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Chapter 2: Whispers of the Wind

Dayu couldn't shake off the dream from the night before. It was as if the stranger had imprinted himself in Dayu's mind and heart, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't forget the feeling of being with him.

The next night, Dayu found himself back on the beach, surrounded by several wind turbines that hummed with a soothing melody. He saw a sign at the end of the pathway in front of him - it was called "Zephyr Bay."

Dayu was wearing his school uniform, and so was the stranger. They ran towards the water, screaming something that Dayu couldn't quite make out. But it didn't matter, because they were both happy and carefree at that moment.

They played in the water, splashing and laughing, and Dayu felt like he was experiencing a joy that he had never felt before. As the sun began to set, they built a tent and started a fire to keep themselves warm.

Yet, as they sat by the fire, Dayu's heart began to race once more, his mind swirling with doubts and fears. Sensing his distress, the stranger reached out and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, the touch imbuing a sense of calm within Dayu's frenzied mind. "Let it be," the stranger said softly. "We'll face it when we get there." The reassurance in the stranger's voice gave Dayu a sense of peace, and he leaned into the embrace, grateful for the comfort.

As Dayu leaned into the embrace, he felt the stranger's hand move from his shoulder to the back of his neck, pulling him in closer. Then, the stranger's lips met his in a slow and warm kiss, filling Dayu with a sense of comfort and safety. For a moment, nothing else in the world mattered except the warmth of the stranger's embrace and the softness of his lips.

Dayu woke up, his heart pounding, and he realized that he was clutching his pillow tightly. The dream was so real he could feel the warmth of the stranger's lips on his. He lay back down, trying to catch his breath and slow down his racing heart.

"What is happening to me?" Dayu whispered to himself, his voice trembling with emotion. 

Dayu couldn't shake off the dream from his mind, no matter how hard he tried. It was as if he had been transported to another world where everything felt so vivid and real. The sand was warm and soft under his feet; the sea breeze was cold and refreshing on his skin. The waves crashing against the shore and the hum of the wind turbines were too real to be a dream.

But what stood out the most to Dayu was the feeling of being with the stranger.

"How can someone I have never met before have such a profound effect on me? Is it possible that we have met before, at a different time or place? Or is this all just a figment of my imagination?" He shook his head, feeling lost and confused, unsure what to make of the intense feelings that had taken root in his heart.

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As the 2-day conference drew to a close, Dayu couldn't wait to return home. Despite the excitement of meeting new people and learning new things, he felt drained and downcasted. Upon arriving home in the late afternoon, Dayu decided to head straight to work to distract himself from his thoughts.

As the hours ticked by, Dayu found himself longing for a break. He yearned for the comfort of a warm cup of coffee and the company of a good friend. So when Sarah, his colleague and trusted friend, suggested they meet up at a cutting-edge coffee house that had just opened up in the heart of the city's newest urban park, Dayu eagerly agreed.

The café, called "The Forest's Edge," was designed to make patrons feel like they were sipping coffee in the midst of a lush forest. The walls were adorned with greenery, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the earthy aroma of the surrounding trees.