kennedydaphne900

Born on a day that should have been perfect, twin sisters Kang Hana and Kang Dara entered the world with equal promise—or so it seemed. As the years passed, one blossomed into a vision of beauty, while the other became a shadow, labeled “ugly” by a society obsessed with perfection.

Hana grew up in a world where beauty and talent were everything, but she had neither. Ridiculed, dismissed, and treated as a joke, her only solace was a desperate dream, to become an idol and prove her worth to the world.

Yet the road to stardom is not kind to those who don’t fit the mold. Desperation leads Hana to make a fateful decision, one that transforms her life forever. But beauty comes at a price, and the secrets she keeps and the lies she weaves to sustain her new life may just be her ultimate downfall.

As Hana rises in the cutthroat world of idols, she faces a harrowing choice: cling to the fragile perfection she’s achieved, or rediscover the strength to embrace who she truly is, even if it means losing everything.

A story of ambition, identity, and the dark side of fame, The Ugliest Beauty asks the ultimate question: How far would you go to be loved?

THE UGLIEST BEAUTY

As Hana stepped into the classroom, she immediately felt the weight of their stares. Their faces lit up with knowing smiles, as if they were eagerly awaiting some spectacle.

But then, one by one, their smiles faltered, replaced by confusion and mild disappointment as they took in her altered appearance.

Of course, she thought bitterly. She'd been an idiot to think she could slip by unnoticed. But this was still better than the humiliation she would have faced if they'd seen her in her earlier state.

She let out a sigh, trudging to her seat. The sooner this day was over, the better.

"Gucci?" a voice piped up beside her.

Hana glanced to her side, surprised to see Bae Yuna looking at her. They rarely spoke. Yuna wasn't just any classmate; she was practically a school celebrity.

With her flawless aegyo sal, perfect heart-shaped lips, and a cascade of shiny brown hair that seemed to glow under the fluorescent lights, Yuna looked like she'd stepped out of a beauty commercial.

Rumors swirled around her like a halo. She was said to be cousins with Taehyung from TNS, the newly debuted K-pop sensation, and a trainee under A-Star Entertainment herself.

In other words, Yuna was untouchable, her world light-years away from Hana's.

"It's an expensive brand," Yuna added casually, referring to the Gucci sneakers Hana now wore. She was licking a bright red lollipop, her voice dripping with nonchalance as if they were having an everyday conversation.

Hana felt a pang of jealousy twist in her stomach. How could someone like Yuna exist so effortlessly? She quickly dismissed the thought. "Thank you," she murmured, turning forward in an attempt to end the interaction.

But then, to her shock, the red lollipop appeared in front of her face.

"Here," Yuna said, tilting her head slightly.

Hana blinked in surprise, unsure how to react. She opened her mouth to ask why, but before the words could form, Yuna slipped the lollipop into her mouth.

The sweet, fruity taste melted on her tongue, catching her off guard. She stared at Yuna, stunned.

Yuna winked, a playful smile tugging at her lips, just as Dara's grating voice echoed from the doorway. "Yuna-ah! Come on!"

Without breaking eye contact, Yuna gave Hana one last mischievous look before standing and striding to the door.

Dara was waiting there, her arm already extended. Yuna intertwined her arm with Dara's, and the two of them sauntered off, their laughter trailing behind them.

Hana sighed. Of course. She'd forgotten, they were best friends.

It was best if she avoided her, she was trouble.

chapter 10