Seventeen minutes of the clock’s hands moving, Jihae made herself daydream again about the things that had transpired just this morning. She was taken aback by the seven guys, and now she unexpectedly was surrounded by them. Just like a twist of fate, it happened to her.

                She growled, as she looked at the one in front of him, sitting at the middle, it was Hoya. The one on his left is Sunggyu, and the one on his right was Sungjong. The one beside her on the left side was Sungyeol and the other one was Kim Myungsoo. Then, at the back, there sat Dongwoo and Woohyun, sitting together. Sunhee was beside Dongwoo who was at the middle. She could feel restless and undeniably nervous, by their presence.

                She tried to doodle things on her notebook. She could find time merry-making on her own damn world and only to find her own mind drifting off to that calm sea. She silently smirked as she took her time to be happy, and be filled with joy even just a little. Meanwhile, Sunhee was aiming her eyes on someone. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, gawking over him in broad daylight.

                Jihae glanced at Sunhee on her back. She was totally fixated on him, the one on her right side. She didn’t try to research on him any longer as she knew that Sunhee liked him in a way because of his facial features. Jihae shook her head and focused herself on doodling things.

                She expected to have her dream again this night.

                Well, these series of dreams started these past few months. She didn’t dream of him each and every damn night. It was sometimes, just pure chance and luck. Sometimes, she couldn’t remember him or whatever.

Her first dream occurred on a starry night. She was looking up to something on the far horizon into the space. She felt glad and tried to take a picture with her Polaroid camera. And, somehow she heard someone’s footsteps from behind her. She felt nervous and trembling. Then, she gasped as he back-hugged her. She didn’t feel unwell of it or even uncomfortable. She felt warmth and that was how she began to ask his name. But, her dream ended there.

When she woke up the next morning, she was getting impatient and wanting to have the dream continued.

But, as weeks passed, it didn’t. She groaned in her bed, switching sides, and trying to write that fragment of memories on her diary.

She didn’t know how but she had gotten truly sleepy. There was an invisible force that made her to go to bed and have a deep slumber. And, on that slumber, her wildest dreams continued.

In her dreams, she woke up.

“Where am I?” she thought to herself, scanning the unfamiliar buildings. She tried to look around but no one was there. That man she was looking for was still not in her dreams.

She continued to follow along a straight path right in front of her.

She arrived on a street which had a sign post ‘Seoul, Korea’. She didn’t really imagine going to Seoul, Korea even in her dreams. Before, she was quite happy that she could enjoy her time in the province with her parents and grandparents. She was contented, but she knew deep inside that she should have been to a place far from there.

But, never could she have guessed that this was ‘it’.

Something changed deep inside of her after the recurring of her dreams.

She became gloomy and tired of life. Her simple smiles faded, as she always had her poker face. She couldn’t explain it when someone asked her how the heck she changed from such an innocent young girl to a pretty rebellious person. She often got into fights when her classmates who once had been called her friends began to hate her.

Yet, she didn’t notice them. She was being true for the first time in her life.

Yes, she could ace the exams.

Yes, she could do sports and win gold medals.

Yes, she could play musical instruments.

Yes, she could sing like a nightingale.

But, if one would stand on her position right now, no one could be fully proud of that. There were pros and cons alongside it that Jihae couldn’t get used to. It was for that fact that she was missing something amidst all of the necessities, talents, and abilities she had.

She never got to experience falling in love.

Once she realized it, she couldn’t help but to find ways on finding where her destiny leads to.

It was not like Jihae didn’t have suitors.

She had many, tons and tons. There were guys who often pop out of nowhere just to hand her gifts and presents. Her locker was always flooded with love letters, that she had forever locked it. But, she found out that many people would pick on it and after those times, she never used it ever. Many guys met up with her during breaks just to confess to her. But, even then, she couldn’t find what she was looking for.

Seeing those genuine eyes of love and warmth was how she was evaluating everyone.

But, no one passed her standards.

Each day, she grew tired of those repeating things and tried to buy plane tickets to Seoul, Korea. She found a place; an inn ran by her mother’s cousin. She found refuge for a while there and promised to come back just after a short few days to clear her mind.

“Aunt…” Jihae was welcomed by a nagging aunt of hers. She was old, but had deep eyes on her. She knew she had a problem just by looking at her.

“What happened?” her aunt sighed, feeling something burdening on Jihae’s shoulders. “Is that why you came?”

“Yeah? To clear my mind, I say.”

“Is that why you look like that?”

“Huh?” she pointed herself, finally understanding she nodded.

“Fine, put your luggage on the right side of this hall.” her aunt instructed. She nodded, and continued to follow her aunt’s instructions.

She opened the door with the keys on her hand. She twisted the knob and there let out a finely-maintained room. She opened the curtains, welcoming the bright sun.

She beamed a little, due to the sun calming her nerves. She smiled softly at the surroundings. She could see a wide garden lawn different from the many usual gardens she could see on her hometown. This was just peace of mind of her.

There she found a street near that of her aunt’s inn. It had the same vibes and feels, before she knew it. She ran off to that place, surprising her aunt this whole time.

“She finally showed some real emotions.” her aunt smirked, happy for her. She was arranging the flowers on the vase. She then welcomed a middle-aged couple as her first customers.

Meanwhile, Jihae hopped in place. It was the same place she first saw Seoul, Korea. “My dreams…could they be real?” She began to close her eyes and felt warmth. “Then, is he here?” She looked around like how she used to be in her dreams.

But, there was no one just like how her dream was. She was lonely and felt isolated. She sighed, thinking that it would only be the start.

She began to be amazed further by what she could see in plain sight.

Maybe, she was late or a little early to be there? Either way, it was a failure this time. She darted off to the inn.

Day ended, and the night was truly cold. The darkness overcame the characters and now, Jihae was taking supper with her aunt and the middle-aged couple.

“Auuh….” The couple looked at Jihae. “Is there something that matter?” The woman tried to look at Jihae’s tired eyes.

She shook her head, denying.

“Are you perhaps bored?” The woman took her hand, warming it. Jihae smiled lightly, she could feel concern.

“Maybe, she’s just love-sick.” The husband said.

The woman’s eyes grew in awe. “Really?” she covered while speaking. “I remembered when I’m just the same age as you; I’m already in love with this man.”

“That early?” It is now the time for the man to collect his thoughts.

“Neh. I’m always working hard just to give you love letters.” The woman flushed red. Jihae thought it was cute.

She never got to experience working hard for the one you love because she doesn’t have someone she loved. The loneliness even more overcame her reasons and admired the couple even more.

“The truth is…. I also like you even before. Maybe, around the same time as you are.” The husband swallowed, he reached for a glass of water.

“Really?” The woman sighed. “I should’ve known.” They both giggled together. Jihae came to know that they had a son and two daughters back in China. Jihae blinked rapidly as she affirmed that the man was Chinese and the woman came from Thailand.

She was truly amazed by how strong their bonds are and how fluent they were in Korean.

“So, how did the two of you met?”

“We met here in Seoul, Korea.” They held each other’s hands. “Because we were studying at the same international high school.” They looked at each other. The woman rested her head on the man’s shoulders. The man ran his hand on her hair, ruffling it affectionately.

“Before we knew it, there was a sudden glimmer on his/her eyes.” Both of them said in unison.

Jihae felt that she wanted to experience that as well.

But, maybe it wasn’t time for her.

As she was washing the dishes, her auntie came. She looked at Jihae causelessly.

“I think you’re moved by their love.” The auntie recalled how Jihae looked at them. She was frightened, frightened to not have that same love. “You could find it Jihae as long as you’d be true with your own ideals.”

And, that was how she dreamed of that high school on that same night.

Her destiny truly lied in Seoul, Korea. And now, she was fulfilling it.

Not realizing it, she had the same glimmer of love on her eyes when she saw him on her dreams. “I want to see him as clear as day.”

Like? Like? Like?

Hehe. I'd appreciate it if you drop by commenting. ^^