Chapter 21 – The Wise Fairies

I smile, close my eyes and take the leap. The leap of faith. The leap of faith that it takes to fall for someone. And even though we’ve gone through the oddest experience of switching bodies, it’s all over now. We have our bodies back and we’ve stuck through the whole ordeal together. Somehow.

This is much more than i can say for any other relationship or love interest I’ve ever had. And when I think about the people I’ve dated in the past, none of them have given me the kind of butterflies that Yuri gives me. I remember how safe she made me feel as she tended to me after saving me. I remember how comfortable I was on our first and only date to date. Somehow, I know. I know that we’re meant to be together.

Our skins are touching now. Every inch of it. Nothing is between us. And it feels more incredible than anything I can imagine. I’m burning for her. Burning.

I twist and entangle my legs between hers, feeling her silky smooth skin up against mine.

“Sica..”

My lips curl in response to her husky moan.

“Yuri…”

Our hands join and lips embrace. Everything is beautiful. Perfect. Despite the reason behind this. This is everything I want and more.

BOOM!

A cloud of rainbow sparkles descend around us.

I scream. Yuri screams.

“OH MY GOSH HYOYEON WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!”

I grab at the sheets to cover myself. Yuri is trying to pick up her clothes from the floor.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Hyoyeon covers her eyes and shrieks when I kick her off the bed. “But the wise fairies want you! They’ll fix the problem!”

“Hyoyeon…we were fixing the problem until you came along!”

“No, no, no. The wise fairies say that it’s bad for you if you go through with it.”

“What?! You were the one who said this is our only solution.”

“One of the wise fairies says she knows a secret spell to undo it.”

“You’re totally unbelievable Hyoyeon!”

I run my hands through my hair as my frustration swells and pleads for an exit from within. Yuri isn’t helping with her arms wrapping around me from behind and it is all I can do to keep from slapping her hands away.

“You gotta come with me, the wise fairies will help you.”

“Well, why didn’t they help us earlier, huh? Huh! Why are they only helping us now!”

“Because things just got serious.”

“You mean, switching bodies isn’t serious enough? On the contrary, I think this spell isn’t even half as bad as the one you cast on us.”

Yuri’s lips are roving over my neck as I speak but I’m barely aware of them as I rant at Hyoyeon.

“This spell is dark, Jessica. The wise fairies are horrified that it was used. Seulji is in big trouble but so will you if you don’t come with me.”

“Dark? What do you mean, dark?”

“It’s a forbidden spell. It’s evil. It will consume the both of you.”

“Okay…now you’re scaring me.” I slap Yuri’s hands hard and she yelps as she pulls them away. “Stop it Yuri. Get dressed to go see the wise fairies.”

I try to get off the bed but Yuri won’t let me.

“Help,” she says and Hyoyeon nods, reciting the incantation to freeze her again.

“I’ll be outside,” she says once Yuri is frozen. “Please get dressed quickly.”

With that, Hyoyeon leaves the bedroom awkwardly (her eyes are still covered) and shuts the door to give us some privacy. I turn back to Yuri and am struck by the comical sight of Yuri sitting very still and straight without a stitch of clothing on her. I can’t stop myself as giggles take over me and I collapse on the bed from laughter that brings tears to my eyes.

“Sica…” Yuri whines and I laugh even harder than before. Oh gosh. This is really something…hahaha…

Since she is frozen and unable to move her limbs, I grin and crawl to her like a cat. The heat within me lingers and seeing her in the reignites it a little.

“Yuri…” I breathe as I trace my finger down her jawline to her neck and across her bare shoulders. “We’ll continue this some other time, I promise.”

Yuri pouts and I giggle. She’s cute and I adore how she looks but it’s time to get the both of us dressed fit for wise fairies so I plant a gentle kiss on her lips before picking up our clothes from the floor.

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These are wise fairies? They look like…people…like Hyoyeon…huh…

Hyoyeon had joined hands with us and chanted a strange incantation which created a curious twisting sensation in my guts and blinded us with an intense burst of light. When my vision returned to me, I found myself standing in a bright room that is completely white and bare.

Now, as I stand here staring at the nine wise fairies who look anything but wise, feelings of doubt flood my mind. Are they really able to undo the spell that Seulji cast on Yuri? Will they harm Yuri? They’ll have me to deal with if they do.

They look pretty young to me to begin with. Somehow, I was expecting to see grandmother fairies or something, not fairies who look and dress like a twenty-year-olds on the street. On of them even sports a pixie-cut, wearing her hair short like a boy and wavey, strands of pink. Granted that there are a couple of them who look more mature, it’s still odd and unsettling and not at all comforting.

“We may look young, but trust me, we’re not. It is our attitude that influences our outlook, not time, and since we are magical, we operate quite differently from humans although we are born and will eventually die, just like you do.”

The wise fairy who is speaking to me is smiling so I know that she’s not offended by my thoughts but it is unsettling to have your thoughts read so thoroughly. But she looks intelligent, her eyes sharp with wit and lips pursed like they withhold secrets of the universe.

“Not to worry, it is a spell that I can deactivate when I don’t need it. But it is my gift so I will not misuse it. Rest assured.”

“O-Okay…”

“Now, we need to rid Kwon Yuri of the evil spell that has been cast upon her.”

Another wise fairy with silky brown tresses steps forward and rolls the sleeves of her white cotton shirt up. “I am ready.”

I release Yuri’s hand which has remained in mine all this time and watch as she is magically transported to the brunette wise fairy. The mind-reading wise fairy moves towards them and places her palms on Yuri’s head while the other palms Yuri’s heart. Then, they chant.

It sounds like curious whispers that would freak you our on a stormy night and their voices start out low but gradually get higher and higher until they’re practically squeaking. Yuri is shaking and I want nothing more than to give her a hug but Hyoyeon is right by me, holding my arm to comfort me.

The whole procedure is rather disturbing and I’m glad for her company and silent support but the image of Yuri’s eyes rolling till her whites show will probably be stuck in my mind for a while. Unable to bear the sight of Yuri in this state, I shut my eyes and cover my ears. The chanting goes on for a while until I hear a shout. Shocked by the sudden shout, I open my eyes just in time to see Yuri slumping to the floor and into the arms of the mind-reading wise fairy.

“Yuri!” I cry out and move towards her without much thought or deliberation. All I want is for Yuri to be okay. “Is she okay? What did you do to her!”

The mind-reading wise fairy allows me to cradle Yuri in my arms and steps back.

“Don’t cry, Jessica. Kwon Yuri is alright now. We’ve removed the spell completely.”

Cry? I didn’t realize I was crying. Oh gosh. My tears are falling on Yuri’s cheek. Yes, I’m crying. I’m crying for many reasons. Reasons that I don’t even know about. But there is a strange sense of relief that is sweeping through my mind and a sense of fatigue sets into my body. It is all very strange but I take no heed of it. Yuri, I need Yuri to be alright.

“Now,” says the mind-reading wise fairy who is obviously the leader of the pack, “…bring out Seulji.”

Another two wise fairies click their fingers immediately and just like that, Seulji appears between them.

Woah. This is magic…

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The mind-reading fairy looks intimidating with her fiery eyes piercing through Seulji’s and I shiver even though she isn’t looking at me. I certainly wouldn’t want to cross paths with her!.

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I was only doing what I was told.”

“I’m sure you were not told to use forbidden spells.”

“You wouldn’t be singing the same tune if Hyoyeon hadn’t messed it up.”

“You should be thankful that Hyoyeon cast that spell on them by mistake.”

“It messed up my plans totally. It took me a while to find out about the magic in them. Then, I had to come up with a plan to reverse it. But the only solution would take too long so I came up with the idea of switching them completely. It was a brilliant plan, except for one problem.”

“You didn’t foresee your spell actually helping to reverse the body switch.”

Seulji glares at Hyoyeon right then, her anger apparent in her eyes. “It was too complicated. I overlooked that.”

“Actually, everything that you’ve said up till now is forgiveable in view of the grand scheme of things but the one thing that I severely object to and see a serious problem with is the fact that you used a forbidden spell.”

Seulji says nothing, her anger fuming from her in heat waves.

“The clever and creative use of spells is something that is laudable but the use of a forbidden spell if unspeakable. We cannot let you go without punishment.”

“Just tell me what it is and quit the high and mighty talk,” snaps Seulji. She folds her arms and sulks, turning into an angry pout.

“We thought that you are eager to learn and ambitious to experience. Clearly, we have missed something in you. You must learn the basis and purpose of spells. You show no remorse in your actions and it saddens me because this means it will take longer for you to learn the error of your ways. I thereby impose the ban of magic on you until your teachers deem you ready to use magic again.”

Seulji’s jaw drops and her eyes are open so wide that I’m sure they’re about to pop out.

“What?! No! You can’t take my magic away from me!”

“I’m not taking anything away from you other than freedom. Freedom is awarded only to those who know how to use it. As such, your freedom in the use of magic will be revoked indefinitely.”

“No!!!” Seulji cries and stamps her foot on the ground. “No!!! I did nothing wrong!!! It’s all Hyoyeon’s fault!!!”

“Hyoyeon saved you, Seulji. Even if she didn’t mean to. If you have gone through with Libidinis and mated with Yuri, she would have been destroyed, her soul, a slave to the spell forever. She would have turned into an insatiable woman, desperate and easily manipulated by others.”

Seulji looks a little stunned by this revelation but the shock of it all hits me hard. Oh dear, if Yuri and I had mated…it would’ve been unthinkable!

I’m thanking my lucky stars when Seulji is brought to Yuri and I.

“Apologize to them, for the trouble you have caused.”

Seulji’s eyes are hard when she looks at the both of us and it seems as though she’s not going to apologize but she surprises me when she bows suddenly.

“I am sorry, Kwon Yuri and Jessica Jung. And mainly to Kwon Yuri for endangering you to achieve my goals.”

Yuri appears to be as stunned as I am and she stutters when she says, “A-Apology…accepted.”

I smile at Yuri, my kind Yuri. I’m glad that she’s free from the horrible spell now. So glad.

“Good. It seems that you are more privy to the dire consequences that spell would have brought. There is hope for you yet. I’ll see you soon, Seulji, and I hope that you will have learnt your lesson, truly.”

Seulji is led out of the room and I heave a sigh of relief. Even in the presence of the wise fairies whom I know will protect us, I can’t help but be on my toes around her. It’s a natural defence mechanism, I suppose, that makes me wary of her.

The mind-reading wise fairy comes to Yuri and I and embraces us one at a time. There’s something about her hug that is magical, that heals from within and I can feel warmth blossoming all over my body as my lips stretch into a smile.

“Dear Jessica and Yuri, your fates are entwined, it’s written in the stars and that has protected you but seeing the way you would sacrifice for each other has warmed my heart and soul.”

She embraces us once again and her eyes absolutely sparkle with delight as she continues, “Thank you for being so strong for each other and opening my eyes to the beauty in this world. Magic isn’t the answer to low fertility rates after all. We must look into the matter more deeply and find out the real root of the problem.”

“Y-You’re welcome…” says Yuri and I giggle. She’s so adorable to me, So adorable and kind. My heart warms for her, beats for her, lives for her.

“I will send you back but before that, I am going to put a spell to bind the fairy secrets within you. With this spell, you will never speak of what you have seen today to any non-fairy. Is that alright with you?”

I look and Yuri as I nod. She’s nodding too.

“Good. I shall cast the spell then.”

The mind-reading fairy closes her eyes and mutters softly under her breath:

Constringo, let it be unsaid,
Constrixi, let it be unspoken,
Constrictum, let it go unmentioned,
Thus deep within, thy secrets lay dormant,
Never to be knowledge passed on thereafter.

I had closed my eyes when the fairy began the spell but I can’t resist taking a peek at Yuri so I open one eye just a fraction and turn my head very slightly. Yuri’s eyes are closed and her expression, sincere. I am tickled pink by her and unable to tear my eyes away from her. Soon, the spell is done and Yuri opens her eyes to see me grinning at her. She smiles shyly and I find myself falling for her all over again.

Oh, Yuri, so dear and kind, I can’t wait to make you mine.

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