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Chapter 37: Did he perhaps help me because he knew my true face? (1)
Soo-ho draped his jacket gently over Ju-kyoung's head as he guided her through the hallway, shielding her from the curious eyes of other students. They walked silently until they reached a quieter passage near the toilets.
Once they arrived, Soo-ho carefully removed his jacket. Ju-kyoung quickly rushed into the girls' washroom while he stayed outside, waiting patiently.
Inside, Ju-kyoung turned on the tap and hurriedly washed the cake off her face.
A large mirror hung over the sink, and when she looked up, her breath caught. Her red spots were now clearly visible, but thankfully, she still had her shaved brows and contact lenses in — so she didn't look too different.
"I have to be fast with this makeup," she whispered to herself.
Tying her hair into a high ponytail, she began reapplying her foundation and eyeliner as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, outside the restroom, Seo-jin walked up to Soo-ho, hands casually tucked in his pockets and a smirk playing on his lips.
"Kim Soo-ho," he called.
Soo-ho turned to face him, his calm, cold eyes sharp as ever.
"You've been quite proactive lately," Seo-jin said in a low tone.
Soo-ho's gaze darkened. "Did you come back just to see me?"
Seo-jin's expression hardened. He hadn't expected Soo-ho to respond like that.
"What did you just say?"
Soo-ho smirked slightly. "Why do you care so much about what I do?"
Seo-jin rolled his eyes. "What the hell is your problem?"
"You could always ignore me," Soo-ho said calmly. "Don't go around following my every move."
The two locked eyes, the air thick with tension.
Inside, Ju-kyoung finished her makeup. When she looked in the mirror again, her face was glowing — like a goddess who had just descended from the sky.
"That was really close," she sighed in relief.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. Soo-ho's back was turned, so she couldn't see his expression clearly.
"Thank you," she said softly, her voice low and sincere.
When he didn't reply, she hesitated. "But… why did you help me?"
He turned suddenly. Ju-kyoung froze when she saw who was standing there.
Seo-jin.
His handsome face was calm, his single earring glinting, giving him that cool bad-boy aura.
Her eyes widened. She couldn't get a word out.
"Hey, you—" he began, but then his expression darkened again. "Never mind."
He stared into her eyes, his voice low and serious.
"Bring my helmet tomorrow."
"Will do!" Ju-kyoung blurted, and then quickly ran off.
When she entered the classroom, silence fell. All eyes turned toward her. Some students even stood up in surprise.
Su-ah hurried over. "Ju-kyoung, are you all right?"
The others stepped closer, staring. The tension in the air made her nervous — did she mess up her makeup?
The boy who had thrown the cake stepped forward awkwardly.
Kang-su's eyes flashed. "Never pull a stunt like that again," she said sharply. Her voice was calm, but the warning in it made everyone shiver.
Ju-kyoung quickly smiled. "It's fine! I'm really okay."
One girl beside Su-ah whispered, "I was so shocked when Soo-ho helped her."
"Yeah," another agreed. "I've never seen him help anyone before."
"It's probably because the hall monitor was there," someone added.
Ju-kyoung's gaze drifted across the room to Soo-ho, who sat at his desk, quietly reading. Even from the side, his profile was flawless.
Su-ah grinned. "Anyway, Ju-kyoung still looks so pretty even after all that!"
Ju-kyoung smiled shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Are you sure you're okay?" one student asked.
"Yes," she replied softly.
"That must've been such a shock," another said. "Getting hit with a cake out of nowhere."
Ju-kyoung laughed weakly and sat down as Su-ah and Kang-su joined her.
"I told you," someone whispered, "she's still a goddess."
Ju-kyoung let out a quiet sigh of relief. But as she glanced again at Soo-ho — who hadn't looked her way even once — her heart trembled.
> "Did he… perhaps help me because he knows my true face?"
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