Loves Me Not

Strange Dreams, Stranger Realities

Once upon a time, in a land called South Korea, there lived a prince. This prince had been cursed by an evil wizard who took away his voice and made him appear ugly to everyone around him. Distraught, the prince locked himself away in a small castle surrounded by flowers. The prince loved flowers, so his days all alone were spent peacefully tending to them.

Once day, a beautiful princess happened upon the prince's castle and got caught by a pack of wolves. The prince rescued the princess and fell in love with her at first sight. However, the prince couldn't tell her that he loved her, because his voice had been stolen and his appearance distorted. The prince realized that he needed to break his curse.

The prince went into the deep dark forest to find a special rose. This rose was no ordinary flower. It had special powers that would grant its owner eternal happiness. It was found only in one place; in a small dead valley hidden in the forest. They said that animals went there to die and that no plants could stay alive in that place's soil, save for that rose.

The prince travelled day and night and finally discovered the valley but to his dismay, he found a witch's hovel right in the middle of it, guarding the place. The witch was a terrifying creature with long silky hair and cold, lifeless eyes. Lips red as blood and wide and full. Nails as black as her heart.

"If you want the magical rose, you must give appropriate payment."

The prince laid out all of the riches he had with him in front of the witch. Jewels that glinted in the light. Gold coins and a single flower. A calla lilly; white with a long stalk. The prince only carried it around with him for luck. It was a symbol of his faithfulness to the princess.

Out of all of these, the witch picked up the lilly. She turned it this way and that, staring at it in wonder.

"What's this?"

The prince looked perplexed. He couldn't speak. How could he tell the witch that it was a lilly. The witch then suddenly cackled.

"I can read minds, your Highness." She said. "A lilly you say. Very well. You may have the rose. It will break your curse and turn you back into a boring, old prince."

The prince felt delighted. The witch approached him and surprised him by taking a hold of his neck. She pulled him close and kissed him. Her soft lips pressing against his.

The prince was too shocked to move. But then he came to his senses and pushed the witch away.

"Why did you—" The prince stopped as he heard his own voice. The curse had been broken. He could speak again.

He looked at the witch. Her face guarded and reserved, revealing nothing yet still holding a question he couldn't read. He stared at her lips. Red as blood. Wide and full. Looking like flower petals.

Oh you're the rose. The prince realized.

"Gah!" Han Seojun woke up with a start, sweating and panting. He clutched his beating heart that felt like it would jump out at any second. What a strange dream that had been. He rubbed his hair, surprised at finding half of it gone.

Then he remembered the makeover he had been given the day before. Kang Sujin dragging him around and forcing him to model clothes. Lim Jukyung putting makeup on him, making him look better than before.

Seojun licked his lips, surprised at finding his ring still there. He'd forgotten to take off his piercings again. Or had he? When had he gone to bed? How had he gone to bed?

The last thing he remembered was sending Lim Jukyung off to her home after dinner. After that it was all blank. He knew he had drunk soju at some point. Because he was fighting a slight hangover just now. But he couldn't recall what had happened exactly.