CH 3

He couldn’t remember when it started. Everything was ambiguous about what day of the month he was awake, whether it was morning, day, evening, or night.

Countless hours were filled with his long sleep. The only thing he gained from the passing of time was a body that was getting weaker day by day and a dream. 

Originally, he could hardly remember even if he had a dream. However, as his sleep time increased, he was able to remember his dreams from time to time, and he also had occasional lucid dreams. Even though he knew that the scenery he was seeing, the sound he was hearing, and the pleasant conversation he had with someone, was all a dream, he moved as much as he wanted with the thought in his mind “it was all just a dream.”

He was so free in his dreams. 

That’s why there was nothing more difficult every time he opens his eyes and faces reality. The bitter taste that he felt right after he tasted the sweetness made his mind devastated beyond control.

There were times when a surge of extreme depression hit him and he wanted to just stop breathing and fall asleep forever. Still, he didn’t delve into such feelings thinking that his family would feel sad and guilty the moment he died. In order not to worry his family, he would always smile every time his eyes met with them, and when he couldn’t fall asleep in time, he would hold back the pain from his headache until he could finally fall asleep.

His dreams were his only refuge.

And at some point, his place of refuge began to gradually change. 

At first, he thought he just woke up from his sleep. He looked up dazedly because he could see the ceiling of his room in front of him when he suddenly realized that his body was fluttering as if he was floating into the sea. Realizing that, he tried to get up and was able to sit down without any difficulty. 

He discovered it only after turning his head in surprise. That his body is still quietly sleeping. 

It is commonly called an out-of-body phenomenon. The moment Yi-Gyeol realized that he was experiencing the out-of-body experience that he had heard only with words, he felt the feeling of being sucked into his body at the same time. Shortly after returning to his body, he opened his eyes with an unbelievable expression on his face. 

Since then, this phenomenon has occurred frequently. From the first time in which he woke out his body, the range of activities widened as the days passed by. He was able to go out freely without having to open the door, which was closed and heavy as an iron gate, and he could see and hear what his sister was doing in the next room, and what his father and mother were fighting about for the day. 

Yi-Gyeol, who wished that he could leave for a while before going to sleep, was able to escape from his body due to the phenomenon and left the house that was filled with heavy atmosphere and wandered outside. Nobody could see him, but the fact that he could fly through the air and go somewhere according to his will soothed Yi-Gyeol’s exhausted heart.

This time again, Yi-Gyeol left his body and came out freely. Perhaps because it was night, there were especially few people walking around.

Meanwhile, he saw some small shiny white butterflies flying around. He’s been able to see them occasionally since a few months ago, and instinctively, he knew it was a ‘soul’. 

‘Who knows, I might look like that too.’ 

He wondered because he could not see his own appearance no matter how much he turned his eyes.

Yi-Gyeol, who was following the shining butterfly, was surprised to see a good-looking middle-aged man suddenly popping out of the corner in front of him. The middle-aged man passed through Yi-Gyeol and was walking behind him. 

−Oh, that surprised me….

He muttered as if he had a mouth. The middle-aged man, as expected, did not hear Yi-Gyeol’s words and strode along.

Even the spirits just like him couldn’t hear him. The same was true of his family, and so was everyone he met outside. He talked to the white butterflies just in case, but they flew away as if they couldn’t see him.

But that didn’t make him depressed. Even if no one could hear his voice, it was enough just to be able to fly outside and feel the unrecognizable passage of time rather than when he was locked up inside his room. It would be considered a luxury if he asked for more than that.

He soared up high in the sky while gauging his bitter heart. He was planning to go to the main street today after a long time.

The busy street, which he flew in an instant, was as dazzling as the day when he collapsed. As he approached with anticipation that there was an event, he saw banners and signs everywhere saying, “Wish you pass the college entrance exam.”

‘CSAT….’

Yi-Jin’s face naturally came to his mind as he looked at the kiosk selling items that were blessed for an examinee’s acceptance. Yi-Jin would also take the CSAT just like he did ten days later. 

‘Your Oppa couldn’t even do anything for you.’

His heart stung. When he was about to take the CSAT before, Yi-Jin, who had saved up her pocket money, handed him a finely folded letter with chocolate wishing him to pass. His younger sister, who was a middle school student at that time, smiled cutely and encouraged him that he would do well on the test and pass the university he wanted. Although he could not go even after passing, he thinks that his younger sister’s encouragement played a big role for him to pass the exam.

Therefore, Yi-Gyeol also wanted to do something for his younger sister. However, because he was just lying at home, he had no money and couldn’t go to buy anything. 

All he could do was write a letter. Since her younger sister had always liked folding things out of paper, he thought he should also write a letter and shape it prettily just as she did.

Yi-Gyeol felt better for some reason. He felt motivated thinking that there was something he could do.

The fact that there is something he can do for someone made him feel absolutely pleasant.

When suddenly, Yi-Gyeol, who was looking around with excitement, felt nervous all of a sudden. It was as if someone was calling for him with all its might. That was impossible, but still, Yi-Gyeol looked around with a feeling that he had never felt before. 

What caught Yi-Gyeol’s eyes was a golden butterfly shining in the dark far away. It wasn’t like a real butterfly but like a soul as it is brightly shining, but for some reason, it seemed to be looking straight at this side. 

He flew straight to the butterfly, being amazed by something strange that he experienced for the first time. The closer he got, the more confident he was that the butterfly was looking at him. 

By the time that the butterfly was already so close that its wings could be clearly seen, the standing still butterfly turned half a turn from its place and started flying somewhere. 

−Wait!

He unknowingly shouted and followed. The butterfly did not stop flapping its wings, scattering golden dust in its wake, and Yi Gyeol flew and flew as if he were being led by something.

The place where the golden butterfly headed was a dark alley a little far away from the busy street. The alleyway, which was narrow enough to be blocked when two people were standing side by side, gave Yi-Gyeol a sense of foreboding.

−Where do you even want to go?

He asked, but as expected, the butterfly did not respond. He could only just silently went deep into the alley. 

Flying through a maze of narrow alleys, the butterfly only stopped until it reached a dead end. A dead-end wall where only darkness could be seen because of the lack of street lights made Yi-Gyeol disappointed. He thought that the butterfly was leading him to show him something, which caused a strange expectation to rise from his heart.

−Why did you bring me here?

He thought that the golden butterfly wouldn’t hear his voice like the other butterflies, but he was curious so he still tried to ask. Why did it bring him to this place? 

The butterfly didn’t answer. But as if it heard his question, the butterfly turned around and looked his way. The light was so strong that the body was not completely visible, but the approximate shape of the butterfly was fully recognizable.

The butterfly’s slow flapping of its wings became a little faster. Then, it looked his way and slowly moved back. Soon, the butterfly’s body disappeared as if it had been sucked into the darkness-covered wall.

−Wait!

Normally, if a butterfly he was following passes through a wall, he would just let them go on their way, but this time it was different. He strongly felt that he should not send it just like this.

He chased the golden butterfly and rushed to the wall. And as expected, the golden butterfly was clearly across from it.

However, Yi-Gyeol had no choice but to stop as soon as he passed through the wall after chasing the butterfly.

−What the….

He stood absentmindedly and looked around. The space, completely contradictory to the dark alley where there was little light, made him a little dizzy.

The hallways that stretched out before his eyes reminded him of castles and mansions from medieval times. Not only the various metal decorations and splendid patterns but also the enchanting murals were drawn enough to captivate Yi-Gyeol’s attention. And as if to say that was not enough, a chandelier made of brilliant crystals shone on the ceiling, and even a luxurious red carpet was laid on the floor.

Yi-Gyeol, who was looking at the hallway in rapture, wondered if he was dreaming while he was still experiencing the out-of-body phenomenon. Otherwise, the current situation was completely incomprehensible.