I’ve always loved listening to stories of “urban legends,” “ghost stories,” “fortune-telling,” and “charms.” But I never really believed in any of them.
This is the story of the first time I did.
Two years ago, I had a crush on someone. I wanted to date him, but our relationship was more of a “friend who happens to share my hobbies” — and I had half given up.
One day I came across a website with a “matchmaking charm.” The instructions were simple: prepare blue beads equal to the number of letters in the person’s name, red beads equal to the number of letters in your own name, and string them alternately on a thread to carry with you.
By coincidence I had beads at hand. I tried the charm half as a comfort. Carrying loose beads around felt embarrassing, so I sewed a small mascot pouch and tucked them inside, then carried that with me.
Three months later, the mascot disappeared. I hadn’t even been believing in it — but somehow that loss shocked me.
Then, two months after that, I started dating the person I had loved.
I’d heard that materials from a charm should be returned to nature — buried in earth or set on the water. Maybe my mascot, of its own accord, had returned to nature because the wish had been granted.
Whether it was the charm or my own will, I don’t know. But ever since, I have believed.