After that dream, Arashi felt strange. The girl's voice still echoed in his ears, haunting him. What was she trying to tell me? The question circled in his mind again and again.
At school, it was no different. Even in class, he couldn't focus. No matter how hard he tried, his thoughts always drifted back to her.
Days passed. Satoru's girlfriend, Miyu, had returned, and the two of them looked happier than ever. Takumi and Hina were together too, both couples laughing and chatting side by side.
But Arashi… he felt left out. Something didn't feel right inside him.
Why am I so different from them? Why can't I act the way they do? Is there something wrong with me?
His friends joked, teased, and laughed with each other while he could only sit and watch. The confidence to join in just wasn't there.
As he drowned in those thoughts, Miyu noticed. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips.
"Detective Miyu has found something," she announced playfully. "Someone here looks upset. Can you guess who it is, Arashi?"
She walked over to him, tilting her head with a teasing grin.
"What happened, Arashi? Why do you look so gloomy? Don't tell me… your girlfriend dumped you or something?"
Arashi's face turned bright red. "Are you crazy?" he snapped. "First of all, I don't even have a girlfriend—never did! And second, how many times do I have to tell you that you're only here to make fun of me? Don't you have anything better to do?"
The table went quiet for a moment. Then Satoru spoke. "Bro, chill. It was just a tease. Don't take it so seriously."
Realizing how harsh he sounded, Arashi's shoulders slumped. "Sorry… I overreacted. I don't know what's wrong with me lately."
His friends exchanged a quick look. One of them leaned closer. "It's fine. But, Arashi—you've been acting different. If something's wrong, you can share it with us."
Arashi thought for a second, then shook his head. "It's nothing. Just a headache. Don't worry about it."
"Alright," they said, dropping the subject. Soon, Satoru and Miyu went back to chatting with each other, while Takumi and Hina laughed softly, asking if the other was okay, taking care of each other in their small ways.
Watching them, Arashi felt the loneliness creep back in. Once again, he was the odd one out.
Real men don't chase after girls, he told himself stubbornly. I'll do this solo.
But no matter how much he tried to act tough, his thoughts drifted back to her—the girl from his dreams.
Later that day, he walked home, his mind still clouded with her voice.
When Arashi got home, he dropped his bag on the floor and went straight to his desk. Sleep felt impossible—the girl's voice still echoed in his ears, pulling him toward the unknown.
He opened his laptop and typed into the search bar: "dreaming of a faceless girl meaning."
Dozens of results appeared. Articles, forum posts, even old blog entries. He clicked one and began to read.
"A faceless girl in dreams often represents something missing in your life. Psychologists link it to loneliness, hidden desires, or the search for identity. Some people report hearing voices without seeing a face—it is said to be the mind's way of protecting them from truths they aren't ready to face."
Another page mentioned something different: "In rare cases, people dream of the same faceless figure repeatedly. They believe it's not just the mind, but something beyond it—an unknown presence trying to connect with them."
Arashi's eyes widened. His heart beat faster. Some parts matched what he felt—loneliness, emptiness, the strange comfort in her voice. But the part about "an unknown presence" sent chills down his spine.
"No way," he whispered. "This can't be real… right?"
Yet the more he scrolled, the more unsettled he became. A handful of descriptions were almost exactly like his own dream—down to the girl smiling without a face, standing in the light.
For the first time, Arashi wondered if what he was experiencing wasn't just a dream.
Arashi leaned back in his chair, staring at the glowing words on the screen: "Faceless Entity Phenomenon."
Arashi scrolled further, curiosity pulling him deeper. Most of the articles were scattered across psychology blogs, dream forums, and a few research papers.
One line caught his eye: "Encounters with faceless figures in dreams are often rare and inconsistent. Some people experience it once in their lifetime, others report it happening every few months. Continuous or repeating visits, however, are extremely unusual."
Arashi frowned, reading it twice. Unusual…
His fingers tapped nervously on the desk. "So, it's not supposed to keep happening? Just once, maybe twice? Then why… twice already in just a week?"
He leaned back, rubbing his temples. His chest felt heavy, but he whispered to himself, trying to stay calm: "Okay… only a few things match. It's not exactly the same. I'm just stressing for no reason."
He closed the tab, shut his laptop, and stood up. But deep down, he knew he couldn't shake it off. Because the dream girl's words weren't fading—they lingered, pulling at him, as if waiting for the next night.
A whole month slipped by, and now—the day had come. The day she said she would meet him again.
Arashi tried to act like it was nothing, but inside, he couldn't hide it. His chest buzzed with a mix of excitement and dread. "Why am I… this nervous?" he muttered, pacing in his room. "It's not like I like her or anything. Then why does it feel like I can't wait? Why do I want to see her so badly?"
The more he thought, the heavier the feeling became. His mind raced, his body restless. He tried distracting himself by videos, music, even reading but nothing worked.
That night, when he finally lay in bed, sleep refused to come. His heart pounded violently against his ribs. His chest felt heavy, every breath a struggle. Sweat soaked his shirt, and fear crept in, cold and unexplainable. It almost felt like… death itself was approaching.
Minutes dragged on, unbearable—until at last, his eyes shut.
CRASH!
The sound of shattering glass echoed, and suddenly Arashi was no longer in his room.
He stood in a vast golden wheat field, the stalks swaying in the wind. The air smelled warm and sweet, but he could barely register it. His eyes locked on her.
The dream girl.
She was walking ahead, her figure glowing faintly in the sunlight.
Arashi's heart leapt. "I can't hold it anymore…" he whispered. Then he sprinted toward her.
But something was wrong. No matter how fast he ran, no matter how much strength he poured into his legs—she stayed the same distance away. Always just out of reach.
"Wait!" he shouted, desperation clawing at his throat. "Stop! Please!"
The girl didn't turn. Didn't answer. She just kept walking, graceful and calm, as if his voice couldn't reach her.
Arashi's steps faltered. His chest ached—not from running, but from the emptiness in his heart. His eyes burned as frustration surged through him.
Finally, he stopped, clenching his fists. His voice cracked as he yelled with everything inside him:
"Why are you doing this?! My family and friends are worried because of what's happening to me! I didn't even tell them about you! And you don't care! You just keep dragging me into this world again and again! I can't control this dream… I can't do anything! I'm just a loser. Always have been. Always will be!"
The golden field swallowed his voice, stretching into silence.
Arashi froze. His breath caught in his throat as her words sank in.
After that, Arashi sensed her presence beside him. When he turned his head, she was sitting there, calm as if she had always been waiting.
"Why are you doing this?" His voice trembled, both angry and desperate.
She looked at him softly and answered, "Because I love you, Arashi. I always have, and I always will."
Arashi stood up sharply, his chest tight. "I… I know. You said that before. But it doesn't matter. You're just in my dream. None of this is real—"
"Stop," she cut in firmly. Her eyes shone with something deeper than his doubts. "You don't know me at all. I exist in the real world too."
The words hit him like a shockwave. His thoughts spun. Real? She exists?
For a moment, he thought his heart had stopped. His legs trembled, his hands went cold. "W-What… what did you just say?"
The girl looked at him softly, her faceless glow somehow warmer now. "You heard me. I'm not just in your dreams, Arashi. I'm real. You've never had a girlfriend… because I prayed for it. I wished you would stay away from other girls… that you would only belong to me."
Arashi staggered back a step, shaking his head in disbelief. His chest tightened. "No… that's insane. This doesn't make sense. How could you—why would you—" His voice cracked as he whispered, "Why me? I'm… I'm nothing special. A pathetic loser. I'm not special. Not attractive. Not like other guys."
For the first time, the girl stood up. The glow around her shifted as if her emotions shaped it. She walked closer, her voice steady but gentle.
"Arashi… don't you understand? None of those things matter to me."
He lifted his head slowly, uncertainty swimming in his eyes.
She continued, her tone firm, almost scolding:
"You think you're worthless, but you're not. You're the one who always notices when your friends are hurting, even when they try to hide it. You're the one who forgives people—even when they've crushed you. You're the one who would rather protect others than protect yourself. You're the one who always motivates other to do good and never gives up. Do you know how rare that is? How rare you are?"
Her voice softened. "You don't judge people by their faces, Arashi. You see what's inside them. That's what I love. That's what makes you… you."
Then, almost like she was scared of his answer, she added quietly: "But… if you like someone else, you can tell me. I'll respect your choice. I'll never interrupt your happiness."
Arashi's eyes stung. He clenched his fists, torn between wanting to believe her and pushing her away. "I… I don't deserve that. I don't deserve you."
She shook her head. "You deserve more than you think. And whether you believe it or not… I love you. Always have. Always will."
Arashi's heart thudded painfully, a storm of emotions crashing inside him. He wanted to run. He wanted to collapse. But most of all… he wanted to believe her.
Then, almost like she was scared of his answer, she added quietly: "But… if you like someone else, you can tell me. I'll respect your choice. I'll never interrupt your happiness."
Arashi's eyes widened, his throat tightening. His chest hurt with the weight of her words." You'd… still respect me? Even if I didn't choose you?"
She nodded. "Because my love isn't about forcing you. It's about seeing you happy—even if it breaks me."
Arashi's heart thudded painfully, a storm of emotions crashing inside him. He wanted to run. He wanted to collapse. But most of all… he wanted to believe her.
Arashi let out a bitter laugh, his eyes cast down. "People have said so much to me over the years… that now, even if someone gives me a compliment, I just take it as a joke. I don't believe it. And I've only told you this… no one else."
The girl tilted her head, listening quietly.
He sighed, trying to mask his vulnerability with sarcasm. "OH, so after three dreams, we're already sharing secrets? You really are quite cute," teasing him.
But unlike before, Arashi didn't blush. His heart was too heavy. He continued, voice low: "I don't know why you like me. There's nothing special in me. Everything you said about me… it's not true. There are people far better than me. I'm… nothing. You should find someone else—someone who can treat you well, take care of you better than I ever could."
For a moment, silence hung in the golden field. Then the girl's voice cut through, firm yet trembling with emotion.
"Arashi."
He looked up.
She took a step closer, her faceless glow seeming brighter than ever. "You think you're nothing because the world convinced you of that. But don't you see? Even after everything they said, you still notice others' pain. Even after they laughed at you, you still forgive them. Even after being ignored, you still want to give love. Do you know what that means?"
Her voice shook now, but her words were sharp as lightning: "Strength isn't about being admired. Strength is about surviving cruelty without becoming cruel yourself. And you… Arashi, you have that strength. That's why I love you. That's why I chose you."
Arashi's lips parted slightly. His chest tightened, but not from pain this time—from something heavier, something warmer.
The girl's tone softened again.
"As for me… patience, self-control, and learning to master your emotions matter most. If you can wait for me—if you can endure without breaking—then I will return. One month from now. And when I do, I'll help you become the best version of yourself. Until then, wait for me, hold on with patience, and control your emotions. That's all for today."
Before Arashi could speak, her figure began to fade, dissolving into the golden field like dust in the wind. His arm shot forward instinctively. "Wait—!"
But she was gone.
His eyes snapped open. He was in his bed again, drenched in sweat, chest heaving, the echo of her words still burning inside his mind.