solji could ever tell LE what she had done to her in her dream. Absolutely no way.

Still, she continued to dream about LE. Especially on the day before LE was to go home to her family for a vacation, Solji found herself wandering off after practice ended, walking to LE's studio. Laying down the couch, she felt oddly comforted by LE's lingering presence in the room, and slowly closed her eyes. She was going to dream about her again, to surpress her loneliness at the thought of not seeing LE for the next 5 days.

"Hyojin." Solji opened her eyes only to see LE sitting at her table, next to the couch, looking at her computer.
"Yes, unnie?"
"Do you love me?" LE froze, turning around in her chair to face her.
"What?" Solji sat up.
"Do you love me?" She repeated.
"Of course I do, but what's with this sudden question?" Solji held out her arms.
"I just wanted to know. Come here." Obediently, LE got up and walked over to her, sitting beside her. "On my lap." Solji pouted as LE moved onto her lap, Solji wrapping her arms around her waist instantly and resting her head on LE's shoulder. She sighed contentedly, taking in LE's scent as they sat in comfortable silence. "Hyojin. I love you."
"I know." Solji smiled softly as she held LE closer to her.
"Do you love me?" Solji asked again.
"I do, unnie."
"Really? Will you be mine?"
"Do you want me?" LE asked simply as Solji nodded.
"I want you. I want only you. I don't want anyone else." She said as she kissed LE's nape, making her shudder at her touch.
"Tell me then." LE murmured softly. "Tell me to be yours." Solji pressed her lips to the side of LE's neck.
"Be mine, Hyojin. I want you to be mine forever. Be mine and mine alone. Belong to me and nobody else." LE let out a small gasp as Solji , leaving a small mild hickey, barely noticeable.
"Yes, unnie."

The next day, the members gathered outside to see LE off. LE had her hair down and wore her hood up, which made Solji curious about her fashion sense that day.
"Be careful on your way there. Let us know when you reach there so we know you've reached safely, LE unnie." Hyelin said as LE nodded.
"I know, Linnie. I will."
"Have fun with your family!" Hani exclaimed.
"Of course I'll have fun with them, Heeyeon."
"Don't forget about us though!" Jeonghwa chirped in.
"I wish I could, you Maebori." She scoffed.
"LE, don't be mean." Solji smacked her amr lightly. "Bring back some souvenirs."
"I will." LE said, a soft smile on her face. "What do you want?" You. Solji managed to swallow her words before she blurted out anything wrong and smiled.
"Anything. You decide, LE." LE nodded.
"Ok. Well, I'll be back soon. You girls don't cause any trouble for Solji unnie while I'm gone." She warned the girls, who swore they wouldn't, before getting into the cab.

Solji sighed as she entered her dream. LE sat in front of her, just staring at her.
"Hyojin." LE just looked to her silently, making Solji sigh again. Dream LE just seemed different when she knew LE wasn't around. She didn't seem real and unpredictable, like she usually was. She was just like a mindless puppet, controlled by her dreaming mind. "No, it's nothing." She mumbled as she woke up from her dream. In bed, Solji hid under her covers to hide her tears. "I miss you, Hyojin..."

For the next few days, Solji never dreamt of LE again. Not until the night before LE was to come back. That night, she lay in bed, staring at her phone. She was excited about seeing LE again tomorrow, but at the same time, the loneliness from her absence over the past 5 days was overwhelming. Her finger hovered over the call button as she contemplated whether to call LE or not. What would she say when she called? What could she say, that wouldn't make LE suspect her feelings? Sighing, Solji gave up, deciding to just wait for LE to come home instead, and settle for dreaming about the moment.

Instead of the roadside as she had imagined, Solji instead woke up to the darkness of the room. On the table was her phone, right where she had left it. Picking it up and unlocking it, she was greeted with the sight of the contacts page, with LE's number on the screen. Was she dreaming about what if she had called LE? She wondered to herself as she stared at her phone. Should she call LE? She missed her so much. Even just hearing her voice, even in a dream, would be the greatest happiness to her. Thinking that, she pressed the button, bringing the phoen to her ear as it started ringing.
"Solji unnie?" Solji hadn't realised she had missed LE so much. Just the sound of LE's voice sent a flood of tears from her eyes as she covered , trying to hold back her sobs. "...unnie?" She could imagine LE on the other end, with a confused frown on her face. "Unnie, what's wrong? Why are you crying? What happened?"
"Hyojin..." Solji sobbed, struggling to form words through her sniffles. "Hyojin... Hyojin... Hyojin..."
"What is it, unnie?"
"Hyojin... Hyojin..." Solji had so much she had wanted to say to LE, but in that moment, upon hearing LE's voice, all she could think of was the rapper, and how much she wanted to see her, to hold her in her arms. It was suffocating to be apart.
"I'm here, unnie. I'm here. What do you need?" The question was familiar, reminding Solji of the similar question LE had asked her before leaving.
"You." And this time, Solji was able to tell her what she had needed without hesitation. "I miss you. I miss you so much, Hyojin. I can't bear this. I can't go another day without you. I'm so lonely without you." She whimpered softly.
"Unnie... I'm coming home tomorrow. It's just one more night. I'll be home by tomorrow morning."
"I want you now, Hyojin. I need you. I just want to be with you again."
"Unnie..."
"I know I'm being selfish." Solji continued. "I know I'm being selfish. I know, but..."
"Unnie, it's ok to be selfish. It's ok to miss me. I missed you too. I was lonely too. I can't wait to come home to you tomorrow as well."
"Really? You missed me too?" Solji was surprised. LE missed her too? Her surprise was quickly replaced by a bitter smile when she remembered that this was just her dream. Everything LE was saying, it was just something her mind generated because she wanted to hear it. It wasn't what the real LE really thought. But still, this was as close as she could get to LE, so even if it wasn't real, even if her mind was making all of this up based on her thoughts and feelings, it was better than nothing, and she'd take this over not even being able to talk to LE in reality.
"I really missed you too, unnie. I'm actually really happy you called. Just hearing your voice makes me really happy." Solji smiled.
"Me too. I love you, Hyojin."
"Me too, unnie. Shall I stay with you? Let's talk all night. I want to hear your voice for a little longer. So talk to me, unnie." Solji nodded, though LE couldn't see it.
"Why am I always bravest only in my dreams? I wanted to call you for so long. Since the first night you left, I missed you so much it felt like I was drowning eternally in a bottomless pit. I wanted to call you, to talk to you, but I didn't want to disturb you. I tried dreaming of you, but it just wasn't the same, knowing you weren't really around. Even before this, I wanted to call you, but I didn't dare to. This whole time, I can only say everything I wanted to say in my dreams, like this. I can only do everything I wanted to do in my dreams, like this. I can only love you in my dreams, just like this. Because reality is too harsh for me. I can't love you like I can in my dreams. I have to be satisfied with what we have now. I don't want to ruin anything. What we have now is good enough. It has to be good enough."
"It doesn't have to be, unnie." LE said softly. "It doesn't have to be good enough. We can have so much more, and all you have to do is tell me. I would give you everything you asked for, anything you want. If it's what you want, I'd willingly give them all to you." Solji nodded.
"I know you will." She was silent for a while before she continued. "...You'll come home, right? And you'll only belong to me?" LE chuckled.
"Yes, unnie." Solji smiled, feeling strangely comforted by LE's voice, even if it was just a dream. She felt her eyelids drooping as she let out a soft yawn.
"Hyojin, I love you..."

Solji yawned, sitting up in bed, a smile on her face. Remembering her dream last night and the fact that LE was coming home that day, she couldn't help the joy that filled her heart. However, as she checked her phone for any notifications, she froze. Her scream summoned the other 3 girls into the room, who burst in frantically as they looked around for the cause of her scream.
"What? What is it, Solji unnie?" They yelled, only to relax when they saw no potential threat. They did, however, see Solji staring at her phone with eyes and mouth wide open in shock.
"Solji unnie?" Hyelin called out, only to receive no reply. Solji shook her head.
"No way. No way no way no way!" She stared at her screen, which clearly displayed LE's name, and a call log dated to last night. "It wasn't a dream?"
"I heard Solji unnie scream! What happened?" LE yelled as she burst into the room. Solji turned to her.
"LE." LE frowned in confusion.
"What's wrong, unnie?" Solji shook her head as she drew a shaky breath.
"Tell me... Last night... Did it really happen?" LE flinched, looked to Solji's hand, holding her phone, and sighed. Instead of replying, she took out her own phone, turning it to show her call log. There was a call last night, from Solji. Solji fell back onto her bed, still in shock. "So...you're telling me... all this time... it wasn't a dream?" Hesitantly, LE nodded. "Even...even that? That night in the hotel...that too?" LE blushed and looked down, before nodding slowly. "Oh...god...." Solji groaned loudly as she buried her own red face into her hands. "Oh god.... Did you know, LE?" LE looked at her meekly.
"I realised it eventually. That you weren't really awake. Like you were sleepwalking."
"I thought they were all dreams!" All she wanted now was for a hole to just open up beneath her and swallow her up. "Aigoo... Pabo..." She sighed loudly, leaving her face in her hands. "Why did you just let me do all that to you?" She asked quietly after a while. "All those selfish demands... That night in the hotel... The phone call last night... Why didn't you tell me?"
"How do I tell you what you had been doing in what you thought were your dreams? Where would I start?" LE said back. Solji just sighed.
"Why did you let me hurt you like that? I'm so sorry, LE."
"You weren't hurting me." LE stated.
"I did. I know I did. How long and how many times, that night in the hotel? You were so tired the next morning! And before you went to your family's home, no wonder you wore your hood up. You had to hide the mark I gave you on your neck, didn't you? And the phone call last night when you were supposed to be enjoying your last day with your family. You had to listen to my selfish whining, right? All those times I said I love you and all those times I kissed you, you had to listen to me and let me do what I want, even though you don't feel the same!"
"I never said I don't feel the same!" LE cut her off.
"...What?" LE sighed.
"Do you really think I will let anyone do all that to me if I didn't feel the same? Unnie, think about everything I said to you in your so called dreams! I meant every single word I said to you!" Solji just listened with eyes wide as LE continued. "I was only hurt because I knew you were afraid of telling me how you really felt, and instead hid away in what you thought was a fantasy you created when it could totally come true! That's why I couldn't reply you properly when you asked me if I love you, because I didn't want my feelings to be disregarded as just 'your dream'! I wanted you to be awake and hear me out properly! That's why I decided to wait until you were ready and not tell you what you wanted to hear! I was intentionally trying to make you realise that you weren't dreaming!"
"...Then...do you love me, Hyojin? Really?"
"Yes!" LE said in exasperation. "Yes, unnie! I love you too! I always have!" Solji couldn't believe her ears. Was this a dream? LE seemed to read her mind as she shook her head, rushing over to Solji's side and cupping her face. "I mean it, unnie. I love you. I love only you." Solji couldn't help but tear up as she stared into LE's genuine loving eyes.
"Hyojin." She breathed, taking in the fact that she wasn't dreaming and that this was really happen.
"Yes, unnie?" The phrase was familiar to her as a soft smile graced her features.
"I love you."
"Me too, unnie. I love you too."

All this time she had merely been a dreamer. Lucid dreams created a made-believe lover in a fantasy she sought after, replacing the Reality she denied. But now, she wasn't dreaming anymore.