Fate of the Dreamers

Chapter Ten - A Good Friend

The sun hid behind the clouds, but that didn't lessen the peace Lusi felt. The Namsan Outdoor Botanic Garden held a serenity that Lusi had been missing for a long time, and walking through it with Nie...well, it felt nice not being alone.

"The next thing to do is get you living without that hood covering your face," Nie said, tugging at the red hood Lusi wore whenever outside her apartment. Dread filled her stomach at the thought of walking around in the daylight where people could see her face, her vampire shimmer.

Lusi fervently shook her head. "No, thank you. If people saw me how I am—"

"They'd love you! Who cares if you're a vampire, Lusi?"

Her thoughts flashed back to standing frozen on the stage, cameras fixed on her, JYP taunting her...

"And besides, 'the outside appearance will only shine when the inside shines.'" Nie grinned, seemingly unaware of the bullet made of words she shot through Lusi.

That's what Lee Know said to me. "How do you know that?" Lusi shuddered, tucking strands of her brown hair behind her ear.

Shrugging, Nie grabbed Lusi's hand and started to pull her along the path and towards a boardwalk over water. "I've just heard it somewhere before. Now, are you ready?"

Lusi's hands trembled. She looked over the railing to see her reflection on the water, beams of light fighting their way through the clouds shining back to Lusi's eyes. "I don't understand why I need to do this."

A sigh left Nie's throat. "Look at it this way, Lusi," she began, joining her at the railing. "You felt good when you could be yourself around Stray Kids, around Lee Know, yeah?"

Lusi nodded.

"And you haven't felt good this past year, wallowing in grief and fatigue, hiding yourself away."

Exasperation filled Lusi's voice. "But I can't do anything about the dreams, Nie! Every night when I close my eyes that's all I see! It's JYP's face, and the world ending. How am I meant to feel good when I know all this—" she waved her arms out to the flowers and trees surrounding them, tears threatening to trickle down her cheeks, "—this is all going to turn into nothing?"

Nie stood for a moment, looking out over the water. "There must be something you need to do." She turned to face Lusi, her eyes wide in realisation. "There has to be a reason you're getting these dreams! JYP was scared of you back then, and now he's probably thinking he's defeated you."

Hope sparked in Lusi's heart, trying hard to overcome the empty darkness fighting against it. "And if I get over this—this depression, then I could...?"

Nie's hand gently rested on Lusi's shoulder. "Then you could catch him unawares, hit him where it hurts." Nie smirked. "And maybe even save the world. I don't know."

Hope won. Lusi smiled as she brought her hands up to her hood. She looked over the water, peace washing over her again. She pulled at her hood...then collapsed.

JYP hovered over the earth in the same way she had seen countless times before. At first, Lusi felt the usual terror forcing her heart to hammer and jump up to her throat. She closed her eyes. I'm here for a reason. JYP won't see me coming. She opened them to see JYP facing her, rage contorting his face.

Lusi blinked, and his face changed. He looked more...afraid, and his gaze wasn't directed at her. He was looking around her, behind her, beside her. Lusi turned her head. More people floated with her. One she recognised. Zoëy. Another had a greenish shirt on with brown hair, but the third was shrouded in shadow.

Lusi awoke on the wooden boardwalk, pushing up to get some sense of awareness. Grabbing the railing for support as she stood, she noticed Nie was missing. She called out, but she was met with no response. She followed the path, expecting to see Nie after each turn. Her pace increased to a run. Her brown hair bounced with each step, her eyes trying to spot Nie behind trees, bushes, on benches in the distance.

Finally out of breath, she stopped running and stared into the sky. Every moment that passed, Lusi noticed the grey of the clouds deepening. With one final shout of Nie's name, she fell to her knees in exhaustion.

"There you are!"

Lusi's relief left her lungs in a long breath. "Where did you go, Nie? Didn't you see me faint?"

"Faint?" Nie's eyebrows furrowed. "I just found a spot that was really nice for an Instagram post. I thought I told you..."

Lusi shook her head, and Nie knelt down beside her on the path. "Sorry, Lusi," she said. "I'll remember for next time." Lusi looked into her eyes and could tell she was sincere in her apology. A soft grin spread on Nie's lips. "It seems like I wasn't the only thing that left." She flicked the hood hanging behind Lusi's head.

Lusi gasped. She smiled, and soon began to laugh. She hadn't even realised. "Am I...?"

Nie nodded and stood, helping Lusi up too. "Let's go home."

Lee Know's words echoed in Lusi's mind as she walked back to her apartment with Nie. She couldn't wait to see him again. It had been a while though. Surely he would want to see her, too?