chapter 1: the first dream
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Kaori sat at the edge of the window, her fingers tracing the cool glass as her gaze drifted out into the city. The soft hum of the busy streets below barely reached her ears, drowned out by the unrelenting roar of her thoughts. Her apartment was quiet, an almost oppressive silence that filled the space like a heavy fog. She had always been alone in this apartment, but tonight, it felt different. Tonight, the loneliness seemed to whisper louder than usual, tugging at her chest, pulling her deeper into a void she couldn't explain.
Her life had always been a string of fleeting moments—success on stage, accolades, and admiration from peers. Yet, none of it seemed to matter anymore. The music that once flowed from her piano now felt hollow, the notes echoing with a sense of emptiness that left her exhausted. She had spent years perfecting her craft, but the joy had faded long ago. Something inside her was missing, a part of herself that seemed to slip further away with each passing day.
Tonight, the restlessness gnawed at her more than usual, pulling her into the depths of despair. She sighed and stood, walking over to her piano. Her fingers hovered over the keys, unsure. What was she supposed to play? A melody she had composed, a piece she had perfected a thousand times over. But tonight, even that seemed meaningless. With a frustrated gesture, she pushed her fingers into the keys, forcing out a few scattered chords before letting her hands fall limp.
"I can't even play anymore," she muttered under her breath, a bitter laugh escaping her lips.
But then, as if the world had answered her call, the air around her seemed to change. It wasn't like the usual shift she felt before an idea struck her, no—this was something else entirely. The room grew dimmer, and the temperature dropped, as if something beyond her understanding had entered the space. For a moment, she froze, a sense of familiarity creeping over her, but she couldn't quite place it.
It happened so quickly she almost thought she imagined it, but her heart knew better. She felt a presence. Not in the room, but in the deepest corners of her mind, where she couldn't explain why—just a feeling, a whisper that seemed to be calling her. The feeling grew stronger until it was undeniable. And then, without warning, her eyelids fluttered shut.
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Ryo walked through the darkened streets of the city, his footsteps echoing against the pavement. The city had a way of being both loud and quiet at once—busy yet detached, filled with life but also filled with a cold emptiness. He had grown accustomed to the quiet that clung to him like a second skin. People saw him as the warm, approachable guy, always ready to lend an ear or offer a comforting smile. But inside, the truth was different. He was always alone, and the more he tried to reach out, the further he felt from anyone.
Lately, this loneliness had taken on a more painful edge. No matter how many people surrounded him, the emptiness in his chest only grew. It wasn't a feeling he could explain. He would wake up some mornings, feeling as if he had just awoken from a dream that was too far out of reach. A dream that had left him with a yearning he couldn't place. Something—or someone—was missing. But he couldn't figure out what it was.
As he walked aimlessly, his mind wandered back to the previous night. The dream he had, the strange vision of a woman with deep, sorrowful eyes. Her face wasn't clear, but he knew it was her. He could feel it in the way his heart had skipped a beat. Her face was so vivid, so real, yet he couldn't explain why he felt so drawn to her.
He shook his head, frustrated. It was just a dream, he told himself. But it didn't feel like just a dream. It felt like something more, something significant.
He reached his apartment and stumbled through the door, kicking off his shoes as he slumped down on the couch. He could feel his mind racing again, unable to settle. He closed his eyes, hoping to find some peace, but instead, the image of her flooded his thoughts. That same face. That same deep sadness that mirrored his own.
And then, without warning, the world around him shifted.
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Kaori's eyes fluttered open, but the room around her was no longer her own. It was dark, the moon casting long shadows across the floor. She was standing in the middle of a street, but it wasn't the familiar city she knew. There was something ethereal about this place—something that felt both dreamlike and painfully real at the same time.
She looked around, confused. The air was heavy, yet strangely comforting, like a distant memory calling her home. Her heart pounded in her chest as her gaze swept over the surroundings, but it was the figure standing in the distance that caught her attention.
A man.
Her breath caught in her throat as she took a step forward, drawn to him by an invisible pull. She didn't know who he was, but she felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity wash over her. She could see his silhouette in the moonlight, his features obscured by the shadows, but she knew him. There was no question about it.
Without thinking, her legs carried her forward, the dream pulling her closer to him. The man stood there, his back to her, unmoving, as if waiting for her. Every step she took felt heavier, as if she was walking through some kind of thick fog that slowed her down. And yet, there was no fear, only a deep, aching sense of longing that grew stronger with each movement.
But as she reached out, her hand trembling, she felt the sudden shift again. The air grew colder, and the man's form began to fade, slipping away like smoke caught in a breeze. She reached out desperately, calling his name, but her voice was drowned out by the silence that consumed her.
And then, just as quickly as it had begun, the dream ended. Kaori awoke with a start, her body drenched in sweat. Her heart raced in her chest, her breathing ragged. She sat up, looking around the room, trying to grasp at the fading remnants of the dream. She could still feel the pull, the connection, like a tether that had been severed too soon.
Her fingers trembled as they gripped the edge of the piano, her mind racing with questions she didn't know how to answer. Who was he? Why did she feel like she had known him forever?
And why couldn't she shake the feeling that this wasn't the first time she had dreamed of him?
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Ryo sat upright in his bed, gasping for air. He could still feel her, the woman from the dream. Her presence lingered, as if she had crossed over from the dream world into his reality. He could feel the warmth of her touch, even though it was just a dream.
He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake the feeling of disconnection, but it wouldn't go away. He knew that face—he knew her. But how? And why did it feel like he was losing something precious, something he couldn't get back?
His hands trembled as he ran them through his hair. There was no way this could be real.
But it didn't feel like just a dream.
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Both Kaori and Ryo sat in the aftermath of their shared dream, their worlds drifting farther apart yet inexplicably closer. They didn't know it yet, but they were already bound by something they couldn't escape—something more powerful than time, fate, or reason. Their first dream was only the beginning of a love they couldn't understand, and the beginning of a journey that would tear them apart, yet keep them connected forever.
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End of Chapter 1.