"What if The Little Mermaid never died?"

"Do you really want to know?"

I shuddered when loan sharks kicked the bookshelf and it fell on the floor with a loud crash. My books, they are ruining my precious treasures, bastar.ds. They kicked my things sending a photo album in the air, it opened and photos scattered all over the floor.

Photos of him and me and our happy family that didn't exist anymore.

And there were times I thought we would always be together, forever. Do you know what is forever? Forever doesn’t exist.

When loan sharks trashed my place in front of my eyes and demanded for the money I didn't have...

If this is about Jiyong then...

"You are pretty. Using your body to pay off the debt would be the easiest way out of this."

"That Jiyong bastar.d didn't lie after all. She is y, just perfect."

So this is about Jiyong! He is so dead! I wanted to strangle him to death. So he is alive after all? Just hand him to me and I'll kick his stupid duck bu.tt!

I just want to live my life in peace, just a simple life. No regrets, no crying, no pain, no sadness, at least not too much of that. I just want to have a normal life, a happy life. I didn't ask for a fairy tale but that's what I got. A fairy tale. Damn, I really didn't want any of that.

When I was little I loved to read fairy tales, I knew so many by heart, almost all of them. Now I have forgotten, fairy tales are not real anyway. I once told Jiyong about Cinderella but he didn't like the story.

He asked me "What if Cinderella never lost her shoe?"

I wondered for a while and shrugged, saying I don't know. He sighed and shook his head.

"You know, why does it have to be the prince? Why couldn't she fall in love with the neighbor? Maybe there was a nice guy living next door, why not him?"

Then he said that in the story about three little pigs the wolf really ate the pigs. Reasoning that small pigs wouldn't be a match for an all mighty wolf, no matter if there was a house or not.

Can you believe this? He destroyed my dreams and I was only 10 back then.

I told him that he was a stupid idiot and that he will never find his princess. He said he didn't need one.

"Princesses are annoying anyway, always in trouble."

I asked if I was annoying and he smirked: "Are you a princess, Dara? Are you really?"

I hit his head with the book and told him he should call me nuna. But he never did. Annoying little... thing! And back then, I was a princess! I was! I might still be.

And why do I suddenly think about him? Because whenever something bad happens, I always think about him. Why? He is the damn source of all misfortune in my life. My stupid stepbrother. Even when he is gone misfortune haunts me.

"Yes, I am pretty" I said indifferently as I took out my cigarettes and put one in my mouth. A bad habit I learned along the way. The journey has been pretty stressful. Ah, I forgot, I lost the lighter.

"You don't seem to understand the situation here."

He was clearly their leader. A tall young guy with deep, smooth, silky voice. My eyes lingered on him for a bit, he was handsome. I wondered why he became a loan shark. He wasn't like all others that I have met, and trust me, I have met many.

"I understand perfectly" I sighed letting the cigarette dangle from my lips.

"Need fire?" one of the dogs asked. His hand was deep in his pocket, probably searching for the lighter.

"Not from you." Even though I wouldn't call myself conceited, I could sound like that.

"You bi.ch" the guy growled.

"Jiyong used you as collateral, either you pay now or-"

"Show me the documents" I cut in, knowing what he wanted to say.

My eyes landed on the handsome God again. He was still smiling, observing me, thinking about something. I wanted to hate him but for some reason I couldn't. Maybe he is too hot?

"Of course" he nodded with that playful light in his eyes. He made this whole situation seem like a prank, as if someone would soon jump out and shout "You are in the candid camera"

However, that never happened and I soon got the contract in my hands. It's true, that bastar.d Jiyong really used ME as the collateral.

When I was eight years old my parents divorced. A few years went by in utter chaos and confusion, and then appa brought home a woman and her son. He told me this was my new mother and I would get a little brother too.

Jiyong, he was just a little boy, weak and shy, very quiet. He got bullied a lot in his childhood and I used to protect him. I thought he would pay back when he grows up, that he'd treasure me as family.

Hell that never happened.

Even though he was younger he never once called me nuna, I was just Dara, always Dara and never respect.

Who knew he'd grow up to be this tall, stupid and conceited jerk? I rarely saw him and when I did he asked for money or a favor. And when I didn't see him, it was even worse because that meant something unfortunate would happen to me soon. From his point of view we were never family and will never be.

He was just a leech, I tell you. A LEECH.

Sometimes I miss that little, weak and cute Jiyong, that harmless little angel. But he will never be like that again. Some people should never grow up. I hate him. Why couldn't he be Peter Pan? Why?

Jiyong, I hate you.

"I don't have the money." I said as I looked up and met those mesmerizing eyes. Looking at the guy in front of me, I got this feeling we won't remain strangers for each other, not forever. Or rather I felt like we had always known each other.

"I know" he nodded, a smile spreading on his lips. His hand dived in the inside pocket of his jacket and he took out a business card. He stretched his hand towards me and I grabbed the card.

"Contact me later."

"But boss, we can't just leave like this."

"Yeah, what if she runs away?"

"You trashed the place, aren't you satisfied?"

I looked at the card and read his name, Eun Seung Hyun.

"But-"

"Shut up" Seung Hyun ordered, not sounding a bit irritated, just cold. "I am hiring at the moment."

I looked up and realized he was speaking to me.

"If you want, come buy and try to get a job." My jaw almost dropped. Almost.

"What's this about?" I asked probably sounding too suspicious. "Who are you?"

Seung Hyun chuckled, he glanced at his expensive wrist watch and then looked at me again "Why don't you find out yourself?"
It looked like he was about to leave and one part of me felt relieved but that other part just couldn't stay silent and let him go without asking THE question.

"Do you know where Jiyong is?"

Seung Hyun looked over his shoulder "I might."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He just shrugged. I stayed silent. What was going on again? Whenever it came to Jiyong, you could never be too sure. And what's with this guy? He is acting like he is all that, so cool and all mighty... TSH!

When the three guys were gone I slumped on the small leather sofa and stared in front of myself. My, one room and a kitchen apartment was a mess.

A photo album lied open in front of me with pictures scattered all over. I glared at Jiyong's high school picture and cursed him in my mind. Three years, it's been three years since I saw him last time. I am now 25 now and he is 24.

I wonder how's your life, Jiyong?

_____________________________________________________

Next evening I stood in front of Paradise Kiss, the club that was mentioned on Seung Hyun's business card.

For a moment I wondered whether it would be a better solution to just turn away and go home but what if Seung Hyun comes again? Maybe I should just face the problems now and try to get it all over and done with! A deep breathe, it will be all right.

I decided to find out what was going on. I was keen on finding Jiyong and put an end to our relationship. If he kept doing things like using me as a collateral for his shady loans, I didn't want to be his sister anymore.

Well, he never saw me as a sister, anyway. Besides, I was sick of his whining. Whenever something went wrong he'd crawl back and cry asking me to comfort him. He wasn't even a guy, he was too pathetic to be one.

I stepped in the heart of the club. There was so much space, the dance floor, still quiet and empty at this time of the evening, was huge. Now only colorful beams of light danced over it, so happily and innocently.

I looked up and saw another floor, a loft. There was a spacious balcony across the dance floor. Some people were leaning on the railing with drinks in their hands.

"Excuse me" I finally stopped a waitress. She smiled at me looking friendly and sincere.

"How may I help you?"

"I am looking for Eun Seung Hyun."

She could have frowned or given me a weird look but instead she just nodded pointing at the stairs.

"Go up and ask there, they will take you to his office."

"Thanks."

I bit my lower lip as I walked towards the stairs. I expected to meet a bulky guard at the bottom and he even let me trough without a question. That Seung Hyun must have prepared well, I felt like a VIP, as if everyone knew me from before.

"Euni Seung Hyun left for a minute."

Hearing that answer from a cute waiter guy, I frowned.

His eyes beamed as he smiled "But would you like to meet Park Jiyong instead?"

"What?" my eyes widened, I must have looked funny because the guy smirked.

"Who?" It must be a coincidence. It couldn't be Jiyong, not my feeble brother.

"Park Jiyong" the boy repeated patiently. The staff was really nice and patient around here.

I didn't want to meet this Jiyong, I wasn't prepared in case it was my so called brother. But for some reason, while my brain was still in shock my lips moved on their own.

"Fine, I'll meet him."

"This way please."

It was strange how my steps weren't shaky at all even though my heart was beating so fast I thought I'd faint. When we stopped in front of a certain door it suddenly opened and a beautiful girl walked past us, her shoulder bumping into me. She looked mad, her lipstick smeared.

"Geez" I mumbled rubbing my aching shoulder.

"You can go in."

"Are you sure?" I raised my brows.

The guy just nodded and left without another word.

I looked after him and then my gaze fell on the door. My palms were sweating, I bit my lower lip feeling the tension flip painfully in my stomach. I was a little scared to.

What if it was really Jiyong? What would he say? Would he be mad? Would I be able to control my anger? Or would I just forgive him because I really missed him.

Just when I was about to knock, the door opened again and I was face to face with Jiyong.

It was really him, really, my Jiyong.

This felt like a dream again. He had grown a little, it seemed like his shoulders had become wider too. His sense of style got better, though he was as simple as always. We stood there staring at each other in silence.

Jiyong's back hair fell on his face, covering parts of his eyes. He looked handsome, a little mysterious. His black collar shirt was half open revealing his smooth pale skin. On his wrist I saw an expensive watch and his shoes were definitely Italian, first rate leather.

For a second he looked like he was about to smile but his face turned sour when he finally realized it was me standing in front of him. Lazily his eyes scanned me, from head to toes and a mocking smile tugged his lips up.

"You stupid duck " I hissed slapping him hard across his face.

He didn't say a word and I watched his cheek turn pink and then red, my hand mark was clearly visible. I scoffed when I noticed a lipstick stains on the corner of his mouth and his neck.

What else would Jiyong be doing? He hadn't changed at all.

My hand reached in the pocket of