The thin grey smoke exhaust out from the tiny chimney of a mystique cosy cottage covered with vines and creepers, obscured by the weeping willow next to the brook. Tall and giant trees grow around the small crooked house. The turf was green and fresh after the rainy days. There were puddles of rainwater and the frogs’ croaks harmonized with the crickets. In the heart of the ‘Witchery Forest’, there lived the two witch sisters in peace away from the noxious humans whose hatred had driven to the edge of extinction of the witches and wizards. A happy place for them in the forest where the townsmen and the royal guards dare not enter due to the petrifying rumours of menacing witches living in the forest.

*humming*

Stirring the huge earthen pot boiling by the fireplace was Yong-sun, adorned in white apparel. Her long dark hair dangled till her waist. She shakes her shoulders along the song which her mother sang when she was a child. She reached for the dried rosemary jar on the shelf where other containers with exotic herbs and ingredients were stored.

“With a little of this and the soup will be ready”, Yong-sun grinned as she took out a sufficient amount to add in the soup.

“NOoo STOP!” A loud voice yelled from across the room where variable size of books piled around. Hye-jin slammed the book she was reading and stormed towards her sister. She snatched the jar from her sister’s hands and stuck the side of the jar with the label on her face.

“This is dried basil!”

Startled by it, Yong-sun checked the jar. Realizing she almost ruined the soup, she put on a coyly smile and replied, “Silly me. They look so similar.”

Hye-jin not buying her sister’s clumsiness, retorted, “Maybe someday you will say we look similar too.”

“But we are sisters. We can look alike.” Yong-sun has always been confused about how she and her sister look so different despite being sisters. Not just the looks, even their personalities were opposite poles.

“Maybe our mother wasn’t so innocent”, Hye-jin smirked as she passed the remark.

Yong-sun quickly snapped at what her sister meant. “She was our mother. Don’t you dare stain her name.”

“It was supposed to be funny. Can’t you take a joke?”, Hye-jin raised her voice.

"I am the oldest here. How could you raise your voice like that?” Yong-sun was not pleased with her sister's action.

Hye-jin rolled her eyes. “You maybe be older but you are dumb.”

Yong-sun lost herself at the comment. She was not the type to get angry at small issues but no matter how small can it be, if it is about her murdered family or so, she could be the most short-tempered person. Yong-sun almost tried to make Hye-jin lose her voice temporarily when the door was knocked.

“They are here.” Hye-jin lifted up her long skirt and excitedly ran to get the door.

“Whee-in! I miss you so much.” Hye-jin hugged the first person she saw as soon as she opened the door. “I miss you too”, screamed the other girl and both jumped in joy.

Yong-sun slowly creeped out from behind Hye-jin. She barely managed to look at the frame at Whee-in’s back and timidly asked, “You are here too.”

“Of course. You invited us for dinner.” Moonbyul gracefully replied with a smile.

Moonbyul and Whee-in met as orphans at the orphanage home. Growing up, they decided to stick together to survive in the town. Moonbyul hunts and sells the meat while Whee-in works as a maid in a wealthy house to meet their daily needs.

“Come in.” The sisters welcomed their guests.

“It’s cold outside, isn’t it?”, Yong-sun asked as she guided them to sit.

“After the rain, the weather has become chilly and the wind is doing no favor. And it’s hard to get up early in the morning too.” Whee-in whined of the cold weather. Everyone laughed at her cute cry.

Hye-jin was very much delighted to see her best friends again. “Whee-in, I have so much to talk with you. I waited for you so long.”

Whee-in had the same. The girls have to pick up what was left from one month ago.

Yong-sun suggested they do so after dinner before the soup gets cold. The round table was set and the stools were arranged. For a tiny cottage with one hall; kitchen on one side and living room on the other, the table took the whole space in the middle. Moonbyul helped Yong-sun in serving the soup while the two best friends chit-chat around the table.

“It smells good.” Moonbyul complimented when Yong-sun opened the lid. The sudden compliment astounded Yong-sun and she accidentally dropped the bowl. But Moonbyul who was quick with her reflex caught it. “Be careful. Move aside. Let me do it.”

Moonbyul seldom praised the two sisters for their magic and spells but every time she does so to Yong-sun, her heart pound off her chest and got butterflies. Moonbyul held on to her shoulder and moved her to the side to pour out the soup from the pot. The hand on the shoulder made a chill run down her spine and Yong-sun’s soul flew out. One touch and her mind dived into the far future; drooling while imagining her and Moonbyul together. She was brought back to the present when Moonbyul asked her to take the bowls to the table. She pouted as she did so.

[On the table]

The two sisters had never been in the town and had not seen humans besides Moonbyul and Whee-in for decades. Their curiosity about life outside the forest was out of the world. Hye-jin, an adventurous young lady who already knew the forest like the back of her palm, was always ready to leave the forest to explore. However, Yong-sun was always the one to put resistance. She too wanted to see the town at least once in her lifetime but as a witness to their family’s death, she was left traumatized. Their presence gave the humans the horror and their sight gave the young witches the fright.

“Tell me more about your mistress”, Hye-jin told Whee-in after the scandalous stories of the town.

Whee-in burst out loud laughing before she even starts on that story. “It was so funny. She- hahaha”, she continued to laugh. Whee-in repressed her laughter and heave a sigh. Then she spoke, “So, last time she was invited to a tea party and she wanted to wear the new dress trending in the town. She had it tailored to her size but the tailor made a mistake measuring the waist. You should have seen her in it. She looked like a blue gourd bottle. She was the talk of the night.” Snort of laughter filled the room.

Moonbyul cleared . “Can’t you please not do that on the table? Also, you shouldn’t laugh at someone’s body.”

“Whinger.” Whee-in whispered under her breathe. She spoke out loud to let Moonbyul hear, “What’s wrong with a little gossip? You know she deserves it. What a rude woman she is. She thinks the whole world circles around her.”

“Yes. It’s funny too.” Hye-jin added, and they both started to chuckle again.

Yong-sun could see Moonbyul was annoyed by their childishness. She tried to break the tension and told them to finish the soup.

“It’s very tasty. What is this? Looks like mushrooms.” Whee-in asked.

Yong-sun excitedly told them. “Yes. It’s frog mushroom. I found them growing in the back of the house.”

Moonbyul suddenly turned green at the name.

“The shape resembles a frog, so I only called it frog mushroom.” Yong-sun quickly added. But Moonbyul could feel nausea hitting up to her neck. Yong-sun quickly get up to get a blue fluid from the kitchen shelves and passed it to Moonbyul. She gulped it in and nausea subsided.

Whee-in ridiculed Moonbyul to which Moonbyul glared at her.

The four friends met after a month long. They talked about all the things; their joy, their hardships, struggles, wants and wishes. Picking up what was left and planning what was to come. They might not see each other for days and weeks since toing and froing would build suspicion on Moonbyul and Whee-in by the townsmen. But their friendship remains strong.

The route back to town was long and dangerous at night. Uncanny creatures lurked in the night and who knows what this mystical forest behold. Protection to someone can be fatal to someone else. Before the night got bitter and threatening, Moonbyul and Whee-in planned to leave early.

“We must cross the forest before the eve.” Moonbyul clarified as usual.

Whee-in gave a goodbye hug to the sisters and wished them safety. Hye-jin was not ready to let go of her best friend. She wanted to spend more time together. She held Whee-in’s hands tightly, making her promise to visit them soon again. Whee-in nodded with a smile and promised to come again along with a present from the town.

Moonbyul patted Hye-jin on the shoulder and told her to take care. She turned to Yong-sun to bid goodbye who was eagerly waiting for her turn. “Well then, take care until next time.”

Yong-sun handed Moonbyul a blue-black crystal stone. “Take this with you. It has a protection spell. It will protect you on your way.”

Moonbyul smiled and replied, “I still have the stone you gave me last time.”

“The spell must have worn off by now. You will need a new one.”

Moonbyul thanked the sisters for the dinner and the stone. As they leave the cottage, the sisters stood at the door waving till they disappear from sight.