Chapter 5
One Year Dead, I Decide to Visit My Boyfriend in a Dream Chatper 05
I lost my income and returned to the state I was in when I first arrived in the Heaven community.
Right now, I only had a few leftover minutes from my last connection with Ryan. To see him as soon as possible, I squatted next to the Dream Keeper and waited.
He played Tetris while I asked. “How old is your son?”
The Dream Keeper thought for a moment. “I died when he was seven. He should be fourteen now.”
“You’ve been dead seven years, and your son still sends you game consoles? He’s so filial.”
“My son’s been close to me since he was little.”
Speaking of his son, the Dream Keeper grinned foolishly. “This was the last toy I bought him before I died. He’s probably still mad at me for dying and not visiting him.”
I was curious. “Haven’t you visited your family in their dreams?”
“No. They probably still hate me.”
The rough fingers of the dream demon rubbed the edge of the game console, and the faces of the four directions were full of sadness, as if they were reminiscing.
“I died suddenly in a car crash—on my way home from work. Left my wife and kid, a widow and orphan, all alone. I’m afraid they hate me. I don’t dare to see them.”
“But don’t you miss them after so long?”
The Dream Keeper sighed. “Every day. To be honest, I became the Dream Keeper so I could save enough money to see them once in a while. And maybe… meet more ghosts to see if I can look after my wife and son.”
Being a Dream Keeper was a government job in Heaven, but the salary wasn’t
high. Still, he saved every Heaven Coin.
Every ghost had their own worries. Even a tough, burly guy like the Dream Keeper had such a delicate heart.
Speaking of his son, the Dream Keeper couldn’t stop talking. “He looks like his mom. Really handsome.”
I glanced doubtfully at his square face in front of me.
The Dream Keeper saw my doubt and pulled a photo out of his pocket. “Look for yourself.”
I leaned over—and froze.
In the photo, a beautiful woman was holding a little boy. The child was about six or seven years old, grinning with a missing front tooth.
But… why did he look so familiar?
The screech of brakes, loud shouts echoed in my ears. The pain of my body and soul separating as I protected the child hit me again.
The physical pain was long gone, but my body still twitched instinctively.
The Dream Keeper slapped me hard. “Hey! What are you zoning out for? I asked if he’s handsome!”
I snapped back to my senses. “Yeah. Really handsome.”
The Dream Keeper complained. “Liar.”
Suddenly, Ryan’s long-dormant dream gate opened. My eyes lit up. “Mason! Can I go in now?!”
Somehow infected by my excitement, the Dream Keeper said. “Hurry! You still have forty minutes. Make it count.”
I rushed in. “Ryan!”
What I saw was a sickly figure.
His eyes were closed, lying alone in a hospital bed. The air was filled with the
smell of disinfectant.
In just a few days, Ryan had lost a shocking amount of weight. His face was pale without makeup, and he looked lifeless and weak.
Tears burst out of my eyes.
Ryan lifted his hand, using every bit of his strength to touch my cheek. His voice was so weak I had to lean close to hear him.
He said, “I didn’t manage to send you your package. Did I mess up your business?”
I couldn’t believe he was still talking about this nonsense at a time like this.
“What happened to you?” I cried.
Ryan shook his head and didn’t answer, just stared at me.
Time was limited this time. We could barely say a few words to each other.
“I have to go.” I lowered my head and kissed Ryan’s lips. “Get well soon. Take care of yourself. Don’t make me worry even when I’m dead.”
After confirming Ryan was safe, I felt much better.
After some time, Ryan’s package arrived.
The store reopened, and my ghostly life got back on track.
But one day, just as I was about to close up and go see Ryan as usual, a familiar figure appeared.
It was Greg Wilson, the high school class president I’d mentioned to Ryan.
