Lamb to the Slaughter || Lookism

012

Life as a Crystal Choi [2/2].

Soo Jung, in her original body, was walking around the shopping district near her house in an attempt to relax herself. This had been the first week off she had in forever so she didn't quite know what to do with herself. Ever since she began being prepared to inherit the HNH company her schedule had been so busy – between meetings, school work and studying the business model of streaming companies, she barely had time to anything else – that now that she had free time, she didn't quite know what to do with it.

At the very least she was getting a small reprieve from the crazy interactions she normally had. Not only did no one randomly approached her in the streets when she was in her original body, but she didn't have to deal with Goo... Nor did she have Gun acting like her shadow and following her everywhere. Sure, she was in contact with him – in most of the messages he told her to call him if something happened and for her not to act like an idiot when he wasn't around – but it was sort of pleasant to have a small break. It wasn't like she wasn't having human interactions either. Between Gun's messages and Yong Ji's daily calls, she felt like she wasn't alone. It did make her wonder, though, where did Yong Jo get the time? Shouldn't he be insanely busy? She didn't understand why was Yong Ji checking up on her so religiously in the first place, he must have been far more worried than she considered possible and seemingly wanted to be sure she was well.

So, given that her birthday was coming – in exactly three days, thus why her father gave her the week off in the first place – she decided to buy something for herself. She faintly remembered in her last life being so excited when she first bought something with her hard-earned money, that she had tried to recreate that feeling. Sure, it wasn't the same by any means, her current paycheck was far more than she had earned previously in a year... she could buy things she hadn't imagined owning in her other life now. It wasn't the same, it would never be the same, but she wanted to feel something that wasn't connected to all the insanity. She wanted to feel like a normal girl that had worked hard for that paycheck and was now getting something nice for herself as a reward.

She was still trying to decide what shop to enter when a colorful display catches her attention and makes her stop on her tracks. She could see pastel stuffed animals arranged around various notebooks and pens. Thinking that she'd probably find something she liked (and would have a use for) inside the small shop, she walks there. She immediately feels at ease when the smell of paper and paint fills her nose. The decoration was rather cute, the place was filled with so many colorful items and it was no surprise that despite not being a recognizable name store, had several clients inside. Both the decoration, smell and the animated clients make her feel for the first time in a very long time like a normal fifteen years old.

Feeling light and happy, she peruses the store trying to find something she liked enough to buy. As she passes the several display shelves, she grabs a couple of items. A cute mechanical pencil with a bunny attached to it, a pastel blue planer with fluffy clouds, a keychain with a flan pudding. She then notices a cute notebook with a teddy bear design on it and reaches for it thinking that it was the last item she'd get. While she grabs it, she is unable to pull it towards her and she notices that there was a hand attached at the other end... a male hand?

The hand belonged to an intimidatingly tall teenager – he had just about Goo's height – making look ridiculously tiny next to him. The teenager had a bowl cut, fair skin and dark eyes that were currently narrowed. He was wearing expensive brand clothes – this world's version of a Supreme hoodie paired with jeans and expensive sneakers. It was, to say in the least, surprising that a guy that looked so tough wanted a cutesy notebook.

"Let go of it four eyes," he snarls pulling the notebook towards him. "I got it first."

Not liking his tone – why the fuck was this guy so agitated because of a damned notebook? – Soo Jung returns the glare. "Clearly you didn't or I wouldn't have touched it."