The coolness of the asphalt seeps through my shirt, sending chills along my skin as I lay on the road.
As long as I've had this nightmare and as terrified as I always was when I would find myself on this road, I've started to realize that this nightmare is nothing compared to the nightmare of my actual life.
This place has turned into my safe haven. In this place, the physical pain goes away. My father isn't here to torment me with his indifference and his wife is not here to bleed the life out of me with her hatred and greed.
At least here, in this place, I can rest and I can stare at this dark sky in peace without the weight of the world on my shoulders.
Maybe I should stop referring to this place as my nightmare, when in reality, my life as it exists is the true nightmare.
My line of vision is suddenly obstructed when a face comes into view above me, a slightly familiar man leaning over to make eye contact with me. It's the man I've been seeing here, only this time he has come to me.
"Move," I say, staring at him with an empty gaze. "I can't see the sky through your big head."
The man purses his lips and does as I ask, moving away so I can see the sky again. After a moment, I see him out of the corner of my eye laying down on the street next to me, looking up at the sky as well.
A million thoughts are simultaneously running through my mind, including questions for this stranger and my own fears and worries about what I'm supposed to do when I wake up.
"You never answered my question," I decide to say.
I hear him sigh and when I turn to look at him, he's watching me with a slight frown on his face.
"Is it that important for you to know?" he asks in return, his voice low.
"I guess not," I huff, turning my attention back to the sky above us. "I just thought you owed me that much for intruding into my dream. That's all."
A low chuckle escapes from the man's throat and the smallest of smiles causes the corners of my mouth to lift upwards at the heavenly sound.
"You can call me Taehyung," he says after a moment.
"Taehyung," I repeat, turning to look at him again.
He nods. "I have to go now."
"Nice chat we had, Taehyung," I say, sighing as he stands up. He leans over me once again, a curious look on his face as he watches me.
"Don't be late for work, Violet."
I jolt awake, sweat dripping down the side of my face. I glance at the time and groan in frustration when I realize I slept through my alarm. I jump out of bed to get ready, but as soon as I stand up, my legs buckle and I fall onto my bedroom floor, dizziness overtaking my senses as I nearly pass out. My head pounds in unison with my heartbeat as I stand back up slowly and make my way to the bathroom, laying down on the cold tiles of the floor as I try to steady the world spinning around me.
"What the hell?" I ask, slowly getting up and sitting on the edge of the bathtub, my head in my hands as the dizziness slowly subsides. Eventually, the blurriness in my vision subsides as well and I can stand up without collapsing back to the floor. I know I am sleep deprived and I'm over-exerting but I just can't afford to take a day off, no matter how badly my body may need it.
I take a cool shower to come back to my senses, still feeling rather foggy in my mind and body. After putting my uniform on, I rush out of my house and jog to the restaurant, hoping I won't be in too much trouble for being late.
When I get inside, I go straight to the break room to clock in and I see Jin sitting in there, glancing down at his phone in boredom.
"Hey," I say breathlessly as I hang my jacket up after I clock in seven minutes late.
Jin looks up from his phone, his eyes widening slightly as he makes eye contact with me. "You don't look so good."
"Wow, thanks," I say, rolling my eyes as I grab an apron and tie it around my waist.
"No, Violet. I'm serious," he says, his voice full of concern as he walks up to me. "You're sick. You should be home, resting."
"That's hilarious," I snap, feeling annoyed. "Let me just take a day off and prop my feet up, yeah? Take a load off and just skip buying groceries for a week because I'm feeling a bit under the weather, right? Wrong, Jin. I'm not like you, okay? I don't have a loving, supportive family. I am the one who supports them, so forgive me for not being able to lounge in my pajamas over a cold."
Jin glances at me for a few moments before his shoulders drop in defeat and he backs up a few steps. "I'm sorry, Violet. I know, okay? I get it. But who is taking care of you in all of this? Who is making sure you're okay?"
"Everyone needs to accept that I'm never going to be okay. I wasn't given a life where I'm allowed to be," I say, tears in my eyes as I try to catch my breath.
I turn away before he has a chance to respond, and as soon as I'm out of the break room, the tears are wiped away and a smile is plastered on my face as my boss puts me to work.
~
Thankfully, I didn't get in trouble for being late since I've been so helpful in picking up all the extra shifts. I sigh in relief to myself as I hang my apron up and grab my jacket.
"Violet," a familiar voice says behind me and I sigh, biting my lip before turning to face Jin.
"I'm sorry," I say quietly, bowing my head. "I don't know what came over me. You are the last person I should be getting angry with."
When I lift my head back up to look at him, my vision immediately blurs and I feel myself swaying in my place, dizziness overtaking my senses once again. I reach out to try to find something to steady myself, and I feel Jin wrap his arms around me.
I can hear him saying something, but he sounds far away.
"I-I'm fine," I hear myself say, but immediately afterwards, everything goes black.
