C3 Chapter 2: Pretty

“If you are wondering how you got here, you passed out on your recent class, and Jihyuk had to carry you here.” Euna passes a glass of water towards the frail youngster in front of her.

Most of the female university students are brought here in the same incident of passing out during classes. But in his case, Jin was more active among the list of records from all the students she had.

It’s rare to have students pass out, but he was an exception.

The number of days of him staying conscious throughout a day was countable than the days of him passing out or dozing off due to exhaustion.

Even without checking the charts, she knew his state right now was worse than the last few months. But even so, God, she is tempted to pinch and squeeze his cheeks right this moment.

If it weren't for the fact that the boy had a rough start of the day, she would have teased him nonstop by now.

“Jin, you do realize you have a bad habit of making the people around you worry,” said Euna as she held back her urge to smack him in his shoulder.

He's such a nuisance, but how could she resist not giving in to his charm? If people die due to stress, he just might be the end of her.

'Euna Do, be professional, get a grip of yourself!' she scolds her foolish self inside her head.

A patient is a patient, after all.

You mean a patient disguised under an angelic presence, even the heavens cannot withstand?

His healthy and even straight black hair was like fine unscathed threads as they swayed with the gentle breeze from the window in the distance. His thin bangs, just right above his perfectly carved eyelids complement his soft eyes.

She had never seen anyone with such pretty lashes, his were effortless with a natural arch, they were incomparable to hers where she had to spend minutes of her time grooming by getting lash lift and tint sessions by sessions.

What is this sorcery? How can a boy be prettier than her, who’s a woman?

His upright button nose and wide round eyes matched his small face and jawline.

His mother must have been obsessed with white tulips during her pregnancy that when the moment he came out, his translucent pale white skin was finer than its soft texture, even smoother than the jades…and his heart shape lips--

Eeekk!

Euna bit her lips, crying internally of envy mixed with admiration. Who gets mad at his type of face?

The pretty faces!

And she sucks getting mad at these types of faces.

She felt as if God was punishing her all these years, she loath men, and thus her hatred was the cause of her single status at age thirty.

She could feel the clouds above her head mourning and pouring their grievance down to her.

She just wants a cruel tyrant who has a soft side when it comes to her, affectionate, obsessive, tall, well-built, and rich—

“Ms. Euna,” Jin interrupts her fantasies.

What is she thinking?

“Yes?” Euna pinches herself in the thighs. This is why you’re single!

She's not getting younger at all. Instead of finding herself a decent husband, she had been taking care of this boy and pouring her heart out by treating him well.

Is her mother instinct kicking in because she's already at age?

“Did Jihyuk perhaps say anything before he left?” Jin rubs his eyes. Itchy.

Oh, right. “He said he can’t come with you after his classes, he has a group project to finish.”

Kyeopta~ (cute)

“You’re lucky you had one friend beside you who’s like your loyal dog.” Speaking of Jihyuk, that kid panicked on the way here much more than their PE teacher did. She pitied him. He looked like he was about to follow Jin next to passing out.

Jin pondered about what Ms. Euna said. Dog?

Who, Jihyuk?

He's not a dog rather Jihyuk's more like a cat. Unaffectionate and distant, but Jin's still glad to have him. Jihyuk is a friend he can say he trusts and relies on.

They've been friends since middle school and he can say they share a lot of memories.

Jin's mood drops, yet he had troubled his friend again. He looks down at his palms, pale and cold. It turns out he did pass out, he was feeling like it the moment he left home.

He tried moving his fingertips but only led his fingers to tremble.

He’s sure Jihyuk had called his mother by now about his condition.

He could barely lift his arms, but he accepted the glass of water she passed with all his strength and bowed his head as he receives it from her hand.

“Thank you and I’m sorry for troubling you again, Ms. Euna.”

The clinic was the only place he could rest when he gets too worn out during the day.

Jin’s head drops again, he felt shameless about bringing attention to the people around him about his condition. He fiddles his fingers on the sheets.

His trembling has lessened now, but the uneasiness he felt was still there, coming back and forth whenever distractions were out.

Unbeknownst, Euna Do ran her palm across her face. This kid, whether he’s doing this on purpose or not, the effect is working pretty well on her. Who apologizes and thank someone at the same time?

She still has a humane conscience with her.

Doesn't he know what kind of face he's naturally making right now?

Jin has a habit of frowning his eyebrows and lips when he’s in disdain. That expression alone on top of that type of face could already give her a heart attack.

Someone grab her camera.

She just can't take too much cuteness in one day. He hasn’t even fixed nor looked at himself in the mirror yet.

She wished she looked pleasing as him when she wakes up, barefaced and fresh.

Is this what they meant God really does have his favorites?

If Jin were to audition on an agency, she’d be the person to pack his lunch along the way and wave a banner with his face in it on the roads and start his second fandom.

The first one goes to the university's secret forums and groups about him.

She had joined one and there was one time she had flexed Jin's sleeping face.

HAHAHA.

She can still remember the number of requests she received.

“Your mom called, and she said you need to go home once you’re up. She’s pretty worried about you.”

As always.

Euna flips the pages of her logbook and lends it to him together with a black ink pen.

How many hours has it been since he lost consciousness? He hasn't eaten anything since then.

She’s afraid if this state continues, he’ll eventually lose all the meat in his body.

“Fill this up and you’re good to go. Your bag and jacket are in the rack and please be careful on your way home.” Euna could only hope nothing, not even a bird would touch a strand of Jin's hair.

His body is so frail, she’s afraid a slight blow of the wind could push him down the road.

“I will, thank you for taking care of me, Ms. Euna,” Jin replied with a smile on his lips as he scribbles against the paper in the clinic’s logbook.

He could still see his names piled on the previous tables of the form.

Euna lends him her thick scarf, "Here, take this with you Jin. This one’s my favorite, but use it for the meantime until this month ends."

She then place a warm sandwich wrapped around a foil and tissue in his hand, "And eat this along the way.”

It's the tuna sandwich she reheated.

Euna made herself busy fixing him up, wrapping her crimson red scarf around his neck and the sides of his face. The scarf made his face more round and smaller.

After looking at him, she felt another heart attack. He's like a doll.

To her, he looks like a porcelain doll any single woman would love to dress up in tight adorable dresses.

He’s too pretty after all.

Yes, such child exists in this world.

She can't help but fangirl over him. Ah, the beauty of youth.

Jin's been blessed with looks, but despite that. He has a weak body to take care of.

He needs to be wrapped around with thick layers as his pale body gets cold easily, even during this time of the year. He always carries an extra jacket with him as his uniform wouldn't suffice to keep his body warm.

"Ayaa, off you go." Euna walk him towards the door and bid goodbye.