Chapter 1: How they met.

What would you do if you suddenly wake up in a field full of dandelions?

Let me start the story in a field full of dandelions, a place where people who was stuck between heaven and earth was first found lying unconscious on the ground. It’s the starting line actually, when you find yourself in a field full of dandelions it either means you’re dead but doesn’t have the access to go to heaven yet or you’re still alive but hasn’t woke up yet, it’s the case of people who’s in coma, usually that’s it. But no one really knows why they end up there, only until the people who gets to connect the lines of their past can understand why they’re still there and not in heaven or earth.

So it isn’t a surprise when Lee Jieun, a girl who died on her wedding day, was lying unconscious on a field full of dandelions. She isn’t exactly dead yet but the happenings on why she was in the field was still a mystery. When Jieun woke up, she was alone. The sun was brightly shining and she found herself basking in the sunshine’s glow. She was confused too because she doesn’t remember how or why she’s in a field full of dandelions and the last thing she remembers was she was supposed to be on her wedding. So Jieun stood up and decided to stroll around the field until she saw a guy inside a gazebo, wearing a white tux.

Now Song Minho, a guy who died on a car accident on the way to a friend’s wedding, was patiently waiting inside the gazebo. The gatekeeper told him to wait for a girl named Lee Jieun, he doesn’t really know why he has to wait for someone he didn’t know but the gatekeeper told him not to ask questions so he didn’t. It was his third day of waiting, he’s slowly losing his patience and he was getting irritated but those feelings vanished when he saw a girl walking on the way to the gazebo, wearing a wedding gown, hair tied lose as if she had just woke up.

“Uh, do you know where in the world this place is?” Jieun asked. She was observing the place and Minho took in the beauty of the girl in front of him. The way the strands of her hair sways with the breeze of the wind, her lips quivering as if she was scared, those eyes that shows innocence behind them and Minho suddenly let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“There’s no way out of this place, in case you’re wondering.” He said and Jieun stared at him blankly, as if debating whether she should believe him or not.

“What do you mean?” Jieun asked. Those seven words were probably the worst nightmare for Jieun. There’s no way out of this place. She repeated those words inside her head but it doesn’t seem to sink in her brain.

“There’s no way out of this place…” Minho repeated. “Unless you wake up again.” He added and Jieun had her eyebrows furrowed.

“Wake up again? I… I don’t understand.” Jieun said and Minho heaved out a sigh, he knows it’s going to be hard to explain.

It happened the same way to Minho. A week before Jieun came, he woke up in a field full of dandelions, he was alone and feeling empty. The difference was, no one waited for him and no one explained to him what was happening until he found a house by the river. The house was made out of woods and logs and it was abandoned. When he went inside, he was greeted by the sight of a guy who was busy reading a book beside the fireplace, the gatekeeper, he was the one who explained to Minho why he was there. The gatekeeper told him that he’s not really dead but he isn’t alive either. Minho was in coma, that’s what he’s been told but he still doesn’t know why and how it happened.

“You’re dead, well… not really but you aren’t alive either.” Minho said and Jieun suddenly laughed. Minho was taken aback by the reaction he received, usually people would have been devastated to know where they were and what happened but in Jieun’s case, she was laughing. Well, more like fake laughing and Minho found it amusing.

“Are you insane? Seriously, where am I? I’m supposed to be in my wedding now…” Jieun said, still laughing but she stopped once she realized that Minho was serious.

“I’m not. You’re in coma, you had an accident on the day of your wedding, how? That, I don’t know.” Minho said and he started walking out and away from the gazebo.

“Hey… wait, where are you going?!” Jieun exclaimed. “And how did you know all of these information?” She added.

“I was tasked to wait for you so of course I would make an effort to know who I’m waiting for. You’re actually lucky you know, because you know how you ended up here.” Minho said and again, Jieun had her eyes furrowed.

“What do you mean? I can’t even remember what happened. Hey… can you just wait for me? It’s hard to walk fast when you’re wearing a gown.” Jieun exclaimed but Minho didn’t wait, he continued walking. Jieun let out a groan but still followed Minho even though she doesn’t exactly know where he is going.

Jieun thought of what Minho told her. Minho said she was in coma but she couldn’t remember how it happened, only the memory of her on the way to her wedding was all she can remember. Jieun continuously followed Minho through the forest, it isn’t exactly creepy since it was daytime and Jieun could see birds flying, rabbits hoping but then Jieun suddenly remembered of crows. She was afraid of crows and she remembers being chased by them when she was young.

Out of nowhere, Jieun heard a cry of crows on their way and she felt a wave of fear and panic settle upon her. When she saw the crows flapping its wings, raucous voice being heard, her eyes widened and she immediately ran, calling out for help. Minho turned around and saw the way Jieun’s eyes widened when she saw the crows so he immediately ran towards her but he was stopped once he came in contact with a force field. Jieun was crying and Minho couldn’t do anything.

“Jieun, you have to think of good thoughts!” Minho yelled but Jieun can’t hear him, the force field was separating the both of them. Jieun had her ears covered by her hands and she was crying. Minho wanted to badly break the force field but he knows he can’t, he was about to call the gatekeeper when the crows suddenly disappeared and he could already hear Jieun crying. He immediately went and hugged her.

“You’re alright, it’s okay.” He whispered, repeating soothing words until Jieun had calmed down.

“What was that?” Jieun asked, voice hoarse.

“We’re in the forest of dreams and nightmares. Anything you’re thinking of can happen whether it’s good or bad so you have to be careful and you have to think of good thoughts so you could cross the forest peacefully. Don’t worry, nightmares wouldn’t harm you but they wouldn’t stop to scare you as long as you’re thinking of them and you’re in the forest.” Minho explained, once Jieun had calmed down. He decided to bring her to his place.

“C’mon, let’s go to my house.” He said.

Jieun was amazed on how nice and calming Minho’s house was. It was simple yet cozy and Jieun felt like she wanted to stay there. They went inside and once again, Minho was greeted by the sight of the gatekeeper near the fireplace but this time, the gatekeeper isn’t a stranger to Minho anymore.

“Hi Seunghoon hyung.” Minho greeted. The said man turned around and smiled.

“Mino!” He exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting for you for three days, I didn’t know you would really wait for Jieun…” The gatekeeper rambled on but Jieun wasn’t listening to the two of them anymore. Three days? He waited for me for three days? Jieun thought.

“Wait, what is really happening? Why am I here?” Jieun asked and the gatekeeper looked at him in surprise.

“Jieun!” He exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were standing there.” He added and Minho rolled his eyes.

“I saw that eye roll, Mino.” The gatekeeper said. He went towards Jieun and offered a handshake,

“I’m Seunghoon by the way, the gatekeeper of Heaven.” He said. The what? Jieun felt like her head is about to explode. First, she doesn’t know where she is. Second, a guy told her she was in coma and that she had an accident. And third, there’s a gatekeeper of Heaven?

“And I’m Minho or Mino, in case you’re wondering.” Mino added.

“Wait, can you please explain to me why I’m here?” Jieun asked, she was starting to get annoyed and the fact that the gatekeeper, or Seunghoon, was still smiling didn’t help.

“Okay then, come with me.” Seunghoon said. He grabbed a book by the side table and went out of the house with Minho following behind, Jieun was reluctant at first but she needed answers. They arrived at a big golden gate a few meters away from Minho’s house and Jieun was amazed on how big the gate is.

“Welcome to Nirvana.” Seunghoon said, smiling with his arms stretched out.

“Nirvana?” Jieun asked and the gatekeeper nodded.

“You’re in a place where people like you,” he pointed at Jieun. “And you,” He pointed at Minho. “And everyone else who died, ends up.” He started.

“Think of it like a purgatory but the difference is, not everyone here is really dead. Also, people who doesn’t have an access to go enter the big gate yet, remains here…. And, let’s not talk about hell because we treat that as a non-existent place here.” He added.

“What’s inside the big gate?” Jieun asked.

“Heaven.” Was his answer. Jieun tried to see past the golden gates if she could see some sort of kingdom like what she imagined when she was young but it was so foggy that clouds were blocking every sight you could see inside the big gate.

“But that doesn’t explain why I’m here.” Jieun said.

“Like what I’ve told you before, you’re in coma. You had an accident the day of your wedding.” Minho said.

“But how?”

“We can’t really answer you, dear. Even Minho doesn’t know why he’s here, everyone doesn’t. You’re the one who should be able to figure it out why you’re here in order to know how things are going to be.” Seunghoon said.

“Well, it’s already 5 p.m., I need to get going. Duty calls.” With that Seunghoon left the Minho and Jieun standing in front of the big gate or what they were told, Heaven.

Minho looked at Jieun, only to see her frowning. He knows Jieun is confused, well he is too but instead of asking too much questions he decided it would be best to answer it himself. Like what Seunghoon had told them, they’re the ones who are able to know how they ended up here. They just had to have patience in order to answer all of them.

“Come on, let’s go to my house.” Minho said. Jieun didn’t know what to do and suddenly, she was feeling angry.

“I’m not coming with you.” Jieun said with a blank face and Minho looked at him, confused. “I’m finding my way out of this place.” She added.

“You know you can’t do that, right?” Minho said and Jieun scoffed.

“Of course I can, if I was able to go here then I’m able to go out.” Jieun said and she started walking away from Minho. She went back to where she woke up, in a field full of dandelions.

“Jieun, there’s no way out of here.” Minho said and Jieun was getting frustrated, she tired of hearing him say the same words to her.

“How would you know when you never even tried?” Jieun shouted and that seem to set Minho on range.

“Never tried? Jieun, I’m as confused as you and I tried my best to get out of this place but I just know I can’t. Do you think I wouldn’t have accepted to myself that there’s no way out if I hadn’t tried?” Minho exclaimed.

“I’m actually frustrated because I can’t remember anything, so don’t act as if you’re a victim because clearly I am one too and everyone who had lived here. I know it’s hard to believe everything but you have to, if you want to wake up again then start working on how you’ll be able to collect your memories back because that’s the only way you can get out of this place.” Minho added. Minho looked at Jieun, her hands balled into fists and Minho scoffed.

“You know what, fine. I’m not forcing you to come with me but if you have think things through and realize that I have a point, my house is open.” Minho said and he started walking away.

Jieun felt helpless, all she wanted to do was to get out of here and live her life the way it’s supposed to be. It has already been a tiring day but Jieun thought, maybe Minho was right and the serious look on Minho’s face clearly proved Jieun that this wasn’t a prank he was pulling and it’s not a dream that Jieun would wake up to. It’s the reality she has to face and she has to believe that everything will be okay, that one day everything’s going to be back the way it’s supposed to be.

Later that night, Jieun decided to go to Minho’s house and apologize. The door was ajar and when Jieun went inside, she was greeted by the sight of a knocked off Minho and a thief holding a knife ready to stab him in the heart.

I finally finished chapter 1! anyways, this is an alternate univers so yeah pure fiction

hope you like it tho :)

do check out my other stories thank you!! this isn't proof read