Chapter 32: Cured

We're now walking back to Yelena's room, shoulders slumped because we still haven't found a clue on how to cure Yelena, and the time is running out. "How the heck… what the heck should we do - ?" we asked each other as we opened Yelena's room, only to be surprised to see a person. "Vice?" we said when we saw her standing beside Yelena's bed. "You're already here? Why didn't you tell us – " we asked, only to be cut off when a strong force suddenly burst out from Yelena's body.

And it all happened.

Flashback end

A bright light burst out from Yelena as we were thrown to the walls. "Ugh"! we cried when our back hit the walls of the room.

"Waaah - !" Emil exclaimed and clutched the door when he almost swept away out of the room.

I covered my eyes. "Yelena… Vice…" I called, looking at the two of them. Vice is kissing Yelena. "What – " I said. My eyes went wide when I saw Yelena's eyes open. "Ye… Yelena!" I called.

"Rio… what's happening?!" Oril asked, covering his eyes because of the blinding light.

"Yelena…" I said, tears falling in my eyes. "Yelena's – "

"Awake." Chris said as she stared at Yelena and Vice in shock. "She's finally awake!" she shouted in joy.

"Huh - ?" Oril asked, still skeptical. "How?" he asked.

"Ugh!" Emil cried when he fell to the ground as the bright light died down. "Can't anybody help me earlier…?" he asked.

"Vice! Yelena!" I called and flew towards them. "Vice, how - ?" I asked as I looked at Vice. Then, I reached my hand to touch Yelena.

Only for Vice to stop me.

"Vice?" I asked, confused.

"Yelena, she – " she said, then sighed. She smiled sadly, then looked at me. "Don't tell her what happened when she woke up." she told me, then turned to walk towards the door. "I'm going back to the forest." she said and left.

"Vice?" I asked, confused. "Why… what happened to her?" I asked.

"Maybe it's this." Chris said as she walked towards Yelena's bed.

"Huh?" I asked, then looked at Yelena. "Yelena's… sleeping." I said. "What's wrong?" I asked. "She's better now, right? Her face's color went back to normal – "

"Tell me. Does Vice… have feelings towards the princess?" Chris asked. I didn't answer, since it was already obvious. She sighed. "So that's why." She said.

"'why' what?" I asked.

She looked at me. "She's expecting the princess would wake up immediately." She said.

"Huh? But we're also expecting – " I said.

Chris waved her hand. "She wants the princess to see her face when the princess wakes up." she said. "She wants the princess to think she saved him. Well, she did, but – " she shrugged. "She loves the princess, and she also wants the princess to acknowledge her." She explained.

"'acknowledge'?" I asked, still feeling skeptical.

Chris nodded. "She wants the princess all for himself." She said. My jaw dropped. "But, she just realized she can't do that." she continued. "She realized that now. After she kissed him." She sighed. "The princess didn't wake up and was still sleeping so she hadn't seen her face. Vice plans to make the princess indebted to her by saving her so she can have the princess all to himself, but – " she shrugged.

"It didn't work." I finished. Chris nodded. "Vice…" I said, can't believe it. "I haven't realized what Vice really feels." I said and hung my head in self-reproach.

Chris nodded. "Vice realized how to save the princess. Unrequited love… so what the one who put this curse to the ring wants is that kiss. A kiss from the one she loves. A one last kiss, before he'll go away." I explained.

"But it wasn't granted. That's why she put this curse." I said. Chris nodded. I sighed. "This is really…" too tragic.

"That Vice…" Chris said, frowning. "She's cunning." She said. I looked at her. She shrugged. "Her love… it was a selfish love." she said, then sighed. She looked at Yelena who's now sleeping so peacefully. "Vice… her love… just turned to unconditional love." She added. Since Vice now gave up.

I grimaced. "Why are these all so tragic?" I asked, then shook my head in disappointment. "At least the curse was broken now. Yelena's safe. That's all that matters." I said.

They all nodded.

Yelena's POV

Days later.

"So… you two combined your powers to save me?" I asked them while we were eating breakfast.

"Err, yeah." Rio said, her smile awkward. She dodged my gaze on her.

Chris nodded and elbowed Rio. "Yeah. We did." she said. Her tone sounded perfunctory, so she sounded more convincing than Rio.

I forked the bacon and stared at them. "Hmm…" I hummed and bit the bacon. Sweat fell down their face. They wiped it immediately. "Okay. I believe you." I said and continued eating. They looked surprised. "What? You don't want me to?" I asked and stared at them.

Their eyes went wide and shook their head vigorously. "No, no! You must believe us!" Rio said, panicked. "We really did search for a way to break the curse – " she said.

I stared at them. "Okay." I said.

They looked happy, then sighed, feeling relieved. I continued eating my breakfast. They're obviously lying. I'm not doubting their skills since I don't know entirely about them. But they're really lying, and it's really obvious. I thought. So obvious the amateur could beat them. I thought and blew out air. I'll definitely catch them red-handed. I thought and continued eating.

…

"So it's her, huh?" I said and opened the door of Rio's barrier. "No wonder they won't tell me since I've done something to her when I was under the curse." I said and walked towards Vice. I stopped in front of her. "Vice." I said, looking at her.

She forced a smile. "I knew you'd come." She said and sighed.

I nodded. "Yeah." I said as I remembered how I figured them out.

Flashback

I took a bite of the crepe while I leaned on the wall. "You sure she's reading a book in her room?" I heard Rio asked Chris.

They're at the hallway. Be sure that no one's around if you'll be talking in secret. I thought.

"Yes. She said she'd take an afternoon nap later." Chris answered.

"That's good." Rio said. She sighed. "It's been days… I'm really guilty of lying to Yelena." she said.

"Can't be helped." Chris said. "That's what she said to us." She told her.

"But… Yelena deserves to know who saved her." Rio said.

"She chose what's best for the princess." Chris said. "She doesn't want to add more burden to what the princess feels. The princess has done something to her, but she still saved her when the princess was in danger. That'd add more to the guilt the princess feels." she explained.

"But – " Rio said as she bit her lip. "You're right. We had to overcome this." She sighed in defeat. "I hope Vice is not suffering too much than she already is – " she said.