Uncover

27.

"No!"

"Go find your father!"

"I won't! I don't want to leave you, why can't you come with us!?"

"Eun, my sweetie, take your brother and run. Please."

"We can't-"

"Remember, I love you both a lot... "

"Eomma! NO!"

Jieun jolted awake, breath heavy and sweat dripping from her brow. What was that? A dream... or...? Blinking her eyes rapidly, she thought.

"Jieun? You okay?"

Jieun turned her head and looked up. Standing in front of her was Renjun. His face, ever so inanimate. Jieun was so dazed that she couldn't process Renjun was holding out a can of cold coffee for her.

"Jieun." Renjun voiced more sternly. Jieun blinked a few times. "Is this real? Or am I dreaming again?"

Renjun stared. Then pressed the cold can to her cheeks. Jieun jolted at the sudden cold contact. "What the- Hey!"

"Should I be happy to know you see me in your dreams?"

Jieun lightly smacked his shoulder. Internally, she was grateful to Renjun for not leaving her alone especially with her thoughts, but she masked it with a teasing smile. "You really are awkward at comforting people." 

With the ghost of a smile gracing his lips, Renjun pushed the can in her hands as he sat down beside her. "Bad dream?"

Jieun let out a defeated sigh. "It was so weird and freaky. Don't know what it was but it felt familiar and that's what scaring me the most." 

Renjun slowly nodded. "Familiar in what sense?"

Grabbing the cold coffee can as close to her as possible, Jieun tightly shut her eyes. "That's it. I... don't know. In the dream, I was crying out to someone and that woman..." Jieun stopped, thinking hard. Renjun watched her keenly. Despite the impulse to know what was troubling her, he didn't push her to continue, understanding that she needed time and space. 

"Don't push yourself so hard."

Jieun opened her eyes and turned to look at him. Meeting her eyes, Renjun felt embarrassed on being caught staring at her, so he instantly turned away and stared intensely at the bulletin board on the opposite wall. 

"But I want to know. That woman... I can feel that I know her. And she called me Eun. In the dream, she told me to find my brother, means she was referring to Jisung. So that means this woman, whoever she is, knows both of us. So why can't I-"

"Breathe Eun." Renjun had placed a hand on her shoulder but had now retracted it, realising that it could make the girl feel uncomfortable. "Whatever it is, we'll figure out later. Right now, you are as it is worried because of Bomin. Don't stress yourself more."

At the mention of Bomin, as if something clicked inside Jieun's head, she jolted up from her chair. "Bomin! Oh my God! How- how's he now? Did the doctor come out?" Jieun covered her mouth as her sobs threatened to become vocal. "I am the worst friend ever! Bomin's life is in danger because of me... Jisoo... God knows the amount of pain she must be feeling right now and yet here I am sleeping and worrying about dreams!? Pathetic! Selfi-" 

"Hey, hey." Renjun grabbed hold of her arm. "Jieun, look at me." Jieun refused and continued to hurl insults at herself. Frustrated, he grabbed hold of her shoulder with his free hand and forcibly made her sit down on the chairs. "Park Jieun, listen to me!"