Narrator’s POV                    

The ramen shop was closed for one day so both Hye Mi and Soo Hee were free for the day. The two girls met up at a café near Soo Hee’s house. Hye Mi was already there when Soo Hee entered the café. She looked down when many couples and others looked in her direction. She scurried over and sat down opposite Hye Mi.

“What is this?” Soo Hee asked as she pointed to a notebook before Hye Mi.

“Hehe… Let me introduce to you ’10 steps to sweet revenge’ ~” Hye Mi exclaimed proudly as she opened to the first page of the note book.

Beneath the bold words was a slim girl sketch drawn by Hye Mi.

“Who is this?” Soo Hee asked as she pointed to the drawing.

“The future you!” Hye Mi said as she slid the book across the table to her.

“Me?!” Soo Hee was taken aback by her words.

Bringing the book before her, she ran her fingers over the beautiful girl potrait.

“Will I really be like her next time?” she thought to herself and frowned slightly.

“Yes, you will be.” Hye Mi said as if she read Soo Hee’s thoughts.

“Thank you.” Soo Hee said with a grateful smile.

“Pabo, what are friends for?” Hye Mi slapped her hand gently and smiled.

“Park Soo Hee, let the revenge plan began!~” Hye Mi announced with an evil smile.

Soo Hee nodded her head with determination and smiled.

With that, the two girls started their plan.

Step 1: Remind yourself of those who hurt you.

“The first guy who hurt me was my crush, Kim Myung Soo. I liked him a lot but I guess I shouldn’t and didn’t have the rights to? I could still remember clearly how he laughed along with the others when I spilt coffee all over myself before him. I vividly remember how he accepted and threw my hand-made chocolates away once I turned my back on him. But I guess I can’t blame him since the almighty him probably felt that being a kingka, accepting an outcast’s gift was already a feat… Hah.” With the sadistic laugh, Soo Hee paused for a moment.

Tears were b in her eyes as she recalled those memories which she chose to bury deep inside her mind. She took a deep breath before continuing.

“His best friend was Kim Joo Woo. He is the one who always teases and makes fun of me for being fat, nerdy and ugly. That day he told me he liked me and wanted to go out with me. The gullible me actually believed him and his lies. It turned out that it was merely a bet he made with his idiotic friends to date me for a week. Just for the stupid sum of money, he played with my feelings. He made me think that I was loved before dumping me mercilessly on his birthday. He trampled all over my heart which I opened up to him. I guess I was really dumb back then…” Soo Hee said as those accumulated tears threatened to fall.

“He is even dumber to dump a nice girl like you. Don’t worry, he will definitely regret the next time he sees you!” Hye Mi reassured Soo Hee as she squeezed her hand lightly.

The small gesture warmed her heart and those tears retreated.

“Hye Mi-ah, I am really glad to have you as my friend…Thank you. And for that bastard Kim Joo Woo, I swear I will make him regret for everything he had did to me!” Soo Hee said as she clenched her fists tightly.

“He will, I believe.” Hye Mi said with a smile.

“Yes, Soo Hee… Remember all the wrongdoings they have done to you so that you will turn those hatred into motivation. Only then will you be able to succeed… I know you can do this.” Hye Mi thought as she looked at Soo Hee who was flipping through the notebook she gave her.

Step 2: Eat healthily (Vegetables and Fruits)

 Soo Hee stared at the bowl of salad and fruits before her which was her designed meal replacement by Hye Mi. She sighed and pushed them away, refusing to eat. However, looking back at the page with step 2 written, she pulled the bowl back before her again.

“Hye Mi put in so much effort to help me, I must not let her down!” Soo Hee thought to herself as she forced herself to eat them.

Step 3: Quit Junk food, sweet stuff, oily food and salty meals.

Soo Hee passed by yet another fast food restaurant along the street. She clenched her fists and shook her head, restraining herself.

“I MUST NOT BE TEMPTED!” she said to herself with her fists clenched.

Turning her head away, she walked faster back home. Soo Hee told herself that must not let those efforts made so far go to waste. There was finally some results seen on her shape and she did not want everything to go back to square one.

Step 4: Exercise vigorously

“Park Soo Hee, you can do it! Yes, you can! Go, go!” Hye Mi was jogging beside Soo Hee, cheering her on.

“I can’t do it anymore already… Ahhh~!” Soo Hee shouted exhaustedly as her pace slowed down.

“NO! Don’t stop or else you will lose your momentum!!! Soo Hee, you can do this. A bit more to go~” Hye Mi yelled as she pushed her from behind.

Soo Hee took a deep breath and gave the remaining distance a last dash. After finishing god knows how many crazy rounds, the running was finally over. Soo Hee collapsed onto the track and was panting away. Sweat was trickling down her face and glistening under the blazing sun. Her shirt was completely drenched by then.

“Great job!” Hye Mi praised as she patted her on her shoulder. Smiling proudly, Hye Mi handed her a drink.

“Thanks.” Soo Hee caught her breath and said softly as she took the bottle of mineral water.

Finishing the drink at one go, she smiled with satisfaction.

Just a bit more…

 Step 5: Confidence

Hye Mi grabbed onto Soo Hee’s arms and brought her into a shopping mall.

“Why are we here? I thought we are running today?” Soo Hee asked in confusion.

“Let’s go and buy you some clothes~” Hye Mi beamed as she dragged Soo Hee into one of the shops.

“Hye Mi, I don’t need…” Soo Hee tried refusing but it was too late.

Hye Mi was already busily selecting the clothes for Soo Hee who was standing by the side awkwardly. The salesgirl was looking at the two since they set their foot in the shop. Soo Hee hung her head low and felt ashamed of her size. By the looks of it, at the moment, she still could not fit into many of the clothes in the shop.

“Soo hee-ah, do you like this?” Hye Mi asked as she placed a white top before Soo Hee.

“I…” Soo Hee was about to tell her to leave but Hye Mi cut in again.

“I think it suits you! Go on and try this~” Hye Mi said as she pushed Soo Hee towards the changing room.

“Umm, I am sorry. You can’t try this on because… we have no larger sizes. I hope you understand.” The salesgirl from before walked over to them and said.

“This crazy customer is going to spoil the blouse with that body of hers…” The salesgirl thought to herself.

“Yah. What are you…” Hye Mi was about to tell the salesgirl off when Soo Hee suddenly ran off.

“Soo Hee~!” Hye Mi ran after her after throwing the blouse on the rack.

When Hye Mi ran into the fast food restaurant Soo Hee entered, she spotted Soo Hee gobbling down the food at a corner. She was crying and eating hurriedly.

“Soo Hee, stop. Don’t eat anymore.” Hye Mi grabbed her hand in an attempt to stop her.

“Don’t care about me. Let me eat. I will always be that fat and despised Park Soo Hee. I will never be able to become pretty and slim. Nothing has changed since before. This is so hard and tough, I can’t take it anymore… I give up. Sorry…” Soo Hee said as more tears overflowed her eyes.

Even after all the hardships, nothing has changed.

“I am probably destined to stay as ugly duckling, forever.” Soo Hee thought to herself as she wriggled out of Hye Mi’s grip. She then continued stuffing her full mouth more food.

“Soo Hee, things changed. Look, you are prettier and slimmer already. A bit more and you will succeed. Don’t give up. You can do this.” Hye Mi said as she held onto Soo Hee’s hand again.

“I can’t do this… It is so tough. Do you know how I hate running so much until my whole body aches the other day? Do you know that I hate eating those disgusting vegetables and I hate how the results are not showing… You don’t understand me. You don’t understand my pain. You don’t know me. I am not as strong as you, Hye Mi. I am the useless Park Soo Hee…” Soo Hee said in exasperation as she wiped her tears roughly with her oily fingers.

“No, don’t think that way! Soo Hee, listen to me.” Hye Mi said as she grabbed onto her more tightly. Soo Hee who turned her face away from Hye Mi not wanting her to see her cry turned back to face her.

“I know how it feels to try so hard but the results are showing so slowly. I know how it feels when you run until you are out of air and dehydrated. I know how it feels to eat the plain and disgusting replacement meals. I know how hard it is to not succumb to temptation. I know how it is when the whole world despises you, even yourself. I know how life can be like a living hell. I understand you and what you are going through. Soo Hee, believe in me because I have been through this before too… You really can do it also. You just need to be confident and believe yourself just this once.” Hye Mi said as she looked into her teary eyes.

“Believe…in myself?” Soo Hee muttered in her hoarse voice.

“Yes. Confidence is the key to everything. You must be confident that you can succeed. You must be confident that you will transform successfully and get back at them. You must have confidence in you and me. Please don’t give up now… Can we continue this… together?” Hye Mi looked into Soo Hee’s eyes and pleaded.

Soo Hee merely cried harder but no words escaped . She was tired of everything so much so that she wanted to stop and let go. However, there was something inside her telling her to hang on and go on. She did not know what to do anymore, she felt lost.

I no longer know if I hang on long enough, there will really be a turn of the tide…

Author's Note:
Reposting because of AFF's recent web problem:)