WHEN MY DREAM REPLIED

CHAPTER 2 : THE REPLY

For a few seconds, I just stared at the screen.

My heart was beating faster than it should have been.

I had commented on his video without expecting anything. I hadn't even remembered the comment until I saw his name in my notifications.

Han Jun-ho replied to your comment.

I took a deep breath and finally tapped the notification.

His reply appeared beneath my comment.

Han Jun-ho: “Maybe I am. 😂 But I promise I’m not that strict.”

I blinked.

Then I read it again.

And again.

A smile slowly appeared on my face.

“He actually replied.”

I whispered the words as if saying them too loudly would somehow make the notification disappear.

I sat up on my bed and looked at his profile picture.

There he was.

The same guy from the video.

The same ridiculously handsome face.

The same calm expression.

And now, somehow, he had replied directly to me.

I covered my face with both hands.

“Floral, calm down.”

I lowered my hands.

“He literally just replied to a comment.”

I paused.

“But still…”

I grabbed my pillow and hugged it.

My imagination immediately started doing what it always did best running completely out of control.

What if we became friends?

What if we started talking every day?

What if?

“No!”

I shook my head.

“Stop it.”

This was exactly how my imagination always got me into trouble.

One small thing could become an entire movie inside my head.

I opened his profile again.

This time, I looked more carefully.

His name was Han Jun-ho.

His bio was simple.

Nothing dramatic.

No long introduction.

Just his name and a few words about learning, life, and staying curious.

I scrolled through his videos.

Basketball.

Swimming.

A few educational videos.

Pictures that looked like they had been taken during family events.

There were also videos where he talked about discipline, learning from mistakes, and preparing for the future.

He didn't look like someone who spent all day trying to get attention.

That somehow made him more interesting.

I looked at his follower count.

It was much higher than mine.

Obviously.

I suddenly became very aware of my own account.

My videos.

My random reposts.

My silly comments.

My unfinished drafts.

“Oh God.”

I locked my phone.

Maybe I shouldn't reply.

It was just a comment.

He had replied.

That was enough.

I didn't need to make it awkward.

Five seconds later, I unlocked my phone again.

I stared at the reply.

Then I typed.

Floral: “I don't know… you look strict. 😂”

I read it.

Deleted it.

Typed again.

Floral: “Hmm. I’m still not convinced 😂.”

I stared at it.

That sounded better.

I pressed send before I could change my mind.

The second the message disappeared, I threw my phone onto the bed.

“Why did I do that?”

I stood up and walked around my room.

I had just replied to a Korean guy I had never met.

A Korean guy I had only discovered because of one random t****k video.

And somehow, I was nervous.

I picked up my phone again.

No reply.

Of course there wasn't.

It had been less than a minute.

I rolled my eyes at myself.

“Girl, please.”

I put the phone down and went to get ready for the day.

University was waiting.

And unlike my imaginary Korean love story, university did not care about my romantic fantasies.

By the time I reached the kitchen, my mother was already there.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Good morning, Floral.”

She looked at me.

Then she smiled.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

I immediately became serious.

“I’m not smiling.”

“You are.”

“No.”

“You were smiling before you came into this kitchen.”

I reached for my cup.

“Mum, maybe I'm just happy.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Happy about what?”

“Nothing.”

That answer made her even more suspicious.

But thankfully, she didn't continue.

My phone vibrated inside my pocket.

I froze.

I already knew who it might be.

I slowly pulled it out.

One notification.

My eyes widened.

Han Jun-ho sent you a message.

For a moment, the kitchen disappeared around me.

I could hear my mother's voice in the background, but I wasn't listening anymore.

He hadn't just replied to my comment this time.

He had sent me a message.

I stared at the notification.

My thumb hovered over the screen.

Should I open it?

Or should I wait?

I took a deep breath.

Then I tapped it.

And what I read made my smile disappear.

Not because it was bad.

But because I suddenly realized something.

This conversation might become much more interesting than I had expected.....