Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Fluff

Summary: Chaeyeon believes Mulan suits her, but she became Snow White instead.

Word Count: 6744

Hashtag: #KwonChaeng_Enchanted

Enchanted

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-Tock. Tick.

To Lee Chaeyeon the sound of a ticking clock sounded like a lullaby. The metronome and repetitive pattern gives her a sense of order, leading into relaxation. She especially loves the final tick at the end – hanging and waiting. It was 9:09 am. And from what she had read, nines meant beginnings and endings. But on a denotative note, it means she should hurry or she would be late.

She moved quickly, packing towels, clothes and other essentials that her six-year old sister, Wonyoung would need. It looked as if her sister is going overseas with how huge the bag is, but she would never master the art of packing lightly. For how could Wonyoung leave home without her favourite blanket and avocado plushie? It was not even possible for her younger sister to sleep without hearing fairy tales from her story book.

Even though her sister was fascinated by the numerous stories, she was not. It didn’t mean that she hated it either, but it was hard to read those stories written and illustrated by her late parents. She grew up experiencing all the hardships in life. And she thinks those stories only fools everyone into thinking that there’s always hope and sunshine. She believes that there are no fairy god mothers in this world, if you want to change things; you have to go out there and change it yourself.

Chaeyeon glanced again at the clock and shouts, “Wonnie, get ready! Hyewon is waiting for us!”

“Ten more minutes please unnie!” Wonyoung shouted back.

Five minutes. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. Wait: the daily litanies of her younger sister whom she guessed is watching a rerun of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Chaeyeon lose the count of how many times they had watched the show. That dumb princess who ate a poisoned apple and pathe---

Don’t say it, Lee Chaeyeon! Damn!

Well, she doesn’t want to admit it but she prefers female protagonists who are empowering, well-rounded and someone who fixes her own conflict and doesn’t need a prince charming or some fairy god mother to change their life.

“Unnie,” Wonyoung came to her pouting her lips. “The prince was about to kiss Snow and you are just here staring into nowhere.”

She playfully pinched her sister’s chubby cheeks and says, “I told you that you are too young for that right, baby?”

“But unnie… It’s a true love kiss. And true love breaks any course.”

When Wonyoung talks like this, Chaeyeon is reminded of their mother, the same passion in her eyes, the same twitch of her brows, the way her nostrils flare and the way her lips curled up in a smile. At her age, she was already extraordinary pretty. Not that she’s surprised, their parents are good looking too – but they are now sleeping eternally thanks to the robbery that takes place when she was just a seventeen-year old teenager. Her heartaches at moments like this, wondering about the life that they could never have together.

Get a grip. Move on. It is already six years since it happened!

Chaeyeon shook off her memory and holds Wonyoung’s left hand. She guides the child outside, reminding her to behave and that she’ll be back in a few days. It was hard to leave Wonyoung to Hyewon, her close friend, but this type of opportunity is rare. The catering service, one of her part-time jobs, landed a gig outside the city. Of course, she can choose not to go, but the amount that she will earn would cover almost half of their expenses.

She crouched to kiss her sister goodbye. It became a part of her habit… from thinking that any day could be her last. She never really want to be negative but life could betray you in any moment, close your eyes for a second and things happen.

“You know you could always ask for my help, right?” Hyewon said. “No one can do it alone Chaeyeon. You might think that you are in control of your life but it’s always better to let others in.”

Chaeyeon doesn’t really know what to say and opt to flashing a mischievous grin to her friend. It would never go out from but for her, it’s enough that she has someone whom she can trust Wonyoung to. And that is an adequate help from Hyewon already, it would be shameful to ask other things.

After she waved her hands, she picked up her helmet and put it on her head. Simultaneously, Chaeyeon jumped on her motorcycle pulling the clutch knob and turning on the ignition. As the engine produces noises, she grasps both grips steering them to the northeast direction.

Riding a motorcycle has always been fun for Chaeyeon. So, seeing that the road is empty brings her joy, sense of adventure and freedom. She winds up the throttle and increases her speed, loving the chilly air that she still feels despite wearing a leather jacket. Also, her senses are heightened as she passes through blurry surroundings.

What the hell. Halt. Stop!

Chaeyeon thank the gods that the motorcycle dynamics – gyroscopic procession and inertia is with her that day. It was a relief that she immediately controlled her speed and pressed on the breaks as a big white rabbit suddenly appeared on the middle of the road. Her hand trembled, vision blurred and sweat covered her face.

Heart attack! Am I having a heart attack?

Her heart beats too fast that she became unaware of her surroundings. She closed her eyes tight to calm her nerves. 1, 2, 1, 2 breathe Chaeyeon… breathe… In spite of that, her mind rages again once she opened her eyes. All of a sudden, she’s in the middle of the woods.

Chaeyeon looked from left to right and of course, found endless trees bordering the forest. Something is very wrong with this. She squeezed the bridge of her nose and glance around again, as if the trees would magically disappear and be replaced by a pavement road.

She leaned on her motorcycle and reached for her phone. No good, she thought. It was no good. There is no reception in the area. Chaeyeon think fast and resort to restarting her bike. And for the love of the gods, she heard a clicking sound when she turned the key, a crank of the starter and then nothing…

Just what the hell happened?

This thought shut down everything else and Chaeyeon was filled with profound terror. She sat on the ground, arms locked around her legs; head pressed to her knees and tried to remember. She was driving. White rabbit. She stops. The engine won’t start. Now here she was in the middle of nowhere with no idea on where she was. How far had she driven? Is there a forest in a city?

She pinched her palms and slapped her cheeks, chastising herself to calm down. Unexpectedly, here nose was filled with a bizarrely sweet aroma. Chaeyeon followed the path to the wonderful scent – thinking that someone would finally help her. As she walks, it grew stronger but she became surprised to find out what is was.

What the hell! Is it Halloween?

For in front of her wide eyes, sat a house made entirely out of the most delicious sweets, at least for Wonyoung or any child that is, in the world. The whole house was coated in chocolate with sticky syrup drizzled and dripped along the sides. The door frame was drenched with fluffy white meringue; various cakes and pastries decorating the windows and lollipops stood tall, scattered in the garden.

Chaeyeon was stunned for a moment and then cringe at the amount of sugar that would flow on her blood if she ever eats this. But the effort in creating this gingerbread house! Wow! Why are there no ants?

“Come in, come in. My, my, my, what a lovely surprise!”

Chaeyeon screamed when someone talked. She cautiously entered the house and notice that the inside was made of solid steel. From the corner, she could see the woman preparing cupcakes and tea. The woman had short blonde hair flowing delicately just above her shoulders. She’s wearing a floral sequin embellished dress and Chaeyeon noticed that the woman is blind when she faced her.

“May I know what place is this?” Chaeyeon can’t help but to ask.

Melodious sound can be heard in the air as the woman laughs, “Goodness! How rude of me! Welcome to Enchanted Forest!”

Chaeyeon, perplexed on the situation, laughs too. She mockingly mutters, “So, are you the blind witch in Hansel and Gretel? That’s ridiculous!”

“No, my name is Gretel. But I preferred to be called Wendy now,”

What the woman said confused Chaeyeon more. Is the woman joking with her right now? She got no time for this – Wonyoung would be worried and she doesn’t want that to happen.

“How could you be Gretel… when you are wearing that and… and you’re blind!” For goddamn sake Lee Chaeyeon! Now is not the time to argue.

“Well, My brother and I are finding our way home when we stumbled on this candy house. We thought the witch was kind but she’s planning to eat us! Hansel push the witch into the boiling pot but her gripped to him was hard. Oh my poor brother! Because of too much heat, they turned into syrup,”

Chaeyeon eyed her with disgust but the woman pointed at a jar. “I keep the syrup there to remember my brother. After the witch disappears, her power transferred to me turning me to this.”

A comedy show, she thought. Sure. This was some sort of skit from a new TV show, an improved version of a prank, candid camera or reality show. She glanced around for hidden cameras. But as soon as she thought this, she caught a glimpse outside the window and she wished she could just faint right now. Who wouldn’t when you saw a man, sitting on carpet and floating in the air?

“Do you believe me now?” Wendy asked wiggling her brows in a comical manner.

Chaeyeon lose the strength and plopped down on the floor. What else could she do now? She got no signal, her motorcycle’s engine won’t start, and she is alone in a weird place where the likes of Gretel and Aladdin exist.

Even so, it seems that her predicament isn’t over yet. For the blonde woman with her becomes alert, moving her head from left to right – sniffing the air. She’s smirking scarily that Chaeyeon could feel all the hairs on her arms and legs stood out from the goose bumps.

“Brace yourself. Just as I thought, this is getting interesting!”

The door made of sweets opened rather forcedly, revealing a woman wearing a sophisticated red top and a faux fur bear skin hat. But she was familiar, so familiar that Chaeyeon ran and engulfed the flabbergasted woman in a tight hug muttering endless thank you’s and sighs of reliefs.

Nevertheless, the act itself was futile. The woman may have returned the hug awkwardly but Chaeyeon had no control in whatsoever she says. It came as a shock. She may have the same face as Hyewon but she is not Hyewon at all which muddled her mind more.

“Are you hurt, Princess Snow White?”

Snow… White… Princess… She is going crazy! No, she’s already crazy. Why Snow White? Why not Queen Elsa, Moana, or Mulan? Heck she would even accept if she’s Maleficent instead. Did she get by a black hole? Passed through a portal? Perhaps she is passed out and her head is connected to wires and is being experimented by evil scientists – the horror!”

Things go by quickly and when Chaeyeon’s out of her reverie, she found herself sitting on a carriage with Hyewon beside her. She sighs and thinks that it is best for her to go with flow. With that, she would a find a way on how to go home.

“Where are we going, Hyewon?”

The royal guard looked stunned that Chaeyeon feels that she did something wrong. But, what is wrong with asking? She’s just really curious on their destination. “This is the way to the palace, my princess,” Hyewon answered with a questionable tone rather than a statement. “You always take this route whenever you flee from the palace.”

Chaeyeon laughs to mask out the uneasiness. Yet, she had the knowledge that Snow White here always (seemed to be) causes trouble. For why would she often run away from the palace? And Hyewon is the perfect answer for that because she has the same characteristic of her friend who nags and preaches about life.

“The King gave an order to bring you back to the palace. Princess, I’ve been by your side ever since we’re children and I have observed how King Onew has always been lenient and silent about your escapades away from the palace. And, I think it’s finally your time to support him,”

“What do you mean?” Chaeyeon asked, eyes engrossed on the bewitching sceneries that the land offers. Everything feels alive; it made her want to sing like those in musicals.

“He plans to marry the stableman’s daughter on the third full moon. But before that, he needs to visit the neighbouring kingdom on the west to solidify a part of their treaty. It would take a long time, so the king pondered that it would be best to let you and his betrothed to meet formally.”

With that alone, Chaeyeon stops from sight-seeing. The air must be different there because she starts blubbering things without thinking. She even waggles her arms making the royal guard looked at her with concern. “I knew it! The king would be away from the palace and that woman would get the opportunity to make me work hard all day long! I will cook. I will clean. And she will make a mess and laugh at me,”

“Princess…” Hyewon tried to intervene but her messy mind won’t stop. Chaeyeon continues, “And… and she will attend a ball and tries to marry the prince! But I will there too… When the clock strikes at 12, I will run and accidentally left my right shoe… wait… shoe?

That was Cinderella you dumb! How did Snow White’s story go again? I need to come out of this alive… and sane.

“Are you okay now? Don’t fret, I have met her already and she’s amiable. I predict that you would like her.”

Chaeyeon internally scoff. She swears on the royal guard’s funny faux hat that she would never like that sorceress. With a determined heart, if she ever got a hold of her magic mirror, she would break it into pieces.

Meanwhile, they reach the palace in no time. The castle sits on a spectacular pillar of rock with mountains surrounding it. It’s majestic and felt like a hammock, lulling her to a dreamless sleep. The innermost part screams wealth with how fancy the chandelier and the thick curtains are. Chaeyeon was scared to touch anything as everything looks expensive.

Hyewon guided her to her ‘supposed’ room, muttering along the lines of what a princess should and should not wear. However, it came as a surprised to see seven ladies standing with respect outside her room. Chaeyeon don’t know if she needs to laugh or not, for all of them have a height of approximately 152 cm and below.

Pffftt. What is this? Snow White and the Seven Maids?

The maids are quick but precise, in only a few minutes, she was groomed into a ‘princess.” Chaeyeon expected to wear that trademark unattractive Snow White dress but she’s mistaken. Ichi (she had decided to call them by numbers) prepared a floral baby blue lace dress with sheer neckline for her. It was her first time wearing such comfortable but classy dress.

“Oh good, you’re just in time to meet Lady Madison.” The royal guard said as she ushered her to the great hall.

The idea of meeting the evil queen (that’s going to be married by her ‘father’) felt strange. It felt like she voluntary entered a lion’s den.

Chaeyeon paused by the doorway of the hall at the sight of a woman dressed in a formal beige maxi attire. She couldn’t really she her face as her jet-black hair is drooped on the pale skin of her cheek.

She cleared .

“Hello.” Chaeyeon wanted to sound grim and uninviting but her voice failed her and resonate a gentle voice instead.

It was her expectation to meet an old and grouchy woman but she was startled beyond words to see a pretty and young lady. She has deep brown eyes and thick black lashe