𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 & 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 ᶻ 𝘇 𐰁 [ꜱᴇᴏᴋꜱᴏᴏ]

14: 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢

⸻ ᶻ 𝘇 𐰁 ⸻

The night had settled in, giving a quiet darkness over Seokmin's room. The only light came from the small lamp on his bedside table, giving a warm glow that barely reached the corners of the room. Seokmin lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, his heart heavy with anxiety. The memory of his last dream still haunted him, and the thought of falling asleep again made him uneasy.

With a shaky breath, he reached for his phone on the nightstand and dialed Minghao's number. The ringing seemed to stretch on forever before Minghao's sleepy voice finally came through.

❝Seokmin?❞ Minghao mumbled, the sound of rustling sheets indicating he was likely still in bed. ❝What's up? It's late.❞

Seokmin hesitated for a moment, his fingers gripping the phone tightly. He felt a bit silly for calling, but he couldn't shake the nervousness that had settled in his chest. ❝Minghao, I... I'm scared to go to sleep,❞ Seokmin confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. ❝What if I have another dream about Joshua?❞

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Seokmin could almost imagine Minghao sitting up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he processed what Seokmin had said. When Minghao finally spoke, his voice was calm and reassuring.

❝Seokmin, listen to me,❞ Minghao began softly. ❝It's just a dream. I know it feels real, but it's not. You're in control of your own mind. Just because you had that dream once doesn't mean it's going to happen again.❞

❝But what if it does?❞ Seokmin pressed, his voice trembling slightly. ❝It's like... I can't stop thinking about him, even when I'm asleep. It's messing with my head, Hao.❞

Minghao sighed, the sound filled with sympathy. ❝I get it, Seokmin. I really do. But you can't let this fear take over. The more you worry about it, the more likely it is to happen. Try to focus on something else before you fall asleep-think about something that makes you happy, something that calms you.❞

Seokmin closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing as he listened to Minghao's advice. ❝I'll try,❞ he murmured, though the doubt in his voice was still evident.

❝You'll be fine,❞ Minghao assured him. ❝And if you do have another dream about Joshua, remember that it's just your subconscious playing tricks on you. It doesn't mean anything. You're strong enough to handle this.❞

Seokmin nodded to himself, feeling a small sense of comfort in Minghao's words. ❝Thanks, Hao. I just... I really needed to hear that.❞

❝Anytime,❞ Minghao replied, his voice warm with affection. ❝But now, you should get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning, I promise.❞

Seokmin managed a small smile, the tightness in his chest easing slightly. ❝You're right. I'll try to sleep.❞

❝Good,❞ Minghao said, the smile in his voice evident even through the phone. ❝And hey, if you need to talk again, just call me. I'm here for you, okay?❞

❝Okay,❞ Seokmin agreed, his voice softening with gratitude. ❝Goodnight, Hao.❞

❝Goodnight, Seokmin,❞ Minghao responded, just as another voice, slightly muffled, called out in the background. ❝Jun's calling me to cuddle, so I'll talk to you later. Sweet dreams.❞

Seokmin couldn't help but chuckle at that. ❝Tell Jun I said hi. And enjoy your cuddle session.❞

❝I will,❞ Minghao said with a light laugh. ❝Take care, Seokmin. Bye.❞

❝Bye,❞ Seokmin echoed before ending the call.

For a while, Seokmin just sat there in the quiet of his room, the phone still clutched in his hand. Minghao's words had helped, but the anxiety still lingered at the edges of his mind. He placed his phone back on the nightstand and lay down, pulling the covers up to his chin. The warmth of the blanket was comforting, but his thoughts were still a whirl of uncertainty.

He took a deep breath and tried to do as Minghao had suggested-focus on something else, something calming. He thought about the times he spent with his friends, the laughter they shared, the little moments of joy that made life bright. He thought about the way Minghao and Jun fit so perfectly together, and how their happiness always seemed to radiate to everyone around them.

But as his eyes grew heavier, despite his efforts, his thoughts drifted back to Joshua. The way Joshua smiled, the warmth of his presence, the easy way they connected as friends. And then, unbidden, the memory of that dream resurfaced-the feel of Joshua's hands, the way he looked at Seokmin with something more than friendship in his eyes.

Seokmin's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly tried to push the thought away, focusing instead on the steady rhythm of his breathing. ❝Please,❞ he whispered to the darkness, ❝just let me have a peaceful dream this time.❞

With that final plea, Seokmin closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would bring him the rest he desperately needed, and not the confusing, heart-wrenching dreams that had been haunting him.

He drifted off, clinging to the hope that this time, the dreams might be different-that maybe, just maybe, he would find solace in his dreams rather than turmoil.

⸻ ᶻ 𝘇 𐰁
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[Unedited]