Chapter 5: The Dream

Seated on the couch was a little girl.

In front of her stood a man and a woman, both smiling warmly at her.

The house was grand, filled with guests applauding and celebrating. Everyone seemed joyful, as though the moment itself was wrapped in happiness.

The little girl stood and walked toward the stage.

There she was—smiling as if there were no tomorrow—wearing an elegant gown that shimmered beneath the chandelier lights. On the opposite side stood two tall, magnificent cakes, each adorned with the number ten on top.

To the tune of Moonlight Sonata, the little girl felt a tender solitude radiating from the artist playing the piano. The music fit perfectly for the moment, graceful and gentle—just like the young girl standing proudly on the stage.

And then, she began to dance.

The little girl swayed to the sound of the music, her movements graceful and light. Everyone in the room chanted her name, praising and complimenting her.

It was her tenth birthday.

The guests came from powerful families—wealthy politicians and acquaintances of her parents.

She danced beautifully, and when the music came to an end, she tiptoed and turned to face the crowd, her parents among them, watching proudly.

Then, the little girl bowed. The audience erupted in unison applause.

Beaming, she ran down the stage toward her parents.

“Aeliana…”

The woman’s voice calling her name slowly faded into a blur.

She tried to reach out—to caress her mother’s cheek—but everything around her collapsed into darkness.

She gasped and bolted upright in bed. The dark room greeted Aeliana with emptiness. All the lights were off. She pulled her knees close to her chest and remained that way for a while, trying to catch her breath.

It was a dream. A vivid, haunting dream.

Aeliana was the little girl in that dream—the one dancing on stage before her parents. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t picture their faces.

Her mind was blank. Was it a real memory from her past, or simply a fabrication of her imagination?

Her heart pounded rapidly.

A strange sadness crept into her chest.

Was it because the dream felt too real?

Tears suddenly streamed down her cheeks for no apparent reason.

Why?

She wiped them away, but the heaviness in her heart didn’t fade. It was as if countless needles pricked her soul, and she couldn’t understand why she was feeling this way.

Aeliana stood up and tried to compose herself. She switched on the light, revealing her tear-stained face. Those tears—unprovoked yet unstoppable—were proof that something deep within her was broken, shattered beyond comprehension.

Could it be all about her past?

Was the dream somehow connected to the life she had forgotten?

If she truly had parents, why didn’t they show up the day she regained consciousness in the hospital?

Through blurred vision, Aeliana tried to be strong. Perhaps this was the kind of life she was meant to endure until old age. On television, people with amnesia often recovered easily—but why not her?

Outside the mansion, the rain continued to pour. The thunder and lightning that once echoed through the night had grown faint, leaving behind only a soft drizzle. Somehow, it brought her a little comfort and peace.

She lay down again, leaving the lights on this time. Her mind wandered endlessly.

She wondered what the dream meant.

Did she have siblings? Friends? But none of those questions found answers.

Should she ask Silvanus?

She shook her head. Even Silvanus avoided talking about her past.

“My god! This is driving me crazy. What am I supposed to do now?”

She couldn’t rely on anyone in the mansion—not even the couple, Bob and Lindy, who worked there. They were polite but distant, almost cold.

By dawn, she was still wide awake.

Her reflection in the mirror looked like a mess.

As she stepped out of her room, she was startled to see Silvanus standing right in front of her door. His right hand was raised in midair—he must have been about to knock when she opened it.

“You’re up early,” he said, dressed sharply in his office attire.

It was only then that Aeliana noticed how sophisticated and dignified he looked, which made her wonder what kind of work he did. Silvanus looked dashing in his suit. Aeliana couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“Aeliana…” His voice was gentle yet carried an authority that sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn’t tell if he was being kind or simply stern by nature.

“I’ll be busy today, so I’m not sure if I can come home earlier than usual.”

“A-huh—!”

Silvanus tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes. “Are you even listening to me? I said, I might come home late.”

“Huh?”

“Never mind. Anyway, I’ve had something prepared for you in the kitchen. You can just heat it up when you’re hungry.”

“O-okay?” she replied uncertainly.

Silvanus frowned deeper, studying her expression. “You’ve been indifferent day by day lately. Are you feeling unwell?”

“N-no! I’m fine!”

Silvanus sighed softly in relief, giving her one last look before turning away. Aeliana felt a sudden anxiety watching him leave.

She wanted to call out his name—but her tongue froze.

“S-Silvanus…”

He stopped immediately, turning to face her. Aeliana was leaning slightly over the balustrade from the second floor.

“Do you need something?” he asked.

She hesitated for a moment, gazing into his eyes before clearing her throat.

“I don’t know if you’ll agree—but I’ll still try to ask.”

“What is it?”

There was a wide distance between them—Silvanus stood halfway down the staircase while Aeliana remained on the upper floor. Yet their voices reached each other clearly, as if carried by an invisible thread.

“I might be late. You can tell me later tonight instead,” he said, turning his gaze away and starting down the stairs again.

But Aeliana couldn’t wait until evening.

“Take me with you—to your work. Sometimes it feels scary being alone here.”

Finally, she said it.

To Silvanus, that request felt like both a surprise and a challenge.

Aeliana may have lost her memories, but deep inside, traces of her old self were beginning to surface again.

Why hadn’t he thought of that before? He didn’t want to deprive her of the simple joy she was asking for. Against his own hesitations, Silvanus turned back to face her.

“When do you want to come?”

Aeliana’s eyes widened, her lips curving into an uncontrollable smile. She hadn’t expected him to agree so easily.

“Really? You’ll take me with you? Are you sure?” she exclaimed, clapping her hands three times in pure delight—like a child granted permission to visit a theme park.

Silvanus nodded, both amused and uneasy. Fear lingered inside him at the thought of bringing her into the world she once knew so well.

He wondered what her reaction would be when she stepped once again into the city—a place that used to be her favorite escape.

Meanwhile, Aeliana was brimming with excitement.

At last, she would finally see the place where Silvanus worked—and perhaps, find another piece of her forgotten past waiting there.