- 5 hours ago
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Short filmTranscript
00:00The soul shop. The place where you get what you want most.
00:04He looked up at me.
00:05And what do you want?
00:07What do I want?
00:09I mumbled and clenched my fists.
00:12My nails dug into my palms, but I couldn't feel the pain anymore.
00:16I want to live again.
00:18He set the cloth down.
00:20It won't be cheap.
00:21Pulled out a sheet of parchment from beneath the counter, slid it across to me.
00:26To live again, you trade something of equal value.
00:30Do you know what's worth the most about you?
00:33No.
00:34Your ability to love.
00:36I froze.
00:37He looked at me with those pale gray eyes, voice slow.
00:40You see, people like you are rare.
00:42You loved your parents.
00:44Loved your brother.
00:45Loved your fiancé.
00:46You even loved the sister who took everything from you.
00:49Stepped on.
00:50Spit on.
00:51And you kept handing them your heart, over and over.
00:54You're mocking me!
00:56I'm doing business.
00:58He tapped the parchment with one fingertip.
01:00Terms.
01:00You surrender your ability to love.
01:03I give you one more life.
01:04Starting the day you turned 12.
01:06The day they brought your sister home.
01:08Why that day?
01:09For the first time, something flickered in his face.
01:11Almost interest.
01:13Because that's where your story went wrong.
01:15I was quiet for a long time.
01:17Then I looked up.
01:19Deal.
01:20I lifted my hand, pressed it to the parchment.
01:22A gold light bloomed where my fingerprint landed.
01:24He took the contract back.
01:26Gave me the smallest nod.
01:27I snapped.
01:28May this life find yourself.
01:31He snapped his fingers.
01:32The world began to fall apart.
01:35Shards of light drifted down like snow.
01:37White light swallowed everything.
01:40Anya!
01:40What are you spacing out for?
01:42Our new sister's almost here.
01:44Let's go down and meet her.
01:45Hearing that name again froze me for a second.
01:48My eyes snapped open.
01:49I hadn't been called Anya in six, seven years.
01:51I turned and looked at my twin brother, Cole, next to me.
01:55Sure enough, he'd reverted to his 12-year-old self.
01:58A half-grown boy in a perfectly tailored suit, eyes bright with anticipation.
02:03One of his hands was holding my hand.
02:04I looked down at his slim, clean fingers.
02:07In my head, I saw the handprint it had left on my face when we were older.
02:10I frowned, yanked my arm free.
02:13Cole looked at me, confused.
02:14Anya, what's wrong?
02:16The front door opened.
02:18My parents' voices floated up.
02:20Cole!
02:20Anya, come down!
02:22We brought your sister home!
02:24Cole's eyes lit up.
02:25He dropped me and ran down the stairs alone.
02:27I stood at the top and watched the four of them downstairs.
02:30One big happy family.
02:32I pressed a hand to my chest.
02:34Strange.
02:36My heart was still beating, calmly.
02:38But the knife-edge pain as before, it was totally gone.
02:41Cole and I are twins.
02:42For the first 12 years of our lives, my parents only had the two of us.
02:46Cole was older by two hours.
02:48He and our parents spoiled me into a real deal little princess.
02:52Someone joked to my father once.
02:53With a temper like your daughter's, thank God she's engaged to Felix already,
02:57or no one would dare marry her.
02:59My father's face went black.
03:01My daughter wasn't born to be married off.
03:03She can stay home for life.
03:06I can afford her.
03:07My mother and Cole didn't say a word.
03:09They just kept showering me with more nice things.
03:11A $3 million bracelet was an ordinary birthday gift back then.
03:15But it was also the last birthday gift I would ever get.
03:18The year I turned 12, an old friend of my father's died of illness.
03:22On his deathbed, he asked my father to take in his only daughter, Olivia.
03:26And after her coming, my family's love, trust, attention, all of it drifted away from me a little at a
03:31time.
03:32But I still treated her like my own sister before my 18th birthday.
03:35I loved her until the moment I saw her kissing my fiancé Felix in the garden.
03:41I snapped.
03:43Why are you doing this to me?
03:45Do you even see what you're like right now?
03:48You're a lunaturk.
03:50Cole's eyes were full of revulsion.
03:52My parents said nothing.
03:53They watched, like everyone else.
03:55The pain in my chest had me shaking head to toe.
03:57I went at Olivia with a knife, but Cole kicked me into a thicket of thorns.
04:01Every single person there crowded around Olivia, trying to calm her down, begging her not to cry.
04:06Nobody cared that what I'd had in my hand was just a plastic knife from the cake.
04:10My parents had me committed, said I was mentally ill.
04:13Cole's kick did real damage.
04:15I was coughing up blood day and night.
04:17I begged the doctor over and over to call my parents.
04:20Not a single call got answered.
04:21Then, after another round of electroshock, I stopped breathing.
04:25That was when I saw it.
04:27The soul shock.
04:28The one in the rumors.
04:29I traded everything I had to love with for one more chance.
04:32This time, no one gets to hurt me.
04:34Aina!
04:35Sweetheart, come on!
04:36You've been waiting for a little sister, haven't you?
04:38My mother holding Olivia's hand, smiling, waving me down.
04:41Olivia tipped up her clean little face and called me sister.
04:44I didn't react.
04:45I turned and walked back into my room.
04:47Left the four of them looking at each other in the living room.
04:50My father, confused.
04:52What's gotten into her now?
04:53Who upset her?
04:55My mother's voice went thin.
04:57Maybe she just needs a minute to get used to having a younger sister.
05:01It's fine.
05:02I'll go talk to her in a bit.
05:03Olivia's voice cracked.
05:05Mom, Dad, does my sister not like me?
05:08Maybe I should leave.
05:10Before my parents could say anything, Cole jumped in.
05:13Anya's just a little hot-tentured.
05:15Don't be sad.
05:16I'll go tell her off in a minute.
05:18Cole's so grown up.
05:19You take good care of your sister, okay?
05:21Their laughter floated up through the floor.
05:23I stood up and started going through my things.
05:26Too much time had passed.
05:27I couldn't remember everything 12-year-old me owned.
05:29A closer look.
05:30I was almost embarrassingly rich.
05:32No wonder Olivia loved taking my things.
05:35I scooped the jewelry off the vanity and dumped it into my backpack.
05:38I picked up the bracelet and remembered the time she'd smashed it.
05:41That was the first time I'd slapped Olivia.
05:43She'd hidden behind the door with her eyes red, voice tiny, like I was the one who'd broken
05:47her favorite thing.
05:48Sister, I'm sorry.
05:51I really didn't mean to.
05:53I just wanted to look at it.
05:54It slipped.
05:55Then she'd burst into tears.
05:57My parents came running.
05:58Cole came running.
05:59She had wrapped herself around my mother's leg, sobbing like she was going to pass out.
06:04But the moment no one was watching, she looked up at me and smirked.
06:07I pointed at her, trying to tell them truth.
06:09Anna!
06:10How can you be cruel to her?
06:11It's just a bracelet.
06:13You couldn't have let her have it?
06:14Just a bracelet?
06:16That bracelet was the gift Cole had bought me with the prize money from his first IT
06:20competition, and he'd forgotten.
06:23By the time I'd packed up everything, there was a soft knock on my door.
06:27My mother, voice soft, almost too patient.
06:29Anya?
06:30Sweetheart?
06:31Come out.
06:31Dinner's ready.
06:32I didn't answer.
06:33I just opened the door and let her walk me down to the dining room.
06:37My usual seat had Olivia in it.
06:39My father and Cole were both putting food on her plates.
06:41I turned to my mother.
06:43Should I eat on the floor?
06:45Every head snapped up.
06:46My mother's grip on my hand tightened.
06:49Of course not.
06:50My fault.
06:50I forgot to have them bring you a chair.
06:52Anna, please get Anya a chair.
06:54Olivia stood up, her wide, innocent eyes filling instantly.
06:57Sister, I'm sorry.
06:58I didn't know this was your seat.
07:00Here, take it.
07:01Cole jumped up and pushed her back into the chair, shooting me a hard look.
07:04Anna, it doesn't matter where you sit.
07:07Olivia just got here.
07:08Don't scare her.
07:09My parents said nothing.
07:10They were watching me.
07:12So this was tacit approval.
07:14I took the chair from the housekeeper and dragged it to the far end of the table, away from all
07:18of them.
07:19Cole's hands stalled midair over Olivia's plate.
07:21He opened his mouth a few times, closed it.
07:23We finished dinner in that strange, frozen quiet.
07:26As I stood up to head back upstairs, my father called after me.
07:30He cleared his throat, tried to smile.
07:31Anya, Olivia just lost her parents.
07:35We're her family now.
07:36We should take care of her.
07:38My mother chimed in.
07:39Yeah, mom knows.
07:41You probably aren't used to having a sister yet.
07:43But look at her.
07:44She's so sweet.
07:46Try to spend time with her.
07:48You'll grow close.
07:48My voice came out flat.
07:50And?
07:51My mother froze.
07:52Maybe I'd never spoken to her in that tone before.
07:55My father took a sip of his coffee and forced a smile.
07:58Anya, sweetheart.
07:59Olivia just transferred to her new school.
08:01She's not doing well.
08:02So how about you and Cole both drop back a grade so you can be in the same class as
08:07your sister?
08:08To sell it, he added quickly.
08:09Cole already said yes.
08:11We're just waiting on you.
08:12I looked at Cole and he was staring at the floor.
08:15Couldn't meet my eyes.
08:17Here we go.
08:18Last time around, it was the same.
08:20They made me and Cole, who were already in seventh grade, drop back to sixth with Olivia.
08:25A year later, my childhood sweetheart Felix, by then thick as thieves with Olivia,
08:30transferred into our class on the excuse that he wanted to look after me.
08:33After that, the three of them put on their little theater every day.
08:36Made up stories about how I was bullying Olivia, got the whole class to freeze me out.
08:40Brilliant.
08:41But I wasn't going to play with elementary schoolers this time.
08:44Waste of a life.
08:45I tilted my head.
08:47She needs two servants just to get through school.
08:50My father slammed his fork down.
08:52Anya, what did you just say?
08:55I said, since Cole's already volunteered to be her servant, you don't need to drag me into it.
08:59My mother grabbed my arm, eyes wide.
09:01Anya, what are you saying?
09:04What servant?
09:05Your dad just wants you all to spend time together.
09:07Get close.
09:08I have no obligation to get close to her.
09:11Whoever wants to wait on her, can wait on her.
09:14I stared at Cole.
09:15He'd been frozen like a deer in headlights this whole time.
09:18It's settled.
09:19The two of you go to elementary school.
09:21I'll stay in seventh grade.
09:22We leave each other alone.
09:24I turned and went upstairs.
09:25Left the four of them downstairs, consoling Olivia, who couldn't stop crying.
09:29Around nine that night, Cole knocked on my door.
09:32Anya, are you asleep?
09:35What?
09:36Could you open the door?
09:37No.
09:38The hall went quiet.
09:39Just as I thought he'd left, his voice came through again.
09:42Anya, you're upset, aren't you?
09:44No.
09:45You are.
09:46Anya, is it because I only paid attention to our new sister today and ignored you?
09:50I exhaled.
09:51Really?
09:51No.
09:52Cole, you can get close to whoever you want.
09:54I don't care.
09:55The hall went quiet again.
09:56After a long pause, his voice came back.
09:58There was something tired in it.
10:00Anya, Olivia, she's really pitiful.
10:02She's got such a soft heart.
10:03I'm scared she'll get pushed around.
10:04Anya, let me stay with her for a year.
10:07Once she settles in, I'll transfer back to your school, okay?
10:09Right, right, right.
10:11The school is funded by your family.
10:13You can do whatever you want.
10:15Slid my noise-canceling earplugs in, got into bed.
10:18The next morning, I walked into the living room with my suitcase and my backpack.
10:22Everyone froze.
10:25I looked up and saw Felix sitting next to Olivia, my future fiancé, the man who would
10:30one day betray me for Olivia.
10:31At 12, he was already a head taller than Cole.
10:34The moment he saw me, he jumped up, his soft hazel eyes crinkling, voice all bright.
10:39Anya, I'm here to walk you to school.
10:41I looked down, saw Olivia's hand still wrapped around his arm.
10:44You don't need to walk me anywhere.
10:46Ever.
10:47If you want to walk someone else, go ahead.
10:49Why?
10:49I gestured at the suitcase behind me.
10:51Felix wasn't the only one looking lost.
10:53So were my parents.
10:55So was Cole.
10:55Anna?
10:57What's that?
10:57Cole's eyes were red-rimmed.
10:59Clothes.
11:00And some things I need.
11:01And my jewelry.
11:02I won't give them up this time.
11:03Forgot to mention, starting today, I'm leaving here.
11:08What?
11:08What?
11:09What?
11:10All of them at once.
11:11My father came over, cold-faced, and crouched down to look at me.
11:14Anya, why?
11:15Is home not good enough?
11:17Where do you even want to go?
11:19Boarding school.
11:20I set it flat.
11:21His hand on my hair was shaking a little.
11:22He glanced back at Olivia, hesitant.
11:24Is it because, because of Olivia?
11:26Before I could react, Olivia bit her lip and let out a soft, choked sob.
11:30What are you saying?
11:31Of course not.
11:32Anya, you tell us yourself.
11:33Why are you boarding at school?
11:35It can't be because of your sister.
11:36You love her, don't you?
11:38Every face in the room was waiting, hopeful.
11:40They wanted me to say yes.
11:41I love her.
11:42I want to board because I'm being a brat.
11:43But I make it my job to disappoint people.
11:46No, I don't love her.
11:47I hate her.
11:48And it's not just her.
11:49I hate every single one of you.
11:51Their faces went bone white.
11:53Only Felix didn't really react.
11:54He looked like he thought I was throwing a jealous fit.
11:56His face was full of patience and rye indulgence.
11:58When I dragged my suitcase past him, he even reached out to help me carry it.
12:01I dodged.
12:02He didn't get angry, just kept trailing me.
12:04My parents tried to come after me, but Olivia's sobbing cut them off.
12:08Mom.
12:09Dad.
12:09Dad, send me to an orphan.
12:12I don't deserve to be here.
12:14Of course, more cooing, more comfort.
12:16The only odd thing was that Cole, for the first time, didn't say a word.
12:19Felix was still on my heels and climbed straight into my car.
12:22Get in your own car.
12:23No, I'm not going.
12:24I'm coming with you.
12:26My fingertips twitched.
12:27Last life around, the same.
12:28When everyone else turned on me, the only one who didn't take Olivia's side was Felix.
12:32He'd stand behind me when she set me up.
12:34He'd snap back at Cole when Cole yelled at me.
12:36When my parents got more and more disappointed in me, he'd hold me and say softly,
12:40Anya, don't be scared.
12:42You've got me.
12:43I'll always just love you.
12:45I'd clung to him like a drowning person clings to a piece of wood.
12:48Until our 14th birthday.
12:49Olivia collapsed out of nowhere.
12:50Felix, faster than anyone, shoved me out of the way and caught her.
12:53A fake medium he'd personally brought immediately took the chance and announced my name was
12:57bad luck and it was crushing Olivia's fortune.
13:00What a flimsy excuse.
13:01I still remember the shock and embarrassment on every guest's face that night.
13:04Every adult in the room could see it for what it was.
13:06A staged public humiliation.
13:08But my parents took me to get my name legally changed without a single argument.
13:12From that day forward, the name I'd had for 14 years, Anya, became a banned word in our
13:16house since they called me Mia.
13:18Mia.
13:18A name picked to protect Olivia.
13:20I hated it.
13:20I hated it until the day I died.
13:22I didn't answer Felix if he'd be transferring to Olivia's class in a few weeks anyway.
13:26I took my paperwork and my boarding fee straight to the dorm supervisor.
13:29When Felix saw me actually hand the money over, the casual look fell off his face.
13:33He finally got it.
13:34I wasn't joking around.
13:35Anya?
13:36Confusion was thick in his eyes.
13:38Why do you hate me too?
13:39What did I do wrong?
13:40His fingers caught at my sleeve carefully and I slapped his hands off hard, disgust all
13:44over my face.
13:45Wiped at my sleeve with a tissue, his voice caught in his throat.
13:48Anya.
13:49I walked off down the hallway to the head's office before first period.
13:52When I started, I requested a transfer to a new class.
13:54When I came around the corner with an armful of books, I saw Felix again, eyes red.
13:59He looked at the books in my arms and his face crumpled.
14:02Anya, don't transfer, please.
14:05In that exact moment, a basketball came flying out of room 7B and clocked him square in the
14:10head.
14:10I dodged with the books and slipped into the classroom.
14:12Felix went down the hallway, paused a stir.
14:15A boy in the classroom was still in his shooting follow-through.
14:17His uniform hung loose on him.
14:19His mouth was stretched into an exaggerated frame.
14:21Whoa!
14:21Sorry, didn't mean to hit anyone.
14:23You good, man?
14:24I glanced at him, walked past with my books.
14:26I might have been imagining it, but his arm went stiff for a second.
14:29Then he leaned on a desk with one hand and pointed casually at the seat next to him,
14:32voice all swagger.
14:33Past that is the trash can.
14:36Maybe sit next to me?
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