Genre: Fantasy, Fluff

Summary: Ahn Yujin, a dreamwalker, helps her sister who works in a hospice. She designs dreams for the hopeless patients to help them found peace in their hearts. It was that simple, until Kim Minjoo, asks her something so hard to accomplish.

Word Count: 8156

Hashtag: #JinjooFiestaS2_LeanOnMe

Lean On Me

    The graduates threw their caps in the air and it got scattered all over the joyous auditorium. Yujin watched a cap float in the air and tried to capture it with her film camera. It made her smile as she had experienced the same festive atmosphere before – when her sister, Heeyeon graduated as a doctor of anaesthesiologist. 

    Amidst the crowd celebrating for such a euphoric event, stood a woman on her 40s, weeping her eyes out while watching his son surrounded with people who wants to congratulate him. Yujin’s face fell as she glanced at her antique watch, only five minutes left. The tall girl runs to the woman and with a calculated beam on her face ask, “Do you want to have a picture with your son, Ma’am?”

    A sound of an alarm can be heard as Yujin gets up from the side of a hospital bed. She looked at the patient lying there and saw the peaceful look on the woman’s face. It is one of the main reasons why she helps patients even it was dangerous to travel on one’s dreams – to ease their pains, to help them achieve their inner dreams, to give them peace even if it’s only on their subconscious minds. 

    The patient was Mrs. Park, diagnosed with terminal cancer. Upon researching on her memory archives, Yujin found out that the woman wants to see her son graduate college. At first, Yujin thought it would be just easy, that she could just retrieve it from the woman’s memory bank. But, the poor woman’s son died a week before his graduation. A truck rammed onto his son’s car and before he could be brought to the nearest hospital, he was announced dead on arrival. 

    It took her a week before she could design the woman’s dream. She had to strengthen her mind and body because being in a dream for too long could cause her dissociation. At worst cases, she could be trap on the woman’s dreams. 

    Her sister Heeyeon called her as an oneironaut. A dream weaver could be better but she likes the idea of calling herself as a dreamwalker – it was how the characters in the books she had read called themselves so she just mimic them. Yujin had not really opted to explore more of her ability so she just know that she can shape her own and other people’s dreams into what she/they want. Aside from that, the tall girl could travel in dreams too. 

    Yujin stretched her limbs and walked out of the patient’s room. She was ready to power walk and eat spicy rice cakes but stumbled upon Jaehyung who is almost a resident in the hospice, as he was always visiting her grandmother. She kneeled with one leg and ruffled the seven-year-old kid’s hair, “Wow! Our Jaehyung-ah is getting taller!” The kid slapped her hand, “Yah! Tall noona! I already told you I’m a big boy now, don’t mess my hair like that.” Yujin just laughed at that and continued to walk. 

    “Tall noona, where are you going?” Yujin replied with a simple ‘home’ without even looking but what the kid shouted next made her stopped on her tracks. “Have you already seen the pretty noona?” Don’t get her wrong, she’s not that shallow. It’s just that she already know everyone on the small hospice, most of them are children, middle age women and old grandpa’s and grandma’s. It was rare to have someone who is almost at the same age as her. Jaehyung looked at her innocently and said, “My grandma has a new neighbour, she was really pretty like a princess.”

    Yujin have no other option but to go to her sister’s office. It was inevitable; she needs her sister’s approval. With puppy eyes and big grin on her face, she enters her sister’s territory. 

    “Don’t give me that look Ahn Yujin!”

    “What! I’m just giving my kindest sister a visit!” The tall pouting puppy feigned ignorance while massaging her sister’s back.

    “I’m your only sister. Don’t you dare lie! You don’t even glance at this office. Be honest, you heard about the new patient, do you?”

    “Heeyeon unnie ~” This was her last resort. The mighty Ahn Heeyeon was a simple woman, give her an aegyo and she breaks. 

    “Okay! Okay! But you owe me braised pig’s trotters for dinner, alright?” The younger nods her head eagerly and patiently waits for the information that her sister will tell her. 

    “Kim Minjoo. 23 years old. Her parents gave up on her. The poor girl has no deadly disease but she has been sleeping for five years already and the doctors can’t find the reason for it.”

    “But why bring her in a hospice, unnie? Those big hospitals could be better.”

    “As I said her parents already gave up on her. They already move abroad and leave her alone here. As our hospice is funded by different organizations, the previous hospital that the patient was in concluded that it would be better if she’s here.”

    Yujin pondered on her thought which go unnoticed by her sister. “It was really a mystery, Jinnie-ah. Her vitals are all normal. She had undergone different test for possible conditions but all are negative.” The younger looked at her with determination on her eyes but Heeyeon didn’t let her. “I will not let you do your travelling thingy right now, Ahn Yujin. I know you already exhaust yourself with two patients today. Your health matters to me than anyone else, you understand?”

    “Yes, unnie” She answered in a meek voice, her unnie could be a handful sometimes but she genuinely care for her. “But unnie… Can I at least see her today?”

    Yujin reached room 1029 swiftly. It was situated farthest away on the second floor; the only room with no visitor. She quietly slides the door, as if it would disturb the lying patient there. 

    It was the same room as usual. Dull white painted room with green-coloured curtains. The low hum of hospital monitor is the only thing that can be heard in that very room. She sat down on the only chair available and finally focuses her eyes on its sole occupant.

    Minjoo looks peaceful while sleeping, a sight she never saw at the get-go from anyone in the hospice. Her hair was so long, a tell-tale that she’s been on the hospital for years. Long lashes, cute-button nose, thin lips- Jaehyung was right; Minjoo is so pretty. And she is like that princess, sleeping. On her mind, maybe she could be the one who could break the curse. 

    Yujin had to exercise for thirty minutes to prepare herself. Aside from that, she changed the plan to eat spicy rice cakes to a more nourished meal. It was a habit that formed after her grandma, who knows the mysteries of dreams, always warned her about traveling to the dream world. The old Ahn also told her that it was a tricky world and she needs a healthy mind and body for that.

    The dreamwalker checks the batteries of her watch. She usually stays for about fifteen minutes only. It was already long in the dream world, as time works there differently. Later that night, she goes to bed with the hope that she could help Kim Minjoo.

    Yujin entered the wine coloured four-way door. The northern door was the way to the dreamer’s archive of memories; the western was the passage right to the dreamer’s dreams; the eastern was the entrance to another twelve doors which was for dream travelling purposes and the southern was just the door to oversee the three doors. 

    The tall girl chooses to visit the northern door first. She needs to have a background on Kim Minjoo. It was like a record store. Long racks of cd’s and vhs are placed in neat rows in front of her. Along the walls were pictures of Minjoo, the day she was born, when she was a toddler, teenager and so many more. 

    Finding a cozy chair, Yujin sat there and played some videos of when Minjoo was a kid. As a child, Minjoo was attractive, sporting those pigtails and pink dress. She can’t help but cooed at the adorable sight. She was a dork too; trying to copy different types of animals. Yujin was enjoying watching but stopped when she noticed the lacked of cd’s and vhs for the year 2020. She immediately calculated and it was the time when the girl started not waking up without any reason at all.  

    Yujin doesn’t know what to infer on what she found out. Why would someone who was asleep for five years have no memories of a particular year at all? She takes deep breaths to calm herself. The only logical thing to do was to enter the western door now. 

    The thing that Yujin thought would save her the mystery is a bust now. It only confuses her more when she entered Minjoo’s dream. It was the most established dream she had ever been to; at the same time, it was the weirdest thing. She could see the bright lights coming from Everland on her position. What totally caught her attention were the hues of pink and orange painting the sky near the coastal of Jeongdongjin beach. As the golden ball slowly peaked over the horizon, its rays give more shine to the pink-headed girl sitting on the brown sand. It was a marvellous sight that Yujin can’t help but to gawk more. 

    It wasn’t out of the ordinary to ‘survey’ the dreamer she wanted to help like this. Maybe it was because of the atmosphere, the way like it was a scene from a movie.  Surely. Just as she was about to take a step closer, a figure appeared in front of her. It was so fast that she could feel her heart beating against her chest furiously. It took her a few seconds later to realize what exactly happened. Minjoo, the one she’s staring at for who knows long, noticed her and now is the one looking blatantly at her face.

    The only sound that can be heard at that moment was the gentle crashing of the waves and Yujin thought that it would make her calm. But that same sound ignites the nervousness she was feeling when the lady gazing at her ask, “Who are you? What are you doing in my dreams?”

    It was an easy question. But, Yujin thought hard of some possibilities about the situation. She has too many questions whirling on her mind that no matter how she racked her brains out she can’t pinpoint what to say first. Minjoo pinched her arm hard causing the taller girl to jumped and glare at the girl.

    “Why did you—are you a crab?” Yujin asked as she rubs the reddened spot on her arm. Minjoo just looked at her innocently without even blinking. It made her embarrassed so she just focuses her eyes at the brown sand she’s standing at. 

    “I thought you are just a pole. Tell me, what are you doing in my dream?” The walker snap her neck fast to looked at the mysterious girl. She thought she didn’t heard it right earlier. Now, she’s quite sure of her hunch. Although she still needs the second opinion of her grandmother about this one. 

    “So, you know that this is just a dream?” 

    The dark-haired girl just grinned at her proudly. “Of course! However, I could only do this when I’m sleeping.” Minjoo jutted her lips out and then continued, “But, my Mom doesn’t believe me when I share it to her.”

    Yujin became more confused when she heard that, “You are sharing it to your mom? Until now?”

    “Yes! The recent was this morning. Is it bad to tell her?” Minjoo then slapped her right arm seeming to realize something. “Yah! You didn’t answer me. Who are you?”

    “Ahn Yujin”

    “Nice to meet you Yujin! My name is Kim Minjoo.”

    And that was their last conversation for that day. It was a shame but her alarm suddenly went off. Yujin did not waste any more time and call her grandma. 

    “Hello, Granny! How are you?”

    “My baby, Jinnie-ah, is this really you? Granny is fine, I’m making cucumber kimchi. How is Heeyeonnie?”

    Yujin laughs. Her grandma always asks if it’s really her. “Unnie is the same. She always works late. How about your back? Did you get it check?”

    “Aigoo. Don’t worry about my back. You sisters are the same! Why do you have to volunteer at that hospice?”

    “Eyy! You know me, granny. I love helping people who are in need. By the way, granny, is it possible for a lucid dreamer to be aware and not aware at the same time that they are dreaming?”

    “A lucid dreamer?” Yujin told her grandma the things she saw in Minjoo’s dream. 

    “Jinnie, that patient must be in a confusion state. You told me that she’s there for five years already. It’s possible that she can’t differentiate reality from dreams anymore. Her dream is that firm because she’s been there for too long.”

    “But how could I help her?”

    Her grandma’s answer was vague. Yujin wants to ask more but her grandma already end the call. 

    “There was a reason why she chooses to put those sceneries together in her dreams, Jinnie-ah. Take care of yourself, okay? Visit me soon. Bye.” 

    Yujin found Minjoo on the same position. The girl was wearing a mesh polka dot white dress with ruffles and a matching white sun hat. She is just elegantly sitting on the sand with her dark chocolate locks softly blown by the wind.

    “Right! I could freely change my hair color here. What color should I choose?”

    “I think blue would suit you.” 

    Yujin’s eyes widened. She did not know this. Can we read minds in dreams? The tall girl stopped zoning out when she heard Minjoo giggling. It was soft and like music to her ears… like an angel gently strumming her harp. 

    “You are so cute. You are thinking out loud Ms. Ahn”

    “eyy~” Yujin scratches her nape feeling ashamed. “You can just call me Yujin, Minjoo-unnie.”

    “Unnie? How old are you?”

    “I just turned twenty-one last month.” The pink-haired girl looked at her bewildered. “Are you sure you’re already twenty-one? I’m just eighteen years old though.” 

    It was at that moment that Yujin realized something. Eighteen-year old Kim Minjoo was trapped in her own dream. 

    “Nevermind.” She sat beside Minjoo and gaze at the horizon. “The sky is so beautiful.”

    Minjoo hummed in agreement. “When I looked at the sky, it assures me that she’s with me. Meanwhile, the water calmed me but at the same time I never go in there because it scares me. It’s weird.”

    “Don’t be offended if I ask this but who are you referring to?”

    Dread suddenly filled Minjoo’s eyes as the girl’s hands starts to tremble. It made her started to worry too because the girl continued to broke down beside her. So, she holds her hands to stop it from trembling. “What’s wrong Minjoo? You can tell me.”  

    “I can’t… I can’t remember her Yujin.”

    The hospital monitor goes off blaring loudly in different pitches causing Yujin to wake up from her sleep. Upon recognizing the problem and the lack of respond from the doctor on duty, she immediately pressed the call system.

    Yujin walks back and forth in front of Minjoo’s room. She’s so worried and guilty. The tall girl thought that it was her fault, if she didn’t ask that question Minjoo won’t be like this at all. She was biting her nails when the doctor-in-charge came out of the room. 

    “Dr. Park, how is she?”

    “Oh! I thought the patient had no relatives. Are you her friend? Anyway, there was sudden increase in her heart rate.” The doctor explains the whole reason but the only words that retain to Yujin were her conclusion. “Anyway, let’s think positively about this. I thought the patient would be forever passive but now she’s responding to different stimulus.”

    It was not that much but she felt relieved. She can’t wait to visit Minjoo in her dream again. 

    “Yujin!”

    A tight embraced welcome her as she entered Minjoo’s dreams. The girl buried her face on her neck as she sobs wildly. As she doesn’t know what to do, Yujin just resorted to combing the girl’s hair. It hurt her to see Minjoo cry like this. The poor girl had already experienced enough. She was forgotten and neglected by her own parents. And now, she’s here alone on a world she created herself. 

    “I’m scared. You suddenly disappeared without a word and I heard some weird sounds.”  

     “Don’t worry, I’m here now. I will tell you if I have to go, okay?” Yujin doesn’t really know what gotten to her. It seems right at that moment. So, she leaned closer and placed a chaste kiss on Minjoo’s forehead.

    Minjoo pulled away from her hug and said, “You promised me, okay? Don’t you dare broke my trust.” Observing the girl, Yujin observed that Minjoo was not looking directly in her eyes. She got anxious, for a moment, thinking that she might have said something wrong but upon glancing at the girl, she can’t help but to smile proudly – Kim Minjoo’s face was crimson red. 

    “I promised.”

    “Yujin…” She had to admit that she’s used to being call by that by her friends and some of her relatives. But, the way Minjoo says her name hits differently. It was indeed unusual, on how attached she is on helping the girl. She never stays on the hospice for consecutive days and that says a lot. “Be honest with me… the sound that I heard was a hospital monitor, right?”

    Should she tell Minjoo the truth?

    How will she processed things if she realized that she’s been in a dream the whole time?

    What if she relapsed? What if she worsens Minjoo’s condition?

    A pair of hands cupped her face making her stopped from overthinking. “I realized something when you just suddenly disappeared, Yujin. As I was so anxious and scared, I keep chanting that I should be now on my bed waking from that scary nightmare but it didn’t work. That’s when it I fully grasp the situation, I’ve been dreaming in a dream.” Minjoo sighs and laughs without humour, “Maybe that’s the reason why my ‘dream’ mom looks so calculated, she also follow all my wants and needs – basically both a robot and a slave. With that said, Yujin, can you tell me if that’s really a monitor? If there’s a monitor, there’s a patient lying around, right? Is it me?”

    Yujin suspire as she carefully holds Minjoo’s shoulder. She doesn’t really have a choice but say the truth. It was hard but maybe she can aid and abet the girl through this. “It’s a hospital monitor and yes, you are lying there.” She stops to check Minjoo’s reaction but the latter was just looking at her intently, face with no emotions. “You… have been unconscious for five years, unnie.” She used that word for an emphasis, to help Minjoo realized on her own.”

    “To clarify, it’s the year 2025; I’m 23 years old and have been sleeping for that long?” Yujin nodded slowly and Minjoo just stares in space. “Did I get into an accident or something?” The dream walker swallowed a lump on . She doesn’t want Mi