Yoongi blinked to ease the strain in his eyes that the computer screen was causing. He leaned back on his chair, stretching and soothing the tension in his body. His colleague Misa, entered the room bringing a chill of the morning air with her.

"You stayed here all night?" she asked wiping her low heel boots on the welcome mat.

"Hmm."

"Any progress?" she dusted off the light raindrops on her black turtleneck and black pants.

"A lot actually, I think it's ready for testing," he said, stretching his tight muscles.

"It's only a prototype but if it does what we think it does, these pills will change dreaming as we know it." He rose from his seat and met her smile.

"I'm going to take a shower,"

"Okay," Misa said, slipping on her lab coat.

He turned on the tap and the screaming pipes invaded his ears. He quickly brushed his teeth as he waited for the water to heat up. A shiver ran up his back as his feet touched the cold tiles. The heat relaxed and loosen his tight muscles, he grabbed the pink body wash and began to lather.

Being psychologists at university, working on their post-graduate project came with its challenges like coming up with new concepts for old theories. But they were so close to reaching their goal of making something that can alter how people view dreams.

He looked through his limited selection of clothes in his locker and grabbed a pair of blue ripped jeans, a white t- shirt, along with converse high tops and his white lab coat. He combed back his damp blond hair with his fingers and shut the door.

"How about some breakfast?"

"No thanks, I need to continue," he was about to go past her but she blocked his way.

"You've been at it all night, and a little break will do you good. You can't deny the scientific fact of it."

The low grumbled in his stomach halted his protest. "Fine."

Yoongi crossed his arms over his body for more warmth as they strolled through the biting wind, the drizzle beating down unto the single yellow umbrella.

"There's a cafe just a few minutes from the university, do you want to go there?" Misa asked.

"Whatever, anything to get me out of the rain,"

"Oh don't be such a grandpa," she teased, striding ahead, taking the umbrella with her.

"Yah!" he yelled as the downpour pelted his exposed form. Catching up to Misa under the umbrella he grumbled.

"You're paying for breakfast for that little stunt," a tinge of red peppered his cheeks. She stuck her tongue out at his slightly annoyed eyes as he combed back his damp hair.

They were welcomed by the muted lights casting a warm tinge across the cafe. They both ordered the same thing, two breakfast panini on ciabatta bread with scrambled eggs, baby spinach and tomatoes with tea.

"Damn this is good,"

"It is," he took a sip of his piping hot Earl Grey tea.

"Did you dream anything last night?" Yoongi asked.

She pouted her lips. "No, not one thing. After binging a TV show, you would think that I would be able to muster up some kind of wild dreams.  I wish I could lucid dream like you,"

Simpering, he brought the cup to his lip, letting the hot vapours warm his skin before taking another sip.

"Well, hopefully, the pills will work," he said. The experiments had been going on for two years and this time they were close to creating a pill to lucid dream on command. Not just them but everyone will be able to. No more doing ritualistic things like performing reality checks, keeping a dream log, or inducing sleep paralysis when those tactics might not even work for some people.

People want to experience the fanciful feeling of self-awareness and control in their dreams; to manipulate anything they desire such as love, wealth, lust. And so much more. However, Yoongi had a different motive for creating these pills.

He was motivated by pure escapism. He wished he could stay in his dreams. It often felt like a safe place unlike the reality of the real world.

~~~

Back at the lab, they opened the door to be welcomed by a crash of a cup breaking followed by a string of curse words. They turned and smiled at each other.

"Looks like Kai is finally here," Misa chimed.

Kai stood over the old coffee machine that desperately needed cleaning. His dirty blond hair was tied in a ponytail and his usual jeans were swapped for gym shorts and botton up shirt was replaced with a wrinkled grey t-shirt. Clearly, he was having a rough morning.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, trying to make coffee, and where did you two run off to?"

Yoongi held up a white paper bag and Misa handed Kai a cup of coffee.

"Getting your breakfast," Misa smiled.

"I love you guys," he took the breakfast and set it on his workbench.

"We know," Yoongi said, leaning against his desk. "Did your girlfriend make you sleep outside again?"

"No, I didn't sleep outside," Kai scoffed.

Misa raised a brow at him.

"I slept on the couch, which is significantly better than sleeping on the grass."

Misa rolled her eyes. "She is such a bad girlfriend I don't see why you put up with her,

"Kai shrugged. "What can you do? Relationships are complicated."

~~~

Yoongi stood outside the lab observing the rain cascading on the nearby buildings. With the fog swaying among the buildings, it looked like somewhere else, like a dystopian city. Smoothing his goosebumps, he yawned into the cold air as his breath came out like clouds.

He was determined to dream again, needing an escape, his mind begged him for it. He wanted to be anyway else. He wanted to see his family again. In his dreams were the only place they lived. To see them smile, hear them laugh and feel their embrace. He often contemplated death but was too afraid to do anything about it. He thought maybe dying would be better than living every day with misery and then maybe in that death, he can finally see his family.

Consequently, dreaming clouds his sadness every night. Specifically when he lucid dreams.

Misa came out and stood beside him seeming to enjoy the company of his silence, watching the mist falling down on nature. She inched closer but not enough for contact, just enough for him to hear her over the rain.

"What are you thinking about?"

Eyes still on the rain he pondered. "A dream, this one dream of me as a child,"

"What happens in the dream?"

"I'm happy, my family is at a park, there's nothing particularly special about the park, but I feel so at peace with myself,"

"I see," she inhaled the icy breeze blowing in her face and exhaled. "You smell like strawberries,"

Yoongi glanced at his shirt pulling the collar up to his nose. He caught the strong scent of fabric softener when realization dawned on him.

"Oh, I used your body wash this morning, sorry,"

"It's okay, I have the same one at home. It's nice, it reminds me of icy strawberries,"

Raising a brow at her whimsical analogy, he threaded a hand through his hair.

She turned and locked eyes with him. Seeming to find the answers he didn't ask. "You know you can talk to us right? We're your friends not just colleagues,"

Shifting his focus back to the rain, a soft smile overcame him. He knew he could, but it was hard for him to emotionally depend on other people. In truth, he never learned how.

Another foggy yawn escaped his lips and they went back inside. Tapping his fingers on the desk he watched the pills in the dispenser in thought.

"I'm ready to test it," Yoongi said.

"What? We don't even have participants or a plan for it yet," Misa said.

"I'll be the one to try it first,"

Kai scratched the back of his neck. "Isn't that dangerous? We don't even know what it can do yet, remember this just a hypothesis,"

"Then it's better me than someone else's life,"

He took out one of the blue pills, crushed it between his teeth and the flavour captivated his tastebuds.

"Well? What does it taste like?"

"Sweet,"

"Sweet? How strange there were only zero point five per cent traces of glucose in it."

He laid down on the bed, and let the white noise of rain thundering drifted him off. However, it didn't take long for the tablet to take effect since time didn't feel the same when you are unconscious.

Behind his eyes, his imagination fired. He imagined a calm space, whether it be a cafe or sitting under the stars at midnight, he didn't mind either way. Somewhere he felt at home. He drew a long breath and opened his eyes.

His eyes stung from the sudden brightness and surrounding him was a warm aura, like sunshine. Blossoming trees were welcoming him to the park. His skin relaxed into the warmth and sighed as the sunlight kissed his cheeks. He was definitely dreaming.

Smiling he observed his family eating fresh sandwiches his mom had made, under a shady cherry blossom tree. He smiled gratefully blinking his misty eyes, he stepped closer but stopped when the faces of his family became blurry. His forehead creased as stillness overcame him. 

They vanished before his eyes under the rays of sunlight. He tried to bring them back but it was no use. He couldn't imagine anything anymore.

"The pill can't wear off just yet," he spoke into the air.

Strolling about he took in the sight of a bench with a man's back to him. Strange, Yoongi never imagined anyone else to be in the dream except his family. Looking around he cautiously walked up to the person.

"Excuse me? Who are-" he paused, baffled. Yoongi's face twisted in confusion at the spitting image of himself, staring at him, wickedness evident in his eyes.

"You." The man simply said. With a smirk on his lips, he crossed his legs to rest his hand under his chin.