Cherry entered her penthouse, ready for a hot shower. She lived by herself in one of the most expensive apartment buildings in Seoul. It was a large, airy house overlooking the Hann River. The view was beautiful especially during the night when the entire city glittered up against the dark sky.
The apartment itself was quite large. With four bedrooms, one living room attached to a kitchen and an outdoor jacuzzi, it was the perfect abode for her. She also had a library built upstairs in order to preserve some old books she had. There was also a mini museum of sorts as she loved collecting artefacts. Over the years, she had invested in art collections, amassing quite a bit of fortune along the way.
She threw her heels to a side and slumped on the couch. Taking out her red book, she began to scribble.
"Now that this girl's fate has been restored," she mumbled. "I have only one couple left. Perfect."
She was satisfied at how smoothly the recent task took place. Most idiots would not take the golden opportunity Cherry usually gave out. Their stubbornness only delayed Cherry's tasks and hence, those people faced a fate worse than death.
"If only they learn how to value their lives," she sighed as she closed her book.
She headed straight for the bathroom. Taking off her clothes, she entered the hot shower. The warm water soothed her muscles and she felt relaxed. After twenty minutes, she emerged from the shower and wrapped a towel around her body.
Cherry checked herself in the mirror. Her red hair was damp while her smooth skin was flushed red. She was taller than the average height of women and quite shapely.
Too bad my look doesn't stay all day, she thought in frustration. Curse that shaman.
It had been over 500 years since she had been cursed. Thanks to her lovely step mother and step sister, her so-called husband had her punished by a shaman. The damn shaman cursed her to look like an old woman by day and her real self by night. She was doomed with immortality and was fated to live forever. That was supposed to be her punishment.
Until the shaman retracted some of it.
She never knew why he changed his mind. After all, she had killed their precious Crown Prince. But one day, the shaman turned up at her doorstep. Cherry remembered that night very well…
….
Wang Shina was confined to a jail cell. She was weak and felt as if she was on the edge of dying.
They won't even kill me, she thought bitterly. The constant changing back and forth between the bodies was sapping her energy but she still would not die.
The hatred she held for those people was ignited in her. The man who killed her father, Emperor Kang. She loathed his existence. And Kang Sooji, her stepmother, was plotting to replace her with Shuri. Shina may have hated the Emperor but she had no intention of giving up her position as Empress. Not to Shuri at least.
But her dear husband pitied that fool and made her his concubine. Even bore a child with her, further insulting Shina. She wanted to erase his existence. And now with the curse, she could not even die!
She tried to kill herself many times. Stabbed her abdomen, cut her wrist and even starved her body. But death evaded her just like the shaman had said.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching her. Under the dim light, she saw the familiar figure in a red shawl approaching her.
"You…" she whispered. The old shaman was looking down at her. His eyes were full of fear.
"We don't have time," he said as he opened the door. "I'll have to get you out of here!"
Before she could protest, he carried her up with surprising strength.
"What…"
"I've been instructed to get you out of here, your highness," the shaman informed her.
"Who…"
The shaman did not reply but carried her out. Just then a few guards came running down.
"Hey you!" one of the guards shouted, aiming an arrow at him. But the shaman muttered some spells and a white light emerged out of nowhere, knocking out the guards.
Shina was too weak to cry. She could not register what was going on around her. The shaman carried her outside. More guards came but the old man knocked them out as well.
He put Shina on a horse.
"Your highness, this horse will lead you out of the city," he informed her. "Whatever you do, do not come back here! Otherwise, this kingdom will go to ruins!"
"Let it!" Shina managed to say. "This place has given me nothing but pain! I hate them… I hate everyone here!"
"If you come back," the shaman said. "The sacrifice your mother made for you will be in vain!"
The mention of her mother made Shina freeze. Her mother made a sacrifice for her?
"What do you-"
The shaman looked at her. "Your true mother gave up her life to amend the curse," he revealed.
"No…"
Shina could not believe it. Her mother would never do that! Didn't she cut off ties with her? Would her mother go that far?
"You are lying," she spat out.
"Someday, I hope you will know the truth, your highness," the shaman lamented. "Your destiny will bring you back here. Just remember this. Only the man who will see your true face even during the day, will be able to change your fate."
"What-"
Just then more soldiers came their way.
The shaman stood between her and the soldiers. He took out his cane and held it high in the air.
"Wang Shina!" he cried out. "With the heavens as my witness, I hand over all my powers to you. You will now have to fulfill my responsibilities and find your fate. Change the destinies of five hundred people and only then will you be free of this curse! Now go and get your destiny!"
As the soldiers charged at them the shaman beat the ground loudly with the stick. Shina watched, horrified as a blinding light emerged from the stick. Everything around her turned white.
To her horror, the shaman began to disintegrate amidst the light. The soldiers, too, were turning to dust as they tried to back away. As the shaman disappeared, he muttered something to her. She could not hear it but it felt like he was telling her to 'find the truth'.
But the light grew brighter and brighter. Shina felt as if her eyes would pop out. Forcing to turn her eyes away, she held the reins of the horse and marched onwards, leaving the kingdom behind her.
….
Cherry came out of the bathroom, wearing a red robe and turned on the TV. Since that day, she lived as an old shaman by day and as herself at night. She abandoned her real name and over the years, adopted many names in order to blend in.
At first it was difficult but slowly, she started to make a steady living. She would not die without food but starving herself was not something she preferred. Gradually, she amassed a large fortune which amounted to millions. For almost five hundred years, she lived a free life.
She never bothered to find out what happened all those years ago. News came to her that her mother died and since then, she had no desire to find out what happened to the rest of the royal family.
Sometimes, she came across the reincarnations of old acquaintances but she ignored their existence. They meant nothing to her.
She flicked through the channels and settled on a news report.
"In other news Shun Jinhyun, the main vocalist of EXOTIC, has returned from his two year hiatus…"
EXOTIC… Cherry remembered that band very well for two reasons. Firstly, one of her tasks was to change the fate of the leader of the group, Kwon Jiwon. All she did was give him the option to change his time. What happened to him afterwards, she did not bother to know. She had done her part.
And the second reason was…
"Hello, husband," she sneered. "Welcome home, Emperor Kang Seyoung."
Yes, Shin Jinhyun was the reincarnation of her so-called husband. But it did not matter.
He meant nothing to her.