The tent reeked of mystery.
Blue silk draped the walls, embroidered with golden stars that shimmered under the low candlelight. Incense smoke curled lazily from a bronze dish on the right, filling the air with the scent of sandalwood. A glass orb glowed faintly on a velvet-covered table, reflecting the soft flicker of flames. At the entrance, a weathered wooden board read in crooked gold letters:
[Madam JASMINE's Readings & Exorcisms]
At the center of the room sat a woman—her hands long and veiny, her lips stained a deep, blood-like red, and her skin folded with age. She wore a draping purple gown, regal and ghostly, with her head wrapped in a layered turban like the ones worn by old mystics from faraway lands.
Her entire appearance screamed "storybook witch."
She pointed a crooked finger at the deck of cards laid on the table. "Pick three cards. They shall define your fate."
Her fingers slid ominously over the deck as if stirring invisible forces.
"Come on, Sayu. You're not seriously buying into this, are you?" Rin whispered, clearly unimpressed and very skeptical of the whole vibe.
"Shh! The divines will hear you," the woman hissed dramatically.
Sayu and Rin sat across from the woman. This whole thing might have felt ridiculous to most people—but to Sayu, it was necessary. Maybe it was because of her mother's influence, who swore by superstitions, talismans, and celestial warnings. Or maybe it was because, lately, everything in Sayu's life had gone off the rails.
Hayato. The ridiculous school board post. Park Dae Woo's sudden appearance. The near car accident. Her breakup with Hans...
She didn't ask for drama. All Sayu ever wanted was a quiet, peaceful campus life. But instead, fate had tangled her in the messiest of knots—rich boys, chaos, and unwanted attention.
Whatever cursed force is doing this… whether it's science or superstition, I need it to stop. Sayu thought, biting her lip.
"Well?" the woman barked. "Are you not going to pick something?"
Her sudden intensity made both girls flinch.
Sayu and Rin instinctively clutched each other's hands. With her free hand, Sayu reached out and chose three cards from the spread—carefully spacing them apart. The woman took each one and laid them face down before flipping the first.
"The Star-Bound Maiden," she intoned. "She who is fated to dwell among the stars."
Sayu blinked. "What does that mean?"
The woman placed her hand over her forehead, groaning theatrically. "Ahh… I sense a powerful force… But something is blocking it…"
She waved her hand toward them in a strange motion, as if beckoning.
The girls leaned in, thinking she was asking them to come closer.
But then, the woman formed a heart with her index finger and thumb—and began rubbing them together slowly.
Money.
Sayu and Rin exchanged a knowing look.
Awkwardly smiling, Sayu reached into her purse. "Uh… how much?"
The woman tilted her head toward a small sign to the left:
[10$ per reading]
Rin's jaw dropped. "Ten dollars?! That's a scam!"
The woman shrugged. "Well, I gotta make a living somehow, honey."
Sayu walked over and placed the bill on the small, velvet-draped table. The tarot reader's eyes snapped open, and she gasped dramatically, her voice ringing through the tent.
"Ahh… it seems I can see it now!"
Sayu and Rin exchanged a look, the corner of Sayu's lips twitching into a hesitant smile. Rin folded her arms, already skeptical.
The woman drew the first card slowly — The Tower Upright.
She stared at it in silence for a moment, then let out a long, low breath.
"This," she said, "is the card of chaos. Of everything being torn down… and rebuilt. A great change is coming — You will lose control. The ground beneath your feet will crack. But only in ruin will your true path appear."
Sayu blinked, caught between curiosity and unease.
"Sounds like the plot of a bad thriller," Rin muttered.
Sayu shifted slightly, her brows drawing together.
Then came the second card: The Devil Upright.
Rin scoffed. "That doesn't look comforting."
The reader's tone deepened. "Desire… obsession… entrapment. Many will reach for you, wanting to claim what they believe is theirs. You will find yourself caught in unseen chains — some silken, others cruel. But in the end, only one will hold the key."
"And finally," the madam whispered, revealing the third card: The Lovers Upright.
The silence lingered for a beat.
"Oho?" Rin raised an eyebrow.
"It shows harmony, love, trust and a beginning of a new romance. It signifies alignment of values in your love life or career... but you must choose wisely, for the choice will either make you or break you..."
Sayu stared at the card, but said nothing.
With a snap, the woman clapped her hands and stood. "That's it, girls. End of the show."
Just like that, her dramatic voice vanished, replaced with a flat, almost bored tone.
* * *
Outside the tent, Sayu and Rin stepped back into the thinning market crowd. A faint voice followed them from behind the curtains.
"Come again next time…"
"Hmph," Rin snorted. "Scam, I say! You seriously paid for that nonsense?"
"But the online reviews said she was the best!" Sayu defended, pouting slightly.
"For that amount of money, we could've gotten a whole fried chicken. With extra sauce!"
"Spiritual nourishment is more important," Sayu mumbled, clutching her phone.
"Yeah, well, I'm physically starving." Rin grumbled, rubbing her stomach.
Sayu laughed lightly, by Rin's remark—when her phone suddenly chimed.
She raised it up slowly, then blinked at the screen. "Huh… Oh, I've got a message."
Sayu looked at the message. Her smile faded as she read:
[
Dear Student,
Tuition for next semester has not been paid.
This is a reminder. Please settle within 3 months. ]
Her fingers tightened slightly around the phone. She stared at it for a few seconds too long. It was the same message again.
"What's wrong?" Rin asked, noticing the shift in her expression.
Sayu forced a small smile. "Ah… it's nothing. Just line of those scam Click-ADs."
"Oh... those, these days scams are really everywhere." Rin spoke as she got distracted by a cloth store around the market, and as Rin looked away, Sayu sighed silently to herself.
'Maybe… I need to get a job.'