Memories | Sanjoong

34. Wake Up

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Dreams are as simple or as
complicated as the dreamer
*

"Hyunsik, I don't understand where you're taking me," San said, arms in front as he tried to navigate without being able to see. His eyes had been covered and he was being led by Hyunsik to an unknown destination.

"I promise you'll love it," he replied, keeping his hand firmly over San's eyes.

When they arrived, the light scent of pollen tickled San's nose and he grew even more excited about what was to come. After a couple more steps, they came to a halt.

"Can I look now?" San asked eagerly.

Hyunsik smiled and removed his hands and when San could see, he was met with a breath-taking view. The land in front of him stretched for miles on end. There were a mixture of both buildings that had been there for decades and buildings that were starting to move the country into a modern era. San turned around and to his surprise, his eyes fell on a field of daffodils. Their bright colour was almost blinding as it reflected off the shining sun.

"Where did you find this place?" He asked, awestruck.

"I've been searching for a place like this for a long time to make it a secret place that only we know of," Hyunsik admitted, heart thumping as he watched San's smile.

"Its so beautiful," San whispered.

"It is... and its ours," Hyunsik said. "If you like?"

"Of course! I love it. Thank you so much," San ran forward and hugged Hyunsik tightly. The two spent the rest of the day in the field. They chased each other, and made crowns out of forgotten weeds and daisies.

San was happy.

And then the colours faded into a single handful of daffodils in his hands. Though he wasn't surrounded by the field, San had brought some back with him to cherish his new hideaway. He opened the door to his cottage with the smile on his face never leaving.

"Where have you been?" A voice asked from the corner of the room. San turned and saw Hongsik sat in an armchair. He put his book aside and looked up at San expectantly. "S--- I asked you a question."

San's head ached. He didn't want to answer.

"I went on a hike and came across this beautiful field of flowers. I spent my day there before returning," San replied nonchalantly.

He set the flowers down on the table and left the room. He then returned with a pair of scissors. One by one, he cut the ends of stems and carefully placed the flowers in a vase by the windowsill. It already had a few lilies and tulips, but they were boring shades of white and ivory. As San played around with the flowers, arranging them to his liking, Hongsik watched him carefully.

"You look unusually happy," he said.

"I think its the colour," San said with another soft smile.

Finally he was satisfied with how the vase looked and put it back by the windowsill. He washed up and then returned, falling into Hongsik's arms. San sighed, tired from a long day.

"Where were you today S---?" Hongsik asked again.

"I told you already. I was hiking and-"

"You and I know both know that's not the full truth." San didn't say anything and Hongsik took it as an opportunity to continue. His voice became low and stern. "You were with my brother, weren't you?"

San looked up, but didn't find Hongsik looking at him like he usually does. "You know we are friends!"

"But you used to be more than that, didn't you?" He questioned bitterly. "And that bothers me."

"And I left him for you. How many times must I repeat myself for you to understand Hongsik."

San felt annoyed, so he pushed Hongsik's arms away and stood up, walking to his room. Suddenly the cottage turned into a field once again, only this time it wasn't bright with flowers. It was only a vast stretch of gloomy land. The clouds above swirled as if they were turning into tornadoes that would sweep San away.

Almost immediately the field became a restaurant. The lighting was cosy, golden and dim, like a candlelit dinner. San looked up from the plate to see a faceless man. Only this time, the faceless man wasn't the person that San identified as Hongsik. It was someone else with a completely different demeanour. His aura reminded San of someone else... and that someone else was Hyunsik. But why was he faceless now? Hadn't San already seen his face?

"You seem distracted," Hyunsik said, reaching over and taking San's hand. Instantly San moved his hand away and subconsciously looked around as if someone was watching them. "People won't worry about two men together. They're all minding their own businesses."

"That's not my concern," San said.

"If you say so," Hyunsik shrugged and then ate the food in front of him.

San looked around again at the surreal surroundings. Everyone really was looking down at their food rather than looking at him, but there was something strange about it. It was as though these people weren't moving - like they weren't even breathing. As San stared harder at the man on the next table, he was suddenly surprised with the man snapping his head in San's direction. He jumped, dropping his utensils on the ground with a loud, clattering sound that seemed endless.

Slowly the sound of cutlery hitting the ground was muffled and again. the scenery changed.

San was plunged into water. It was so sudden that he didn't have time to prepare himself. His eyes stung and his lungs burned. He felt hands around his wrists. Forcing his eyes open, San looked at his wrists but was met with restraints rather than hands. It was the same drowning nightmare all over again. He thrashed about but to no avail.

"San, San, San! Wake up!"
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Hello my loves!! I literally have no words to say how sorry I am. I know how long this book has been laying here. I just went back and spent any free time I had in the last three days reading the whole book because I missed writing it so much. This chapter is short, I know. It was one that I wrote months ago and it's a strange ending, but I wanted to post something and I think I like having a chapter solely on a dream. There might be more of those to come...

I don't have time like I used to but even if I take months, I'll always come back and I just want to say a huge thank you to those who have been super patient and supporting me - even though I must be super annoying with these slow updates

Does anyone know the hidden story of San's memories yet? Or why Mr. Park's son is important for San's search?

@MiNgk0