Media: Lee Ji-eun / IU as Dewelet Morgan

I'm in this place again. A place where everything seems perfect. A place that can nullify any sort of negative emotions and all you can feel is happiness. A beautiful yet abstract place that can set your mind, heart, and your very soul in tranquility. It feels so unreal.

Am I dreaming again? I eyed my surroundings until the imagery slowly became clearer.

This one is more detailed than my previous dreams. Flowers with unearthly appearances bloomed around, trees of beautiful structures, butterflies fluttering with magnificent wings, vines that grew perfectly to the forms and shapes of the trees upon which they grew. Everything was crystal clear and it felt more than wonderful.

But then it hit me, why I always have a familiar feeling about this place.. It's the garden hidden near our house that only Hazel and I know! The place I like the most.

It's like a sacred garden.

'Dewelet..' I heard something calling my name softly as my eyes roamed around and saw the egg again glowing bright with gradient colors in the center of the garden.

I walked towards it as I eyed it more closely before I began asking it,

"What are you? How do you know my name?" it glowed and then gradually moved further away.

'You'll know soon,' I noticed it starting to fade.

"No! Don't go! I still have a lot to ask! Why do you keep appearing in my dreams?" I cried, but the egg completely disappeared. But it said something which I heard clearly though it was faint.

'The time has come' what does it mean?

||~*(@)*~||

"Dew! Get down here, breakfast is ready!" I heard mom's loud voice calling my name and I've woken up from that strange dream again.

That dream.. It's been happening for a month now since my eighteenth birthday. I don't know why on earth I kept dreaming about that thing.

It kept perturbing me in my sleep. Always appearing in my dreams, although it's just there glowing then gone. But this time, my dream was a bit different. The egg is still there, but it talked for the first time, though what it just said is bothering me. I can't get it out of my mind.

The time has come... What did it mean? Is it going to hatch or something? Will it show up before me? Did it finally decide to come in person and not in my dreams?

I hope not.

"Dewww! Get down here! You'll be late for school again" Mom's loud, angry voice pulled me out from my thoughts. Oh no.

I looked at the clock in my bedside table and shoot! It's already 7:14 am. Classes start at 7:40 am, but I always take a long time in the shower and mom doesn't even let me leave without breakfast. I hurriedly got off my bed and grabbed my towel.

"Coming!" I said before dashing off towards the bathroom.

It took me 10 minutes to shower. That's the fastest I could do. I changed into my school uniform and went to the mirror to have a quick glance at myself.

Satisfied, I smiled at my own reflection before I posthaste towards the dining table.

"You woke up late again. Let me remind you about your promise," mom said after I have taken my seat.

"Sorry."

Mom pulled out a chair across mine and took a seat. We began eating our breakfast in silence.

"Mom, Is it weird to dream about an egg?" I asked. I still couldn't get those dreams out of my mind.

"An egg?" mom repeated and I nodded.

Mom's face suddenly grew serious like she was in deep thought.

"It can't be..." I heard mom muttered which I didn't quite get. 

"Mom?" I asked looking at her while I pushed a morsel of toast in my mouth.

"Oh nothing," Mom said, putting up a playful smile.  "But I can say that it is weird for an adolescent girl like you." 

I choked on my food, "Mom!" I said, my face flushed.

Mom chuckled, "I'm just kidding. By the way, aren't you going to hurry? You'll be late for school," I looked at the clock and it's already 7:30 am.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?!" I hurried and grab the remaining toast before dashing towards the door "Bye mom!" I said before going out completely.

My mom and I might seem close like a real family but I know since I was a child that I'm just adopted. I'm not her real daughter. Mom told me that she found me outside her doorstep crying inside a basket. I was blanketed by a white handkerchief with the word 'Dewelet' written on it and that's how she named me. Dewelet Morgan.

But regardless of my situation, she still took me in and treated me like her own child. I also have this strange pendant with me since the day she found me. There's a beautiful blue stone in the center, its color reminds me of a deep ocean and is shaped like a raindrop. It's bordered with sterling silver, finished off by an intricate embellishment on the top.

Mom said I shouldn't take it off because it might be my only way to find my real parents. I must be an idiot for still thinking I will meet them someday after they left me just like that. That I will hear them say 'sorry' and 'we love you'. I don't know if a day like that will ever come, but I'm thankful enough that they left me in good hands.

It's just the two of us, but she raised me well on her own. I did tell her to just get a boyfriend, but she always says that guys are a waste of time. Hmm... I wonder if she had a bad past.

I hurried to school with my bike since it's not that far and I can reach it faster than walking. I arrived within 5 mins. I parked my bike in the bicycle stand and run towards the lockers. I only have five minutes left. I saw Hazel by the lockers. I waved my hand at her and she waved back.

I opened my locker located beside hers and a letter fell. I picked it up and put it again in the locker, getting the books I needed for the morning classes.

"Why won't you just go out with one of them?" Hazel asked.

"No, thank you," I said and closed the door for my locker. I began walking towards our first class with Hazel by my side.

"It's such a waste. You have a lot of admirers, you should just date one of them," Hazel suggested.

"For what? I don't feel the need to do that,"

"For the experience of course!" Hazel answered like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'll only date someone I like,"

"Tss. You're really hard to get. By the way, will you dye your hair black again?" Hazel asked.

"Yeah. Why? Is it already fading?" I asked, checking a few strands of my hair.

"A little bit. But you're prettier with your original hair color you know? It's such a waste." Hazel said. She really likes my hair more than I.

I originally have a platinum blond colored hair with natural lime highlights and Hazel admires it a lot. But I'm the only one who has that kind of hair color here since most of them have dark hair and dark brown eyes. Paired by my green emerald eyes, I was always bullied since I was a kid for being different. They said I might be a child of some monster or supernatural being. That is why I've dyed my hair dark and wore contacts ever since I entered high school. Hazel was the only one back then who accepted me for who I am and befriended me.

"You know well why I do this," I said, feeling a bit down.

"Yeah.. I was just saying." Hazel replied as she patted my back.

||~*(@)*~||

The day went by with all those boring classes. Hazel and I exited the room and went to the lockers to put back our notebooks and books. When I turn around, I was surprised to see Trent, one of my persistent suitors. Well, I already rejected him a couple of times, but he just never loses hope.

"Uhm.. D-Dewelet, please let me walk you home."

"Sorry Trent, I brought my bike with me today," I reasoned. This is one of those times where I'm thankful mom bought me a bike.

"I-is that so?" Trent said, obviously disappointed.

"Uhm, Dew! Can I borrow your bike? There's somewhe--" Hazel started saying.

I gave her a 'just-try-and-we-are-friendship-over' look.

"Ah never mind. I forgot mom's going to drive me home today. Bye Dew! Bye Trent," Hazel said, giving Trent an apologetic look. For some reason, she really likes him for me.

"Then I'll also go. Take care Dewelet," he said, smiling at me. A sad smile.

"Y-yeah, you too," I said and smiled. I feel sorry for him every time I have to reject him. He's not that bad. He's actually a nice guy and he also has the looks, but my heart just won't beat faster when I'm with him. I want to make it clear as to not giving him any false hopes.

I rode my bike and was going to go home straight, but something is bothering me. Something just doesn't feel right and I think the only way to clear my mind is to go to that place in my dreams. Before I knew it, I already found myself in front of a large bush. I guess all that thinking made me wander to this place.

I stopped and got off my bike. Should I get in or not? This question keeps repeating in my head but before I could answer, my feet started to move on its own as I struggle to get past the large bush.

I gulped as soon as I got past through it. Why do I have a feeling that something's gonna happen? But that doubt was washed away as I looked at the Garden. I still am not used to it even if I have entered this place thousands of times already. It still feels like the first time I came here because I can't get enough of this place and seeing it just makes me smile and it lightens up my mood even if I got the worst of all worst days.

It's like a magical garden.

I looked around but saw nothing new. I heave a sigh of relief. I guess I was worried about nothing. Feeling a bit tired, I lied comfortably on the grass. I looked at the sky, painted in orange, pink, and dark blue as the sun is setting. There's really nothing better than relaxing in this place.

I closed my eyes, not realizing I've fallen asleep.

"Dew... Dew," I heard a familiar voice calling my name.

"Who are you?" I asked, looking around everywhere although I couldn't see anything because it's pitched black.

"I'm glad you came" It continued then a tiny ray of light started to shine in front of me. I looked at it closely as an image of an egg became clearer.

"Take care of this." the egg drew closer, landing in my hands.

"What are you talking about?" I asked confused. Looking at this thing in my hand.

"You are the only hope.." the voice said before it disappeared.

I opened my eyes as I woke up from another strange dream again. I looked at the fireflies lighting up the garden and realized it's already nightfall. Just how long have I been asleep? Aside from the fireflies, I also noticed there's a light emitting in between my hands.

Remembering my dream, I instinctively looked at my hands and holy mother of cows! There is indeed an egg in between my palms. I almost threw it off by surprise, but good thing I was able to restrain myself. Just what in the world is happening? What is this thing? I looked at it closely and can't help but notice it looks so magical. It's a bit bigger than a regular egg size. It also changes its colors when light reflects in its spectrum. Wow...

Now, now... this isn't the time to be impressed Dew, I thought to myself shaking my head. What am I suppose to do with this thing? The voice in my dream did say I should take care of this. I hate having this responsibility, but I couldn't also leave it here because my conscience would kill me. For some reason, I'm also curious about what's inside this egg. Is it a dragon? No, it couldn't be. I brushed off the thought. 

I wonder what the voice meant when it said I'm the only hope. This is so confusing and I'm getting a bad feeling about this. Is it really alright to bring this egg with me? I heaved a sigh.

I guess I should worry about it when the time comes. For now, I should at least take care of this thing. I looked at my watch and shoot! It's getting too late, I should head home or mom would kill me. I stood up and walked to my bike. Where should I put this thing? Hmm... I got a towel from my bag and wrapped it around the egg. I also pulled out some heavy books that might fall onto the egg then I finally placed it inside my bag. I smiled, looking at how comfy it looks.

"All set!" I muttered then drove my bike home.

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