There was something special about that village Mina lived so close to. “The Legend of The Well,” she knew it by heart. If asked to recite it, she could. Stories like this had fascinated her for a long time. She imagined walking up to it and throwing a mun in, getting her wish granted. The story was captivating from the moment she started reading it aloud. 

“Once there was a well, rumored to grant any wish. For the small price of a mun, your wish would be granted, be it in hours or even years, eventually, it would come true. One day, a young man walked up to the well. It was a village landmark and no one had ever dared to touch it. The villagers were scared of it, as it seemed to emanate a black smoke. The man, however, was not. Stepping closer, he clasped the mun in his hands and thought of a wish before throwing it in. Suddenly, the smoke from around the well cleared. 

“‘Magic!’ one of the villagers exclaimed. 

“‘Is the story true?’ another asked. 

“‘That the well grants wishes? I guess we just have to wait and see.’ 

“The other villagers nodded and so the young man left only to return a few hours later with a large bag of bread. 

“‘These are for you,’ the young man said. 

“‘Really? But how?’ a villager asked.

“‘I guess my wish came true.’ 

“He started handing out the bread and the villagers cheered. 

“‘The magic of the well is real!’ a villager shouted. 

“‘The story is true!’ another exclaimed. 

“Everything changed after the young man who came to be known as Eun-Yeong made his wish. The villagers’ fear was replaced by something far more sinister. Greed, a disease that affected all but the few with pure hearts. The villagers abused the well, thinking they had a right to it. The well knew this would happen, yet it still dropped its protective barrier. Little did the villagers know, the well had other ways of getting people to listen. One day, when the villagers least expected it, the well exploded. 

“Eun-Yeong heard the villagers screaming and went to see what happened. 

“‘Oh, Eun-Yeong, you’re here, the well exploded. We don’t know why,’ a villager said frantically. 

“‘The well works in mysterious ways, doesn’t it? It senses everything, especially greed and generosity. Despite being two complete opposites, the well works the same way with both of those feelings, it spits out the mun that was given. To me, it looks like you’re the victim of the former,’ Eun-Yeong said. 

“‘So what can we do?’ the villager asked. 

“‘Simple, don’t make the same mistake multiple times, but judging by how shocked and scared you all look, it might prove to be a difficult task.’ 

“Eun-Yeong was proven right, it was a difficult task. The villagers’ material desires ended up getting the better of them, to the point where the well wouldn’t accept their mun at all, no matter how hard they tried. 

“‘Why won’t the well accept it?’ a villager who was at his knees in front of the well asked. 

“‘Eun-Yeong and I tried to warn you all, but you didn’t listen, so now you must pay the consequences.’ a well-known villager named Hye-Jin said. 

“‘But Hye-Jin…’ the villager was cut off when Hye-Jin started to speak again, ‘No, you don’t get any more chances, the well has spoken. Only those with pure hearts and the right reasons reserve the privilege to make a wish.’ 

“‘The privilege?’ the villager asked, confused by the choice of words. 

“‘Yes, and judging by your confusion, you thought the well was a right. Anyone who has heard the full story will tell you it’s not. You are all blind to what the well truly means.’ 

“Eun-Yeong, hearing this, jumped in to defend Hye-Jin. 

“‘Hye-Jin is right. You may think ignorance is bliss, but do you see how that can potentially be a bad notion?’ 

“‘I’m afraid I don’t understand,’ the villager said. 

“‘It seems only a few do nowadays,’ Eun-Yeong said with a downcast face. 

“‘I’m saddened to say I agree with you,’ Hye-Jin said. 

“‘Who knows, maybe sometime in the future that will change,’ Eun-Yeong said with more hope in his eyes. 

“‘I would like that to be true.’ 

“They watched over the well, desperately aching for someone who had a good heart to show up and make a wish. It took ages, but patience won out in the end. A young girl was their savior. 

“‘Who are you?’ the young girl asked. 

“‘We’re the protectors of the well, Eun-Yeong and Hye-Jin,’ Eun-Yeong said. 

“‘Oh, the couple by the well.’ 

“They both flushed a deep red at the girl’s comment. 

“‘W-We’re not a couple,’ Hye-Jin stuttered out. 

“‘I don’t know, you two look good together,’ the young girl said. 

“‘I assure you, we’re not together in that way, but thank you. What’s your name?’ Eun-Yeong asked. 

“‘My name is Hui-Seon,’ she said. 

“‘Do you want to make a wish?’ Hye-Jin asked. 

“‘Can I?’ Hui-Seon asked. 

“‘Go ahead.’ Eun-Yeong said. 

“Hui-Seon walked closer and thought of a wish before throwing the mun in. Eun-Yeong and Hye-Jin suffered so long after seeing the well reject the villagers’ mun time and time again that when they saw that the well accepted Hui-Seon’s they had no choice but to gasp in shock. 

“‘After so long, it finally happened!’ Eun-Yeong exclaimed, feeling himself tear up.  

“‘What?’ Hui-Seon asked, confused as to why the other two were acting like this. 

“‘The well finally accepted a wish after so long.’ 

“‘Really? How long has it been?’ 

“‘At least a few years at this point. I’ve been desperately hoping for someone like you to come along.’ 

“‘Wow! I guess I'm grateful for conquering my fear.’ <