Trials of the Good and Evil

CHAPTER ONE: MAGIC SHOP

Children let go of their grips on their mother's long dresses and scurried over in their favorite place, the library. The Magic Shop library has been running for decades and decades. Owned by an old woman who was a book-worm herself.

"Good Afternoon Ms. Lee!" The kids greeted one by one as they sat on the mat near the library's fireplace. Afternoon wasn't 'playing tag-time' nor 'chatting with your friends-time' but they considered it as, "Story-time!" They berated all at once.

Old Miss Lee chuckled and opened the book she had on her arms. "Let me tell you the tale of a kind Beauty and a ferocious Beast!" She started off. Time unwinded so fast that the children didn't want Ms. Lee to say, "....The End."

"Awww!" The children cooed.

"Now, now, any questions regarding the story?" Miss Lee chuckled. Then a bunch of small arms raced up in the air. "You, Miss Yuri?"

The little girl stood up, "How do you be a princess?" She smiled sweetly and asked.

"Same question as her Miss!" Many said that. Fortunately most girls had one same question.

"'How to be a princess?' Hmm..." The lady caressed her chin. "But you're all princesses! And princes!" She added, "Princess and prince of your queen mother, and king father."

"But I want to be a princess who lives in a castle! And has a prince who'd finally complete her happily ever after!" The 7 year-old girls sighed like real princesses. Every girl did wish for a Prince Charming and their wishes were absolutely impeccable!

Except a quite girl sitting farthest of them all. She had her hair down on her warm sweater. "I don't want to be a princess." Seven-year old Kim Jisoo said as she stood up. "I want to be the one who writes the stories! The one who'll write the prince and princess's happily ever after!"

It was clear to Miss Lee that this little girl had different dream from everyone else. "That is one nice aspiration of yours Miss Kim Jisoo." Miss Lee smiled at her.

"But how do you write such stories Miss Lee?" The little girl asked, "Except the Grimms' Fairytale Stories. You read as some books that aren't actually known by the whole wide world!" Jisoo asked inquisitively.

Miss Lee smiled, "I don't write those amazing stories and give them happily ever afters. I'm only an owner of Magic Shop Library." She said, "I guess...that question is for you to answer, young girl~"

You could possibly triangulate the amount of questions young Jisoo has on her face. But she just remained silent and listened to Miss Lee, that she herself must find the answer to her question.

***

And from a not so once upon a very, very long time, Jisoo grew up to be the lovely and valiant girl she was. "Good Morning Miss Park! What a lovely day isn't it Mr. Shin?" She greeted everyone as she had two copies of the classic science-fiction genre, Frankenstein. "Good Morning Miss Lee!" She said as she entered the bookshop. Her home.

"Good Morning as well, Jisoo!" Miss Lee greeted back.

Jisoo grew up without having to meet or know her parents. So, Miss Lee was the one who took care of her ever since she was a baby. Growing up with books and novels as her siblings didn't seem a lonely life for Jisoo.

"I can't believe how fast you've grown. You're 18 Jisoo! 18!" The old woman overwhelmingly berated. "Not to mention, you're of age to marry~"

Jisoo groaned, "Miss Lee~" She laughed. "I don't want to get married!" Jisoo berated. "Just like you~ I mean you're not married but your happy, self-complacent, and-"

"Grew old and lonely!" Miss Lee contradicted her, "Marriage is not all about the lovey-dovey happy ever afters we read in books. But as you know, Kings need Queens. And Queens need Kings~"

"Kings need Queens but Queens don't need Kings!" Jisoo chuckled as she corrected the lady, "And most kings just need queens for a true royal-blooded heir."

Miss Lee sighed, "Some of them. But some of them really do love their queens. And I want you to find someone who'd wait for you like a prince does. And treats you his queen, like a king does~" She caressed Jisoo's face.

Jisoo smiled and sighed, "Miss Lee~ I don't want to get married with someone I'm not sure with." She said, "And...18? Really Ma'am?" She laughed. "I am just a young adult!"

Miss Lee sighed, "I didn't say you get married with a random guy and that's ridiculous! What I meant is, to...get to know boys here in our village!"

Jisoo put back the two copies of Frankenstein at the shelf for the sci-if section. "No thanks Miss Lee. Though I appreciate your concern." She smiled at her, "I'll be at my apartment to type a story or two. Tell the boys I'm busy pursuing my dreams~" She winked at Miss Lee and went out of Magic Shop.