Shin Eunah
"Hoo......"
Shin Eunah set down her pen with a deep sigh after finishing all the work that needed urgent attention at her desk.
Her neck was stiff from staring downward for so long, and her eyes stung from being open too long, their moisture evaporated.
She lit up her smartphone sitting on the desk.
The time was already approaching 7 o'clock.
It wasn't that late considering there was a study hall period, but for someone who didn't attend study hall, it was undeniably late.
Yet Shin Eunah, as if this was nothing unusual, calmly rose from her seat and began packing her things.
Two to three days a week, she'd been alone in this spacious student council room until this hour—she'd grown sick of it over the past year. And since there was nothing to do even if she went home early, it wasn't a problem at all.
Honestly, the noisy school was better than the silent, empty house.
Brrr.
Just as she left the student council room and was locking the door, the smartphone in her pocket vibrated insistently.
Who could be contacting me?
She pulled it out with that question in mind and checked.
"It's Cheolyong."
It was Park Cheolyong, one of the newly joined student council members and a freshman.
She remembered meeting him a few times before.
At first, his large build and fierce face had terrified her, and she'd avoided him. But by chance, she kept running into him, and she sensed the same loneliness in his expression that she carried herself.
So she'd closed her eyes tight and spoken to him—and he turned out to be a friend with a much softer heart than his appearance suggested.
Only his looks were intimidating; he confessed that he wanted to chat about this and that with friends rather than be alone, and wanted to go out and have fun like everyone else—such ordinary, pure wishes. Hearing that, Shin Eunah had opened up too, about her past and what she was currently working toward.
They'd met a few more times after that to talk, but it didn't last long.
Understandably so. Shin Eunah had been busy focusing on the student council president election—better late than never—struggling to blend into the small society of school, and she hadn't been able to visit the place where they used to meet for a while.
Still, she hadn't forgotten him. Once things settled down a bit, she'd gone looking for him, but this time it was Cheolyong who didn't show up.
She thought they might never meet again.
But now they were in the same school, the same student council—and an inexplicable joy washed over her.
Above all...
"Why did he send me this?"
An unexpected photo of dandelions blooming by the roadside. She couldn't help but laugh at Cheolyong's pure-hearted gesture.
He was just as adorable as ever—exactly the same as before.
And knowing that, unlike herself, he'd managed to take heavy steps forward and make a friend, she was happy for him as if it were her own achievement.
Shin Eunah moved her fingers and sent back a reply saying they were pretty.
Cheolyong agreed with her comment, but...
"I'm... not pretty though......"
Shin Eunah had also called him pretty.
The moment she said that, she shook her head in denial.
This face of hers was one that couldn't find a trace of prettiness even by her own standards.
The broad face, thanks to all the fat, was covered in various blemishes that had erupted unpleasantly, and her messy skin made anyone frown.
Really...
"If only I didn't have this... it would be so nice......"
Standing in the bathroom, staring at her face in the mirror, Shin Eunah let out a deep sigh.
People had told her countless times that having a fat, ugly face was like an unscratched lottery ticket—that she should try losing weight.
Just in case. You never know.
Shin Eunah had thought about it too, of course.
But the harsh reality was that even if she lost weight, her skin wouldn't improve. That fact had made her completely eliminate the option of dieting from her life from the start.
If anything, she felt like the age spots on her face would cluster even tighter together as the surface area of her face shrank.
Wouldn't that be even more horrifying than before?
She might even drive away the friends she'd barely managed to make.
So at least... if she could just get rid of these at least... how wonderful would that be?
"Heh......"
Shin Eunah forced the corners of her mouth upward into a smile.
As expected, when she smiled, she went beyond just ugly and looked dirty. Her self-esteem hit rock bottom.
Brrr.
Her smartphone vibrated again.
It was Cheolyong once more.
His photos caught her eye—various shots he'd taken.
Suddenly she felt a spark of resentment toward Cheolyong for making her lie about them being pretty earlier.
Well, it was just politeness. Empty words meant to make him feel good. But for Shin Eunah, whose inferiority complex about her appearance was overwhelming, it didn't register as a casually thrown compliment at all.
She knew. She knew better than anyone that he hadn't meant any harm.
But years of being mocked for her looks—and still being mocked now—constantly tormented her with twisted thoughts.
"Haah......"
Even when she tried to pretend she was fine, it didn't work. Letting out a sigh pushed forth by this reality that refused to follow her heart, she splashed water on her face.
Once didn't stop her—she did it twice, three times, four times. She kept wetting her face without pause, then turned off the faucet.
Checking her face in the mirror again, it was a mess.
Her face was soaked, and the wet marks on her bangs and the collar of her uniform were painfully obvious. Though having her face, hair, and uniform wet felt unpleasant and clammy, her mind had cleared.
Shin Eunah forced a smile, shook off the water from her face, and exited the bathroom.
Study hall had started, so she passed by brightly lit classrooms.
"You going home now?"
The teacher supervising study hall spoke to her.
"Yes."
"Alright, alright. Get home safe."
"Yes. Take care."
"Okay."
After exchanging light greetings, she arrived at the shoe lockers.
And there, she saw him.
"Jihoon?"
Another new face in the student council, along with Cheolyong.
Lee Jihoon.
"Ah. Is the president heading home too?"
He looked straight into her eyes as he asked.
"Yeah... going home now."
"Is that so? What were you doing that kept you here until now?"
Jihoon tilted his head.
Since she wasn't attending study hall, all school activities should have ended around two hours ago, and she should have already gone home. Seeing her leave only now must have seemed odd.
"Just... I had work to do, so I finished it all."
The student council president's workload was surprisingly heavy.
No, it was more like the teachers were pawning off even their own tasks onto Shin Eunah because of her capability. But she didn't mind.
Because this ability had allowed her to earn the teachers' favor—something she'd been denied before.
"Two hours late? And all by yourself?"
"Yeah......"
"Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why do it alone? You could have asked me for help. I haven't been here long, but I'm part of the same student council, aren't I?"
He approached her, still holding his gaze fixed on her eyes, pressing the question.
Over two hours alone. And considering she did this two to three days a week, asking for help would have been the natural thing to do.
But...
"I'm more comfortable alone."
She didn't want to stay behind with anyone.
Unlike her, they probably wanted to go out and play with friends, wanted to go home early. If Shin Eunah held them back, it would only sour the relationship.
She didn't want to drift apart from the first friends she'd ever made over something trivial.
"Still—"
"No. This is fine. I......"
She cut Jihoon off mid-sentence.
"So don't worry about it."
Shin Eunah pulled out the smile she'd worn in the bathroom.
The corners of her mouth lifted gently.
"Thanks for caring, though."
She walked past Jihoon.
Taking her shoes out of the locker, she put her indoor slippers inside.
"Get home safe."
Waving at Jihoon, she left the school.
Shin Eunah walked, feeling the shallow breeze tousling her hair against her whole body.
Ignoring the cars speeding past her, she headed toward the street lined with shopping districts.
Then came the gazes, gathering around her.
People openly stared at her face, whispering, showing disgust, and laughing at her. This street was overflowing with such people.
She was used to these looks.
And yet, the ache in her chest was something she couldn't help.
Unconsciously, her pace gradually quickened.
Her heart burned with the desperate wish to escape this place as fast as possible.
Eventually, she arrived at a restaurant.
As soon as she stepped inside, the bustling crowd of customers caught her eye first.
"You're here? Then change and get to work, quick!"
An ajumma, busy carrying and serving food, shouted at Shin Eunah.
It wasn't even time for her shift yet.
But still, she smiled brightly, went into the cramped changing room, changed her top, and hung a waterproof apron around her neck.
"It's piled up! Clear it fast!"
"Yes!"
With quick steps, she entered the kitchen, where an enormous stack of bowls and plates greeted her.
Her first thought was how she was supposed to wash all that alone by the time it was over, but if she didn't do even this, she couldn't live in her current place or attend school.
If only they'd just hire one more part-timer.
Grumbling inwardly, Shin Eunah pulled on rubber gloves and started washing the dishes.
She slowly, meticulously cleaned the pile, but more kept stacking up.
When will I ever not have to do this kind of work?
She dared to imagine—what if she could meet a man like Nayeong's boyfriend Jihoon? Someone rich, despite his overwhelming good looks and physique. How wonderful would that be?
Then life might be at least a little easier.
Hah.
Even ordinary men didn't approach her; what was she talking about rich ones for?
Shin Eunah thought about her situation—that she had no choice but to stand on her own two feet—and smiled bitterly, making a resolution.
No matter what.
She would live so well that the parents who abandoned her and disappeared would be sick with envy.
She would make them regret leaving her behind.
This was why, unlike Nayeong and Huila from before, Shin Eunah had risen on her own.