Angels Favorite Dream

2

Throughout the journey, Berk thought about the chaotic and suffocating life of Istanbul. The chaos, compounded by disappointments in his career, had settled in his mind like a heavy burden. He felt crushed under the pressure of the city; he had to leave, but making this decision had not been easy. Leaving Irfan and Jale behind had been the hardest part for him. Their faces kept appearing in his mind.

He hadn’t told anyone else that he was moving to Kabak Bay. His other friends thought he was just on vacation until the end of summer. In any case, he didn’t have many friends; the small number of close friends made this departure a bit easier. However, his bond with Irfan and Jale was different.

Irfan was one of the rare friends who noticed Berk’s feelings before anyone else. They would talk for hours, sharing not only everyday issues but also the dreams and fears that lay deep within. Irfan’s calm demeanor and different perspective always shed light on Berk’s complicated thoughts. With Irfan, Berk always felt as though he was in a safe harbor.

Jale, on the other hand, brought joy to Berk’s life, always making him laugh with her energetic presence. Her spontaneous plans and enthusiastic nature pulled Berk out of his dull routines. Especially when they went out to nightclubs, Jale’s vibrant energy reminded Berk of the joy of life.

He also thought about the music groups he had left behind and his relationships with them. Though music held a significant place in his life, his friendships within the bands never deepened. Apart from the moments they came together in the studios, they barely touched each other’s lives. Perhaps the people he would meet in his new job would open doors to a different life.

When he arrived in Fethiye, memories of his disappointments from last year in Butterfly Valley surfaced in his mind. But this time, he felt stronger. “Maybe this time will be different,” he thought, though the shadows of the past still lingered in the back of his mind.

Going to a place he had only heard about felt daunting. Every new step he took in life made him uneasy. During adaptation periods, he was always shy, preferring to run away rather than trust himself.

Suddenly, Berk found himself in those familiar emotions once again. Part of him wanted to turn back, while another part was curious to see what this new beginning could bring. He felt a knot of uncertainty and curiosity within him. He took a deep breath and tried to accept the moment as it was. The anxiety he had felt moments earlier gave way to a desire to discover his inner strength. "What's the worst that could happen?" he thought. “Even if I have to return, at least I’ll have a vacation that will soothe my soul.” If he faced disappointment once again, he decided that instead of running away from Istanbul, he would learn to adapt to life there.

As he drifted into thoughts, a small glimmer of hope that everything might work out lit up inside him. He pushed aside the chaos in his head and boarded the minibus.

When he arrived at the entrance to the valley, Berk was met with a surprise. The gendarmerie had banned vehicles that were transporting customers to the cove from entering the valley, leading to fierce arguments between car owners and the gendarmerie. Many visitors, unwilling to endure the long and arduous walk, chose to turn back.

However, Berk did not see this mishap as an obstacle. Instead, with curiosity and excitement, he began walking the long path leading to the camp. These were the first steps toward his new life.

As he descended the path, the valley’s breathtaking view stopped Berk in his tracks. The sea, glistening between the steep cliffs and lush green trees, reminded him of nature's pure tranquility. A sense of calm that he hadn’t felt in a long time filled him. “This place is different,” he thought. With each step, he felt this calling more strongly.

When Berk finally made it down the steep path to the camp, he saw Meral, the new boss he had spoken to on the phone. Seeing Berk covered in sweat, Meral squinted at him in surprise. “You must be... Berk, right? The bartender?” she asked.

Berk smiled slightly and nodded. “Yes, that’s me.”

Meral raised her eyebrows as she looked at him. “Why didn’t you come with the vehicles? Wouldn’t that have been easier?” she asked, her voice a mix of concern and curiosity.

“The gendarmerie didn’t allow vehicles into the valley, so I had to walk. It wasn’t an unpleasant experience,” Berk replied.

“That’s brave,” Meral said, with an admiration on her face. But then her expression shifted to one of concern. “Many customers must have turned back because of that, right?”

“Unfortunately,” Berk said, frowning. “Most found the path too difficult and gave up.”

Panic-stricken, Meral immediately began calling the other camp owners to inform them of the situation.

From the very first day, Berk found himself in the middle of chaos, unsure of what to do as he watched the surrounding scene. Meanwhile, some camp workers came over to introduce themselves to Berk, even before Meral could formally introduce them. His new coworkers seemed friendly and warm, which gave Berk the confidence to feel at ease in his new environment. He felt he could get along well with these people.

After finishing her phone calls, Meral, visibly tired, smiled at Berk. “Put your things in your tent. Get some rest, maybe go for a swim. We’ll talk in the evening,” she said. After a warm welcome, Berk, accompanied by Bayram, one of the staff members, headed to the small tent that would be his new home. Having lived among concrete buildings, the idea of living in a small tent among trees felt strange to Berk, but also comforting. The serene surroundings gave him a great sense of relaxation. At least now he had a place where he could live the way he wanted, and retreat whenever he needed solitude.

Instead of going for a swim, Berk took a shower to cool off and then headed to the bar where he would be working. Unable to contain his excitement, he decided to get to work on his first day. He quickly got used to his new place, but the bar was quite messy. As a typical Virgo, Berk organized the bar first. In his previous jobs, he would sit quietly for a while and observe the people around him; eventually, he would blend in and start chatting comfortably with everyone. But the atmosphere here was different. Berk immediately started building relationships and making friends upon arriving. The energy of the bar had quickly drawn him in. “I’m finally where I want to be,” he thought. He spent his days meeting new people, listening to their stories, and sharing his own. Every evening, he would drink and have fun with them at the bar. Now, he had a peaceful life away from the stress and noise of the city. Moreover, everyone around him had come to the valley to escape their troubles, which made the atmosphere quite cheerful.

Berk thought he could live this kind of life forever. He had nothing to worry about anymore. All he had to do was have fun, entertain people, and sell drinks. He felt like a rock star.

Working at the bar reminded Berk of the times he had worked in bars during university and the pleasant memories of those days. Back then, the parties he and his best friend Koray organized had attracted a lot of attention. People would come to their parties and have a blast. This success had made Koray and Berk one of the most popular party organizers in Edirne. They even received an offer from a business owner to manage his bar. But that remained just a dream because things didn’t go as planned when the man lost his bar due to debts. Before they could even open it, the owner had to transfer the bar. So, the two friends decided that one day they would open their own bar. But that dream, too, remained unrealized.

These disappointments led to Berk and Koray being known as the ‘dreamer duo.’ Despite their many achievements, being labeled as mere dreamers after failing at one point didn’t sit well with them. But they didn’t care about what people said; they knew what they had accomplished. Ultimately, Berk was now working at a bar he was responsible for, and thanks to all the experiences he had during that time, he was living the life he wanted and doing what he loved.

However, a few weeks later, things began to go downhill when a volunteer worker arrived at the bar. Berk noticed that the issues he was having with the volunteer were growing and making his job increasingly difficult. The volunteer ignored the system Berk was trying to establish, instead insisting on doing things the way they had been done the previous year. This behavior became a growing source of stress for Berk. Additionally, the volunteer’s constant gossiping and attempts to turn other staff members against Berk tested his patience. This situation became increasingly important for Berk because he wanted to feel secure and supported at work. However, this feeling was disappearing because of the volunteer’s actions.

Since the volunteer had worked at the camp the previous year and Berk was new, people believed what the volunteer said. This created an atmosphere where Berk’s way of working was constantly questioned. Eventually, Berk decided he couldn’t take it anymore and resolved to speak to Meral about how challenging it had become for him to work with the volunteer. One afternoon, after seeing the volunteer once again do whatever he pleased at the bar, Berk angrily went to Meral.

“It’s unbearable for me to keep working with this spoiled kid,” Berk said, seething with anger, his eyes red. “He acts like I’m not the one in charge of the bar. He doesn’t listen to me; he spreads lies about me, trying to turn everyone against me. If this continues, it’s going to be impossible for me to work here.”

Meral paused for a moment when she saw Berk’s anger. She didn’t want to lose either of them and realized she needed to find a solution without disrupting the camp’s order. She took a deep breath and softened her voice.

“Berk, I understand you. I’ll do everything I can to resolve this situation. But please, try to be a little more patient.”

Despite Meral’s calming tone, Berk could sense her hesitation. This made him feel that Meral wasn’t fully supporting him, which only deepened his frustration. As his anger grew, the volunteer’s attitude tested his patience even more. Not wanting to argue with anyone in an environment where he wasn’t getting support and problems weren’t being resolved, Berk decided to return to Istanbul. He felt emotionally drained and as if he had no other option.

After making up his mind, Berk went to Meral. “I don’t want to stay here. I’ve decided to return to Istanbul. That volunteer has turned everything upside down, and the negative experiences I’ve had here have affected my motivation. I just want to remember everything in a positive light,” he said.

Recognizing Berk’s emotional turmoil, Meral sought to comfort him. “Take it easy, Berk. We can solve these issues by talking. Maybe we can find a solution. Besides, the holiday is coming up, and we have a lot of reservations. I need all the staff I can get,” she replied.

After hearing what Meral had said, Berk reluctantly returned to his tent and tried to calm down. He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to cope with the turmoil inside him. As he weighed the idea of returning to Istanbul, he continued to reflect on the uncertainty and challenges he was facing. Though he couldn’t reach a definite conclusion, he felt an emotional shift and tried to deal with the difficulty of accepting it. After a while, he decided to stay a bit longer, not wanting to put anyone in a tough spot.

However, he couldn’t focus on his work as before, and he stopped taking care of the bar. At first, no one said anything about his attitude because they needed the staff. But once the holiday ended and the workload decreased, his bosses noticed the change.

One evening, while closing the bar, two customers—friends of his—caused Berk to get into an argument with his boss, Selçuk. His friends jokingly said to Berk, who was preparing to close the shutters, “What’s up, Berk? Are you closing the bar because we showed up?”

Berk smiled and replied, “If you came, would I close the bar? I can open it if you want.”

However, Selçuk, who lived in the room above the bar, overheard this conversation incorrectly. As Meral’s husband and the real boss of the camp, Selçuk often misinterpreted things under the influence of the weed he smoked all day. Selçuk called Berk over, his voice filled with anger. “Are you closing the bar when customers arrive? This bar stays open until four in the morning!”

Berk was stunned by this reaction. Even though he had said he could reopen the bar for his friends, Selçuk’s harsh attitude hurt him deeply. His already fragile state of mind was further shaken by the tension. The frustration that had built up inside him spiraled out of control because of the misunderstanding. He sat in the bar until four in the morning, lost in his thoughts, his feelings of helplessness weighing as heavily on him as his anger. Eventually, he decided that he couldn’t stay in this environment any longer and resolved to leave the camp the next day.