Lucid dream.

It refers to a dream where the sleeping person realizes that they are dreaming.

This symptom typically occurs when one’s sleep habits or sleep quality aren't good, and reactions to it vary from person to person.

For some, it is an unknown terror. For others, it's a sense of mystery and happiness within a lucid dream...

"Chae-yeon, let's go to the bathhouse one more time, okay?"

Chae-yeon was indulging in unparalleled happiness.

Perhaps because it was based on her memories, the location was a cherished place in Hokkaido, Japan.

As Si-hyun urged to have a mixed bath at the inn, Chae-yeon replied with a sly smile.

"Si-hyun, you... you just want to see me in my swimsuit, don't you?"

"No way. It's just that overseas trips aren't common, so I wanted to make the most of it."

"Really? If you had said it was because you wanted to see me, I would have gone with you."

"Actually, it is because I want to see you!"

Seeing Si-hyun’s honest reaction, Chae-yeon burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. Laughing so much brought tears to her eyes, which she wiped away with her index finger as she slowly approached Si-hyun.

Then, she whispered sweetly in his ear.

"Just say the word. I'll do anything you ask."

"Chae-yeon..."

Chae-yeon gazed at Si-hyun with a wistful look. Then she gently caressed his cheek with her slender hand.

'If only I could have said these words in reality, how wonderful that would have been.'

Chae-yeon grasped at her aching chest with a bittersweet smile.

Determined to fulfill what she couldn't do for Si-hyun even in her dreams, Chae-yeon softly stroked his hair and spoke.

"Let's go to the bathhouse."

She took Si-hyun's hand and led him out of the room. Once they changed into swimsuits, they immersed themselves in the hot spring. The submerged parts of their bodies felt warm, while the exposed areas felt cool, creating an intriguing sensation.

Chae-yeon, submerged up to her chin, glanced at Si-hyun. His sneaky glances at her chest were so endearingly cute it drove her wild.

'How nice it would be if we could go further.'

With a little hope, Chae-yeon moved closer. Something she never dared in reality. Wishing for it to happen at least in her dreams, she nestled into Si-hyun's arms.

Surprised, he took a breath and soon asked in a tender voice.

"Are you cold?"

"Yes... So I'll stay close to you for a bit."

To warm up his shivering girlfriend, Si-hyun embraced her shoulders. They say you can't feel sensations in dreams, but perhaps that’s a lie.

Chae-yeon felt warmth from Si-hyun's gentle actions, and that warmth already set her heart fluttering.

'I want to stay like this forever...'

Turning her head, Chae-yeon kissed Si-hyun. Perhaps it was due to staying in the hot spring too long, or maybe from being so close to Si-hyun, but at some point, Chae-yeon's body was nearly at its limit.

"Si-hyun, should we go in now?"

Chae-yeon pressed closer, wanting to take things further. The atmosphere was different—sensual and charged. Si-hyun seemed to realize her signal, and just as he was about to stand with a serious expression...

Slide.

A woman entered the bathhouse where only the two of them had been. Her light brown hair shone in the moonlight, and her figure was perfect in every way.

Chae-yeon's pupils shook rapidly at the sight.

"Si-hyun, come here."

"........"

The woman with brown hair, Han Ye-rin, called out in a playful voice and gesture as Si-hyun's eyes gradually lost focus. Pushing Chae-yeon aside, he approached Ye-rin as if mesmerized.

"Si-hyun?"

Chae-yeon called out in a despondent voice, but there was no response. He simply nestled into Ye-rin's embrace without looking back.

Cradling Si-hyun's head, she spoke to him like soothing a child.

"Why are you cheating with another woman when you already have a perfectly fine girlfriend?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't even realize..."

Ye-rin brushed back Si-hyun's hair with her wet hands, and then, twisting her hair with her fingers, she spoke.

"I trust actions more than words. You understand what I mean, right?"

At Ye-rin's meaningful remark, Si-hyun nodded. Then, the lips he'd shared with Chae-yeon only moments ago were offered to Ye-rin.

"Ah... Ah!"

Chae-yeon shook with overwhelming loss, having her partner taken from her. Shocked, she stood up and shouted.

"Why are you haunting me even in my dreams? Please, just get lost! Get lost!"

At Chae-yeon's voice, filled with resentment, Ye-rin curled her lips into a smile. Then, as if to flaunt it, she began to slide her tongue into Si-hyun's mouth.

Slurp... Smooch...♥️

As their bodies moved, ripples spread across the hot spring. Si-hyun, actively responding to the kiss, was gradually eating away at Chae-yeon's heart.

"Stop it... Stop it!"

Splash. Splash.

Even as Chae-yeon tried to run toward them, the distance didn't close. Far from getting closer, they appeared smaller as they moved further away from her.

"No... come back!"

Watching the two become no more than tiny specks, Chae-yeon sank down in her place. As her entire body submerged in the water, her consciousness began to blur, and the scene started to distort. And then...

"Ah..."

Along with the tears streaming down her face, Chae-yeon faced the hard reality.

"She's still intervening..."

Could it be that she wasn't even allowed to meet him in her dreams?

Chae-yeon, feeling upset, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Sniffling, she turned to the side and saw the tear-stained pink pillow.

"Si-hyun..."

She hugged the pillow tightly, closing her eyes, hoping to fall back asleep. She wished to meet her beloved, even if only in her dreams.

'Thanks to the sleeping pills, I fall asleep easily...'

Thinking that she could meet him soon in this state, Chae-yeon blinked her eyes. Just as her consciousness began to fade away...

Ding-dong~

The doorbell rang. Who could be interrupting this precious moment? Annoyed, Chae-yeon covered her ears with the pillow.

Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~

But it was impossible to block out the sound that way. Resigned, Chae-yeon eventually got out of bed.

"Is it Sohui?"

After blowing her nose with a tissue, she opened the door. Her visitor was, as expected, Sohui. Seeing Chae-yon's disheveled appearance, Sohui asked in a surprised tone,

"Chae-yeon, aren't you going to school!?"

"School?"

Why was she mentioning school when it was still supposed to be vacation? Tilting her head in confusion, Chae-yeon looked at the calendar.

"Oh... It's the first day of the semester."

Had her sense of time disappeared while she was living in her own little world? Chae-yeon sighed at her own foolishness but soon pulled herself together.

‘Then I can see Si-hyun in the lecture room...’

Chae-yeon splashed her face with water, trying to shake off her drowsiness. She then hurriedly started to get ready, wanting to look her best for Si-hyun.

'If I gradually show him my good side, Si-hyun might at least glance my way.'

Just two weeks ago, Chae-yeon was at her breaking point. She had been so desperate that she even pleaded with her rival, Ye-rin. How did she regain her confidence?

It was because she had spent the last two weeks reflecting on her past and her love.

‘What Si-hyun did to me back then was nothing compared to what I had done.’

No matter how coldly Chae-yeon rejected him, Si-hyun kept confessing, and no matter how cruelly she acted, he always tried to understand and embrace her.

But she acted like she had lost the world over being rejected just twice.

Reflecting on her own wrongdoings and Si-hyun’s love, Chae-yeon rekindled her determination, convinced that her love was just as strong as his.

‘Trying to give up on Si-hyun is impossible for me. Besides, rather than date another guy, I’d rather cling to that 0.1% chance of being with Si-hyun.’

There is no retreat, no lower place to fall. So she can challenge without fear.

‘Until the day I win back Si-hyun, let’s give it my all again.’

Armed with a positive mindset, Chae-yeon set out to reclaim her ex-boyfriend.

Looking around.

As Chae-yeon entered the lecture room, she glanced around, trying to find Si-hyun.

‘Hasn’t he come yet?’

But she couldn't spot his face. All she could see were students tinkering with their laptops and, inexplicably, a group of classmates gathered at the back.

‘What are they doing back there?’

Curious, Chae-yeon headed towards the group of students. Soon, she could hear their lively chatter.

"See, I was right, wasn't I? I predicted that you two would date even before the Uni Trip."

"The ring is so pretty... I'm planning to get matching ones with my boyfriend too. Can you tell me where you got it?"

"Look at Ye-rin's smile, she's so happy she could die!"

The lively atmosphere among the classmates turned silent when Si-hyun’s ex-girlfriend showed up. As Chae-yeon pushed through the crowd, Si-hyun and Ye-rin came into view, sitting together.

".........."

Si-hyun looked at his approaching ex-girlfriend with a disinterested gaze. Ye-rin, on the other hand, noticed the fire in Chae-yeon's eyes, realizing she hadn’t given up.

Chae-yeon approached Si-hyun with a bright smile.

"Si-hyun, did you have a good break?"

Si-hyun ignored Chae-yeon's morning greeting and picked up his phone. Hurt by his indifference, Chae-yeon felt a sharp sting.

"Hmph.."

Watching this, Ye-rin covered her mouth, mocking Chae-yeon with a laugh. Chae-yeon's gaze shifted to Ye-rin, who had been smiling.

Ye-rin showed her left hand to Chae-yeon.

A gold ring glimmered on Ye-rin's ring finger. Chae-yeon, unaware of its significance, stared at it blankly.

Then, she realized Si-hyun was wearing the same ring, and she froze in place.

"A couples ring? No way..."

Even during her relationship with Si-hyun, Chae-yeon never had a couple ring. The thought that she had already been surpassed made her head spin.