Distant Dreams

A Chance Dream 1

Lee Felix sighed as he unlocked his door and let himself into his apartment. He could smell the grease and the fast food smells from his shift at Macca's and wrinkled his nose. He saw his roommate had left his dishes in the sink again. He sighed again and dragged himself over to do the dishes. His mind wandered as he scrubbed the dishes clean. He had been so sure his life was going to be better than this. He was 21 years old and all his dreams had come crashing down. He had dreamed of dancing and singing since he was a little boy but Australia had limited options that hadn't panned out for him. He had tried but he couldn't seem to break into anything in the entertainment industry. He took dancing classes in the mornings but though he loved to dance he felt like something was missing. He finally finished the dishes and grabbed a glass of water, not really hungry with the smell of the fast food wafting off him making him nauseated. He exhaustedly dragged himself to his room and looked longingly at his bed but went into the bathroom instead and turned on the hot water. Steam began to fill the room and he disrobed and threw his clothes into the hamper. He got into the shower and scrubbed the smell of the fast food off himself. When he got out he brushed his teeth and finally threw himself across his bed, pulling his comforter over him a bit. Felix fell asleep pretty quickly.

He looked around at a bedroom that was completely unfamiliar to him. The TV was going softly throwing a glow onto a bed where someone lay, shivering slightly and blankets tangled down by a pair of slim long legs. Felix froze realizing he was not alone. "Chhhan Hyunnng." The voice chattered from the bed. It was the most melodic voice Felix had ever heard in his life. He had no idea who Chan Hyung. He said something in another language and then the man shivered hard. Felix figured as weird as the dream was, maybe he could at least pull the blanket up over the man. He made his way to the bed and gently moved the man aside a bit and straightened the blanket and tucked it in around the man. The man blinked up at him, eyes hazy with fever. Beautiful Korean features blinked up at him in confusion, long pink hair sticking to his face. The man said something something questioningly but Felix just shook his head.

"I don't speak whatever that is." He said apologetically.

"English?" The man finally asked.

"Yes!" Felix said with a smile and a nod. "I speak English. Do you?"

"Little." The man answered. "Why here?"

"I don't know." Felix answered. "I fell asleep and now I'm here. I'm Lee Felix but everyone calls me Felix."

"Hwang Hyunjin."

"Hwang?"

"Hyunjin."

"Nice to meet you." Felix grinned at him. Hyunjin blinked up at him. This boy had the face of an angel, his nose dusted with freckles and a slim body. He had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life but he was just a dream so of course he didn't actually exist. He shivered again. "You must be sick." Felix said and that small boned hand reached out to touch his forehead gently. The boy's hand felt warm against him and he sighed with the relief it provided just for that gentle touch. "Oh no, you are burning up. You must be really sick." The man on the bed nodded. "I wish I could help you somehow. Do you want your phone to call Chan Hyung, whoever that is?"

"No." Hyunjin said and broke into a fit of coughing. "Medicine." He gestured toward a doorway. Felix walked over and felt around, turning on the light. He saw a shelf of medication and grabbed what looked like tylenol and found a cup to fill with some water. He brought them out to Hyunjin. He watched as the man took the medicine and then put everything back where he had found it. He came back out and straightened the blanket back out and tucked it in around the other man. He looked around anxiously, unsure how to wake from his dream so the other man could be alone. Instead, Hyunjin reached a hand out and caught Felix's. "Don't go. Sit, talk." Felix hesitated and sat on the edge of the bed. He supposed sitting and talking to this stranger who would understand little was as good a way to wake up as any.

He began to talk and tell the other man all about himself. He hesitated a bit at first but seeing the other man relaxing and beginning to drift off to sleep, he quit really caring what was said. He started telling him how unhappy he had been in his life lately. He poured out his soul to this sleeping man. "My roommate Will doesn't clean up after himself at all so after dance class this morning, and working a long day, I still had to do his dishes and clean when I got home. It drives me crazy. I suppose I could move back in with my parents but that feels like a step back. I just feel so lost lately and so alone. I want someone to talk to and hold me or me hold them. I'm not picky. I haven't dated anyone in so long. I don't know why I'm talking to a dream guy with a fever but here we are."

He finally ran out of things to say and just sat looking at him. He wondered what the man would look like when he wasn't sick. He was beautiful, even shivering in fever. He had a freckle just below an eye and it was the cutest thing. He felt warmth spreading through his tummy as he looked at the man sleeping next to him. He realized that even though Hyunjin was asleep, he had not let go of Felix's hand and he smiled softly. He ran his thumb comfortingly across the man's hand. He was so tired so he lay down next to him, never letting go of the man's hand. His eyes drifted closed and he sighed softly as he fell asleep next to this stranger and enjoyed the feeling of being next to another person. It may be just a dream, but it was the most comfort he had had in months.