Genre: Action, Fantasy, Fluff, Romance, Sci-Fic

Summary: Ahn Yujin, a typical “tired-of-her-life and bored-out-of-her-wits” high school student, suddenly finds herself in a different body, but that’s just not the catch; she is back in the PAST. Will this occurrence lead Yujn to her most awaited adventure in searching for happiness or a disaster that would bring her sorrow?

Word Count: 11969

Hashtag: #JinjooFiestaS2_FindMeInASwitch

Find Me in a Switch

The Earth at its present time has advanced more than what the past few decades have achieved. Magic and Technology are starting to coexist together. The Wizard Community agreed to work with the Science and Technology Ministry, on the conditions that the government will fund every project and the Magicians will stop suppressing their powers—a thing they do to disguise as normal people—anymore. This alliance reached greater heights and opened more possibilities of what the world could be in the future. Everything was within reach—with just almost like a snap of a finger, you could do anything that you want. But somehow along the way, it felt like humanity lost something important.

Happiness.

Or is it just me who lost it?

“Yah, Ahn Yujin, you’re staring off into space again.” I heard Uncle Dong Wok call me out for the nth time with that teasing yet serious tone. I turned away from the window and faced Uncle, who was busy typing into his computer while observing a graduated cylinder that contained some sort of blue chemical. It’s funny how every time I looked at him, he always reminds me of Santa Claus. But instead of wearing Santa’s signature red robes, Uncle wore his white laboratory gown that looked like it hasn’t gone through under an iron for ages. 

“Can you pass me that test tube rack beside you?”

I took the rack on the table and handed it to him. “So, what’s that you’re experimenting about?” OH. MY. GOD. My eyes widened at the sudden realization that I just asked Uncle a question that’s on the number #1 list of things you should never ask Uncle—unless you want to hear him talk nonstop about scientific terms and equations. But it was too late. His ears perked up as soon as he heard me finish my question—a really stupid one—and his eyes also glistened like there are stars inside them. 

“You see, I saw this research about time earlier and I thought ‘why not mess with time today?’,” Uncle exclaimed with much enthusiasm, that he even whipped his finger up in the air—like he was some kind of a genius. He continued blabbering about an equation that has some Xs and Ys, but every word that came from his mouth, entered my ears and left them without even having my mind process them thoroughly. My brain had gone haywire and I felt like zoning out again. If I don’t do something, this blabbering will turn into an hour-long lecture. So I lifted my fist in front of my mouth and started faking a cough.

“Uncle, I think I’m getting sick. I should get some rest in my room,” I muttered, making my voice hoarse as much as I can. I rested my head on my palm and began rubbing my temple, acting as if I’m experiencing a terrible headache.  I bit my lower lip, creased my eyebrows together, and started to breathe heavily. 

Uncle Dong Wok took a glance at me and stopped speaking as soon as he noticed that I have been acting strangely. He went towards me and placed his hands on my shoulders. I felt my body tense up with his touch. I’m scared that my little scheme would get busted. 

After what seemed like forever, Uncle let go of me and breathed out a heavy sigh. 

“Go upstairs and get some rest. You still have school and part-time work tomorrow, right?” he asked, worry visible on his voice. 

“Thanks, Uncle!” I replied in such a high-pitched tone, it almost sounded like I squealed. I faked a cough again to cover up my little mistake. I immediately engulfed him in a hug, not letting him get more suspicious with my act. He let go of me once again and placed his hand on my head to pat it. “Since you’re sick, why not take a leave at your job just for tomorrow?” he asked, flashing a teasing smile—almost like a smirk. 

Oops, busted. 

“Nooo! You’re just gonna make me help here at your lab!” I groaned.

I ran away from him and went towards the door. I hastily took off my lab gown and hung it on the coat rack that was standing near the door away. Once I got out of the room, Uncle muttered something under his breath—not that I care much about it. But what mattered is that I’ve managed to escape from Uncle’s Nonstop Science Class. A big grin started to show up in my face.

As I entered my room, thousands of built-in stars on the ceiling welcomed me. Mesmerizing. I stood in awe while I try to observe the constellations above me. I have grown attached to stars ever since the day that I lost my parents from a horrible car crash. Since that night, the stars have always been there for me. They became my hope that there’s something that I could always look forward to at the end of the day. Uncle was also kind enough to take me in, and he even installed these replicas of stars on my 7th birthday. 

I the lights, and soon the built-in stars disappeared one by one. I sat on my study desk and reached for my diary. My fingers brushed on the leather-bound cover, feeling the softness of it. I opened my diary to the first page, and Oh, God, it was chaotic. The writing of the 5th Grade me was such a mess, and there were sketches of unidentified cartoon characters all over the page. The first few pages were full of enthusiasm, but the last ones seemed like it lost its life. I reached the end of the written pages and flipped to the blank page next to it. I took my pen and scribbled today’s date on the top-left of it.  I wrote the same words from yesterday: 

Nothing really exciting happ—

ZWOOMP!

The sound of the tree branches rustling pierced my ears. The cold wind that was blowing seeped through my clothes. I felt my arms wrap around my body even though I didn’t intend to do it. My eyes fluttered open, and a young woman, dressed in a black winter coat, stood in front of me. The setting sun shone upon her. Her eyes that were staring intensely at me sparkled with sorrow. 

As much as I cared about knowing who the person in front of me is and why she was acting like that, I still haven’t figured out where I actually am. I was panicking. I tried to jerk my head around to see where this place is, but to no avail, my head won’t even budge. My body only moves on its own accord, and I can’t control how I want it to. So I focused on what I can see behind this girl. It looked like it just snowed a while ago with the number of trees that were covered in white. 

“Minjoo-yah…”

Minjoo-yah? This person just called me by a name that I have never heard of.

My lips curled up into a smile and yet my heart felt like it was in severe pain.  “What is it Chaewon?”

I gasped internally. Those words just came straight out of my mouth without me even thinking about it. The voice was different from mine. It was sweet and soft, like an angel gently caressing me. 

“Let’s end this. I don’t love you anymore,” the girl, now identified as Chaewon, said it without even pausing. Her voice was cold and rough. Her eyes that were full of agony earlier became emotionless. It made me want to punch her. 

I bit my lips. Tears were forming at the corner of my eyes. My body was shaking, and my fingers kept fidgeting with each other at the back of my body. Grief was taking all over, yet I kept smiling. 

Smiling like an idiot. What is wrong with this person that I’m in? 

I nodded and managed to let out such a quiet “Sure” that I’m not sure if Chaewon really heard it. 

Chaewon left me, leaving no traces behind, except for her footsteps on the snow. The tears that were building up started to flow like a river, but my hands didn’t bother to wipe it off. I took my phone instead, and I caught a glimpse of the person I am. 

Ethereal was an understatement.

“February 04, 2019. Just a day before my birthday, Chaewon broke up with me,” I whispered. 

And it all made sense to me now. 

ZWOOMP!

I was back at my study table, holding a pen on my right and looking at my diary in front of me. I scratched what I wrote a while ago and jotted down the shocking encounter that I had.

Nothing really exciting happ I just experienced someone else’s past for real. Maybe we were switching bodies. But one thing is for sure. You can replay your past, yet you can never change it. 

The night has gone deeper, but the city was far from sleeping—just like me. I’ve been lying on my bed for a while, and yet my thoughts were keeping me awake. I was still dumbfounded and confused. Yet there was a burning excitement in my heart: a hope that the boring phase of my life would be put to an end. 

The school bell rang, signalling everyone that it’s lunchtime already. I was on my seat with my head slumped on my desk and arms flailing on my side. I didn’t get any sleep last night, and now my body felt so heavy that I couldn’t move even an inch anymore. I have no intention of getting up and eating lunch, so I try to take a nap instead.

“Yujin-ah~ let’s eat!” Hyewon called out to me.

I groaned in reply. I didn’t bother to look up at her. But then her footsteps approached me faster than The Flash. Without even a second, Hyewon was now in front of me. She looked at me first and in an instant, she was rocking my body really hard in an attempt to wake me up. 

“Don’t tell me you’ve spent last night watching dramas again!” she hissed. 

I was about to oppose, but I realized that in no way I could explain what just happened to me last night—so I kept mum.  She took my hand and pulled me out of my seat. Hyewon dragged me into the hallway and led me to the cafeteria. She started talking about the menu that she’s been wanting to try since then. I walked silently beside her and nodded in response to her remarks. And then—

ZWOOMP!

I was sitting on my desk at the classroom again, fetching for my lunchbox—lunchbox?—inside my bag. 

My body moves on its own again, and I began to realize that I’m probably inside this girl’s—Minjoo, was it?—body for the 2nd time. It felt like I’m in a movie where I switch bodies with someone, but the difference is that I had no control. So I let everything unfold in front of me and just experience whatever I have to face right now. 

I whipped my head to the front and noticed that everything in this room was different from mine. It just screamed art, elegance, and class.  I focused on the date written on the whiteboard.

September 14, 2020. It was the date today. I was appalled. I thought I was just going to experience this person’s past, yet here’s her present playing right in front of me.

Without even noticing it, I got up from my seat and went to walk towards a red-haired classmate—probably this person’s friend. 

“Yuri-yah!” I exclaimed.

But then, a hand stopped me from walking any further. I turned around, and it was Chaewon, holding my wrist. Anger plastered on her face. Her brows were furrowing together with eyes piercing into mine. Her grip on me tightened, and I could already feel my wrist get sore.

I thought these two broke up already—like a year ago. Now, this Chaewon is acting all mad at this person. My blood started to boil with irritation. Yet, this body that I’ve exchanged with gave off emotions of sadness and disappointment. My heart was heavy. It was drowning in a deep wave of sorrow. Just how lonely could this human be?

I put up a small smile as I threw her an innocent questioning look. An obvious façade. 

“Minjoo. At the rooftop. Now.”

If only I had control over this damn body, then I would’ve slapped Chaewon’s face so hard that it will leave a mark on her for the rest of her life. Yet, I was just blatantly following her orders; there was not even a mark of regret tainted on me. 

We reached the rooftop in no time. The autumn air hit right at me and I let out a small sigh. I looked above, and the heavens were painted in light blue. The clouds were scattered all over the sky. This could have been a perfect scenery if only this annoying Chaewon wasn’t with me here. 

Chaewon let out a cough, and I faced her. She fished inside her pocket. Then she showed me a Totoro keychain. My eyes widened, and my right eyebrow rose at the sight that I behold.

“Were this from you?” Chaewon asked, her voice stern. 

“Yes, but look—”

“I told you to stop bothering me anymore,” Chaewon cut off my sentence.

“Chaewonnie, what are you getting mad for?” I asked naively and pouted my lips. “I just returned what was originally yours.” 

My lips broke into a smile. “Keep it.” I turned my back to her and walked to the exit.

“Stop acting happy all the time. I know you’re not.”

I paused for a moment. My mouth slightly opened. It seemed like I was about to say something, but I closed it and left Chaewon instead. When I was striding down the staircase, I reached for my phone and went looking at an app that I couldn’t recognize. The app only showed me a green-lit loading bar with 20% under it. I put my phone back in my pocket and muttered: “I will surely be happy again. Even happier than I was with you.”

ZWOOMP!

I was standing at our school’s hallway again, but Hyewon wasn’t beside me anymore. I looked outside the window, and the sky was still soaked in blue. I let out a deep breath and shook my head in disbelief. 

“Yujin-ah!” I jolted my head to the direction of the voice. Hyewon unnie was dashing towards me at a great speed. Her face was all in red; it’s as if she was a living tomato. She’s been puffing out air here and there. 

“You see, I was talking to you, and I just removed my eyes on you for just a second, but then the moment I looked back, you weren’t beside me anymore! When I turned around, there you are staring outside the window—acting like you were filming a movie or something!” Hyewon shouted in utter frustration. 

I let out an awkward smile while scratching the back of my head. “I’m sorry. I guess I was spacing out again. Let’s go to the canteen for real now.” 

This exchange of bodies or whatever you called it has been going on for 2 weeks now. I have been experiencing it at most random times. There was even a time that it happened when I was taking a sh*t! Well, It’s not that I regret or hate it, because I absolutely enjoy it! I kept finding such trivial things about this girl, Minjoo. Just yesterday that I found out that Minjoo is an art student who likes gummy worms to death. I think she even had a painting of gummy worms on her wall! Although, there was one thing I couldn’t get to know more about, the app with the green-lit loading bar that she’s been checking every time. 

I arrived at the restaurant where I served as a part-time waitress. When I finished changing my clothes in the staff room, I immediately went to my spot near the door where I welcome the costumers. Then there she was in front of the entrance with her friends and a huge smile on her face.

The mirrors that I used to look at her didn’t do her justice. She was much more than the word beautiful.

 She was the sun that may blind you with its light but would bathe you in warmth with its rays. But she was also the star at night rather small yet it shines and in those sparkles, I find peace and excitement at the same time. In those moments I saw the will to look forward to every day. 

“Hi! A table for 4 please!” Her sweet like honey voice woke me up from my trance. 

I flashed them a smile and led them to a vacant table. I took their orders and served them while my eyes were glued to her and only her. For the whole time that I was working, she has never left my sight.  I could see her even in my peripheral view. 

But then the time has come for her to leave as she and her friends finished their meal already. She was there walking out of the vicinity. I had to do something. I had to talk to her and confirm things. After assisting my costumers, I left my spot and chased for her outside. 

“Minjoo-ssi!” I yelled as much as I can. My throat was becoming dry as I try to call for her name again and again.

I caught up to her. And when she finally heard me, she faced me with a puzzled expression. Yet she didn’t fail to show a smile. And with just a smile, everything around her lit up and shone like gold. 

“Ah! You’re the waitress earlier! Did I forget something at the restaurant? How do you even know my name?” 

Wait, she doesn’t recognize me? If we were really exchanging bodies, how come she still doesn’t know me? Was it a dream all this time?

“Minjoo-ssi,” I repeated desperate evident on my voice. “Do you really not know me? Even my name? I thought we were exchanging bodies all this time?” 

“EEHHH?! What are you talking about?!” Surprise registered on her face. Her eyes stretched widely. agape struggled to form a word. She stumbled backwards away from me. 

“You’re Kim Minjoo! An art student who loves gummy worms to death! I’m Ahn Yujin! Aren’t you familiar with that name?” I continued with frustration. My palm was tapping on my chest. There was a heating sensation inside me. Exasperation and hope—that she would recognize me—combined in my heart. 

“You’re weird!” she yelped. Her cheeks were burning in red. And then there she goes, running away from me. 

“Minjoo-yah! Wait for us!” One of her friends shouted. Judging from her red hair and Busan accent, this friend is probably Yuri. She was the person who I tried to call for lunch when I was in Minjoo’s body. 

“Tsk.” Yuri shot me a death glare before she turned away and ran to catch up with Minjoo. 

“Reports from citizens were that an unexplainable phenomenon with time travel; has been going around the city and experts speculate that there might have been a glitch—” I snapped my fingers to turn off the television. 

“Ugh, Uncle left the T.V. on again,” I muttered under my breath. I was getting ready for school, but my thoughts were occupied by Kim Minjoo. It has been a week or so since my oh-so-failed fateful encounter with her, and I never got a hold of her since then. I also stopped “exchanging bodies”—if that’s still how you call it when I really didn’t change bodies—with her. Now, I wonder if everything for the past month was just a hallucination. 

Bad day. And it’s even TGIF.

“Waiter! Why is there a dried leaf on my food!?” a costumer loudly complained that everyone’s eyes were set on them.  The waiter whom she’s been showering with insults was already trembling in fear. “How dumb could you be?!”

It irked me. I couldn’t stand to just watch my co-worker getting bullied when he did nothing wrong. So I stood beside the waiter and faced the customer. I fought the urge to slap her at that time and gave her the most menacing look I could show. 

Funny, I could see the woman’s scared expression for a moment, but it didn’t last long. She threw a fit right in front of me. “Are you still not gonna change my dish?! Where is the manager?!” she shouted, slamming her fist on the table.

“The dried leaf was a spice and an ingredient. How dumb cou—” I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I turned around, and it was our manager who greeted me with such a stern look. 

“Go back to your spot. Let me handle this,” he whispered and beckoned for us to go away. 

“But, manager-nim…”

He shushed and shook his head in reply. Our manager then faced the woman and bowed his head to apologize. 

“How could you do that?! You knew she was wrong!” I raised my voice at our manager—good thing it was just the two of us inside the staff’s room right now. I was packing my things and getting ready to go home, while manager-nim was taking a break. He sipped his coffee and responded, “Yujin-ah, I think you forgot that customers are always right.”

I creased my eyebrows in his answer.

“How could one be right if they’re that stupid?” I said and left the room—shutting the door with a bang in the process. 

I didn’t feel like going home yet and get bombarded with Uncle Dong Wok’s Science theory, so I sat on a pavement near the restaurant. Well, not exactly the pavement since I was using my floatboard—basically, a skateboard with no wheels since I use a magic fuel to make it work— as a chair. I stared at the night sky and started admiring it. It wasn’t cloudy at all, and the stars were shimmering brightly. 

“Such a bad day for you isn’t it? Ahn Yujin-ssi,” a familiar voice stopped me from stargazing. It was the voice of the person that I’ve been longing for the past week.

Suddenly, Kim Minjoo was right in front of me. Her lips curled up into a big smile that its ends almost reached her ears. Her Indian dimples were appearing. Cute. The stars that night shone only for her, as if she had a spotlight on her own. It was an autumn night, and yet it felt like a spring day around her. The rush and anticipation of something new surrounded her. 

My cheeks heat up for a second. I faked a cough, hoping that she won’t catch that and played a tsundere act at her. 

“Are you kidding me? Just last week you called me weird, and now you’re acting giddy with me,” I asked in an irritated tone. I narrowed my eyes and raised an eyebrow at her.

“Ah~ About that, I’m really sorry for calling you weird,” she apologized sheepishly. She scratched the back of her head and looked down for a while. “But, you were really weird at that time! I had no idea what you were talking about at all!”

I face-palmed myself and shook my head. “Care to explain why you’re here first?”

A smile suddenly crawled up to Minjoo’s face. And in a beat, she was already grabbing my hand. “Before that, let’s get some ice cream first!”

“Wait! Wait! My floatboard!” I stumbled upon nothing while I try to fetch for my floatboard. When I finally got a hold of my board, I just let my body get dragged where Minjoo tried to take me.

“Who eats gummy-flavoured ice cream?” I mocked her in disgust.

“At least my taste isn’t boring unlike yours,” she replied with a smirked while eyeing my vanilla ice cream.

“Hey! Vanilla tastes best!” I scowled at her. “Tsk. Let’s take a sit. I’m tired from walking.” When I was about to pull out a chair from one of the tables outside the shop, Minjoo’s hand stopped me. 

“No, no! We still have a place to go to!”

I groaned, displeased at the thought that I have to use my feet again. 

“Don’t worry you’ll like it this time!” 

“Wow” was the only word that has left my mouth ever since we’ve arrived at this place. It was a little bit away from the city because we devoured every last bit of our ice cream already. Yet, it was a blessing, a paradise indeed. The sound of the crickets filled the air. Every step you land your foot on was grass. The glamouring aroma of flowers scattered around seeped its way to my senses. But what’s best was we can clearly see the stars above—no skyscrapers covering them. Who would have thought that such heaven like this exists not far from the city?

Minjoo and I sat on the ground, not even bothering about the dirt that might stick on us. I set aside my floatboard. I gazed upon the stars for a moment before I looked at the woman beside me. 

"Hey, how did you know that I'll be there?" I asked, not forgetting about the actual reason why we're here. 

"I saw what was happening to you. No, scratch that, I experienced it like I was using your body!" she exclaimed, and her eyes went large. She stretched out her arms, drawing mishaps circles—trying to act out what happened.

"See! I told you we were exchanging bodies!" I replied, mirroring her movements. 

"But I don't think we were literally exchanging bodies or souls, whatever you call it," she rebutted. Minjoo scratched her chin like she was deep in her thoughts. "I mean, did it also happen to you earlier?"

"Hmm, no. It didn't even happen to me for the past week," I mumbled. Confusion was starting to juggle up my mind.

"Maybe we were just meant to experience each other’s past and present. That's why we can't really control our body at that time," she said as a matter-of-factly.

"Wait, are you telling me that that wasn't the first time it happened to you?" I asked, giving her a questioning look. 

"Yeah?" she nodded like she wasn't really sure why I asked her such an obvious question.

"Then why did you meet me just now?"

"Of course, I had to make sure if those were true or just my dream!" she replied. "And earlier was the opportunity if it was actually true."

"Nonsense," I whispered. I lay down on the grass and closed my eyes for a while. I was trying to think of a different topic because our conversation just now was going down straight to a ditch. "You and Chaewon, what's up with you two?"

My eyes shot open at the words that slipped from my mouth. This question would either break or make it. Stupid mouth. 

"Chaewon? She's my ex. It's been so long that I'm pretty sure I have moved on from her already,” she replied, not even flustered for a bit. "Why? Are you trying to shoot your shot on me?"

"What?!" I answered, but my voice cracked at the end.

She raised her eyebrows at me, and her lips lifted up into a dearly smile. I couldn’t figure out if she was mocking me or that's just plainly her reaction.

"Your artworks, they're wonderful," I said, trying to drift the topic into a different one. "Especially the gummy worm painting at your wall," I added.

Minjoo collapsed into laughter. She threw her head back and placed her hand above her tummy as her guffaws fill the empty place. It was a while before she could mutter a word, and she even had to catch her breath for quite some time. 

 "Thanks! I can't believe you still remember that!" she said in between her laughs. She even started to hit my shoulder lightly.

Weird, but I like it. 

Without even realizing it, my lips formed into a small smile. "How could I forget something so biz