“Tell you what?”
I open my eyes and see the view of the late-morning ocean. I’m on a couch. Must’ve fallen asleep after breakfast. “Oh, wow.” I sit up and shake my head a little. “Damn it, it was a dream.”
“What kind of dream?” Yuna asks, looking at me from an armchair.
“A silly one. Dragons flying inside our home without breaking the glass.”
“Dragons?” She raises both eyebrows. “Inside our home?”
“Well, they were small. I know, it doesn’t really follow.”
“I don’t think dreams have to obey the laws of physics.” She picks up a slice of lemon from a plate balanced on her knee and sucks on the fruit.
“Isn’t that super tart?” My face scrunches as I imagine what it must taste like.
“Actually, it’s quite refreshing. I love it.” She smiles.
Women love the weirdest things.
“You ready for our video chat with Mom and Dad?” she says.
Yuna’s parents can’t visit this summer, so we’re doing a Zoom call instead.
We join the conference call. Her parents are already there, seated in their living room together. “Yuna! Declan!” Her mom waves.
“You look a little sleepy,” her dad says.
“Yes. I fell asleep before the call, but I’m awake now,” I say with a smile.
Yuna sucks another slice of lemon.
“So when is your next movie? I’m going to give free tickets to all of our employees and their families so they can go see it,” he says.
I smile at his enthusiasm. He did that when my first movie came out. It did well, and I’m grateful for his support. “I don’t know yet, but I’ll let you know when I do.”
“Tell us all about how you’ve been,” Yuna’s mom says. “You’ve been eating well? Sleeping well?”
“I’ve been a little tired. I think I need to eat more fruit and vegetables,” Yuna says. “I’m craving citrus.”
“Vitamin C deficiency.” Yuna’s dad frowns. “I’ll have Mr. Park send you some good hanyak, Yuna.”
I shudder in pity. Hanyak is a traditional Korean herbal medicine, and is so bitter I almost literally can’t swallow the stuff. But her mom brought it last winter for both of us, then made us drink it every day for two months, saying it would help with creating the next generation. I didn’t have the heart to tell her science disagrees. A sperm has to meet an egg. Putting a father-to-be through inhuman torture for two months won’t do it.
“Okay. Thank you,” Yuna says calmly.
“So. Are you seeing anything unusual in your dreams?” Yuna’s mom asks.
“No. I don’t think I’m dreaming these days. And if I do, I don’t remember,” Yuna says.
Her mom looks thoroughly disappointed for some reason.
And I hate seeing her let down. “I had a dream. A couple of dragons.”
“Dragons!” Yuna’s mom lets out an actual squeal, something I never imagined she’d do.
Yuna’s dad leans forward until his face takes up at least three-quarters of the screen. “Dragons! How many?”
“Uh… Two? One white and one pink. They flew into my arms, then went to Yuna.”