A chain of strange things happened the next few days, and it wasn't what I expected. First of all, I finally learned to remember all the names of the remaining ten. Hyosung, and there was Hayoung, So Hee, Yerin, Aeri and Tessa. They were all really nice, despite the tight competition going on with each other. 

We were sitting at breakfast one morning, the cook served us morning eggs and coffee. And we all were not as busy as we used to be before the hundred decreased to ten. Usually it was either talkshows or live broadcasts of our day to day lives in the castle, which added more to my boredome. We once had an interview with Shindong, confessing our changes ever since we became ' practical royalty ' and ' the people ever girl dreamed of being '. 

Jiyeon answered flawlessly, the other girls did really well too. Then it wasn't too long when everyone else started to interact with me more often. I was lounging in the drawing room one day and Seulgi and Wendy were no where to be seen. Suddenly Aeri and So Hee sat next to me, smiling. " Hi. " they said.

I smiled and answered back. " We're not cramming you, are we ? " Aeri asked.

" Oh, not at all. " and I chuckled.

" Well, it's just we were really nervous about talking to you, more than Jiyeon actually. " So Hee admitted embarassingly. " Both of you just always shine in the spotlight, it's a little intimidating. "

I laughed a little, " Oh, those are just rumors all over the news ! I'm not that popular, if so none of you would be here in the top ten. Junmyeon must have interest in all of you to let you all stay. "

Speaking about that, Hayoung and Tessa blushed, " Then I'd be so flattered ! I mean, I didn't expect myself to make it to the top ten, it's really mindboggling ! My mom told me to leave it all to luck, since she didn't expect anything great..."

" Me too. I always thought Junmyeon would fancy someone with elegance and class, like the queen. And I'm just a country bumpkin who can't even paint my nails properly. " Hyosung added. 

I smiled, " Get over it ! There has to be a reason for you to stay here, because all of us are equals and have even chance in this Selection. There's nothing to be afraid about, trust me I've dealt with worse things in life. "

" Like ? "

" Hmm, I don't know maybe getting attacked by makeup and sky-high heels everyday right now ? " 

And everyone in the room laughed along to my joke, " Now I know why you're the Nation's Sweetheart, you're so charming ! Compared to Jiyeon, we'd rather you take the crown if you two were the last ones standing. "

" But speaking about that, " Tessa peered around just in case. " Seulgi's really picking up the pace right now, she's the next focus on the media. "

" How did you know that ? " Hayoung quirked. 

" Duh, my cousin's editor of the Mirror Post. He's like, the insider on what goes around in the office. They always scoop out new things to get the public talking, and that means they'd sell more news. And their latest gossip is Seulgi. "

I frowned, " Woah wait, why Seulgi ? " 

" Rumor had it that Seulgi and Junmyeon used to have an affair, and she's still staying because he still has feelings for her. Like igniting an old flame, you know ? " Tessa continued. " I mean, I wouldn't be too surprised that Seulgi still likes him too ; he's a prince for crying out loud. She wouldn't let this chance slip away ! "

I should've listened to my own logic, that the rumor about Seulgi was utterly false. I was one of the closest to her ever since the competition started besides Wendy, she would've told one of us this by now. But then again, everyone had a nack for keeping secrets just like me...

" Well, no matter what, there has to be a reason there's a top ten right now. So anyone's capable of winning, if we play fair. If Junmyeon already has someone in mind, he wouldn't be procrastinate the Selection. He'll marry the one he likes most in the end, now all we have to do is wait. " I concluded.

Then So Hee giggled, " But what if he likes all ten of us ? Ooh, then he might marry all of us and get ten wives ! "

" I don't think Jiyeon would like it, after all she doesn't like sharing things with people. " Hayoung added.

We all laughed.

While we were having breakfast, I looked around and I saw everyone present at the table except Wendy. Come to think of it, I rarely saw her moving about these days. So I leaned closer to Seulgi and asked her, " Hey, have you seen Wendy around ? " 

She shook her head, " But I think she's in her room, she's been sick these few days. She complained about having headaches and kept throwing up her food, maybe that's why she hasn't come down for breakfast. "

I was getting concerned, " What did the doctors say ? "

" They couldn't make much of it, so they told her to get some rest. They think it's stress, since she's been forgetting things from time to time. There was a time last week where she forgot where her room was, it was a little bit freaky. But yeah, she's been having that problem lately. " 

That was strange, who would forget where their own room was ? 

Speak of the devil, Wendy entered the dining room not long after I stopped asking Seulgi about her. She seemed normal enough from afar, that was before she sat between me and Seulgi. She looked paler, with sunken eyes and shadows beneath them, as if she haven't slept for the last few days or ate anything. And she seemed out of focus, so I tapped her shoulder.

" Wendy ? " I chimed.

She flinched, and possibly jumped like a cold cat. " H-Huh ? " she asked, startled. 

I scrunched my eyebrows together, " Are you alright ? You don't seem very well. "

She rubbed the side of her forehead, her lips pursed. " I'm fine, I just didn't sleep well. At least, I got some sleep last night. Jiyeon's honey tea helped a little, she heard I was having sleep problems. "

I was suspicious when I heard Jiyeon's ' good intentions ', but I let that slide. " Okay then, you want breakfast ? We have eggs and coffee this morning. " I said cheerfully.

" Ugh, I really don't have an appetite. " then she sighed. " Well, guess I'll just have to shove it down my throat then. "

Then Seulgi wrapped her arm around Wendy's affectionately, " Then maybe all three of us can have a walk in the garden, I know you so wanted to go this time round, you love the cherry blossoms there. "

Wendy eyed her strangely and jerked away, to my shock. " Who are you ? How do you know my name ? " she asked Seulgi.

" W-Wendy ? " Seulgi squeaked. " Stop playing with me ! It's me Seulgi, your best friend ever since grade school ? "

Still, Wendy shook her head. " I don't remember you at all, Irene who is this ? " she turned to me.

I was just as confused, " Wendy, what do you mean you don't remember ? Seulgi's your best friend, stop it. "

Wendy touched her head, and shook it. " Nono, I don't remember ! Irene, you're lying ! I never met her before ! "

Seulgi's face was turning white, " Wendy, snap out of it ! We need to take you to the doctors, ASAP. " so she grabbed hold of Wendy's arm, and Wendy was resisting like a brat. 

" What the hell are you doing ?! " Wendy demanded. " I don't need doctors, you need them ! Leave me alone ! "

" No I'm not ! You are going to get better, and remember me. Wendy, please just come with me-"

A loud crack rippled in the air, and for some reason silence flooded the room. There were a few gasps coming from the other side of the table, Tessa and So Hee cupping their mouths in shock. I needed a few seconds to digest what had happened, Wendy had slapped Seulgi on the cheek. Wendy jerked away from all of us, a dark expression on her face.

Seulgi back away from her, touching her cheek. Tears were streaming down her face, I wanted to run up to her and comfort her, but then I wanted to reason with Wendy to calm down. " Wendy ! " I snapped. " She's your friend ! " then I turned to Seulgi, who looked like a broken piece of china.

" How could you ?..." Seulgi whimpered and ran out of the room, tears streaming down her face.

" Seulgi, come back ! " I called after her hopelessly. 

Tessa then went on a rampage to find the person who stole all her favourite clothes the next day, then Hyosung had to stay in the hospital wing after she suffered from a bloody cut on her foot when she found broken glass in one of her heels. Even Jiyeon was affected by the worst case scenarios, she somehow got a bloody splinter when she was in the stables.

One by one, everyone seemed to suffer from it. So Hee began wondering if the castle was now haunted, or infested with ghosts we never realized were there before they narrowed it down to the top ten.  Nailing down one by one until these ghosts who were ancestors found the ideal one for the prince, that was the conspiracy Hayoung finalized at least.

And Wendy was getting stranger and stranger everyday. She would remember some of us once in a while, then she would forget sometime later. It wasn't something doctors could pinpoint, since she didn't show signs of bipolar disorder at all. It was either she was throwing a prank, or she was suffering from overload of tension. That was what the doctors said, who didn't believe one word that Seulgi and I were trying to explain...

So now both of them were avoiding each other, and I suddenly became Seulgi's closest friend, and Wendy somehow floated around when she wanted to. She suddenly became this strange person whom none of us recognized. If I didn't believe in ghosts, I would've thought she was possessed. She always glared at people for no reason, sneered and snapped sometimes like she was constantly grumpy.

" Hey, I didn't see Jiyeon around lately. " I said, after realizing Jiyeon wasn't in her usual place, flaunting herself. " Not that I care about her though, but don't you think it seemd a bit...odd ? "

Seulgi shrugged, " Maybe she's off snogging the Duke or a guard down in the dungeons, I suppose. " and she sighed. " Huh, for some reason this whole Selection seems less lively now... "

" And more quiet, it's okay Seulgi. " I tried cheering her up. " It'll be over soon, and we'll...go back to our normal lives. "

She picked up the magazine lying on the coffee table, the cover was from us modelling for a fashion line not too long ago and she was chosen to be the cover model ( to Jiyeon's displeasure ) :

She sighed, " I never thought I'd be dressing as fancy as this, and now it's becoming reality. For some reason, I'm not as happy as I thought I'd be..." she said gloomily.

I patted her shoulder, " Don't be such a dark cloud, it's going to rain soon ! Come on, I think you need a breath of fresh air. Let's go down to the back of the castle, take a stroll in the fields until dinner later. "

She groaned, " You're right, I need some fresh air. "

As we walked downstairs through the stables, we bumped into Wendy. She looked nervous, as if she was caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. Judging with her right hand behind her back, she was hiding something. 

" Oh, hi Wendy. " I greeted. " What are you doing here ? " 

" I-I was, just passing by. " she stammered.

Seulgi frowned, " Then what's that behind your back ? " she pointed.

It was a piece of rope, but why would Wendy bring something like that around ? 

" N-Nothing ! " Wendy lied. 

I squinted my eyes, " Wendy, tell us why are you here ? "

Wendy hesitated, then she pushed us aside ," It's none of your business ! " before running off.

I was getting ready to go to bed, already draped in my nightgown. Then I remembered I left my purse down in the dining room, which was the first time I was that forgetful. So I put on my cardigan and flats before exiting my roon to go downstairs, there still had to be some people up at this hour.

The clock struck twelve, as I entered the dining hall and immediately spotted my purse. I went to grab it, and was about to go back to my room until I caught a glimpse of someone passing the dining hall. It was Wendy. 

I assumed she didn't see me, because she just kept walking away. Was she the ghost everyone was talking about ? Well, she was very well alive and walking about in the dead of night. What was she up to ? To solve my curiosity, I followed her from behind. Being someone with trained stealth, I knew how to keep my distance to not get caught. 

I followed her to the stables, that made me even more suspicious seemingly she was here not too long ago with rope. She turned to a curb, and I followed her. Then she was nowhere to be found, to my shock. But her footsteps traced me to a heap of hay, so I pushed the hay away to reveal a pair of doors leading to the basement.

It wasn't locked, so I opened the door. Someone was trapped in there, with bindings on the wrists and legs and mouth. Only when the moonlight shone on her face did I realize who it was.

" Jiyeon ? " I cried, shocked. But her face didn't look relieved, in fact she looked terrified. She was wriggling and making absurd noises, as if she wanted to yell at me. But before I could make of what she was saying, it was too late. 

I turned around-