A Shop of Wonders from the Past

***

“Rumi, how long is this going to go on? Was it really that serious?!” Zoe threw her hands up towards the ceiling in exasperation and let out a theatrical sigh. Her friend’s depressed state was starting to genuinely worry both her and Mira, and the lack of any change was becoming frightening. It had already been about three weeks since their final victory over the Demon King and Jinu’s noble death (although Mira kept saying his sacrifice looked more like some cheap stunt out of a melodrama). But Rumi had taken the demon’s death way too hard – and it was understandable. Even after his vile betrayal, her main goal had always been to free him from Gwi-Ma’s control. And in the end… well, this is what they were left with. “Zoe, there’s nothing I can do about it!” Rumi snorted, turning to her friend with an annoyed look. “He’s stuck in my head way too deep. It’s impossible!” “Then you need to get him out of there,” Mira said gloomily, not lifting her eyes from her phone screen. “There’s no place in your bright mind for… that.” “Exactly!” Zoe suddenly shouted so loudly that both girls jumped in surprise. “You need to clear your head right now!” “I don’t think that would help much,” Rumi drawled, closing her eyes tiredly and leaning back in her chair. “Well, you don’t need to think – I know it will!” Zoe was already fired up with the idea and, in a flash, was standing right next to Rumi. “Come on, at least go out for a walk, Ru!” “By the way, she’s right,” Mira called out from her spot on the couch. “You could use some fresh air. You’ve been cooped up in your room day and night, and only come out because of us.” “Bobby didn’t give us a whole month off just for you to waste it like this!” Zoe stomped her foot angrily and shook Rumi by the shoulders. “Alright, alright!” Rumi let out a resigned sigh after Zoe’s brief shaking and gave a humourless smile. “With the way you two keep nagging, even the dead would rise from their graves!” “We’re not using that method to resurrect your Jinu, so don’t even ask,” Mira snorted. “Go on, and don’t come back without a better mood!” Zoe shouted after Rumi as she left, earning a small chuckle in response. “Maybe I should’ve gone with her…” she said uncertainly to Mira once the door closed. “I think she needs some time alone,” Mira replied, getting up from her seat and wrapping her arms around Zoe.

***

Rumi didn’t know exactly what she was feeling right now. Sometimes her emotions would overflow, tipping the scales of her calm completely, and other times they were replaced by such emptiness that all colour vanished from life, and every sound seemed to come from beneath deep water. She had never truly fallen in love before. Especially not with a demon. Rumi could have followed in her mother’s footsteps and bound her life to someone she was supposed to fight against. But Jinu hadn’t been a bad person. That thought brought an even sharper pain to her heart, and a firm desire began slipping into her dreams – the desire to bring the demon back to life. How to do that, however, remained an unanswered question to this day. But many sages say, “If you think long and hard enough about something, sooner or later it will come true.” Funny thing is, that’s exactly what happened.

***

The city streets were ablaze with the colourful lights of signs and billboards. Cars sped past in bright streaks, and people hurried about their business. The typical hum of the metropolis buzzed sharply in her ears, but Rumi paid little attention to it. “I need to distract myself… I need to,” she muttered, her eyes drifting around without finding anything that could catch her interest. Wait. That was something unusual. A Shop of Wonders from the Past. That’s what the neon banner hanging above one of the display windows said. Behind the glass stood mannequins dressed in traditional garments, timeworn books lined the shelves, and intricate ornaments glimmered dully under the lights. Before she even realised it, Rumi found herself inside the shop. A copper bell chimed above the door, and as if by magic, a shopkeeper appeared before her. The man didn’t look old, but it was hard to call him young either. His hair, streaked lightly with grey, was tied back into a small bun with the help of a hairpin. A bright blue velvet blazer sat oddly paired with a yellow bowtie, and a neat moustache adorned his face. His blue eyes peered at Rumi over glasses perched on the tip of his nose, as if scanning her thoughts. Rumi shivered slightly. “Welcome!” the man exclaimed after a brief pause. His deep, pleasant voice somehow made her feel calm inside. “I’m sure I can offer you something interesting, something you simply won’t be able to resist,” he continued. “No, no, I don’t need anything!” Rumi waved her hands defensively and gave an awkward smile. “There’s no need, I didn’t come here to buy anything, I just wanted to look around.” The shopkeeper gave her another careful glance and let out a satisfied chuckle. “I don’t think so,” he said. “I know exactly what you need, and if you give me just a couple of minutes, I’ll bring it to you.” Rumi was about to politely decline and leave quickly so as not to get in the way, but she was stopped by a large blue cat and a bird that had perched on her head out of habit. Appearing out of nowhere again, they blocked her path. The shopkeeper didn’t react to the sudden guests at all, let alone to the demonic animals, which struck Rumi as very strange. She turned back to him, eyeing his appearance suspiciously, trying to figure out if he was a demon or not. “Not at all, dear child, I’m no demon,” the man smiled. “Perhaps I can see the deepest desires of my customers, but I hold no power over them. And I have no need to harm those who enter my shop, hoping to find salvation from their thoughts.” “You speak in riddles,” Rumi exhaled, keeping her hand on her sword just in case. “If you’re not a demon, then who are you?” “I have no name and no title. I am simply a shopkeeper, the owner of this store. And my purpose is to help those who need it. That is why I wish to help you, Rumi. Will you allow me to do that?” Unbidden tears welled up in her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away. The last thing she needed was to start crying here. “Alright,” she whispered. The man nodded understandingly and disappeared into the depths of the shop, leaving Rumi alone with her thoughts. Or almost alone. The tiger slowly walked up to her and pressed its large head against her hand, asking for some affection, while the bird let out a disgruntled chirp, flew off her head, and settled down on the counter. “And here I am!” the shopkeeper’s voice rang out, and soon he appeared, carrying a small box in his hands. It was adorned with turquoise stones, forming a pattern that looked like countless interwoven threads. He held the box out to Rumi, and she hesitated for a moment before taking it from him. Its weight didn’t give away what was inside, so she had no choice but to open the ornate lid. Lying at the bottom was a beautiful fan crafted in the traditional Korean style, decorated with an elegant design of delicate flowers. In the dim light of the shop, it seemed to emit a faint glow. Rumi couldn’t hold back a surprised gasp, and the man smiled, clearly pleased with the effect the item had on her. “It’s… beautiful,” she whispered, running her fingertips along the fan’s edge. “Yes, a most fascinating artifact, if I may say so!” the shopkeeper declared with importance. “It has waited a long time for its owner. I had almost lost hope that it would ever leave the walls of my shop.” “How much do I owe you for it?” Rumi asked, looking up at him. She wasn’t the kind of person who bought things impulsively just because they looked pretty, but this fan… it was something else entirely. It felt almost magical. Just looking at it made her want to take the lovely trinket home as soon as possible. “Ooh, I’m afraid I don’t take money for my goods,” the man said thoughtfully. “My prices are a little different, you see. Especially for items that can grant their owner’s wishes!” “Wishes?” Rumi repeated, and her desire to buy the fan grew several times over. Could this really be her chance? “Yes, exactly! But there is one catch,” the shopkeeper added after a moment. “Only one wish can be granted, and it must be a sincere one. It has to be something your soul wants more than anything in the world.” That was when doubt washed over Rumi. Did she truly want this? Or was it just guilt calling out to her? Could this feeling even be called love? “I see you’re thinking it over,” the shopkeeper observed, lightly touching the artifact. “I will give it to you, but you must give me something in return. To keep things fair.” “And what would that be?” “The little hat of this lovely bird!” the man exclaimed enthusiastically, earning an outraged squawk from the bird itself. “Her hat? That’s all?” Rumi asked in confusion, glancing at the “price” he was requesting. “That’s right!” he confirmed. Rumi gave the bird a meaningful look.

***

“Don’t worry so much – we’ll make you a new hat!” Rumi tried to reassure the offended bird as they walked into a deserted alley where the demons no longer had to hide from curious passersby. “This is for Jinu, after all!” Well, that seemed to convince the fussy creature, because Rumi heard one last disgruntled sigh before the bird perched itself back on the tiger’s head, watching Rumi’s actions intently, clearly expecting her to keep her promise. “All right… let’s do this.” To be honest, Rumi was extremely nervous – after all, it’s not every day you’re given the chance to have your deepest wish granted. But her doubts still lingered… What if she was wrong about her feelings for Jinwoo and all of this was for nothing? And what if Jinwoo hadn’t felt the same way about her? Then what? “Oh sure, he just gave up his soul and sacrificed his life for you purely out of friendship!” a sarcastic voice echoed in her head, helping her push away all those unnecessary thoughts. The fan fit perfectly in her hand, and a small surge of energy ran through her fingers, spreading as a warm sensation throughout her body. “Here goes nothing,” Rumi exhaled and flicked the fan, sending a shower of white sparks into the air. The shopkeeper had told her she didn’t need to say anything – she just needed to direct the flow of her thoughts in the right direction, to focus on her wish. That was all… She closed her eyes and made another flick, and this time, a quiet but distinct sound of a gong echoed through the air. She was too afraid to open her eyes, so she chose ignorance, standing still and listening intently to the sounds around her. It wasn’t the city anymore. It wasn’t even people. It was… something else. Then she felt cold fingers on her shoulder and flinched. Had it worked? “Rumi…” Rumi’s eyes flew open, and she stared in disbelief at Jinu, who was standing right in front of her, very much alive. The look on his face showed that he didn’t quite understand what was happening, but seeing her there seemed perfectly real to him. “Jinu!” Rumi cried out and threw herself into his arms, immediately feeling the warmth of his embrace (although his hands were much colder compared to that overwhelming warmth). “What happened?” the demon asked, pulling back slightly to look around. “I… I shouldn’t be here! You defeated Gwi-Ma, didn’t you?!” “Yes!” she hurried to reassure him. “And you’re here because of me. I… was lucky enough to walk into the right place. And fate gave me a second chance. So… here you are.” Jinu looked at Rumi with disbelief, to which she rolled her eyes in annoyance. “You’re not obligated to stay or anything…” “No, I want to stay with you!” Jinu protested, pulling her closer again. “Do you want that too?” “If I didn’t, you wouldn’t even be here,” Rumi muttered. “Then you definitely won’t mind this,” the demon chuckled, and, taking her chin gently in his hand, kissed her softly. Rumi smiled into the kiss, and when Jinu pulled back, she looked at him intently. “You could’ve at least waited for my answer! What if I was against it?!” “Your face says it all,” he smirked. His eyes shifted past her, noticing the demonic pets eagerly waiting for their master to finish his romantic business and finally pay attention to them. The tiger immediately bounded up to Jinu, purring loudly as it rubbed against his legs, and was rewarded with affectionate pats. The bird landed next to them, perching itself on a trash bin and letting out a joyful squawk. “Wait… Where’s her hat?” Jinu asked in confusion. Rumi let out an awkward laugh. “He agreed to give it up for the greater good.” The bird gave her a disgruntled look and sneezed. “That much is obvious,” Jinu smiled. “So… does this mean everything turned out alright?” Rumi asked casually after a moment of silence, crossing her arms over her chest in slight embarrassment. “There’s no other way it could’ve ended,” Jinu replied, gazing up at the starry sky. “If fate gives you a second chance, it would be a sin not to take it.”

***

“Well then, another life has found its meaning,” the “man” whispered softly, watching the couple walk away. “What people won’t do for love… Especially a love like that. A demon and a huntress – who would’ve thought?” On the table next to him lay a small black hat. Picking it up delicately between his fingers, the shopkeeper placed it on a wooden marionette standing nearby. The puppet bowed gratefully to him and turned to a small mirror, admiring its reflection. The chime of the bell announced a new customer. A welcoming smile spread across the shopkeeper’s face. “Welcome to the Shop of Wonders!”

***