They were lying side by side, hands linked, in a large open field surrounded by trees. Above them, the night sky twinkled of billions of stars, glowing between aqua and yellow and red. It smelled of morning dew, and the sound of cicadas went off in the distance. Around them, fireflies of glowed of varying, unnatural colors. Jaejoong wanted to stay like that forever, but he would have to wake up at one point. Jaejoong sighed in content, and curled up to Yunho, still watching the stars.

 

Over the past month, Yunho had got a job as a garbage man, and visited his dreams every night. They went back to the city, and Jaejoong would tell him their adventures before he remembered his dreams. Then the two would make new ones: They would run around the city, or eat at their café, or even lay around, like they were at the moment. Jaejoong was even having another art exhibit from so many of their dream adventures. Yunho still hadn’t told him where he lives, though.

 

“This thing we’re doing, Jaejoong. Meeting in our dreams?” Yunho glanced down at Jaejoong. “I think it should stop.” Jaejoong would have laughed at the idea if it weren’t for Yunho’s dead serious look he was given.

 

“What?” Jaejoong untangled himself from the other, and sat up. Yunho made no movements, instead choosing to still stare at the sky. Yunho took in a deep breath, and looked at him.

 

“We should start hanging out in real life. I want to see the real you, hear the real you.” Yunho laced their fingers together. “Touch the real you.”

 

As much as Jaejoong wanted to touch the Yunho in real life, he was still worried about their safety. Plus, there was always the money problem. “But…what if something happens to you?”

 

Yunho shook his head. “I don’t know how we do this, Jaejoong—how our dreams are connected like this. What if is stops one day? Then what?”

 

Jaejoong thought for a moment, tracing the wrinkles on the other’s hand. “Then I’ll go to sleep, and force myself to find you.”

 

Yunho sighed, and pulled his hand away, using it instead to help himself sit up. “Jaejoong, you know what I’m mean.”

 

He did. He understood completely that one day it would all stop. For now, he’ll just deny everything. Jaejoong took Yunho’s hand again, and scooted himself closer. He didn’t want to talk about it right there. “Is that why you haven’t kissed me yet?” He glanced up though his eyelashes to see Yunho smiling at him. The other placed his hands on the side of his head, and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. “That doesn’t count!”

 

“It will have to do for now.” Yunho lied back on the grass, with Jaejoong following suit. He wrapped himself around the other’s body, huddling for the warmth in the cold that he felt since their first dream.

 

“You know where my apartment is. You can come over any time you want.” Jaejoong looked at the other, smiling as he smiled. “You can even see the paintings I’ve been doing!”

 

That’s when the smile disappeared. “Are you going to sell them?”

 

Jaejoong nodded, staring back up at the sky. “I need to make money somehow.”

 

Yunho sighed. “I don’t like you selling them.”

 

Jaejoong had barely heard it, sight, the both of them sitting up again. “Why?”

 

“Because…”Yunho shrugged. “It’s basically random people looking into our minds. It’s creepy.”

 

Jaejoong sighed. “I need money, though.”

 

“You can just go work with your friend, like you did before.”

 

Jaejoong stood up. “Are you suggesting that I give up painting—my dream—just because you’re feeling a little shy?”

 

Yunho didn’t say anything. Perhaps he realized the extremity of his comment, or perhaps he noticed how anything he could say would be used against him, no matter the context. “Yunho, I need the money! I live in a dingy 600 square feet apartment, and you want me to work an office job for less than what I get selling my paintings? Things are finally looking up for me, because of these dreams, and you want me to stop?”

 

“I didn’t mean—”

 

Jaejoong threw his hands in the air. “No! Of course you didn’t mean that! You just wanted to put your comfort above everyone else’s needs!” The moment those words left his mouth his regretted it. He knew he wasn’t true, and that Yunho wasn’t actually that way. He just got carried away. Jaejoong turned around, refusing to let Yunho see his twisted face full of regret and hurt.

 

Then the warmth was gone. The warmth that always followed Yunho, even in their dreams. It was no longer hugging his sides and coloring his dreams.

 

Jaejoong woke up a moment later. First the let out a whimper, his lip quivering. He didn’t want this.

 

Jaejoong shut his eyes, feeling the waterworks beginning to form. He just wanted to kiss Yunho, and paint the scenery they found in their dreams.

 

Tears rolled down his cheeks, and Jaejoong let out a choked sob. He wanted Yunho to stay by his side and protect him.

 

Another sob let out, and he found himself clutching his sheets, wailing and drooling into his pillow. He made a mistake, and it was too late to fix it.