... Do you believe in fairies?...

Me? I do believe in them...

     We have been living in this house for a very long time already. Since I was young, we never transferred, though my brothers and I graduated from elementary already, and though my dad got destined to work in a farther place. Mom said we have to stay in this house. We have to take care of this house which is our ancestral home.

 

     On the left side of the house, there are paintings. Some are old and some are new. My mom decided to add more paintings to the wall when they redecorated the house. But when my grandfather was still alive, there was this one painting which he never let anyone touch. He prohibits everyone, even the maids, from touching the painting. Amazingly, the old painting doesn't catch dirt. It never got dirty. Grandpa said we're never allowed to touch it because it contained black magic. Bad spirits will come out of if once it has been touched. I believed Grandpa and his stories.

 

     Now, what's in the painting? Well, if you look at it, it's just an ordinary landscape painting. Field, house and garden. In the garden there are flowers. And in the garden, there is a fairy, a 9-winged fairy. Kinda weird, right? But other than that, the painting really looks ordinary.

 

     If I were younger, I would believe Grandpa. I'll never touch the painting. But I'm older now, and my curiosity kills me, that's why I decided to touch the painting, on the part where the fairy is.

 

"Aaahhh!" It's too bright! It's blinding me! I can't see. I lost consciousness.

 

I felt very light hands pushing me. I opened my eyes, and saw the prettiest angel. I would've really thought I was in heaven if she wasn't wearing a red dress... dress? No, it's not a dress. It's what fairies wear, yes, it is! It's the same thing fairies wear. Could she be... could she be,,, the fairy in the painting?

 

"Are you all right? I'm sorry..." She started.

 

"Yes, I'm fine! I'm fine." I got up, then faced her. I rubbed my eyes.

It's real. It's real. She's real. I can't believe it. She's real.

 

"Uhmmm... Miss? What's your name? Are you the fairy in the painting? How did you come out of there?"

 

"I'm Hana... And yes! I'm the fairy in the painting! I was able to come out of there because of you! Because you touched me!!!" She squealed.

She's too cute.

 

"I'm Zelo. Nice to meet you!"

 

"Ze.Lo. I'm Hana. You're Zelo! Nice to meet you!!!" She squealed again then let out a small laugh.

 

"Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" I asked her.

 

"Hun.Gry? What's that?" She asked with a confused look in her face.

 

"Hungry. It's what people feel when they want to eat something. Hungry." I explained.

 

"Aaahhh. Arasso." She said scratching her head, still trying to comprehend.

 

"Aigoo! You're so cute! Come on! Just come with me! I'm going to get you something to eat."

 

I cooked all my favorites for her. I cooked dukpokki, kimchi and kimbap.

 

"Zelo-ah! What is this? This? And... This?" She asked.

 

"These are ricecakes, this is kimchi, and this is kimbap. I also have a chocolate cake for you. Enjoy!"

 

She ate everything on the table. Maybe in her whole life this is the first time she ever ate.

 

"These are all delicious, Zelo-ah!" She exclaimed while is still full.

 

Suddenly, she choked.

 

"Ahum! Ahem! Ahem! Zelo-ah! I... can't... breathe! Zelo-ah!"

 

"Water? Water! Water, yes, water! Need water, right? I'll just go get you water! Stay here, Hana-ah."

 

I hurried to the refrigerator and got her a glass of cold water.

 

"Ughh! Phew! I thought I'd be dead! Thank you, Zelo-ah!"

 

"You're welcome! Anything... for you... Hana-ah!"

...

"Uhmmm... Hana-ah, do you mind if I tell you that maybe you should go get yourself new clothes?" I asked her.

 

"What? You don't like what I'm wearing?" She pouted her lips and looked at her clothes.

 

"No. No. That's not what I mean... I mean... normal people like me don't wear those kinds of clothes on a usual day. That attire... it fits your world. Here on the mortal world, you should wear clothes like normal people wear." I said.

 

"Is that so?"

 

I nodded.

 

"Then so be it! Hana-ah will have new clothes! Zelo will get me new clothes! Yay!" She giggled.

 

She's really super duper cute!

 

"Yes! I'll buy you new clothes!" I told her.

 

...

     Aside from buying her new clothes and cooking for her, I also taught her how to skate, play tennis, and a lot of stuff humans do. Unbelievably, she doesn't know a lot of words. She's like a little kid.

 

"Hana-ah! Are you having fun?"

 

"Yes. Of course, Zelo-ah! I enjoyed everything we did today!"

 

"These are the stuff that couples usually do?"

 

"Cou.Ple?"

 

"Couple. That means, girlfriend...and boyfriend."

 

"Huh?" She sounded more confused.

 

"If a girl treats a boy really special and he is close to her heart, then he is her boyfriend. And if a boy treats a girl very special, then she is his girlfriend."

 

"You are special to me. I am special to you. Does it mean that I am your girlfriend? And you are my boyfriend?"

 

I was shocked to hear that.

 

"Uhhh... yes! Yes! We are a couple. I am your boyfriend! You are my girlfriend! Yes, that's right!"

 

Her face lit up.

 

"Zelo is my boyfriend!!! And I, Hana... is his girlfriend! We are  a couple! We are a couple!" She looked really very happy.

 

We enjoyed so much during the following days. We went to the theme park.

 

We also watched the sunset and went stargazing... It was really fun being with Hana...

 

...

(At Home)

 

"Zelo-ah, I think I'm overstaying in your world now. I don't belong here. I must go back to my world. You must return me to the painting, or else, dark spirits will come out of there, and they will spread evil in your world. It's very scary. That's why I must go home now." Hana told me.

 

"But, Hana-ah... You... told me that I'm special to you. You said I'm your boyfriend! You said we're a couple! Hana-ah, you are my girlfriend! I can't afford to lose you."

 

"Zelo-ah, if I'm really special to you, then you must keep me within your heart. You'll never forget me. I'll always remain in your memory. But Zelo-ah, I promise you, you'll meet a better girl. She can be a better girlfriend!"

 

"No! Hana-ah! You are my only girlfriend! Don't go!"

 

"We must sacrifice. Zelo-ah." She touched my face. "Dont forget me. I Love you, Zelo-ah." She kissed me.

 

Am I in heaven now?

 

I still can't believe we kissed.

 

But she has to go...back to her world... I have to return her...

 

...

I touched the part of the painting where she was before... and once agin... it lit up. It was too bright. I lost consciousness, just like what happened before.

 

Two hands were pushing me lightly again. When I opened my eyes, I saw the prettiest girl in the world... wait! Am I dreaming? Am I seeing Hana? But...this girl is wearing a simple red dress, she's obviously not a fairy...

 

"Are you all right?" She asked worriedly.

 

"Who... Who... Who are you?" I asked while getting up.

 

"I'm sorry for entering your house without your permission. I am Jo Hana, your new neighbor. I saw you faint a while ago, that's why I worried and decided to go inside...then I saw you here. I'm sorry..."

 

"No, it's fine, Hana-ah! By the way, I'm Zelo. Nice to meet you."

 

I smiled. I can't help but feel so absolutely happy. Hana-ah, is this what you meant when you said that you'll remain in my heart? And that I'll never forget you?

 

I smiled at Jo Hana...then looked over to the painting, where Hana, my 9-winged fairy girlfriend, is.

 

-the END