CHAPTER 1

THIS AIN’T A FAIRY TALE

12 years ago…

That little girl was enchanted to the white wedding dress inside the wedding boutique. She stopped and starred at the gown, smiling.

Then she heard a voice whispering beside her ear – “Do you like this wedding dress that much, Ssul, my dear?”

“Yeah, Grandma, it’s so beautiful… When I grow up, I want this to be mine, in my wedding…” – The little girl giddily answered the old woman who is holding het small hand, without stopping starring at the dress.

“My dear, my little Sulli, I promise, on your Wedding Day, you will be the most beautiful Bride, and your Prince will be standing there at the end of the aisle, with his big silly happiest smile, waiting to hold your hand... Just like your Grandfather when he waited for me 40 years ago..."

“Really, Grandma? Is it true?”

“Yes, my sweetheart, I promise.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7 years ago…

March 29^th.

She was wearing a pink pastel dress, and this was the first time she had the experience of wearing high heels. She giggled looking at herself in the mirror, with her wavy long brown hair and a simple bow on.

She gasped seeing the old woman standing behind her, smiling.

The old lady’s eyes sparkled mischievously behind the glasses.

“Our Ssul baby is smiling at herself, is she praising herself?”

“I’m not, Grandma… And by the way, when did you come?” – The girl blushed

“Long enough to see my sweetheart whisper to herself. And by the way, will Min Ho love this, I wonder?” – The old woman slowly her granddaughter’s hair, she tenderly pinched the pinky cheeks now immediately turned red, and received a small squeal…

“Grandma, why do you bring oppa into this topic now?”

“Think about it, why should I, dear?

“Grandma, don’t play that game again, love it or not, this is not about oppa’s opinion…”

“So, Min Ho, tell me, how does she look like? What do you say?” – The old lady turned her head towards the door, asking.

Her granddaughter immediately blushed and lifted her head to look at the same direction. But, no one was there.

Frowned.

“You tease me, again, Grandma…” – The girl pouted, tugging her grandmother’s sleeve.

The old woman didn’t say anything, she just smiled and looked into her eyes.

Sighed.

“How long have you known about this, Grandma?” – The girl gave up

“Long enough to see you two grow up together and how you get fond of him, dear…”

“I’m just a little girl…”

“You have been grown up into a beautiful young lady, sweetheart… I bet the others will tell you the same once they see you.”

“Does oppa think the same?” – The girl hesitated, blinking her brown eyes.

“Go down stairs, it’s time to start the party, he’s with his parents… By the way, dear… Happy birthday!”

…

“Hi Ssul, happy birthday, you look so cute… Arrrr, nope, giant baby looks pretty today…” – He waved at her with a big smile

“Ew, oppa, don’t make fun of me…” – She slapped his arm, trying to hide her blusing face, remembered what her grandmother said previously…

“Did I make fun of you chubby princess? Nope… Really, you look cute today…” – The tall handsome boy pinched her face, making a “meryong ~~~” to her

“Aish, oppa, it hurts… “ – She shrugged his hands off, but there was still  a soft smile on the pinky blushing face.

And truly, it hurt.

It hurt.

When she saw him reach out his arm to hug a pretty girl that she hadn’t seen before, and… Yeah, there was a sword stabbed directly into her little heart. He smiled and kissed the girl’s cheek.

“Hi, baby… Let me introduce my little sister to you…”

“Ssul, this is Seo Hyun, my girlfriend… Hyunie, this cutie is my little sister, I told you before, rite? We’ve grown up together and this messy cutie is like my own little sister…” – He said happily, tapping on her head.

Girlfriend?

Little sister?

“Oh, nice to meet you Sulli. This is my first time I meet you, but you have no idea, I know so much about you, he always talk about you with me, he told me everything between you guys. And beyond the photos he let me see, beyond what he said, you look so much more prettier… Nice to meet you. Who don’t want to have you like a little sister? Me myself now just want to hug you. You can call me unnie, because I’m the same age with Min Ho, ah, it means that you’re 3 years younger than me, right?”

Girlfriend?

Little sister?

“Ne, Seo Hyun unnie, nice to meet you…”

Seo Hyun smiled warmly at the younger girl, she thought now she had Min Ho and a very cute little sister, she was so happy.

“Ah, sorry, I forgot… Happy birthday, Sulli, this is a  small gift from unnie, hope you like it.”

…

 She didn’t remember how she struggled through that 15^th birthday party of her.

She just knew she ended up on her bed, still wearing that pastel pinky dress and crying so hard. Sobbing her heart out.

“Grandma, this ain’t a fairy tale…”

December 24^th.

“Hey Ssul, Merry Christmas, unnie miss you so much, how is your exam? – Seo Hyun smiled brightly, hopping out Min Ho’s car to hug her.

“Aish unnie, I miss you too… Merry Christmas…”

“So, how about the guy, I mean Tae Min? My cousin is a good looking boy, whatayasay? He told me he thought you were cute, and hehe… ” – Seo Hyun’s arm covered her shoulders, she winked at her mischievously, pointing at the handsome guy in the crowded Christmas party who was smiling back at her.

She got stunned, form he corner of her eyes, she could saw her oppa smiled. And something stung her.

She got scared.

He was there.

“No, unnie… I have the one I love…”

And that scared little girl ran out the room, leaving the 2 Choi families stunned, having no idea what happened.

And there was a darkened Min Ho, together with a sigh from the old lady sitting at the corner of the room.

…

“Grandma, this ain’t a fairy tale…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 years ago…

December 9^th.

She was waiting outside. It was raining so hard.

It was 11:30 pm, and he hadn’t come back yet.

She thought fast, grabbed her umbrella and ran down the street.

The busses stopped by and went. Those lasted people at the bus stop soon left.

She was left alone.

Rain was still pouring.

It was cold.

But he hadn’t shown up.

Today was his birthday. But he hadn’t shown up.

He hadn’t shown up for 3 months. Since the wedding, he hadn’t come back. Seo Hyun was a very gorgeous bride. And that was all she knew about.

She couldn’t let herself come to the wedding.

Was there anything more painful to come to that wedding?

Seeing her beloved Seo Hyun unnie in the wedding, wore a white dress, walking down the aisle, hand in hand with the groom? No, she couldn’t make it.

And, moreover, how could see face her oppa?

Yeah, how could her stand seeing him standing at a faraway corner, looking Seo Hyun kissed by the groom that was not him.

Yeah, the groom’s name was not Choi Min Ho. It was Jung Yong Hwa.

Seo Hyun and Min Ho were forced to break up, because her parents wanted her to get married to her fiancé that was engaged to her since they were born.

Min Ho, her Min ho oppa was left behind after Seo Hyun left with her husband fpr US. It was an arranged marriage, and both of them did try struggle. No help.

And since that day, Min Ho hadn’t come back.

His parents tried, Sulli’s  parents tried, they tried to help him. He said he needed time to recover. He was not ready to go back.

“Ssul, is it you… what are you doing here?”

A deep warm voice came into her wandering mind.

She lifted her head, seeing her oppa, totally wet. Tears started to flow down her cheeks.

“Oppa…”

“I asked what are you doing here?”

“Oppa, happy birthday…” – She couldn’t help it, she couldn’t stand seeing him like this. Sorrow was full in his eyes.

“Why do you have to wait here? For a guy like me?”

“Oppa… please, don’t…” – She cried, harder… Her heart nearly stopped for the pain.

"Don't tell me I'm the one, Ssul..."

"Oppa..."

"Sorry Ssul, but when she's gone, I don't think I can love anymore…"

…

“Grandma, this ain’t a fairy tale…

And I would give it a try. Try to forget him. Try to let him go.”

It was 5 years ago, when she was 17.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 month ago…

At the hospital.

“Can you two please just get married, before this cancer takes me and brings me to your Granfather's place? The only thing I want before I left this world is seeing the two of you get married. Son, can you please accept my wish? Min Ho’s father, can you please accept this old woman’s last wish?Min Ho, will you please let me see the two of you walk down the aisle together?”

"Mother, I oppose this, Sulli deserves a marriage with love. Not like this. Of all people in the family, I thought you were the one who fully knew about this?" -  Her son raised his voice after a long silence, his voice was shaking. The doctor told him not to make his mother unpleased during her last time, but he couldn’t make his only daughter into misery, into a marriage like this.

…

"Grandma, you know this right? He doesn't love me, he told me years ago..." -  She cried softly, her grandmother’s hand

"Do you still you him, dear?"

"Grandma, it's not a fairy tale, and I'm not a Princess, as in those tales you read every night, I'm not that little girl any more..."

"He said he would try, dear..."

... She whispered still closing her eyes, trying to hold back the tears. It hurt, really hurt... Both her heart and her pride..."He won't, Grandma... Until the day you're gone... It will never be me...

God, why not me? Instead of her, why don't you just take me?"

…

Min Ho was standing outside the door.

“What should I do?”

... I'm not a Princess,

this ain't a fairy tale...

I'm not the one he sweep off her feet...

Lift her up the stairs...

…

A prince, would he come with his white horse?

End of Chapter 1.

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My dear Minsullians, readers and subbies. Here comes my Chapter 1.

Let me know your thought by your comments, and please upvote, if you find my fiction interesting. Thank you, your comments are my inspirations. I love reading them, and if you guys get anything wanted me to clear, just tell me, I’ll explain it.

Have a good day.

From Ceroro with love <3