Minseok doesn't recall ever being able to run this fast in his life as he sprints down yet another hallway, opening door after door as the sweet sound in his head grows louder.

He zooms through another corridor, checking ever room and closet for the source of that melodic sound that seems so familiar to him.

He rounds a corner, stumbling into a hallway with a single door at the end. Struggling to regain his breath, Minseok continues on, ripping the door open and nearly tripping over his feet as he enters.

Although it's a spacious room, there is only a set of elegant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a lone chair in the middle of the room.

Upon the chair sits a figure dressed in a vibrant outfit with rich, magnificent colors. His eyesight grows blurry as he gazes upon the face, but he can see sparkling gems for eyes and a pair of lips curled into a magnificent smile.

His heart pounding and his breath shallow, Minseok takes tentative steps towards the chair, freezing in place as the angel gracefully rises off the chair and nearly glides over to his spot.

He gazes over the perfectly sculpted face that is hovering a few breaths away from his own. Minseok tries his hardest to sketch every detail of this timeless beauty into his mind and heart so as to never forget it.

His eyelids slowly blanket his eyes, and he can feel the celestial being in front of him growing closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Minseok nearly falls off of his bed as the alarm blares beside his ear, and he hastily shuts off the obnoxious noise. As he steadies his breathing, Minseok looks left and right, searching for the chair and the chandeliers.

"Again ?!" he wails, sinking his miserable face into his palms. This can't be happening.

Loud knocks sound against the door, quickly followed by his mother's voice. "Minseok, it's Monday ! Time for school !"

Minseok throws his sheets all over the place in agitation before falling back against his mattress with an exhausted sigh. He can still feel the heat of that other body near his, and his cheeks burn with a blush as he recalls the face of that wondrous creature.

This is the third straight night that he's seen the dream.

---

Minseok trudges into his classroom, flopping into his chair with a pitiful sigh escaping his lips. Joonmyun, his closest friend since middle school, looks up from his novel and immediately turns his attention to his miserable pal.

"What's the matter, Minseok ? You look terrible."

"You look terrible, jerk," he retorts with a hint of irritation.

Joonmyun's expression sours a little, and he closes his book with a sharp snap. "You know what I meant, half-wit. Now spill."

A muffled cry of dismay escapes Minseok's lips as he plants his face in his hands, shaking his head. "It's terrible, Joonmyun. I've had the same amazing, yet utterly terrible dream for the past three days !"

"What ?" Joonmyun's eyebrows knit together in confusion and annoyance. He can only deal with so much of Minseok's rampant imagination and morning grouchiness this early on a Monday morning.

"So like, I find myself in this enormous mansion with a bazillion doors and hallways. All the walls, floor, and ceilings are splashed with more colors than a mega-deluxe crayon set."

While Minseok flails his arms in his animated description, Joonmyun quietly debates whether he should stab his pencil into his own jugular or into both of his eyes.

"I hear this twinkling giggle echoing off the high walls, and I try to find where it's coming from ! I go through countless doors and along bizarre staircases, but I can't find the sweet angel of my dreams !"

Joonmyun thinks that a well-calculated strike to his jugular will take him out quicker.

"Then by some miracle, I enter just the right room, and there my angel sits awaiting me, Joonmyun ! Magnificent golden curls hang over that fair brow, gently brushing the tops of doe eyes like precious jewels that queens and dames would envy !"

Joonmyun suddenly regrets ever pestering Minseok to take that acting workshop with him as the latter clutches at his heart with an overly dramatized expression of utter despair painted on his face.

"I can't take it anymore ! We always get so close that I can count every damn fluffy eyelash and perfect little pore. But before we can outshine fireworks with a rocking kiss, I wake up to my lousy alarm clock and the sound of my mother banging on the door !"

"You poor, poor thing, Minseok. Your dreams are so tragic that I almost want to shed a tear."

"Agh, what does this all mean, Joonmyun !?"

"It's the universe telling you that you are desperately in need of a real relationship."

"The universe is convincing me that my fist would fit oh so nicely in the center of your stupid face."

"I'm serious, Minseok. You need to get laid already. This is getting unhealthy." Against his better judgment, Joonmyun tosses his pencil back into his backpack, sinking into his chair with an uneasy sigh.

"What's with you ?" Minseok glances at his best friend, a hint of worry present in his gaze. "Did Chanyeol crack a terrible joke during your expertly crafted scene again ?"

A faint grin tugs at Joonmyun's lips as he lightly punches Minseok in the shoulder. "I think he has learned that one time is enough. Now, he obediently shuts his mouth and plays along." Minseok gracefully pretends to vomit all over his desk as Joonmyun's eyebrows dance suggestively. Almost instantly, though, his grin dissolves, a thin-lipped frown marking Joonmyun's features. "I'm just grouchy because I'm stressed about finals. Graduation is pretty close now, you know ?"

Minseok slumps in his chair and brings his hands up to his weary eyes, groaning as he recalls that unpleasant fact. "I've been studying night after night for those dumb tests," he moans, dragging his hands down his sagging face. "If I fail, I'll leave this school as Kim Minseok, the loser student who has been hopelessly single his entire life."

"You've been studying, all right. But I don't think it's been your textbook that your eyes have been glued to." A cheeky wink from Joonmyun prompts Minseok to whine and weakly shove his friend's desk.

"Don't talk about that beautiful destroyer of my dreams."

Joonmyun leans to the side, throwing an arm around his pal's sagging shoulder and giving Minseok a light shake. "Don't drown yourself, Minseok," he advises in his soothing voice, offering the other boy a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you'll get over this."

"I better," Minseok mumbles, sinking into Joonmyun's hold a bit.

"You know, I think I remember Chanyeol mentioning a party that Yifan is throwing in like a week. Maybe it'll help us to relax a little. Plus, you might find someone there who'll crawl into your mind." That trademark eyebrow wiggle appears on Joonmyun's brow. "And maybe somewhere else, too."

As the two share a quick laugh, the door swings open, and the teacher hurriedly enters the room. "Sorry I'm late, class. Let's begin."

Minseok glances at Joonmyun, mouthing a quick "I'll think about it."

---

Night after night for the proceeding week, Minseok grows centimeters closer to his destination, the teasing lips so achingly close that he can nearly feel the pleasant heat radiating off those brilliant pink pillows twisted upwards in the corners. He can even smell a faint fragrance at this close proximity, further proving just how unbelievably close they get to each other.

The rooms and hallways change every dream, so Minseok is always running blind through a foreign building full of vibrant colors and endless passages. However, his glorious angel remains the same every dream; the melodic laugh, the locks made of spun gold, and the wondrous pair of chestnut gems still greet him in that final room, beckoning him a breath closer every time.

Minseok wants to ask so many questions, wants to say so many sweet words to this gorgeous creature, but he is unable to utter a single sound in each dream. He wishes to scream down the halls as his lungs burn from all the running, and he begs his lost voice to allow him to ask that fair being for its name. To his dismay, the angel is also silent except for that giggle, and Minseok yearns to hear what magical, stunning voice rests behind that perfect mouth.

Like every morning for the past nine days, Minseok wakes up from the dream, shooting forward into a seated position from a quick rush of adrenaline and glancing around his dark room.

His ears perk at the ringing of his alarm clock, and he immediately s a hand out to silence it. Through sleepy eyes, he's able to make out the blurry numbers shining in his face. 5 o'clock. He lifts a hand and smacks his face, inwardly cursing himself for forgetting to turn off that bloody alarm for Sunday.

He grabs his pillow, shoving his face into the center before groaning with all his might, his pent-up frustration with this ordeal frying his nerves.

He's fully aware that these are just dreams, but it all feels too real. Everything, from the feverish heat of the blush along his cheeks to the chilly air in the corridors, is so lifelike, and Minseok cannot shake off the illusion.

With a bitter smile, he even considers the idea that perhaps he doesn't want to break the illusion. The angel of his dreams is the epitome of all the beauty and grace that Minseok could ever imagine; he is helplessly attracted to this ideal person that is the perfect combination of all of his preferences.

He fears that he'll never find anyone that'll live up to this idealization, potentially leaving him tormented with this unattainable dream for years.

He doesn't want to be hindered by this almost ridiculous standard; he knows he'll never be able to move forward to any type of relationship if he shuns everyone else in favor of something that may not even exist.

He admits to himself that he's afraid of going to the party later tonight; he doesn't want to come home disappointed and with damaged hope only to dream later on about what he can't have.

But, Minseok also knows that if he doesn't at least try, he'll wallow in regret later. Plus, Joonmyun was trying hard to help him out; he didn't want to spit on a kind hand outstretched towards him.

With the thought of said friend, Minseok remembers that he hadn't told Joonmyun definitively if he would be going or not. He knows that he'll forget later on, so he wastes no time and picks up his phone, dialing his pal and hoping that he won't hear a groggy, crabby Joonmyun on the other end.

Minseok allows the phone to ring until it goes to voicemail, disconnecting the line right after the tone. He waits five seconds before calling Joonmyun again, and the latter immediately picks up after the first ring.

The signs all match up. Minseok knows all too well what that means. "Joonmyun ?"

"Hey Minseok, what's up ? You're awake pretty early on a Sunday morning."

"Look who's talking. What, are you with Chanyeol right now ?"

Minseok thinks that he hears Joonmyun's jaw smash through the floor. "How'd you know !?"

He snorts, shaking his head. You are a man of habit, Kim Joonmyun. "I can hear the cracking of the whips from all the way over here."

Joonmyun scoffs before proudly proclaiming, "Kim Joonmyun does not use whips, Minseok. You know I prefer--"

"Stop right there, man. I'll go to the party if you don't continue that sentence."

Minseok grins softly as he hears Joonmyun chuckle over the receiver, happy that his friend is sounding less stressed and more relaxed.

"Sounds good, Minseok. Now get some sleep, all right ? I want to see your cheeky- smile later tonight." Minseok can hear the brilliant smile shining on Joonmyun's lips.

"I'll try, I'll try. You try to get some sleep too, pal. Leave poor Chanyeol alone."

Minseok hears a small scuffle on the other end before a deep, distinct voice floods the receiver. "Hello, ladies and gentleman, and thank you for choosing Air Joonmyun. This is your pilot Park Chanyeol speaking. We are preparing for take-off, so please power down all cell phones and other devices. Thank you, and have a nice flight." A moment later, the call disconnects.

A hand clamps over Minseok's mouth as he desperately tries to stifle the laughs threatening to explode out of his throat. Oh, his dumb friends are so precious; Minseok's heart swells with pride. Smiling faintly, he curls back into his covers, humming some random tune in order to block out the familiar twinking noise sounding in the back of his mind.

----

"You look fine, Minseok. Stop abusing your hair like that." Joonmyun swats at his friend's antsy hands that are constantly fussing with his hair. "You've even caught my habit here."

Minseok heaves a weary sigh, leaning against the fridge as Joonmyun sets his palms on the edge of the countertop digging lightly into his back. "I don't function well when I'm deprived of sleep."

"I wonder when the hell that dream will go away. I'm worried for you."

"Maybe it's a sign. I can see it now in bright, neon lights. 'You're gonna be forever alone, Minseokkie.'"

"Remember the mission at hand here, Minseok. You need to mingle with people instead of sitting here with your taken friend." Joonmyun's eyes dart to the doorway where a toothy smile greets him. "Speaking of the devil himself..."

Minseok's attention remains at the elegant tiles on the floor as Joonmyun and Chanyeol attach themselves together and share a quick kiss. Chanyeol throws a side glance at Minseok, frowning lightly before pressing Joonmyun against the counter for a deeper kiss, drawing a small groan from the latter. However, Minseok still remains motionless and trapped in his disparaging thoughts, unaware of the two beside him.

Joonmyun lifts an eyebrow as he and Chanyeol break away, lightly gripping the taller boy's elbows. "What's with you ?"

"I was wondering the same with him," Chanyeol replies, motioning at Minseok with his eyes. "He usually gets so uncomfortable when we make out in front of him. He didn't even make a face or fidget restlessly this time."

Joonmyun chuckles softly as Chanyeol pouts in his disappointment with the lack of response from their mutual friend. "He's just moping about how lonely his pants are. You think you can help him out ?"

"Aw Minseokkie, you are just the cutest thing," Chanyeol cooes as he wraps an arm around the smaller boy's shoulder, poking one of his full cheeks with his other hand. "Let Channie help you find the glorious gate to Loversville," he says with a majestic sweep of his hand accompanied by glittering eyes.

"The only place you can take me is Loserville, Yeol," Minseok retorts, crinkling his nose as he playfully smacks the finger poking his face.

"Nice one, third-rate comedian," Chanyeol replies, flashing his award-winning set of brilliant teeth as he shakes Minseok's shoulder.

"Same to you, fifth-rate lover," the smaller man counters, b with satisfaction at the shocked look plastered on Chanyeol's features. He reaches for Joonmyun's arm with his free hand, tugging his best friends towards the door. "Let's find Yifan and join the crowd."

"Now that's what I like to hear," Chanyeol pipes, gluing himself to Minseok's right side as Joonmyun mirrors the act on Minseok's left. A lightbulb flashes behind Chanyeol's eyes, a mischievous smile spreading over his lips. He cranes his long neck over Minseok's head, cheekily running his tongue along Joonmyun's cheek, leaving a slobbery trail along Joonmyun's pale skin.

Unfortunately, Minseok isn't lost in his swimming thoughts this time, and he ducks his head with a shutter and a groan. "Ugh, keep your mutt on a leash, Joonmyun," he whines, unhooking his arms from the two idiots on his sides. Without even turning around, Minseok could already tell that Joonmyun's stupid eyebrows were wiggling at his terrible choice of words. Stupid Joonmyun and his stupid kinks.

"I'll keep that in mind, Minseokkie," Joonmyun sing-songs while Chanyeol continues to laugh obnoxiously with a wicked grin.

"I need new friends," Minseok laments.

---

After nearly half an hour of searching, the three are able to locate Yifan's head sticking out like a giraffe's above the crowd. True to the rumors, Yifan is filthy rich, and the house they are in is practically a damn castle with a lavish interior, billions of rooms, and a ceiling that you need to crane your neck all the way back to see. The room they are in, which Minseok faintly recalls as the grand foyer, is enormous, and there are dazzling chandeliers hanging from the ceiling that illuminate the golden walls and cause the beautiful wooden railings of the two long staircases in the center to shine majestically.

As he weaves through the crowd with the pair of friends just ahead of him, Minseok is able to barely make out the small group of people that Yifan is speaking to through the space between the towering heads of the people squishing up to him on both sides. He catches sight of a few familiar faces, but his vision is soon lost as skyscraper Chanyeol and still-taller-than-Minseok Joonmyun halt in front of him, blocking his view of the group just a meter or so away. Over the thunderous sound of loud music and incessant chattering of an entire crowd, Minseok strains his ears to hear the conversation between his friends.

"Who is the blonde kid next to Yifan, Yeollie ? He's gorgeous."

"Like a doll, right ? I think Yifan said his name's Luhan. He's Yifan's good friend from Beijing, and he's been here for just over a week now. He's planning to study at some university here. I heard his Korean's pretty good, too."

Intrigued, Minseok creeps up to plant himself between the two once more, stretching his neck over their shoulders to get a good look. "Who are you guys checking out ?"

"That kid," Chanyeol says as he sticks his chin out a bit towards the blonde boy.

Cursing his height, Minseok attempts to jump up to catch a glimpse of the kid in question, mentally screaming for the drunk bunch in front of them to kindly go fall off a cliff.

A small window of space graciously appears, yet Minseok can only catch the top quarter of the boy's face.

He sees golden locks.

As the crowd grows dense once again, his chest tightens, and he begs himself to not jump to stupid, ridiculous conclusions.

He regains his composure before craning his head again, shifting left and right to grab a better view.

When the crowd moves once again, Minseok is greeted with a pair of wide eyes staring right at him.

They twinkle.

Oh no, Kim Minseok. Don't you even dare to think--

And then he hears it.

The giggle.

The crowd spreads one last time, but the golden locks have vanished.

He hardly even hears Joonmyun's surprised shout as Minseok pivots sharply on his heel and sprints through the crowd, aiming to reach one of the staircases.

Minseok bumps into several of the partygoers, but he mostly goes unnoticed, hopping two stairs at a time until he reaches the top and rushes deeper into the castle.

He grunts in dismay as he finds an enormous hallway with numerous doors on either side. The colors are brilliant and varied, and he still hears that bloody, gorgeous giggle echoing off the walls.

I've gone insane, Minseok moans inwardly, opening door after door as he searches on. Thankfully, Yifan had the house to himself for the entire weekend, and the partygoers were all closer to the front of the building near the grand foyer. If anyone saw Minseok now, they'd think he had about a hundred and twelve loose screws in his dumb little head.

He pinches himself about a thousand times as he runs, desperately trying to figure out if he's just stuck in another horrible dream.

He turns a corner, blinking into the darkness of the hallway that's particularly not lit. Before he has a chance to catch his breath and decide where to run next, a pair of small, but strong, hands grips his shoulders and lightly push him against the wall.

Minseok's eyes whirl towards the person pinning him against the wall, but his vision is instantly blocked by a cascade of golden tresses that falls over his eyes and tickles the bridge of his nose as a pair of lips crashes onto his.

For a moment, Minseok freezes up as he tries to figure out what the hell is going on holy crap; but then that pair of small hands is cupping his face, and that bruising kiss melts away into a soft, but hungry kiss that oh gosh this is really nice. Minseok finds his lips molding together with the other's plush pair, fitting oh so perfectly like two destined puzzle pieces.

His breath hitches as something wet slides along the top of his bottom lip, a pair of thumbs gently caressing his crimson-tinted cheeks. Without a moment to waste, Minseok's lips part; he has to throw his arms around thin shoulders to steady himself as his knees nearly buckle underneath him, a warm tongue exploring every corner of Minseok's mouth and sending his mind into overdrive as he feels a trail of saliva not his ! cover the backs of his teeth.

Cursing his inexperience, Minseok attempts to fight back with a growl bubbling in his throat. He feels a dull burn in his stomach, and there is surely a shade of crimson creeping up his neck.

Please don't let me wake up, he prays, savoring every single second of every single touch and emotion as they burn into his mind and skin.

As they finally break away, Minseok's eyes flutter open, his blurred vision adjusting before fixing itself on the brilliant object before his eyes.

Tie a bow on my head and throw me out of a twenty-story window, Minseok murmurs inwardly, gaping at the radiant face centimeters away from his that he can finally take a good look at.

The golden locks, the precious gems, the pinkish lips that seemed just a little redder to him now.

An exact replica.

Before Minseok can even process what kind of sorcery and witchcraft has brought this glorious creature to him, he feels something thin and extremely light being pressed into his outstretched palm.

A twinkling laugh, which has played on loop in Minseok's mind for weeks, dances on the walls of his ear before a whisp of hot breath falls along the shell. 

"Call me, dream boy."

And with that, the head of golden locks swiftly disappears behind the corner, leaving a breathless and flabbergasted Minseok alone in the hallway.

A voice like caramel and silk, Minseok muses, sliding down the wall as his knees completely give out.

The realization finally dawns on him. This is definitely not a dream.

His quickened heartbeat thunders in his chest, and the flame in his gut still glows.

He runs his tongue along his bottom lip, his teeth sinking lightly into the plush, heated skin as he savors the faint, strangely familiar taste smeared all over his mouth.

He finally recognizes the flavor. It's the same as the smell from his dream. 

Cherry.

Minseok's thoughts dissipate as loud, hurried footsteps thump just outside the hallway. He turns his head to face a shaking Joonmyun, who is severely lacking oxygen in his lungs. "Damn Minseok, you run fast !" After taking a generous moment to catch his breath, Joonmyun gives Minseok a long, observing look that oozes confusion. "What happened ?"

"Is it wrong to be by cherry chapstick ?"

---

this idea definitely did not start off like this rofl.

i think it was originally supposed to be much cuter and include less obnoxious friends. but who can resist joonmyun and loser chanyeol.

but, i think i'm happy with how this ended up. hope you all enjoy it too !

don't hesitate to comment ! i love to hear feedback, even if it's criticism. i'm always trying to figure out new ways to improve my writing. ))