𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞!𝐚𝐮) 𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐙

CH. 43 ~ Stargazing

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I shoot up in bed still, feeling my heart racing at the dream I've just had. I scan the room quickly to make sure that I'm back in Ocleavear and a huge wave of relief washes over me when I take in the familiar view of the doors leading to the balcony. I slowly feel my heartbeat return to normal but I don't make any effort to go back to sleep, knowing full well that I won't be able to after that nightmare.

I shake my head aggressively to push out the bad dream and it works momentarily. Since I've decided that I will not be returning to sleep I throw my feet over the side of the bed and I get off, sliding on the cozy slippers and the silk robe on the chair in front of the vanity mirror. I wrap the robe around me securely and once I'm done I contemplate what to do next, deciding that I'll go out to take a stroll in the gardens. I look over at my dresser to see the beautiful white rose Seonghwa gave me a day or two ago resting there, almost as if it were never cut from the bush. I pick it up and take it with me, making my way over to Ocleavear's palace gardens.

It's a couple of ways away but I manage to get there by what I can remember of the layout. After making some turns here and there, I finally get to the edge of the gardens where the gentle nighttime breeze hits my warm skin and blows softly through my clothes, carrying the smell of the flowers in the garden. I look around the garden to make sure no one will see me and when I'm sure I'm not being watched, I begin to casually stroll through the garden, following the large path and wondering where it'll take me.

The sound of crickets and other unknown nocturnal animals is amplified by the silence. There's a small rustling of leaves when the wind blows in my direction but besides that it's rather peaceful. I take in a big breath of fresh air, inhaling through my nose and exhaling through my mouth as a way to control my thoughts. Finally being able to relax properly after the nightmare, I close my eyes, stopping in the middle of the pathway and relying on my other senses to hear and feel.

My eyebrows knit together and I clutch my robe tighter against myself, trying to chase away bad thoughts. I hold on tighter to the glistening white rose, feeling some small thorns prick my finger pads. At some point, I'm too focused on stopping my unwanted ideas that I don't even notice the plaintive singing coming from somewhere else in the garden. My eyes snap wide open and I look around quickly, scanning every little space of the garden, when I come across what seems to me a large fountain a few feet to my right. Near there, I see the outlines of a single person sitting around and swaying side to side with their singing.

Despite the fact that I had wanted to be alone while calming down from my nightmare, I decided that it wouldn't be bad to socialize. It might even help me forget the terrible dream, even if it's just for a moment.

I make my way over to the source of the familiar voice that's still singing and when I start to get significantly close, I can begin to make out who it is. The tall figure, with his brown curly hair and cheery demeanor, is none other than Yunho. I think that he can also sense me walking towards him now because his humming dies down as he turns his head in my direction, squinting heavily in the darkness to see who I am.

"Sun-Mi, Is that you?" Yunho calls out to me and I answer when I enter within hearing distance of him.

"No, it's a ghost." I joke around, seeing him grin at me in the moonlight. He's sitting in front of a gorgeously crafted fountain that shoots a steady stream of water. Who knows how long he's been out here. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing," The tall brunette shrugs. "Couldn't sleep?" I bob my head. He smiles up at me kindly from where he's sitting on the dry concrete part of the fountain. He softly pats the empty spot next to him, signaling for me to join him and I gladly do. "Come watch the stars with me then." He suggests.