“PLEASE REMEMBER MY FRIEND, WHILE DREAMING, WHEREVER IT IS, I CAN REACH IT WITH MY THOUGHTS”

***

“Eunbi, it’s time for you to wake up or you're gonna be late.”

Eunbi:

A soft voice greeted a small girl who groggily awakens from her dream. Her head felt like splitting into two as she groaned. She touched her forehead and feels a bit warm, thinking that she might be a little unstable to had a weird dream.

Yes, a dream. It’s been a few days since she woke up covered in sweat. She kept hearing to some voices who screamed desperately, calling her name. Their faces are blurry and she almost certain that it is just another fleeting dreams but her heart is hurt somehow.

“Ugh, freaking headache. I didn’t even drink any booze too. Why am I having those peculiar dream? Is this supposed to be some sign?”

Eunbi muttered. Her eyes winced when she heard a click from her door and there stood a girl holding a spatula while nagging at her.

“Eunbi, wake up! Your record will be painted in red again if you messed today attendance. Move your butts!”

Her roommates whom she forget her names kept on nagging her. Eunbi huffed at the girl and scratched her head while standing up.

“Ugh, stop nagging me. You sounds like Chaeyeon so much.”

Eunbi:

At the words which slip her tongue, she froze. Her friend apparently doing the same as she stares at Eunbi dumbfoundedly.

“Who is Chaeyeon? You are talking nonsense. Now get ready already.”

Her friend dismissed Eunbi jumbled thoughts and urged the girl to be ready instead as the clock is ticking as they are talking. Eunbi groaned as she wakes up from her bed while shaking her head, hoping to chase away her grogginess.

“Fine, Fine. Just stop your nagging.”

Eunbi arise and stepped inside her bathroom to have a quick wash. Her mind is busy racing with countless thoughts, trying to figure out the reasons behind her uneasiness lately.

"Maybe I am just stressed. Time to read some good books. Maybe walking around will help me ease up for a bit."

She concluded while stepping out from the shower. Eunbi grabbed a towel and dried her long, silky hair before applying her skincare routine before wrapping a light purple uniform over her body.

After checking her own reflection in the mirror and satisfied with her appearance, Eunbi walked out of her room and heading towards the kitchen. She then taking a slice of toast while topping it with scrambled eggs and pouring sauces over it. 

As she takes a bite of the food, something peculiar hit her mind, unconsciously, she uttered; "Sakura and Minjoo cooking taste much better."

She then realized that she is talking nonsense as she never know those names that she muttered just now. Eunbi shook her head, clearly confused by her own thoughts. She never experienced such things before and are worried about herself for mentioning some random name for two times in a row for today.

She hastily finished her breakfast and clean up her plates, before heading out towards her workplace. She lives in a small apartment shared with her friends from the same workplace. 

She used to work as a researcher before but due to some problem occurred, she is fired. Until today, she didn't know reasons why she is kicked out but somehow, she managed to get a new job at a bakery. The payment is miniscule but she just feeling grateful to have a place to stay, to sleep and food to eat.

As she walked towards her workplace, she noticed that someone is squatting by the roadside. Judging by her small stature, she thought that the kid might be in elementary school. She crept closer towards the girl who seems like she is in some sort of trouble.

"Hey, are you feeling unwell?"

She asked the girl with concern. Even though she might be scolded for showing up late today, she didn't have the heart to ignore this young girl. As soon as the girl look up, Eunbi shocked and accidentally exclaimed, "Nako?"

"No, I'm not Nako. My name is Hikari. I'm okay though. Just watching this flower growing by the roadside. Never see this one."

Purple snapdragons? 

Before Eunbi can answer the girl question, she ran away as her friends are calling for her. The backpack that swayed to the rhythm of the girl step making Eunbi feels some indescribable things within her mind. She took a deep breath and walked away. She is running late already and didn't want to anger her manager again or else her payment might be cut.

She plodding towards the bakery, hoping that she will make it on time. From afar, she can see her manager is making her way towards the shop. Without any hesitation, Eunbi sprinted towards the door and punched in her card before taking place behind the counter. 

Beads of sweat are rolling down her temple and she wiped it out with the hem of her uniform. She breath haggardly while trying to stabilize her shaking feet when her manager finally coming into the shop. She makes a brief stop in front of the counter while staring at Eunbi.

"I never thought you are the speedy type. Are you used to join athletic club before?"

Eunbi is dumbstruck upon hearing her manager words. She didn't even realize that she already slicing the wind as she swiftly making her way to the patisserie just now. The manager just walked away when Eunbi is tongue-tied.

The ding from the store bell snapping Eunbi out from her confusion and she greeted their first customer.  A group of high schoolers are giggling while taking a tray and tongs before browsing for the freshly baked selection of bread.

Eunbi is keeping her smile while monitoring those girls who are squabbling among themselves. As they chirpily conversing between themselves, two particular student manage to get Eunbi attention from their heated argument.

"No, Jihoon! I said that we get this breads and pies only. Why would you want to include those muffins and cookies?"

A girl with podgy, soft wangs are scolding her friend who is putting every type of bread available onto the tray. She shakes her head while sighing, clearly disagree with the girl who appeared nonchalant about her friend nagging.

"Why not, Saiki. All of this is great. Why choose when we can have them all?"

She scrunched her nose while winking at her friend. Her chuckles can be heard all the way to the counter where Eunbi just stunted upon watching them.

Damn, they sure reminds me of Hitomi and Hyewon, aren't they? Wait, what?

Eunbi grunted as her head is pounding. She winced while grabbing a fistful of her hair, trying to chase away those sudden pain  that's throbbing her crown.

"Miss, you okay?"

Eunbi breathing sharply as she watched a pair of tall girls standing in front of her wearing a worried face. Two more unfamiliar name popping inside her brain as she stared at them.

Wonyoung? Yujin? Ugh, who are you?

"Hey, Eunbi what are you doing? The line is getting longer!"

Her co-workers appeared behind her and pulled away Eunbi before attending the waiting customers. Eunbi excused herself towards the locker room to search for some paracetamol.

Mayhaps I am over exhausted. I really need to see the doctor afterwards.

Eunbi is breathing heavily after taking some pills to help her with the excruciating pain which pounding her head. She leaned across locker while massaging her eyes, oh how she wished she could have an ice pack to put on her face. Perhaps it can help her reduce her urge to ram her head to the wall.

"You look sick. Just take the day off and go see the doctor."

Her manager walked into the locker room and issue Eunbi a paid leave for the day. Knowing that she needs to get a check from the expert, Eunbi didn't reject the idea. She bowed to her manager promised that she will be able to resume her work perfectly on the next day.

She excused herself and left the cake shop. She makes her way towards the nearest clinic within her residential area while calculating her money mentally. Eunbi groaned as she may need to cut off her carbonated drink if the doctor fee exceeded her budget.

As she grunted along the way, a trio of kids, triplets to be exact, are making commotion while circling something. The kids who looked no older than eight years old are busy chattering between themselves.

"Aren't this bird amusing? Its have purple feathers!"

A kid with a bang who looks like the youngest exclaimed while poking the bird.

"Hey, don't touch it! You gonna make it hurts!"

Another lookalike kid swatting away the smallest girl hands, worried if the birds will peck her sister hands as she touched it carelessly.

"It must be injured. What to do. We don't have money to pay for it treatment."

Eunbi sighed because as much as she wants to ignore the kids, she didn't have the heart to just brushed it off when she heard about some living being is hurt. She makes her way towards the kids slowly, trying her best to not startled them. One of them noticed that Eunbi is approaching them and without exchanging any words, each of them turned their heads towards Eunbi.

The moment she take a look at their face, three name spontaneously blurted out from .

"Yena? Chaewon? Yuri?"

They stared at her in confusion before shaking their head, denying the name Eunbi called them.

"We are not Yena, Chaewon and Yuri, miss. Who are you? What do you want from us?"

The one who seems like the oldest are now glaring at Eunbi while spreading her arms, as if she wants to protect the other two kids. Eunbi stifle her laugh to see the kid trying to look tough when in fact she is cowering in fear, proven by her shaking legs.

Why? Who are the names that I keep calling? What's this throbbing pain that keeps stabbing me?

Eunbi kneeled down and make sure her eyes are at the same level with the brave kid. She offered the girl a sweet smile before saying,

"I'm sorry but I kinda overheard your conversation. Can you let me take a look of the bird?"

The girl blinked dumbfoundedly, clearly didn't anticipate Eunbi words. She glanced at the other two to make sure that they are safe while asking permission through eye contact. After those two nodded their heads, the oldest kid hesitantly showed the bird who lying unconscious on the ground. 

The sight of the purplish bird making Eunbi flinched. She knows that this bird mean something to her, like the series of name that she keeps calling throughout the day but unfortunately, she cannot understand nor remember the reason behind this muddled feelings.

"Leica?"

Upon saying t