Eun Ji pulled my arm until we reached the door at the cafeteria.

“Yah! Snap out of it! Let that photo go will you!” she snatched it out of my hand.

“Give it back Eun Ji!” I tried reaching for it and thank God I’m taller than her.

“Why do you keep looking at it? I already saw it so don’t expect me to steal it from you.”

She opened the door and just walked in. she left me standing at the entrance looking like a lost dog staring at a photo of myself.

The photo seems to be taken secretly. It looks like the camera was in between a book and bunch of pens. My face was half buried in my arms but I could still recognize myself. Why wouldn’t I? I know I look really pathetic at that time but this photo kinda gave a little mercy with my face because it doesn’t look bad. I don’t look bad to be exact.

“What’s that?” Daehyun placed his arm on my shoulder.

I hid the photo in my pocket and looked at him with a smile. I’m trying not to look like a mess in front of him even when my face is already a mess. “Nothing…”

“Let’s go…” he walked and because his hand was on my shoulder, I have to walk next to him.

“Where are we going?” I asked as we were getting out of the school gate again. Not a lot people are around so no one really had their eyes on me. Thank goodness for that… I’m kinda getting sick of all the attention. On the bad side though, we’re going out of the school again! I couldn’t imagine myself breaking the rules! Not to mention with him! >.<”

“You’ll see…” he said with a serious tone.

I don’t like that tone… I don’t like it at all…

***
after a few minutes of walking without talking, we finally stopped. To think about it, I’m getting hungry! But this place doesn’t look like a fast food chain or a café either…

“What’s that?” I pointed to the sign that says David’s.

“C’mon.” he lead me inside and my jaw just dropped.

WE’RE IN A SALON!?

“What are we doing here?” I asked as I tried to walk back. He pulled me back and gave out an unsure smile.

“I just need you to look pretty…”

He handed me to a tall lady with a pretty face and he whispered to her something. After that, she let me sit in front of a mirror and she did her thing. And by that, I meant her way…

She did my hair like the way celebrities do theirs and the way I would not have dreamed my hair to be. It’s really beautiful… but I’m not really confident about this kind of style. She gave me some touch-ups on my face. It looked natural and my eyebags disappeared. My face looks better than what it looked like this morning.

“See the difference?” the lady faced me through the mirror.

I nodded at her and gave out a smile. If it even looked like a smile…

“What’s wrong? Not satisfied?” she asked with full concern. But I can feel her concern is to her job than to what I feel…

“No! It’s beautiful…” I assured her with a much brighter smile than what I did earlier. *this just doesn’t feel right…*

She sighed in relief and told me that Daehyun is at the exit. I went there with my head down before facing him.

“Let’s go have lunch!” he said with a bright and satisfied smile on his face. He took my hand and led me to a fancy restaurant.

He did the orders while I was just there sitting silently. In just a moment, the orders came in and all we have to do is eat and I can finally get back to school.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me again. I feel like I want to go back to school as soon as possible. A part of me is saying that I shouldn’t be here and be some elsewhere. I just don’t know where.

“Not hungry?”

I raised my head and faced him. He smiled brightly at me. *that smile just doesn’t feel right. Why do I feel like he’s different?*

“You look really pretty. And by pretty I meant beautiful.” He said while nodding.

“She did a pretty good job.” I said with a sigh.

“What’s wrong?”

I gave him a weak smile.

“Don’t you like it?”

I smiled weakly again. *if it’s Daehyun, I can be honest right? I mean, I don’t wanna hurt that lady’s feelings that’s why I said I like it even though I --*

“I can fire her if you don’t like it.” He said with an evil smile.

My eyes widened.

“Don’t! It’s just that…” I tried to assure him but I think I have to be honest at this moment.

He leaned his head to the side as if saying *what do you mean?*

“Why did you take me there?”

He smiled sheepishly and let out a smirk.

“I need the girls that I date to be pretty all the time…”