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(Chapter 20 ): Can I Get a Foundation with the Highest Coverage
It didn't even take four minutes before they reached Ju-kyoung's school, but she didn't notice at all. She was too busy leaning toward the small mirror in the car, carefully adjusting strands of her hair.
Her sister, Hee-Kyung, sighed and dropped the mirror onto her lap. She turned to look at Ju-kyoung properly this time—and was stunned all over again. She still couldn't believe how different her little sister looked. She wasn't even wearing glasses anymore—her eyes sparkled with clear contact lenses.
"Don't you get in trouble for wearing this much makeup?" Hee-Kyung asked, raising a brow.
Ju-kyoung just gave her a look.
"Back in my days, we couldn't even wear BB cream."
Ju-kyoung turned her head, disbelief written all over her face. "Back in your days? You'll soon be called a boomer. Nonsense."
Hee-Kyung gasped playfully and pouted, trying to look cute. "I'm still cool! I drink iced americanos, not lattes—even when it's freezing." She pointed to herself like it was proof of her greatness. "That's how cool I am."
Ju-kyoung didn't even bother to argue. She just sighed and nodded. "Alright, thanks, Hee-Kyung." She opened the car door.
"Okay, have a nice day!" Hee-Kyung waved.
"Okay," Ju-kyoung smiled back, before running inside the school building.
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The moment she stepped into the hallway, Ju-kyoung's breath hitched. Her chest tightened as if warning her that disaster was near. She prayed silently, step by step, Please don't let me run into him. Please not today…
But of course, fate had other plans.
She turned the corner—straight into Soo-hoo. The collision almost knocked her back, but she steadied herself instantly. She wasn't about to make a fool of herself today.
Soo-hoo stood as unshaken as ever, his expression sharp and unreadable. His eyes, cold and piercing, made her feel as though she had just run into a wall of ice.
Why is it always him? Ju-kyoung's heart pounded in her chest.
She forced a smile, nervous but trying to seem natural. "Ho, Soo-h—"
Before she could finish, he walked right past her, brushing by as though she was invisible.
Ju-kyoung let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She pressed a hand to her chest. "Thank goodness he didn't recognize me."
But her relief didn't last long.
"Did you get it?" Two girls whispered, clutching their phones.
Ju-kyoung turned, about to ignore them, when her eyes lit up at the sight of Kang-su walking toward her.
"Kang-su!" she waved happily.
He waved back with a smile, but the warmth in her chest froze again when she noticed Soo-hoo ahead. His aura was even darker than usual, something dangerous radiating off of him. And yet… she couldn't deny it. He looked devastatingly attractive like that, in a way that made her heart skip, but also sent a chill down her spine.
He strode past her straight to the girls and yanked a phone from one of their hands.
"Delete it," he said coldly.
The girl flinched. "W-what do you mean?"
Ju-kyoung's eyes widened. Only now did she notice—they had been taking pictures of him.
His voice dropped lower, sharp as a blade. "Or I'll throw this away." He shook the phone in his hand, the threat crystal clear.
The girl's hands trembled as she gave in. "Okay, I'll delete it. Just give it back."
He tossed the phone to the ground, then walked away without another word. The girls scrambled to pick it up and scurried off, whispering angrily under their breath.
Ju-kyoung, still stunned, leaned closer to Kang-su. "He's scary…"
Kang-su sighed. "He just hates when people take pictures of him."
"But still," Ju-kyoung whispered, her eyes trailing Soo-hoo's retreating figure. "He's… really something else."
"Let's go," Kang-su said, walking ahead.
Ju-kyoung followed quietly, though her thoughts were far from calm.
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Meanwhile, Hee-Kyung decided to take a stroll before heading to work. She wandered to a small café opposite the school. It wasn't a regular shop but a cozy little van, with tables and chairs arranged neatly on a patch of green grass. The scene was peaceful, almost picture-perfect.
"Can I please get an iced americano?" she asked, smiling politely.
"Sure," the barista replied warmly.
"Oh—and extra cold, please," Hee-Kyung added, flashing a grin.
As she waited, her gaze drifted across the street. She spotted a woman trying to coax a little girl, maybe six years old, into entering the school. The girl shook her head stubbornly.
Just then, a man in his late thirties stepped forward. With a silly grin, he made exaggerated faces and a funny voice to grab the girl's attention. The girl giggled immediately, her resistance melting away.
Then he started hopping toward the school on one leg, arms flailing dramatically. The little girl laughed harder and followed, copying his movements. Even the woman laughed, bowing gratefully to the man.
Hee-Kyung covered her mouth, laughing softly to herself. The warmth of the scene lingered in her chest.
"Ma'am, your iced americano is ready," the barista called.
Hee-Kyung turned back quickly, smiling. "Thank you."
"Would you like a stamp card?"
"Yes, please," she said. Then, softly to herself, "It seems like I'll be coming here more often."
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That evening, after school, Ju-kyoung went straight to the makeup shop. She walked up to the register with determination.
"Can I get a foundation with the highest coverage?" she asked eagerly.
The woman behind the counter smiled and handed her one. "Take this for now. I'll be right back with the strongest we have."
Ju-kyoung's hands trembled slightly as she held the bottle. Her heart swelled with anticipation. This could be it—the foundation that might finally erase her flaws.
But then—
"Hey, look at this."
Three girls entered the shop, their laughter sharp and familiar.
Ju-kyoung's eyes froze on the one in the middle. Her heart dropped.
Sam-mi.
Memories crashed over her like a tidal wave. Water being poured on her head. The mocking voices.
"So the water doesn't wash off your ugliness," Sam-mi had said as the others laughed.
Their cruel laughter echoed in her ears even now.
Back in the present, Ju-kyoung's chest tightened until it hurt. Her vision blurred as tears welled. Sam-mi's eyes turned in her direction, and panic surged. She spun around quickly, hiding her face.
Sam-mi frowned. "What was that?" she muttered, but eventually walked away with the others.
The cashier returned with another foundation. "Here's the one you were waiting for."
But Ju-kyoung was already gone.
She burst out of the shop, clutching the small bag of makeup she had grabbed earlier, and ran as fast as she could. Tears streamed down her cheeks, hot and uncontrollable.
She had told herself for years that what happened back then was normal. That the teasing, the pranks, the insults—that was just what friends did.
But now she knew the truth.
It wasn't friendship. It was bullying.
They had never cared for her. They had only used her.
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