“I don’t quite understand the choice of the third disciple.
The future, which the first disciple is to rule, contains infinite possibilities where anything can happen, and the past, which the second disciple is to rule, contains the precious experiences he has had up to this point.
Hope for the future and learning from the past.
“These two things are so important for living in the present.” Dollargut nodded faintly.
Penny continued to speak without stopping.
“But what about when you’re asleep? Nothing happens while you’re asleep.
I just lie still and pass the time.
It's called relaxation, but some people might think it's actually a waste of life.
That's like spending decades of your life lying down! But, you see, the God of Time entrusted the "time of sleep" to his third and most favored disciple.
And he told people to dream while they sleep.
Why would that be?”

Penny paused for a moment, pretending to ask a question, to buy herself some time to think.

“Every time I think about my dreams, I think of this question:
'Why do people sleep and dream?' It's because everyone is imperfect and foolish in their own way.
Whether you live your life looking forward like the first disciple or dwelling on the past like the second disciple, it's easy for anyone to miss what's truly important.
That is why the god of time entrusted the sleeping time to the third disciple to help them.
Why, there are times when just a good night's sleep melts away yesterday's worries and gives you the strength to face today. That's exactly it.
Whether you sleep soundly without dreaming or dream the good dreams sold at this department store, each of us uses the time we sleep to organize yesterday and prepare for tomorrow.
If you think about it that way, the time you spend sleeping is no longer wasted time.”
---"prolog.
From “The 3rd Disciple’s Historic Store”

While the first floor only sold a small quantity of very expensive, popular, limited edition, or pre-order items, the second floor sold more common dreams.
The second floor was the so-called 'ordinary daily life' corner, where they sold things like small trips, dreams of meeting friends, or dreams of eating delicious food.

Just in front of the stairs where Penny was standing was a display case with a sign that said 'Memories Corner'.
Inside the display case, the case was wrapped in a luxurious leather case with the words 'No refunds once opened' written on it.
Only a few dreams remained.

A customer looking at the products called out to a second-floor employee who was passing by and asked him.
“What is this dream?”
“That’s a childhood memory.
One of my favorite memories comes to me in my dreams.
The content may vary slightly depending on who is doing it.
In my case, it was a dream where I was lying on my mother's lap and having my ears cleaned.
Even the scent of my mother and the languid sensation.
“It was a wonderful dream,” the employee said, staring into space with a dreamy expression.
“Then give me this.
“Can I buy more than one?”
“Yes, many customers take two or three per night.”
Penny lifted her chin and looked around the entire floor.
A middle-aged man who appeared to be the manager of this floor was chatting with a guest in a corner of a room decorated like a modern bedroom.

Penny approached cautiously so as not to interrupt their conversation.
It wasn't difficult to recognize the manager.
Unlike the other employees who wore aprons around their waists and silver brooches with the number '2' engraved on them, only one man was wearing a high-quality jacket and a brooch on his chest.
He had a strong and dignified appearance.

“Why can’t I buy it?”
The young male customer who was talking to the manager was embarrassed and asked questions.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind right now. How about buying a dream later? The clarity of your dreams will diminish.
In times like this, it's best to just get some sleep.
This may be presumptuous of me to say, but in my experience, 99% of guests have random thoughts even while dreaming.
It becomes a completely different story.
The onion milk sold in the alley next door is very tasty.
It also helps you sleep better.
“I recommend you eat and get a good night’s sleep.”
The male customer grumbled and walked towards the elevator.
The man, who appeared to be a manager, picked up the dream box that the customer had left behind, wiped it gently with a handkerchief, then straightened it and placed it back on the display case.
---「1.
The dream you ordered is sold out.

At that moment, the bell hanging on the store door rang, and an elderly customer came in.
“I’m sorry, we’re sold out today...” Penny said to the customer, and Dollargut stepped forward as if to tell Penny to wait a moment.

“I… am not looking to buy the product.
“Is it possible to make a reservation for consultation?”
"sure.
“Welcome, sir.”
Dollargut hid the bag of cookies behind his back and greeted the guest warmly.
A few more guests came in after that guest.
The guests that Dollargut welcomed were of various ages and genders, but they all had swollen eyes.
I must have shed a few tears before falling asleep.
“I think something happened,” Penny whispered to Dollargut, too quiet for the guests to hear.
“That’s right.
They say that all the guests are familiar with each other's faces.
“You came much later than usual.”
“I guess you couldn’t sleep and tossed and turned for a long time.”
“I guess so.”
Dollargut guided them to the employee break room located to the right of the store entrance.
Penny followed too.
Dollargut didn't care that Penny was following him.

As I opened the creaking arched door, a fairly large room appeared.
A simple light, too simple to be called a chandelier, illuminated the lounge with a cozy glow.
There were old cushions with patches of cloth here and there, soft chairs and sofas, and a long table made from a single piece of wood.
It was quite well-stocked, with an old refrigerator, a coffee machine, and even a snack basket.

As the guests sat down, Dollargut took handfuls of small candies from the snack basket and began handing them out.
“It’s a sleep candy.
It tastes good and is effective.
“On a night like tonight, a good night’s sleep is the best.”
They each took a piece of candy.
And then suddenly, without anyone saying anything, tears started to fall.
“Oh, I should have given you some peace-of-mind cookies first.
it's okay.
It's okay to cry.
Because what happens here doesn't leak out.
“Well, what kind of dream should I prepare for you?”
---「1.
The dream you ordered is sold out.

Aganap Coco was one of the legendary dream creators who won the Grand Prix at the year-end dream awards ceremony more than 10 times.
She was the only dream maker who created 'Taemong' and was a famous person who had been loved by people for a very long time.
As Mogberry said, Penny had only seen her in magazines and on television, but had never actually met her.
And I never thought we would actually meet.

“Okay, okay, everyone, let’s get to that point. Those who need to go home can go home now.
“Oh, this has gotten too big.”
Dollargut, who I thought was in the office, suddenly poked his head out from between the piles of empty boxes.
He was wearing a work jumper instead of his usual shirt and cardigan.
He looked thinner than usual because he was wearing loose clothes.

“You’ve been here the whole time?” Penny said, moving the boxes out of his way.

“It was my idea to decorate the lobby for Aganap Coco.
I was just going to hang a few fake fruits at the entrance, but things got this big.
Okay, everyone, go home from work.
“Get off work!” Dollargut rubbed his tailbone with the back of his hand, feeling his back was sore.

But even when he told them to leave work, the employees didn't move an inch.
It wasn't just that he didn't move at all, but when he saw something, he just froze like a stone with his mouth wide open.

Penny turned her eyes in the direction their gaze had stopped.
And then my eyes met with a little old lady standing outside the door.
She was about to enter the store with her attendants.

Penny could understand why people were as hard as stone.
The energy that the small and dwarf Aganap Coco gave off was speechless.
A mysterious and strange aura hung around her, as if time were running backwards and forwards only around her.
Every movement seemed to be in slow motion, but when I came to my senses, she was already inside the store.

“Again! How have you been?” Dollargut greeted her.

“My old friend.
This is the first time I've seen you since the regular meeting last year.
“Oh, the scent of fruit! The atmosphere of the store is truly… enchanting.” Coco exclaimed in admiration at the sight of the hanging fruits.

Dollargut shook hands with Aganap Coco with his dusty hands.

The other employees were so touched that they covered their mouths with both hands when they saw Aganap Coco.
Even the leprechaun fairies that had been flying around frantically were floating still in the air.
Penny, who was lucky enough to be standing close to them, thought that Aganap Coco smelled like fresh fruit.
It was a stronger and richer smell than the scent of the decorated fruits.
And the plump, rosy cheeks contrasted with the very warm impression and deep wrinkles all over her face, just like those of a white baby.

The attendants who entered the store next were carrying heavy packages wrapped in high-quality silk cloths in both hands.

“Dollargut, it’s what was promised.
It's nothing special, but please sell it well. I'll do it well on my own, even though I'm a fool."
---「3.
"I will show you the future."

Now Penny was not only in the historical scene where the descendants of the first disciple and the third disciple were having a proper conversation, but also in the astonishing scene where prophetic dreams were within arm's reach.
Penny felt like she had stepped into a scene from a magical fairy tale.
"Is this really a precognitive dream? If I had that, would I be able to see my own future?"
Penny gaped and began to picture her future husband, whose name she had never known.

"You're leaving already? This is so frustrating." Penny's thoughts were broken by Dollargut's hoarse voice.

“There are many couples waiting for my dream.
You have to work hard.
The annual general meeting will be in a few months, so let's meet then. Anyway, it was nice to meet you, Dollargut!
And thank you, staff.
“It seems like you’ve had a hard time because of this old man.” Aganap Coco smiled as she looked at the fruit decorations hanging in bunches and the sweaty employees in turn.
The staff shook their heads vigorously as if to say no.

“Then take some fruit.
“I’ll pack it for you, so take it and eat it.”
As soon as Dollargut finished speaking, Coco's attendants took off the fruit decorations and placed them neatly in boxes.

“If it was going to be like this, it would have been nice if they had just handed me the whole box of fruit from the beginning, so the floor wouldn’t have been dirty.” Vigo Myers, on the second floor, muttered as he wiped his palms, now soaked with peach juice, on a handkerchief.

After Aganap Coco and her attendants left, the lobby quickly returned to its original, clean appearance thanks to the great efforts of the second-floor staff.
They returned to the second floor with refreshed expressions.
Dollargut barely managed to dismiss the rest of the staff, who couldn't take their eyes off the package that Aganap Coco had left behind, while Mrs. Weather and Penny began to unpack the package together.

“I can’t believe it no matter how much I look at it.
This is it….”
“You seem to be drawn to this dream too?”
“Oh, ma’am.
“Of course! Everyone would do that!” Penny exclaimed, slightly excited.

They took the dream boxes out of the package and moved them to the empty sales counter.
And Penny finished preparing it for sale by writing it down on paper and pasting it on.

Limited quantities of 'Yejimong' are now in stock.

---「3.
"I will show you the future."

The numbers on the math test paper are jumbled up, and the large clock standing in front of the teacher's desk is helplessly ticking towards the end of the test.
The second hand of the clock made a loud, sharp ticking sound, as if it were turning in the woman's ear.

The woman was shaking her legs nervously and biting her fingernails.
'If I fail this test, my parents will be disappointed.'
'If my math teacher sees my zero-point test, he'll call me to the principal's office.'
'What will my friends say when they come to me during recess to ask for answers and see my test paper full of mistakes?'
The woman even thought that there was nothing more important in her life than this exam.
As my head pounded with an abnormal level of stress and pressure, and tears welled up in my eyes, the once brightly lit classroom suddenly darkened into shadows.
And then a huge wave from the playground came in through the open classroom window, and soon completely engulfed the classroom.
The woman in the dream sighed deeply in relief, oblivious to the waves crashing over her body.
'This will invalidate this test.
Oh, thank goodness.'
---「4.
Among the "refund request uproar"

Penny, who had been confident, was sweating profusely in less than 30 minutes.
A male customer was making Penny uncomfortable.
He searched the entire building but couldn't find the dream, and he held onto Penny and struggled for a while.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Weather didn't return because she had a long business trip, and Dollargut was out on a business trip to meet the dream maker, so Penny was in the most difficult situation since she joined the company.

“I don’t have that dream, sir.”
“Please don’t do that, give me an ‘inspiring dream’ too.
“I really need that dream.”
The young man pleaded with a haggard appearance.
His skin was rough and his hair was matted, perhaps due to malnutrition.
Only his strong gaze, which seemed to desperately desire something, was barely holding him back.

“I heard you came back from seeing the Beatles’ anecdote and Kekulé’s story about the benzene ring.
"You said you were inspired by a dream. Can't you sell me one? Is it because it's too expensive?"
"What are the Beatles? What about a benzene ring? And since the price is postpaid anyway, that's not the reason I don't sell dreams to customers.
Don't get me wrong.
customer."
No matter how much Penny flipped through the store's brochures, she couldn't find anything like "Dreams That Inspire."
Could there be a dream I don't know about? Penny pondered, then called the intercom and summoned the managers from each floor.
---「7.
From "The Beatles and the Benzene Ring"

The man in the dream was in a small, single room.
I was tired from not being able to sleep, and my head was aching from the pain of creation.
Inside the cramped room.
A computer that hums as if it's about to explode at any moment because it's running high-spec programs that don't fit the old computer.
Feeling frustrated, he closes all the programs he was working on.
In a life where the basic necessities were woefully lacking, the great desire for money or fame had long since left my mind.
I'm just focused on completing the song to my satisfaction.

The man in the dream opens all the mosquito nets and desperately takes a deep breath of morning air, rubbing his dry eyes hard to come to his senses.
People living in a nearby apartment complex were passing the corner of the alley where the man's house was located on their way to the subway station.

“Yeah, I’m on my way to work now.
"Shall we meet up after work today? It's Friday."
And the office worker passing by while talking on the phone, that was himself, but the man in the dream did not recognize himself.

Days filled with feelings of guilt for not being a good human being, a feeling of shame for avoiding friends who ask about my recent activities, and regret towards my family repeat in my dreams.
And so, a full fortnight passed by in my dream.
*
The man woke up from his nap and realized that he had only slept for a very short time.
The music program I was watching before going to bed hadn't finished yet.
The singer was now making a short comment before starting his last song.

“This song contains the emotions I felt while living an unknown life for 8 years.
“I pretended to be fine outside, but when I got home, I felt the emotions that were so intense. Looking back, I remember wondering how I managed to endure it.”
A full eight years? The man recalled in his dream the painful experience of just fifteen days.
The man could not imagine the feelings of the singer who had lived for eight years without any certainty.

---「8.
From the release of “The Lives of Others (Trial Version)”