CH 7 TESA'S FEAR GIN'S ANSWER

Tesa and the Terrifying Nightmare

Tesa woke up with cold sweat dampening her forehead. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and her heart pounded like she had just run a marathon. Her eyes darted around the darkness of her room as her trembling hand touched her cheek, making sure her skin was still smooth, her nose still sharp, and her lips not wrinkled like in her horrifying dream.

"Just a dream... just a dream..." she whispered repeatedly, trying to calm herself.

But the dream felt so real.

In her nightmare, Tesa stood in front of a mirror, as usual, checking her appearance before heading to school. Her face—always admired for its beauty—suddenly changed. Her skin wrinkled like an old woman's, her eyes darkened like a skull, and her hair fell out in clumps. She screamed, but no sound came out. When she ran outside, everyone looked at her with disgust. The friends who once praised her now laughed and mocked her with cruel words.

"Monster!"

"Look at the ugly girl!"

"You belong in the sewers!"

Tesa bit her lip. Even now, after waking up, it felt like the nightmare still lingered in her mind. She turned on the light and immediately opened her phone's camera app, checking her face again.

"Normal. I'm normal."

She let out a relieved sigh, but the uneasy feeling remained in her chest.

---

School: A Chaotic Morning

Still shaken, Tesa forced herself to go to school. She didn't want to miss lessons, especially since there was a math test today. But her concentration was scattered. Every time someone glanced at her, she felt like they were secretly mocking her.

In class, she immediately went to her seat and rested her head on the desk, trying to compose herself.

"Hey, are you okay?" Gin's voice sounded beside her.

Tesa lifted her face. Gin, who was always sleepy, had his eyes half-closed as he looked at her.

"I had a nightmare," Tesa groaned. "I dreamed my face was cursed to be ugly, and everyone hated me."

Gin slowly nodded, then closed his eyes again. "Hmm..."

"Gin! Don't sleep again!" Tesa shook his shoulder. Talking to someone half-asleep felt ridiculous.

"I'm listening, I'm listening," Gin muttered, rubbing his eyes. "So you're afraid of becoming ugly? Just wear a mask then."

"What? That's the worst advice ever!" Tesa stared at him in disbelief.

Gin shrugged. "If you don't like it, don't tell your problems to a sleepy person."

Tesa sighed in frustration. "I'm serious, Gin! That dream was terrifying! Imagine if it really happened?"

Gin frowned slightly, then suddenly smiled. "If your face turns ugly, that just means the people around you only like you for your looks. So at least you'd know who's genuine."

Tesa fell silent. "That's... kind of deep."

Gin nodded and lowered his head again. "But hey, even if you become ugly, I'd still take you out for snacks. Ugly or not, meatballs still taste good."

Tesa didn't know whether to be touched or annoyed. "Gin, you—"

"But if you ask me to pay, you better pay for yourself," Gin added, resting his head on the desk again. "I'm gonna sleep."

Tesa stared at him, annoyed, but strangely, her worries felt slightly lighter.

---

Confrontation with Reality

All day, Tesa was still disturbed by her dream. During recess, she checked herself in the bathroom mirror again, making sure nothing had changed.

"I'm just being paranoid because my dream reminded me of the four Miss Endfield finalists last year who suddenly got poisoned," she whispered to herself.

But as she stepped out, a group of students nearby suddenly laughed. Her chest tightened.

"Are they laughing at me?"

She walked quickly, trying to ignore them. But the laughter seemed to follow her like a shadow.

---

Gin and His Annoying (But Honest) Advice

After school, Tesa sat on a bench in the schoolyard, still thinking about Rina's mockery. Gin—who had finally woken up after sleeping all day—arrived with two ice creams.

"Here, for you," he said, handing her one.

Tesa took it halfheartedly. "Thanks."

"Still thinking about that dream?" Gin asked while licking his ice cream.

Tesa nodded. "And now I'm thinking… people only like me because I'm pretty."

Gin squinted. "Well, yeah."

"What?!" Tesa was shocked.

"I mean, some people do," Gin continued.

Tesa looked at him expectantly. "And the rest?"

Gin smiled. "You lent me your parents' clothes." Gin casually handed her back the clothes he borrowed the other day.

"GIN!!"

Gin laughed. "Just kidding! But seriously, if you're afraid people only like you for your looks, just test them."

"Test?"

"Yeah. Dress messily for a day, look pale, and see who still wants to be around you."

Tesa looked at him skeptically. "That's a stupid idea."

"You're just too worried because your dream reminded you of those four Miss Endfield finalists who got poisoned, right? Relax," Gin reassured her before dozing off again.

---

Cafeteria During Recess

A young woman sat alone amid the crowd. No one dared to approach her—the woman with a mask on her face, unable to hide the wrinkles on her skin. She was Rita, one of the victims of the poison that attacked the four Miss Willfield finalists last year.

"Hey, we meet again," Gin greeted as he sat next to Rita.

Rita was surprised—someone was actually willing to sit beside her. She thought she had met Gin, the new student, before.

"Ah, you're the guy who sleeps in the back, right?" Rita asked.

"Yup."

"How did you know I came in through the back door yesterday? You were asleep, weren't you?" Rita was curious because she was sure Gin had been leaning against the wall, sleeping when she passed through the back door.

"I recognized your scent. And now, I'm smelling the same scent again," Gin replied, extending his hand. "Gin."

"Rita," Rita shook his hand hesitantly, unsure why this guy was talking to her.

"Oh, so you're one of the poisoning victims?" Gin asked.

Rita nodded sadly, reflecting on her fate.

"I'm sorry," Gin said, observing Rita's wrinkled skin. "What's that letter in your pocket?"

"Oh, this?" Rita pointed to the letter in her pocket. "It's my leave request."

"You mean you're taking time off from school?"

"Yeah, my dad knows someone who can make an antidote for any poison. I have to get checked so they can identify the poison in my body. That's why I need leave—probably for a week."

They continued chatting. Rita shared how her friends had distanced themselves, how her boyfriend had become unreachable and hadn't met her since.

Meanwhile, Tesa passed by. "Why is Gin talking to that wrinkled girl?" she muttered to herself, feeling a slight pang of jealousy but quickly shaking it off.

Later, Gin stole Tesa's soup, leading to a playful chase that ended with Gin feeding the soup to a cat.

"You jerk! You gave it to the cat?!" Tesa fumed.

Gin grinned mischievously. "If you want it, take it." The cat was already licking the soup.