Triumph The Dreams // a Dreamcatcher Story

Chapter 2

Everyone began to eat their meals, slurping down on noodles and sipping on its broth. "How are you guys? You're barely talking ever since I got here."

Siyeon looked up. "We're fine. We didn't want to do anything without you yet." Siyeon put down her chopsticks. "Actually, Gahyeon was really excited to meet you. Too hyped," she shook her head while laughing. "Hey!"

JiU broke out in laughter.

The joke died down. "I.. I know you don't want to bring up the topic but.. How are they?" Gahyeon asked.

"No news, but they haven't taken them back."

"Seriously? It's been nearly a year and they said that if they hadn't found anything, they'd bring them back peacefully."

"I know but," JiU sighed, "remember when I told you about my therapist? She thinks they got into a crash. I told her they were just severely injured, but that got me thinking.. How if they did find something?"

Gahyeon held her warm hand and looked her in the eyes. "JiU, let's leave it to them and give them time. While we do that, why don't we go somewhere to clear out those thoughts? In fact, we could get macaroons on the way back right after this!" Gahyeon proposed.

"You still know me that well after all these years, huh?"

"How could we not?"

A warm smile was painted on everyone's faces before going back to their own business to finish their meal.

➳

Siyeon held the door open for the two; JiU dragging her suitcase in and Gahyeon helping her with the box of macaroons they bought earlier. "Where's my room?" JiU asked. Siyeon stood in the small hallway that stood in between four doors. "That's the bathroom, then that's Gahyeon's and mine. You can have this one," Siyeon directed, pointing at the door on her left.

"Alright."

Everyone left for their own room after JiU settled down. After changing into her pajamas, she huddled in the blanket and tried to doze off due to her fatigue. Her breathing was audible and deep, something was bothering her thoughts. She shut her eyes and turned around to the other direction.

"Keep running! We'll make it!"

JiU's eyes opened and her body jerked. She scratched her forehead and turned to the other side.

"You'll never win!"

"Yoohyeon!"

JiU jumped and got out of her sleeping state. This was the thing that kept bothering her, that would haunt her if she did not have closure on the memories. It was too horrific, she left them in that nightmare. She could not stop wondering if they were alive or not, but deep inside she knew one day she had to accept that they were gone.

Click.

She turned the lights of the bathroom on. She groaned when her head ached after those painful memories. She slightly rinsed her face with water before shoving down a sleeping pill the doctor gave her so she could deal with the trauma.

"Can't sleep?" a voice behind her asked. She turned after swallowing. "Y-Yeah, got a lot in my mind."

"Don't mind me asking, but is it about them?"

JiU looked perplexed at Siyeon's statement. "N-No.."

"Come on JiU, you can tell me. We have to stick together, right?"

JiU's eyes dilated.

"We need to start to work together. Please.."

"..The last thing we need is a fight breaking out between you two."

"I-It's nothing, I'll go back to sleep now. Goodnight, Siyeonie," she quickly said, rushing out the door, again with the loud breathing. Siyeon glared at her as she walked down the dark path to her dark room, taking tiny steps as quickly as possible. Siyeon was left there, speechless.

➳

Ding!

The toaster popped out two more slices of waffles for Gahyeon to let it rest on the plate --- finally making all three plates full with two waffles each. She served Siyeon with one plate and set the other two on each ends of the table.

"Morning, Gahyeon, Siyeon."

"Morning."

"Oh, morning JiU unnie! Here, I toasted some waffles for you."

JiU took a seat on Siyeon's right and firstly reached out for the macaroons, taking a pink one and biting it.

"What do you want to do today?" Gahyeon mumbled while munching on her breakfast. "Do you want to take a leisurely day or a thrilling one? Any preferences?"

"I'll go with anything."

"I was actually thinking Lotte World?"

"Ooh, yes!"

"Then it's settled. I'll go get dressed." Everyone followed Siyeon's steps after finishing their plates. Breakfast succeeded in cheering JiU up a bit to go on with the day, but she still could not seem to get it out of her head. The horror, the screams, she felt like it again, it was so realistic.

She grabbed her sweater and immediately changed, still shaking from the dream. "I should tell them.. No, that'll ruin the fun. I should keep it to myself. I can take it."

She quickly grabbed her bag and shoved her phone and wallet in and headed out.

In the car, it was all silent. Siyeon and Gahyeon did not dare putting on any song because they did not want to reminisce over the past. Gahyeon looked at the corner of her eyes to see the disturbing look on JiU's face in the rear mirror. "Unnie, what's bothering you?"

JiU looked up. "Just looking at some pictures."

"May I see?" Gahyeon turned back and leaned, twisting her whole body. JiU handed it out. "It's a polaroid during our 'Deja Vu' promotions."

Gahyeon laughed. "When did Dongie make this face? She's so hilarious at times." She began to stroke it slowly. JiU took out another one. "And this is from our 'BOCA' promotions. First Music Bank stage."

"I remember!"

JiU and Gahyeon chuckled as Siyeon slowly peeked. "Hey, Gahyeon, sit back normally. I don't want you to hurt your back," she warned while taking the wheel.

"I won't, I'm not a kid anymore Siyeon. I'm 23."

"Just sit back properly!" Siyeon laughed, slapping Gahyeon as a joke. Siyeon focused back on the road and fixed her emotions to become blank again. "We're almost there so hang tight."