Everything felt fine… until today. A weekend breeze, light and slow, Raily and Anna, with hearts aglow, set out to shop, escape the gray— To wander malls and chase the day.
But the roads were thick with steel and sound, people swarming all around.
Horns blared like warnings in the air, as if the city held its breath somewhere.
Anna turned to Raily, eyes confused, "What's going on? Why this ruse?"
Raily's eyes sparkled with excitement as she explained, "The prince of Scotland, Anna! Can you imagine? He's here for a business trip. Apparently, he's staying at one of the fancy hotels downtown."
Anna raised an eyebrow, not sure if she was more surprised by the idea of a prince being in their city or the fact that Raily knew about it.
"A prince? Really? Why would he come here of all places?" Anna asked, glancing around at the bustling crowd that seemed to be more interested in catching a glimpse of him than anything else.
Raily grinned mischievously. "Well, princess, you never know when a real-life fairytale will show up. Just think about it—maybe you'll get to see him. You never know, right?" She nudged her playfully, her excitement contagious.
Anna rolled her eyes, trying not to get swept up in her enthusiasm. "A prince? Please, I'm still trying to figure out what to do about Jace."
"Jace can wait," Raily said with a wink, "Let's focus on the prince. Maybe you'll get your very own fairytale romance."
Anna couldn't help but laugh, even though the idea of meeting a prince seemed a bit far-fetched. But as they made their way through the crowd, she couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity. What would it be like to meet someone like him? Would he be charming, mysterious, or just another rich guy with a title?
As they reached the entrance of a high-end boutique, Raily stopped abruptly, pulling her aside. "Look!" she whispered excitedly, her eyes widening. "There he is!"
Anna turned to follow her gaze and saw a tall figure emerging from a black car, surrounded by bodyguards. His posture was confident, almost regal. He wore a well-tailored suit, his dark hair perfectly styled, and as he looked around, his eyes briefly met her.
For a moment, everything felt like it was in slow motion. He was handsome, with sharp features and an air of authority that made him stand out among the crowd. But what caught Anna off guard the most was the way he looked at her—like he recognized her, like he was searching for something in her eyes.
Raily squeezed Anna's arm, her voice low and urgent. "Anna, do you see that? Do you think he saw you too?"
Anna couldn't speak at first, still processing what was happening. "I... I don't know. But I swear, there's something familiar about him."
Just then, the prince smiled, a brief, almost imperceptible smile, before being ushered into the boutique by his security team. Anna's heart skipped a beat. Was this just coincidence, or was it something more?
Anna glanced at Raily, who was practically vibrating with excitement. "What now?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with the possibility of some kind of fairytale magic unfolding in front of them.
Anna stood there, frozen for a moment, as the sound of the crowd and the bustling mall faded away. That smile, the way he looked at Anna—it was like the world had stopped for just a second.
Anna stared at the boutique doors long after he had disappeared inside, her heart racing, her breath shaky. Raily kept talking beside Anna—something about how handsome he was, how charming—but her words faded into the background.
Because Anna knew him.
Not in real life. Not in the way anyone would believe.
But in her dreams.
The ocean-eyed man who haunted her sleep… the one whose touch she could still feel, whose whispers still echoed in her ears.
He was real. Standing a few feet from Anna. Breathing the same air. And Anna couldn't tell anyone.
Anna whispered under her breath, almost to herself, "He's the man from my dreams… the one who called me sunshine."
Raily looked at her, puzzled, "What did you say?"
Anna snapped out of it and shook her head quickly, forcing a smile. "Nothing. Just… lost in thought."
But inside, she was spiraling.
How was this possible?
Was she losing her mind?
Or had the line between dream and reality finally begun to blur?
Anna clutched her shopping bag tighter and forced herself to breathe. She couldn't tell anyone. They would think she was crazy, maybe she was crazy. But that moment—when his eyes met her—it wasn't imaginary. It meant something.
"Anna?" Raily touched her arm gently. "You okay?"
She nodded, lying straight through her teeth. "Yeah. Just tired. Let's keep shopping."
But every step she took, she knew it in her gut:
"Maybe, my dream was real".
And now, her reality was about to change.
(To be continued...)