Posted: 13 July 2016, 22:00 EDT | Words: 11,123

~//~

It was now two months since Kai had become human and he’d more or less come into his identity of Kim Jong In. His past as the genie Kai would never be forgotten. The talisman was a constant reminder of that and he’d accepted it as a necessary evil.

As a genie, Kai had watched people lose themselves in their greed and ambition because they’d forgotten the humble beginnings they’d come from. He would never let that happen to himself. He knew what hell was like. He knew what mental and physical torture was. He’d been a tool for humans to achieve a means to an end, but unlike the cold inanimate object that was the talisman, he had consciousness and worse, a conscience. He knew right and wrong but knowledge proved detrimental to him when he could never put it to use. His master’s words were law, the talisman’s magic the enforcer, and the only scruples to pass judgement on the wishes made were his own – ineffectual except to his own mental state of mind.

But out of that hell and into another one ruled by guilt was where Kai had found himself. This was nothing like the remorse he’d felt when granting unscrupulous wishes he was powerless to deny. No, Kai realized that guilt for actions he had the capacity to avoid could actually be more torturous.

The one week he’d given for himself to finally confront Ji Won had passed in the blink of an eye. He hadn’t made any progress on his speech to Ji Won, let alone gotten himself to embark the 114 bus to her neighborhood. He’d sit in front of his computer, willing himself to pour his remorseful heart out to her, but each time he’d draw a blank. Then he’d come up with excuses like needing a change of scenery, or needing to sleep on his thoughts, or not being in the right state of mind, just so he could continue pushing off the task until one week had now turned into three.

Kai had gotten good at keeping Ji Won off his mind by keeping himself busy and active, but every night that splinter of his unfulfilled promise would prickle his mind as he tried to fall asleep. It also didn’t help that Yoon Ah would continue asking if he’d made up with his friend each Sunday that she’d started coming over for dinner with her husband – the fertility drinks hadn’t been showing much efficacy and Yoon Ah hoped that bringing Sang Hyun to hear and see first-hand from her family how adoption worked might finally tip him over that indecisive line he’d been straddling. For his part, Kai made sure to up the charm to win her husband over.

After these dinners Kai, trying to show what a perfect child a non-blood-related son could be, would offer to wash the dishes as the rest of his family chatted in the living room over dessert. The ever considerate Yoon Ah always helped.

“Have you spoken to her?” she’d ask while she scrubbed a plate and passed it to him.

“Not yet,” Kai would mumble as he rinsed the dish and placed it on the drying rack.

Then Yoon Ah would send him a sad smile and reply, “Maybe tomorrow then?” The disappointment in her voice was as crystal clear as the wine glasses Kai shelved in the cupboards.

Unfortunately, tomorrow’s dinner was going to end just as disappointingly. Kai had no plans of showing up at Ji Won’s door just yet on this Saturday morning that he was up and about early. To his surprise, so was Jung Ah. She’d had a late night at the office the night prior, but here she was at the breakfast table, ready and dressed at the usual time she went to work on the weekdays.

“The company is really working you hard, making you come in on a Saturday morning,” their mother voiced with heavy concern as she placed bowls of rice in front of Kai and Jung Ah. His father was still asleep from a long night of grading tests with his teaching assistants. “Are you sure someone else can’t cover for you? You haven’t had a proper night’s sleep all week.”

“Mom, employee reviews are coming up at the end of the month and it’s my chance to finally get promoted to manager. If I slack off now, I’ll have to wait another whole year!” snapped Jung Ah. The sleep deprivation was really making her cranky.

“Alright, alright,” Mrs. Kim said with a surrendering step backwards. “I’m sorry if worrying about my own daughter passing out upsets you.” She marched off into the kitchen to busy herself. It was her way of dealing with her family’s thanklessness.

Jung Ah sighed and massaged the bridge of her nose. “Dammit, I didn’t mean to blow up at her like that.”

Kai pushed the plate of steamed eggs towards her. Her attention drew up to him with a questioning look. “They’re your favorite,” he explained, “Mom made them just for you.”

Jung Ah groaned into her palms. “Thanks for making me feel worse.”

“Hey, after all the years of crap Mom has dealt with from us, I’m pretty sure she’s used to it.” Jung Ah didn’t budge from her defeated slouch. “But, if you really want to make it up to her, maybe you can ask her for a ride to work?” His sister raised her head, interested by the suggestion. “She just wants to feel like you still need her from time to time. Plus, it would be a service to the other drivers out there that a half-alert person with a huge crash potential isn’t behind the wheel.”

Jung Ah sent him her signature eye-roll but turned contemplatively to the kitchen where their mother, her back to them, was currently scrubbing a pan. She sighed softly and traipsed over to her side to help, striking a conversation that Kai couldn’t hear though from the gentle, comforting smile on his mother’s face, he presumed Jung Ah was doing exactly as he’d suggested.

***

Some hours later while Kai lazed on the couch flipping through channels, Mrs. Kim bustled around the kitchen, filling the air with the sounds of banging pots and pans and the fast, rhythmic chops of a knife on a cutting board. A delicious aroma permeated to Kai’s nose, igniting his hunger and lifting him up from his prostate position to discover his mother making lunch. This was unusual. His mother didn’t cook for lunch. This was when leftovers from the morning’s breakfast and the previous night’s dinner were consumed.

“What’s going on?” Kai asked as he picked a piece of fried zucchini off a plate and popped it into his mouth.

Mrs. Kim sent him a disapproving frown but didn’t scold him. “Jung Ah asked if I could bring her lunch. She’s so tied up at the office she doesn’t even have time to pick up some food.”

Kai opened the fridge and examined its contents. There was plenty of this morning’s breakfast sitting on the shelves in plastic containers. “I’m pretty sure she just wanted you to bring some leftovers,” he remarked, shutting the door.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t bring leftovers to her workplace.”

Kai surveyed his mother’s handiwork all on display on the kitchen island: fried zucchini, pork dumplings, kimbap, omelets, and lastly the kimchi soup she was currently finishing up. She’d prepared way more servings than she usually did during meals for the four living at the house. Kai shook his head with a small smile. Jung Ah would regret asking this favor from her mother when she arrived with bags of food not just for herself, but also for her coworkers.

Realizing that his mother would have to drive past the park to get to Jung Ah’s company, Kai decided he would finally test out his skateboarding experiment with the dogs. After telling his mother of his plans, Kai dashed up to his room to change into a set of red track pants and a long-sleeved crew sweatshirt that would be easy to maneuver in. Figuring that the wind would blow his hair into his eyes while he cruised, he quickly ran some mousse through the strands to make it stay up and out of the way. Then he grabbed his board leaning against the wall and met his mother at the front door with the dogs.

Of course the senior canines had no problem jumping into the backseat. Jung Ah’s training was thorough. Cheon Won on the other hand was a handful. Kai ended up holding her in his lap in the front seat. She whimpered pitifully until he rolled the window down and let her stick her head out.

“Text me when you need me to pick you up,” his mother said as Kai ushered the dogs out of the car once they’d arrived at his drop-off location. “You have money just in case, right?”

Kai gave her an indulging smile. “Yes, Mom, don’t worry about me.” And because he found enjoyment in stirring up a little trouble, he added, “Just make sure you let everyone at the office know the food is courtesy of Jung Ah. Since her review is coming up, it couldn’t hurt, right?”

His mother sent him an agreeing nod. “You’re right, I’m sure her boss will take note of it.” She drove off leaving Kai chuckling to himself. Jung Ah was going to be pissed when their mother showed up with so much food and went desk-to-desk lobbying for her promotion.

Kai led Mong Gu, Jang Gu, Jang Ah, and Cheon Won inside the park and mounted his board. “Alright, kids. Let’s see what you can do.”

He slid his foot against the ground and slowly rolled forward. The veterans moved. Cheon Won didn’t. Kai bent down and gave her a reassuring rub on the head. “Come on, girl,” he gently pleaded. “You love running around.”

But the dachshund remained obstinately rooted on the concrete pathway. Kai groaned loudly, took a seat on his skateboard, and rested his arms on his bent knees. He watched as the puppy began running around in circles chasing her tail.

Of course she’d start moving about once he’d taken a seat. “Now you’re just being difficult,” Kai deadpanned. “Just like…” He turned quiet and pensive, glazed eyes staring off into space. What was Ji Won doing right now?

It was a Saturday afternoon, so she was probably dillydallying around the house in that absurdly childish shirt of hers. Or maybe she was out with friends on this nice day, enjoying their company as she’d once enjoyed his. There’d no doubt be a ploy to get them into paying for whatever activity they’d decided on. Kai was certain he’d never fall for any of her devious tricks. In fact, if he were there, he’d make sure to thwart every one of them until she nearly popped a blood vessel. He found strange satisfaction in making her angry or embarrassed. Her flushed face after she’d hit her forehead on her mattress because he’d appeared without notice made him laugh even now with a nostalgic chuckle.

The laughter was short-lived. The light, airy high took on the weight of lead and dragged him down from that feeling of soaring in the clouds. An ache he’d experienced so many times in the past two months once again punched him in his chest.

A nudge against his thigh made him look to his right. The eldest dog Mong Gu was softly bumping his head against him in a conciliatory gesture. Kai smiled wistfully and ruffled his fur. “I’m okay, boy.” He sighed sadly. “I just…really miss her. If things weren’t so complicated, I’d go to her right now. But I don’t think I can take it if she tells me to never appear in her life again. If she hates me…”

Kai swallowed hard. He’d once harbored a black hole of immense resentment that nearly consumed him towards her just after she’d broken not just her promise, but his trust. If Ji Won held similar sentiments towards him now, if he knocked on her door and was greeted with that look of intense animosity and disgust for him in her eyes, it’d crush him. At least while he avoided her as he had been, as cowardly as it was, he could still hope that time would make her forget her enmity towards him. Maybe he’d get a sign when that time came.

“Arf! Arf! Arf!” Something had caught Cheon Won’s attention and the puppy was now running towards it. Her leash in Kai’s grasp stretched taut and nearly pulled him off his skateboard as the dog growled and barked at a passing squirrel.

Taking this as an opportunity to forget about Ji Won for the moment, Kai, trying hard to firmly hold Cheon Won back, stood up and positioned himself on his board. He then let his arm relax and without needing to push off, was off at a fast roll. Led by the baby of the group, the four dogs dashed at an uncontrollable speed through the park, creating a force field that caused pedestrians to jump from their path or else be trampled.

“Cheon Won!” Kai shouted, trying but failing to grab her attention. He didn’t dare let go of her leash for fear of losing her. All he could do was maneuver his board to evade the obstacles that didn’t move, like benches, trash cans, and lamp posts. “Cheon Won!” he continuously called, hoping his voice would eventually reach her ears.

But Kai’s accident-free streak wasn’t going to last. It was threatened by a girl walking along the edge of the walkway. She seemed unaware of the commotion behind her. He didn’t know how since Cheon Won’s barking and his shouts had alerted everyone else. She finally started to turn around as soon as he yelled, “Watch out!” but it was useless by that point. With only a few feet distance between them, she wasn’t going to be able to move out of the way and he wasn’t going to be able to steer his board clear of her.

Kai thought fast. He was going to risk letting the dogs’ leashes go to reduce the impact on her. His board was positioned to roll through the space between her feet and just as he released the dogs, his arm reached out to catch her.

In the split second before the crash, Kai caught a glimpse of the stranger’s face. His heart jumped to his throat. Single eyelids that made her glares more intense, a small nose that would scrunch up when she was infuriated, and beautiful amber eyes that’d looked broken and despondent when last he’d seen them.

Ji Won.

The collision broke Kai’s utter surprise. He reflexively coiled his arm around Ji Won’s waist as they met bodies with hard force. His board slipped right through her legs and along their short descent onto the grass, he curved his body so he’d land first and his body could break the fall for her as much as possible.

Just as Kai’s backside hit the semi-soft grass, Ji Won’s forehead hit him hard in the center of his chest, knocking the breath out of him. All he could feel in that moment was pain. Everywhere. It was only after a long minute, after letting out a big groan, Ji Won shifted in his arms and pushed herself off him. His hand glided along her waist as she did and he felt with a stab of guilt, the scary amount of weight she’d lost in the last two months.

Kai didn’t move from his horizontal position. He didn’t know what to do, what he’d say to her. He wasn’t prepared to talk to her just yet. But Mong Gu, Jang Gu, and Jang Ah weren’t giving him that option. They crowded around him, whining and his face in attempt to revive him. He could only take so much of their slobber before he gave in.

“I’m awake. I’m awake!” he said as he shoved them aside and with a loud grunt finally sat up to face the music that was Ji Won’s ire. He avoided looking her in the eye and just readied himself for the angry words.

What he got was something highly unexpected.

Ji Won scrambled into the space between his legs and took his face in the palms of here warm hands, forcing him to look at her. There was no anger in them, no hatred. Instead, he saw a combination of confusion, concern, and relief twist her features.

“Kai?” she said in a quavering voice, like she was unsure if he was real.

Kai wrapped his fingers around her hands and gently extracted them from his face. He stared worriedly at her slimmed-down face. She’d lost so much of that healthy exuberance he remembered from their first meeting. It scared him to think that her grief for her grandfather could have such a drastic effect on her. She wouldn’t be like this if he were here in his place.

But right now, Kai had to make sure their accident didn’t cause her any harm. “Are you okay? Did you hit your head?”

Her brows scrunched. “What? No, I’m fine,” she replied as if it were an odd question to ask after being literally knocked off her feet. Her eyes glistened with hope. “But…don’t you know who I am?”

Of course he did. Ji Won haunted his thoughts every night he went to sleep. But Kai wanted to test the waters before he accepted that maybe she hadn’t been mad at him this whole time. “Should I?” he asked, titling his head questioningly.

His implied ignorance visibly upset her. Ji Won’s lips fell into a disheartened frown as she pulled her hands from his grasp. The void it created nearly had Kai dropping his act and admitting the truth, afraid that she would withdraw completely from him otherwise.

But luckily Ji Won didn’t give up as hesitation had her biting her lips before finally voicing, “Sorry if this sounds weird, but where were you born?”

That was an unexpected question. One Kai wasn’t sure why Ji Won would want to know the answer to. “Suncheon, South Jeolla Province,” he said, shooting a brow up questioningly at her.

The girl’s shoulders drooped and it was only now that she seemed to take notice of just how intimate their position was. Red crawling onto her cheeks, Ji Won hurriedly scampered backwards until Kai’s knees no longer touched the sides of her hips. She cleared awkwardly, and looking anywhere but at him, mumbled, “I’m sorry. You just look like someone I used to know.”

A smile threatened to overtake Kai. He enjoyed seeing this flustered Ji Won again. And now that he knew she wouldn’t shun him from her life, he proceeded to bring out her pugnacious side. “Is that the excuse you’re going to go with for touching my face?” He shrugged and sent her a cocky smirk that was sure to get her blood boiling.  “But I guess it’s not every day that you fall into the arms of such a good-looking guy.”

Ji Won’s lips curved into a frown and her nose started to scrunch in the beginnings of her “angry face”. “I wasn’t –”

Just as Kai thought she would blow her fuse and scream at him with an amusing comeback, she clamped shut. Her eyes closed and she took a deep, meditative breath. When she’d calmed herself, she re-opened her eyes and picked herself off the ground, patting her clothes of any debris. Without a word, she whirled on her heel, about to walk away.

Pulse racing at the thought of her leaving, Kai opened his mouth to call her back and confess it was all a joke, but Cheon Won was already chasing after her. The puppy stood on her hind legs and pawed at Ji Won’s leg, forcing the girl to halt in her tracks. Kai internally smiled, grateful that his dog was as energetic and attention-seeking as she was.

“Cheon Won, come here girl!”

As expected, he got not only the dachshund’s attention, but also Ji Won’s. She swung back around to him, expression one of shocked surprise.

While his dog skipped into his welcoming arms, a curious Ji Won asked, “Cheon Won? That’s her name?”

“Yeah,” Kai said, taking his dog’s face in his palms and nuzzling his nose with hers. He’d make sure to give her treats when he got home for making his reunion with Ji Won possible. “She’s named after someone she reminds me of.” His eyes drifted to meet hers. “I know I shouldn’t say this about my own dog, but she’s sort of on the clumsy side, gets easily distracted, and is pretty stubborn, just like another Cheon Won I know.”

Would she figure out that he was the former genie she’d revealed her endearing nickname from her grandfather to, a detail she’d never even told her best friend? He thought he’d made it pretty clear, but Ji Won didn’t always take to subtle hints, though from the set of her brows in deep thought, like she was piecing together a puzzle, maybe she had. Her eyes flitted off to the side and widened at whatever caught their attention. With determined steps, she stalked towards it and leaned down to pick it up from between the blades of grass.

Ji Won’s fingers grazed along the talisman which had flung off from around Kai’s neck during their crash. He saw everything click for her in the look on her face and he smiled. “But this…” She turned to him, looking almost lost for words. “It is you.”

The jig was up. “It’s been a while, Kwon Ji Won,” Kai coolly said. He never would have thought he’d be able to greet her so casually when they met up again.

He’d expected the anger. It’s what he was going for, to see her livid and red with energy. But the tears were an unwanted surprise. He hadn’t meant to upset her this much with his jest. “Why did you lie that you didn’t know who I was?” 

“I never lied though,” Kai pointed out. “I asked if I should know you, not that I didn’t know you.”

It was a stupid thing to stay given the situation. Cheeky remarks would do nothing to win her over again, and Kai only remembered belatedly how Ji Won could let emotions take over as she wound the arm holding the talisman back, ready to strike him. He brought his arms up as a shield, but his reflexes were too slow. Ji Won hurled the stone, managing to get it through the gap between his rising arms to hit him hard on the chest before falling into his lap. He grunted in pain. He’d forgotten what a strong arm she had.

“What was that for?!” he shouted, rubbing the spot the talisman had struck.

“For everything you put me through!” she shot back. She turned and began stomping angrily away.

“Ji Won!” Kai called. She didn’t look back and continued walking away. He’d wanted to see her angry, and now she was furious and probably never wished to see him again. But he wasn’t going to let that happen, especially now that he was certain she hadn’t been loathing him this whole time. She couldn’t have been if her initial reaction upon recognition was to practically jump into his arms.

Knowing that she’d just stubbornly ignore him if he tried to pursue her, Kai employed a different plan to get her attention again. He leaned forward on the grass and wrapped his fingers around his right ankle. He tried calling her name, “Ji W– Ahhh!” He feigned a grimace and watched Ji Won through the corner of his eye race to him.

She knelt down beside him, eyes wide with concern. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

He groaned theatrically. “I think I sprained my ankle trying to save you.”

“Well what do I do?” she fretfully cried. Kai had to bite his lip to keep from smiling. After two months agonizing over how Ji Won would react to him, it felt reassuring to know she’d drop any grudge against him to come to his aid. “Do I call 911?”

Kai’s expression of pain momentarily faltered and he had to actively stop himself from rolling his eyes. But he couldn’t prevent his hand from darting out to flick her on the forehead.

“Ow!” Her hands shot up to massage the affliction with nostrils flaring.

“911 for a sprained ankle? Really?” Ji Won really made it hard to seriously maintain his suffering character when she came up with such cloying responses.

“You know what, forget it! I’m leaving!” Ji Won rose and made to leave.

Kai’s hand again acted before he could think, desperately holding onto her. He wanted so badly to fall back into the normal banter they’d shared when he’d been a genie that he didn’t realize he was still on shaky grounds with Ji Won. There was no avoiding it. They needed to have a serious talk about their time apart and he needed to deliver the apology he’d supposedly been working on for so many weeks. Then maybe they could move forward as friends once again.

Pushing his luck, Kai tried to appeal for her sympathy once again by faking a pitiful pout. “You’d really leave an injured person to fend for themselves?”

Some sort of telepathy must have passed between him and the dogs because they joined him with sad whimpers to make the display that much more heart wrenching. It worked. Ji Won relaxed a little and with a loud groan, plopped back down on the grass beside him, crossing her arms like a child being forced to do something she didn’t want to. Kai made a mental note to give all the dogs treats when he returned home.

“Fine, what do you want me to do?” she grumbled.

Kai needed some time alone to compose himself and his thoughts. He made up an excuse to give him those few minutes. “There’s a pharmacy just around the corner. Can you get me a bandage wrap?”

Shooting him an annoyed glare, Ji Won pushed off the ground and trudged in the direction he’d pointed. She’d come back, right? Well, he knew where she lived if she didn’t.

Kai sighed and fell backwards on the grass, bringing an arm to his eyes to block the sun. He heard the padding of little feet convening a few feet away and tipped his head to the side to find all four dogs curling up together for a nap. Reassured that they wouldn’t run away, he closed his eyes and shut himself in his thoughts.

It finally started to sink in. He’d been reunited with Ji Won again.

Weeks of anchoring stress from wondering how she was doing, how she’d receive him and he finally got his answer. She wasn’t completely well, but she didn’t hate him. If he’d only known this from the beginning, he would have been at her door that first day to make sure she never spiraled into her current frail state. He would have become her metaphorical punching bag, turning her anguish into anger through their usual badinage, and distracting her from the sorrow and heartache that had literally taken a piece of her.

Kai couldn’t go back in time to undo the effects, but he could mitigate it moving forward. He owed Ji Won that much and more.

“Here,” Kai heard Ji Won say just as a soft bundle of cloth enclosed in plastic thumped him on his stomach. His eyes sprang open and met the annoyed girl’s face as she took a seat beside him.

Time was up. Kai pulled himself up and tore open the packaging. He took his time taking his sneaker and sock off and then raveling the cloth around his fake sprain, trying to stall for time because he still hadn’t figured out how he’d go about with their talk.

He’d only just clipped the piece of metal to hold the bandage in place when Ji Won demanded, “Alright, now explain. What happened to you after I made my final wish?” Her voice was all business.

“You just jump right in, don’t you?” Kai said with a half-smile, trying to make light of the situation. Ji Won looked highly displeased by his nonchalance. He sighed into a soft laugh. “You’re as impatient as ever.” So this was it, no more games. “What happened is I became human.”

This was the first time Kai was recalling that specific moment when he’d granted Ji Won’s wish. It was a terrifying event he didn’t want to relive. “After you made your wish I was stripped of my magic, and it was the most excruciating pain I’d ever endured. It was like all the magic in my body was attacking my heart and all I could think was, is this how it ends for me? I’d spent so many years serving humans and my reward for it was death? And not even a peaceful one at that?”

Suppressed in some deep crevice of his mind, the decades of memories as a genie came rushing to the fore – masters who had looked upon him with avarice and wishes granted with rapacious aim.  

I wish to be as pretty as Kim Tae Hee. I wish to win the lottery. I wish to become a popular celebrity. I wish for my competition to fall ill. I wish that as much as you love me…you live a long and healthy life.

Seized by visions of that last horrific wish, Kai found himself entering into the deep, dark pits of his former hell – fire in his veins, possession of his will, suffocating guilt. I’m not the bad person. I’m just being used in a bad way.

A cool wind picked up. The breeze washed over Kai and reminded him he was no longer living that nightmarish past. His head turned to Ji Won. He smiled looking at his present and continued with the story. “And then, it all turned black and I couldn’t see or hear or feel anything. The pain was all gone and for a while I actually thought I was dead…until I opened my eyes and found myself in a bed and in a room that seemed…strangely familiar.”

“So you weren’t dead?” Ji Won seriously prodded.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” he drily answered.

Her nose wrinkled with twisting into a pout. Kai momentarily felt bad for taking a sarcastic tone with her when it was clear she was just very engrossed with his recount. He must really have been a great story-teller for her to forget simple logic.

So he resumed with a climactic voice. “But the longer I stared at my surroundings, I realized why the room was familiar. It was mine. I was in my own bed, in my own room, in my own home.” He smiled a boyish, happy smile as he recalled that moment he realized Ji Won’s wish had worked. “Actually, I guess the more correct term would be my family’s home.”

“Your family?” a wide-eyed Ji Won blurted. “But…how?”

“It was the wish you made, for me to have the future I always dreamed of. So I didn’t just gain my freedom, I also got a family – a mother, father, and even two older sisters.”

Had Ji Won worded the wish as she’d done on the rooftop, I wish you were free from being a genie, he might not have been before her now. To the best of her abilities, she’d truly given him control of her final wish. I wish for you to finally have the future you always dreamed of… That future he’d desired were the fantasies about a family and being the youngest child of three, doted on by all.

The hesitancy on Ji Won’s face told Kai she wasn’t completely convinced. “I know they’re not my real family,” he further explained. “Not only am I adopted, but the memories I have with them are all fabricated.”

“I don’t get what you mean,” a perplexed Ji Won said. “What memories?”

“My memories from before I was freed. When I woke up in my bed, the only way I knew it was mine was because of the memories that were put into my head. Memories of birthdays, family vacations, school events, finding out that I was adopted…everything that would have happened as if I had always been a human living in this time, in this world. And it’s not just my memories that were made up, but also the memories of everyone around me. That was the only way the wish could work, if my past was invented.”

It was a consequence he’d have to live with for the rest of his life. Thankfully it was no longer infinite and unchanging.

“I’m sorry,” Ji Won quietly apologized. “I’m sorry that I messed up with your wish.”

“What are you talking about? How did you mess up?” That she dared to apologize to him like she’d done anything wrong baffled Kai. Did she not realize how much her selfless sacrifice had done for him?

Ji Won’s head lowered. Amber eyes dulled as she tugged the blades of the green turf. “Because of my wish, you’re being forced to live a lie. Your family, the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally, they’re just enchanted to love you. It’s not real.”

How could he have ever thought the defenseless girl before him to be heartless? She’d been like a constant spark of fire trying to ignite the raging chaos within him. She’d instigated him in ways no other master had been able to. That ball of fire had transformed into this fragile ghost of the girl he’d met two months ago. She’d once bragged about the great friend she was, and now, she derogated herself for the shortcomings of her final wish as if it were possible for her to know the outcome of a wish even he, the genie, had no prior knowledge of.

Kai placed his hand on her fretful one, stopping the nervous tick of pulling at frays. He ducked his head and stared intently into her doleful eyes. “You gave me what I wanted. I told you before, between my past and future, I choose future, and because of you, I finally have a future,” he firmly stated, leaving no room for argument on her end.

“Sure, maybe my family doesn’t love me, not for real, at least not yet.” Kai wasn’t blind to the extent to which his family’s affection for him stemmed from commands placed by the talisman into their subconscious. His parents regarded him as a son because magic dictated them to. His sisters treated him as a brother because believing him to be anything else would inflame discomfort.

“But that can change. It already has started to change. In the two months I’ve been with them, I can already feel a difference. I don’t know how to explain it, but their actions and behavior feel more genuine and sincere, like they really do care for me. And I’m also starting to genuinely care for them. If things continue the way they have been, I think they really could learn to love me for real, and I them.”

Kai had thrown the word love around like he knew what it was but it was an ineffable emotion interpreted differently from person to person. He had yet to come up with his own definition, though he wasn’t so naïve to believe that two months was enough time to supersede the fraudulent foundation built on a magical script that his parents and sisters followed. But more than once he’d witnessed them act out of character towards the person they perceived to be Kim Jong In. Kai believed that as he came into his own, so too would his family become more independent in their actions and behaviors towards him. Only then could he entertain the idea that his family might actually love him and vice versa.  

“So you’re happy?” Ji Won wondered with a sparkle of hope in her eyes.

He smiled and nodded, glad to see her anxiety mitigated. “Very.”

It happened faster than Kai could register. Ji Won freed her hand from his and fisted both around his collar, bunching the cloth of his sweatshirt. Fury in her eyes, she demanded, “Then why didn’t you come look for me?! Do you have any idea what I went through worrying about you? I kept thinking the worst and blaming myself for it, but it turned out you were perfectly fine and living a pretty good life based on the brand of your clothes. You promised you would find me if you could. What? A bus ride across town was too much for you?”

Kai recoiled after each sentence. He could feel the wrath rolling off her body in waves. Before she could get the idea to strangle him, he tried to ease her grip. It only made her hold on him tighter. “I was going to eventually,” he pathetically defended. Sure he’d kept making up lame excuses to put it off, but it wasn’t as if his procrastination went unpunished. He’d spent each night lying in bed, suffocating in guilt until he finally fell asleep. The time would have ultimately come when he acted upon his culpability. “…after another month or two.”

“Another month or two?!” Ji Won angrily repeated.

Kai feared she’d start punching him in her outrage, but by a merciful act, her hold on him loosened. He dared look up at her to find her petrified in her place. His ears picked up the sound of high pitched snarls and he turned to the source, his dogs, including playful Cheon Won, with their heads low and teeth bared in crouching positions around them, ready to pounce.

“Mong Gu, Jang Gu, Jang Ah, Cheon Won, heel!” he ordered.

They obeyed, though their gazes remained locked on Ji Won. For a brief moment Kai let himself revel in his canines’ protection. He hadn’t specifically trained Cheon Won to act this way and the other three only acted so for Jung Ah. He might have a long way to go to earn his family’s love, but he seemed to have earned it from the dogs.

Kai finally returned his attention back on Ji Won who sat tense and afraid in front of him. “You can relax, they won’t hurt you,” he said.

“Says the one who couldn’t stop them from running earlier,” she said through gritted teeth.

If the dogs were willing to protect against those that threatened him, then he surmised they would lessen their guard around those he displayed amour towards. He reached an arm around Ji Won’s waist and pulled her to his side. He winced when the sharp points of her bony shoulders hit him in his chest. “If they see us being chummy, they won’t think of you as a threat and they’ll also relax,” he explained before she had the chance to explode.

Convinced, Ji Won copied the gesture and stretched her arm around his waist. She released a fake, exaggerated laugh that had Kai nearly bursting into laughter himself. Lips curving into a scowl, she whacked him hard in the chest. Bad move since the dogs were still on their defenses. They jumped to their feet.

“Down guys,” Kai warned.

Mong Gu, Jang Gu, and Jang Ah obliged, but little Cheon Won was always an uncertainty. To Kai’s dismay the puppy strode towards Ji Won, causing the girl to wrap her arms around him and burrow into his chest for security. “Please don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me,” she recited with eyes scrunched close.

Kai smiled. A pleasant feeling overtook him to see her lean on him for support. Granted it was not completely by her choice, but there was great satisfaction from playing hero to the girl who’d been his.

Thankfully Cheon Won didn’t look aggressive. She had her nose curiously pointed towards Ji Won and as she approached, it landed on Ji Won’s cheek, followed by her long tongue. Ji Won’s eyes fluttered open.

Cheon Won trampled clumsily into his lap and settled down. With a sigh, Kai rubbed her head and said, “Still got a long ways to go in training you.” But as the puppy stretched her neck forward to give him a slobbering kiss, he couldn’t help but grin affectionately.

Ji Won took this chance to put distance between them. Kai wasn’t going to give her the escape. His arm tightened, keeping her plastered to him. “Where are you going? Cheon Won might have accepted you but the others aren’t as trusting.” He motioned towards Jung Ah’s dogs. They sat tall and proud, taking their duty to watch over him seriously. His sister would have a field day when he told her about their wavering loyalties.

A deep frown set on her lips, Ji Won folded her arms across her chest. “You still haven’t answered why you didn’t look for me.”

Suddenly Kai didn’t want her stuck to his side. He withdrew his arm and rested it on Cheon Won’s head. He’d hoped he wouldn’t have to go into the humbling details, but Ji Won was persistent and as much as he wished to answer with flippancy, he knew he owed the truth to her. “I was scared…and ashamed of seeing you.”

Ji Won lost her domineering posture, confused by his answer. “Scared? Ashamed? But why?”

“Scared because I thought you might be regretting your decision to free me instead of saving your grandfather and that the sight of me would make you angry…and ashamed because…I think I understand.”

“Understand what?”

Kai’s gaze picked up and landed on her. “What it’s like to care about someone to the point you’d go to great lengths to help them if they were ever in trouble. I haven’t exactly reached that level yet with my parents and sisters, but, I’m gradually getting there. And wanting you to choose me, someone you knew for only a few days, over your grandfather who’s been in your life since you were born…well I’m not sure I could have done the same if I were in your place, even if it was a promise.”

To Kai, this new life he now led was the most precious thing to him. He considered the possibility of relinquishing it for the sake of the family he’d known for much longer than Ji Won had known him. Could he do it?

The creeping feel of shame sprouting in his stomach intimated that he probably wouldn’t. It scared Kai to think he had yet to develop such a connection with another that he’d make the sacrifice to save them if ever the dire situation arose. But now at least he’d come up with his definition of love. The day he could say without hesitation that he’d take on infinite servitude again for someone was the day he could say the words, “I love you” to that person and truly mean it.

Ji Won turned sullen. Her eyes glazed over and Kai knew her thoughts were returning to that dreadful last night. “I doubt you’d have ever found yourself in that situation. You would have been able to save my grandfather, free yourself, and still have a wish left over.”

It killed him to see Ji Won beat herself up when her intentions had been pure and selfless. So many masters had wished for less noble things and been given more than they deserved because they were practiced in the art of manipulation through words. Kai had to make Ji Won realize the cunning she alluded to wasn’t necessarily a favorable trait.    

“If I was in your place, I wouldn’t have been a genie,” he contradicted, “and so wouldn’t have had to free myself. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have thrown away the talisman when I found it, so I’d have met a genie who obediently followed my orders and therefore I wouldn’t have had a reason to pry into their life to find out that they wanted to be freed.”

Ji Won raised a brow, clearly confused. Kai sent her a gentle smile. “What I’m trying to say is, you’re someone who thinks with your heart, which makes you impulsive and sometimes do stupid things.” Protests rose to Ji Won’s lips which he promptly cut off. “But you do it out of love.”

Kai remembered Yoon Ah’s words from a month prior and took a leap with his next claim. “And the people who do hold a place in your heart, well they should consider themselves lucky because they have someone who’d go so far as to selflessly give their last wish to save them.”

If what his eldest sister had said was true, Ji Won must have really cared for him to make the choice to free him over saving her grandfather. He’d never be bold enough to believe it was because she valued him over the elderly man, but he doubted there were many people she’d relinquish the chance to extend her grandfather’s life for.

Long moments had passed when Ji Won didn’t refute him, though she hadn’t concurred either. But in a situation like this, he took silence as confirmation. Kai’s chest ballooned with warmth. She sincerely cared about him, and her feelings for him were purely her own, untouched by magic.

Voice wrought with emotion, Kai said, “I’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you did.” As a genie he’d always feared showing any more vulnerability to his masters than he was forced to. But now, he lay down all his defenses to the single person who’d seen him at his weakest and rather than turning a blind eye, held out a helping hand.

“Just live your life well. That’ll be enough thanks.”

Kai was unprepared to hear such a nonchalant, aloof reply from. “Why do you say that like we’ll never see each other again?”

“I doubt we’ll have a reason to,” she shrugged.

He narrowed his eyes in a chastising manner. “I thought you said friendship isn’t about having an agenda. Why do we have to have a reason to meet?”

“You want to keep being friends?” she exclaimed as if the idea was preposterous.

“Don’t you?” It took every fiber of Kai’s being to not let it come through on his face or in his voice how deep her indifference cut him.

“You and I were together for only four days and yet 90% of the time we clashed. Do you really think it’s a good idea for us to be friends?” she seriously inquired.

It was strange. Kai could picture so many occasions he’d almost lost his temper because of something Ji Won had said or done, but those weren’t the moments he found himself reminiscing over at random times during the day. It was those times that had made him laugh or smile which he’d conjure up when something or someone triggered a memory related to her. It was amazing how selective the mind could be depending on the subject. He clearly viewed Ji Won with a favorable filter.

Nevertheless, Kai nodded his head, agreeing. “You’re right. We did have our issues with each other when I was a genie. But maybe you’ll get along better with the human me.” He extended his hand to her. “Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Kim Jong In, but you can call me Kai.” He was and probably always would be known as Kai to her, and he preferred that.

Ji Won eyed his stretched out limb warily. It dawned on Kai then that they’d never actually shaken hands before. Twice before Ji Won had proffered hers and twice he’d rejected her offer of friendship. He only hoped she could be the better person he couldn’t be and take his.

When she dragged her eyes up to him, Kai smiled without arrogance or hesitation. Just a simple, genial curve of his lips to show that there was no ill intent behind his gesture. He would honor whatever decision she made. If she wanted to make this their last ever encounter, then he had no right to pursue. But the thought of never seeing her again brought an ache to his chest. The ache only grew the longer she stared, motionless.

Movement crossed Kai’s periphery. Cheon Won was fidgeting in his lap and her paws fumbled atop his legs as she made her way across to Ji Won. With her front paws perched on her knee, she stretched her face up to the surprised girl with her tongue hanging. Her tail wagged furiously, a sign of her excitement.

“Cheon Won wants to be your friend too,” Kai explained. “But as her owner, you can’t be her friend without being mine.” To remind her that his hand remained untaken, he shook his arm impatiently. Ji Won tended to be impulsive when rushed so maybe this small pressure would make her take it. When she did, Kai would never let her go.

Kai could read the trepidation swimming through her thoughts even as she slowly stretched out her arm. But as soon as fingers touched, he gripped firmly. The deed was done. Ji Won had accepted him into her life and there was little she could do to get rid of him now.

“I’m only accepting because of your dog,” she said as Cheon Won nestled against her stomach.

Kai grinned. She could keep telling herself whatever she wanted but Ji Won had enjoyed the time their together and didn’t want it to end here. She wouldn’t subject herself to him for any other reason.

No longer coming as a surprise to him, Jung Ah’s dogs strode forward, noses sniffing Ji Won as they finally accepted that she was not a threat thanks to their harmonious display. Finally, they convened around her, Mong Gu by her side, Jang Gu at her feet, and Jang Ah resting on her knee.

Smiling proudly and petting each of their heads lovingly, Kai said, “They want to be your friends too.”

His drifted up to Ji Won again. She was studying him, probably wondering how he as Kim Jong In was different from the aggravating Kai she thought him to be. Sadly, she would find out he could still be infuriating. It was simply a personality trait to want to ruffle the feathers of the people around him, especially when they became as colorful as Ji Won did in her anger. But underneath that childish desire to incite trouble, he did care about them and that worrying detail from their bump into each other now presented itself again as his eyes raked over her emaciated appearance.

He’d felt the effects the past two months had taken on her when they collided, but had pushed the thought aside when he had to deal with the pressing matter of her swift departure. But now, finally allowing some of those thoughts to come forth among his priorities, Kai frowned.

He still remembered their first meeting, how she’d fallen into his arms and how he’d felt the warm life in her, how he’d made that tactless comment about her weight, how she’d admirably defended herself and refused to let a stranger drive her to an obsessively unhealthy state of skin and bones that the ignorant masses had deemed the image of perfection.

Was Ji Won this way because of her grandfather? The thought unnerved him. If her grieving had taken her to this state, then he was the culpable one. He would not only have taken away a man she loved dearly, but her vivacity, what made Ji Won so infuriating and yet oddly charming at the same time.

“You’ve lost a lot of weight,” he remarked, hoping she would divulge to him what had caused it. Had she not been eating enough?

She didn’t. “Yeah,” she said with insouciance. “Isn’t that good? You did call me fat when we first met.”

“I never called you fat,” Kai calmly argued, though he was once again berating himself for the implication. “And good isn’t the word that comes to mind when I look at you. More like sickly.”

Ji Won frowned, not liking this sort of attention on her. She lashed with a bitter retort. “Well looking sick is what’s in these days.” Then she changed the topic, making it obvious her appearances were not up for discussion. She pointed to the talisman he’d once again strung around his neck after it had fallen. “So why do you still have that thing? Does it still hold power over you?”

With a small sigh, Kai turned his focus to the object in question. He’d approach the issue of her declined health later with a different angle. “No, I kept it more as a reminder of my real past. It’s weird, but the past that I had dreamed of when I was a genie has more or less become my reality, and my real past – all the masters I’ve served, the wishes I’ve granted – that’s turned into a nightmare that I’m slowly starting to forget.” Maybe he wouldn’t truly be able to forget the deeds of his past life, but he found them haunting him less as the days went by. “Well,” he realized belatedly with a playful smirk, “all except for when you were my master. That I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget.” His memories with his masters may over time become broken, but not the ones with Ji Won. Never with Ji Won.

Ji Won didn’t return with an eye roll as he’d expected. Rather her face darkened and in her eyes he saw sadness and pain. “So it was a nightmare for you, the time you were with me.”

“What?” Kai nearly shouted. “No, that’s not what I meant.” He sidled closer to Ji Won. “Out of all my masters, you were the furthest from a nightmare.”

Ji Won refused to meet his gaze, keeping dismal eyes downcast while she replied, “But you said that I was the cruelest out of all your masters.”

“You’re right, I did say that,” he said with guilty concession. Kai exhaled deeply. Here was the matter he had yet to resolve, delivering an apology that would express the deep remorse that had burdened him during their separation.

He had no idea how to start. It didn’t help that he’d given so few apologies, both as a genie and in his fictitious past. For all his hours sitting in front of his computer, he really should have researched on best practices when making amends. Now he was forced to improvise.

Taking a mental deep breath, he cupped Ji Won’s chin and tipped it upwards. Truth came through best from the eyes. He locked his with her amber ones and let his guards fall. There was no room for glib jokes or breezy remarks if he wanted to properly convey his contrition, just his honest feelings in their rawest form.

Presenting himself at his most vulnerable, Kai delivered the overdue words. “I’m sorry. For everything I said that night. I didn’t mean any of it. Not really. The truth is, it was the first time I’d ever let my emotions get the better of me.” He released her and took to studying a blade of grass, embarrassment tinting his cheeks. “Actually, it was the first time I’d ever felt such strong emotions and I guess that’s what I really meant earlier. I had a lot of first with you and that’s why I’ll never be able to forget being your genie. The biggest first being…” his eyes sought hers, looking, hoping for forgiveness, “my first friend.”

He received it when Ji Won’s serious gaze softened and she giggled.

His spirits rose and he dared to become more optimistic. “So do you think we can maybe move forward with a clean slate?”

Ji Won smiled and nodded, again reminding Kai how great of a friend she truly was. It was done. He’d relayed everything he needed to and obtained clemency. He could finally give Yoon Ah the good news and wipe away her disappointment. But most importantly, he had one person he could count on to be completely honest with him. She was the sole person who knew what he’d come from to be where he is today. When Ji Won had made her final wish, she’d ushered in an epoch of freedom and possibilities for him. If the talisman nestled against his chest symbolized his ugly past, then the Ji Won presented before him would be a constant reminder of his bright and hopeful future.

She demonstrated just how bright it would be when an involuntary, loud grumble from her stomach had Cheon Won jumping from her position on her lap. The canine sniffed her abdomen like she thought an animal was hidden inside. Kai burst into laughter while Ji Won, in utter humiliation, fell backwards on to the grass and used her hands to cover her face. These were the moments he was looking forward to now that he had her by his side again.

Kai mimicked her and lay down on his side next to her, his head resting on his propped up hand. “Hungry?” he asked with a lingering grin.

“Shut up,” Ji Won muttered from behind her palms.

“How about we get some fried chicken delivered?” he offered, “My treat.” Ji Won wouldn’t be able to turn down free food and this way he could hopefully get some meat back on her bones.

She turned her head to him, suspicion weaving through the interest in her eyes. After a long minute of contemplation, she gave in. “Fine, I want half sesame and half BBQ.”

“But I don’t like sesame or BBQ.”

Kai had had the pleasure of tasting the delicacy known as fried chicken one Friday night when his parents were out so that his mother was unable to make dinner. There were of course the usual leftovers in the fridge, but he and Jung Ah had gotten used to their hot, freshly prepared meals and decided to get takeout. Jung Ah had taken charge and ordered a variety box of fried chicken for delivery from a place just outside their neighborhood. It included an equal mix of traditional, sesame, and BBQ fried chicken.

That fateful night, Kai discovered that traditional fried chicken was the best thing this world had to offer. It was a delectable combination of crunchy and perfectly seasoned dough on the outside and soft, juicy flesh on the inside. He’d tried the sauce-drizzled versions and found them to overpower the meat and leave the exterior less crunchy. He was traditional all the way.

“Why does that matter?” Ji Won shot back. “That’s my order.”   

“You mean you’re going to eat a whole box by yourself?!” He and Jung Ah had shared one and still had leftovers.

“Why? Am I not allowed?” a defensive Ji Won retorted.

“No, you’re allowed,” Kai immediately yielded. “In fact order as much as you want.” He wanted to make it clear he would not judge or criticize for how much she ate. The more the better.

Kai called in the order for delivery to the park, describing that he would be with four dogs so the delivery person would know who to look for. “Okay, they said it’ll be fifteen minutes,” he told Ji Won.

He tossed his phone on the grass next to him and was about to lay down again beside Ji Won who stared vacantly at the sky, lost in her thoughts, when Cheon Won came scampering up to him. She wanted to be played with. Seeing that Mong Gu, Jang Gu, and Jang Ah seemed content where they were, still lying on and around Ji Won’s legs, Kai obliged with the puppy’s request and started running around the grass to let her chase him, the soft, cool grass tickling his foot.

He didn’t realize his mistake until Ji Won sat up and folded her arms over her chest. She pinned him with an accusatory stare. “I thought you sprained your ankle.”

Coming to a stop a few feet away, Cheon Won crashed into Kai’s leg as he stared at the bandaged foot in question. It wasn’t the first time he’d forgotten to keep up the act. The last was when he’d asked Ji Won for a kiss and she’d brought up the made-up Rule #3.

Stumped for a valid explanation, Kai stuttered, “Oh, uh, it’s all better.”

It was a long stretch, and it didn’t reach. Ji Won didn’t believe him. “You lied?!”

Her upper body shook with indignation and her arms fell to her side with palms into balls that had Kai gulping. He didn’t want to experience one of her punches again. She might have lost a lot of weight, but boney fingers could cause just as much pain as a blow from a toned arm.

Kai had never been as thankful towards Jung Ah’s training of her dogs as he was now. Sensing the threat Ji Won posed to their uncle, their ears shot up. They picked their heads off her legs and scrutinized her with glossy black eyes.

“H-hey, c-call your dogs back,” Ji Won pleaded with a shaky voice.

Smirking, Kai confidently traipsed forward and stooped down to meet her at eye level. He crossed his arms lazily over his knees and proclaimed, “They won’t hurt you unless you try to hurt me.” Nostrils flaring, a tight-lipped Ji Won unclenched her hands. Pleased by her compliance, Kai caressed the top of her head and said, “There’s a good girl.”

She wrenched her head away from him and fixed him with a deathly glare. “Don’t talk to me like I’m a dog. And I thought you said Kim Jong In was different from Kai. You’re just as insufferable as when you were a genie who could teleport whenever and wherever.”

“Chicken delivery!”

Saved by chicken, Kai thought. He turned his attention to a young man in a yellow hat and uniform walking their way from the scooter parked at the edge of the lawn. In his hands were two flat boxes housing their chicken order.

Kai stood up to greet him. He fished out two ten dollar bills from his wallet and saw the deliveryman off before turning back to Ji Won. It was amazing how only a couple of minutes ago, she looked ready to bite his head off like the dog she claimed not to be and now, she was the image of an excited little girl about to eat cake on her birthday as she reached her hands out for the chicken.

“Thank god, I’m starving!” she exclaimed.

“I thought you said I was insufferable,” Kai retorted, dragging the boxes up and out of her reach. “An insufferable person wouldn’t share their food with someone.”

“You’re not insufferable,” Ji Won blathered. “You’re the nicest person ever and I’m grateful to have a friend like you.”

Kai would have held out for more compliments, but he really wanted Ji Won to eat. Handing the food to her, he tied up Cheon Won, Mong Gu, Jang Gu, and Jang Ah to a nearby post so they wouldn’t get into the food and promised them a feast and all the treats they could eat when they returned. They deserved it.

He rejoined Ji Won on the lawn. She was already attacking a piece of BBQ chicken, accruing a red-brown sauce along the edges of and all over her fingers. Kai gracefully picked up a piece of fried chicken, and frowning slightly at the sight of sauce having spilled onto one side, took a bite from the untainted side.

“So what are you doing tomorrow?” he casually interrogated. Asking her outright to hang out the next day seemed too desperate.

Reaching for a piece of sesame chicken this time, Ji Won replied, “I’m going to the amusement park with Joo Hyun.”

Kai pretended to ponder for a second. He had no plans except for the weekly dinner with Yoon Ah and her husband in the evening. “Okay, I think I can shuffle my schedule around to join you.”  

“What?!” Ji Won said mid-chew. “You can’t just invite yourself to hang out with us.”

Kai shrugged innocently. “Can’t I? I thought we were friends.”

“We might be, but Joo Hyun doesn’t know you,” Ji Won frantically contended.

“Well what better way to break the ice than by screaming our heads off on a roller coaster?” he calmly pointed out. “Besides, from what I remember of her when I was your genie, she seemed like a pretty calm and collected person with a good eye for reading people.” He sent her a crooked smile. “If she can tolerate you, I have no doubt she’ll like me.”

Ji Won must have been too exhausted or hungry to quibble. She rolled her eyes and continued to eat her chicken with, Kai noticed, a small smile gracing her messy lips.

Kai smiled too, seeing her happy. As much as he liked to make Ji Won angry or embarrassed, he loved it even more when he made her smile.

But a peeved Ji Won was just too entertaining to pass up. He reached for a napkin provided by the delivery boy and bent forward. “Can’t you be a little more graceful when you eat?” he said as he wiped . “Seriously you’re like a dog. You have sauce all over your face.”

Teeth gritted, Ji Won snatched the napkin from him and proceeded to clean her face off herself.

Kai had to bite a laugh. As he leaned back, he felt the talisman brush against his chest. His head dipped forward to stare at it. It didn’t unnerve him as much as it used to.

Winning smile on his face, his eyes fell on Ji Won again. He’d given himself the name Kai because he believed one day he would triumph over the talisman’s curse. He was proud to say he’d lived up to his name. He was triumphant.

~//~

Author's Note