“What!?!?”
I jumped in shock, shaking off her hand and leaping to my feet. My heart was pounding like it might explode. This was the first confession I’d ever heard—someone asking me out. It felt completely different from Ariel liking me. I had actually heard those words with my own ears.
“W-W-What are you talking about!”
My face burned. Sure, I came here because of Rapunzel’s curse, but I’m being tossed around like a toy. This is an act. Yeah, it’s definitely a trick to mess with me.
“Guess your hearing isn’t that great. Let me whisper it again this time, so come closer.”
Rapunzel smiled lightly and approached me with easy steps. I swallowed hard. Think. This is a cruel world. This confession isn’t real. Why is Rapunzel confessing to me? She wants my answer.
Why?
d*mn it, I can’t focus looking at her rose-like pretty face. I looked down to avoid meeting her eyes.
And then the keywords came to mind.
Fable. Rapunzel. Curse. Magic. The difference from the original is that Rapunzel is the cursed child. Also, instead of a witch, there’s Godel the magician, but his face hasn’t even shown up.
The kingdom falling due to Rapunzel. Godel, the magician who locked Rapunzel in the tower.
Confession.
Maybe she needs someone to accept her confession to break the tower’s barrier and get out. Yeah, that’s it. There’s no other explanation. It’s clear! She plans to escape and destroy the kingdom!
“Hmph.”
“Aaaaah!”
I shivered and got goosebumps as Rapunzel’s breath suddenly brushed my ear.
“Heheh, this is fun. What deep thoughts are you having? Huh? I said let’s date.”
Rapunzel gave me a seductive glance, and I tilted my head sharply upward to avoid her gaze. If I look at her, I’ll be captivated.
“I… don’t have the desire to date anyone right now.”
I rejected the first confession of my life. For some reason, my heart ached. I nervously glanced sideways at Rapunzel, worried she might k*ll me for not accepting.
“Hmm~ guess that’s how it is. Am I not good enough for you?”
Rapunzel looked utterly dejected. Her face was like a sad puppy wanting to go for a walk but can’t.
“No! It’s not that you’re not good enough…”
“Not-not!?!”
Rapunzel’s eyes lit up. Why did I say that? Ugh, what a dumbass! My mouth ran away with me!
“It’s just… I’m not ready yet. I mean, we’ve only known each other for less than an hour, right?”
“Aha! So you mean we need more time to get to know each other! Alright!”
Rapunzel smiled sweetly, and despite myself, I ended up smiling back. No! Snap out of it! Don’t fall for her charm and accept the confession!
“Then let’s keep going on dates?”
When Rapunzel clapped her hands, the scenery changed. It was like teleporting to another place. We arrived at a beautifully arranged garden and started strolling slowly. She spoke while walking ahead of me.
“Hey, Siyoo. Because I’ve been trapped in the tower almost my whole life, my imagination isn’t very rich. That limits what I can create. I want to enjoy normal dates with Siyoo like regular couples do. Can you tell me? What do normal couples do on dates?”
Hmm, what do normal dates look like in this world? I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“In my place, we go to amusement parks, chat at cafes, watch movies or dramas, and eat at good restaurants. On special occasions, we dress up and go to fancy restaurants. Actually, I’ve never had a girlfriend, so I’m not sure about all the details.”
I chuckled awkwardly. Rapunzel turned around and looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Hmm, I don’t understand any of that! Amusement park? Cafe? Movies and dramas? What does that mean?”
“Ugh, how do I explain this? Since I’m from another world, it’s kinda hard to describe. If only I could show you some memories…”
“Then let’s do that!”
“Eh?”
Rapunzel smiled gently and flicked her finger. Then something rustled in the flowerbeds and emerged. A strand of golden hair shot toward me and embedded itself in my head.
“Aaaah! What is this!”
Panicking, I tried to pull it out, but I couldn’t even budge the single strand. It was as solid as iron and wouldn’t snap.
“Hahaha! Don’t freak out! It doesn’t hurt at all. Your memories are just being shared with me.”
It didn’t hurt as she said. Though it was strange having a hair pierce my skull, there was no headache or discomfort.
The strand of hair in my head emitted a bright light. Rapunzel closed her eyes quietly and then smiled faintly.
With a soft pop, the hair withdrew from my head. When I looked at Rapunzel, her face was flushed.
“Incredible! It’s absolutely incredible, Siyoo!”
She couldn’t hide her excitement and grabbed my hands, shaking them up and down wildly.
“Your world is amazing! How can such things exist? Being able to communicate from far away and travel by flying to other countries! Especially the internet—it’s like creating a whole new world!”
Rapunzel rambled excitedly like an overjoyed child.
“Haha, really?”
True, in Rapunzel’s world, it’s filled with swords and magic—a medieval fantasy vibe—so it makes sense she’d be amazed by the advanced civilization I came from.
“Siyoo, thanks to you, I had a truly enjoyable experience! Let’s have an awesome date!”
“Wow!”
This time, the ground trembled violently as the scene shifted. The beautiful garden disappeared into the ground, replaced by towering buildings rising rapidly. They weren’t ordinary buildings.
Various thrill rides designed uniquely.
Around us appeared churro stalls and tempting street food shops, along with stores displaying cute souvenirs.
An amusement park. The tower transformed into an amusement park. I stood there, mouth agape, watching the spectacle unfold. Creating an amusement park with magic like this—and in under a minute!
Before I could blink, a massive amusement park plaza materialized, and I stood there gawking in awe. Soft touches brushed my hand. Rapunzel held my hand, beaming like an excited child.
“Let’s go already!”
Rapunzel led me toward the rides. We rode various attractions.
“Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!”
The world spun dizzily, soaring high into the sky before plummeting nearly vertically. It was one of those rides I swore I’d never ride again from my memory. And yet, we also tackled water slides, haunted houses, gyro drops, and countless other thrilling rides.
While I screamed every time due to my inability to handle such thrilling rides, Rapunzel laughed joyfully beside me.
Why? Why do these rides work!
“Oh~ so much fun!”
“Ugh, let’s take a short break.”
I said, clutching my wobbly legs.
“You mean because of that ride? Wow, our Siyoo is weaker than expected!”
“Ugh, anyone would feel this way after non-stop intense rides for an hour without rest.”
“Hahaha! Alright~ then let’s grab something to eat!”
Rapunzel dashed toward a churros stall. Watching her run, I wondered if she wasn’t secretly a dog in human form. A dog tail on her b*tt wouldn’t look odd at all.
I briefly scanned the area. The vast amusement park was empty except for the two of us. Of course, the currently unattended churros stall still somehow produced churros in both of Rapunzel’s hands. Now she can even conjure food.
We sat on a bench near a grand fountain.
“Mmm~ smells great. Here, try it quick.”
“Mm-hmm.”
I hesitantly took the churros. For a second, I wondered if it was made of hair, but the smell was unmistakably that of delicious churros. Taking a cautious bite, I was overwhelmed by the sweet explosion of flavor awakening every cell in my body.
“It’s delicious!”
Still hot, this churro was incredibly tasty! I devoured it greedily as Rapunzel watched me with a smile, like a mother watching her son happily eat.
And she too took a bite.
“Hehe, eating together with Siyoo makes it taste even better.”
Her comment made my face heat up instantly. Ugh, where did she learn lines like that!
Even though this isn’t a normal fairy tale land but an amusement park, it feels like I’ve returned to my original world. Rapunzel seems like a regular girl her age.
It’s nice. Ordinary. Yeah, I like ordinary moments like this one. But I know. Eating magic-made churros in an empty amusement park isn’t ordinary at all.
I looked her straight in the eye and asked,
“Rapunzel, will you tell me your story?”
