-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: You're the Prettiest
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Um, sorry, but could I remove my makeup too?”
Yi Yeon, who had been led to the shampoo room, called over a staff member.
“Yes? Weren’t you already bare-faced?”
Most people came to the salon without makeup so they could get straight to styling. Even though it was her first time, Yi Yeon knew that much.
She figured it would put her mind at ease if she washed it off beforehand, so she asked the staff.
“I have my reasons, so I do things the opposite of everyone else. It’s not to doll up or anything...”
The staff member, hearing Yi Yeon out, peered closely at her face as if trying to figure it out. As Yi Yeon rubbed hard with her hand and the freckles wiped away, the staff’s mouth slowly fell open.
“Ah.”
In that brief silence, Yi Yeon could read the staff’s thoughts.
“That’s new.”
“There’s cleanser in the washroom—I’ll go wipe it off real quick!”
“Ah! We do have some, but... I handle hair, so I’m not too familiar with makeup and didn’t notice. Sorry if that upset you. One of our makeup artists can remove it for you later.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll wipe it off now!”
Yi Yeon got up from her seat and headed in the direction the staff pointed out, starting to remove her makeup.
She slipped the glasses she’d been wearing into the pocket of her gown.
After washing her face with the cleansing product at the sink, Yi Yeon faced the mirror and tilted her chin down sharply, something she usually pulled her head up tightly for. She focused her eyes and opened them wide and clear. People passing by behind her glanced her way one by one.
Her spotless, pristine skin now felt strangely awkward.
‘They said to head straight to the shampoo room, right?’
Yi Yeon ducked her head in embarrassment and made her way to the shampoo room. She found the staff member stationed at one of the chairs and sat down.
She leaned her head back over the sink to keep her hair from getting wet. With her beautifully formed double eyelids blinking slowly up and down, she looked at the staff.
Just as she was about to part her lips and say she was back, the staff beat her to it.
“Miss, this is another customer’s spot. Looks like you got the wrong one.”
It’s me!
When the eye signal didn’t get through, Yi Yeon quickly pulled out her glasses from inside the gown, put them on, and took them off again.
Yi Yeon lowered her long eyelids bashfully.
“I wiped it off.”
Could you cover my face with that towel? It’s embarrassing.
She wanted to ask, but the timing was off. The staff was in a state of high excitement.
“Oh my gosh! What happened?!”
The staff let out exclamations of awe, turning Yi Yeon’s face this way and that, marveling repeatedly as if it couldn’t be real.
Then she glanced at her watch and hurriedly got back to prep.
It had been so long since Yi Yeon had let a salon style her hair. She usually trimmed it herself with scissors at home. Styling long hair wasn’t hard. After mimicking a few SNS videos, it became second nature, making salon visits extremely rare.
Yi Yeon closed her eyes and entrusted herself entirely to the staff’s hands.
The drowsy, pleasant relaxation washing over her wasn’t bad at all.
“Eek! It’s been forever, friend!”
Ha Yul threw her arms around Yi Yeon. Seeing Yi Yeon’s true form after so long nearly brought tears to her eyes.
How many years had it been? Unsealing her beautiful friend, even briefly, was utterly thrilling.
“Yeah! This is the Yu Yi Yeon I know.”
No words could capture Yi Yeon’s beauty.
Her hair given volume and neatly swept up, the see-through side bangs flowing down her temples, the subtle coral eye makeup applied just enough to show.
Thanks to her naturally long lashes, no falsies were needed—just mascara to finish, making her features stand out even sharper.
Yi Yeon had chosen a deep navy open-shoulder dress that wasn’t too flashy. Her sharply defined trapezius, broad shoulder line, and the fabric that clung just so gave off a subtly sexy vibe. When her full, red-tinged lips parted slightly, Ha Yul lost her train of thought for a moment.
“Yu Yi Yeon, your shoulder line is no joke.”
Yi Yeon’s dress was modest compared to Ha Yul’s, but those bare shoulders demanded attention.
“I’m thinking I should start home training too.”
“Doesn’t it look weird?”
“Are you kidding? If you look weird, what does that make me? Manager, what do you think of Yi Yeon? Does she look weird to you?”
Ha Yul turned to the personal shopper standing beside her.
“No exaggeration—she’s the prettiest woman I’ve seen lately.”
The manager gave a serious thumbs-up.
“Right? Celebrities come to this dress shop all the time, don’t they?”
“Absolutely. Our shop has top-tier brand value. They rent from us for awards shows and most shoots.”
“Then you must’ve seen Jeong Hee Ra too?”
Ha Yul’s eyes sharpened as she brought up Hee Ra.
“Are you seriously comparing her to Jeong Hee Ra? No way—this customer blows her away! Actress Jeong has that fresh, feminine charm. But earlier, our artists were blown away by this customer.”
“You’ve gotten so flashy now, Ha Yul.”
Seeing Yi Yeon change the subject bashfully, Ha Yul grinned.
The beaded hairpin in Ha Yul’s hair sparkled. Her intense red top dress hugged her body tightly, stealing the show.
She’d clearly dressed to stand out today.
“You know me—go big or go home! That’s my philosophy. Let’s hurry! We’re late.”
“Could we be a little later? I still need more mental prep...”
“Come on!”
Yi Yeon sighed as Ha Yul dragged her along.
Ha Yul gave her pouty, endearing friend a meaningful look.
‘Please show up.’
Ha Yul was desperately hoping for something, without Yi Yeon knowing.
Oblivious to Ha Yul’s bigger picture for the event, Yi Yeon climbed into the car.
“I brought a mask just in case.”
Yi Yeon rummaged in the shopping bag on the floor and pulled out a mask.
She figured she could cover her face a bit with it.
“What’s in that bag, anyway? Hand it over! I’m tossing it all.”
Only after Ha Yul’s final scolding could they finally enter the venue.
It was a VIP-only event, so the lineup was dazzling.
Not just famous celebrities, but business tycoons and chaebol heirs often featured in the news were in attendance.
Yi Yeon linked arms with Ha Yul, rolling her eyes around to take in the venue.
A central stage was flanked by standing tables on one side and seated tables on the other.
Every now and then, glances from passersby felt like needles pricking her skin. Each time, Yi Yeon flinched and gripped Ha Yul’s arm tighter.
“You look like a totally different person right now—like a celebrity. So don’t shrink up; puff out your chest and own it. Hunching makes you look suspicious.”
Sensing her flinch, Ha Yul whispered in her ear.
“Ha Yul, but the reporters aren’t paying attention to you?”
“They’ll drag me around for intros later. That’s when I’ll grab the spotlight.”
Ha Yul’s voice trembled with anger at the mere mention of those people.
Ha Yul led her to a standing table.
Ha Yul kept scanning around like she was searching for someone.
“Are you a meerkat or something? Why are you looking around so much?”
“No, just... seeing if I know anyone! Wait here. I’ll grab some fruit or champagne.”
Ha Yul returned with a plate of bite-sized hors d’oeuvres and handed Yi Yeon a glass of champagne.
A sip of the sweet, sparkling champagne lifted her mood.
Growing a bit accustomed now, Ha Yul enjoyed the food and drinks while Yi Yeon lost herself watching the models walking the stage in brand outfits and the celebrities passing by.
“Yi Yeon, come here.”
“Huh?”
Ha Yul’s eyes suddenly widened, and she grabbed Yi Yeon’s arm, heading somewhere.
Not far from Yi Yeon stood a very familiar silhouette at another standing table.
Ha Yul seemed to be heading right for it.
“Hello?”
Yi Yeon, following behind, spotted who Ha Yul was greeting and freaked out, ducking tightly behind Ha Yul’s back.
Smack smack.
Yi Yeon smacked the bare back exposed by Ha Yul’s top dress.
Im Ha Yul was repaying kindness with enmity!
She’d dragged her here for some comfort, only to seek out An Do Hyun—the one person she had to avoid even if they crossed paths!
Ha Yul had finally lost it.
“Who.”
The man next to An Do Hyun asked on his behalf.
“Oh, I’m a close friend of the Vice President’s secr...”
Ha Yul hesitated, unsure how to finish.
Smack.
Feeling the smack from behind again, and realizing she couldn’t reveal An Do Hyun’s marriage, Ha Yul nodded at Yi Yeon as if to say she got it.
“I’m the Vice President’s secretary’s best friend!”
Hahaha.
Ha Yul let out a booming laugh to cover her awkward phrasing.
Come to think of it, a secretary’s best friend greeting the Vice President wasn’t exactly normal.
Ha Yul apparently hadn’t thought that far. She’d seemed meticulous, but she was surprisingly sloppy.
Argh, this is driving me crazy! Why’d you come over to say hi all of a sudden?!
Yi Yeon wanted to cry.
She just wanted to stay quietly behind Ha Yul and vanish like mist. Like Cinderella when the clock struck twelve, she wished today’s Yi Yeon could disappear too.
She considered bolting for a second, but with Ha Yul gripping her arm tight, she shelved the idea.
No, get it together. Im Ha Yul.
Snap out of it this time. Smack smack.
“Yes, a friend of Secretary Yu’s.”
Fortunately, An Do Hyun seemed to remember Ha Yul and returned the greeting.
“Glad you remember. I’d have been so embarrassed otherwise.”
Ha Yul clapped and laughed, relieved.
Now’s my chance to slip away? Ha Yul had let go of Yi Yeon’s hand.
“Hello. I’m Kim Jae Ha, Do Hyun’s friend.”
Hearing the name jogged her memory. The guy who sometimes visited the office to see An Do Hyun.
That’s when Ha Yul pulled Yi Yeon forward in front of them.
“This is my close friend.”
I should’ve paced her champagne better.
Ha Yul was definitely out of her mind.
