Chapter 53 - HONEST TALK WITH PROFESSOR MELANIE

"Professor, do you have a moment?"

That day, Jieun rush to Professor Melanie's office while skipping all of her lectures for the day. Is not like skipping a day will do any harm to her anyway as she is the 'smart type' one. Also, she is too anxious to wait, even if it just for a little while.

Professor Melanie however, just about to get out from her office to deliver a lecture.

"Can we wait till break hours? I need to give a... lecture." She said, but after looking at Jieun's face at the time making her thinking about her decision twice.

In fact, as soon as she woke up, Jieun thought repeatedly with whom she should tell the secret first. Once she thought it over and over again, she decided to meet Professor Melanie and be honest with her.

After all, every single thing that happened to her now was after her unconsciously drinking 'the special blue drink'. Which, something that her professor make a research on.

Who knows? There might have a scientific explanation behind it. After all, science knowledge also is one kind of magical things to scientist. So, she concludes that Professor Melanie probably can accept her story way more than her father.

"Are you okay?" Melanie asks her student that stood there while looking anxious.

"Please spare me some of your time. I... I want to talk about something important to you." Jieun say, really hoping that her professor will agree.

If possible, she wants to tell the story quickly because Jieun knows that if she keep procrastinating, she will probably change her mind. After all, she didn't have much time now. Her engagement day in Dream Land will be held soon.

"And what is that?" Melanie frowned slightly. Try to think of what is this 'important things' that her student want to convey to her. So much so that did not want to wait.

"Its about the blue liquid. I think something is happening to me because of that."

Jieun said that honestly, while her face looking all serious, so that, her professor not taking her for granted. Who knows if her professor accuses her to be lying or something? Because, her story is definitely rare to be told and definitely hard to a normal person to accept.

But, which Jieun didn't notice there was a subtle smile starting to appear on her favorite professor's face at the time.

Melanie turned around for a moment, letting Jieun to look behind her. Then, she sends a text message to her acquaintance to ask for a replacement for a day or help her to cancel all of her classes. She needs an urgent leave right now. Which she never ever asks that before. So, she actually knows her request will easily be granted.

Without waiting for the answer, Melanie silent her phone, put it in vibrate mode and get back to face to face with Jieun.

"Sit down first. Let's talk over some coffee." She said softly. Trying to calm the girl with some caffeine, who seem too nervous there. At least caffeine always works for her system. Hopefully it work to the girl too.

Jieun now sit down according to the words while waiting for her lecturer who is now focused on making coffee for her. While in her brain, she is thinking of how the story to be told? What verse should be used?

In just a few seconds, Melanie placed a cup of hot coffee in front of Jieun. It's not taking a lot of time as it just an instant coffee. Which she is fanatic to it.

"Drink it slowly. Its hot."

Jieun fiddled with her cup before sipping the coffee little by little. It turned out that she felt quite calm after that.

"Now, tell me slowly. I promise I will believe in whatever you are saying." Melanie looked into Jieun's eyes as if to express something.

Listening to that, Jieun felt that even though she didn't say anything yet, her professor actually already knew about her condition. But, not wanting to prolong the matter, or continue the puzzle, Jieun start to tell her story.

"That day, after I drink the blue liquid, my body started to produce cold sweat and my head start to feel dizzy. It happens so fast, that I can't bring myself to think why I suddenly feeling sick while, just a second before, I'm just healthy. Then, I went to sleep because I thought I will feel fine when I woke up the next day, but... " Jieun stare at Melanie's face. It was clear to her that the professor was giving her, full concentrating.

"But?" Melanie encourages her to continue.

Jieun takes a breath before returning to continue the story. In her mind, she is saying, 'Please believe in me' again and again.

"But then, I found that I was in another world. At first, I thought it was just a dream. But the dream is too long and too real, made me realize that this is not a normal dream. Its like I am now living in a different dimension."

"And what does the world look like?" Melanie shows her interest. Not once she looks shocked after hearing that. Also, nothing on her face showed that she did not believe in the story that Jieun told her.

"Umm ... its like mixed of modern and ancient culture. Modern in terms of some of their technologies, but the way they live is like people in English historical drama. Like ..." Jieun trying to find something to make an example.

"Like that Frozen Disney movie." Of course she will use her favorite one as an example. Even in this kind of serious matter.

Melanie raised her eyebrows after hearing that. Then she nodded a sign of understanding.

"The world is named Dream Land. Ruled by a King together with his Queen and the six princes."

Melanie then took out her notebook. Write down on what Jieun just said. Every detail of it.

"Can you tell me the name of the people that you encounter there?" She asked.

Jieun looks towards her professor. She felt a bit strange by the question.

Realizing that look, Melanie explains, "So that I can find out if they are people who exist in this world or not."

Jieun eyes widen after hearing that. She never even thought if the other people she met there were from here. But, that's not impossible. Because, just look at what happened to her.

So she started to name them one by one until the last name... Eun-Woo is called.

Hearing that one name makes Melanie stop in her writing.

"That's all." Jieun now finish named them all. All that she remembers for now.

"Did you just say Eun-Woo?" Melanie asks her.

Jieun nodded. Confirming.

"He is the fourth prince there, one of the King's son."

Melanie let out a long sigh there.

"Do you think you can find out about all of them?" Jieun really hope her professor can find some information even the slightest.

"It will be tough as its not their full name but I will try."

"Did you believe me professor? With all that I told you just now?" Jieun ask wanted to know the truth.

"I actually know a little about that other world as I study someone mind waves who is also said to have living there. Furthermore, the liquid that you accidentally drank before, is not the normal liquid."

"Someone? It means you know someone else that went through the same thing as me?"

'I know more than you ever imagine Jieun, but it's not the right time for you to know the whole story', Melanie just said that in silence.

"Yes. And you also know that person well. This is suppose to be a secret, but as this come this far I must tell you that... the person I talk about is your mother, Aera. My first case."

Hearing that Jieun woke up from her seat because she was too shocked. "You... you know my mother?"

"I don't know her personally, also I don't even know that she is your mother until I took your blood before. But as I said, she is my first case. And the biggest reason why I dabble in the world of science. Your mother is actually a scientist. But I reckon that she never tell that to you or her husband."

"My mother is a scientist?" Jieun massage her chest that is now beating too fast.

"Aera... She has actually come in contact with the same kind of liquid when she was young. Making her having a dream, but not feel like a dream. And that's how it's all started." Melanie told a little. Not too detailed, so that, it is not too difficult for the girl in front of her to understand the situation she is going through.

"So you actually know that I probably have to face the same situation as her? Before I tell you all this?"

"I am. I'm sorry if you're feeling hurt by that. But, I want you to be honest with me first before I tell you all this. So that we can built trust to each other. After all, this information is too difficult for me share. If all this information is found by an irresponsible person who knows what will happen. I already see the worst type of people in this line of work with my own eyes. Especially while I am doing this research. "

Jieun sit down again, while she doesnt know how to react anymore. But her fears at the beginning about wanting to convince Professor Melanie about her story are dispersed at once after knowing her professor story.

"But, what exactly the liquid is? Why it react that way to my mother and I? Also, how my mother come into contact with that?" Jieun now throwing the questions that began to gather in her mind at that time.

"Throughout my research, only Aera and you were lucky."

Once again, Jieun make a wrinkled face.

"What do you mean?" She is getting dizzy in her head with all sorts of new information rushed into her brain.

Melanie comes closer to Jieun.

"I promise I will tell you all that I know. But first, come with me. We need to go somewhere."

"Somewhere? Right now?"

It is impossible for Jieun to think of anything else now. All she knew was that she wanted Professor Melanie to tell her all the story. So that her curiosity will be ended.

"Yes. I want you to see something. At there, I will tell you everything. I promise. But, as you want me to believe in you before, now I'm the one who begs you to believe in me. Can you do that?"

Jieun attempt to find the truth in those words on her professor's face. Once she felt confident, she finally nodded. She decide that she will trust her. And hopefully the decision was right.

With that, both of them out of the office. Head to the next destination. Which, Jieun, for sure will getting even more surprised.. More than what she already felt before.