Morning chaos filled the tiny Han family apartment.

“Han Jiyeon! You’re late again!”

“I’m fixing my face!”

“You’ve been fixing your face for one hour!”

Inside the bathroom, Han Jiyeon stared dramatically into the mirror.

Pimples.

A lot of pimples.

Forehead. Cheeks. Chin.

Jiyeon sighed like a tragic movie heroine.

“Why was I born during acne season…”

She aggressively opened five different

concealers.

One after another.

Layer after layer.

At this point, even the pimples were probably tired.

Outside the bathroom door, her younger brother Han Siwoo yelled:

“NOONA! The wall paint has less layers than your face!”

“GET OUT!”

Their mother, Kim Sunhee, crossed her arms in disappointment.

“Instead of memorizing formulas, you memorize makeup brands.”

Jiyeon opened the door dramatically.

“At least makeup never betrays me.”

Her mother looked ready to faint.

The Reason Jiyeon Hates Bare Faces

At her previous school, Jiyeon was constantly bullied because of her acne.

Students used to whisper:

“She looks scary without makeup.”

“Why is her skin fighting for independence?”

“Even filters give up on her.”

Some secretly took photos of her bare face and spread them online.

One day, a boy loudly said:

“She’s probably the ugliest girl in school.”

Everyone laughed.

Since then, Jiyeon never showed her bare face in public again.

Makeup became her armor.

Without it— she felt invisible.

Or worse.

Humiliated.

Haneul University

Luxury cars lined the entrance of the elite campus.

Rich students walked around like fashion models.

Meanwhile—

Jiyeon jumped out of a nearly dying taxi.

The taxi driver shouted:

“MISS! YOUR DAD STILL OWES ME 3,000 WON!”

“PLEASE PRETEND YOU DON’T KNOW ME!”

She ran toward the gate while holding:

makeup pouch,

cheap iced coffee,

half-finished homework,

and emotional instability.

Then—

CRASH!

Her coffee splashed everywhere.

Gasps filled the hallway.

Jiyeon slowly looked up.

Standing in front of her was:

Kang Minwoo.

Cold eyes. Perfect uniform. Zero emotions.

Coffee dripped slowly down his expensive sleeve.

The hallway became silent.

Jiyeon internally died.

“Congratulations Han Jiyeon,” she thought.

“First day and you assaulted royalty.”

Behind Minwoo, loud laughter exploded.

Seo Doyun.

“OH THIS IS AMAZING!”

He almost fell laughing.

“She attacked Minwoo with iced coffee!”

Another boy approached calmly.

Lee Hyunseok.

Unlike Doyun, he looked genuinely concerned.

“Are you okay?”

Jiyeon nodded too fast.

“Yes. No. Maybe. Spiritually no.”

Doyun burst into another laughing fit.

Even Hyunseok smiled.

Minwoo stared at Jiyeon silently.

Then his eyes landed on the concealer stains around her collar.

For a brief second—

his expression softened.

But only slightly.

Then:

“Watch where you’re going.”

Cold again.

He walked away.

The crowd immediately whispered.

“That’s Han Jiyeon.”

“The transfer student?”

“I heard she got bullied in her old school.”

“Isn’t she the girl obsessed with makeup?”

“Her grades are terrible too.”

Jiyeon pretended not to hear anything.

But her grip on her makeup pouch tightened.

Later During Class

Professor:

“Han Jiyeon, solve the equation.”

Jiyeon stood confidently.

Then stared at the board like it personally offended her.

Silence.

Long silence.

Then she slowly wrote:

“I’m sorry.”

The entire classroom exploded laughing.

Even Doyun slammed the desk laughing.

Hyunseok covered his mouth trying not to smile.

Minwoo closed his eyes in disappointment.

The professor looked emotionally exhausted.

“Sit down.”

Jiyeon sat dramatically.

“Math and I are enemies from past lives.”

That Night

Inside her room, Jiyeon quietly removed her makeup.

Little by little— her acne became visible again.

The confident girl from earlier disappeared.

She stared at herself silently.

Then her phone buzzed.

A notification from her secret account:

@BeautyInDisguise

Millions of followers.

Comments flooded instantly.

“You’re perfect.”

“Teach me your makeup routine.”

“I wish I looked like you.”

Jiyeon smiled sadly.

If only they knew.

Then suddenly—

A new message appeared.

Unknown User:

“You look prettier when you laugh naturally.”

Jiyeon froze.

Another message arrived.

“But you hide too much behind makeup, Han Jiyeon.”

Her smile disappeared instantly.

Because nobody was supposed to know who she was.