soul switch│ j.jk ✔

t w e n t y - s i x

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"we have to work this out together, eru," jungkook said, looking at me in the eye, "or else, this might become a permanent thing and that's the last thing i don't want to happen in my life."

i looked away from his penetrating gaze.
jungkook's right. i can't do this on my own.
"i loved taehyung so much." i mumbles.

"i thought it was a mere crush." jungkook replied.

"i loved him so much i wanted him all for myself. i knew someone who could brew a potion for me to make tae love me back. i followed her instructions and she strictly told me the potion should taste sweet. the potion didn't taste anything near sweet. i was so afraid that night that i didn't know what to do. i hoped for the best and this is what happened instead. i don't know what i should do next. i can't confess to him that i like him with this state."

jungkook didn't look at me judgingly. he just.. looked at me. read my emotions. heard my quivering voice. saw my weak self.
"i don't understand how could go this far for the sake of taehyung feelings. it's like your begging for someone's attention just because they couldn't return yours," jungkook retorted,
"it's like begging someone to stay when they wanted to leave already."

i slowly looked up at him.
just to see him. feel his emotions a little more. hear his quivering voice a little more.
see his weak self.
"i—"

"you're one hell of a stupid girl."

"i'm sorry i got you dragged into this." i mumbled, looking down.

"that someone you know," jungkook said, "we should come see her. ask what to do next."

"yeah, sure."

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the afternoon sunlight illuminated jungkook's face in a weird yet calming way. i noticed it as i was looking at my mirror i grabbed from my bag. jungkook's bag was incredibly weightless. it's as if he's carrying nothing but himself every school day.

i told him to contact my driver so he could drive us to manang bola's house.
i told him everything he needed to say and do so my driver won't notice anything suspicious.
"please don't tell mom and dad about this." jungkook said, in my calm voice.

upon reaching outside, jungkook instructed him to wait for us outside. i raised my hand and knocked on the door.
again, the old man showed up, surprised that someone was with me.
"manang bola's been awaiting for your return."

"i'm sorry i took long." i replied. he opened the door much wider for the both of us.

"manang bola's upstairs in her brewing room." i nodded and went upstairs, jungkook tailing behind me.

"this house is creepy as fuck." jungkook muttered under his breath but i still heard him. like him, i felt chills but amazement at the same time knowing it was my first time seeing witchcraft firsthandedly.

as i slowly swung the door open, i saw manang bola rummaging through her shelves filled with thick old books and cobwebs. a few books fell down but she didn't even think about picking it up nor looking back.
"manang bola?"

when she whirled around, bloodshot eyes and a mouth agape greeted me. i was taken aback and jungkook held my arm pulling me behind his (my small) body.
"OH, FOR PETE'S SAKE!" she hissed before cackling, running around the room. jungkook did not let me go until manang bola finally sat down on her large single couch.

"BRING ME THE BLUE BOTTLE!" she screeched and in came the old man, carrying a long bottle with blue, bubbling liquid.
"OUT YOU GO!" she said, shooing him away.

"uhm, manang—"

twisiting the cap, she flicked it off and chugged everything down in one go. manang bola gave out a satisfied sigh after finishing the whole liquid.
she looked at me and smiled. her mood was back as well as her facial features.
"ah, the young lady is back." she said, looking straight at me.

"i'm sorry."

"i see the potion somehow reversed its purpose and substance, therefore giving you a different outcome. i was sure i followed the right instructions." manang bola mumbled.

"manang—"

manang bola swiftly stood up and went back to the shelves and picked up the book she used when i asked her to brew a potion for me.
"the steps are as i remember them. what went wrong?" she said, gently tapping the page of the book.

"uhm—"

"you messed up the ingredient, didn't you?" i looked down immediately in shame.

"i'm sorry manang. my carelessness brought me to this."

"looking at both of you, it seems that the souls in your body had switched after the potion took effect 8 hours after you drank it." manang bola said, keenly looking at jungkook and i.

"is there any way we could do to turn us back to normal?" jungkook asked.

"reversing the potion's effect is something we sorceress simply cannot do. in simpler terms, you either deal with or we make another potion that will act as an antidote and kill the substance and the effect of the potion."

"why not do the latter instead?" he asked.

"creating a potion made as an antidote for a potion as strong as a love potion takes years to make. a century—even a millenium."

i felt my knees weaken at manang bola's words.

"oh, maybe you should try doing the fairytale thing were a kiss solves all the princess' problem. it might work, who knows. until then, i have to come up with an antidote enough for both of you."