When In My Dreams, I Met You

A dream is also a reality, a hidden power of the mind that holds the truth,” Cara often reflected on this belief whenever her thoughts wandered back to the strange dream from her past.As a child, Cara had been bright yet naïve when she first encountered that vivid, bizarre dream. In it, she met a boy she believed to be a childhood playmate. He was quiet and reclusive, and while the other children rejected him, treating him as though he were mute due to his shy nature, Cara saw something different in him. She understood that he wasn’t disabled or unable to speak; he could communicate just like anyone else, but he seemed to keep to himself. Something about him drew her in—something no one else seemed to notice. There was a kind of mystery about him that fascinated her, a feeling that something significant lay hidden beneath the silence. It was as if she could feel his thoughts, his pain, and his unspoken words without him having to say a thing. There was an undeniable connection between

Cara was back in reality, sitting at her usual desk in the classroom. The mundane noise of chatter and the rhythmic tapping of pens on paper filled the air around her, but her mind remained far away. It was just a dream, she repeated to herself, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the blank notebook in front of her. A dream isn’t real. She clung to the mantra, trying to calm the rapid beats of her heart. She had to move on. She couldn’t let herself keep obsessing over it. She had to believe it was nothing more than a figment of her imagination, an illusion created by her mind. And yet, despite her reassurances, the image of the man from her dream still lingered, vivid and unsettling.At lunch, she sat in her usual spot in the cafeteria, absentmindedly stirring her food. The noise around her felt muffled, her thoughts scattered. That’s when Jean slid into the seat across from her, snapping her out of her reverie.“Hey, dear! What’s up?” Jean greeted her with a bright smile, not noticing

"This is for you," the boy said, his voice light and filled with an innocence that Cara found both endearing and unsettling. He extended his hand, holding a piece of chocolate, and his eyes sparkled as if this small offering meant more than just a simple treat. "I want to give you this because you're the only one who enjoys playing with me."Cara's heart fluttered, and she couldn't help but smile. The boy’s kindness, his pure joy in the moment, reminded her of a simpler time in her childhood. She hadn’t thought about it in years, but suddenly, she was transported back to that moment—the memory clear as day in her mind. Without thinking, her impulse was to kiss him on the cheek in return, a gesture of affection that felt as natural as breathing. She did it without hesitation, her lips brushing his skin in a soft, innocent way, her heart warming in the process. She pulled back, smiling, her cheeks flushed with warmth. He smiled back at her, his eyes alight with the same joy, and in that

“Hey, what are you staring at? Do I have something funny on my face?” she asked, her voice playful but filled with a hint of curiosity. She had noticed him gazing at her intently, a soft smile playing at the corners of his lips. His expression was distant, as though lost in thought.“Did I ever tell you that you’re incredibly pretty?” he responded, his voice genuine and warm. "I was just admiring your face earlier. Honestly, I’ve been drawn to you since the very first time we met. And even now, you still captivate me."His words were direct, without any hint of pretense, as if he had no fear of expressing his feelings. It made her feel both flattered and a bit confused. Could he really mean it?She tilted her head, trying to process his words. “I want to believe it, but you’re just a dream. Aren’t you? But thanks anyway,” she said, her voice tinged with sadness. The reality of the situation hit her once more. She knew she was only dreaming. This connection, this feeling she had for him

Could he be the one occupying her thoughts? Is that even possible? Why on earth would she dream about him, of all people?As those thoughts tumbled through her mind, the man himself was lost in his own thoughts. He remembered the first time he’d seen her — in the park, where a strange little girl had convinced him to buy a flower for her. He couldn’t shake the image of her, and neither could he understand why she had stayed in his mind for so long.The thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sound of his roommate, George, pulling him back to reality. “Hey, buddy, aren’t you asleep, or are you having wet dreams?” George’s voice was loud and teasing, cutting through the fog of his mind.He grabbed his pillow and tossed it directly at George’s half-moon face to shut him up.“No, I’m just calculating my allowance for this month. You know, budgeting my so-called great expenses,” he lied, but in reality, he was just a careful spender. His excuse was a cover for the chaos in his mind.Once