I awoke the next morning laying on my side. I held the strange scale blanket closely as I shivered from the cold. I was alone. Had it been a dream? Am I going crazy from fatigue? A small trail of smoke rose from the dead fire, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. The lake was still; as was the forest...it was too quiet.

Slowly, I got to my feet, making my way to the shore, careful not to disturb the peace. "...Tae Min?" I crouched to my knees, lowering my head to inspect the water's surface. After a few moments...nothing. 

I rose, deciding to look around the ruins. The remains of what seemed to be a house was scattered near the far end of the lake. As I neared it, I discovered a string hung lowly between two large rocks, a shirt and shorts loosely thrown over. So it was real... My eyes wandered to the middle of the lake, the sun reflecting off the surface. 

"Where did he go...?" I walked back to the shore, crossing my legs under me and leaning back on my arms. It was still strangely quiet; not even birds were here. "I guess she really didn't want him found...not even by animals..."

Splash

"Y-you're still here..." I pulled myself up, finding myself face to face with Tae Min. "...this makes me happy."

He smiled sincerely, pulling himself forward, close enough to hold on to me if he wanted. 

"Of course! I told you I wouldn't leave..." I smiled back, trying to look reassuring. "Do you think...there's a way to, you know, break this curse of yours?"

I couldn't stay here forever...but, I could never live with myself if I left him. It was strange; I hardly knew him, yet I felt as if I were bound to him somehow. It wasn't purely coincidence that I happened to find him, after all.

"If there was, how would I know? I can't even remember what my life was like before this lake. I'm surprised I remember myself..."

"There has to be something. Would you mind telling me what you do know...?"

He sighed. "I don't think it'd be much help..."

"Well...my cou- friend had a book of fairy tales she would make me read all the time. Whenever a curse was involved, it was usually broken with something, well, kind of dumb..."

"Like what?"

"A...kiss."

"Kiss? That's too easy. I mean, I could kiss you right now and nothing would happen...probably..." His cheeks flushed lightly.

"Obviously it has to be special...what was it? True love or something? I mean, it was usually a prince kissing his beloved princess to wake her up from a poisoned apple or a magic induced coma or something."

"...True love, is it?"

"Hm? Does someone...come to mind?" My heart paused for a moment; what was this feeling? Jealousy? No, I hardly knew this guy. I was just...infatuated.

"H-huh? Not really..." he paused, looking away from me. "Well, there was this one girl...but it was years ago; we were barely ten..."

"Wahh, you can't do that! It isn't faaaaair!" He pouted, pointing at her skirt. "You're a girl; I'm not allowed to hit you back!"

"Hehe, well then I win!" She spun around in a circle, giggling in triumph. "That means you have to do whatever I tell you!"

"B-but...you cheated!!" 

"Cheated?" She looked at him with innocent eyes. "But...I was born this way!"

"Hmph. Fine. What do you want?" 

"Easy! Follow me!" She took his hand, leading him out of the city limits to the woods. "Come with me...in there."

"...She was my only friend, I think. I can only remember bits and pieces...but, I'm not sure what happened to her..." He furrowed his brows, sadness seeping into his eyes. How did he live before this, I wonder?

"How old are you now...? Maybe I could find her...somehow," 

"Me? Nineteen. Ha, if I was still a prince, it'd be almost time to take the throne as king."

"Do you miss it? I mean, do you miss what you remember?"

"I couldn't say. I barely remember anything at all."

"There has to be a way...I swear, I'll find it."

"Promise?"

He held his pinky up, a tradition from the Old Times. As strange as it was, interlocking pinkies bound the owners to their promise, the magic of today made sure of it. 

"Promise."

I locked my pinky with his, feeling a strange tingling run from where we were touching through my arm all the way to the core of my body. I couldn't break this promise even if I tried.

"You have to promise, okay?"

"What, like...promise promise?"

"Yup!" She held her pinky up, grabbing his wrist with her other hand. Once their hands met, she smiled, letting go of his hand and waving goodbye.

A/N: Kind of short, but the plot is still kind of developing in my head. I have the gist of it, but I'm working out the smaller details. Woop woop!