Halloween should be fun, shouldn’t it?

Many people celebrate Halloween. It’s a day when you can disguise yourself as someone else or even something else. The celebration does in many ways. From the classic ‘trick or treat’ that can never be missed, pumpkin crafting that will be put in front of many houses as the Halloween number one decoration, or maybe a horror movies marathon with your friends with sneaky jump scare in between. But there’s one more important tradition, costume parade, that can’t be forgotten.

That goes the same in this elementary school in South Korea. Halloween costume parade has always been the school tradition. Every students will attend a Halloween musical as their most favorite fiction characters, except for the little actress and actors who will be played in the musical with their characters costume. Parents come along to witness how their children perform and spend a quality family time to make the Halloween day merrier and less scary.

Some children love Halloween. But, some do not. Though, many don’t care as long there are candies.

However, this particular student can’t love Halloween more than anyone else. She’s Kim Taeyeon.

---- ---- -----

“Don’t forget to invite your parents to come over on Halloween. Class dismissed!”

With the final spell from the teacher, the noisy creatures are released. But not like the usual days, the students stay a little bit longer in class to discuss or more likely to brag about who they will be dressed tomorrow.

However, Kim Taeyeon who sits on the front row can’t wait to get home. She’s very excited to continue decorating her candy holder for Halloween. She really likes this fiction characters she’s going to dress, but first she needs to get every detail finished.

“What you will be, Taeyeon?”, Tiffany, Taeyeon’s seat mate who Taeyeon befriended with since the first day school, asks.

With an excitement and glittering little brown orbs, Taeyeon’s ponytail swings hard when she happily says, “Jack! I will be Jack Skellington on Halloween!”, a tiny wish sets in her heart that Tiffany will say awesome.

“But you already were last year”, not meeting the reaction she expected, Taeyeon face falls.

“There’s no fun to be the same character twice, TaeTae. How about you become a fairy?”, Tiffany smiles widely upon her new idea of what Taeyeon will be this Halloween.

“But…”, Taeyeon wants to reason. She loves Jack Skellington very much. However, on the other hand, she doesn’t want to disappoint her best friend.

Tiffany continues while packing her stationery, “I will be a princess tomorrow, so you’ll be my fairy! And we will go ‘trick or treat’ together because our theme is a match!”, then she pulls out a stick from her pink side bag. “Use this as your magic stick”, Tiffany hands it to the confused Taeyeon.

Taeyeon can do nothing than accept the weird glittering stick with fur and star on top. She prefers an ordinary black magician stick or even one of Harry Potter’s although she wants Hedwig more as her pet.

“Don’t forget to use pink dress! Mine is pink too! Bye, TaeTae!”, Tiffany adds when she runs out from the class to practice her musical.

Taeyeon doesn’t know how to answer. She keeps silence and waves her hand to the disappearing Tiffany. She starts to pack her own stuffs to her blue backpack. Her hand hesitates to put in the stick Tiffany gave her. But does it in anyway because she doesn’t know how to return it back. Somehow, she doesn’t want to go back to home early today.

“I was Jack O’Lattern last year”

--- ---- ----

“You sure you want this pink dress, Taeyeon?”, Ms.Kim asks once again to her second child. She’s surprised when Taeyeon comes to her and says she wants to become a fairy for this Halloween. She thought she misheard but the fact that the little girl in front of her nods her head makes Ms.Kim knows she didn’t.

“Tiffany’s going to be a princess, so I want to be her fairy, Mom”, Taeyeon asnwers as she sees her Mom’s questioning look.

Ms. Kim offers a soft smile and bends down to Taeyeon’s eyes level, she rubs Taeyeon’s head with love, “Sometimes, Dear.  You have to do what makes you happy. Are you happy dressing as a fairy?”

Taeyeon thinks for a moment. With a reassuring smile, she says, “I’m happy if I can make my bestfriend happy”

Ms. Kim is proud hearing Taeyeon’s selfless answer,“ Then, Let’s go for ice cream after buying this dress”

Kim Taeyeon’s thought to cancel the dress immediately disappears.

---- ----- ----

“Stephanie, Taeyeon’s here”, Taeyeon enters the Hwang’s house after the door opens. She sits on the couch and makes herself home. Countless times she has been here.

A pair of shoes are slapping on the stairs quick and soon Tiffany with her pretty dress appears.

Very pink is what Taeyeon thinks.

 “Slow down, Honey. You walk this quick with those heels and I’m going to put sandals on you”

“Taeyeon’s waiting, Mom”, Tiffany excitedly waves to Taeyeon to say ‘Hi’. She widens her smile when she sees Taeyeon stands up and the pink dress Taeyeon just bought yesterday is revealed.

“You two promise me to walk slowly and safely to school, understood?”, Ms.Hwang fixes Tiffany’s silver tiara.

“Got it, Mom!”, Tiffany reaches for Taeyeon’s hand and her own beautifully decorated candy holder.

“Bye, Ms.Hwang”, Taeyeon manages to say before Tiffany drags her out impatiently.

Tiffany’s house is closer to school and everyday, Taeyeon’s parent will drop her there so both of them can walk to school together. And this evening, they leave early and take their time to drop house by house for ‘trick or treat’.

Once they are a couple of steps from Tiffany’s house, Tiffany lets Taeyeon’s hand go and squeals, “You’re a fairy!”, then she flies to Taeyeon for a hug,” You look so pretty, TaeTae”, she gives a very wide smile until her eyes make a line.

“Thank you. You’re too, Fany”, Taeyeon replies the hug. She knows she’s right that she’ll be happy if her friends are happy. She may not in her favorite Halloween costume right now. However, no matter how uncomfortable she feels with the dress, but if it can brighten up her friend’s smile, that won’t be a big problem to Taeyeon. That’s how important a friend is to her.

“I thought we’re going to school?”, Taeyeon asks when she feels they don’t walk to the right direction.

“We’re going to pick up more friends first”, Tiffany says as they swing their handheld. A clear different style of candy holders on their other hands can be seen. Taeyeon still use the one she planned with her Jack Skellington costume. The Jack Skellington’s head.

Taeyeon’s step stops, she bends her head to the side. “I thought we’re going to do ‘trick and treat’ together?”

“Yes, of course. Along with other friends. The merrier the happier. Isn’t it TaeTae?”, Tiffany turns to Taeyeon.

Taeyeon hangs her head down, “I don’t feel close to them”,. Taeyeon always feels less comfortable with crowdedness. She doesn’t handle it well.

“Don’t worry, TaeTae. There’s me”, Tiffany reassures. ”Moreover, It will be waste if you don’t showing off your dress”

Taeyeon never thinks of bragging her dress. She wears it for her friendship with Tiffany.

“Besides, princess and fairy is always together!”

Taeyeon smiles upon Tiffany’s encouragement words. Although she isn’t so sure if it’s true, but she kinds of believe it.

With hand on hand, they continue their little walk to their friends’ houses and collect some candies alongside.

---- ---- ----

Taeyeon starts to dislike Halloween.

Halloween is usually fun. But, today. It isn’t fun at all.

She decides to walk inside the set when the musical is over. Tiffany did a good job. She always did. Sometimes Taeyeon wonders why the perfect and pretty girl like Tiffany would be friend with her. Taeyeon thinks herself is untalented and weird. She has nothing that she’s good at. No girls in her class plays guns and robots except her.  She doesn’t have pretty dolls. She doesn’t watch Barbie and Disney princesses.  She likes blue better than pink. She has nothing in common with Tiffany.

Taeyeon peeks outside the musical tent. People are on the school’s yard enjoying some booth and attractions done by the sixth graders. They look like they’re having very good time. Including Tiffany and friends. Taeyeon should probably know this is going to be how it goes. She never ever can mingle easily with people. It’s hard for her to make friends fast with strangers. Not like Tiffany who has many friends and popular. Taeyeon, She’s always awkward with new people.

“What are you doing here?”

Taeyeon gasps and turns around. She believes someone just talked behind her. But all she could see is nothing. Only the pitch black hollow. The tent should be empty after the musical and everything has been turned off, including the sound system. The only source of light is the thin gap of fabric behind her. Taeyeon dares not to speak. She breathes as quiet as she can. She still tries to search whoever talked just now, but the darkness wins.

A few noises from her left could be heard. Taeyeon walks to the right by reflex. Her eyes, widen by fear, frantically searches for someone in the thin layer of light. She keeps walking backward and backward to avoid whatever in front of her. It gets quieter now, and Taeyeon stops.

Her mind says she should get out from the tent. Immediately.

No. Now.

Taeyeon runs as fast as her shaking legs could take her. But she’s tripped right before she’s able to reach the exit