A Million Times Over

Cherry froze on the spot. A masked man had seen everything. The man was standing there in surprise as he saw from the chameleon to her but he made no indication to shout.

Cherry pointed her cane at him. Even though she was forbidden to use her powers on any innocent person, she could still threaten them.

"If you tell this to anyone, I'll hunt you down and curse you," she warned. Her voice was steely and devoid of emotions. There was only plain arrogance and pride in her.

The man did not look scared but his gaze...his gaze was of pity. The look in his eyes reminded her of that person. The person she hates so much.

"Pray that we never meet," she warned, turning her back to him. "Because if we do...then I'll have to kill you."

With that, she disappeared in thin air.

Jinhyun let out a sharp breath as he saw her disappear. What he saw that night...he never expected the night to turn out like this. The girl was evil. There was nothing redeemable about her. She held nothing but hatred in her heart and reveled in isolation. She had no qualms in turning a human being into a chameleon. What was she? A witch? A monster?

His head was full of questions. Nothing made sense to him. What was going on? How did he end up seeing something so bizarre? It was impossible for him to believe that he had seen a person being turned into a…

Every fiber in his body screamed to stay away from the girl. She was bad news. An evil being which will destroy everything in her path. His brain screamed at him to stay away from her.

But his heart...his heart was beating fast. Not in fear but in pain. It pained him to see her like this. Her current state, her loveless existence...why was his heart bleeding for her? She cursed a person to his doom right in front of him. But why was his heart urging him to go and hold her?

He wanted to tell her that everything would be okay. He wanted to run towards her and hide her in his embrace. His heart and mind were at a conflict. When the girl threatened him, he was not feeling pity but guilt. Why was he guilty?

Jinhyun held his chest. "What is going on?" he whispered. The only thing he knew was this.

The girl was mad, bad and dangerous. And she will be the end of him.

….

Cherry stepped into the cafe but it was empty. There was no one in sight except for a few employees. One of the waiters glanced up and was immediately mesmerized by the tall beauty standing in front of him.

"I'm sorry, ma'am but the cafe is closed," he apologized.

"Are there any desserts left?" she inquired.

"We have a few red velvet cakes, a chocolate mousse, two tiramisu and-"

"Never mind, give me everything," she ordered.

"E-everything?"

"Yes."

The waiter was surprised. Was this woman going to chow down all the leftover dessert? He packed the remaining dessert items for her. Cherry paid for them and took off. She turned a corner before disappearing into thin air.

….

Cherry threw her shoes aside as she entered her house. She conjured a jar out of thin air and put the chameleon into it. She got the locket back when the guy turned into the reptile. It was just an ordinary locket but she hated thieves. The guy was lucky that she only turned him into a chameleon. If she was not restricted from harming humans, she may have killed him.

Unfortunately, someone saw her in the act. She was always so careful to not get caught. Why was she so unlucky that night?

It was too dark so she could not see his face clearly. But she was not very worried. She was careful enough to magically disconnect any CCTV around the area so there was no evidence. Moreover, who would believe the guy?

As for the chameleon…

She held up the jar. "I'm going to keep you here for at least five years," she leered at it. "I hate thieves and you're damn unlucky to have crossed paths with me!"

The green chameleon stared at her in fear. Even though the thief was in this form, his mind was intact. No matter what happens, he would not be able to change back before five years. This was the curse of a true shaman.

All throughout her existence, she learnt a few good tricks which surpassed even the original shaman who had cursed her. She even found new rules to her powers.

Firstly, she could not use her powers to hurt any innocent person. She can only curse people who have committed a crime. If she harmed an innocent, she would lose all her powers and remain an old lady for eternity.

Secondly, her time traveling powers can only be used for the 500 people assigned to her. It was not for everyone. Otherwise the disturbance caused in the timelines can destroy the world.

With just one person left, she was hopeful that her life would come to an end. She was not afraid of death. It was simply a means for her to be with her mother again.

But she was curious about the mysterious note sender. Who was he? And how was he able to see her true face even during the day? Why did he not turn up?

Cherry rattled the jar in her hand, sending the chameleon in it into a fit of fright. If it wasn't for the damn thief, she would have reached the cafe on time. Maybe the man had arrived but got tired of waiting and left. The shaman's words echoed in her ears. The man who would be able to see her true face will change her fate.

How? How will he change it? Will he end her curse? And how will she find him? She could not even see his face. She was so close to finally meeting him…

Cherry could feel her anger rising.

She held the jar up. "I've changed my mind," she said. "I'll extend your punishment by five more years."

A shiny gleam flashed through the jar. Technically, she was not hurting him but simply prolonging his punishment.

I'll just take a bath, she thought warily as she got up.

….

Jinhyun was in an uneasy slumber. Flashes of the night's events were roaming inside his head. An image of the man's distorting body was carved in his head.

"Help me!" the man cried out. Jinhyun wanted to reach out and help.

"No…" he moaned. The man was shrinking in front of his eyes. His skin was turning green and sprouts formed on his body. Scales emerged all over his torso as the man screamed in agony.

Then he stopped in his tracks. A red figure appeared behind the man. Her lips were curved into a sinister smile.

"Greed should be punished…" she whispered, pointing the cane at Jinhyun. He could not move. Or rather, he would not move. Inexplicably, Jinhyun stepped forward.

Something came over him. His body and mind were not his. It felt as if someone else was controlling him. What was going on?

He looked down. His t-shirt and jeans turned into a long, black robe with golden roses embroidered on it. His hair was tied in a headdress while a crown sat on his head. He stepped towards the red lady, who looked at him with nothing but contempt.

A strange sensation crept up in his heart. He yearned to see her smile. He wanted to make her laugh. But she would not smile. Not at him.

He held the cane and pointed it at his chest.

"If you're the executioner," he said. "Then I'll commit my sins a million times over again…"

The red lady was unaffected. A white light emerged from her cane, engulfing them into a neverending brightness…