---

 

Deja vu

 

---

 

"And that's how Cinderella lived happy ever after." Mrs Ha smiles at her daughter as she flips the book at the end of the page where Cinderella and her prince charming live happily ever after.

"Will I become like Cinderella? Happily ever after?" Her daughter asks while rubbing her tired eyes. Perhaps, she is sleepy and ready to enter another world called dreamland.

"Of course darling. You will. One day, I promise you." Mrs Ha kiss her daughter's soft cheek while tuck her in to sleep. She then stand up from the bed slowly since her little daughter asleep. She puts the book on the shelf near the window and turn her heels to her daughter's bed. She lets the table lamp switch on since she's knows her daughter scared of dark. After take a last look at her daughter, she exits the room without much noise.

 

Outside the room, there's Jisu, her first daughter who's staring at Mrs Ha with both of her hands on her short pant pocket.

 

"Why are you out here? Don't feel sleepy yet? Want me to read you a midnight story?" Mrs Ha elder daughter as she pretend to be serious.

"It's not funny mom. And I'm already grow up. I never believed those fairytales anymore." Jisu said as she boringly recall the fairytales story that her mom used to read when she still a kid.

"Why? Is it interesting and inspiring?" Mrs Ha walks toward the dim living room where only the yellowish stand lamp are switch on. Jisu follows her mom to the living room as she sit on the single sofa.

"Not anymore mom. The world you told me and the world where I'm living right now is totally two world. Its so different. Nothing make me happy. When I tell myself 'I'm sure things will get better.' Then another things goes wrong. Its feel like the world is against me and I hate how I can't do anything about it." Jisu confesses as she tries her best not to wet her eyes.

"Its okay dear. Everything happen to you will make you stronger and I promise you that you will be happy one day." Mrs Ha leans on the soft sofa as she tries to comfort her daughter.

 

Promise? Jisu wants to believe her mom but those promise seems as empty promise and one day? When that one day will comes? She doesn't believe in it and she doesn't want to put too much hopes.

All she can do is sigh loudly. Fairytales are just fairytales. They will remain as fairytales. Nothing could be more than true about fairytales. It just stupid stories for a child. 

 

"Okay mum. I need to go to sleep right now. I have a trip tomorrow." 

 

Happy ever after? What a lied. Did Cinderella has a happy ever after life? She scoffs as she rolled her eyes. What a joke.

 

Jisu close the door as she enter her room. Tonight is no different from other night. She switches off the main lamp that hang on the ceiling and stroll to the small table beside her bed. Switching on the table lamp, she turns her way to the window where she can witness the magnificent night along with stars and moon.

The vast, seemingly empty space was filled with glittering, diamond like stars. Jisu had never noticed how lovely the night sky was. Each twinkling star seemed to be in it's proper place, filling empty sky. Shadowy, ribbon-like clouds were flowing around the full moon.

 

"Even the moon is beautiful." She whispers.

 

Each crater on it's bright face was visible. The moon, the stars, the streaming clouds everything glow with it's own ominous light. Everything was perfect.

She rests her head on the window while admiring the picturesque view in front of her. 

 

"Did happy ever after exist?" She questions herself and touch the window as if she touched the moon's refection.

 

Like cinderella?

​Peterpan?

Beauty and the beast?

 

Perhaps, no.

 

We cling to our fairytales until the prices of believing them becomes too high.

 

She shook her head, refuses to think about fairytales. Jisu then closed her eyes as she decides to take a nap near the window accompanied by the moon.

 

Or maybe fairytales does exist.

 

“Mum, I’ll be back.” She bid goodbye to her mum and gestures her to go back home as she pulls her luggage to the school hall. Mrs Ha just smiles at her daughter’s action as she shooks her head, entering the car.

 

All of student already gathered at the school hall since they are going on a trip today. The weather is so nice for a trip with friends. There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds. What a perfect day for a trip. The student’s laughter could be heard along with chatting and joking with each other. In a second, Jisu already found her best friend, Suji who’s keep her gaze on her phone 24/7.

She approach her friends who’s busy with her own life. At first, she wants to approach her like a normal people but after seeing Suji was so into her phone, she decided to make a different approach. She walks as slow as she could, almost tip-toe, to her friend. As she was about to surprises her, Suji turns to her back and flicks Jisu’s forehead.

 

“Ouch! What’s that for?” Jisu rubbed her sore forehead with her palm. It’s almost red as tomato and she can’t deny the strength on Suji.

“I know you will do that. You always try to surprise me but failed miserably.” Suji giggles when she saw the red mark on her friend’s forehead.

“You’re no fun at all.” Jisu said, sounds sulking. She pulls her luggage and place its beside her while pretend to not talking with Suji. Jisu turns her back towards her.

“Aigoo, you’re no fun!” Suji laughs when she realizes Jisu’s action, trying to tell her clearly that she’s sulking.

“Yah, do you like fairytales?” Suji asks Jisu and both of them met an eye contact.

 

Silent.

 

Deep in her heart, Jisu tries not to say anything. Fairytales? Why she keeps listening to those words? Is it something special? First, her mum. Then, Suji. What about fairytales? She didn’t find it interesting. Of course she used to believe in fairytales when she was 7 but not now anymore.

 

Fairytales doesn’t exist!

 

---

 

Sitting beside the window spot, Jisu watches the view in silent. Suji sits beside her and she brings her headphone so that’s the reason they didn’t talk in the bus. Suji just listening to the music since she once told Jisu about how she didn’t like riding a bus without accompany by music. Due to the bumpy bus, some people feel like vomit or need to bear a huge headache.

So, she just quietly staring at the window, understand with her friend’s trouble. Most of the student in the bus didn’t talk either. They rather listen to music or take a nap. Perhaps its still early in the morning. That’s why her classmates look so tired.

Looking outside the window, she smiles when the sun shines brightly and spread the warm to the earth. The sun ray go through the window and hit her tight. It’s surprisingly warm yet comfort. The airplane left a long white trace across the wide sky. It’s look like an art. Magnificient.

Her pulse beat faster when she saw the trees dance in a rythm of the wind. Everything seems so beautiful and how much she wants to get out of the bus and enjoy the nature. But then, she saw something weird in the bushes near the tree.

 

What was that?

 

She tries to look carefully but saw nothing after that. Perhaps, an animal. Ignoring the bizzare feeling in her heart, she tries to focus back on the nature.

 

“Woahh, just how strong the wind are outside there? I really want to go out quickly.” Her fingers touch the window glass as she closes her eyes.

 

---

 

“Okay, you guys can go wander around the hotel but before the dusk, you need to have in your room, got me?’’ The teacher said as she higlight the words you need to be in your room before the dusk.

“Okay.’’ All the students chirp happily and one by one they left the lounge room.

 

Everyone seems to be in their best mood, judging by their expression. Jisu decided to went out by herself since Suji just wants to stay in their room. She didn’t feel good after ride the bus for the whole 2 hours. Maybe after takes a good sleep, she will be okay.

Jisu exits the hotel happily as she hums to her favorite song. The sunny day makes her wants to sings to every song she likes. Her legs stroll around the hotel and the park nearby. She just follows wherever her heart wants her to go. 

 

"It's so nice!" She sits on the bench at the park while swings her legs to back and front. It's double exciting if Suji was here with her. But somehow, being in this kind of place make her feels insecure. Perhaps, because of she realized how noiseless this park was.

 

As she enjoys the picturesque view, she senses something or to be exact someone looking at her way. She stands from the bench and look around her. Nothing. Somehow, she feels wrong to be here. As she about to sit back on the bench, someone whispers into her ear from the back and Jisu quickly turn to whoever the culprit are.

 

"Yahh! What was that?" She almost raised her voice, shock by the culprit's action.

 

The guy looks furious when he saw Jisu sat at the park. On the other hand, Jisu seems puzzled with the guy sudden action.

 

"You can't be here! Get away from here. NOW!" The guy yells at her while grabs her arm and shove her away.

 

Due to the guy screaming, Jisu become more shocked. She almost stumbled on her own legs. At some reasons, she feels insecure. 

 

"What wrong with you?" Jisu's voice is strong but with a quaver and dry, rasping quality that hints at an inside breakability. She swallows her saliva as she tries to acts strong.

 

Without saying much, the guy drags her by grabbing her arm to the park entrance. He didn't want the girl to be here. It's too dangerous. As they reach the entrance, he widen his eyes when he realized that everything turn normal like it used to be.

 

"Darn it! The way to escape already disappear." He hiss under his breath while glaring at the girl. Jisu also takes a look at the park entrance and found out something surprising.

 

Where was the path to the park? The brown path that she took before to reached here? It's clearly there when she enter the park. She swear. 

 

"Where the path?" She said in a low voice as she almost trip into herself. Fortunately, Chen holds her arm tightly.

"What's happen? I swear I used this way before. I remember this big pink tree." Jisu points to the tree with her forefinger. She remember about the tree that she passed before.

"You already trap in my world."

 

 

"You should exit this world before the dawn." Chen said as he points at the clear sky. Still got more times.

 

Both of them stare at the sky with different thought.

 

"What if I'm still here even pass the dawn." Jisu asks when she feels like she kinda knows about the result.

"I'm afraid to tell you but you will disappear." Chen's voice shaking but he tries to act normal, not to scared the girl.

"What should I do? My teacher will worried about me. What if they noticed my absence. What about my mum?" Jisu tries to thinks hard so she can escape this strange world. She wants to go back. At any cost.

 

But at the same time, she scared. What if they forget about her.

 

"I'm not sure but I'll try to find a way." Chen said. He wants to help this girl but he just doesn't know how. He knows that when human lost in their world, they never escape. They just disappear. 

 

With that answers, Jisu just keep silent. No words escape from . She feels like her whole world is crash to the pieces. Chen looks at her. He saw her beg for her life, her body straining every muscle to express her desperation, her intense to live. Her hands clawed at the earth as if somehow she could just dig her way out and escape the fate that some human that trapped in this world met.

For one second, their eyes met. Her eyes sparkle as if she holds her tears, hoping that he might be able to swoop in and save her. He felt his gut clench as the hopelessness of the situation sank in. He didn't know the way. And he never would.

 

"Just trust me."

 

Even he isn't sure, he still wants to give a little hope to the girl.

And the little hope turn into a false hope.

 

Jisu nods as she was hypnotized by those single words. It was a strange sensation. She knows all of this is nonsense but deep in her heart, she wants to believe it. She was mesmerized by the sound of his voice. He spoke in cursive writing, his words all flourish and curly letters.

 

Both of them stand up from the bench. Chen needs to be more careful since he can't let his people see this girl. She is not from this world and Chen afraid that the girl might be kill. As long as he knows, if human get into this world, they'll never escape. 

Jisu looks around her and she stares at Chen. The guy smiles at her, tries to reassure her that everything is going to be okay when nothing will be right. For him, its seems like the world fell away, drained all color but her, standing in the sunlight.

And that time, Chen thought to himself. How nice if he's not from fairy tales world.

 

 

---

 

"Okay, first, we should make sure that no one saw you." Chen said as he leads the girl to the field. Field of hope.

 

He tightly hold Jisu's hand on him. He needs to save her whatever it takes. Jisu walks behind Chen but she keep a close distance. She doesn't know how this world work.

As they walk through the house area, Jisu feel tense. They are a lot of people and they can't see her if she walks close with Chen. But one thing for sure, she can't let them hear her voice. As both of them saunter pass the big house, someone calls out for Chen.

 

"Yahh, Chen! Where are you going?" Baekhyun called out for his friend, Chen. Deep in Chen's heart, he prays that Baekhyun will not interrupt his way.

"I'm not going anywhere. You should go now." Chen brush the back of Jisu's hand, telling her that nothing going to happen.

"Can I go with you?"

"No."

"But..."

"No but."

"But Chen! I smell a human at you." Both of them startled at Baekhyun's statement.

"What do you said? Human? Well, you know that I hate human. There's no way I'd encounter with human. Perhaps, you should search at another place." Chen hiss as he tries to send Baekhyun away.

 

Hate human? Jisu startled at Chen's words. Then, why did he help her. She started to chewed on her lower lips and her eyes welled up with tears. She puts her head up so the tears won't spill out but one drop of tear escapes from her eyes.

She sobs as she let go of Chen's hand. Because at the end of our chain, we've both run out of times.

Jisu runs to where she came from before. Chen surprised with her sudden action. He didn't mean that. It was a strategy to make Baekhyun go away. And he didn't realized that his words make the girl sad.

 

---

 

Jisu reached at the park where she met Chen before. Surprisingly, she saw a white fog at the entrance. 

 

"Is that a way out?" She rush to the white fog and before Chen arrives at the park, she disappear.

 

As Chen arrived there, he saw nothing. This is a misunderstanding. A total misunderstanding. He hopes the girl understand.

 

"I'm sorry I can't protect you."

 

Jisu wakes to the sound of someone chatting. She looks around her and found out that she was in the bus. She turns to her side and there Suji who's sleeping with her headphone on her ears. Jisu rubs her eyes as she stands from her seat. All of her classmates seems tired as they're sleeping in the bus.

 

What happen?

 

Was all of this time is a dream? What kind of dream.

 

Her hear beat faster than before as if she just runs a marathon. Perhaps, its was a dream.

 

 

As they arrive at the hotel, she went out for a walk since the teacher told them to return before the dusk. Its like deja vu. She already going through this moment. 

Jisu stops in front of the park entrance but she didn't dared to steps into the park. What if all of this time, it wasn't a dream. Its a hint or a warn for her not to step into the park. She looks at the desolate park and the pink tree at the park. The leaves fall off, flies in rhythm of the blow wind.

 

She smiles when her heart feel at ease. Maybe the dream was a warn. The wind blow into her as her hair fluttering in the wind.

 

Chen.

 

Because Chen is her sweet fairytales.