Chapter 1 recap: Jordan convinced Phelia to take a break from work. They drove to get iced drinks and took a walk down an unknown alley which led them to a magic store owned by a mysterious saleswoman, Madame Cyprine. Phelia returned home after work and she immediately started writing the first chapter of her new fiction entitled "Chef of Sun Yang" about a spoiled prince who, for the first time ever, got satisfied by a traditional Korean dessert called Sikhye made by a unexpected visitor who was then hired to become the next royal chef.
Modern Prince
Written by: Michele Hii
Chapter 2: Single Forever?
I killed the engine of my blue Ford Escape. I stared at the cloudy sky for a moment before getting a text from Jordan.
Jordan: Sorry! I'm still stuck in traffic! Jz give me 5 more min!
Me: Ok, I'll wait in my car.
Cloudy days made me think about my past. A flashback of my college days automatically came to me.
"Do you think we can make it?" a 20-years-old Jordan Matthews asked.
"Huh?" I looked from my mess of papers on the table.
"You know...that we'll be working for Disney."
"Jordan, we just need to have confidence! Like they said, a dream is a wish your heart makes." I smiled reassuringly.
"I know, I know...but Disney is a top-notch company. And we're just...college students."
"Jordan, we'll have to go through a lot more before we can make it happen." I sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"You can't possibly get what you wanted instantly. After we graduate, we might have to go through a few jobs first,somewhere lower than Disney, before we can be recognized to be a part of Disney. Who knows, we might end up being janitors at the basement, or mail people for the staff."
"Inspired by Monsters' University, huh?" Jordan giggled.
"My point is...we at least have to land somewhere before we can go forward to a higher position, and eventually reach to our dream career. Look at Mike and Sulley! They got kicked out of university and ended up being mail workers, but then one day they got offered honorary positions to become scarers! We can be just like them!"
Jordan laughed some more, but his eyes were glued to the scribbles of our script-in-progress.
"One day...just one day..our story about our dear character finding the magic key that can unlock the sacred chamber of an abandoned kingdom...will be turned into a Disney film, right?"
I smiled wider and pat on his shoulder, "You're absolutely right! Besides,the reason why we major film and animation here in UCLA is to learn and master the skills that will be needy for our dream workplace."
Jordan smiled back,"You and your motivational speech. Somehow I think you've watched a little way too much Disney movies."
"Hey!" I snapped, pushing him gently with my left hand, "You're a Disney freak too, that's how we become close friends since first semester."
"Yeah yeah I know." he winked.
"Phelia? Phelia? Phelia!" a familiar voice muffled from the window followed by knocking sounds on the window. I turned to my side and saw Jordan making the loudest noise as possible to wake me up from my nostalgic ride.
"There you are, Mr. Snail." I teased.
* * *
"All right! So one iced Vanilla latte and one roasted bubble milk tea. That'll be $7.35 please." the girl at the counter said.
Jordan was about to pull out his wallet when I quickly shoved my credit card right in front of his face.
"Nu-uh! It's my turn to pay!" I said.
"You sure?"Jordan raised his eyebrow.
"Yeah, besides you've paid for mine yesterday."
"That's fair." he smiled, "Unless I don't have to go through the pay-the-bill fights with your sisters."
"That's the Asian way of settling the bill." I laughed, We're influenced by my Korean father and Chinese mother, so we pretty much either do rock-paper-scissors or tug-of-war with the bill holder."
"Ah...I see." Jordan chuckled.
We sat by the window and took a long first sip of our drinks. It was a good thing the workers had pulled down the blinds. I wouldn't want to be toasted again by the sun's rays.
"So...have you found him yet?" Jordan asked.
I hated when he popped that question. Every single time!He had been to a lot of dates and he dumped a couple of his girlfriends back when we went to college together. He even introduced me to his guy friends but they were all not my type. One of them wanted to be a circus clown. I wasn't down for that. If I had to give you a better reason, that would be because...none of them stirred me. None of his friends interested me. I guessed I couldn't find my kind of guy in this world.
""Nope." I bluntly answered, "Why do you even ask?"
"I'm just asking." he shrugged, "I hate seeing you being lonely."
"What are you talking about? I have my family here in LA, and of course you."
"I mean, I hate seeing you being single."
"Jordan..." I sighed as I sipped my drink to stop talking.
Jordan fiddled with his phone for forty seconds before shoving a picture of a new guy on the screen right in front of me, "I've made friends with this new guy at the golf club. He's from London and..."
I grabbed his hand and pushed it down so that his phone landed safely on the table, "Jordan, really, I don't need you to help me get a guy. I'll find one of my own, okay?"
"But all your life, you've been so busy with your job."
"Technically, two jobs. Animation and writing."
"Exactly! You get so distracted easily that you're lacking on your social life."
"Jordan." I laughed, "It's okay. I'm okay being single. I just haven'e found him yet. You know, someday my prince will come."
Jordan took a big gulp of his boba before suddenly looking at me with a serious face, "What kind of guys do you like?"
"I thought I've already told you many times." I replied, "I like guys who are awkward, humble, and funny."
Jordan took another long sip before looking back at me, "What about me?"
"Huh?"
"Am I...awkward, humble, and funny?"
My mouth formed into an 'O' for a few seconds, "Well...sort of..."
"What do you mean...sort of?"
"What? Are you saying I should give you a try?" I blurted.
And then, I saw something out of his character. His cheeks were red.
"Jordan, I..."
PLOP!
Suddenly, the atmosphere of the cafe grew tensed. I turned my back and saw a man lying motionlessly on the floor near the counter.
"Oh my gosh! Somebody fainted!" I gasped.
"Hurry!" Jordan said and rushed to the victim. I followed after him and knelt down. I held one finger under the man's nose and leaned my face on one side close to his.
"He's not breathing." I frowned.
"I wonder why is he wearing this costume." Jordan commented, "It's pretty hot in LA."
"Quick, loosen and unbutton his Hanbok." I ordered.
"Hanbok?"
"The outfit he's wearing. The top consists of thick layers so you have to remove them."
"I'm on it." he nodded and searched for the ribbons to untie and the buttons to open. I helped him removed the outer jacket as well as the inner layers except for a white long-sleeve undershirt.
"He's still not breathing." I checked, "I think I have to do CPR."
I was about to inhale deeply when suddenly a jet of water splashed onto the man's face. I looked up and saw Jordan holding an overturned coffee cup.
"What the heck?" I snapped. I was interrupted by the sudden coughs coming below me. The man opened his eyes and looked at me blankly, "What happened?"
"You fainted, sir." I replied. I hurriedly grabbed a napkin from a customer's table and handed it to him.
"Ah,,,I see,,,thank you." he cleared his throat. As he was about to get up, he stared at his opened clothes in surprise,
"What happened to my hanbok?" he gasped. He immediately covered himself with his layers.
"We had to unbutton your clothes, sir, otherwise we won't be able to save you from breathing." Jordan explained.
"You dumped a cup of water onto him!" I hissed.
"Hey! At least it worked!" Jordan smirked.
The man buttoned back his clothes and stood up with his face wiped dry.
"Thank you, peasants, for saving me. Now if you excuse me," he tugged the collar of his magoja (outer jacket of his hanbok), "I have to go back to my kingdom."
"Kingdom?" a customer raised his eyebrow.
"What the hell is he talking about?" another one snickered.
"Anyone knows where is the way to Sun Yang kingdom?" he raised his voice.
I froze. Sun Yang...that sounds familiar!
Jordan suddenly pat him on the shoulder, "Sir, I think you hit your head pretty hard on the floor so we're taking you to the mental hospital."
"What's a mental hospital? Is that where a witch doctor works at?" the man cocked his head to one side.
"Witch doctor? Wow, sir, you sure have woken up from a very long dream!" Jordan threw his head back as he laughed.
"Jordan, maybe I should just take him home." I chipped in.
"But he's talking thrash, Phelia." Jordan argued, "Trust me, he needs to get back to his senses."
Stupidly, I had nothing else to say but to follow him dragging this poor, lost puppy to the nearest psychiatric institution.
* * *
Wait, how does he know about Sun Yang?
I watched from behind as the man walked beside Jordan. His head turned here and there, looking like a little boy wandering around the world for the first time.
Did he peek at my notebook?
I opened my Chanel handbag to see the coal-coloured book sandwiched between my ruby wallet and my detox water bottle. He couldn't just sneak by when I talked with Jordan at the cafe. I thought he just arrived at the queue and fainted there.
Once we arrived at the mental hospital, a psychiatrist immediately took us in. His eyes went up and down at the man's blue and gold hanbok and chuckled, "Nice costume you got there. Having an early Halloween party?"
"Halloween? What in the Sun's core is that?" the prince asked.
The psychiatrist let out a laugh that even the patients at the waiting room could hear him.
"All my life, I've never heard of such a line." he hooted.
Jordan sighed and took a step forward that made the doctor jumped a little, "Mr. Hopkins, we saw that he passed out on the floor at a cafe earlier. He must have hit his head on the floor and now he thought he is a prince from an imaginary kingdom."
"Ah...that reminds me of an Archies comic when Veronica got hit in the plane's bathroom and became a cowgirl..or is it a matador...from a novel she read." Mr. Hopkins nodded.
"Does that actually exist?"
"Well, yes, to some people." he answered.
Hmm..that might be a possibility. But how does the man know about Sun Yang kingdom?
"Come! Have a seat, Mr..." Mr Hopkins paused as he looked at the man, "What's your name?"
"Joo Yoon, prince of Sun Yang." he sniffed.
J...Joo Yoon?
"Okay..." Mr. Hopkins jot down a piece of line paper attached to a clipboard, "And do you remember what happened before you passed out?"
'Joo Yoon' tapped his chin and replied, "I faced 500 chefs from all of Korea and chose this girl with a special dessert to become the next royal chef. And then I went to bed. And then...the next morning, when I woke up, I found myself not on my bed but on hard cold concrete in this...strange...place. I have no wonder how did I got here. I was supposed to be in my palace."
What in the world...could it be...
I froze and remembered what Madame Cyprine from the Kaboom store told me about the notebook.
"If you write something that comes from your biggest dreams or desire, that notebook will grant your wish."
"Just be careful what you wish for, that's what I meant."
Now I remember! I wished that the character was real while writing the first chapter, and it DID happen!
"Oh my gosh..." I exclaimed under my breath.
Without thinking, I grabbed his wrist and strutted out of the door. Jordan had a puzzled look but he followed after us.
"Sir, did you just say...Sun Yang...kingdom? As in the kingdom of the solar sphere?" I gushed.
"Yes, exactly! Do you know where?" his face lit up.
"Where and what the hell is Sun Yang?" Jordan asked.
"It's in Korea," I answered, "but it's not what you thought it would be."
"What do you mean, peasant?" the man questioned.
"It...it's just that..," I caught Jordan staring with the same confused expression as this man in the expensive-looking traditional clothing.
"Jordan, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I said and dragged the man off to my car which was parked a few feet away.
"Wait, huh, where are you taking him? To the airport?" Jordan shouted.
"I'll call you, okay?" I yelled and pushed him into the passenger seat of my car. I didn't even look back at him because my head was clouded with panic.
"What is this?" the man turned his head here and there in shock.
"Just hold on tight." I replied, reaching out to help him with the seat belt. He looked as if he couldn't breath with the strap over his chest. I started the engine and drove off, hoping to get to my house as soon as possible.
Friday 17 June 2016
Friday 10 June 2016
Modern Prince (Chapter 1: Madame Cyprine)
Author's note: Hey all! After writing the "Elphena" fan fiction, I never knew that I'll get inspired to write another fiction again. After watching Kyuhyun's drama "Bong Soon, A Cyborg in Love", the story inspires me to write this. "That's it! I have to write this story! Instead of a cyborg/technology, what if a person falls in love with a fiction character that is turned into a real human?" I thought. And after drawing out a 12-notebook page-outline (one chapter per page), I'm even more excited to write this new fiction! I'll try to finish it by the end of this summer. There's no way to finish it by the end of this month because I have plans coming up, and I still haven't finished my Japanese revision, I feel so bad right now! XD But...nothing can stop me from bringing this new story alive. :) So...hope you enjoy this new fiction!
Modern Prince
Written by: Michele Hii
Chapter 1: Madame Cyprine
I dropped my hands from the Macbook Pro keyboard and stretched my arms while I yawned like a lion. It was 3pm and I still had scenes to draw and colour on my computer. Sigh...if only I could have slept early night, I would have a fresher mind to finish these few animation frames.
"Hey, Phelia!" a familiar voice approached from the door. I turned back and saw a skinny man in a white buttoned-up shirt and tight black jeans that made his figure scrawnier than before. He pulled a smirk as a couch cushion flew up from his hands like he was throwing a grenade.It landed right on my face.
"What was that for?" I laughed as I nestled the pillow down on my lap.
"To wake you up, silly." he laughed back.
"Really, Jordan." I rolled my eyes but smiled back.
My old college mate and director of our new Disney's Pixar film project, "The Sapphire Key", grabbed a spare chair and sat next to me,"So how are the frames going?"
"Pretty good, I guess. There's still a lot of layers to be added in this scene."
"What scene?" he craned his neck and he looked closer to the computer screen,"Ah! When the boy retrieve the key."
"Yeah, it's hard to add the sparkle around the key."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out. You're an animator after all." he smiled.
"Thanks."
"Anyway, you've been here for five hours. You should go for a break."
"I'd love to,but I've got to finish these."
"Phelia, as a director, I would be happy to hear that. But as a friend, I hate seeing you working too hard with sleep deprivation."
"Mmm...maybe you're right."
"Wanna go for a short walk in the city? We can pick up some iced drinks on the way."
"Sounds good." I got up and grabbed my purse.
"All right! Let's go!"
The colourful campus brought life to my eyes as we walked down the corridor. Glass shelves with big collections of action figures and dolls from all of our movies were arranged neatly at both sides. Once we went down to ground floor, we were greeted by character statues, from Nemo to Sheriff Woody to Sadness. A group of staff were around a ring of couches playing a Truth or Dare game. They waved as they spotted us.
As we arrived at the parking lot of the studio, I skipped to his black Subaru.
"Shotgun!" I grinned as I stopped to the door of the front passenger seat.
"Why do you have to say it? It's just two of us." Jordan laughed.
"I know. I just like saying it and I love sitting in front." I giggled.
"You're still weird as usual." Jordan laughed and got in behind the wheel.
* * *
"You don't have to pay for my Oreo slush, Jordan." I frowned. We walked down a narrow alley with our hands numb by our iced drinks. I wondered why did we came to this part of the street. I had been living here in Emeryville, California for four years now, yet I had never discovered this area before. It was quiet and slightly dilapidated, with an uneven walkway and a smoky odour that smelt like incense from a Chinese temple. Still, we kept on walking until we passed by a store on our left. It was painted in mint green with bold stickers on a slightly cloudy window that said "Kaboom".
"Kaboom? What is this? A magic store?" Jordan snickered.
"It looks like one." I peeked through the window, "I see crystal balls and worn-out-looking thick books and oh...flying brooms!"
"What the hell..." Jordan murmured but he squinted to see the things arranged on the shelves.
"I want to take a look!" I suggested, "There's a lot of unique stores like this in Hollywood but not here in this small city."
"Are you crazy?" Jordan asked, looking surprised, "Why do you even wanna go in?"
"Why not?" I shrugged, "Plus, work doesn't end till 8pm today so I want to be energized before working on the animation again."
"Okay...okay fine..." he sighed and opened the door. A tiny bell that hung above the other side of the door tinged.
"Welcome!" a lady who looked like in her 60s greeted from the counter on the further left. Her silver hair was tied into a bun that poked from her scarlet bandanna.
"Hi!" I smiled. Jordan waved.
"Welcome to my store! Guess the magic word works the charm." she winked.
"Magic word..." I repeated before nudging Jordan on the arm, "I told you it's a magic store!"
"Why yes it is!" the lady hooted, "Spell books, wands, witch brooms, crystal balls, magic cards...this store has everything!"
"Wow!" my eyes sparkled as I looked around the shelves.
As I picked up a translucent crystal from a shelf near the counter, my peripheral vision caught the lady staring at Jordan. He had a childish scowl, and the lady decided to start a conversation with him. He replied back but his eyes were fixed on me, begging me to quickly end my wandering eyes and scram out of the store. Tsk...this guy...he didn't have a single interest in magic and enchantment.
"By the way, everyone calls me Madame Cyprine. I've been owning this store for quite a while now." the lady put out her right hand. Jordan looked at her wrinkly hand and then back into her emerald eyes. I looked at him in surprise as he refused to shake hands with her but nodded instead.
"May I ask what's your name?" she smiled again.
"Uh...Jordan." he answered.
As Madame Cyprine continued to distract him, I suddenly saw a slightly thick book sticking out from a stack of encyclopedia-size ones. Curiously, I pulled it out.
"Ah! That's a lucky notebook!"Madame Cyprine's voice was excited when she saw me taking it.
"This one?" I lifted it up.
"Oh yes!" she nodded, "If you write something that comes from your biggest dreams or desire, that notebook will grant your wish."
"Wow! Really?" I exclaimed,flipping through the semi-white pages.
"Dear, I'm telling the truth!"
"Are you really gonna buy that? It's just a notebook! Wait,how much does it costs?" Jordan asked.
"30 dollars."
"Are you serious?" his eyes widened.
"I'll take it!" I announced.
"Huh?" Jordan squeaked.
"I'll buy this notebook." I said as I walked to the counter,
"Excellent!" Madame Cyprine grinned. Her teeth flashed a brilliant white.
"Phelia, don't you think it's a little expensive?" Jordan snatched the book away from my hands.
"Hey!"
"Looks like you got a nitpicky friend here." Madame Cyprine chuckled.
"Sorry about...uh...my friend here...he's probably woke up from the wrong side of the bed this morning." I said.
"I can tell." she nodded, "Boys, eh?"
I can feel him glaring as we giggled.
I grabbed the notebook back from Jordan's grip and paid it with cash. Jordan looked at me with a hyphen formed on his lips, but I ignored. She handed me a receipt and held my hand which took me by surprise, "You can literally write anything here, my dear. However," She suddenly leaned close to my right ear which sent a chill at the back of my neck, "...someday your wish will not give you happiness." "What do you mean?" I asked. She stood back upright and answered, "Just be careful what you wish for, that's what I meant."
"Oh...okay." I nodded.
Jordan dashed out of the door without taking a glance. I waved goodbye to her as I left with the black hard cover notebook in my hands.
"Don't you find that lady a little...creepy?" Jordan asked.
"Creepy?"
"Don't you see? She's probably silently putting a spell on you to lure you to buy...that."
"Jordan...buddy...sometimes you've got to be a little open-minded." I sighed,patting him on the shoulder.
* * *
I shook my head in dismay as I noticed a few street lights that were turned off close to my house. Seriously, it had been two weeks since the street lights had gone off and not even a single person came by to fix them.
Luckily, the headlights of my car broke the darkness of the night. The garage door automatically lifted up as I parked my car safely.
I felt a strange sensation while holding the magic notebook. It was like it quietly transferred a surge of energy through my veins till it reached to my heart. I felt like I was urged to write something as soon as possible. Once I made it into my home, I immediately refilled my purple detox water bottle before heading upstairs. A story idea was instantly drawn in my head during the process.
"Maybe this would work." I agreed to myself. My mind replayed a made-up scene of my new story idea as I sat at my study desk in my room. The energy that filled my insides swelled even more when the cover of the notebook was flipped open. Grabbing one of my best fountain pens, I started writing and a smile crept on my face as I jotted down the scene in my head onto paper.
*
Chef of Sun Yang
Written by: Phelia Song
Chapter 1
"No! No...no...no...nope not even this one....ewww what the heck is this? Pig's poop?" the prince made a face as he faced each candidate.
There was still a long line of chefs, eager to win Prince Joo Yoon's heart with their best dishes in all of the kingdom of Sun Yang. However, what they hadn't found out yet,was that he was a spoiled single child of the royal family. They thought that he was a handsome,sophisticated 23-years-old man with high potential to take over the solar throne in the near future, but they had no idea how picky he was when it comes to luxury, especially food. All he cared about was finely-cooked meals, fresh from a festival feast.Ever since he was little, he was dissatisfied with the food cooked by the royal chefs hired by the emperor and empress. As the kitchen team were switched every four to five years, new meals were brought to the royal family. Everyone enjoyed every new dish except for Prince Joo Yoon. He admitted that he had different taste buds from other people. Everyone didn't understand on why Prince Joo Yoon disapproved of the taste of every food while they all agreed that the food were delicious. It was no wonder that he became as puny as his own skeleton.
Evening passed by, and he rejected every single one of the candidates with critical comments. When the hall was once again empty, Prince Joo Yoon said, "I'm not hungry. All the tasting has weakened my appetite."
"Do you maybe want to have some dessert, Your Majesty?" a soft voice suddenly appeared from the doors.
"Who's there?" he sat bolt upright with eyes the size of saucers.
Two lines of knights in sheepskin armour turned their heads sharply to the entrance and held their swords in the air. It went so quiet you could hear the wind whistling. One minute later, a fair-skinned girl wearing a long-sleeved white and pink dress tiptoed through the doors. All eyes were on her as she carried a small steel pot towards the prince.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but the chef selection has ended." he said.
"I know, and I'm really sorry, Your Majesty. I should have come earlier." she curtsied. Her strong hands gripped the handles of the pot that somehow caught the prince's attention. But he still kept a poker face.
"Shouldn't you be playing hopscotch with your siblings?" he scoffed.
The girl stared, but showed off a sweet smile,"I hope you like sikhye."
The prince raised his eyebrow, "Sikhye? What in a thousand stars is that?"
She smiled and cleared her throat, "Sikhye is a traditional Korean dessert. It's made of barley malt powder and rice."
"Sounds unpleasant."
To his surprise, she responded with a laugh. A laugh that was as sweet as bells. He stared at her as if she was unlike the 500 chefs he met earlier. A different human being.
"I believe you have not tried this famous dessert before, Your Majesty. Everyone here in Korea has tried it before!" she laughed.
Joo Yoon stared, dumbfounded.
"I'll let you have a sip,if you like, Your Majesty." she winked and fished out the pocket of her dress for a silver spoon.
"Well...I..." he mumbled. He watched in surprise as the girl gingerly walked up the stairs; her eyes watched over the liquid that wiggled on the spoon. The knights' jaw dropped as they eyed at her in fear. Luckily, the prince didn't say anything. She finally reached to the top and held the spoon towards his mouth. Her other hand was cupped down like a bowl.
"Your Majesty." she smiled. The prince suddenly found himself opening his mouth. The girl bravely slipped the drop of mystery into his mouth.
"What do you think, Your Majesty?" she asked.
Prince Joo Yoon swallowed and suddenly, he showed the same reaction when he first heard her voice from the entrance.
"Mashita!" he gasped and immediately covered his mouth with one hand. The girl was back down from the stairs and giggled softly.
The prince cleared his throat and looked back with a stoned face, "Well...I've never said this before in my life but..." he gulped, "your sikhye is...surprising."
"Glad you like it, Your Majesty." the girl smiled.
"Be at the royal kitchen by sunrise tomorrow. The servants will take care of you." he uttered.
"I'll be honoured, Your Majesty." she grinned.
Prince Joo Yoon strutted down the stairs and had a couple of knights behind him to his bedroom. He closed the doors behind him and sat on his bed.
"What just happened?" he said as he stared at the wooden floor. He couldn't stop replaying the scene in his head for what seemed like forever.
"Sikhye is a traditional Korean dessert. It's made of barley malt powder and rice." the girl's gentle voice echoed.
"Sikhye eh?" he mumbled. He was too lazy to change into his sleepwear. He just removed the thick layers of his prince clothes and threw the silk blanket over him. He dozed off as the lights were switched off minutes later.
*
"Done!" I yawned. I dropped my pen and rubbed my eyes while looking at the time on my iPhone 5S, "Wow...12:40am already? I...better get some sleep."
It seemed that the notebook had let me to write the story without stopping, like a flowing river. I went to wash up, change into a tank top and shorts, and slipped under the covers of my queen-size bed which was placed next to a side table with a copy of Super Junior's "Devil" album on it. Yeah...I know...I'm a K-pop addict. No biggie. I scrolled through social media for Super Junior updates on my phone for a good half an hour before my eyes gave up to stay awake.
Modern Prince
Written by: Michele Hii
Chapter 1: Madame Cyprine
I dropped my hands from the Macbook Pro keyboard and stretched my arms while I yawned like a lion. It was 3pm and I still had scenes to draw and colour on my computer. Sigh...if only I could have slept early night, I would have a fresher mind to finish these few animation frames.
"Hey, Phelia!" a familiar voice approached from the door. I turned back and saw a skinny man in a white buttoned-up shirt and tight black jeans that made his figure scrawnier than before. He pulled a smirk as a couch cushion flew up from his hands like he was throwing a grenade.It landed right on my face.
"What was that for?" I laughed as I nestled the pillow down on my lap.
"To wake you up, silly." he laughed back.
"Really, Jordan." I rolled my eyes but smiled back.
My old college mate and director of our new Disney's Pixar film project, "The Sapphire Key", grabbed a spare chair and sat next to me,"So how are the frames going?"
"Pretty good, I guess. There's still a lot of layers to be added in this scene."
"What scene?" he craned his neck and he looked closer to the computer screen,"Ah! When the boy retrieve the key."
"Yeah, it's hard to add the sparkle around the key."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out. You're an animator after all." he smiled.
"Thanks."
"Anyway, you've been here for five hours. You should go for a break."
"I'd love to,but I've got to finish these."
"Phelia, as a director, I would be happy to hear that. But as a friend, I hate seeing you working too hard with sleep deprivation."
"Mmm...maybe you're right."
"Wanna go for a short walk in the city? We can pick up some iced drinks on the way."
"Sounds good." I got up and grabbed my purse.
"All right! Let's go!"
The colourful campus brought life to my eyes as we walked down the corridor. Glass shelves with big collections of action figures and dolls from all of our movies were arranged neatly at both sides. Once we went down to ground floor, we were greeted by character statues, from Nemo to Sheriff Woody to Sadness. A group of staff were around a ring of couches playing a Truth or Dare game. They waved as they spotted us.
As we arrived at the parking lot of the studio, I skipped to his black Subaru.
"Shotgun!" I grinned as I stopped to the door of the front passenger seat.
"Why do you have to say it? It's just two of us." Jordan laughed.
"I know. I just like saying it and I love sitting in front." I giggled.
"You're still weird as usual." Jordan laughed and got in behind the wheel.
* * *
"You don't have to pay for my Oreo slush, Jordan." I frowned. We walked down a narrow alley with our hands numb by our iced drinks. I wondered why did we came to this part of the street. I had been living here in Emeryville, California for four years now, yet I had never discovered this area before. It was quiet and slightly dilapidated, with an uneven walkway and a smoky odour that smelt like incense from a Chinese temple. Still, we kept on walking until we passed by a store on our left. It was painted in mint green with bold stickers on a slightly cloudy window that said "Kaboom".
"Kaboom? What is this? A magic store?" Jordan snickered.
"It looks like one." I peeked through the window, "I see crystal balls and worn-out-looking thick books and oh...flying brooms!"
"What the hell..." Jordan murmured but he squinted to see the things arranged on the shelves.
"I want to take a look!" I suggested, "There's a lot of unique stores like this in Hollywood but not here in this small city."
"Are you crazy?" Jordan asked, looking surprised, "Why do you even wanna go in?"
"Why not?" I shrugged, "Plus, work doesn't end till 8pm today so I want to be energized before working on the animation again."
"Okay...okay fine..." he sighed and opened the door. A tiny bell that hung above the other side of the door tinged.
"Welcome!" a lady who looked like in her 60s greeted from the counter on the further left. Her silver hair was tied into a bun that poked from her scarlet bandanna.
"Hi!" I smiled. Jordan waved.
"Welcome to my store! Guess the magic word works the charm." she winked.
"Magic word..." I repeated before nudging Jordan on the arm, "I told you it's a magic store!"
"Why yes it is!" the lady hooted, "Spell books, wands, witch brooms, crystal balls, magic cards...this store has everything!"
"Wow!" my eyes sparkled as I looked around the shelves.
As I picked up a translucent crystal from a shelf near the counter, my peripheral vision caught the lady staring at Jordan. He had a childish scowl, and the lady decided to start a conversation with him. He replied back but his eyes were fixed on me, begging me to quickly end my wandering eyes and scram out of the store. Tsk...this guy...he didn't have a single interest in magic and enchantment.
"By the way, everyone calls me Madame Cyprine. I've been owning this store for quite a while now." the lady put out her right hand. Jordan looked at her wrinkly hand and then back into her emerald eyes. I looked at him in surprise as he refused to shake hands with her but nodded instead.
"May I ask what's your name?" she smiled again.
"Uh...Jordan." he answered.
As Madame Cyprine continued to distract him, I suddenly saw a slightly thick book sticking out from a stack of encyclopedia-size ones. Curiously, I pulled it out.
"Ah! That's a lucky notebook!"Madame Cyprine's voice was excited when she saw me taking it.
"This one?" I lifted it up.
"Oh yes!" she nodded, "If you write something that comes from your biggest dreams or desire, that notebook will grant your wish."
"Wow! Really?" I exclaimed,flipping through the semi-white pages.
"Dear, I'm telling the truth!"
"Are you really gonna buy that? It's just a notebook! Wait,how much does it costs?" Jordan asked.
"30 dollars."
"Are you serious?" his eyes widened.
"I'll take it!" I announced.
"Huh?" Jordan squeaked.
"I'll buy this notebook." I said as I walked to the counter,
"Excellent!" Madame Cyprine grinned. Her teeth flashed a brilliant white.
"Phelia, don't you think it's a little expensive?" Jordan snatched the book away from my hands.
"Hey!"
"Looks like you got a nitpicky friend here." Madame Cyprine chuckled.
"Sorry about...uh...my friend here...he's probably woke up from the wrong side of the bed this morning." I said.
"I can tell." she nodded, "Boys, eh?"
I can feel him glaring as we giggled.
I grabbed the notebook back from Jordan's grip and paid it with cash. Jordan looked at me with a hyphen formed on his lips, but I ignored. She handed me a receipt and held my hand which took me by surprise, "You can literally write anything here, my dear. However," She suddenly leaned close to my right ear which sent a chill at the back of my neck, "...someday your wish will not give you happiness." "What do you mean?" I asked. She stood back upright and answered, "Just be careful what you wish for, that's what I meant."
"Oh...okay." I nodded.
Jordan dashed out of the door without taking a glance. I waved goodbye to her as I left with the black hard cover notebook in my hands.
"Don't you find that lady a little...creepy?" Jordan asked.
"Creepy?"
"Don't you see? She's probably silently putting a spell on you to lure you to buy...that."
"Jordan...buddy...sometimes you've got to be a little open-minded." I sighed,patting him on the shoulder.
* * *
I shook my head in dismay as I noticed a few street lights that were turned off close to my house. Seriously, it had been two weeks since the street lights had gone off and not even a single person came by to fix them.
Luckily, the headlights of my car broke the darkness of the night. The garage door automatically lifted up as I parked my car safely.
I felt a strange sensation while holding the magic notebook. It was like it quietly transferred a surge of energy through my veins till it reached to my heart. I felt like I was urged to write something as soon as possible. Once I made it into my home, I immediately refilled my purple detox water bottle before heading upstairs. A story idea was instantly drawn in my head during the process.
"Maybe this would work." I agreed to myself. My mind replayed a made-up scene of my new story idea as I sat at my study desk in my room. The energy that filled my insides swelled even more when the cover of the notebook was flipped open. Grabbing one of my best fountain pens, I started writing and a smile crept on my face as I jotted down the scene in my head onto paper.
*
Chef of Sun Yang
Written by: Phelia Song
Chapter 1
"No! No...no...no...nope not even this one....ewww what the heck is this? Pig's poop?" the prince made a face as he faced each candidate.
There was still a long line of chefs, eager to win Prince Joo Yoon's heart with their best dishes in all of the kingdom of Sun Yang. However, what they hadn't found out yet,was that he was a spoiled single child of the royal family. They thought that he was a handsome,sophisticated 23-years-old man with high potential to take over the solar throne in the near future, but they had no idea how picky he was when it comes to luxury, especially food. All he cared about was finely-cooked meals, fresh from a festival feast.Ever since he was little, he was dissatisfied with the food cooked by the royal chefs hired by the emperor and empress. As the kitchen team were switched every four to five years, new meals were brought to the royal family. Everyone enjoyed every new dish except for Prince Joo Yoon. He admitted that he had different taste buds from other people. Everyone didn't understand on why Prince Joo Yoon disapproved of the taste of every food while they all agreed that the food were delicious. It was no wonder that he became as puny as his own skeleton.
Evening passed by, and he rejected every single one of the candidates with critical comments. When the hall was once again empty, Prince Joo Yoon said, "I'm not hungry. All the tasting has weakened my appetite."
"Do you maybe want to have some dessert, Your Majesty?" a soft voice suddenly appeared from the doors.
"Who's there?" he sat bolt upright with eyes the size of saucers.
Two lines of knights in sheepskin armour turned their heads sharply to the entrance and held their swords in the air. It went so quiet you could hear the wind whistling. One minute later, a fair-skinned girl wearing a long-sleeved white and pink dress tiptoed through the doors. All eyes were on her as she carried a small steel pot towards the prince.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but the chef selection has ended." he said.
"I know, and I'm really sorry, Your Majesty. I should have come earlier." she curtsied. Her strong hands gripped the handles of the pot that somehow caught the prince's attention. But he still kept a poker face.
"Shouldn't you be playing hopscotch with your siblings?" he scoffed.
The girl stared, but showed off a sweet smile,"I hope you like sikhye."
The prince raised his eyebrow, "Sikhye? What in a thousand stars is that?"
She smiled and cleared her throat, "Sikhye is a traditional Korean dessert. It's made of barley malt powder and rice."
"Sounds unpleasant."
To his surprise, she responded with a laugh. A laugh that was as sweet as bells. He stared at her as if she was unlike the 500 chefs he met earlier. A different human being.
"I believe you have not tried this famous dessert before, Your Majesty. Everyone here in Korea has tried it before!" she laughed.
Joo Yoon stared, dumbfounded.
"I'll let you have a sip,if you like, Your Majesty." she winked and fished out the pocket of her dress for a silver spoon.
"Well...I..." he mumbled. He watched in surprise as the girl gingerly walked up the stairs; her eyes watched over the liquid that wiggled on the spoon. The knights' jaw dropped as they eyed at her in fear. Luckily, the prince didn't say anything. She finally reached to the top and held the spoon towards his mouth. Her other hand was cupped down like a bowl.
"Your Majesty." she smiled. The prince suddenly found himself opening his mouth. The girl bravely slipped the drop of mystery into his mouth.
"What do you think, Your Majesty?" she asked.
Prince Joo Yoon swallowed and suddenly, he showed the same reaction when he first heard her voice from the entrance.
"Mashita!" he gasped and immediately covered his mouth with one hand. The girl was back down from the stairs and giggled softly.
The prince cleared his throat and looked back with a stoned face, "Well...I've never said this before in my life but..." he gulped, "your sikhye is...surprising."
"Glad you like it, Your Majesty." the girl smiled.
"Be at the royal kitchen by sunrise tomorrow. The servants will take care of you." he uttered.
"I'll be honoured, Your Majesty." she grinned.
Prince Joo Yoon strutted down the stairs and had a couple of knights behind him to his bedroom. He closed the doors behind him and sat on his bed.
"What just happened?" he said as he stared at the wooden floor. He couldn't stop replaying the scene in his head for what seemed like forever.
"Sikhye is a traditional Korean dessert. It's made of barley malt powder and rice." the girl's gentle voice echoed.
"Sikhye eh?" he mumbled. He was too lazy to change into his sleepwear. He just removed the thick layers of his prince clothes and threw the silk blanket over him. He dozed off as the lights were switched off minutes later.
*
"Done!" I yawned. I dropped my pen and rubbed my eyes while looking at the time on my iPhone 5S, "Wow...12:40am already? I...better get some sleep."
It seemed that the notebook had let me to write the story without stopping, like a flowing river. I went to wash up, change into a tank top and shorts, and slipped under the covers of my queen-size bed which was placed next to a side table with a copy of Super Junior's "Devil" album on it. Yeah...I know...I'm a K-pop addict. No biggie. I scrolled through social media for Super Junior updates on my phone for a good half an hour before my eyes gave up to stay awake.
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