A Love Called Out in Silence

I really, really like you and want to pursue you, so I mustered up the courage to send you a message and waited a long time for your reply. Meeting alone felt awkward, so I pretended nothing was wrong and said it was nothing. There were other mutual friends hanging out, but unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the appointment even though you agreed. After I returned to Taiwan, I carefully prepared and dressed up, but sadly my condition worsened. On the way there, I collapsed, lost consciousness, and vomited blood. Before closing my eyes, my last words were shouting your name with all my strength and saying “I love you,” hoping you could hear me.

The Last Glance at the Prom

It might be the last time I ever see you. At my university graduation prom, classmates from university, high school, and even elementary school had all gathered. And in the middle of the crowd, I saw you.

Suspended Between Shadows

We were grocery shopping in teams at the supermarket, and you and I were in different groups. I was thinking about what the group in charge of the main dish should make. I picked up some chicken legs and beef short ribs. Later, you asked me why I took so long, and I said I didn’t know what to cook. In the end, I chose the beef short ribs. When I returned to the room we had agreed to gather in, no one was there. Instead, I saw a high school classmate of mine in the back kitchen taking care of his little nephew. I cautiously greeted him, but he looked confused, as if he didn’t know me. After a moment of hesitation, he finally recognized me. I asked him why the space had changed like this, and suddenly it shifted back into the restaurant where everyone was supposed to gather. When I came to my senses, I was already sitting at a table, and you were right across from me. You still had no idea how I felt about you, but you noticed me staring at you. I’ve always been like this—looking at you until I cried. I left my seat and ran outside, where I saw another high school classmate. I walked for a long time, eventually reaching a massive suspended structure at the edge of a cliff. I collapsed into sleep, and the next time I woke up, I was in someone’s arms on a grassy field. I thought it was you, but when I slowly opened my eyes, it was actually Qing-Feng from Sodagreen. He told me, “You can’t force a love that isn’t yours.” After that, I was left alone as the entire scene returned to the way it was before.

The Moment You Noticed

We went on a trip to a tourist spot, and while we were on the bus, I kept looking at you but didn’t have the courage to talk to you. It wasn’t until the ride back around noon, on the SkyTrain, that you noticed I was carrying a kitten, and that’s when you finally started a conversation with me. When we got back to the classroom, I sat next to you and had lunch with our mutual friends. A guy started showing interest in me, and you could tell that I had feelings for you—but you still remained unmoved. Then, while I wasn’t paying attention, the kitten ran off. I immediately chased after it and managed to bring it back. After lunch, I took the kitten home, and that guy came with me. I looked at you, who remained indifferent, and ended up having a relationship with the other guy. When we returned, you noticed how much closer we had become, and for the first time, you started to care and take action toward me.

The Shape I Followed

While studying, I saw a familiar figure and followed, only to discover it was you. I really wanted to be with you. I began gathering all kinds of information about you and found one of your female friends who helped me collect details. She knew you had a partner but still tried to help me as much as she could.

Back in Our Seats

We were back in our elementary school seats. I looked at you, and you looked at me. I couldn’t concentrate in class because of you. But in the end, your gaze was still not on me.

The Whisper After Class

You sat in front of me in the classroom. After class, we brushed past each other, and you quietly whispered “I love you” in my ear. I responded, “I love you too,” hoping you’d say, “Let’s be together,” but you didn’t. We stayed in this ambiguous state until you grew tired of it. You told me you didn’t love me. The scent of your hair made me feel you weren’t gentle or sweet at all—it reminded me of Jawon, a chef I know, with a very masculine smell. Then you turned and hugged my friend, saying she was the one you truly loved, and to him you said, “Let’s be together.” You left me alone, watching. Later, you deliberately showed off your affection with her in front of me, sometimes clearly and sometimes subtly. Eventually, we went to visit our friend Ted, only to find his dog had already been taken by another friend. We chatted energetically, and you looked a bit annoyed but said nothing.

The Teacher, the Chase, and the Gift I Never Gave

We were about to change seats—five in total, just like a classroom in Taiwan. You were supposed to be seated behind me, but for some reason, you suddenly went to sit in the first seat. I remained in the third. Class was about to begin, and I still had my AirPods in, listening to music while taking out my math textbook. But then the teacher walked straight over, angrily snatching away my earbuds and book. When I looked up at the board, I realized you were the one teaching Chinese. This class was actually a summer make-up course designed for students like me who had gone to high school in Canada. I suddenly burst into tears and rushed out of the classroom to the bathroom. To my shock, the teacher sent a classmate to watch me. Just as I was pulling down my pants, I looked up and saw that classmate staring straight at me through the door. I immediately pulled my pants back up, flung the door open, and sprinted out. I jumped off the third or fourth floor, caught onto a second-floor balcony, and hid under the plants in the flowerbed just beneath it, which luckily covered me. As some students came down the stairs to look for me, I used that moment to sneak away by blending into a group of students running on the track. I escaped the school in the chaos. Later, I saw a Rexall on the street and remembered they had snacks I wanted to buy for you for tomorrow. But in an alley, I ran into two thugs who demanded money. I told them I only had $20 and could prove it, but when I opened my wallet, I had around $400–$500 CAD. I gave them $100, but when they saw how much I really had, they started chasing me. I ran down the alley, climbed up to someone’s balcony, crawled through the iron railing, and hid inside a cabinet. One of the thugs even opened the window to check but didn’t spot me, and kept searching elsewhere.

In Between Departures

We were about to go on a trip together because I was about to leave for Canada. You and your friend came to my house to pick me up. I got in the car and sat between you and your friend. At first, we were all a bit reserved, chatting about the trip. Before long, I fell asleep, leaning on your shoulder. 

I don’t know what happened, but when I woke up, my legs were even resting on him. I think we both had feelings for each other but couldn’t put them into words. Later, I left for Canada. A year later, when I returned, we reconnected. 

The scene was just like before I left for Canada—you and your friend came to pick me up for a trip. This time, you started a conversation, saying your favorite actress is the one who plays "the transfer student girl," Nanno. I said, "Oh, I’ve met her before. She used to live upstairs from me and would sometimes come to my place to cook with me."

The Ride I Missed

When we went out for the trip, I forgot that today was our graduation trip, so I only brought a regular bag. Luckily, I had some makeup left at school, so it didn’t affect me much. At that moment, a male classmate behind me remarked how rare it was for a girl like me to pack so light. My vanity kicked in, and I laughed, saying, “Yeah, that’s true.”  

During a break, I went to Shoppers, tried out a lotion, and bought a face mask. But I accidentally left my phone behind. When I realized it, I went to find security, who smiled and told me they had it but couldn’t return it yet because it had been reported.  

I told him I needed my phone to make a payment, so he temporarily gave it back to me. The moment I got it, I turned and ran! But in the end, I still didn’t catch the same ride as you and missed you entirely. I watched as another girl swooped in and took the chance to be with you.

Skylines and Firelight

My boyfriend and I went to New York. There was a place that felt like Disney—more like a mix of Universal Studios and Disney. The night before we went, we were eating at Shake Shack. Later, we sat at a spot similar to a scenic restaurant on Yangmingshan in Taiwan, overlooking the New York City skyline. I asked if you wanted to go to Disney with me, and we happily ate and talked about it. The night before the trip, there was a bonfire party with a group of people. You and I sat together, chatting enthusiastically.

A Seat Apart, Still Near

We are in the same classroom but have to sit separately. The classroom is divided into two sections. Originally, we were sitting together, but now we’re separated. Fortunately, we’re still in the same space. You sit behind me to my left, and now a high school classmate is sitting beside me. Even so, I still move my chair next to yours at lunchtime so we can eat together. One day after class, we went back to my place. After I showered and changed into comfortable clothes, we went out together to see an exhibition.

The Stall Beneath the Sky

I saw you near a place close to the elementary school where we first met, but I don’t know if you saw me. It was a place that looked like a mix of the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, the East District, and a bit like Dadaocheng. I went there to see an exhibition. The exhibition was very realistic and somewhat eerie, so I only looked at a part of it and went outside to get some fresh air while waiting for my friends to finish. At that moment, I saw you setting up a small cultural and creative stall outside the exhibition. When I wanted to go over and talk to you, my feet wouldn’t move. I wanted to tell you that I like you, but I was afraid things would become awkward between us in the future, especially since it’s been so long since we last met. Just as I mustered up the courage again, my friends came out and dragged me away to see other stalls. I hurried past your stall, looking at you, but I don’t know if you saw me.

The Girl in the Shadow

The scene is me working at L'Occitane in Richmond Centre, Canada. Then my elementary school classmates came in with skincare face masks to sell. I saw you and asked for your phone number so the manager could contact you about sales later, but you said your bus is coming, and you need to catch it. Later, you directly messaged me on Instagram. Suddenly, you came back and said that one man had returned. Then, the scene changed to the Presidential Office Building in Taiwan. Then a park appeared nearby, resembling the overpass at Zhongshan Commercial District. A man was standing on the overpass, observing. And randomly, someone told me to be careful of that man named Kris. He had ruined a girl and now had chased her to Canada. The girl was clean, beautiful, and smart, originally from a middle-class family, but because of that man, she turned into low-income. She used the remaining assets to find a way to move to Canada. Now the man had caught up with her, everyone said to wait and see if the girl would still be alive tomorrow. After hearing this, I suddenly felt scared. I slid down a slide and saw Kris's face. He grabbed my leg, and I didn't know where I would be dragged to. It turned out that I was that girl.

Gravel, Flights, and Doritos

It starts when I'm driving with my cat, and instead of using the wheel, I'm using my feet to drive the car. Suddenly, as I approach a tunnel, gravel starts falling from the mountain and hits me. I try my best to run to the tunnel, attempting to escape from the falling gravel. Then, I arrive at a place (which seems to be Langley/Victoria but not the same; this place keeps appearing even in my other dreams). I met you and four other people who are coming to the same building as me. We go up to a floor that is my previous elementary school classmate's home. Now, he doesn't look as handsome as before and even looks a bit casual. I stand at the far left side; next to me is not you, but another man (I forget who he is, but I think I know him in reality). After a while, that man slowly pretends to move without motion and walks to the left side, so now I'm next to you. The outside window looks like a mountain we visited together during our graduation trip. We all eat Doritos together, and I try to talk to you just as people do in situations.

Twice Missed

One day, I met you on a street, and I want to talk to you, however, I saw around you there with a very beautiful girl, so I give up to talk with you. Then, there is another day we met again, and I was with a guy ( my kindergarden classmates in reality). And you saw me, I saw you, just as I missed you before, and even now I get a second time I still missed again.

Walking in An-Kang 

We walked on the street just as a couple, but we weren't. The feeling is just like how high school relationships like, not too many things can do but it's pure. you're a part of a band, we walked on An-Kang community(a place in the Wenshan district, where some Taiwanese movies take place right there), and chatted as a high school couple.

Between the Lines of Battle

It's a space from my phone; I was watching Netflix when suddenly I was grabbed inside the movie and became a part of it. In this space, Big Boss divided people into male and female groups, and I saw you in the male area. I was super worried about you because, at the end of this game, only men could kill all the women or women could kill all the men. I tried to get along well with the Big Boss (not specifying gender), and in every fight, the Big Boss would choose to either collaborate with the male team or the female team. Then, I started to assist the Big Boss, always saying something sweet, and we became ambiguous. One day, the Big Boss let me choose to join either the male team or the female team. I wanted to help you, but if I chose the male team, then the Big Boss saw me as the only choice to be killed. So, I chose the female team. In future fights, I hid in the Big Boss's secret hidden space to help prepare all the weapons, while also helping you by giving you the most advanced weapons to protect yourself

Whispers and Crossroads

Now you have a girlfriend, and I told a lot of not true gossip about your girlfriend to you and tried to let you guys break up. Meanwhile, I keep inviting you to date as a bitch while you are still in a relationship with your girlfriend.

Shelter in Shadows

In this dream, you're more like an older brother. We are having school events with my SFU cohorts and playing hide and seek. Then suddenly, the scene changes to my mom driving and forcing me into her car for a blind date, but I don't want to go. At the same time, one of my previous male coworkers sits beside me. And then it shifts back to my home in Taiwan, where you try to help me hide from being found by my mom. I don't have food and water in that space, so every time you have time, you come to visit me and brings me food to help alleviate my anxiety.

Journey Through Taroko

For our graduation trip, we chose to go to Hualien (exactly the same as in reality). Our bus went through Daqingshui Tunnel and Hsuehshan Tunnel. Then, we arrived at a mountain called Taroko National Park (which also resembles Dinosaur Provincial Park). As we went further inside, we encountered various types of weather depending on the altitude of the mountain. In the beginning, it was the same as reality, then there was steam and volcanic activity, and finally, the highest part became a snow mountain. The sweetest thing was that  you was always around me, supporting me as we climbed. After we returned to our bus, I took a nap on your arm.