Triumph The Dreams // a Dreamcatcher Story

Chapter 8

JiU's eyes wandered throughout the room, nearly forgetting Siyeon and Gahyeon was behind her. With reassurance that there were no surprises and the place was now safe, the two followed along and their facial expressions seemed to mimic JiU's. "This is.."

Siyeon was speechless.

They slowly advance to the center of the whole room, firstly hit with the natural sunlight coming from the holes of the blinds that was placed on top of the mini dining table. On their rights and lefts were their individual rooms, small but enough for them to feel at home. It was like a dorm they could only dream of, but there they were, letting time pass by while they explore the insides of their new dorm.

No words spoken but they all dispersed into their rooms, disappearing all afternoon to evening. By the time they had their dinner served in the room along with their suitcases, but the building had already stopped it's working hours. The staff probably already made their way home, if Jin did not reserve dorms like he did to them. Once the building was dead silent, lights off, the three were off to bed.

➳

JiU yawned while stretching her arms wide in the air, exiting her room with the aroma off baked beans, scrambled eggs and bacon, a surprisingly foreign breakfast; not a single Korean food was in sight. She, half asleep, settled down in the nearest seat and began to pour herself a glass of water to start the day until something in the corner caught her eye. Stopped in the middle of her drink, the words spelt out a sentence.

'I'll keep my promise. Feel free to meet me anytime, basement level two.'

"From Jin," her inner voice said to herself. As the letter said 'anytime', she used that to her advantage and waited until the two were awake, which was right after she stepped out of the shower.

"Unnie!" a distant shout came from the center of the room when JiU got out. "What is it?"

"Did you see the letter?"

JiU nodded while tidying her hair. "We should go together once you're all ready, okay?" They all agreed in unision.

➳

Tweeks and squeaks dreaded the ears as Jin tried to adjust the wires of the machinery. The elevator doors slid open behind him and there revealed the three girls. He clasped his hands in excitement and nearly hopped in joy, like a child seeing a playground. "You came!" he excitedly cackled while leaving his post and letting the other scientist that stood behind him continue. He stripped his plastic gloves off and put it in the bin. "The members, right? Please, follow me."

He walked to the opposite of the room, directing them to another door. "We keep them here so their vitals are stable. Like I told you before, they're like stuck in their own conscience, like a coma that seems like death, but they're not gone. In order to get them back," he struggled to open the heavy door after he slid his key in, "we need to get their consciousness by my machinery, as you saw."

The door made a huge crack when he pulled it and the girls stepped in. "All I ask for you is to cooperate and---"

JiU gasped laying eyes on the members, pouncing at the glass that separated them and the other members. The sight was too difficult to see, the life support, the monitor giving off their heartbeat status. It was like they were on the verge of death. "G-Guys," muttered Siyeon as she laid her hand softly on the glass as if she could feel her cheeks. Gahyeon crept closer, standing beside Siyeon and hold her hands. "I never imagined that I would see them like this." JiU turned abruptly to beg Jin to let them in. "Please Jin.. Let us in there."

He swiped his card into another door beside the glass and it quickly ran to the side, letting them in. "I'll give you a few minutes. They won't be able to hear you, even if they could, they can't wake up that easily."

Everyone ran in there hurriedly and cried even more. "G-Guys," JiU sobbed, falling at the side of Yoohyeon's body.

Gahyeon's hands caressed Handong's palm. "They're ice cold and pale." Frustrated, Siyeon cursed, "They never deserved this." She was reluctant to stay that long --- the view killed her slowly, it was like a torture she never could handle. "I'll.. I'll be outside. I.. I can't see them like this."

While Siyeon made her way out, JiU stood beside the members and muttered, "They're not gone," in an odd manner. It was a remix of gladness and sorrow, seeing them like this was painful, but they were there --- alive. Although standing there, staring at the heartbeats of the members, it did not feel fulfilling, none of them were satisfied.

A gentle met JiU's hands, stroking her back in comfort. "We'll get them back, right? They won't be like this forever."

"I hope so, Gahyeonie." A soft smile was painted across both their lips.