Chapter 18
The Villain is a Pure Soul
18.
Domyeong Costume Room
“Oh my, Director! It’s been ages!”
It was just past lunchtime when Hong Geum-soon, the director of the Domyeong Costume Room, paid a visit.
Eunja, who was clearly acquainted with her, greeted her at the top of her lungs. The director laughed back just as loudly, a sound reminiscent of shattering plates.
“Oh my! How has everyone been? Kyahahaha! Goodness, how long has it been!”
As befitting the owner of a costume shop, the director was a loud presence from the moment she appeared, draped from head to toe in garish, primary colors. Eunja scanned her up and down with an impressed gaze.
“My goodness, you look so chic. You’ve really got style. Not just anyone could pull that off. It only works because it’s you, Director.”
Eunja, who usually wore nothing but clothes from the local market, was envious of the director’s flamboyant fashion—from her vividly smeared red lipstick to her hair teased out like a lion’s mane.
There wasn’t a single thing she didn’t covet. Truly, the director was a renowned fashionista.
“You’re here?”
Manager Mun appeared a moment later and welcomed the director. As expected, they were old acquaintances.
“Oh, Manager! You haven’t been in touch for so long, I thought you’d gone and climbed into a coffin!”
“I’ll have to hurry if I want to live up to your expectations.”
“Aiyoo! You’re healthy, right? Nothing’s wrong? At our age, health is the only thing that matters!”
The context-free banter characteristic of Moksan County began. Eunja, delighted to have a visitor at Domyeongjae after so long, served up some instant mix coffee and chattered away incessantly.
Inside Domyeongjae, seeing the same faces and doing the same work every day often made her long for outsiders—not someone like the new girl, who lacked the talent for proper banter.
“Director. How is your skin so taut at your age? Do you iron it?”
“Botox. Botox is the answer. You can’t get results like this without it.”
“Botox? Is it really okay to just get stuff injected into your face like that? It sounds scary and suspicious to me.”
“And you don’t think your face is scarier?”
Manager Mun interjected with a scolding remark. The director let out a boisterous laugh, dismissing the concern.
“Is that so? Well, since we’re on the subject, maybe I should try it once too?”
“The world is such a wonderful place these days. There are all sorts of things. People don’t skip out because they can’t afford it; they skip out because they don’t know about it. These days, if you don’t know, you’re a fool.”
Mid-sentence, Eunja waved her hand dismissively.
“No. You shouldn’t go around injecting things into your face. Besides, I don’t think I’m at the stage where I need needles yet.”
“Right, right. Our little sister Eunja doesn’t have many wrinkles yet. But if you change your mind later, come find me with Manager Mun. I’ll give you a recommendation.”
“Will it be cheaper then? If I bring the Manager, is it buy-one-get-one-free?”
Manager Mun, who had been listening quietly, snorted.
“Why are you dragging me into this? You get it yourself. From where I’m sitting, you’re an emergency case. Go get a shot. Even if you have to sell the house, go get one.”
“Sister. Will I get pretty if I get that?”
“You’ll just be less ugly. You won’t get pretty.”
“Oh my goodness…”
The noisy conversation carried on. Around that time, Yeonwoo, having received a radio call, entered the main hall.
An exclamation escaped the director’s lips the moment she spotted Yeonwoo walking in. Eunja glanced at Yeonwoo and whispered into the director’s ear.
“She used to be a secretary in Seoul. Must have been successful. Being a secretary isn’t a job just anyone can do, right?”
“Oh my, what a beauty…”
“She says she came to help her mother, but there’s something fishy about her. She’s very suspicious, Director.”
“Goodness, fishy or not, she’s gorgeous. My oh my…”
As the director stared in a daze, letting out one exclamation after another, Eunja cleared her throat. When badmouthing Yeonwoo failed to garner any interest, she quickly shifted gears.
“See that, Director? This is the standard of our Domyeongjae. Not just anyone can get in. From me to the others, whether it’s personality or looks, if you’re lacking in even one area, you can’t work here…”
“Manager. Is this the young lady who’s the star of the show today?”
The director stood up, cutting Eunja off mid-sentence. Manager Mun gave a slight nod and called Yeonwoo over, and Yeonwoo stood before the director.
Not missing her chance to butt in again, Eunja spoke to Yeonwoo this time.
“Hey, Newbie. This teacher here is a brilliant and renowned designer who’s quite famous in our Moksan County. Say hello.”
“Ah, yes. Hello. I’m Ji Yeonwoo.”
The director’s dizzyingly flamboyant outfit was reminiscent of a peacock. Yeonwoo greeted her politely.
“Under our teacher’s hands, even a plain white rice cake becomes a rainbow cake. She made the outfit for my mother-in-law’s eightieth birthday, and, what was it, yes, she even made the perfect outfit for the formal family meeting when my daughter got married.”
“Ah, I see.”
“There are dozens of shiny trophies in her shop. She’s truly something else!”
Though skeptical, Yeonwoo nodded. The director—who, decades ago, had joined nameless associations to pile up trophies she’d received for free—approached Yeonwoo and circled around her.
“You said it’s for a banquet, right? That’s my specialty. I’m number one in Korea.”
While Yeonwoo swallowed hard, sensing a looming unease, Manager Mun added a word while sipping her coffee.
“Make sure she looks good so she doesn’t embarrass our Vice President.”
“Of course! My artistic inspiration is just surging for the first time in ages! I’m so excited I could die!”
- 3 -
The combined age of the three women was 216 years.
An average age of 72.
Yeonwoo shifted her anxious gaze, wondering if she could really trust them.
They had been fitting her for an hour and a half already.
Every time she came out in a new outfit, Eunja’s jaw would drop in a loud exclamation. Yeonwoo appeared wearing a near-fluorescent orange dress, walking with a limp because the fabric was so tight around her thighs.
“Oh my! This one is good too! What is it? You look like a princess who lives in the sea!”
“Sister Eunja. A Little Mermaid. A Little Mermaid.”
“Yes! That’s it! The Little Mermaid! My goodness, how does it suit her so well?”
As the director chimed in, Eunja clapped loudly and nodded. Yeonwoo stood before the three of them in silence.
The first garment the director had pulled from her mountain of bundles was a bright blue dress. When the director used pins to take in the loose waist, Yeonwoo had hovered anxiously, feeling like it wasn’t right.
However, Manager Mun’s professional eye seemed positive, and Eunja’s intense reaction only added to the momentum.
Now, after changing through seven or eight outfits, Yeonwoo’s mind was blank.
The dresses, which lacked even a hint of breathability, were far too excessive no matter how she looked at them. Where on earth did they find fabric in these colors? Yeonwoo bit her lip as she stood there in a dress that was a mix of vivid orange and red—colors she was wearing for the first time in her life.
The waist was cinched so tight it felt like her ribs were aching.
“Let’s go with this. This is the best one.”
When Eunja spoke with finality, Yeonwoo’s eyes widened.
“Th-this one?”
“Yes. It really brings out your complexion. You must suit red well, Newbie. Go with that.”
“Ah… but I think this is a bit too flashy…”
Since every outfit she wore drew such a violent reaction, she was starting to feel a bit confused. Having tried on several, her body was beginning to adapt, and she wondered if maybe this was actually okay.
…No! It’s not!
Yeonwoo snapped out of it and lifted her head.
“No. I think this is too flashy. I’d rather have something else…”
“Something else? Like what? What do you like?”
There was no way she could like any of this. It was a choice between the lesser of several evils.
Yeonwoo carefully looked over the dresses she had tried on so far. But she didn’t have the courage to wear any of them.
“Oh, I really don’t bring this one out for just anyone.”
The director stood up as if she were about to use her ultimate trump card.
“This is the final boss. The real deal. You put this on, and you’ll look like a princess from a faraway land.”
The director put on a show, rummaging through her bag and pulling something out slowly. Eunja’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, while Yeonwoo clenched her fists, wondering what on earth was about to emerge from that bag.
“Ah.”
A long sigh escaped Yeonwoo’s lips the moment she saw the garment. Simultaneously, Eunja stood up and clapped.
“That’s it. That’s the one. That’s it!”
“People will go crazy if she wears this, right? I really, really treasure this one. I don’t give it to just anyone.”
Yeonwoo, who wanted nothing more than to be ‘just anyone’ at that moment, closed her eyes tight. Oblivious to her feelings, Eunja was so excited she was practically spitting, insisting that this was the one without even needing to see it on her.
It must have looked quite pretty, as even Manager Mun remained silent. Only then did Yeonwoo exhale and open her eyes.
“I’ll just go with the first one I tried on.”
“Why? You don’t like this? Try it on. You’ll change your mind once you do.”
“No. I think the first one was better. I’ll just go with that.”
“Did you really like that one?”
“Huh? Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I loved it. Thank you.”
As Yeonwoo nodded hurriedly, the director put the dress back into her bag with a look of regret. And so, the golden sequined dress, covered in tassels, was sealed away in the director’s bag.
“Alright, now I need to do the final fitting to your body, so go put it back on.”
“Okay.”
Yeonwoo was handed the first dress she had tried. Was this right? Was this really the kind of outfit the Vice President had talked about?
But Manager Mun was someone who had worked at Domyeongjae longer than anyone, so surely she wouldn’t be wrong.
Yeonwoo tried her best to think positively, as if hypnotizing herself. It was also true that her judgment was becoming clouded by the constant, intense reactions that she looked beautiful.
An outfit I’ve never worn before and that couldn’t possibly be comfortable.
Besides, hadn’t the Vice President said as much? It was certainly an outfit that was incredibly uncomfortable and unlike anything she had ever worn in her life.
It definitely fit the description, so why did she feel so uneasy?
“It’s going to be a sensation. A total sensation. My goodness, Newbie. If you go in that, people will think a stylish actress has arrived.”
Listening to Eunja’s voice, Yeonwoo stared blankly at the dress.
Really… is this right?
