Triumph The Dreams // a Dreamcatcher Story

Chapter 1

The sun was setting slowly and the shadows began to come out of their hiding places. The sounds chirping birds and the barking dogs started to disappear and the sky began to dim into orange and red pigments. Everyone started to empty out the parks and the roads as the last of the cars went out towards their homes. Evenings were quite lonely in Daejeon.

"It's been nearly a year and we're still in this topic? JiU, you've got to find a way to stop this. They're gone already, like you said," the lady sitting right across JiU spoke, clicking her pen once JiU started to talk.

"Y-Yes b-but.. How if they're not?"

The lady sighed, "Why do you think they're not?"

"The.. The doctors haven't said anything about them. Their families are still waiting for them! They weren't buried. They must've found something!" JiU rested her back on the padded chair and put her forehead on her arm.

"JiU.. Listen to me. They're doing what they can." The woman wrote a few notes down. "Maybe instead of talking about your predictions or hopes, let's look at the situation. Have you gotten any news from your friends? You've been pretty busy with yourself these days."

JiU bit her lips and fidgeted with her fingers. "I'm meeting them tonight. Right after this, I'm heading out."

"Good, good, and this is the first time since..?"

"Since the week I lost my friends," she mumbled.

The lady then dropped her pen inside her pocket and laid back on the chair. "Well, how about this, you talk over it with your friends and tell me how you're feeling after you've met up with them. How long are you going to be gone?"

"Two weeks or so. We rented an apartment."

"Two weeks, hm.. That's plenty of time. Well then, our session here is done. Call me, text me, message me if you need anything. I'm always here for you." She stood up to lead JiU out the door of the room.

"Thanks, doc."

"You're very welcome." She held the door open and led JiU out. "Enjoy your trip."

"Thank you." JiU smiled and slightly bowed before leaving out the door with her suitcase and jacket. Now she was alone with the evening sky. She walked down the pedestrian path before reaching a small taxi station that would lead her to the train station to head to Seoul; the place it all began.

➳

The text of JiU came in, vibrating both of their phones to see a message notification saying that JiU had arrived. The two were in separate rooms, getting ready to head out to pick their friend up. It was getting colder in Seoul so both of them dressed with long sleeves and a simple jacket. The two met up at the exit of the room.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

The two rushed down to the exit of the apartment and raced together to the car. They both hoped in and drove off.

"Have you made the reservation?" the girl driving briefly asked while taking a right turn.

"On it." She tapped on her phone twice before the car came into a sharp halt, nearly flinging her off if she had not used her seatbelt. "O-Oh, sorry Gahyeonie," the driver apologized, chuckling at how they both took in the situation. She adjusted Gahyeon's seatbelt and helped her up while laughing when the light turned red.

"Siyeon unnie?"

"Hm?"

"Is anything bothering you? 'Cause we've been together right now for a few hours and we're coming to get JiU but you barely said anything."

Siyeon looked at the wheel and held it with both hands tightly. She sighed out, "I'm just sort of afraid. We haven't met up lately and.. I'm afraid that topic will pop up. I didn't like those thoughts, and I still don't like it."

"It's okay unnie, we're getting together to have fun, remember? We need to see each other once in a while."

The red light switched to green and the cars drove off. She nodded to agree with the younger and started to bring up random topics, surprisingly making Gahyeon laugh until her phone rang when they pulled over at the destination. "Oh? It's JiU."

"Pick it up then. Tell her we've arrived in the arrival."

There was a beep as Gahyeon took the call. "Unnie."

"Where are you guys?"

"We're at the gate, black car. Do you see us?"

There were footsteps and inaudible conversations in the background. "Oh there!"

The call was ended.

"She coming?" The moment Siyeon asked, two knocks banged on the car window, rolling it down to see an overly excited girl with her suitcase and jacket. "Unnie!" Gahyeon exclaimed while hopping off the car to help her. "Gahyeonie! Siyeon!"

"Here, let me help." Gahyeon took up the suitcase and slid it at the back. JiU and Siyeon hugged Gahyeon and they were off with Siyeon driving again.

"Was your train late?"

"A bit, but I had something to do before I got to the station."

"Like work? I thought you're free?"

"No.. I visited the therapist, b-but before you make any assumptions, she doesn't know about it. She only knows they were in a car accident."

The car fell dead silent. "I'm glad we're back together," Siyeon said bluntly but everyone knew she just did not want to reveal it.

"Same here. Where are we going anyways?"

"Late night dinner?"

JiU chuckled. "How typical."

"Hey, we're hungry. We were waiting for you," Gahyeon chuckled, causing a chain in the whole car. Thinking that they were caught up on the right foot, without any further thoughts, she turned up the volume of the volume and suddenly, when JiU was distracted with the fleeting city lights, 'Dear' started to play; the song that JiU composed years ago.

The verse came in, harmonizing with the lyrics of "The first time I told you I love you, it felt so hard for me to say it. Now when I tell you I love you,
I can't put all my heart to it. It feels small." With those lyrics being sung out, Gahyeon and Siyeon sat in pins and needles, afraid that their idea would bring JiU to unwanted feelings. Instead, the ride was quiet, filled with that one song the whole way to their next place.