"Everyone is a hero in their own life"
Iseul stood before the mirror, her eyes tracing the reflection that stared back at her. She was a girl of below-average looks, or so she believed. Her features lacked the enchantment that seemed to grace the faces of other girls her age. They possessed an ethereal beauty that commanded attention, while she felt invisible, lost in the shadows they cast. Envy gnawed at her heart, consuming her from within.
As the days wore on, Iseul's jealousy grew like an insidious weed, entangling her thoughts and imprisoning her in a cage of self-doubt. The outside world became distant and unfamiliar, a place where beauty reigned supreme, leaving her feeling unworthy and isolated. She withdrew from her friends, her laughter silenced, and her once bright spirit extinguished.
Vivid memories of her childhood haunted Iseul's mind. The fragments that remained offered little solace, except for one particular memory she clung to desperately. On her sixth birthday, her grandmother had whispered a tale of an ancient curse that would befall her when she turned seventeen. The curse, it was said, would transform her into a witch, forever altering her fate. Yet, in the chaos of her life, that story had slipped away, leaving only fear and uncertainty in its wake.
With each passing day, the weight of Iseul's existence grew heavier. Her home, once a sanctuary, had become a breeding ground for abuse and toxicity. Her parents, consumed by their own expectations and desperate for perfection, had turned their love into a weapon. Every mistake she made was met with scorn and disappointment, her very being a constant reminder of their shattered dreams.
The pain she endured festered like an open wound, driving her to seek solace in self-inflicted harm. Scars etched across her skin served as a testament to her silent suffering. She carried these wounds, hidden beneath long sleeves and carefully constructed lies, as a reminder of her pain and a plea for someone to see her.
One fateful day, as Iseul trudged through the halls of her high school, she became the target of the pretty girls' merciless bullying. Their taunts and jeers sliced through her fragile defenses, further fueling her despair. Overwhelmed by the weight of it all, she fled, her feet carrying her instinctively towards the nearby mountains.
The air grew colder as Iseul climbed higher, the biting wind stinging her tear-stained cheeks. She sought refuge among nature's grandeur, hoping its vastness would somehow diminish her own insignificance. Her steps became slower, heavier, as the thoughts of escaping her torment overwhelmed her fragile mind. She stood on the precipice, the edge of oblivion calling out to her, beckoning her to surrender to its cold embrace.
But just as she prepared to take that final step, a figure emerged from the shadows. A boy, tall and lean, with a hint of mystery in his eyes. He moved with a grace that belied his years, his presence a stark contrast to the darkness that consumed Iseul's world. Unbeknownst to her, this boy possessed a secret that would forever change her life.
Hyun, for that was the boy's name, extended a hand towards Iseul, his voice gentle yet commanding. "Don't," he whispered, his eyes searching hers with an intensity she had never encountered before. "You have something that benifits me, the world is a cruel place, it's not all glimmering sunshine after a bad day, nobody had good days after bad days they just learn how to handle bad days, you're ungrateful, unfaithful, you've a lot to learn."
His words, like a lifeline thrown into the abyss, pulled Iseul back from the precipice. In that moment, something shifted within her. For the first time, she felt a glimmer of hope, a spark of warmth in the heart, while the timeline of her fate awaits many mysterious while the timeline of her fate awaits many mysteries.