A/N: The italics are lyrics to the song.

Click for song here :)

Mirror, Mirror

Put your make-up on
Get your nails done
Curl your hair
Run the extra mile
Keep it slim so they like you, do they like you?
 

“Mirror, Mirror on the wall. Who’s the fairest of them all…?”

She murmured these simple lines from a fairytale she once heard as she stared at the reflection in the mirror, an unfamiliar face stared back.
 
A face that was not hers. A face the public wanted; a face free of flaws.
 
A façade.
 
She reached for the lonely lipstick standing on her vanity, uncapped it, tracing her lips.
 
Bright red lips, hot pink nails. Pink dyed tips, light brown hair. Powdered face. 

That’s right… this is the face that they wanted. 

All dolled up and ready to take on the world.
 
“Irene unnie, are you ready?” a voice broke her thought.
 
Irene. That’s right… that’s who’s staring at her.

Irene. That’s who she is right now.
 
Irene… that’s who this face belongs to.
 
Not Bae Joohyun.
 
It hasn’t been for a long time.
 
“You look pretty today, unnie.” 

She looked over and nodded at the smiling girl beside her, and whispered her gratitude. But her words were lost in the sounds of the screaming fans.

With her head hung low hiding behind her curtain of pink ombre hair she walked with hurried steps into the studio, away from the public’s eyes.

Get you y on
Don’t be shy, girl
Take it off
This is what you want, to belong, so they like you
Do you like you?
 
The sound of applause blaring, the lights shining. Fans screaming, chanting her name. 
 
A smile plastered on her face, her lungs gasping for air. Sweat drops dripping down her face.
 
She stared back into the crowd, a blank look in her eyes.
 
“Irene! Irene!” They chanted.
 
Irene… No, not Bae Joohyun. 
 
The public doesn’t want Bae Joohyun.
 
This is what she wanted right?
 
“Unnie, you did well today.” 
 
Her lips curved slightly, a shy smile forming on her face acknowledging the compliment.

She did it. She made it. 

Wait a second,
Why, should you care, what they think of you
When you're all alone, by yourself, do you like you?
Do you like you?

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

Take your make-up off
Let your hair down
Take a breath
Look into the mirror, at yourself
Don't you like you?
Cause I like you

Are you happy? 

The words that she sang still ringing in her ears. 

Are you happy…? Happiness!

Was she happy? She asked herself, unsure how to answer it.

But she’s alone now, there was no one she needed to face. No one here to judge her.

Except herself.

Perched in front of her vanity, alone. Her eyes met with the stranger who resided in the mirror yet again.

She clenched her fist, holding back the tears as she reached for the wipes on her vanity. 

Are you happy…?

She hadn’t noticed she was holding her breath until her lungs hurt, and begged for oxygen.

“Unnie…" 

It’s her voice again. The one that brought her back into reality. But not a harsh reality. 

No, this voice was warm. The voice that melts her heart. 

“Joohyun unnie… don’t cry.”

 A soft hand placed on hers, unclenched the balled fist. Releasing all the tension that she held with ease, taking away that she was holding onto.

"Let me help you Unnie..." She said. 

She stayed still as the younger girl carefully wiped away the bright red lipstick, the eyeliner, the powdered face.

“There… that’s better. Isn’t it, unnie?” she said feeling accomplished with her work.

She turned back to the mirror and looked at herself again, the corner of slowly curved upward as a crooked smile. 

"Unnie... Don't hide your face." She said and brushed away the stray hair that was covering her unnie’s face, pulling the long lock of hair back behind her unnie’s shoulders. 

Revealing her bare face. 

Revealing Bae Joohyun, the shy girl from Daegu once again.

"Don't you like you, Unnie? Cause I do. Just you, Bae Joohyun.”