Third Person

[Flashback]
— Year 1998

It was April 3, 1998, the day where Seonghwa was born. His parents, Joohee and Hwaseong Park, brought him home after they got discharged from the hospital.

Joohee Park grinned radiantly when she saw all the decorations hanging inside the living room. It felt like a baby shower but now they are welcoming Seonghwa as a new member of their family.

They were all so happy.

Hwaseong's mother walked up to her daughter-in-law and cooed at the little infant on her arms.

"My oh my, sweetie! He really looks like you!" The older exclaimed in excitement, pertaining to Joohee and she just giggled at her husband.

Hwaseong pouted and placed his arm around his wife's waist. "But Mom, he looks more a lot like me."

His mother sassily cut him off, "Shush there, son. He's too cute to look like you." She jokingly said and Hwaseong playfully rolled his eyes.

Everyone was fascinated at the new born's features. Seonghwa's skin was delicately soft and his lips were formed into a pout which everyone can't help but stare in awe on how cute the baby was.

Joohee just smiled at her husband when he mumbled, "I love you."

"I love you too." She replied. Hwaseong smiled from ear to ear and kissed her temple.

They're happy... or so they thought.

Suddenly, they heard a glass shattering. Everyone jumped and got startled at the sound of the glass breaking into pieces. Joohee immediately looked to the direction of that sound and spotted her...dead sister?

Joohee placed her baby on the crib and walked to where her sister was standing. Pure shock with a mixture of confusion is written on her face.

"M-Minji?" Joohee stammered, she was about to touch the latter but was abruptly pulled back by her husband.

"Miss me, traitor?" The grey haired lady named Minji faced her sister with an evil grin.

"H-How are y-you a-ali—"

"How am I alive?" Minji interrupted with a dark chuckle, "I'm not alive, sis. You're seeing and talking to a dead person right now, Joohee."

Those words sent chills down to Joohee's spine. She hugged her husband as she was absolutely terrified at the sight of her dead sister's soul. She held on to Hwaseong tighter for she might feel like fainting anytime soon.

Hwaseong glared at the grey haired woman, "What are you doing here, Minji?"

The said lady snickered at Hwaseong's question, "Now, now, my dear Hwaseong, why are you mad? Shouldn't be the other way around?" Minji put her fakest yet innocent pout. "I should be the one angry at you two, for cheating on me! For having an affair behind my back!"

Hwaseong gulped but still continued in a very harsh voice, "That's three years ago, Minji! Move on and leave us alone!"

The flame on Minji's eyes were evident, her blood boiled when she heard those words then scoffed after.

Joohee was taken aback when the grey-haired woman suddenly chokes Hwaseong indirectly. Joohee was surprised and amazed that Minji has the ability to choke someone using her mind.

"Minji, stop it!" Joohee yelled but the latter just threw the raven-haired man to the side of the room, leaving everyone in the room completely shock.

Joohee gasped and ran to where Hwaseong was. "Are you okay?" She asked with a worried expression on her face while Hwaseong just hissed at the pain.

Hwaseong's parents glared at Minji on what she did to their son. His mother was about to slap her but Minji took to the opportunity to freeze everything and everyone that surrounds her, excluding Hwaseong, Joohee and the baby.

Minji walked to the crib to examine the baby carefully.

Joohee noticed this after she pulled Hwaseong up from the ground, "Don't even take a step closer to my son!" Joohee scolded but Minji just laughed on how powerless the two are.

"Shut the fuck up, sister." Minji rolled her eyes and tried to choke Seonghwa but Hwaseong immediately pulled the grey-haired lady away of the crib.

"Don't you fucking hurt my son! Seonghwa didn't do anything to you so leave us alone!" Hwaseong scolded this time.

"Look, I'm sorry when I told you that I don't love you anymore. I didn't cheat on you, I was just honest with you about my feelings and I think it is the right thing to do than lie to you. I didn't mean to hurt you and I never intended to hurt you, Minji." Hwaseong sighed in frustration, "I swear Minji, I did love you. But not anymore. Please don't blame Joohee. It was completely my fault. But that's in the past, right? Please Minji, I am begging you to stop this revenge thing that you are planning to do to us. We want to live a happy life with our new baby. Please let us go."

Minji felt the hot tears strolling down to her cheek. "What did I do wrong, Hwa? Wasn't I enough?" Minji sobbed it all out.

"Minji..."

The said woman glared at the couple, "No! That didn't change the fact that you guys hurt me, especially you Hwaseong! You betrayed me, Joohee! I want you guys to suffer as much as I had suffered before!" Minji yelled with tears still visible on her eyes.

Joohee couldn't help but cry at her statement. She never want to steal Hwaseong away from Minji, she just love him like the way Minji used to love him.

"I ended my life to stop the pain, but now look at me, I'm the goddess of revenge." The grey haired woman smirked, "Joohee, you stole someone I loved away from me. Now, it's time for me to end your son's life so you would know what it feels like."

"No!" Joohee was about to stop her but Minji freezed both Hwaseong and Joohee at their initial place.

Minji took the opportunity to choke the baby...

But...

Seonghwa's doe eyes lit up and unknowingly looked at Minji innocently. The baby's small but pouty lips formed into a crescent smile and began to let out a soft giggle.

Minji's heart melt at the baby's actions. She bit her own lip as she pierced her gaze on Seonghwa's petite body. Minji brought her hand to scrutinize the baby's delicate skin.

I can't do it.

Minji thought.
She can't kill the baby, he's her nephew. Hwaseong is right, Seonghwa is not at fault. He seemed like a happy baby and she doesn't want to wipe that smile off his face.

Minji sighed and placed her hand on Seonghwa's forehead.

"Instead of killing you, i'll give you a challenge." Minji stated and closed her eyes before whispering, "You have to marry your soulmate before you turn twenty." She added before removing her hand away from Seonghwa's forehead.

Minji unfroze Hwaseong and Joohee. Joohee immediately ran to Seonghwa and carried him on her arms.

Joohee pressed her hand on the infant's forehead. "What did you do to him?"

"You're lucky I can't kill babies," Minji huffed out, "So, I gave your son a chance to find his true love. I don't want him to end up like me.

If he marries his fated soulmate before the age of twenty then the curse will be gone forever. If he doesn't, then all of your lives will be expired the next day he reaches that peak."

"W-What do you mean soulmate? How can we find that person? It seems like it's impossible!" Hwaseong complained, still couldn't believe it.

Minji smirked, "Exactly. That's for your son to find out, sister. A challenge won't hurt, am I right?" She replied bluntly as she dramatically dust off some dirt off her white dress.

"I'll be watching every move you make." The grey haired woman warned before disappearing out of the couple's sight.

As Minji disappeared, everyone went back to normal. Light started to approach them and the people surround them, including Hwaseong's parents, dropped to the floor as they were too uneasy because of standing for so long.

Hwaseong's mother ran to the couple and asked with rage, "W-What happened? Where is that bitch? Where is she?!"

Joohee gave an reassuring but faint smile. "It's okay, mother. She won't harm us, especially Seonghwa." She told her but with anxiousness evident in her tone.

Hwaseong tried to calm his wife down by hugging her petite figure for comfort. The couple just glanced at their baby who was just smiling, unconsciously knowing what happened a while ago.

—

[Flashback]
— Year 2003

The five year old Seonghwa ran to his mother after exiting the daycare then kissed his mother's cheek.

"Aigoo~ do you miss me that much, sweetie?" Joohee cupped her son's cheek and Seonghwa nodded vigorously in excitement.

"Mommy! I met two new friends today! Their names are Kang Lia and Kang Yeosang." Seonghwa exclaimed and Joohee just let out a grin.

"That's great darling, you can tell me all about it when we get home, alright?" Joohee said and held the child's hand while walking to their car.

When the two of them entered the car, Seonghwa spoke, "Mommy, I felt weird seeing one of them."

Joohee stopped her pace and slowly looked at her son, "What do you feel, baby?" She knelt down to reach Seonghwa's level.

"I felt tingles when I am close with them, mommy."

—

Joohee couldn't sleep after what Seonghwa said a while ago at the parking lot. She was thinking that what felt might be part of the soulmate bonding. Could it be...Seonghwa already found his soulmate?

Joohee left the room to drink a glass of water. When he turned the kitchen lights on, she was startled at a familiar figure.

"M—Minji?"

"Nice to see you again, sister. It's been five years, am I correct?" The grey haired woman had her infamous smirk plastered on her face.

"W-What are you doing here, Minji?"

Minji just snickered at the human's question.

"Well, I'm just here to tell you that your son had finally found his soulmate."

—

yay! another chapter done! i hope you guys understand the backstory of the parks and how the curse begun :>

and pls don't even say minji is the girl version of mingi 💀 pls just no 😭