Chapter 2: Glimpses in the Real World/Lanterns

The next day, the man appeared in his dream, except he didn’t seem to remember Jaejoong.

Jaejoong had waited on the same spot as yesterday, but he didn’t show. After a while, he decided to explore the city, now that it wasn’t as depressing. He found the man standing outside a cafe.

Jaejoong bounced over, and waved a hand in front of him. He jumped, and looked around. The mystery man looked up, and beside himself, never taking notice of him. Jaejoong stood there, watching with big eyes as the tall man continued to observe his surroundings until he couldn’t take it anymore. “Hello!”

Unfortunately, it spooked him, and he disappeared.

Jaejoong also woke up, and painted the scene, giggling to himself every now and then as he remembered the details.

Jaejoong met the mystery man not the next day, but the day after that.

He checked the rooftop, not exactly expecting him there. When he wasn’t, Jaejoong checked the cafe. He wasn’t there either. Perplexed, he searched the city.

He knew he was running out of time. Time, time time. Jaejoong gave up and sighed as he turned to a random passerby. “Where’s my mystery man?”

The stranger did not speak, instead pointing down an alley. Jaejoong tilted his head, staring at the trail of light specks. That was new.

He followed the trail, until he spotted his mystery man in front of an empty building. Upon closer inspection, it was a wrecked dance studio. The man stared through the window, a solemn look on his face. Jaejoong stood a few feet away with furrowed eyebrows as he continued to stare at the man. He seemed more dull than before.

Jaejoong was caught off guard when his mystery man turned to him. That never happened. Jaejoong smiled, and waved, but the man just stared at him, before gasping and poofing away. 

Jaejoong’s eyes fluttered open. He had no want to paint the scene he had just witnessed. A sad man staring through the window at something he can’t have. With a sigh and a groan, he dragged himself out from the warmth of the covers and headed to his easel.

Jaejoong wandered the city the next night, not bothering to check the previous places. It was going to become a habit to him that he knew wasn’t true. This man never visited past places.

Jaejoong found his mystery man in a laundromat. He was behind the glass pane, head bobbing up and down. Jaejoong smirked, laughing to himself as he witnessed his mystery man sleep in a dream, and tiptoed into the shop. He didn’t get far, and the man woke up to stare straight at him.

It unsettled him, and Jaejoong stopped tip toeing. He felt better than before though, and seemed to be warmer. Jaejoong took a chance, and smiled at him. The man continued to stare. Hope rose in him, and Jaejoong took a step, then another step, and even another until he was sitting right next to his mystery man.

The man kept his arms cross, staring at him. Jaejoong saw many things in his eyes. Wonder. Amazement. Curiosity. Confusion.

Jaejoong held out his hand. “I’m Jaejoong.”

The man stared at him, confused, before loosening himself, and shaking his hand. “Yunho.”

That’s strange. Characters in his dream don’t usually give themselves names. Especially names that he had never heard before.

He had no time to ask, however, and his mystery man who deemed himself Yunho disappeared.

The next night, once Jaejoong had found Yunho, he gained lucidity. Everything was easier with him around, especially his control over his dreams. Jaejoong smiled and waved at Yunho, who had already found him.

Yunho unfolded his arms, and stroked his nonexistent facial hair. “Very interesting. You seem to have a mind of your own.”

Jaejoong laughed. “Well, you’re not exactly dream material either.” Yunho tilted his head, crossing his arms again, as Jaejoong leaned on his heels. “Do you wanna walk around this city?”

Yunho nodded, and held out his hand. Jaejoong blinked, staring at the hand, then his face. Yunho only stared, as if this was normal, and flexed his fingers. Characters in his dream never asked him to do things.

Carefully, Jaejoong took his hand, and they walked side by side on the sidewalk. Just as Jaejoong suspected, wherever they went, people formed, cars drove and buildings gained their color. Yunho breathed life in their dream, everywhere he went.

And it was nice like that. Just walking, with the occasional question about each other. Age, birthday, favorite color--the small things. Soon the city was filled with sounds. Children screaming, cars honking, dogs barking. Yunho made it that way, and Jaejoong could only look up at stare at the man who ran into his life.

However time was running out, fast. Jaejoong halted, still holding on to Yunho. The man turned around, confused. He needed to wake up, so he wouldn’t be late for work. Jaejoong licked his lips, and turned to Yunho. “I need to go now. Find me tomorrow in the park, okay?”

The next night was a week after they had met. Jaejoong had found his mystery man sitting on a bench in the park. He was still a mystery man, because Jaejoong had a sliver of a thought that he just not be a dream character after all. 

Yunho swung his legs, staring at a tree a far ways off in front of him. It was plain, and still growing it’s leaves. Summer was coming up, so hopefully it could become thicker then.

Jaejoong took a snapshot before sitting next to him, noticing how Yunho stared at him again. There was still that curiosity, but now there was also something more that he couldn’t quite place. “Hello.”

Yunho smiled for the first time since he had met him, and all the wind was knocked out of him. He couldn’t help but smile back. Wanting to capture his warmth, and give some of his own.

Ever since he met Yunho, everything around him became better. Even seemingly small things reminded him of his mystery man, and things automatically looked brighter. His entire day became his best day when things reminded him of Yunho.

Jaejoong bit his lip, and reach out to him. Yunho took his hand, wrapping his warm hands around his fingers, just like he thought he would. “I have an idea.”

Yunho looked at him as he pulled the other up, and the two walked over to the tree. Reluctantly, Jaejoong let go of his hand, and cupped them together. Materializing above them, was a lantern. Jaejoong smiled, excited it had worked for the first time. He let it float up, and hook itself on the tree, then looked at Yunho with that same smile.

Yunho understood, and tried mimicking the same. “Like...this…?” A lantern materialized just like Jaejoong’s had, and floated onto another branch.

Jaejoong nodded, getting himself a string of lanterns this time. “Lets light up the city!” The string of lanterns wrapped itself around a different branch as the two of them made more lanterns. 

By the time it was time to go, they had lit the entire city. The two worked their way from small to big. In small alleys with many shops, they strung lanterns across the tops between the walls. Houses and apartments had their porch lights on. They made light posts along the city, and through the park. Billboards and flashing neon signs appeared from nowhere.

Each nook and cranny of their city held Yunho’s warmth. Every place was safe, and well lit by the time Jaejoong had to go.

A month passed. They celebrated his, and Yunho’s birthday. Even though Yunho’s birthday was close, that was what confirmed it for him: Yunho was real. All of his dream characters celebrate their birthday on the same day as it.

Someone, somehow, made it into his mind. He wasn’t even man. There was a certain safeness around Yunho that made Jaejoong like him. They made an entirely dull city come to life. He never told his mystery man though.

 Soon, Jaejoong began to tire of the city. He lived in one, why must he dream of them, too?

“Yunho?” Jaejoong turned to head, seeing, Yunho already looking at him.

“Hm?”

“Why don’t we head someplace else in the world?” Jaejoong furrowed his eyebrows, gauging his reaction. Yunho looked at him, eyes always staring intently at him, as if whatever Jaejoong had to say was the most important thing in the world. Jaejoong knew it was selfish, but he liked it that way. He knew the other was listening. 

“What do you have in mind?”

Jaejoong propped up his elbows on the grass and stared at the clouds as they passed by. In their month together, they figured out how to make it daytime. They were still working on weather, though. “Maybe we can go to Los Angeles? Or maybe Paris?” Jaejoong glanced at Yunho.

One look from each other, and they both beamed. The sound of his heartbeat quickening pounded in his ears as his entire body became a nervous wreck. Yunho’s smile always did that to him. It always made him get nervous, and sweaty, even though he shouldn’t since it was just a dream.

Yunho nodded, still smiling at him. “We can go to LA next time. And after that, Paris.”

Jaejoong nodded, staring back at the clouds. “Maybe we can travel the world?” That question got no response from the other.

The quietness became slightly awkward, as Jaejoong thought what he had said was wrong. Maybe Yunho didn’t want to travel the world with him. Maybe Yunho just wanted to stay in the city. After all, he was real, with real wants.

Jaejoong took it back, afraid he was asking for too much. “Uh, but, we can stay in our city. If you want, of course.”

Yunho shook his head this time, quick to disagree. “No, no. I would love to travel with you.” Jaejoong sighed a relief, snuggling into his mystery man’s arm. Maybe he did make Yunho uncomfortable by suggesting that, but the man is good at hiding his feelings. Jaejoong let it slide this time.

Within the next week, they went to Los Angeles, and then Paris, just like Jaejoong wanted. They were in Paris when he realized he has feelings for Yunho. They were sitting in a french cafe, by the window, drinking dream mocha. The sunlight his Yunho’s face just perfectly, so he glowed as he stared at him. Thinking back on it in real life, Jaejoong blushed to himself at the corniness he had created.

The man is real, what’s stopping him?

Just the fact that finding him in real life was a slim to none chance. He didn’t actually mind if they became “together” from their dreams. Jaejoong could deal with it. They could do all the things couples could do, and more. Just not physically.

Then they went to Venice, Prague, London, Rio, and Bora Bora. Jaejoong had painted each snapshot he took, refusing himself breakfast until he was done. Some days he would go an entire day without eating. His stomach was angry at him on those days, often having to get up to take a shit. Other days, it would only take a couple of hours.

Jaejoong thought of Yunho every day.

Why he made his heart flutter, and his palms sweaty and jittery. How seeing his face would brighten his whole dream, and his voice would calm any fears he had. Why the very thought of the other sent him over the edge. Why he craved to touch him. Why he desperately wanted to go back to sleep so they can meet again. He was addicted to sleep. Sleep was were Yunho was.

Hugs were the best. When Yunho first hugged Jaejoong, he felt like his entire body was on fire from the warmth Yunho gave off. He felt protected, and safe. Like nothing could hurt him. His friend, Yoochun, said the day when Yunho hugged him: “You look like you had a nice sleep for once.”

Over the next month, Jaejoong had begun to spot the other in real life.

The first time, he only saw a glimpse of the back of his head. Jaejoong dismissed it, thinking that anyone could have the exact time hair color and style as Yunho. But then he saw him again, at a restaurant. Jaejoong was heading in, and Yunho was walking out, sunglasses and a hat on.

 It took a moment to register that Jaejoong had just seen the man from his dreams. This time he knew, even though most of his face was covered, but it was too late by then. Yunho was already out the door and lost to the crowd.. His entire day was thrown off after that, and his eyes began searching everywhere for the next place he'll spot the other.

The next time, Jaejoong was walking down the sidewalk when he spotted the back of Yunho’s head again. The same head he spent months looking in dreamland, and spotted once in real life. His mystery man was waiting at the crosswalk, however by the time Jaejoong had caught up, he had lost him again to the crowds.

Every time Jaejoong would spot the man, he would be either too slow, or he would trip over something and lose him. A month passed by, and he grew more and more frustrated, slowly convincing himself that Yunho wasn’t actually real. That the man he kept seeing in real life was just a figment of his imagination, and his brain was playing tricks on him. 

One day he realised he was losing his sanity.

Angry at himself for realizing his dreamland was better than his real life, he began picking fights with Yunho in dreamland. Petty things, like “Was that lantern there before?” and “Stop making it rain.” and “Stop picking on me.”  Jaejoong was determined to get him to go away, himself upset that he couldn’t have him. Jaejoong thought he could handle being dream couples, but in the end it just made him a danger to himself.

It worked. Yunho left at the beginning of the month, and didn’t reappear until the end of it.

Yunho  took the warmth that drove Jaejoong’s dreams, and left a dark emptiness. The paintings stopped, and Jaejoong secluded himself. Staying up for as long as he could and then passing out. He wanted to see Yunho’s brown hair, but his stubbornness wouldn’t allow it. It just couldn’t see the man again.

To pay the bills, Jaejoong worked odd jobs his friends gave him. It was mostly Junsu.

“Hey, Jaejoong?” Jaejoong looked up from the fax machine, his dead eyes taking their time to adjust to new input. It was Junsu, holding out some papers. Jaejoong took in a deep breath, and reach out to take them. He missed, and instead his body leaned a little forward. “Whoa there!” Junsu caught him before he completely fell.

Jaejoong took a deep breath and placed his hand on the fax machine as he gathered the energy to hold himself up. “After you take these papers to the office across the street, why don’t you go home and sleep, okay?” Junsu looked at him, his hands on Jaejoong’s shoulders holding him up.

Jaejoong nodded and took the papers, not even sure about what he just said. His body seemed to remember, and made it across the street okay. He even got inside the lobby just fine, after bumping into the glass doors.

That’s when he saw him.

That’s when he saw Yunho.

The man was sitting as the front desk receptionist, typing away with a pair of glasses on him Jaejoong had never seen on him before. Jaejoong stood in front of the door and stared, completely surprised that Yunho was real. 

He rubbed his eyes, making sure he was real, and an indescribable feeling washed over him when he figured he was. If he wasn’t awake before, he was now. A mix of emotions swirled inside of him: Excited, frustrated, enraged, apologetic.

“Can I help you?” That was the voice of someone who went through an entire day dealing with shitty customers, and hadn’t even had their lunch break yet.

Jaejoong jumped, realising he was staring. He didn’t even know what to say. I’m sorry I argued with you, why haven’t you appear in my dreams lately? Can you come back? Do you even remember me? We can go back to the city if you’re still angry. Instead, Jaejoong’s mouth just opened and closed like a fish, still shocked that the man from his dreams was an actual person.

“Hello? Do you need something?” The irritated tone in his voice was what snapped him back. It hurt that that type of voice was directed at him. Jaejoong licked his lips, nodding and stepped up the desk.

“Yeah, um…” Worst time for a brain fart.. Here he was, talking literally to the man in his dreams, and he couldn't even come up with a coherent sentence. Jaejoong’s body acted the same way he did whenever he me the other in his dreams: Racing heartbeat, sweaty, jittery hands.

Jaejoong went to wipe them down his jeans, but the papers got in the way. “Oh!” Jaejoong held up the papers and smiled. It faltered when Yunho didn’t smile back, unamused. “I was, uh, tasked to give these papers to you guys.”

Yunho took the papers and glanced them over before sighing and  finally breaking out a smile. “We’ve been waiting for these all day.”

“Really?”

Yunho nodded. “Yup! Now I take a break and get my lunch.” The man slipped the papers under his keyboard and got up. “Thanks” he mumbled, before walking off towards an employee's only door. Jaejoong stood there awkwardly for a moment, before he came back to his senses. This might be the only time he could see him.

“Wait!” Luckily Yunho heard him before he closed the door. The man peeked his head out, classes now on top of his head.

“Um.” Jaejoong took a deep breath in, and tried to force his heart to calm down. “This might sound weird, but…I—you, er…You were in my dreams.” Jaejoong glanced up to see the other’s eyes confused. Yunho stepped out from behind the doorway and walked back over to him.

“Oh? I thought there was something familiar about you.” The lighter tone of the other's voice had him relax a little more, but what he said meant something completely different.

Jaejoong took that as a sign that Yunho remembered something about the dreams, or that Yunho really did have the same dreams as he did. “I’m so sorry!”

“W-what?” Yunho took a step back.

Jaejoong sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. The sweat from his hands rubbed off on it, and his hands became jittery again. “I’m sorry I got angry at you in my dreams. Please come back!”

Yunho shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I haven’t dreamed for half a year now.”

Jaejoong sighed, irritation settling in. He was about to correct him, when he realised what he said. Yunho didn’t remember their dreams together. Or, Jaejoong has the wrong man.

Jaejoong looked up at Yunho to see the man staring at him like was crazy. Jaejoong let out a wine, and turned away, burying his face in his sleeves. His face was burning, embarrassed that he just made a fool of himself.  “Just…just come to the nearest park when you’re done with your work okay?” Jaejoong mumbled through his sleeves.

“Okay.”

Jaejoong nodded to himself, and when he turned around, Yunho was gone.