Once upon a time in a little cabin deep in the woods there lived a husband and a wife who had five children. They all were boys and the couple loved them dearly but there was something missing in their lives. They wanted to have a daughter. Yet no matter how hard they prayed and how hard they tried they just couldn't have any more children. The couple gave up and decided that what God gave them were five sons and they must not be too greedy. So the family lived their life for some years until three of the boys left the cabin for some adventures as they were adults already. The other two were too lazy and too young to set their foot further from the known grounds.

One day suddenly the mother got sick and fell ill. She slept in bed for days, all sweating and eating just apples. Her husband didn't know what to do so he sent his sons out for help. He waited for days watching his wife grow thinner and thinner. When the sons came back they said they couldn't find any help along their way just some useless old granny. The man got angry at them for not proceeding further after meeting the old woman and ventured to seek for help himself.

After ten hours of walking he met an old granny, just like his sons said. The woman looked harmless and poor and the man decided to talk with her.
"Good day. My wife is sick and I'm looking for some help. Maybe you know where I could find a doctor?"
"Son, I'd love to help you, but I'm sick too. Maybe you can help me and in return I'll help your wife."

“Just tell me how can I help you and I’ll see what I can do.” The man asked humbly.
“I cannot have children and it saddens me… If only I could have a daughter I would be the happiest woman ever…”
“And how exactly you think I can help you?” The man became suspicious as he woman has the same problem as his wife but he was curious and also polite.
“Don’t ask me how I know it, but your wife cannot bear girls, right? And now she is sick and eating only apples. That means, she is pregnant with a girl.”

“What?.. How?... EEH?!!”
“But a special care is needed in order for her to come back to her normal self and bear the child safely. You have to promise me that after your daughter turns eighteen you will give her to me.”
“… Is that the only way, dear lady?” The man’s heart was slowly turning into broken shards as he couldn’t even imagine giving his child to someone else. 
“Apparently it is the only way. But don’t worry. When your daughter marries someone she can return to you. If you keep my promise I will keep mine.”

“…” The man sat on the ground and thought a lot about the issue. Then he stood up and looked straight into the old woman’s eyes. Something about her eyes was different but he couldn’t point it out.
“Okay, I’ll do as you say. But how can my wife turn better?”
“Easy. You have to kiss every piece of this apple that I will give you and feed it to her. I promise, it will get her back on her feet and she will bear a healthy girl.”
“Deal.” The man took an apple, gave a firm handshake to the old lady as a promise to keep his word and then went back home.



*five years later*

“Mommy mommy, look what I found!!!” A very excited little girl ran into the kitchen and shoved a huge caterpillar into her mother’s hands.
“Oh, Minami, what a nice friend you are to all animals. How are we gonna name this one?”
“Mhm…” The girl started to think.

“Well, we already have monkey Sayaka, squirrel Yuko, cat Haruna, rabbit Mayu and snail Kana.” The girl’s dad came in, dragging his feet as his right leg was hugged by Sayaka. The monkey noticed a bowl of bananas on a table and happily let go of the leg in order to get the so wanted fruits. Just as she was about to get one, a commotion in the other room made everyone stop in their tracks.

When they all peeked through the corner to see what’s happening in the living room, they were not surprised to see that their cat was chased by the squirrel. For some reason Yuko was infatuated by the lazy and indifferent to her surroundings cat. 
“NyanNyan, you can do it!! Run for your life!!” Little Minami shouted excitedly to the cat and then turned her attention back to the caterpillar who was already indulged in nibbling some leaves. “Mommy, I know how I will name this one. Mika-chan!!”

“Good job, darling, a nice name for her. I’m sure Mika-chan will become good friends with our Kana-chan.” Mother looked at the pile of leaves. On the other side of it a snail was also nibbling the leaves, not even knowing about the plans of these matchmakers. 
“Yay!! Mommy, let me help you to make cookies!!”
“Okay and daddy can catch Sayaka, as I think this bowl is totally empty and just a few minutes ago it was full of bananas…” Mother shook her head and the family continued their daily lives.



*on Minami’s 18th birthday*

After all the presents were opened and the cake was eaten father looked at Minami with sad eyes and serious face. Her mother was already crying and Minami was wondering what’s wrong with the two. Even her brothers were really silent. 
“Um, can you tell me what’s going on?” Minami asked silently.
She listened to her father’s story with teary eyes and by the end she was crying rivers. Yet she was a girl who always kept promises, took blame for others and was always caring and responsible. She wiped her tears and gave her best smile.
“I’ll make you proud, I promise. And some time later I’ll bring you the best son-in-law you could ever have.”

It was hard for her to leave her family but Minami didn’t want to make her father look bad in front of that woman. Minami went to the place where they met while she was still in mama’s belly and found there the old women already waiting.
“Good evening, ma’am.” She bowed politely to the woman who smiled at her and bowed also.
“Good evening. I’m glad your father kept his promise. I’m sorry for taking you away on your birthday. What’s your name?”
“Minami, Takahashi Minami.”
“Nice to meet you. You are a very good looking young lady. You can call me Maeda-san.” The old lady said and then took Minami’s hand. “Shall we go to my place?

After some time walking they came to a nice clearing which contained a huge garden full of unseen flowers and a beautiful big mansion. Minami had so many questions but decided to ask them the next day. The old woman showed her everything around and then led her to her bedroom. Then they wished each other goodnight and the lady left Minami alone.

There were so many things about this place that intrigued the short girl and she didn’t even spent here a day. The mansion had nothing an old person would need; it was full of modern furniture and decorations. Many of the rooms were locked, third and fourth floors were forbidden to go to. Also, the lady said she goes to sleep a 7pm and wakes up at 7am. It was nothing strange about it and yet Minami found it strange. Maybe because the old lady had very warm and gentle hands or maybe because her eyes were shinning so brightly one could never think an old person can have such eyes.

Then she heard a knock on the door and a maid came in. The maid said the dinner is ready and left the room immediately. Takamina was not happy as she couldn’t even see the girl’s face but what she could do really… She went down to the dining room and found everything set for her dinner. Also a box with a ribbon was on a table and a greeting card with ‘Happy Birthday, Minami’ on it.

When she opened the box she found inside a very nice big black ribbon with white polka dots on it. She immediately tied her hair with it as she loved ribbons dearly. Then with a huge smile on her face she had dinner and after it she went to a garden. The garden was magnificent, especially now when the moon shone so brightly. She noticed the maid tending a rose bush and decided to start a conversation with her.

“What a nice evening…” She said aloud with a sigh and looked at the maid. She hoped for her to turn around but instead the maid tossed everything from her hands and ran away. “What was that supposed to mean?...”
She picked things and started tending the bushes herself as she felt responsible for interrupting the poor girl’s job.



*some months later*

Days passed and Minami got more aware that something was not right. Her questions were answered obscurely and she never knew the answers to them. The maid kept running and avoiding her, just sometimes informing about dinner. Evening and night were the only times she saw the maid and it started to irritate her. She decided to take some action about the maid issue as she wanted to see her face for some reason really badly.

So when the evening came Minami as usual went to the garden and sat on her preferred spot, a bench which was in front of the red rose bush. She watched the maid every evening as the maid tended the bush, her back facing the midget. Yet this evening Minami was determined to see the girl’s face. Some secrets are okay to be hidden but this one was just too much for Takamina to bear any longer.

The maid didn’t notice when Takamina approached her so she was really shocked when the midget suddenly turned her around and held her tight with one arm as her other arm raised maid’s face. Two pairs of eyes met and the time stood still for some time as something happened in the air around the two.

“Your eyes…” Minami finally spoke. She felt the maid trying to get away so she tightened her hold on the girl and stared more intensely at her. “Are you the daughter of the old lady? Is she using you as a maid? What’s this all about?”
Yet she had another question in the back of her mind that kept nagging her but she just couldn’t ask the maid why her lips looked so kissable right now.

“I’m not her daughter… I…” The maid tried to look away but it was impossible even if Minami let her go. They both just couldn't break the intense gaze at each other as they felt being drawn closer by an unknown force. “I am her. My name is Maeda Atsuko and I am cursed. The curse can only be broken if a girl I chose falls in love with me within seven months.”

When Minami heard her she didn't even flinch. Others wouldn't believe it but for the midget every secret and all the inconsistencies stood to their rightful places and she sincerely believed it.
“Your eyes, I felt they were out of context with the old lady’s body… Sorry, it’s not an insult. It’s a complement. I can’t take away my eyes from yours…. I just can’t…”

Atsuko sighed and closed her eyes.
“Everyone says that but after the kiss they die… I came to like you, you know… So don’t you dare to kiss me…” A tear trickled down Maeda’s cheek but it soon was wiped away by soft lips. Atsuko’s eyes opened wide and she blushed very hard as Minami's face was so close to hers.

“I don’t care about others. Of course, it’s a sad issue and usually I cry over things like these easily but now I feel that you are weaker than me and that I want to protect you. I want to kiss you so badly… But also… I want not only to kiss you… I want to devour you, make you mine… I want to protect you and show you to my parents… This might be love from the first sight and this might be too sudden but we spent so many time together…”

“But I was an old lady…” Atsuko tried to protest yet her heart was beating so fast it could probably jump out of her rib cage any second.
“But your mind was that of a young person. The more I talked with you the more questions I had and the more I was infatuated by you. It’s not the appearance that matters the most, it’s the inside. Even if you were to stay the old lady forever… I would never leave you, ever.

“Minami…” Maeda didn't know what to say but even if she knew she wouldn't be able to as she felt soft lips kissing her passionately as soon as she closed her eyes. It was unlike any other kiss. It was magical, it sent butterflies to her stomach it made her legs wobbly and all she could do was hug the midget tightly and let her take control. Both of them didn't even noticed how they came to Minami’s bedroom and they didn't even knew that the morning already came and Maeda was still young and pretty.

As they woke up in the afternoon, all tangled between the sheets they looked at each other and for the first time Minami heard a giggle followed by a smile. A smile which made a wrinkle appear on that cute nose. Minami kissed Atsuko on the lips and then smiled also.
“Good morning, Atsuko.”

“Good morning…” The black haired girl rolled over until she was on top of Minami and then she grinned widely. “I think you have to marry me in the future if you want to go back to your parents.”
“With pleasure.” Takamina laughed lightly and pulled her new found love for a deep kiss. After the kiss they both stared at each other with loving gazes and then Minami’s face turned all serious.
“I think I can sincerely say that my eighteenth birthday was the best as that was when I first met you. And now I’m sure I’ll never let you go.”