Dream Boy: Happily Ever After (a dark short story)

We were polar opposites. He was popular, I wasn’t. He was poor, I was rich. He was handsome and I wasn’t beautiful. He was thin, I was fat. He wore designer shades, I wore my thick-rimmed glasses. He was sporty, I wrote fictions. I asked him to prom one day as a joke. He went with me. We fell in love. I lost my fat, I grew beautiful, I lost my wealth, I lost my family for him, I lost my friends, I lost everything for him. I’d do it again because he was my dream boy. I was naïve, he was stupid.

I just didn’t see it then. Even if I went back in time, I’d still be blinded by my lust, obsession and love.

It all changed one morning, five years after we married. We were so in love. It was magical, mystical and everyone around us showed us love, love and more love. We were the happiest people alive till that morning, a cold, dark morning she came into our lives.

We had been walking down towards the river where he had proposed. He told me he had arranged something for our fifth anniversary. I was so happy. I remember clapping my hands in excitement, choosing the most beautiful, chic clothing. I wore my reddest lipstick to impress him. We had been holding hands when she came in front of us, holding a three year old’s hand.

My best friend.

“Minah…” I smiled awkwardly. I had broken contact with her long ago after finding out she slept with a married man. I was self-conscious, scared. Delusional. It couldn’t be him.

“I knew I’d find you two here.” Minah scowled angrily. Her three year old was fixated on me. Her eyes locked onto mine and I let my hand drop from his.

“Minah…” My husband whispered breathlessly. He stepped backwards as though he could escape. I felt my tears well up, fighting the feeling inside, refusing to believe what my gut was screaming at me.

“You filthy excuse for a man!” Minah suddenly let go of her child, lunging straight at my husband with a knife as I watched through tears, my heart racing, breathlessly. The girl ran to me and hugged me tightly. I tried to pry her and as I looked down into her eyes, I heard a scream, an ear-splitting scream of pain. I spun around to watch my husband stab my best friend again and again ruthlessly. I watched as the blood splattered onto his white shirt- the one he wore to our wedding.

I couldn’t scream. My voice was choking inside my dry throat. The child dug her face into my skirt shaking viciously. I felt my breath leave my chest as he stripped Minah. He dug the knife into her body and kicked in straight into the river. It ran red. I remember hearing her weakly cry out before she drowned and bled to death. The girl sobbed under my arm.

He turned to me, snarled and took the child by her hair. He slapped her whilst I watched, numbed by my ferocious, cheating murderer.

“HOW DARE YOU AND YOUR MOTHER COME TO ME!” He whacked her with his shoe after taking it off. The child screamed in agony. I couldn’t stand. I collapsed, my eyes still watching.

“Stop, Joonmyun.” I whispered delicately. I forced myself to my knees and ushered the child towards me. The child was wailing at the top of her lungs. I felt terrified. We were secluded from the public and were trapped by a psychopath.

“Eunji. She’s my child. I’ll do what I want to her.” Joonmyun roared at me, his eyes dark as though he were unhuman.

“What’s your name, sweetie?” I asked, massaging her head, brushing her black hair back, rubbing her eyes. She wailed in reply. “Sweetie, what’s your name? I’ll look after you.” I lied feebly knowing exactly what was going to happen next. My fingers twitched around her shoulder. I looked at Joonmyun who stared back with the eyes of a devil.

“S-Soojin…” She cried out pathetically.

“Well, sweetheart, do you want to go to daddy?” I asked, tilting my head to the side. Joonmyun sniggered as the girl shook her head erratically. I my lips. “How about mommy?” I asked as I reached my fingers to her neck, tightening my grip. The girl squirmed, failing to let out air. She never screamed again. Joonmyun’s eyes became human and he watched as I strangled his little girl to death.

“There we go, Myunni.” I looked at my husband who stared back in his bloodied shirt, his mouth hung open as though it had never been closed. He looked like a stunned rabbit caught by headlights. He looked pathetic, like a starving dog. “She’s dead. Carry on with my surprise!” I joked sadistically. He stepped back from me, afraid for once.

“E-eunji…” he dared to whisper my name. I smiled at him as I dragged Soojin and threw her into the red river after her mother.

“Honey, you know I’m pregnant?” I smiled at him. I removed my clothing and dropped them onto the floor, staring at him fully . He shook his head from side to side. “Well, say goodbye!” I grinned before jumping into the river. He can swim but that doesn’t matter. The strong current dug me under and I drowned far before he could save me and his second child.

You know, it happened so quickly and so suddenly. I made my decision without a shadow of a doubt. I couldn’t believe that the man I married was so cruel. He cheated on me with my best friend. He killed her. I guess I’m going to Hell anyway. I killed my friend’s daughter, what a pretty baby she was. He was going to kill her anyway so I guess it made no difference.

‘Happily ever after’ can turn so evil before your eyes and in before you know it, you’re dead.