Beauty Above All

[NOTE]

[1] Sangapul = double eyelids eyes

[2] Aegyo-sal = small fatty deposits underneath the eyes that are said to give a person a more youthful appearance.

[3] ulzzang = a popular South Korean term literally meaning "best face" or "good-looking".

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Hong Shu Hwa.

Those three words had always been a nightmare that haunted Eun Hye day and night. Every time she closed her eyes, she imagined seeing her younger sister stood in front of her. Her gorgeous face that Eun Hye desired so much and only to have it through surgery.

The way Shu Hwa's eyes looked into her and the way her lips curved into a perfect crescent moon. Everything about her younger sister had always been perfect. So perfect that Eun Hye felt like tearing her face apart.

A dozen times already, Eun Hye wondered as she lied awake in the middle of the night, 'Why? Why was I not born as beautiful as you?'

A slim and tall figure, v-shaped jaw with a small chin, small lips, straight eyebrows, pale flawless skin, and a pair of sangapul[1] with an additional beauty of aegyo-sal[2]. Shu Hwa had everything that a Korean woman could dream of. Facial features that fit the beauty standard of South Korea.

Although Shu Hwa was not born sociable and sometimes could even be socially awkward due to her shyness, their friends in school still looked up to her as their ulzzang[3] girl. They would all gather around her both male and female students. It was to the point that Eun Hye could see them idolizing her younger sister.

At first, there was no jealousy in Eun Hye's heart. Because even though her sister was famous, she too was loved by their friends. Eun Hye was the smart girl, the top student in their school. Everyone around her praised her and she was the hope of every teacher. It was not only that, Eun Hye also shone around her friends due to her easygoing trait and in addition, Eun Hye excelled in both singing and dancing.

In every school festival, Eun Hye would be the center of the stage. Her performance would garner everyone's attention and thunderous claps would descend from the audience at Eun Hye's performance. So, there had never been a reason for Eun Hye to envy her sister. In fact, Eun Hye used to love Shu Hwa very much.

Until it happened...

For the first time, Eun Hye overheard her friends talking. Both boys and girls.

"I can't wait for Eun Hye's performance tomorrow. Other girls dance nicely but Eun Hye is especially eye-catching. Her dance just steals your attention," said one of the male students.

"I agree. I wish I have a body like Eun Hye too," one of the female students chimed in.

"But if we're talking about appearance, Eun Hye is nothing compares to Shu Hwa," the other girl commented.

"Ah, true! So true! Shu Hwa is definitely better. She's just so pretty!"

"I wish she would just use Instagram. I'm sure she would be a famous in no time."

Unbeknownst to them, Eun Hye had been right outside the class at that time. She had heard it all and it would be a lie if she had said it didn't hurt one bit, because it did. It hurt her very much.

But then she had thought, 'So what? I'm still good in many things where Shu Hwa is just average. In any case, she is my 'lil sis. I can't hate her. I won't. I love her.'

Love her. It was true. Eun Hye had adored her. But even patience had its limit and so did love.

One day, Eun Hye had applied for an audition and without telling anyone, she had gone to the place. And then it happened. When her best hadn't amount to the word "beauty".

"We think that your dancing and singing are exceptional. Better than the other contestants. But, we're sorry to tell you that you don't pass," said the judge.

At that time, Eun Hye's whole body had trembled incessantly and her tears had welled up in her eyes. Her mind was a mess. She had done everything. She had practiced again and again. She could even say that the performance she had given to them had been the best one so far.

Yet, when she asked, "Why?" This had been their answer.

"Your appearance doesn't fit the standard that we're looking for."

A subtle comment, but the implication behind it had been clear enough. "You are not pretty enough". Something that Eun Hye had admitted she lacked of, but this was what she was born with. She couldn't practice it. It was there by nature.

So, she had left the room with her head down and without a word of thank you or goodbye. Two days had passed since then and Eun Hye had not once stepped out from her room. Her hair had looked like a bird nest. Her face had been extremely pale and exhausted.

Shu Hwa had been worried of her sister that day. Thus, she had decided to cheer up her sister. She had talked to her about a lot of funny things and Eun Hye had finally lightened up a bit. She even agreed to Shu Hwa's plan to go out.

They had decided to go for café hopping in Yeonnam-dong and that had been the start of everything. Halfway through their walk, one female came to them and handed her card towards Shu Hwa.

"Hi, I'm from a modelling agency XX. I think that your look fits our category--"

Hate her? No. Eun Hye had chosen to look away instead.

And then came another when they had sat down in a café. Two in a row. If there had been no jealousy before, the seed had surely been planted now. The only thing that it needed had been water.

And this was the water.

"This is why I don't go out much." Shu Hwa looked down at her drink. "Random people will try to scout me and I feel uncomfortable with their blunt approach."

It had been like an explosion in Eun Hye head when she had heard Shu Hwa's word. Her heart had bled, pouring out a stream of scorching lava. It had burnt through her and the love she had once held for her younger sister turned to ash in that instance.

Ever since then, Shu Hwa's presence had been a thorn in Eun Hye's heart. Her very existence was a bane in Eun Hye's life. But after everything that had happened, Shu Hwa slowly turned into a nightmare.

And the nightmare was now standing before her.

Eun Hye stumbled backwards. Her eyes widened in horror. "Y-Y-You..."

Shu Hwa laughed derisively and went around the table. She savored every bit of Eun Hye's defeated look. "Unni, you forgot about me? Now that makes me sad. But, it's fine, I can understand why you would forget, given that you were one of the reasons I had to escape this hell."

Shu Hwa rubbed her chin as she nodded her head understandingly. Afterwards, she pretended to be concerned, "Unni, why are you so pale? Are you having a fever?"

Shu Hwa moved forward towards Eun Hye and tried to check her temperature. However, before Shu Hwa's hand could touch her, Eun Hye slapped it frantically.

"Ouch! It hurts, Unni. I just wanted to check your temperature. Why did you have to slap my hand?" Shu Hwa faked a cry. She patted her hand which had turned slightly red from the hit.

Eun Hye stood frozen to the ground. Even at this point, she still couldn't believe her worst nightmare had actually come true. She was sweating profusely that her hair became stuck to her face. Suddenly, she remembered something and turned to look at her husband only to see him staring at Shu Hwa.