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Chapter 38: "You're a Fraud for Pretending to Be Pretty"
Ju-kyoung sat at her desk, her attention far from the teacher's voice. Her eyes were fixed on the wall clock.
Finally, the bell rang. "Ding!"
Her eyes sparkled with relief. She jumped up and hurried out of the classroom, scanning the busy hallway until her gaze landed on her brother. Without hesitation, she ran straight to him and yanked his uniform sleeve, interrupting his conversation.
"Hey—!" Ju-young's eyes widened in surprise.
His face turned bored the moment he saw it was her. "What now?"
Before he could protest, Ju-kyoung grabbed his hand and started dragging him away.
"What the—hey! What's going on?!" he shouted, but she ignored him completely, determined.
They finally reached a quiet bench in the school garden, surrounded by flowers and trees swaying gently in the breeze. Ju-kyoung handed him a chip, which he lazily ate while scrolling through his phone.
"So… what do you think?" she asked eagerly, eyes full of curiosity.
Ju-young didn't even look up. "He must've figured it out. Why else would he help you?"
Ju-kyoung's face fell. "Right…?"
She sighed, brushing her hair back, revealing her cute face.
"But how did he find out? He seemed clueless not too long ago."
Her brother stayed glued to his phone.
Ju-kyoung's voice softened, thoughtful. "But… why help me, then?"
Still no reaction.
She frowned, deep in thought. "He's not the type to help people… People even call him a sociopath."
Ju-young finally looked up, his tone casual but sharp.
"To hold it against you."
Ju-kyoung blinked in confusion. "Why? It's not my fault I look ugly!"
Ju-young smirked. "You're a fraud for pretending to be pretty."
Her mouth dropped open. She sat up straighter, thinking about it.
"But it's not like I cheated anyone or hurt someone by wearing makeup—"
"You teased him, didn't you? Shamelessly." Ju-young cut her off. "If he found out he got conned, that alone is humiliating."
His tone turned serious. "You're in big trouble."
Ju-kyoung groaned, clutching her head. "I'd rather he just take it out on me now…"
"Maybe he's planning his revenge," Ju-young said flatly.
Her heart began to race. "R-Revenge?! What… how?"
She stared at him with wide, terrified eyes.
He leaned closer dramatically, his hands hovering near her neck. "He's going to slowly close in on you… and turn you into a nervous wreck…"
Her breath caught in her throat.
Then he grinned.
"And then… poof!" he said in a spooky voice, pulling his hands back.
Ju-kyoung gasped, clutching her chest.
He smirked, satisfied. "Revenge is a dish best served cold."
Her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh…"
He shrugged. "That saying exists for a reason."
Ju-kyoung nearly cried. "Gosh… it's killing me!"
Just then, her phone dinged. She glanced at it quickly and stood up.
"I'll be off then," she said, waving.
"Bye," Ju-young replied casually, already returning to his phone.
His friends, who had been pretending to chat nearby, stared at Ju-kyoung as she walked away, practically drooling.
"Unbelievable," one whispered. "Are you close with her?"
Before Ju-young could answer, another said, "She's gorgeous. Can you hook me up with her?"
Ju-young shot him the deadliest glare. The boy gulped and muttered, "I just… wanted to talk to her…"
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Meanwhile, in class, the teacher was explaining cheerfully:
"English isn't that hard! You just have to pay close attention, okay?"
"Okay!" the students chorused.
"Good. Now, we're learning about synonyms…"
But Ju-kyoung wasn't listening. She was doodling on her notebook, lost in thought.
"Does he really know?" she whispered. "No… he can't. But… what if he does?"
She slowly turned her head toward Soo-hoo, who was completely focused, taking neat notes. Her anxiety spiked.
Maybe he's planning revenge…
Her leg began to bounce nervously under the desk, tapping loudly.
Su-ah, half-asleep in front of her, stirred awake. "...Earthquake?" she mumbled before dozing off again.
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Later in science class, Ju-kyoung couldn't concentrate. From her seat, she could still see Soo-hoo's perfect side profile. She found herself staring at him, following every move he made.
As if sensing her gaze, Soo-hoo turned his head. Their eyes met for a split second. Ju-kyoung froze, then quickly looked away, pretending to study her chemicals.
But she could feel his eyes on her again. Slowly, she looked up—he was still watching her, completely unbothered.
Sweat trickled down her neck. Her brother's words echoed in her mind:
> "He's going to slowly close in on you… and turn you into a nervous wreck."
Her hands trembled, and the bottle she was holding slipped and shattered on the floor.
The class went silent. Everyone turned to look.
"Ju-kyoung?" the teacher asked gently.
Her head snapped toward her. "Y-Yes?"
The teacher frowned. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Ju-kyoung forced a shaky smile. "I'm fine… thank you."
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Later in the hallway, she spotted Soo-hoo again. Panic rose in her chest.
Revenge! He'll take revenge!
"Ahhhh!" she screamed and bolted into the classroom.
Su-ah rushed over. "What happened?"
Ju-kyoung was panting hard, clutching her chest. Then Soo-hoo walked in.
"Lim Ju-kyoung," he called calmly, walking toward her.
"I'm going to—"
"Ahhh!!!" she screamed again, her legs giving out as she fell to her knees, trembling.
Su-ah gasped, kneeling beside her. "Ju-kyoung! What's wrong?!"
Ju-kyoung stared up at Soo-hoo, terrified.
He frowned slightly. "Why are you acting like this? Do you feel guilty or something? Why do you keep running from me?"
"Huh?" she blinked in confusion.
He reached out… holding a textbook.
She froze.
"I'm giving you this," he said matter-of-factly. "The teacher told me to."
He flipped through the pages. "I marked all the chapters we covered before you transferred. Return it when you're done."
He handed it to her.
"Oh… copies," she muttered awkwardly, taking the book.
Then he turned and walked away.
Ju-kyoung laughed nervously, sighing in relief as the tension melted away. Her pale face regained color, and the classroom returned to its usual chatter.
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