Yeon Hee cried. She knew. She realized it already. At first she thought it was because she was a princess, but now, she knew it isn’t the reason. She knew he loves her. And she loves him. The arrow seems all wrong. Dara, her bestfriend loves someone else. She loves Il Woo while Il Woo has a torch for Dara.

“I’ll visit the witch.” Il Woo declared.

“What will you give in exchange?”

“Anything.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“You came to have the princess voice back.” the witch eerily spoke as Il Woo approached the witch’s cave. He was not a bit frightened. But he was taken aback that the witch seems to know his reason for coming.

“Yes. You sly witch.” he said grimly.

“Oh boy, I am afraid.” the witch giggled. She approached him walking. He steadied his gaze on her without flinching or withdrawing. “You have a nice fearless eyes.” the witch declared and inched toward his face. It didn’t made Il Woo blink. He remained calm and collected. When the witch tried to caress his face with her hands that has overly long nails which seemed to be as dirty as earth, Il Woo grinned. He used the water to shield him from what looks like infectious hands.

“You dare boy.” the witch stepped back wiping away the salty water from her hands.  The witch knew so well what Il Woo can do. She knew that the pretty boy merman has the power to control any bodies of water. Or liquid per se.

“But pardon me; you don’t have anything I want to give you what you wish for.” the witch turned her back and moved slowly away from Il Woo.

Il Woo’s eyes faltered. For the first time he was scared. Not because of the witch. But because he was afraid that he might not be able to help Dara gain her voice back.

“I’ll give you anything.” Il Woo shouted. He wanted to move closer to the witch but he can’t. The sea only flowed at the middle of the cave and was blocked by dry hard rocks. He made the salty water suspend upward so he can swim beneath the witch. His trick worked.

The witch smiled. A knowing evil smile. She knew she caught him. “Very well.” the witch turned to face Il Woo.

“How about your life?”

Il Woo can’t believe what he heard. But he was ready. Far more ready to give everything just to save Dara. It made the witch almost puke. She hated mermaids for this kind of stuffs. Love. And sacrifices. But she gets what she wants because of this.

“I am ready.” he declared. “But take my life once I have secured that Dara gets her voice back.

The witch let out a hollow laugh. It echoed the whole cave.

“What will your life be of use to me?” the witch asked.

It made Il Woo knit his brows.

“How about give me something that will be worthwhile.”

“Anything. I am willing.”

“How about that pretty little eyes of yours?”

Il Woo closed his eyes. “Yes. You can take it.”

“Very well.”

The witch gave Il Woo a potion. He readily accepted it and made the salt water move back to its original place.

“I shall have your eyes when that potion has made its way to the princess’s throat.” the witch informed him and she was gone.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sulli stirred up from her deep slumber. She saw her older sister brewing something green. Then as she looked at the smoke emerging from the enormous shell, she gasped.

“What have you done?!” she shrieked. Her voice full of horror.