One never learns how the witch became wicked,

Or whether that was the right choice for her- is it ever the right choice?

Gregory Maguire – Wicked

“And they lived happily ever after….” With a smile, Mrs. Kang closed the hardcover storybook as she pulled the fluffy pink blanket and covered her daughter’s tiny body.

“The end…” The mother-daughter pair uttered in sync, both ended up giggling cheerfully, painting the serene, tranquil night with colors of happiness. Feeling her mother’s slender fingers on her head, patting her coal-black hair softly, Kang Seulgi snuggled closer to her teddy bear, hugging it tightly in her arms.

“Omma…” Little Seulgi stole a quick glance at her mother before touching the storybook once again; flipping through the few last pages as she pondered, mind totally puzzled with tons of question that hardly most 5 year-old could ever fathom.

Why was it in every fairy tale, the princess found her happiness while the witch had to suffer?

Why was it in every fairy tale, only the princess found that one person who eventually became her soul mate while the witch was left in misery, alone till the very end?

Why can’t the princess have her heart broken the same way as the witch did?

Why can’t the witch find true love just like the princess did?

It sounded so unfair yet that was the way how every fairy tale was written.

The princess was utterly blessed with happily ever after whereas the witch was somewhat destined to be cursed with calamity for the rest of her life.

What a classic, stereotypical fairy tale!

“What’s the matter, Seulgi-ah? Want me to read the storybook again for you?” Her mother asked, causing her to slip back into reality, erasing all the questions that she had in mind.

The little girl closed the storybook as she shook her head. “Nothing, omma.” She mastered a fake smile to ease her mother. 

But mothers will always be mothers.

No matter how skillful Seulgi tried to hide her anxiety behind her fake smile, the woman beside her will always see right through her, reading her crystal clear like she was an open book. Seulgi did considered the possibility of her mother being a mind reader but she understood perfectly that there was no such thing as super power despite her young age. She could tell apart between reality and fantasy regardless how fond she was in reading fairy tales.

But then again, maybe it was a mother’s instinct or perhaps even sixth sense that enabled her mother to realize that she was indeed bothered with something.

“Nothing always means something, princess.” Mrs. Kang took the storybook from Seulgi’s hand and placed it on the table beside the bed. She later on enwrapped her arms around the little girl and pulled her precious daughter into her embrace. “You know you can always tell me anything. So, tell the tale, Kang Seulgi. Omma will listen. I pinky promise you.” Mrs. Kang said as she tickled her daughter, making the room echoed with her laughter.

“Ah…. Omma! Stop it! Stop it! It tickles!!!” Seulgi tried to avoid her mother’s tickling attack, pushing her hands away from her. She twisted and turned all over the bed but her mother had always been an avid tickling expert. “Omma!!! Stop it! You win. I’ll talk. I d tell you everything. So, please stop.” She begged her mother, raising the white flag, unable to withstand being tickled anymore.

“Yeay! Omma got 1 point, while loser Seulgi got ZERO! I repeat, Z.E.R.O! Zero!” Mrs. Kang beamed a winning smile, causing the little girl to pout in dismay.

Seulgi heaved softly.“Urgh, omma! What are you? A kid? I can’t believe you’re my mom.”

Mrs. Kang laughed at her comment; her hand found the little girl’s nose and pinched it gently. “Like it or not, I’m your omma. Always have and always will be.” Landing a soft kiss on Seulgi’s forehead, she continued, “Now, now. It’s about time you tell me what’s bothering you. Omma’s here.”

Seulgi paused for a while, looking directly at the white ceiling above her. “Omma, why can’t the witch be happy? I mean, in every fairy tale, she’s always the evil one. I guess that’s why I pity her. I don’t think she’s evil after all. She… just wanted to love and be loved by someone… the same way like the princess did.”

“Sweetheart…. What more can one ask for than to love and be loved in return? Love is a very essential existence in this world. And I’m sure the witch realized that too. That was why; she craved for that love and searched long and hard for it. However, she used the wrong methods. But who are we to judge her actions. For all the crimes, for all the bad deeds, for all the wrongs that she did, there must be some solid reasons behind them. But we can’t ever know, we can’t ever be sure of it.” Mrs. Kang explained her thoughts, long and hard as she looked directly at her daughter’s face. “Nevertheless, I believe in every fairy tale, if the writer ever continues the story, he or she will write that the witch will find the happiness that she deserves. After all, everybody deserves to love and be loved. No matter what.”

Seulgi’s lips stretched into a sparkling smile. “So, does that mean the witch can be happy too, omma?”

“Of course, dear.”

“Then, I wanna be a witch. I’ll show to everyone that even the witch can find her happiness.”

“Be it as a princess or a witch, you’ll definitely find your happiness, Kang Seulgi. Definitely!”

*

The moonlight that glimmered through her windows had awoken her from her dream. Cold sweat drenched her forehead as she lightly wiped the liquid away. Her breathing was frantic, her heartbeats were abnormally off the rhythm and her mind was blank, like a black hole just everything and vanished them into thin air.  The last remnants of her dream was being chased away by the realization that she was awake again. It was a nice dream, after all. A dream about her mother that she hadn’t had for a very long time. With a mental sigh, Seulgi allowed her brain to focus and cautiously opened her eyes.

She glanced to her side, staring closely at the picture of her and her mother together when she was 6. It was the last picture of them together before death came knocking at her door and took away her beloved mother from her side.

She wondered why the conversation appeared once again in her dream. She questioned herself about the real meaning behind her dream. Since her mother died, she discarded everything that reminded her of her mother. Be it her fancy princess-like clothes, or her favorite vacation spot or even her collections of fairy tale book, Seulgi threw all of them inside a wooden box, locked them away and stored the key away from plain sight aside from that single photograph.

It was hard for her to let go of fairy tales entirely, because almost everyone including herself had that smallest bit of faith and hope that one day, they would open their eyes and everything would be true and they have their ‘happily ever after’ ending.

But at the end of the day, fairy tales weren’t real; they were merely fictional, created for someone’s self-satisfaction.

As time passed by, Seulgi couldn’t cope with reality anymore.

She was hurt.

And she hid all her sad feelings, deeply buried; camouflage her pain behind a smile. A smile that everyone believed, a smile that told everyone she was happy. Little did they know that she cried at night, telling herself things no one should ever say.

She was bitter.

There were some nights where she felt alone, like completely alone. It was like the world had drained her off everything and everyone she had. She’d wished she could confide someone, but no one felt right. Those nights were the most unbearable. Her heart would have this terrible sinking feeling like it was to explode anytime. People said crying out would make it feel better but she was unable to cry anything out. She didn’t feel sad, she felt empty.

She was broken.

For living in human flesh was harder that it seemed, because there were stories and scars and memories that she’d tried to keep unseen.

She was never the same Kang Seulgi anymore.

It was such a shame for a girl who once believed in fairytales and magic had to be struck by reality with demons in her mind and the fear of never being loved.

Because like the wicked witch, she found herself unable to find her very own happy ending.

Even her entire wealth couldn’t help her to obtain the person she had craved so much.

Her one true love….

Song Minho.

Opening the drawer next to her bed, she took out a document and switched on the table lamp. Rereading the piece of paper for the umpteenth time, she hadn’t had the strength to choke back her tears. She felt her chest tightened, her heart was pierced with knife as she crumbled the piece of paper and threw it away from her hand.

Indeed, reality was a bad game.

Even the witch can find her happiness.

The sentence from her dream echoed, playing like a loop inside her mind.

And that was when all hell broke loose. The gate of massacre decided to open widely.

The witch had finally been awoken from her deep slumber.

And she was ready for a battle to rip apart the happiness belonged to the prince and the princess.

*

The fragrant smell of flowers greeted her sense, the colorful petals dancing around as the spring breeze blew swiftly outside the florist shop feasted her eyes, and the sight of a petite slender young lady arranging a flower bouquet from the crystal clear glass window caught her attention. Seulgi stared long and hard at the figure, contemplating whether she had made the right decision.

You can do this, Seul! You have to, for the sake of your happiness, she told herself.

Seulgi huffed as she clenched her hands tightly together, forming fists. After making sure that her confidence level was fully on top, she walked directly towards the florist shop. while praying hard that her nervousness would dissolve into thin air. Her footsteps echoed sharply like she was the only one walking along the street, sounding overly loud in her own ears, like the booming heartbeat of a condemned prisoner.

The girl who was busy doing the flower arrangement stopped when she heard the bell chimed, signaling a customer just came in. Curving a smile on her lips, she greeted her customer friendly.

“Hello, welcome to Velvet Florist. How can I help you?”

Her self proclaimed enemy's smile just seemed so genuinely sweet that unexpected warmth rushed through Seulgi. Indeed, the girl looked ethereal, like an angel who had fallen from the celestial heavens. No wonder Mino was so madly in love with her. But Seulgi decided earlier on that she didn’t come here for some pleasantry. She came to wage a war.

“I want to see Bae Juhyun. Is she here?” Seulgi sounded cold, like there was no emotion in her voice.

“I’m Bae Juhyun.” Juhyun gulped as she felt something stuck between . She didn’t know why but she felt a disturbing aura emitted from the lady in front of her. She couldn’t see the lady’s eyes but she had gotten a feeling that behind those shades, her eyes were as cold as her voice. She couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling that kept tugging her chest but keeping her calm in check, she continued, “Is there something wrong, Miss?”

“Song Minho?”

“Deh??”

“Name your price. I’ll pay you to leave him.”

“What?! You’re crazy!” Juhyun said defensively. Whoever this lady in front of her was, she knew deep down that she spelled trouble.  “No money in this world could make me leave him.”

Seulgi scoffed as she pulled a sarcastic smile on her lips. “Oh, I beg to differ, Miss Bae. You will leave him and I will buy your love. Don’t be stubborn and just accept my offer.” The cold expression played on her face terror inside Juhyun’s heart. She could feel her body shivered but she wasn’t going to let her fear shown.

“Who are you?” Juhyun furrowed her forehead. “I don’t even know you. Besides, what right do you have to come here and said all these ridiculous things to me?” Her voice raised a level. She never shouted at anyone but weirdly, the cold figure standing rigidly like a doll in front of her possessed the power to rip apart her calmness. She felt like she was Gretel, confronting the wicked witch that threatened to eat her brother up. “You better stop spouting fatuous crap and leave this place while I’m still being polite.”

“Though I’m flattered with your warning, you’re gonna regret it if you chase me away, Miss Bae. I’m Seulgi by the way. Kang Seulgi, the heiress of Kang Corporation, the owner of this building and most of the properties in this area.” Seulgi took off her shades, her face was expressionless and her eyes were indeed as cold as Juhyun had thought. Ice cold. Freezing frosty. “And to make it clear, I’m not crazy. I’m serious. Name your price and leave Mino.”

“No way!” She argued. “Why should I even do that?”

“Look Miss Bae. I’m trying to be civil here and this is not a friendly request.” Again that voice expressed the same coldness leading Juhyun to shiver vigorously. “This is more like an order. You can’t say no and you will never say no.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Seulgi chuckled sardonically at Juhyun's words as she walked aimlessly around the shop. Picking a red rose and plucking the petals one by one, she then turned around and threw the petals on the floor, crushing them as hard as she can with her five inches Gucci heels. “You can put it that way, Miss Bae. I’ll crush you the same way as I did with these pretty flower petals. I’m not kidding and I’m a woman of my words.”

“I’m not afraid of you!” Firmly she shouted, putting out a brave front. “Do whatever you want! I’ll never leave Mino.”

“If I’m not mistaken, your father is an employee at Amethyst International Hotel. Your mother works as a maid at the Lee’s household. Your sister, Yerim had gotten a full scholarship to attend Seoul National University.”

“What are you trying to imply?” Juhyun knew she could no longer conceal it. Undeniably she felt a sea of anxiety deep down, afraid of what this lady in front of her would dare to do.

Seulgi sensed Juhyun’s fear as her laughter ricocheted, resonating throughout the floral shop.

Juhyun on the other hand, was stunned but she didn’t know what to do. The lady in front of her was acting like a total psychopath, someone too dangerous for her to handle alone.

“Oh… I don’t know. Maybe I’ll get your parents fire from their jobs. And Yeri might need to kiss her scholarship goodbye and opt for employment. Come to think of it, I’ll chase your family out of Seoul. Your parents won’t be able to find jobs anyway. Nobody would have the guts to go against the Kang family. And the bright intelligent, Yerim can’t never find any university that will accept her. So, tell her to forget her dream of becoming a designer okay.”

“You!” Juhyun was pissed. Her blood was boiling and the lid that had been closing her anger in control was flipped off, letting her rage overflowed. “Don’t you dare touch my family! They have nothing to do with this!” She warned Seulgi but Seulgi didn’t show any sign of backing out from her threats.

Seulgi put on her shade once again, covering her cold eyes from Juhyun’s sight. “Whatever happens to your family, it’s on you, Miss Bae. I’m giving you a chance here. Take this blank check and write whatever amount your heart desires. Leave Mino alone and your family will be saved.” Placing the white paper in front of Juhyun, Seulgi resumed, “Your choice, Miss Bae. Mino or your precious family.” She drew a smile on her lips, much to Juhyun’s annoyance. “I’ll wait for the news of your break up. Good day then.”

Leaving Juhyun standing frozen solid at her place, Seulgi walked out from the florist.

Juhyun stared blankly at the piece of the paper as she clinched tightly at the end of her skirt. She understood clearly that whoever Kang Seulgi was, she wasn’t pulling her leg about the threats that she just dropped. Kang Seulgi was dead serious and Juhyun knew that she was trapped.

She was a helpless princess, a damsel in distress who was being cornered against the wall by the wicked witch.

Between Mino and her family, indeed she was stuck in the middle.

Whatever choices she would make, she would be the one ended up with a broken heart.

*

The long silence drive between them finally met its end. Opening the door and marching outside, Juhyun went straight towards the empty bench. The midnight wind gusted, filling the air with chillness. The neon lights that were seen beyond the horizon seemed dim and vague for her. Han river that had always held a special place inside her heart appeared solemn.

Just like her heart.

Mino puffed his cheeks before he came out from his car. Knowing pretty well that the situation between them was like a building waiting the time to collapse into ashes, he didn’t know how on earth he was going to get things on the right track once again.

It was all because of that witch.

That wicked witch, Kang Seulgi.

“Marry her.” The elder Song Myungsoo spoke strictly.

Mino felt his world shaken like an earthquake with the magnitude of 8.5 Richter just struck. He stayed silence, trying hard to comprehend his father’s words. “Marry who?” He asked stupidly knowing evidently that his father didn’t have any clue about his relationship with Juhyun. 

“The heiress of Kang Corporation, your childhood friend, Seulgi.”

“Bwoh?!!!” Shock began to engulf him, making him got up on his feet. “You’ve got to be kidding me, appa.”

“Nope.” Mr. Song denied. “I don’t joke around, son. I’m serious. As in dead serious.” He stressed out the word dead, hoping that his son would understand the importance of this marriage to their family.

“No way in hell, dad. You know how I only see her as a sister. I refused. I’m in love with someone else.”

“Song Minho! You don’t get to say no to this arrangement! I won’t let you! Leave your girlfriend immediately. Before something bad happen to her and her family, you better say yes.” He paused for a while before turning his gaze at the view outside of his office. “I know how much you love your girlfriend but you have to understand, Mino. What Seulgi wants, Seulgi gets. Your Uncle Kang loves Seulgi so much to the point that he would kill just to see her happy. I don’t have the power to go against him and neither do you.” His voice softened, filled with sadness. “Leave Juhyun and marry Seulgi. That’s the only way to keep Juhyun safe.”

“Appa…” Mino wanted to say something but Mr. Song continued.

“I’m sorry.” He apologized. He was well aware that his son was never in love with Seulgi and this marriage would break his heart but there was nothing that he could do. He was powerless compared to Seulgi’s father. He was weak to even protect his son’s happiness. And for that he blamed himself. “I hope you’ll make the right decision, Mino. For Juhyun’s sake.”

Why did this have to happen?

Mino huffed as he went to sit next to Juhyun. Her long silky black hair were dancing around, following the breeze, spreading the sweet smell that he had come to love dearly. Ah…. He’ll miss this smell like crazy someday.

Bae Juhyun...

For Mino, Juhyun was the epitome of beauty, but not like those girls in the magazines. Juhyun was beautiful for the way she thought, she was beautiful, for the sparks in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. Juhyun was beautiful for her ability to make other people smile even if she was sad. No, she wasn’t beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. Juhyun was beautiful deep down to her soul.

And, god, did he love her wholeheartedly!

“I’m sorry.” He started their conversation.

Juhyun glanced to her side before she forcefully curved a smile. “Sorry won’t change anything, Mino. Now, it’s just too late and we can’t go back.”

The sadness flowed through Juhyun’s veins and deadened her mind. It was a poison to her spirit, dulling her killing off her other emotions until it was the only one that remained. It was as if a black mist had settled upon her and refused to shift. For the world was lost to her and she knew of nothing that would bring it back into focus.

Juhyun realized that the sadness would be her albatross but letting Mino go was the only way to shield her family from the hand of the wicked witch. She wanted to cry but she told herself that she shouldn’t. Her tears would make their breakup more difficult than it already was.

She felt his hand was touching hers. She felt how tight he intertwined their fingers together. She felt the pain he had kept hidden inside his heart.

She felt all of them, but as of now, everything appeared to be pointless.

At that moment, Juhyun began to understand what love actually meant. Love gave you a sense of satisfactory, undeniable aurora, but it may backfire you, leaving you with undesirable scars.

And so….

The princess was heartbroken.

Likewise so did the prince.

And it was all courtesy of the wicked witch.

A/N: First chapter updated! What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments below. Thank you for reading ^^