Copy and Paste (a plastic surgery short story)

iii. the chance

School from that week on felt strange. Areum barely talked to Dohee and during break times, she found Areum hanging out with Nara and the rest. Areum tells her to not worry and that it was only 'business talk'. Soon, excuses became unresponsive. Areum wasn't the Areum that Dohee knew anymore. She was ostracized and felt truly alone, as the only person by her side was gone.

Walking through the streets of Seoul for Dohee was eyes on the footpath, avoiding the facial clinic posters stuck on building walls. She hated looking at the mirror the most, making her feel like tearing her face apart. Other girls posted selfies online, as for Dohee, having no social media was a bliss.

Work suddenly became more favourable than school. Joon would come by the store at least once every week and they built a friendship just by conversing at the ramen bench.
By January, cold weekends would be spent at coffee shops with Joon. When they got bored of that, they went to the park opposite the Han river.
Joon always noticed that Dohee barely laughed, just small chuckles here and there. The cool breeze that intertwined around their clothes blew against Dohee's face and through her curls as they rode on the hired bicycles...well that was Joon's idea. She never felt so free and away from her intimidating worries. Joon watched as Dohee closed her eyes and laughed, it was contagious.

She learnt a lot about Joon Lee and how talkative and cheerful he was. She was jealous of his self-esteem and how he didn't care about what others thought. She was jealous that he valued his parents and siblings more than anything else.
It was like Joon Lee was the happy version of Dohee Jung.

'You're accepted. Contact us ASAP to confirm your appointment.'

The message caught Dohee's attention as they leaned against the tree. She's been applying for cheap facial surgeries for a long time.

"Hey Joon, I have something to tell you. I'M GETTING PLASTIC SURGERY!" Dohee shouted breathlessly and rapidly jerked her head, almost hitting the branch.

As she was about tap the call button to Hwasa clinic, Joon grabbed onto her shoulders which startled her, although it was gentle.

"Don't do it. Trust me," Joon's orbs gazed into her soul. Behind those brown eyes, she knew he was begging her.

Dohee Jung is so special to me...from her skin that's so clear and fair, delicate eyelashes, eye-smile that makes me so glad to be right by her side, button nose, petite figure that makes me want to hug her, wavy hair that reminds me of the noodles she ate when she first met me, to the sweet smile that greeted me,
He was in love.