Strangely, it all started feeling like I was living inside TWSA. I saw Bihyung, the dokkaebi, speaking to us, announcing a scenario like it was the most normal thing. I wanted to scream, but my voice didn't come out. It was weird and terrifying, yet oddly… familiar. I knew it was a dream. It had to be. But it felt so real that even when I reminded myself it couldn't be happening, my heart still raced like it was.
The sky above us was dark, but not black. More like the color of storm clouds right before rain. The air felt charged with something I couldn't describe, like the whole world was waiting for something to start. Everyone was frozen, eyes wide, confused and scared. I turned to look for someone, anyone I knew, but before I could find a face, I felt something pulling me, like a thread was being yanked from inside my chest.
And just like that, I woke up.
It was 11 a.m.
Sooyoung was beside me, and she looked like she'd been worried for a long time. Her eyes were tired, and there was a towel on my forehead, damp and cold. My body was still burning up. I must've had a fever.
"Dokja! You didn't tell me you were sick!" Her voice was filled with concern. "I was calling you, but you didn't answer. I rang your bell so many times. I got really worried, so I… I came in using the spare key."
"I… I'm sorry, Sooyoung," I said slowly, still feeling dizzy. "I think I had a long dream. The same one I had yesterday, when I fainted. But this time… I remember everything."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "What kind of dream was it?"
"I was on the subway…" I began, and then I told her everything. The strange voice on the intercom. The people were panicking. The light. The email. The beeping noise. Bihyung. I told her everything, not leaving out a single detail. I expected her to laugh at me, or call me crazy, but she didn't.
She sat beside me quietly, listening. When I was done, she leaned forward and gently pressed her hand to my forehead again.
"Don't worry," she said. "It's probably just fever dreams. Your mind's tired. You've been through a lot lately."
"I guess…" I nodded, although the dream still felt too real. Like a memory, not just something my brain made up. "Sooyoung, would you mind writing an application to my office for me? Just saying I have a fever or something?"
"Of course," she smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'll handle it."
She stood up to grab her bag, probably to write it right away. "Also… are you hungry?"
"Kinda," I admitted.
"Then I'll make you something warm. You need to eat. No arguments."
And just like that, she started bustling around my kitchen like she belonged there. I tried to sit up more, but she turned around and told me to rest, so I didn't argue. I just stared at the ceiling, feeling weak and confused and safe, all at the same time.
.
.
.
By the time I ate the food she made, some simple porridge and tea. I felt a little better. Not completely, but enough to walk to the window and look out at the streets. Everything was normal. Cars moved. People walked. The sky was cloudy, but not threatening. A usual day in Seoul. And yet, nothing felt usual to me.
"Are you okay now?" she asked softly.
"Yeah… thanks."
She picked up the towel from the table and folded it neatly. "You don't have to thank me, you know."
"I know," I said, quietly. "But I want to."
She didn't respond to that. Just walked to the door and turned around before leaving.
"Rest well, Dokja. Don't think too much about those dreams."
But how could I not? They felt like warnings. Like something big was coming.
.
.
.
That night, I couldn't sleep again.
I stayed in bed, tossing and turning, wondering if I'd see the same dream again. And I did.
But this time, it was different.
I was back in the subway, but there were fewer people this time. Yoo Sangah was there again, sitting across from me. She looked worried, like she wanted to say something.
But before she could, i did
"Let's get out everyone"
We got out, the world looked dark, we were greeted by the dokkaebi again, telling us about the scenario about escaping the subway using a bridge. We successfully got out. Then I heard footsteps echoing behind me. Something inhuman was approaching. I looked there. This time the dream extended till I met yoo joonghyuk at the bridge
The world went black again.
.
.
.
I woke up with my heart pounding so loud it echoed in my ears.
The time was 4:38 a.m.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes, then held my chest. I felt like I had just run a marathon. My whole body was sweating, and yet I felt cold. The air in my room felt thin, like I couldn't get enough oxygen no matter how deep I breathed.
Was this still a fever dream?
Or was something really happening?
I stood up slowly and walked to the kitchen to get some water. My legs were weak, but I managed.
After drinking, I stared at my phone screen again. No new messages. Just the same ones from before. From tls123.
I read them again.
Every word.
It all made sense in the dream. But now it just looked strange. Off. Han Sooyoung would never say those things… not like that. And if it wasn't her, then who was using her account? The messages in reality aren't same as the dream.
Or…
What if it was her?
What if she was just trying to protect me from something?
Was the competition she mentioned even real?
What was the "gift" she talked about? Was it the mail i forgot to open in my dream? It was so weird my mind was going more towards the dreams than the reality. Why do I feel like my dream is more important than reality.
And why did I feel like the end of her story was tied to the beginning of mine?
.
.
.
I waited until the sun came up before messaging her.
– Kim Dokja: Good morning. Thank you for yesterday. I'm feeling a little better now.
She replied instantly.
– Han Sooyoung: Good. I'm glad. Don't ignore me like that again, or I'll show up with hot soup and drama DVDs.
I smiled at the screen. That sounded more like her.
But I still had questions.
Big ones.
I just didn't know when or how to ask them.
Not yet.
So for now, I typed something simple.
– Kim Dokja: Thanks. You're a good person, Sooyoung.
Her reply took a few minutes.
– Han Sooyoung: Don't say weird stuff this early in the morning.
I laughed quietly.
Even if the world was turning strange…
At least some things still made sense.
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