Ulysses stares at Dylan's back as his figure goes smaller the farther he gets. He didn't go inside his room until his vision lost him.
The night is chilly and if he stays a little longer, he's afraid he'll catch a cold.
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He'd be lying if he says this apartment he's renting doesn't make him feel lonely.
In fact, everytime he goes back here, he's reminded that he's alone in this journey in achieving his dreams; to be a teacher someday. Even if sometimes he feels like his "unseen friend" makes him feel his presence by dropping things on the floor, or banging/opening his door, and even hiding things, it still feels different to be with another human being.
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He enters his small room and turns on the only lightbulb.
There's nothing much inside. Just a wooden table good for two with a rice cooker on top of it, a study table, and a bed.
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Although the lightings inside his room is a little dim, his vision is strangely darker than usual. It got worse until he feels dizzy.
Ulysses fell down on his knees. Then suddenly, he can't breathe.
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"No, not again. Not now. No one's going to help me."
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The wooden casement windows suddenly slamed open. Letting the wind from the outside circulate in the entire room.
Then he remembers, he's actually not alone here.
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All thanks to the chilly wind, Ulysses is able to breathe better. However, his vision is still dim and blury. He's not feeling well too, like he's about to lose consciousness.
If anyone is going to see him right now, they'll get alarmed by how pale he is.
Actually, this is not the first time something like this happened. It happened to him twice before and this is his third time.
However, he just can't get used to it. It was too agonizing that even something as simple as breathing makes him struggle for it.
A tear involuntarily forms and escapes his eyes, flowing down across his pale cheek.
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Then the next thing he knew is that a cold palm gently caresses his cheek.
Although it chills his spine, it feels soothing somehow.
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"Don't panic. You'll be fine. Bare it for a while."
A man appeared out of nowhere. He is enveloped with a glowing light.
It's the man with no face that he told Dylan earlier. He's also Ulysses' unseen friend. Just like the other days, his face cannot be seen. Whether his face shines the brightest or it's just Ulysses' vision is dim, he's not so sure as to why he can't see who he looks like.
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Ulysses struggles to look up on him as he is catching his breath. "You're..."
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"Shh... don't speak. Rest for now."
His voice sounds so enchanting that it makes Ulysses' eyes feel heavy.
Then he suddenly felt serene and his agony fades.
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Meanwhile, Dylan found himself in an endless space. He doesn't know how or when did he exactly came here. All he sees are darkness and a human figure enveloped in a white light in front of him. Because of the light surrounding him, it became difficult for Dylan to see his face.
It didn't took him too much time to realize that he's not in the real world.
"This dream is weird."
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"Tell me, what does do you desire to know the most?" Dylan flinched when a voice of a man sounded.
It's the man in front of him speaking. His voice echoes as he speaks which made the atmosphere a little eerie.
But now that he asked, Dylan thinks about it.
What is it that he thinks the most important thing to know? The thing that he's most uncertain about; Something that can make his life change for the better.
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"The thing I want to know the most..." That's right! He needs to know the truth at the bottom of this situation he's in. "Will I have a long-term relationship in the future? Will I ever find the right person for me?"
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"Yes. Keep moving forward. You're in the right path." The voice of the mysterious man is calm and collected. He sounded so sure when he responded to Dylan's questions, It's almost like he knows what's waiting for Dylan in the future.
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Dylan, on the other hand, is hopeful. "So I am able to break the curse?"
This so-called curse really bothers him. Well, he likes hanging out with girls but he doesn't want to grow old alone! If his three-month relationships continues, he's afraid that the unwanted may happen.
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The man didn't give him a direct answer. "It depends on how you perceive things."
Dylan scratches the back of his head. His question is answerable by yes or no. Why did he gave him this vague respond?
Judging from the way he talks, this person must be as old as his grandfather. Old people tend to use riddles, idioms, or something similar, right? Why make the conversation complicated when you can make it simple?
However, the sound of his voice contradicts to his assumption. His deep yet gentle tone definitely belongs to someone not too old than Dylan.
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"Oww... kay?" Dylan decided to let it go, He'll think about it later. According to this man, it's up to him to think if he'd be able to break it or not.
That's simple! He'll just think that he will eventually break it. He really have high hopes that through Ulysses, he'll break free from this bad luck.
But most importantly, who put him in this situation in the first place? This person might have an idea how to undo this curse on him.
"I have on more thing to ask!" He approaches the man. Although he got closer to him now, he still can't see a single detail of his face. It's too bright.
Putting the unnecessary thoughts aside, Dylan asks the other, "Who casted this curse on me?"
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The man didn't answer directly. When Dylan thought he's not going to respond, he parted his lips and was about to speak but the other speaks first.
"You brought it to yourself."
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"Well... yeah, maybe." Dylan thought, this man is very honest. He didn't even bother to sugarcoat his words to somehow comfort him.
The campus heartthrob will not deny the fact that he isn't serious in any of his relationships in the past. And so, it's not hard for him to believe this absurd story that he's cursed. Come to think of it, is there someone in their place still knows sorcery? Witchcraft isn't something that's trendy nowadays!
However, if this is not a curse, then, how will he call it?
"But I am asking who was the one who cursed me. Who is it? Do you know the identity of this person?"
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Dylan waited for the other's response only to get the same answer.
"You brought it to yourself."
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"..."
This made him wonder if he didn't make himself clear. He made it obvious that he's asking for the identity of the person who started this curse, right? It can't be him too! Like... why the heck would he curse himself?
Or is it he didn't express his point clear enough?
Dylan doesn't know what to think anymore. He's confused as to who is the fool in the two of them. He asked twice, and this man gave him the same answer two times.
Perhaps this is some kind of a glitch? But do glitches exists in dreams?
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"Alright. It's my fault. I brought it to myself. I get it, I really do."
He gave up. They aren't going anywhere and just running in circles.
"Who are you anyway?"
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"I am you."
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"Yu? Are you Chinese? Japanese?"
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"..." The man didn't answer anymore.
Instead, he got himself a pillow. Who knows where did he get that from?
Dylan didn't have much time to think how did the pillow suddenly appeared in his hand. The man throws it to him right on his face, bull's eye!
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Dylan gasps as he rises from his bed into a sitting position. He's back in the reality.
He reached for his phone, and checked for the time. The screen flashed 5:59 am.
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"Seriously? A minute early?!" He tossed his phone aside. "Damn! You threw me out of my own dream one minute too early!"
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This is one of the most annoying things that could happen first thing in the morning: waking up before the alarm you set wakes you.
Dylan is literally debating with himself whether he'll close his eyes for the remaining seconds or just get out of the bed. And then his alarm sounded.
The one minute is over. It's exactly six in the morning and he have to go out of the bed to get ready for school.
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"Ugh... fine." He annoyingly turned off the alarm on his phone.
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Now that his phone is unlocked, he saw the messages of him and Ulysses. Their conversation is still open.
By then, he remembers that he was about to send him a chat last night but he hesitated. While arguing with himself, he didn't notice that he fell asleep and ended up not sending the other a single message.
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Dylan shrugs thinking, maybe he's fine by now. He said that he'll be fine and just needed a rest after all.