A Dream Through Time

As Kikidori and Ere'ana slept, their dreams pulled them into a strange, shared memory—one that played out like a movie, rewinding all the way back to when they first met.

The world around them shifted, and suddenly, they were back in **daycare**.

It was a bright, colorful room filled with tiny chairs, scattered toys, and kids running around screaming like feral animals. Kikidori, a grumpy little boy with messy hair, sat in the corner, glaring at the chaos. He didn't like talking to people much—until a loud, energetic little girl with pigtails plopped down next to him.

"Hey! Why do you look so mad?" Ere'ana asked, tilting her head.

Kikidori huffed. "'Cause everyone here is **so** loud."

Ere'ana giggled. "You're loud too. I heard you yell at that other kid for taking your crayon!"

"That was different!" Kikidori crossed his arms. "He stole my *red* one. The best one."

Ere'ana thought for a moment, then dug into her pocket and pulled out a tiny red crayon—worn down from use—and placed it in his hand. "Here. Now you can stop looking like a grumpy old man."

Kikidori blinked at the crayon, then at her. He didn't know it then, but that was the exact moment she became his **best friend.**

Then the dream shifted again, and suddenly, they were in **elementary school**.

They sat at the same table every lunch period, trading snacks and making fun of their weird classmates. Ere'ana was the loud one, always pulling Kikidori into her stupid ideas—like the time she convinced him to fake a stomachache so they could skip class (it didn't work).

After that, they were in **middle school**, and Kikidori had just punched a kid in the face for making fun of Ere'ana's haircut.

"I didn't even *like* the haircut!" Ere'ana had laughed as she held an ice pack to Kikidori's bruised knuckles.

"Doesn't matter," Kikidori muttered. "That guy was a dumbass anyway."

Then **high school** came, and suddenly, they were in their dorm room—together, as always.

From daycare to elementary to middle school and now here, they had been **inseparable.** Every memory, every dumb fight, every inside joke—it all led them here.

In the dream, they sat side by side, watching their past selves grow up, watching how much had changed and how much *hadn't*.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, the dream faded.

Morning came, and Kikidori and Ere'ana woke up at the same time, both staring at the ceiling in silence.

After a long pause, Kikidori finally muttered, "...Did you just—?"

Ere'ana yawned. "Yup."

"Weird."

"Super weird."

Neither of them moved for a while, both lost in the strange, nostalgic dream.

Then Ere'ana turned to Kikidori with a grin. "*So... still mad about that crayon?*"

Kikidori groaned. "Shut up."