When A Ghoul Falls In Love

As the haze in my mind dissipates, I find myself sitting on a styling chair in a salon. There’s a giant mirror in front of me. My hair is a little damp, being combed by the lady in pink who is standing behind me. She trims the ends of my pale hair, stroking my head here and there with her long slender fingers with pointy purple nails.

“You have such beautiful hair.” The lady says to me, “You should never dye them.”

As she trails off, her voice thickens as glitter disintegrates from her face. Her skin turns spring green. Her eyes have enlarged, covering half of her small heart-shaped face. Twin moss green antlers grow from the mass of messy baby pink hair on her head. I forget to breathe for a moment, keeping my eyes fixed on the mirror.

“Is something wrong, Miss Solomon?”

She leans closer to me. I am not good at hiding my feelings from my face. Baek Joon-Woo can read me like a book and he always says that I am his favourite book.

I can’t find the strength to open my mouth and ask her why there are antlers on her head. Why does she look like the way she does? Is she an alien? Am I getting my hair done by an alien? Where is Baek Joon-Woo when I need him?

“You look pale.”

She touches my forehead. In the next instant, I notice her sniffing my hair. A cold shudder runs through my spine. I push her away. “I need to go.”

“But I haven’t dried your hair.” She reaches for the blow dryer. I take off the grey cape and place it on the chair. She opens her mouth wide in panic, letting me see her canine teeth while telling me to stop. I run out of the salon as fast as I can. I have probably never run this fast in my life before.

“Oii, Nell!”

I look back and see Baek Joon-Woo yelling behind me while running with tacos in his both hands. Oh, right! He went out to get something for me to eat. We were supposed to go somewhere important. Where was that again? I halt in my track, taking deep breaths.

“Why are you running like that?” He wrinkles his brows in worry. “Did something happen at the salon?”

“She has antlers,” I tell him slowly, unable to digest my own words. “Green skin and pink hair she was a normal woman at one moment and then, boom! She was an alien!”

“Boom and alien?” He lets out a chuckle. When I glare at him, he clears his throat. His eyes can’t hide his amus.e.m.e.nt. That’s what I love about him. Still, I want to be angry.

“Why did you leave me alone?” I punch his chest. The tacos fall straight on my heels. At the same time, my stomach grumbles as if it regrets the spoilt food.

“I thought you would be hungry.” He takes out his handkerchief and bends down on his knees. I bit my lip when he starts cleaning my feet. People are watching us. A few women are giving me scornful looks while others’ eyes flash with envy. I try to move away, but he grasps my ankle and rubs off the sauce on my toes.

“You didn’t have to do this.” I can’t be angry when he’s like this. “I can just go to the female restroom at the station.”

“You don’t need to walk that far.” He picks up the spoilt tacos and walks to the garbage bin on the side of the road. After throwing them away, he looks at his dirty hands. His gaze turns melancholic. “How do I hold your hand?”

Idiot.

I release a deep sigh. Why am I in love with this boy? He’s going to kill me with his foolishness. I trot to him and clean his hands with my sleeves. “Now, I know why my mother keeps napkins in her purse.”

“Your dress is going to be ruined.” He frowns. “Isn’t this your favourite dress?”

“It’s just a dress.” I entangle my fingers with his. “I can buy a new dress, but I can’t get another one of you.”

“That’s touching,” He comments, giving me a wicked smile.

“I promised to be your sugar mamma when you are a broke writer,” I say it loud enough for the onlookers to hear. “In return, you have to love me forever.”

His laughter promises nothing good and yet, Ilook forward to what he plans to do to me when we are alone.

“I promise.” Baek Joon-Woo squeezes my hand. “I will love you forever.”

Those are simple words. But the surety in his voice accelerates my heartbeat. He sounds natural as if his love is as truthful as the fact that the earth is round or the moon revolves around the earth. It’s as natural as breathing and he’s with me.

A love without any hesitation. I don’t think that I need anything more than that in my life.

“I wish that our kids look like you.” Baek Joon-Woo says to me while we walk together at a matching pace. He’s a fast runner and walker, but he always keeps his pace with mine. “They should have your eyes and my brain.”

“Your brain?” I make a face at him. “You aren’t smarter than I am.”

“I am better than you when it comes to socializing and common sense,” He counters.

“I am not antisocial.” I defend myself, “What about Maisie? She and I are best friends. She promised to be my maid-in-honour for our wedding.”

“I didn’t call you antisocial.” Baek Joon-Woo smirks at me, “You are just a hot-headed thug and Maisie is second-in-command in your gang.”

My temper flares up. I fold my fingers into a fist, ready to punch his nose. But it would be a pity if his nose is disfigured. So, I squeeze his hand hard until he lets out a cry. “Say it again!”

“Thug No, I mean, my sweet Nell you are — ow, please, my hands are precious.” He begs me to release his hand, “This is my right hand!”

Today, I am going to make him cry tears of blood.

___Read the Author Note___

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