Chapter 24
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Makeover Project
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"Wow, it's already June? Why does time fly by so fast?"
"Well, the sports festival's done and the school trip is right around the corner. Can't blame you for feeling that way."
Go Dasom and Yoo Chaerin gazed out the window at the sunset stretching long across the sky, chiming in with bored unison.
Just as they were starting to tire of waiting for Baek Iseol and Han Jiyoon to finish cleaning, Dasom's eyes suddenly sparkled.
"Ugh~ I'm so pumped for the school trip! What should we do there? Hey, what are you gonna wear?"
"Me? I bought some clothes last week. Thinking of wearing those."
Nam Siwoo, standing a step away and listening to their excited chatter, let out a deep sigh that seemed to bore into the ground.
'The school trip's already here?'
It felt like a storm had swept through and left.
Midterms, Im Hyunsu's dropout, and the sports festival that wrapped up just a few days ago.
They'd barreled through one major event after another without a break, and before he knew it, the calendar pointed to June, with the long-awaited three-day, two-night school trip looming right ahead.
But that very school trip was currently Siwoo's biggest worry.
He was already forcing distance between them because he still hadn't gotten a proper look at Iseol's face, and now he had to stick it out with her for a full three days and two nights.
And something even worse than that right now...
'What the hell am I supposed to wear?'
He hung out with friends often on weekends, but his go-to casual wear was always the same gray hoodie of similar fit and baggy training pants.
Meanwhile, the others showed up every time looking totally different—stylish and sharp in outfits that turned heads.
For a school trip where they'd snap hundreds of photos at minimum, it was obvious they'd dress to the nines.
'Haa... Asking for new clothes now would just make me feel bad.'
He'd have to rummage through his closet again when he got home.
That was when Siwoo sank into his gloomy thoughts.
"Hey, Nam Jjin. You got clothes to wear? Don't tell me... you're planning to show up in that same gray hoodie from the PC bang last time. If you do, I'm pretending I don't know you."
Seo Juwon's words stabbed right at the heart, making Siwoo flinch and his shoulders tremble.
He was coldly aware that he had zero fashion sense.
But even looking objectively, the only wearable thing in his closet was that one gray hoodie.
Siwoo averted his eyes to the floor, mumbling excuses in a shrinking voice.
"Can't I just... wear my middle school PE pants, the hoodie, and a few t-shirts? We're gonna be walking a ton anyway..."
At Siwoo's horrific response, even Park Geon—who never cared about fashion—froze in place.
"Dude... are you serious right now?"
Park Geon pressed his forehead and let out a deep sigh.
Juwon placed a hand on Siwoo's shoulder with a grave expression.
"You got any savings?"
"Huh? Well, I've saved some allowance money..."
"Nope. Clear your weekend schedule."
Juwon stared straight into Siwoo's eyes and declared firmly.
"No way I'm letting you show up to high school school trip in middle school PE gear. This is a matter of my pride."
His friends—all except Siwoo—nodded in agreement.
"Rendezvous at the city square this weekend. We'll make you human. Just try on whatever we give you."
As Park Geon chuckled at Siwoo wriggling in Juwon's headlock, the back door of Class 2 swung open. Iseol and Jiyoon emerged, cleaning done.
"What're you guys talking about?"
To Iseol's question, Juwon jerked his chin toward the struggling Siwoo.
"Oh, the school trip next week. Gonna hit the city this weekend and pick out some clothes for this guy."
Iseol and Jiyoon nodded right away, instantly getting it.
"...In that case, I need to shop for my trip outfit too. Mind if I tag along?"
With Iseol and Jiyoon signing on, the weekend gathering of seven became set in stone, overriding Siwoo's opinion entirely.
As things settled, Siwoo—freed from the headlock—coughed and adjusted his glasses.
Then Iseol naturally sidled up beside him as they walked.
"Hey, Nam Siwoo. Earlier at the vending machine—"
"Juwon! Uh, so where we meeting this weekend?"
Before Iseol could finish turning to speak, Siwoo startled and bolted to Juwon's side.
Iseol's hand hung awkwardly in midair, nowhere to go.
At some point, Siwoo had started subtly avoiding her.
He wasn't outright ignoring her.
He'd respond when she spoke, but never met her eyes, and cut conversations short with lame excuses to slip away.
When they all hung out together, the guy who'd always snag the seat next to her now sat farthest from her.
'Did I do something wrong...?'
Iseol furrowed her brow, staring at Siwoo's back as he walked between Juwon and Park Geon.
For the past few days, Nam Siwoo's behavior had been weird—weird in a way that really bugged her.
Up until the sports festival, he'd stuck to her side like a tail-wagging puppy, but now he wouldn't even meet her eyes and dodged her blatantly.
Unthinkingly bringing her nails to her lips, Iseol soon let out a scoff and shook her head.
'If he wants to avoid me, his loss. Why should I care?'
She swallowed down the vague, prickly feeling of disappointment bubbling up from her gut and turned to her phone screen, feigning indifference.
Saturday afternoon, in front of the city square.
True to the bright early summer weather, the streets bustled with crowds.
The friends who arrived first waited in their casual clothes, each oozing personality.
Iseol especially stood out.
Without her uniform, her black short-sleeve knit paired with wide slacks exuded a cool, refined aura even more than usual.
Passersby couldn't help stealing glances.
"Ah, why's this guy taking forever."
As Juwon checked his watch and grumbled...
A familiar gray silhouette pushed through the distant crowd.
"...Is that Nam Siwoo?"
Park Geon pointed in disbelief.
All eyes turned as one.
A drab, thick gray hoodie that clashed with the muggy heat.
Paired with stretched-out black training pants.
His friends were dumbfounded.
"Huff... huff... Sorry. Took a while finding something since you said meet in the city..."
Siwoo arrived sweating bullets, waving awkwardly.
A chill silence fell over the group.
Dasom and Chaerin gaped; Jiyoon outright looked away.
Even Iseol pressed her forehead in disbelief.
"Haa... you really..."
Juwon's face paled as he grabbed Siwoo—then yanked the hoodie's hood over his head.
"Gah! What the—!"
"You maniac! Even if you're shopping today, you walk through downtown like this?! Don't stand next to me! Get lost!"
"Do I really need to dress up just to shop...?"
Siwoo grumbled as Juwon dragged him by the collar.
In the end, Siwoo was half-forced into a circle by the group and marched like a prisoner into the biggest men's clothing store in sight.
The air-conditioned shop buzzed with shoppers.
As Siwoo awkwardly scanned around, Juwon huddled the friends and whispered.
"Alright, fan out and grab one decent thing each. Go!"
Under Juwon's lead, the group tore through the store excitedly.
Dasom and Chaerin snatched neon tees cooing over how cute, then dropped them in horror upon seeing Siwoo; Park Geon shoved a leather jacket at him as a prank.
"Ah, seriously, why are you guys like this..."
Siwoo retreated into a pile of clothes with a teary face.
Backing up, his back bumped lightly into someone.
"Ah, sorry..."
Turning to apologize on reflex, Siwoo's voice cut off.
Iseol stood right behind him.
In casuals, she was breathtaking—way more than in uniform.
No, more put-together than her usual off-day looks.
Siwoo's heart pounded wildly on its own.
But he quickly reined it in and shook his head.
'Don't think about it.'
He dropped his gaze to the floor and scurried a couple steps sideways.
"...Sorry. Didn't see you."
Iseol's pretty brow crumpled at Siwoo creating distance without even meeting her eyes.
'...That's harsh.'
She wasn't an idiot; she knew he had feelings for her.
She hadn't pushed him away because he never crossed lines.
But treating her like she was invisible lately, dodging like this—it sparked an inexplicable irritation.
Biting her lip, Iseol roughly shoved the hanger in her hand into his chest.
"Huh...?"
"Try it on. Don't just stand there like an idiot."
It was a muted shirt and wide-fit black slacks—totally her style.
Iseol shot a cold glare at the stunned Siwoo and spun away.
Siwoo blankly alternated between the clothes in his arms and Iseol's retreating back, then got shoved by Juwon into the fitting room.