The freshness of the night had not yet disappeared from the air. It remained in the stones of the old buildings towering over her and in the shadows that spread on the pavement beneath. The thin rays of sun were beginning to cover the path, but they were still gentle. In a few hours, they would begin to burn and the people in the street would try to hide away from them.

            Yubin did not worry about that. The Sun had done way worse to her. A long time ago. Too long ago if she dared say so herself. It was the reason why she had come to Paris. To win against the Sun. But for the time being, she was like everyone else: a lonely soul caught in its light.

            She envied the Folks who had been born from the union of the spheres. In the Forgotten Times, they were numerous and prosper, each kind taking after one of their two parents: the bright and fierce aspect of the burning Sun or the calm and mysterious glow of the opal Moon. They built countless marvels and taught many things to the human race. Glorious were those days, full of teachings and learnings for both kinds.

            However, the Age of Men came rapidly and with it the Folks went into hiding. Some fled to the Spirits World where they remained in peace among the souls of the dead. Others stayed on the shore of the living. Powerful kinds or shape-shifting kinds, those who can pass easily among humans. But also cursed kinds who had no hope of ever joining the Spirits World. Yubin was one of them.

            Paris was her last chance.

 

***

 

            The young woman stuck a streak of silver hair behind her ear to prevent it from flying in front of her eyes. The banks of the river Seine were always windy. People strolled casually in front of her, some of them were tourists, others were young Parisians who were about to join their friends at one of the bars and terraces situated near the river.

            She smiled at the banality of her situation. There was a time when even humans recognised her. She would have never been able to sit casually on a bench in the middle of a crowd. But her days of hiding were long gone. People forget with time, and time was one of the things she had the most.

            A gust of wind blew again but this time it carried a message. Someone needed her. It hadn’t happened in a while, someone who was looking for the Court. Most of the people who had found it had come for something else. She preferred it like that. They had no expectations and so they could only be amazed by what they discovered. But with people who expected a miracle, things were always rushed and it made her task less entertaining.

            The woman groaned, anticipating the trials ahead, and, with a pouty face, abandoned the river banks and plunged into the busy boulevards of the city.

 

***

 

            Yubin was sitting at the terrace of a café with a cappuccino in front of her and a copy of a plan of the métro spread next to it. A waiter passed by her table and quickly placed the receipt stuck in a small plastic holder designed to receive the change.

            She took her eyes off the sinuous trails that spread underneath the city for a second to learn how much she owed - five euros -  Parisian life sure didn’t come cheap. She clicked her tongue in annoyance but still dropped the coins in the plastic recipient that was taken away as quickly as it had appeared. It was a characteristic of Parisian waiters to be openly stern but undeniably professional. The woman went back to her reading.

            The screeching of a chair being dragged on the concrete next to her soon disturbed her peace once more. Quickly followed by a:

“Excuse me, can I sit here?”

            She raised her gaze from her book to study more carefully this new interruption and was met with two sparkly hazelnut eyes and a shy smile. One glance was enough to know that this young woman with a silver hair-dye wasn’t going to be quiet if she sat next to her. She looked around in an attempt to see if there weren’t any other tables available, but sadly they were in the happy hour and a lot of students and young workers had come to enjoy a pint for half its price.

“Sure”, Yubin answered sternly and immediately focused her attention back on the map.

            The young woman sat in front of her. A waiter quickly came to take her order, lemonade and mint, and ran off inside to bring it back to her.

            The first ten minutes were quiet. They had brought a false hope of serenity and peace that were immediately crushed by the first question.

“Are you looking for something?” The stranger asked, eyeing at the map flattened on the table.

“I am, but it's a little elusive”, Yubin answered, not looking away from the metro lines.

“Have you tried getting lost? It's the easiest way to find the things you're looking for.”

            Yubin detached her gaze from what she was studying and looked at the stranger with renewed interest. The young woman was sipping her drink from a straw, looking back at her with the same smile she had when she first greeted her, albeit with a little more confidence mixed with nonchalance that Yubin hadn’t guessed was in her.

            It was a strange advice the woman had given her, almost nonsensical.  Yet, she could understand the logic behind it. In fact, the more she repeated it in her mind, the more it made sense.

“Thank you for the advice. I think I’ll try.”

“Really?” The woman was genuinely surprised. “I thought you were gonna take me for a fool.”

“And what if I did? Fools can give good advice too.”

“That’s not a common answer.”

“It wasn’t a common advice.”

            The woman was taken aback for a few seconds. She stared at Yubin as if she was looking at an endangered species. The curve of a smile was forming at the corner of her lips. Her laugh tinted in the air like a cheerful melody. It awakened something in Yubin, a blush, a feeling of shyness, a little bit of satisfaction for making this beautiful woman laugh. The stranger stopped but her smile stayed.

“My name’s Yoohyeon. What’s yours?”

“Yubin.”

“Well, Yubin, I really hope we meet again.”

            Yoohyeon stood up and collected her things. A waiter had already picked what she owed for the drink. She casted one last glance at Yubin that she brightened with a smile and dived in the crowd. Still at the table, Yubin followed for a few seconds the silver-hair that was standing out among the multitude before it disappeared in one of the metro stations.

            In the next week, she would follow that strange advice and roam the streets above and the underground below in search of that place she was desperate to find.

            What she liked about Paris was how the city could make you forget how big it was. You just had to take one turn into an alleyway and suddenly you were transported into another world of narrow streets and colourful buildings with old-fashioned headboards, maybe some small terraces with flowers hanging from the wooden railings. The people that walked through those paths were few and discrete, keeping their experiences to themselves.

            When it was sunny, the sunlight would only warm one side of the street and bathe the beige stones with a golden light. Sometimes you would find an old square or a park with the statue of an artist or a writer, French history had loads of those. Greeneries were always there, be it lonely trees or well-maintained balconies, small gardens protected by old iron fences or climbing vines covering the front walls.

            However, it wasn’t all bright. The city of lights didn't shine on everyone equally. People lying on cardboards in the street, children begging in the metro, metal poles and  peaks to prevent the homeless from sleeping in certain areas. Yubin wasn’t blind to these sights. Some streets were historical, others were functional. The grey concrete replaced the old stones. Fast foods and affordable grocery stores were more popular than fancy restaurants and trendy bars. It was the Paris of the mundane and the deprived.

            It was there that she felt more at home. She knew these people. She recognised their faces. The ones that the mass wanted to forget, invisible in plain sight. Yubin had been one of them. Perhaps if she kept on living she would be one of them once more. It was often how it went when you lived long enough: a series of rise and fall.

            Sometimes, she wondered if she would ever be able to break that cycle.

“Hi there!”

            Yubin didn’t recognise the voice right away. She had to turn and see a pair of hazelnut eyes fixated on her to remember who it belonged to.

“You’re the woman from the café. Yoohyeon, was it?”

“It’s me, and you’re Yubin. I still remember you.”

            The two studied each other. Yubin was trying to decipher the smile that was painted on the other’s lips while Yoohyeon seemed to be waiting for something, a reaction of surprise, or perhaps an invitation. She received a suspicious stare.

“What a coincidence to meet you here.”

“Paris is small for those, like us, who are destined to meet again.”

            One thing was clear, she liked to play around. It was difficult to keep a straight face when a beautiful stranger did her best to unsettle you. Yubin was learning it on the spot.

“Is that what we are? Destined to meet again.”

“Do you doubt it?”

“Am I a fool if I do?”

“The biggest of them all!”

“Then, I believe you.”

            Yoohyeon seemed to be pleased by that answer. Yubin was just glad she had come through the exchange. It was strange, but it was fun, unexpectedly so, to be hesitant, to look for the right way to answer, never knowing what reaction she would get, but hoping for those eyes to sparkle with a new emotion at each exchange.

“What are you doing?” Yoohyeon asked.

“Getting lost.”

“And has it worked yet?”

“Not quite. Maybe I’m a fool after all.”

            The silver-head hummed pensively. She looked around, eyes perking up to the top of the buildings and peering far into the depth of the street.

“Mind if I get lost with you?”

“Not at all.”

            Yubin started walking next to her fated acquaintance, fully acknowledging their height difference and finding it somewhat reassuring to have this tall presence next to her.

            Suddenly, her companion's pace got quicker. She turned into a street, then another. The sidewalk was barely large enough to allow them to walk side by side, forcing Yubin to stay behind. Between two glass-windows on her left she saw the entrance of a wide passage, like a gallery hidden between the buildings. Yoohyeon went in.

            The roof was a glass ceiling framed with delicate iron fencing. The floor was paved with black and white tiles. The dusty yellow glare of the fake oil lamps glistened on the shiny surfaces like a light from the past illuminating a dream.

“There’s a way of getting lost, you see”, Yoohyeon started explaining, her voice echoing in the gallery.

            She turned into a small alley between two restaurants. Before walking in, Yubin was certain that it was a dead end.

“A wrong turn that you must take.”

            The silver-head turned again and suddenly there were more paths in front of them. Like a maze that took form as they walked.

“An unseen path that you must follow.”

            Yoohyeon kept going, never hesitating on her track until finally she stopped. Not anticipating the sudden halt, she bumped into the taller one’s back. The other turned to look at her with a contented smile.

“Otherwise you will never find it.”

“Find what?” Yubin asked, and her voice rose from the uncertainty.

“The place you're looking for”, Yoohyeon answered and with a gesture of the arm she invited her to look around.

            Yubin took a good look and realised they had arrived in a sort of small square. The black and white tiles on the floor had disappeared and had been replaced by cobblestones. The buildings around looked older. Their wooden framework decorated their walls and their balconies jutted out above the ground. It was Paris, but it didn’t feel like the Paris she had visited until now.

            Looking around more, she started noticing the people who lived there. They had pointed ears or changing eyes, colourful hair that Yubin knew weren’t dyes. They were the Folks.

            She saw a finger raised in the air in front of her, pointing at something, a restaurant by the look of it. Yubin’s gaze traveled back to the person showing her that and met Yoohyeon’s reassuring smile.

 “Are you hungry?”

            They sat in silence and ordered what they wanted. The menu was surprisingly ordinary. Yoohyeon watched Yubin as she kept glancing in all directions at the world around her. She seemed to be having fun.

“You want to ask something”, she pointed out with glee in her voice.

“Where are we?”

“In a restaurant.”

            That answer earned Yoohyeon a you-know-that’s-not-what-I-asked kind of stare that made her chuckle. Yubin clarified her question.

“No, I mean, this isn’t exactly Paris, right?”

“Oh but it is Paris, the Paris of Wonders.”

            Yoohyeon observed Yubin who was still staring at her. Even with the right answer, she couldn’t really understand what was happening.

“You’re confused.”

“Can you tell?” Yubin asked sarcastically.

“It’s Paris, but invisible to those who follow the common path. There are many places like this one hidden in the city and many gates that lead to them. The fairies created them and the Folks keep them secret. Now that you know that, you’re one step closer to finding the Court.”

“The Court?”

“Of Miracles. Isn’t that what you’re looking for?”

            There was a pause. Yubin didn’t expect the conversation to go there. She had been careful never to pronounce that name. It was better to keep those things to oneself. Now she knew she shouldn’t have bothered.

“How do you know that?”

“The wind told me.”

            It made no sense, but Yubin believed her, just as she believed her when she told her to lose herself. She did it because she could tell that Yoohyeon knew something, everything perhaps. And maybe it should have scared her, the way the young woman peered into her eyes and just knew. But it didn’t.

“Will you try to stop me?”

“Why? This has nothing to do with me. If you want to find the Court of Miracles, you’ll find it eventually, that’s how it works.”

“So you’ll stay with me?”

“How about we eat first and plan our wedding later?”

“Wait, no, I-I didn’t mean it like that, wait!”

            Yoohyeon burst into laughter at Yubin’s panic and stuttering. It was obvious that she had meant for it to happen which made the entertainment of seeing it even greater.

            The rest of the meal kept on that note, cheerful and carefree, and for the space of a few hours Yubin even forgot everything about the Court of Miracles and the wish that she desperately wanted to be granted. All that mattered was Yoohyeon and how she laughed when she was happy and listened when she cared. How she always knew which questions to ask and which ones to keep for herself.

            When she left and Yubin was back to the ordinary Paris, everything felt unreal. Alone, Yubin could think about what she was looking for, and what she found instead. It was said that the Court of Miracles, hidden inside Paris, could grant any wish. When Yubin had heard of it, she took it as her only chance to break the curse that the Sun had put on her. She did not find it on that day, but she found wonders instead. Another city, ready to be explored.

            For once in a long time, she was left wondering what the next day would bring.

 

***

 

“Father, what did you make me eat? Please, tell me. What have you done?”

            Yubin woke up with a start. Visions of a long forsaken past flooding her memory. How long had it been since she hadn't come back to Korea? One hundred, two hundred years? There were too many painful memories there. Even when she was continents away from that place, the nightmares kept crawling back in her sleep.

            Maybe it was a warning, a small tap on the hand for not finding the Court fast enough. But how was she meant to do it? She didn't know the paths that lead to the Paris of Wonders and according to Yoohyeon it was at the end of one of those that the Court was hiding. Which one though, was a complete mystery. Or at least that's what her companion lead her to believe. Yubin wasn't entirely sure if she was telling everything.

“I can always hide things from you, but I will never lie to you. That is my rule. Kind of like you”, she had said to her once. And Yubin was too afraid of what she would have to reveal about herself if she wanted to keep having that conversation.

            Yoohyeon had made clear several times that she knew that Yubin was hiding something important. Yet she never chose confrontation. Instead she left doors that Yubin was free to open or not. It was mesmerizing every time to watch her behave. When things didn't go her way, she changed her course and when they did go her way she never stayed on that track for too long. It was as if change was part of her essence.

            Being with Yoohyeon was like watching an autumn leaf in the wind, dancing to its own rhythm, carried by the wind in all directions. It was refreshing and unexpected and it often felt like time was suspended just for them. Yubin would wait a hundred years to keep watching that dance.

            Maybe it was that more than the difficulty of the task that made her research so slow.

            However, she did keep trying on her own. Walking through Paris, losing herself in the alley-ways. Turning randomly, one narrow street leading to another. Roaming under the shadows of the haussmannian buildings towering over her and making everything look small. Suffocating among the crowd of busy Parisians rushing in the corridors of the metro. Roaming. Turning. Rushing. And suddenly stumbling on one of the wide boulevards and breathing.

            It wasn't what she was looking for, but she would never get tired of the feeling she had whenever she reached those crossroads, like the world was expanding around her.

“Hey! You’re Yubin, right?”

            She turned to identify the person who was calling her. It was a woman. Another stranger who seemed to know more than her. She was smaller than Yoohyeon. Smaller than herself even. With sharp features and delicate traits. Her piercing eyes were focused on Yubin who didn't even try to question how that woman found her or how she knew her name. But the stranger answered it anyway, probably aware of the  incongruous aspect of the situation.

“Yoohyeon told me you’d be here. She said you would try to find the paths.”

“She was right. I’m afraid I’m still not good at getting lost. Who are you?”

“The name’s Sua. I’m Yoohyeon’s friend. She can’t be here now because she has other things to deal with, but she’ll be back later. I know you didn’t ask, but that sad face of yours said it all.”

            Yubin's quiet expression crumbled at the tease and the serious face in front of her turned into a wide smile.   She received a small tap on the shoulder, one that meant “I feel ya!” and they went back to an awkward silence.

            For a short while, none of them knew how to engage into a new conversation. Was Sua supposed to guide Yubin through the Paris of Wonders instead of Yoohyeon? Was she supposed to wait with her? Did she just decide to meet with Yubin with no plan in mind? She seemed like the kind of person who would follow her immediate wants.

“Wanna chill somewhere while waiting for her?”

            So they were meant to meet Yoohyeon after all. Yubin accepted and followed her new guide into yet another path that she couldn’t have found on her own. The transition to the Paris of Wonders had yet to become trivial to her. In the few excursions she had done there, she started to get a better idea of what that place was.

            First of all, not all the Folks of Paris lived in the parallel city. A lot of them were travelers like her, who only crossed back and forth without staying too long. In fact, the primary function of this Paris was to create a place of gathering. There were taverns and shops where they sold enchanted items crafted by the Faes, lots of squares and parks where they could meet as well.

            Those who did live there were groups who were usually found outside urban areas: korrigans from Brittany, also pixies and dwarves. There were even half-kins which was the most surprising for few of the Folks mingled with humans in that way - it was always a bad omen to initiate them to the magic world - and even fewer managed to have children from these unions.

            Sua walked through those crowded streets with the assurance of someone who had been living there for potential centuries. They passed a few bars on their way but never stopped and that's when Yubin realised she may not have understood all the implications of what she had agreed to.

            They arrived at the foot of a two-story building. Sua rummaged through her bag to find the set of rusty keys that unlocked the three bolts of the old wooden door and finally gave a strong push before inviting Yubin in.

“Welcome to my home! I know you probably expected to wait at a bar but I kinda didn’t want to pay for my drinks.”

            Inside, Yubin stumbled upon a tall hall painted in white. The sunlight poured from above through a glass ceiling and warmed their skin as they entered. There were a few plants to occupy the space as well as wooden chairs and a small table. Although the lighting made the room look impressive, it was still too empty to feel any kind of personal touch, something that would make it look like a home.

“Please, make yourself comfortable. You can leave your things on the chairs here, the bathroom is on this floor and the living room is upstairs”, Sua said before leading the way to the second floor.

            There, Yubin was made at ease. Sua invited her to sit on the sofa while she got beers and juices from the fridge. Her guest watched her get everything ready behind the counter that separated the living room from the open kitchen.

“Do you want something to eat? I think I have some snacks left.”

“That would be great, thank you.”

            It wasn’t long before the two of them sat comfortably on the couch, a bag of doritos between them and fresh beers on the coffee table. Sua was warm, but in a different way than Yoohyeon. She spoke loudly, and made weird jokes but didn’t invade the other’s private space. She had wits but wasn’t cunning and, most of all, she liked to entertain. She was a very pleasant person to be with. Between all her extravagant manners, Yubin failed to notice that she hadn’t eaten anything since they had settled on the couch.

“So, Yooh told me you were after the Court. Any luck yet?”

            In other circumstances, Yubin would have refrained from talking about her quest. But the few beers she’d had and the overall cheerfulness of the whole conversation made her loosen up.

“None at all! I’m lost most of the time and I can’t find anything,” she whined.

“Don't worry about it, if you want to find the Court you will find it. That's how it works.”

            Those words... Yubin had heard them before. That was what Yoohyeon had said as well. But why? Why was she meant to find the Court?

“Yoohyeon said that too, but what does it mean exactly?”

“Haven't you done your research?” Sua asked surprised but quickly took back that judgemental tone when she met Yubin’s slightly irritated gaze. “Well, I guess that story was forgotten as so many things were.” She sighed. “Fine. Let me tell you the story of the Lady of  Miracles.”

“The Lady of Miracles, who’s that?”

“She’s the guardian of the place but hush, let me explain.”

            Yubin went quiet and repositioned herself on the sofa, silently inviting Sua to keep going. Her host smiled proudly. It had been a while since she had told that story and she knew she ought to tell it well. She spoke again with an ample voice that made full use of her eloquence.

“As I was saying: the Lady of Miracles was once a fae who lived in the Court of Brocéliande ruled by queen Viviane. Viviane is a beautiful queen and she’s had many lovers, but there was one that she loved more than the others and to keep him by her side she turned him into stone forever.

"Time went on, the people of Brocéliande forgot about that story until one day a young fae passed by a pond and heard the pleas of Viviane’s lover. Moved by his story, she freed him from the stone and let him go. Viviane was furious. She summoned the young Fae and threw her scorn at her. ‘Since you are so keen on helping others, this shall be your task. There is a place in Paris that can grant any wish. Go there and protect it, leave no wish unanswered and never come back before me.’

"And so the fairy went, alone and exiled. She found the place she was told to protect, put a spell around it and became its guardian. With time, the Court and its Lady became known even by humans and many went after it. Because she granted wishes they called her the Lady of Miracles and it wasn’t long before they decided to call her domain the Court of Miracles.

"Then, History happened. Revolutions, wars, monarchies, republics. The Court was associated with something else and they forgot. But the Lady remains. Should she try to leave Paris and her function, she would be turned into stone. Such is the curse placed by Viviane.”

            When the tale was done Yubin was left inexplicably sad. Perhaps because she was cursed herself, she related more to that Lady of Miracles.

“That is a tragic fate for someone who only wanted to do good.”

“Faeries are rarely fair to those who anger them,” Sua answered very sternly.

            It wasn’t that she lacked compassion, but rather that she wasn’t delusional. The ways of the Folks could be cruel, it was never good to forget that fact. However, Yubin didn't like that fatalistic tone. She wanted to believe everyone could hope for the better in life and work to achieve it.

“And is there no way to free her? Can’t she make a wish?”

“Wishes are for those who have nothing left. However, there is one way to free her from the Court. If she finds her true love and her feelings are reciprocated, the curse will break.”

“But she cannot leave Paris, how can she find them?”

            Sua sent her another stare. She didn’t have to speak for Yubin to understand. She couldn’t. All she could do was wait and hope her love would find their way to her. 

“How long has she been waiting?”

“More than a thousand years.”

            Yubin almost teared up at the answer. For all they knew, her true love could already be dead and she would never be free. Instead, the Lady would have to keep granting wishes for people like Yubin. Forced to break curses for others except herself.

            The woman needed a distraction from those thoughts. She remembered that she didn’t get her initial answer. 

“So what is the link between this story and what you said earlier? Why am I certain to find the Court?”

“It’s the Lady’s job to lead anyone who needs it to the Court.”

“So I have to meet her if I want to find it.”

“Not necessarily. All you need is a strong wish and she’ll open the path for you. You might not be able to see her, but she watches you.”

            Yubin’s stomach twisted. So it was her wish that wasn’t worthy. In a way she had expected it. The Sun placed it on her after all and faes were children of the Sun. Maybe the Lady of Miracles couldn’t go against it and even if she could she probably wouldn’t. That was how it always was. Wherever she went, whoever she met, it ended either in mourning or in scorn for humans couldn’t be with her eternally and Folks tried to avoid her once they knew what she was.

            As if she could read her mind, Sua hit her on the shoulder with a tiny fist.

“Hey! I’m not saying your wish isn’t good enough. But maybe there are other things occupying your mind? Paris is full of surprises, and surprises often change your perspective and sometimes it’s for the best.”

            It was true. Lately, Yubin hadn’t made the Court or her wish a priority. She wanted to believe that it was momentary, that the amazement would fade, but it wasn’t just that which kept her mind occupied. There was something else, someone else. The doorbell rang as if on cue.

“It must be Yoohyeon.”

            Sua rose from the sofa and went back a few minutes later with their new guest. The woman with silver hair immediately directed her attention to Yubin and smiled at her softly.

“Hi there.”

“Hi.”

            She eyed the bottles of beer on the table and the opened bag of doritos and chuckled.

“Well, I guess my presence wasn’t too missed. Did Sua behave well?”

“Hey! I’m an exemplary host,” the short woman protested.

“It’s true. She’s been telling me old stories,” Yubin confirmed, smiling at their bickering.

            Yoohyeon’s face brightened at the mention of storytelling.

“That’s interesting! I know a lot of stories about Paris and what was before. It’s been a while since I haven’t shared them.”

“Oh, can you tell the one about the druid who wanted to catch a thunderbolt? I love that one,” Sua jumped in.

            Yubin watched the two getting excited about what stories to share and for the first time she realised something.

“Wait, are you both older than Paris?”

            The two heads turned in her direction, a bit surprised by the sudden question. At least on Yoohyeon’s part. Sua was downright offended.

“Wow, wow, wow. She’s the hag here, I’m not even six hundred yet.”

            Yubin stared pensively. She had some knowledge about the Folks. She knew a lot of them were immortal or lived long enough to give the illusion that they were. She was listing those she knew had accommodated to the urban landscape, but she didn’t seem to be able to guess what Sua could be.

“You’re wondering what I am, aren’t you?” The woman under scrutiny said with a mischievous smirk.  “If I say I am one of many cursed by the Moon, what do you guess?”

            Yubin’s eyes widened as soon as she found the answer.

“A vampire.”

“Bingo!”

            It made sense, Yubin thought. Vampires were the only kind she had ever gotten close to. It helped that they shared a common fate. They had been gradually accepted by the Folks as they were the ones who thrived the most in those modern times, but they were still despised by a silent majority.

            Their kind was cursed by the Moon a long time ago, during the Forgotten Times. As the first humans who spilled the blood of their kin they were sentenced to feed on others’ blood, no longer able to feel the warmth of the life liquid in their veins. Like many other cursed individuals, there weren’t many ways to kill them, but should they die, their soul wouldn’t be accepted in the Spirits Realm and would simply disappear instead, as if they had never existed. A tragic fate that no one would care to pity, not even themselves, for only murderers could be turned and join their rank.

            It should have been reason enough to want to leave and never be acquainted with them, but Yubin knew from experience that each individual had their stories so that their nature wasn’t good or evil but often in-between. If Yoohyeon trusted Sua enough to be her friend, she had no reason to distrust her. 

“And what about me? What do you think I am?” Yoohyeon asked.

            Her eyes peered into Yubin’s with expectation unexpectedly trapped in them. She enjoyed making people guess about her. Unfortunately, Yubin found the answer quite obvious.

“You’re a fae.”

            Her two listeners were impressed by this immediate response.

“Oh my, you found quickly. Is it because I’m beautiful and charming?” Yoohyeon teased with a cocky smile and a fawny voice.

            Yubin hadn’t really thought about it. If she had to answer, she would say it was a mix of many things that were comprised of those two words but not limited to them.

            Yoohyeon was beautiful because she was unapologetic in every way. From how she spoke to how she behaved, she was always herself and she was never sorry about it. She was charming too, because she liked to cultivate secrets in herself and others. She didn’t care about what you had been, she cared about what you were in the moment when she was with you. Everything else was up to guess and trust and she liked to keep it that way.

            The time that Yubin took to make the mental list of everything she liked about Yoohyeon fueled the fae's curiosity.

“So?”

“Y-yes, among other things.”

            A flood of pink coloured Yoohyeon’s cheeks instantly. Never in a million years had she thought Yubin would answer so bluntly and honestly. It was this aspect of the other woman that made her so weak in her presence, her candid honesty.

            While the two were avoiding eye contact, Sua for one, was highly entertained.

“Wow! Lee Yubin that was smooth. Look at you making a fae blush. Impressive!”

            Yoohyeon pushed her friend who let herself fall on the arm of the sofa while cackling at the other’s embarrassed smile. Once she was able to regain some form of composure, she looked at Yubin with a shy smile that the other had never seen on her before.

“You really are full of surprises.”

            After this commotion, things fell slowly into place again. At one point Yubin was afraid that they would ask what she was, but they never went back on the subject, either because they had sensed her nervousness or because they had guessed already. Even after the weeks they had passed together, Yubin couldn’t tell how much exactly Yoohyeon knew about her.

            As the evening progressed and gave its place to the night, they ordered food delivery that Sua didn’t touch. They all got caught up into the stories of old, funny ones and unbelievable ones, sad ones and hopeful ones. Yubin didn’t always notice, but every so often Yoohyeon would look at her with a soft but saddened smile. The origin of that sadness was kept in the dark.

            Slowly but surely the first yawns stretched out of their mouths, they started to feel sleepy. It was late, too late to reach the ordinary city and catch a métro. So Sua offered to prepare the guest room for them. There was one bed and an old futon that looked uncomfortably thin. No matter how much Yoohyeon insisted, Yubin took the futon and they all fell into slumber.

 

***

 

            Yubin woke up the next morning with the feeling that she hadn’t slept at all. The cold floor was pressing against her back and all her muscles were aching from discomfort. She let a groan escape as she sat straight to stretch her limbs.

            She heard some noise coming from the kitchen behind the door and decided to finally get up. When she came out of the room, she found Yoohyeon using the coffee machine in the open kitchen. There was no sign of Sua. According to what Yoohyeon said, she would probably sleep for a few more hours.

            After trying to help with breakfast and being told to sit down and wait for everything to arrive instead, Yubin settled on the sofa. The smell of coffee beans and grilled toasts filled the room with comfort and simplicity and entertained her thoughts with the vision of this peaceful moment: the quietness of a morning, the delicious smell of food and the presence of someone special.

            Yoohyeon arrived with two mugs, a plate of toast and all sorts of jams and butter to go with them. Once everything was displayed on the table, she finally sat next to Yubin and enjoyed the bitter taste of her morning coffee.

“Did you sleep well?” She asked casually, but with a note of concern.

“Sleep would be a stretch. I think that I managed to collapse for a few hours.”

            A vague smile stretched on Yoohyeon’s lips at the joke but she remained serious.

“You were talking in your sleep.” The fae watched Yubin staring at her, afraid of what she would say next. “What did your father make you eat?”

            Yubin didn’t want to answer that. She held her breath without realising as if it would prevent her from speaking. Yoohyeon came sitting next to her, waiting patiently. Her eyes were soft. She understood how painful it was for Yubin to share those memories. That didn’t mean she would let her escape the question this time.

“It was a long time ago. Almost five hundred years now. I was sick and nothing could save me, so he went to the port and bought something from the fishermen. They told him it could heal anything.”

            Yubin stopped in her story. The words were stuck in as she formed them in her mind. There would be no going back after that.

“What was it, Yubin?”

The voice was soft, but her tone was more commanding.

“Mermaid flesh.”

            Yoohyeon exhaled in a shaky breath as she took in the revelation that her friend had once eaten one of her kind. A fellow child of the Sun. Yubin was ashamed, she knew how much it mattered. She knew Yoohyeon had all the rights to feel betrayed. “I’m sorry”, was all she could really say.

“So that’s why the Sun cursed you.” Yubin nodded.  “And now you cannot die.” A nod again.

            It might not have seemed like a terrible curse at first. Cured from any disease, healed from any harm. Her severed limbs could regrow, her burnt skin could regenerate. Old age did not affect her. Hunger and thirst could not kill her. But that didn’t mean that they didn’t affect her. She knew hunger and thirst. She knew the pain of having your skin burnt and your limbs torn apart. Humans had done all that to her. She had lived long enough to know wealth and loss. She had lived in the streets, depended on what others would give her. She was feared by her kind and hated by the Folks. She was tired, so terribly tired.

            Yubin wished she could say something, she gulped and tried to speak but remained inexorably dry. Two arms wrapped around her, pulling her gently against Yoohyeon.

“It must have been horrible for you. You did well living until now.”

            Yubin had never had that reaction before. She always felt like the Folks hated her, but Yoohyeon didn’t. The tears started streaming down her cheeks from the sheer surprise and shock. Hands started combing her hair and she let herself break completely between those arms.

            After a while, the two broke their embrace. Yoohyeon fetched some tissues and gave Yubin some time to compose herself. They finished eating in silence. Something had switched within Yoohyeon. The same sadness that filled her smiles the night before was once again darkening her face and Yubin took the blame for that.

“Is that ok if I leave now?” She asked, not wanting to be a bother any longer.

“Of course, I’ll tell Sua you left early. Do you remember the way to the regular city?”

“I think I’ll be able to find it.”

            Yoohyeon hummed while accompanying Yubin to the entrance door. She was about to let her go when, at the last minute, she stopped her.

“Yubin! Is it ok if we see each other again tonight or tomorrow? There is something I need you to see.”

            The other looked at her with her brows furrowed. It wasn’t like Yoohyeon to be this direct. The urge in her voice made it sound like it was something important.

“I’ll see you tonight then,” she answered with a smile before walking outside.

 

***

 

            As predicted, Sua woke up three hours later, giving time for Yoohyeon to think.

            Something had switched inside Yubin when she held her. She had felt it. Her wish had formed and this time it was strong enough for her to be able to see the Court. There was so much pain and loneliness in her tears it had broken the fae’s heart. As much as she wanted the immortal to stay with her and forget about the Sun’s curse, she would never forgive herself for not letting her free of that endless cycle.

            As much as she hated the implications of her choice, it was time to let her go. If she waited more, the separation would be even more painful.

            She heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

“Good morning!” Sua looked around but didn’t find the person she was looking for. “Is Yubin gone already?”

“She left early.”

            The vampire nodded and went to the microwave to heat her mug of coffee that Yoohyeon had left for her.

“I decided to show her the Court tonight.”

            Sua spat her drink back into the mug.

“What?” She stared at Yoohyeon in confusion and was met with a seriously intense gaze. “Are you sure about this?”

“Her will is strong.”

            Sua nodded again, taking in the information, weighing the potential outcomes. Maybe it wasn’t that bad, maybe there was still hope.

“And what do you think she wishes for?”

“To break the Sun’s curse probably.”

            All right, so her friend was doomed.

“If she makes that wish, she’ll die. You’ll never see her again and you’ll never be free.”

“I know, but I cannot go against her will. That’s how it works after all,” Yoohyeon said with a sarcastic smile. However she was mostly laughing at herself and her own inability to act against what was to come.

“You should tell her.”

            Sua was dead serious. Her eyes were red, a colour they rarely took unless she was blood-deprived or particularly furious. She hated that situation and she hated even more the fact that Yoohyeon was already resigned about her fate.

            The fae looked at her with a tired smile and let out a sigh.

“We already talked about that. I’m not getting in the way of her wish for the sake of my own. Besides, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t work.”

“So what? You would just let her go without a fight?”

            The two stared at each other and it gave Sua the answer to her question. Yoohyeon had made up her mind.

 

***

 

            The night was warm under the arcade of the rue de Rivoli. Paris was calm. Only a few cars were circulating and a few people were scattered on the street, looking for the light of the streetlamps that gave them a false hope of safety.

            Yubin wasn’t like them. What she was looking for was waiting in the shadows and the person she was supposed to meet was used to finding her there. Surely enough, she heard footsteps echoing against the stone ceiling behind her.

“Hi there!” Yoohyeon greeted.

“Hi again.”

            They smiled at each other but there was no joy in them, only the bitterness of knowing this meeting would be their last. It wasn’t clear to Yubin yet, what was about to happen, but she felt it, that lingering sadness that Yoohyeon was carrying.

            She followed her, once again, under the arcade. They turned into what seemed to be a dead end and before they knew it they stood in a small court paved with old stones and circled by a wall covered in vines. In the middle, a simple well. The light of lanterns glimmered against the wet pavement and bathed the court in a warm amber light that was reflected in their eyes. They could smell the fragrance of summer days being brought by the wind and hear the little plocks coming from the entrails of the well.

              Yubin didn't have a connection to the Spirits World, nor could she use magic like some of the Folks could, but even she knew that this place was old. Older than Paris, older than mankind even. She felt the weight of the centuries over her as she stepped in. 

            Yoohyeon didn’t need to say anything for the immortal to know where they were.

“This is the Court of Miracles,” the immortal whispered.

            She had found it at last. No. Yoohyeon had guided her there. Wait.

“Are you…”

“The Lady of Miracles. Yes, that is how they call me. You took your time to decide on your wish, Lee Yubin.”

            Yubin was in awe. She tried to stay grounded but her mind was unable to fully grasp what was happening. She was there all this time. The answer to her pleas. She should feel relieved but she couldn’t ignore the sting of betrayal tugging at her chest.

“Were you testing me all this time?”

“Not at all. Nothing binds me to spend time with those looking for the Court. I did it because I enjoyed it.”

            Those words appeased Yubin immediately for she knew the fae would never lie to her. She felt honoured to be considered worthy of her time. She also felt childishly proud to know she had made the other happy when she was with her.

            Yoohyeon melted at the innocent smile that appeared mindlessly on Yubin’s lips. At least she could keep that picture of her in her mind.

 “But now it is time,” she announced. “So tell me: what do you want?”

            The fae’s black pupils were circled with glimmering gold, her eyes fixated on the immortal in front of her. She was heartbroken, but Yubin would never know. She would never understand what Yoohyeon had chosen to sacrifice on that night. She would never know that the first time Yoohyeon saw her, she heard the music from the Spirit Realm and almost wheeped in joy. Because after a thousand years waiting, she had finally found her. Her true love. And now she was letting her go, because that was what loving someone meant. Being able to let them go.

            Yubin got lost in those golden eyes peering into her. It was time to make her wish. She shouldn’t be taking that long to word it, she had been waiting to say it at loud for hundreds of years. Yet she looked at Yoohyeon and suddenly she knew. She knew what she wanted, what she had wanted all this time and finally obtained between the fae’s arms. 

“I want you.”

            Yoohyeon’s eyes widened. Thousands of butterflies filled her chest as her heart was trying to pound its way out. She could cry at that moment, but she wouldn’t. She smirked and whispered in a deep low voice right next to Yubin’s ear:

“Close your eyes.”

            Yubin obeyed immediately, almost by enchantment although there wasn’t any magic involved. She suppressed a gasp when delicate fingers trapped her chin and raised her head lightly. The fragrance of lavender and jasmine announced the lips that captured hers. Yubin gave in instantly.

            It was more tender than what she would have thought. Yoohyeon’s lips were commanding over hers, wanting more but also giving more each time. The immortal was entirely hers in that moment yet she didn’t abuse that power. Yoohyeon's kiss tasted like freedom, hers and Yubin’s combined. Each new push offered an exit that Yubin never took. She wanted her and she had meant it.

            Eventually, they broke out to breathe. Yubin opened her eyes and saw the brightest smile she had ever seen. She would never know - except she already did - how much Yoohyeon had yearned for this moment. The fae caressed her cheek tenderly, still dazed by what had just happened, and answered lovingly.

“Well then, I’m yours.”