“Again?”
Dean looked down at his canvas.
A girl sat beneath a tree in the rain.
She had long black hair, which was cascading to the ground, swaying softly, as she was lowering her head.
“Finally a girl,” Joey leaned over his shoulder and whistled.
“Who is she?”
Dean paused, “I don’t know.”
Joey raised an eyebrow, “Don’t mess with me. You never sketch girls.”
Dean looked at the girl on the canvas.
For a moment, his chest tightened.
“I have never met her.”
“Then why are you painting her?”
Dean remained silent, because every night, she appeared in his dreams.
At first, it was a strangely beautiful dream.
A world washed in endless rain.
A giant tree stood alone in the middle of a meadow covered in white flowers.
And beneath that tree, she was there.
Humming the same melody, which felt familiar to him somehow.
“I think you’re in love,” Joey declared.
Dean rolled his eyes, “With a girl whose face I can’t even remember?”
Joey started laughing, but slowed down when Dean didn’t laugh back.
“Okay! I was just messing with you. How often does she appear in your dream?”
“I think for almost a month now.”
Joey blinked, “You have been dreaming about the same girl for a month?”
“Every single night.”
“What the fuck, dude!”
Dean quietly shook his head, “But there is something strange about this dream lately.”
“What happened then?”
Dean sighed, but then his phone rang with an alarm, Meet Ellie at Bakery!
“I’ll tell you later, I have to help Ellie today.”
Dean excused himself from Joey before packing up his stuff.
He ran quickly to his family bakery shop down the alley side.
The bell rang as he opened the door of the shop.
The shop was filled with the soft and warm scent of bread and pastry.
“You are half an hour late today, Dee.”
Before any explanation, Dean handed over the packed Takoyaki, “Is my apology accepted?”
Ellie smiled as she side eyed him, “Mom is coming in 10 minutes, take over the counter soon.”
Dean stood in a straight position, saluting her, “Yes, sir!”
The customers also smiled looking at Dean’s gestures towards his elder sister.
He went quickly to the backroom, and started wearing his shop’s clothes, when suddenly his attention was grabbed by some melody.
The same humming melody he heard in his dreams.
He ran to his sister immediately.
“El, which customer requested this song?”
“What happened? Is everything alright?”
“Just tell me what I’m asking, I’ll explain everything to you later.”
“She left just now to the right—”
He sprinted to the direction.
Girl, that girl, that melody!
I need to find it out.
He ran to the crossing, looked down the next alley.
Then another.
But nothing was found.
“Dean!”
He turned.
His mother stood near the bakery entrance, looking startled.
“What are you doing?”
Dean opened his mouth, realizing he didn’t know, how he ended here on the streets.
For the past few minutes, he had been running around, all covered in sweat.
“I…I—”
“Dee…” she said gently, ‘Have the voices returned?”
“No, no. I’m fine, mom.”
His mother hesitated before speaking, “Maybe… you should book another with Ms. Decca.”
“No.”
“Dean, she helped you before.”
“I said no! I am alright, why don’t you all get it!”
The sudden sharpness in his voice startled even him.
His mother stared at him in surprise.
Dean immediately regretted shouting.
But something inside him refused to hear that name again.
“I’m not sick.” he said through gritted teeth.
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and rushed upstairs.
He slammed his room’s door shut.
Only his heavy breathing could be heard now.
Dean ran a hand through his hair and dropped onto his bed.
Nearly an hour later, the noise of utensils cluttering came from the staircase, as Ellie was passing by from there.
“The great Dean Rivers is cooking?” she asked dramatically, throwing her apron to the nearby sofa.
Dean scoffed while stirring the pan.
Ellie smirked while walking to her room.
After some time, the three of them sat together for dinner.
The atmosphere was quieter than usual.
Dean poked at his rice for a moment before putting down his spoon.
“I’m sorry.”
Neither Ellie nor his mother spoke.
Dean rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “I shouldn’t have yelled.”
His mother smiled softly, “It’s okay, Dee.”
Dean looked up.
“It’s been hard lately,” Ellie shrugged, as the smile on her lips faded a little, “Ever since Dad passed away… each of us is trying too hard to stay strong.”
The room fell silent.
Six months had passed, yet sometimes it still felt unreal.
The empty chair, the missing laughter.
The responsibility that had suddenly fallen on all of them.
After dinner, his mother quietly began washing the dishes.
Dean stood beside her.
For a while neither of them spoke.
Then he said softly, “For your peace of mind…”
His mother paused.
“I’ll visit Ms. Decca tomorrow.”
Slowly, she turned toward him.
A faint smile appeared on her tired face, before hugging Dean.
That night, Dean lay quietly on his bed.
Slowly, his eyes grew heavy and he fell asleep.
The night was peaceful, until Dean jolted awake.
“NO!”
Sweat covered his forehead, as his chest rose and fell violently.
His heartbeat was pounding quickly.