2 ii. Lucid Dreaming... Or Not

"Tiaphine...?" I muttered, pulling the pills out of my pocket. I examined its appearance before popping it open. It smelt like cardboard, books from the library, and, well, pills. As I got distracted by the aroma of the medicine, my phone started vibrating from my pocket.

"Oh, it's Alex," I stated, staring at the glowing screen on the palm of my hand. Alex came to Japan from Montana, my dad's hometown, where he and I were friends till elementary. We reunited halfway through high school because he was a transfer. Also, he came he for the anime, so I can't hold a grudge against him. I've known this dude for so long, it almost feels like we're brothers. Almost. I capped the medicine before safely securing it in my fanny pack (belt bag or whatever;-;).

--- 🅞 🅝 🅣 🅗 🅔 🅟 🅗 🅞 🅝 🅔 ---

ᵂᴱᴰ ⁷:¹⁶ ᵃᵐ

𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡🐜

( dude where r u)

𝙮𝙤𝙪

( oh, you're still alive lmao )

𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡🐜

( haha very funny )

( but srsly Xander )

( where r u? )

𝙮𝙤𝙪

( Up your ass| )

( Up your| )

( Up| )

( Just by the pharmacy, actually. | )

𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡🐜

*typing*

( Oh, you got the pills? )

𝙮𝙤𝙪

( Yeah, the pharmacist got pissed. Lmao. )

𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡🐜

( probs because of you HAHA )

𝙮𝙤𝙪

( ...)

( The hell did you say to Sato-sama? )

𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡🐜

( Nothing much. )

𝙮𝙤𝙪

( I should be concerned since you added a period. )

*𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡🐜 is typing*

𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡🐜

( hey do u mind if u pick up sum cinnamon rolls on ur way here? )

𝙮𝙤𝙪

( not until you explain your mom's vomit lookin' arse )

*𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡🐜 has left you on read*

. . .

"Son of a-" I ended my phrase with a groan. The sun was about to be up, meaning that the streets were about to be busy once more, "I better get those cinnamon rolls."

The sun rays were already hitting the stone sidewalks and the windows of several apartments. I remember that there was a store that sold cinnamon rolls and other treats just a few blocks from the pharmacy, "Gatello's treats, I'm assuming."

"Xan!" I heard a feminine voice call my name out (ew) from a distance. Startled and curious, I twisted my head towards the voice's direction. I was greeted by an energetic-looking female with her unnatural navy blue hair tied up into a bun. She was in a tight dress shirt and a box pleated skirt, "Isn't it a coincidence we happened to bump into each other at 6 in the morning?"

"Wait, aren't you the girl from the coffee shop?" I asked, looking at her.

"Huh? What coffee shop? This is Mizuki you're talking to, baka. Remember me?" She sounded perplexed, looking at me as if I had gone nuts. I shook my head, looking at Mizuki again. Crap, I hallucinated for a brief moment there.

"Anyways, isn't it a coincidence we happened to bump into each other at 6 in the morning?" Mizuki asked again in her girlish tone, as usual.

"Kinda," I responded with a shrug. 'Yeah, kinda creepy.'

"Where ya headed to?" The bubbly girl caught up beside me, making sure to lazily walk like a soldier. I looked up,

"Gatello's bakery." I honestly was reluctant to tell her where I was supposed to be heading, but I concluded it would just make me look bad. Besides, it's been a while since I met some of my college colleagues.

"Huh, guess we're heading the same direction." She stated, placing her index finger below her chin. I rose a brow,

"You're going to the bakery too, Mizuki?" I questioned. Alright, this is getting a bit suspicious. Fortunately, she shook her head.

"Nah, I'm walking to the train station just a few kilometers away. We're just headed in the same direction." She pointed, giving her usual playful smile. I sigh in relief and held my heart, "Why ya asking?"

"Nothing. Was just curious." I gritted through my teeth. I suddenly realize that I finally arrived at Gatello's treats and bakery, "this my stop." I reminded her, swerving to the right. Before leaving, I gave a polite wave and entered the shop. Once I pushed the glass door open, I was greeted with a sweet aroma coming from the oven and the silent chatters and coffee sips coming from the customers enjoying their time. The café wasn't at all huge, but it looked immensely welcoming. There were plated curtains that hung upon the windows, covering the monochrome sky and blocking the huge star's rays. Lanterns were hung up the high ceiling, giving the customers some light under the dim daylight. There were croissants, tarts of all flavors, cakes, pies, muffins, and donuts asking to be savored behind a glass bar. Fires erupted from the ovens, making sure the pastries were cooked evenly while providing a satisfactory texture and flavor for the early comers. The coffee machines were already whirring, pouring in the caffeine and milk for busy consumers.

"Xander!" A voice called my name out once more. Oh, no... not this again, "Yo Xan, over here!"

"Alright, what kind of creepy stalk–" I turned towards their direction, anticipating for a girl to drop dead in front of me but, "Alex."

"Ohayo, I knew you'd be coming here." He simply stated like the calm and reserved person he was. I mean, at times, he laughs and enjoys like a regular person, but this is his regular face, unfortunately (talk about an RBF). Sometimes, I wonder if he has a different persona hidden behind that sour face he puts on at work. I smile and head my way towards him.

"Was I that predictable?" Honestly, if I was this predictable, this would be very humiliating.

"Not so much. 70% of it was instinct and gut feeling." He replied, not giving the slightest interest in the conversation we're having. To inform you all, Alex Livermont is my colleague that writes books with me. At first, I was surprised that he was interested in journalism and writing, but I got a pretty good reply coming from a person like him.

"I think a cinnamon roll and an espresso sounds nice. What about you?" I asked, still skimming through the 'appetizers' section.

"I'll pass. I had breakfast at my sister's place." He told me, attaching the laptop charger to the wall. What the... This dude told me to buy cinnamon rolls earlier, without him telling me that he was here. Nodding, I rose my hand to get a waiter's attention.

- t i m e s k i p t o t h e j u i c y p a r t -

I jingled my keys out of my pocket and inserted it in the door lock's, twisting it. Once the door unlatched, I quickly run my apartment and shut the door. I sigh, removing my shoes.

"Okaeri, Xander," I stated to myself, feeling the coldness of the room hit my skin. As I tried to locate the light switch amid the mediocre dimness of my living room, I felt something wiggle out of my pocket and impact on the floor.

"Eep!" I jumped, trying to get away from the sound. All those years and I'm still the coward I know today. I placed a hand on my rapid heartbeat and picked up the object that fell on the floor, "...?" It was the pill container Sato-sama had given me this morning. I guess it trailed away from my mind because of the work I had to complete with Alex.

'Aren't you gonna take it tonight, Xander?' My mind whispered at me, making my curiosity expand in size. After locking the door, I walked to my room, greeted with the cold air once again. Even it was cold, I felt the stickiness of the sweat attached to my forehead and back. It was honestly irritating me the entire time I walked home. Japan summers are, to be exact, hot and steamy even in September.

"Blegh, I feel disgusting," I muttered, opening the door to the bathroom. I kept the medicine on top of the sink before I stepped in the shower, "I haven't been running errands, so why am I so sweaty?" (ew, don't think of it that way.) The cold droplets of liquid finally hit my dehydrated skin. Momentarily, I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to get decent dampness to it before I could apply the shampoo I bought on the way home.

"𝘔𝘢𝘨����𝘤, 𝘣𝘰𝘺." 𝘏𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘮 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, "𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱."

"That, however, is much drier than my skin." I shudder to myself once his remark played in my head, turning the water off. As I stepped out of the shower, I dried myself off with a towel and wore my usual pajamas. As I got out of the bathroom, I hopped onto my bed while clutching my Tiaphine.

"I wonder if this will actually cure my insomnia." Curiosity was, unfortunately, bursting again in my head. I shrugged, popping a scarlet pill in my mouth and flushing it down with cold water. For some reason, I felt the effects kicking in. Drowsy, I rested my head on my pillow and drifted into sleep for the first time in forever.

. . .

"Woah, that's some refreshing sleep." I yawned, rubbing my eyes. That was something I regret because once I opened my eyes, I was in someplace else, "What the...?"

I woke up, leaning on a not pink but blood-colored sakura tree. Scratch that, I'm in a whole other universe. Please tell me I'm dreaming...

"Ooh, you look new!" Something behind me said. Oh no, not this again.

"Do I? I think I'm in a new place because this isn't my room." I awkwardly chuckle, turning around. That's something I regret too because I'm seeing a guy with spiky white hair(no, not white hair for old people. I mean, actual white hair. White as snow hair) and a second eye on his forehead.

"You're in Tiaphine, silly!" The man laughed in a gruff voice. At that moment, I felt my heartbeat in my mouth.