Dream (Ambition)

THE BEGINNING OF THE UNTITLED PAST

"If a person acts kind and good to everyone, then do you really think that person is kind?"

The question echoed in Tara's mind as the new year began. It was her first day of high school, and she was brimming with anticipation, yet something felt off.

She sat on the edge of her bed, getting ready for the year ahead, but as she gazed into the mirror, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was forgetting something important. Something that was buried deep within her—connected to a dream, a haunting dream.

"My first dream came true when I was just nine," she reflected. "I thought it was a coincidence at first, but over time, I realized something unsettling—my dreams weren't the ones I wanted. They became reality... but not the way I imagined. They came randomly, without warning."

Tara took a deep breath as she approached her new school. Among the sea of unfamiliar faces, she spotted someone she hadn't expected. Lily—her best friend from middle school—was there, smiling widely as she waved. It felt like a small piece of comfort in the vastness of the unknown. They shared a laugh, and for a moment, everything seemed normal.

Then, a boy entered the room. His name was Kim Oh Jun. Tara's heart skipped a beat when she saw him. A flash of recognition hit her like a wave, but she couldn't place where she had seen him before. The images were hazy, like something buried deep in her mind. But there he was—his face was too familiar.

Lily, standing next to her, froze. Her eyes widened, shock plastered across her face. Tara couldn't understand why. And then, it hit her. He was in her dream.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class, but Tara's mind was still racing, trying to piece together what she had seen. Oh Jun's eyes met hers for a moment, both of them looking equally startled.

The day passed in a blur. The school was supposed to hold its annual festival, but due to safety concerns, the principal had canceled it. The reason? Students were being murdered, a fact that seemed to cast a shadow over everything. The news only deepened the unsettling feeling in Tara's gut.

The class elections came next. Lily and Tara were the only ones to raise their hands for president and vice president, so it was decided. As Tara took her place, Oh Jun muttered softly, "So your name is Tara now..." His tone was cryptic, as though it held some deeper meaning. Tara shivered but tried to brush it off.

When school ended, Lily wanted to go to the arcade, but Tara felt a strange pull in her chest—something she couldn't ignore. "I have to go," she said quickly, turning away. Lily, visibly worried, didn't want to let her friend go alone. Recently, a string of murders had left the town on edge.

But Tara insisted. She needed to go.

As she walked home, a familiar figure caught her attention. Oh Jun. But this time, he wasn't alone. He was talking to a group of strange-looking people. Tara hesitated, wondering if this was the key to unlocking the fragments of her dream. But no memories surfaced. Only a deep feeling of unease.

Suddenly, as she turned to leave, she heard his voice, soft but clear, "We meet again. I hope you've been fine. You've changed a lot. Will I be able to help this time?" The words sent a chill down her spine.The evening unfolded in a way that Tara couldn't have predicted. 

(The next morning)

A girl was running frantically, her face twisted in fear. She approached a figure—a boy drenched in blood. The sight was enough to stop Tara's heart. She watched, frozen, as the girl reached him.

"Lee Sung... What happened?" the girl gasped.

But as she drew closer, the boy whispered something to her. His words were barely audible, but then—without warning—blood sprayed across her face. Tara gasped, her breath catching in her throat. The vision shattered, replaced by the horrifying reality that this could be her future.

"No!" Tara screamed.

Tara jolted awake, her body drenched in sweat, her heart racing. Her mother rushed into her room, alarmed by her daughter's distress. Tara's voice trembled, but she kept murmuring, "Lee Sung... Will he die?"

Her mother, confused and alarmed, asked, "What are you talking about, Tara? Did you have a bad dream?"

But Tara couldn't explain. The vision felt so real, and the name—Lee Sung—hung in the air like a death sentence. Was it a warning? Or just another one of those dreams that had a way of creeping into her waking life?

As Tara walked to school the next morning, she couldn't escape the feeling that something dark was coming. This was the first dream that had left her so shaken. It felt like a premonition, one she couldn't ignore. She had to find out who Lee Sung was. She had to stop what was coming.

As she walked down the hallway at school, lost in thought, someone suddenly called her name.

"Tara!"

She turned, expecting to see Lily—but instead, a guy she didn't recognize stood in front of her. His eyes were familiar, but the name escaped her.

"Who are you?" Tara asked, her voice shaky.

The boy grinned, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "You don't remember me? It's me, Ara."

Tara stared at him in disbelief before slapping him playfully across the head. "Don't call me that," she muttered.

But the encounter was short-lived. Tara quickly told Ara about her dream, about Lee Sung, and his expression changed.

"Lee Sung?" he repeated, clearly startled. "You know not all of your dreams come true, right?"

Tara forced a nervous laugh. But deep inside, a sense of dread gnawed at her. She couldn't shake the feeling that her dream was more than just a nightmare. It was a warning.

Later, as Tara entered the school restroom, she glanced into the mirror. Something caught her eye on the floor—something dark. She bent down to pick it up. That's when she saw it: the door of a stall was slightly ajar, and inside was a figure—bloody, motionless.

"Ah!" Tara screamed, stumbling backward. Her hands shook as she looked down at them. Blood. It was on her hands. She wiped them frantically, trying to get rid of it, but the blood wouldn't disappear.

Her vision blurred, and in the haze, she saw the shadow of the figure—a face half-covered in blood. Tara's breathing became shallow, her mind spiraling into panic. Was this her dream coming true? Was this the moment she had been warned about?

As the room spun, she felt herself collapsing. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was the silhouette of people rushing toward her. The words tumbled from her lips over and over, "Blood... I have blood on my hands..."