Gotta Be Pretty (2)

"What...? Didn't we do makeup at Dolly View Young earlier?"

Even more so since her trait had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠changed from Plain Jane to Natural Beauty S, altering her face as well. Yang Che-ri stared at her face for a long while before stepping closer. Since they were about the same height, their faces ended up right in front of each other as the distance shrank.

"Y-y-yeah. Hahaha, the l-lights here are b-bright, so it l-looks different, I guess."

"Hmmm—"

Yang Che-ri stared intently like that before pulling back with a grin.

"Nice. Up close, your face looks ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠even cuter. Makes it easier to pick comfy clothes. Once you get your real look back, clothes shopping gets way simpler."

In truth, she wasn't thinking much of it. Who'd imagine someone in real life using a fantasy Status Window?

Nam Ha-neul secretly wiped her brow in relief and let out a deep breath. The closer Yang Che-ri got, the hotter her face and ears felt, making everything seem stuffy. Out of habit from her male days, she tugged open her collar and fanned her chest with her fingers.

"Sis, what are you doing?!"

Yang Che-ri spotted it and hurriedly buttoned her shirt back up. Already prettied up, Nam Ha-neul's—now a woman's—chest was impressively ample. And with Presence Erasure's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠duration expired, it was only natural that the guys around stared openly.

"Ah...."

Nam Ha-neul felt that strange sensation again. Normally, concentrated stares triggered panic and old traumas—but not this time. Instead, it was a novel feeling. No one was looking at her with disgust. That sensation she'd always craved, maybe even wondered about: being loved by the masses. It felt oddly thrilling.

"Alright, let's pick some clothes!"

"Y-yeah...."

"But why're you talking all formal to me?"

Yang Che-ri hooked arms with her as they shopped, tilting her head like the question just hit her. She was casually using informal speech, but Nam Ha-neul kept up the polite formal speech.

"J-just... it's c-comfier this way."

There were layers of reasons. Nam Ha-neul had little experience chatting with people anyway. Over her whole life, she'd never had anyone to use informal speech with. Teachers at school, parents at home—even bullies back in school had ordered her to stay polite. So her default was formal speech; it came out unconsciously.

"Hmm~ Fine. Switch to casual whenever you feel like it."

"Y-yeah. O-okay, I will."

Yang Che-ri could've felt a bit bummed, but her easygoing vibe brushed it off. Streaming exposed her to all sorts of quirky concepts—this was nothing.

"Okay, this one, this one. Hmm, this too."

"Th-that's t-too much. M-more than I c-can afford...."

"Psh~ Don't sweat it. I'll cover whatever's over."

"Wh-why...."

Nam Ha-neul was baffled. Why go this far for her?

"Dunno~ You just have this vibe that makes me wanna look out for you."

"Umm...."

Was it her high Luck stat? Nam Ha-neul felt a twinge of burden from the kindness but let it slide. She'd never really accepted anything like this in life; that made it hard to adjust.

Anyway, Yang Che-ri shopped like it was the most fun in ages, handing clothes over for Nam Ha-neul to try on.

Nam Ha-neul lugged them into the dressing room. She'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠only ever worn online orders or mom-bought stuff—never picked her own. Fumbling with her body and the clothes, she finally emerged.

Each change got cheers and claps from Yang Che-ri: "Looks amazing!"

By the time they left the store, Nam Ha-neul was panting like she'd burned all her energy.

Staring at the final mission popup, Nam Ha-neul grinned. Two skills as rewards—jackpot. Every skill she'd learned so far was game-changing: Presence Erasure for stealth, Focus boosting her game hugely.

Then she eyed the condition and pulled a face.

'Learn... makeup?'

Yang Che-ri caught her staring into space with that odd look and paused. What's up with her?

"Sis, gotta pee?"

"...N-nooo!!"

It reminded her of their first collab gaming day. Not that, huh? She shot a disappointed glance.

"U-um...."

"Yeah?"

"C-could you... teach me makeup?"

Nam Ha-neul just blurted it out, deciding to rip the band-aid. She'd have to eventually, and low energy made acting without overthinking easier.

"Sure! No biggie. But where?"

"Umm...."

"Your place?"

Her place. Nam Ha-neul froze. Hanging with a girl today was already wild—bringing one home? Massive milestone. And who was she? A long-time shut-in 'guy.' Felt like a manga plot; her heart raced.

She was a girl now, sure.

"I-is that o-okay?"

"Yeah, why not? If you're cool with it? My place is a dump right now~"

Her one-room was spotless, thanks to penalty missions: daily cleans, toilet scrubs, laundry—all done. Persistence trait made tedium fly by, though she'd gripe at the Status Window now and then.

"R-really okay? I mean...."

"Argh! I said it's fine! Let's go!"

Yang Che-ri cut her off, linking arms and dragging. Nam Ha-neul marveled at the strength from her small frame.

"Oh... you gotta lead, sis. Take point."

"...Pfft. Th-this way. That's the w-wrong direction."

Nam Ha-neul couldn't hold back a smile. Beyond rational ties, this friend vibe was new. Maybe she'd liked her since their first hello.

"Ooh~ Clean."

Seeing Yang Che-ri in her room made Nam Ha-neul's heart pound. Her private sanctuary now had a cute girl in it. Guilt tinged the thrill.

'G-get it together!'

While Yang Che-ri nosed around, she pinched her thigh hard—no wince shown.

"Whoa~ All guy's clothes. And huge sizes?"

"Ah... I, uh, l-lost some w-weight...."

"Yeah, figures. But you didn't buy any new ones?"

"N-no...."

Yang Che-ri gawked, baffled. The old clothes suggested 50kg+ shed.

"Must've been super baggy?"

"J-just tied 'em tight."

"Whoa~"

Unlike her guess, Status Window forced rapid loss—no shopping time. Or intent.

"Super clean, but... feels empty. Total bachelor pad."

Yang Che-ri joked and laughed, but Nam Ha-neul sweated bullets. Getting outed as ex-guy? Disaster. Fantasy life made paranoia real.

"Alright, lesson time. Hmm... Sis, you look prettier the more I see you."

"R-really?"

Yang Che-ri's sharp eyes caught the +3 Charm from the mission.

"Our styles match anyway. I don't do heavy makeup—natural base like yours."

"Y-yeah."

"Your skin's great too. That's why I only grabbed a few products."

"M-more?"

Eight items already.

Yang Che-ri nodded like duh.

"Wash your face first. Always start there."

"O-okay."

Nam Ha-neul bolted to the bathroom. Yang Che-ri resumed snooping.

'Totally guy vibes.'

Desk scan: girl outside, dude den inside. Cleaner than hers, though.

Then, a photo caught her eye.

"Huh?"

Nam Ha-neul emerged, shaking water from her bangs. Yang Che-ri held it up, eyeing her.

"Who's this?"

"Ah, th-that's...."

It was her—male days Nam Ha-neul.