Miss Kim combed Jinah’s hair while Miss Jang and Miss Jung did her nails and toes, painting them pink because her skirt was pink, and of course the they had to match. Skirts were also considered to be public etiquette in DE, but in the security of dwellings, some were allowed to wear shorts (a luxury Jinah enjoyed). At most times, however, females in dwellings wore uniforms, which were matching blouse, skirt, tie, knee socks, and flats of dwelling colours.

          Miss Go was looking for the white slippers that fit Jinah. Miss Oh was gone, off to find the perfect hanbok. Miss Han was off in the kitchen, making Jinah’s lunch, one that would not interfere with her lip makeup. They were busy, busy, busy.

          Miss Oh came back just as the nails were drying. Then, Jinah was dressed – the white undergarment, the long skirt, then the top piece. It was gorgeous. The top piece was golden yellow, the sleeves lined colorfully – pink, white, blue. The ribbon in the middle was also pink. Miss Go fit the slippers on her, and then Miss Lee pushed her back down on the stool. Miss Jang and Miss Jung started to put glitter and top coat and whatever else that was necessary onto her nails. The air reeked of cosmetics.

          Miss Kim and Miss Lee fixed her hair, combing it and using hair spray to hold it up, tying frayed bits and baby hair all up. Miss Han was carelessly spotting her face with light foundation powder. “Little makeup. Very little,” Miss Han told herself. “Natural-looking. Hardly any makeup. No face cream – no acne must be concealed. Acne? No acne. No blemishes, zits, nope. No pimples. No concealer, no face cream. Okay, lip gloss, lightly, lightly…”

          Jinah let a groan escape , which then led to a ten-minute lecture of which Jinah had no say in. Then she was forced up and fed lunch which was just fruits all cut up to cause the minimum impact and damage on Jinah’s face. When Jinah asked for toast, all the women shouted in unison – “NO!”

          Jinah quickly finished her lunch, still hungry, and was pushed out the door along with the other candidates. She saw Jaein and Yooni, squealing and whispering to each other. They giggled foolishly. Jinah’s best friend, Minjung, looked great. Minjung’s skin wasn’t the best, but she had double eyelids, an enviable quality that made her eyes look big. She also had a lovely smile, which Jinah found adorable. The candidates were all lined up in a vertical line, just before the large gates, which would open, and reveal the Callidum candidates.

          “Tuck in your hands between your sleeves,” Miss Kim hissed. Miss Kim was Jinah’s representative. “Close your mouth. Try not to blink. Smile a little – oh, come on, wipe that emotionless expression off – smile! You’re trying to charm here. in your stomach – there we go. Walk straight, like an icky girl… there we go, good job. Clench your jaw – keep your face angular, that’s one of your top pointers!”

          “I got it!” Jinah gritted her teeth. She hated this.

          In front of her, Jaein snickered. “You look a little stiff there, Jinah,” she cooed. “Is your vicious, boyish side itching to come out?”

          “Shut your big mouth, Jaein,” Jinah snapped. The dress, the tight hair – it was enough to frustrate her, and now she had Jaein to deal with.

          “Oh, you better not lose it now. The real ceremony hasn’t even started yet.”

          “I’ll make sure you won’t even get to attend if you don’t shut your mouth.”

          “Jinah! Stop,” Miss Kim said. “Jaein, you too.”

          Jaein rolled her eyes. Jaein’s representative was Miss Park, who nodded in agreement. Miss Park’s favorite was always Jaein. In the lessons she taught, she always gave Jaein an advantage. Totally biased, totally unfair. Jaein was also a Top Candidate. Miss Park enjoyed a clean win. She didn’t like competition. She didn’t like rivals.

          “Now you gangs are accumulated here for one purpose – to pick your Prix!” the Announcer announced. Jinah laughed at the pun she thought up of herself. The Announcer announced. The gangs cheered. “You either came here because your Prix either passed away or you released them! Or you thought the previous candidates weren’t good enough. Let’s see about this year!” The gangs shouted their agreements and opinions like animals. “Well, without further ado… Caritatis! Open your gates!”

          A gateway creaked open. Some gangs cheered. Others jeered. Typical response. “Next, Pacem! Verax! Intrepidus!” Cheers, jeers, shouts, whistles, and etc. It was the typical audience response. Now it was Callidum’s turn… “And lastly but not least, the Callidum!”

          Their gateway opened and they clicked into place as the Callidum girls walked forward in rhythm, their representative women on their right side. Jinah almost tripped and Miss Kim noticed. She wasn’t the only one. Jaein let out a small but obvious giggle from the front. Oh, how Jinah wanted to break Jaein’s neck! She could do it. She was a top student in the taekwondo class, and the Army Institute.

          Then the Announcer went back to Caritatis. There, each representative woman explained why their candidate should be chosen. The gangs hungrily stared at the girls. Pacem did the same. So did Verax. And Intrepidus. And Callidum.

          “I am referred to as Miss Park. This is Lee Jaein, my candidate,” Miss Park said. “She is one of the five Top Candidates of Callidum, and moreover, in the Top Thirty Overall Candidates. Jaein’s talent is painting and needlework. Academics are always on top. No records of mischief.” That’s only because you crossed them all out, Jinah thought bitterly.

          Next, it was Miss Kim’s turn. Miss Park and Jaein had a detestable smirk on their faces as Miss Kim talked, who spoke without flinching or a hint of shame. “Referred to as Miss Kim, my candidate is Shin Jinah. In both the five Top Candidates of Callidum and Top Fifty Overall Candidates. Jinah is an all-around type. Academics and sports levels are always on top. Six records of mischief.”

          The Announcer commented on that. “Six records of mischief, you say?”

          “Yes, six,” Miss Kim said. Jaein wasn’t even trying to hold back her laughter. It was simply a “cute act” for the gangs. “Recorded since she was five, one for asking for seconds, second for being late, third because she read a book that was deemed as inappropriate because of one line that apparently ‘clouds her mind’, fourth was being late, again, fifth for talking back, and sixth for not sleeping at assigned time.”

          The Announcer chuckled. “And this girl is a Top Candidate, you say? Let alone the Top Fifty? I wouldn’t be surprised if she wasn’t even in ‘top’ anything with that many records!” the audience laughed, and so did Jaein. Jinah bit the insides of her cheeks.

          Miss Kim nodded. “That is correct.”

          “And what was that one line, Miss Kim? In the book, I mean,” The Announcer said.

          Miss Kim cleared . Then she said in a loud and clear voice. “I state the following from a novel that is now banned from being read: ‘It doesn’t matter how much makeup you put on your face; you can’t attain true beauty unless you possess a loving, kind heart.’”

          The crowd went silent. The Announcer was stunned for a bit, too. “I don’t see any inappropriateness in that. Who wrote this record?”

          Miss Kim looked directly in front of her. Her gaze could’ve burned a hole through Miss Park’s head. “Miss Park did. Did I mention how both late records are below two minutes?”

          Jinah smiled, knowing she would sleep well tonight, unlike some people.

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*EDIT: For some reason, the second chapter disappeared and was replaced with a copy of the third chapter.. strange o.0 yeah so hm, this is what I remember saying ish:

Double-update! I thought I should post two chapters or so before I go out :) Ehe foreword + 2 chapters.. ^^

-deardeerhan