Giselle

Prologue.

“a dancer dies twice— once when they stop dancing, and this first death is more painful.”

-Martha Graham

The dance teacher believed in calling his students by the name of the character they were playing. This year, it was all about Giselle and Kim Migyung was on the verge of losing her mind.

While the teacher didn't find anything wrong in calling the prima ballerina Giselle, Migyung had to undergo a lot of teasing. Of course, it was friendly but after a while, it got aggravating. She also didn't like how her twin sister always scowled whenever she was being called Giselle.

Mijung, her twin sister was as talented as she was but there is only one prima ballerina and it was Migyung. Mijung was her replacement, in case there was an accident. But, of course, there were no accidents happening anytime soon.

Or so, Migyung thought.

Migyung was happy after a long time. She was doing good in practice and the act was coming out amazingly. Not only that, she had seen Mijung happily smiling after a long time too. Her twin's smile meant the world to Migyung.

"Good luck for your date, Mijung," Migyung called out. The other girl only waved, her contagious smile putting Migyung at ease. She hoped, everything would turn out good. Only until she did the role she had desired for ever since she started dancing.

Giselle was her dream, her breath, her heart beat. Giselle was her life long love.

Her dream shattered though.

It shattered the moment Mijung stumbled into her room, too intoxicated to walk straight.

"You!" Mijung screamed, grabbing hold of the girl's collar, pulling her up. "You ruin everything! Why? Why do you do it? Do you think it's fun to take away everything from me?"

Migyung's eyes pricked with tears. She struggled against the drunk girl's hold, confused beyond bounds. "What's wrong with you, Mijung? Will you atleast explain?"

Mijung pushed her sister away, sneering venomously at her. "Explain? Are you for real? You know how you've ruined my life and yet you ask for an explanation? Fine. I'll explain."

Migyung could only watch with wide eyes, unable to get up from the floor as she watched the deep hatred in her twin's eyes. She really hated her.

"You took everything from me, Migyung. I am the first born," Mijung said, hitting her own chest as tears streamed down her face. "I deserve to have everything you do. I deserve to have a place in Dan's heart instead of you. He wanted to meet me only because he wanted to get to you!" she screamed, pointing her finger accusingly at the shocked girl still sitting on the floor.

"And you know what? I deserve to be the prima ballerina. I deserve to be the Giselle! And trust me when I say this, Migyung, I'll do everything in my power to become Giselle. Everything to get what is rightfully mine. Just know, I am no longer your sister. I don't want to be to be your sister."

"No!" Migyung finally broke out of her trance, the shock. She got onto her knees, hugging Mijung's legs. "Please don't say that, Mijung. Please don't say you won't be my sister anymore. We've been together since birth. I love you, Mijung. I-I will do anything you want, just don't cut me off. Don't cut me off..."

Mijung scoffed, making no effort to make her sister loosen her hold on her legs. Instead, she looked down at the crying girl with a sinister smile. "Will you really do anything, Migyung?"

Migyung was quick to nod, looking up at her sister pleading. "Yes, I'll do anything. Just don't break our relationship. We are sisters. Twins. We have a special bond, right?"

Mijung tilted her head, her red eyes becoming crazed with every word that tumbled out of Migyung's lips. With a shaky hand, Mijung caressed her twin's face with a crooked smile.

"Step down," she said, making the kneeling girl freeze in her spot. "Step down from your position and promise never to dance again."

Because no matter what, Migyung would always be the eye catcher as long as she danced. She just had this different aura when she danced. She didn't dance because their parents expected them to dance and raise their reputation. No. Migyung danced because she was made to dance. Dancing was in her blood and soul.

On the other hand, Mijung was nothing. She was the carbon copy of the prima ballerina. Literally. She danced to make her parents proud. And she hated it. She hated being the second choice.

Her eyes blank and her heart numb, Migyung let go off her sister's legs. She was in a dilema and she couldn't choose. It was either dancing or her twin. She didn't want to choose. Both were important for her.

"Choose, Migyung," Mijung spoke, seeing the struggle in her eyes. "Me or dance? Your twin or those ballet shoes? If you choose Giselle, you will lose Mijung. So, choose wisely."

With that, the girl left the room, leaving Migyung broken. She didn't have much choice though. Family came before anything else.

That night, the girl left her room, each step making the floor creak beneath her feet. The mother heard the sound, figuring one of her girls might be thirsty. What she didn't expect was the loud thud that followed, waking up everyone in the house.

There laid, at the end of the stairs, a girl dressed in her white nightgown. Blood flowed from her head and some other parts, no one could figure out the source. All there was to see was pure pandemonium as the parents struggled to save their daughter. The other girl stood at the top of the stairs, a satisfied smile gracing her lips hidden behind dainty fingers.