Decisions

Freedom

Soo dipped her brush into the color she had mixed on a plate, before turning back towards Woo Hee to brush it against her lips. She leaned back to look at the color before leaning closer to continue the application.

"Is that color too dark on me?"

Their eyes met and Soo shook her head, smiling as she did.

"No, I just checked to make sure. Your eyes are dark, so we have to balance it out with something like this."

She finished applying the lip color before wiping the brush dry.

"There you are. All done," she said before holding up a mirror for the sword dancer to see.

Woo Hee smiled at Soo before looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her smile grew wider upon seeing herself and she looked back up at Soo gratefully.

"Of course, I should have never doubted you, Soo ya. You are a miracle worker!"

Soo smiled and shook her head before turning back to her supplies to clean up.

"It was not hard when I already had such a beautiful canvas. I simply enhanced your features."

"Regardless, thank you. Thank you for everything, Soo ya. For your friendship, for your advice, and for your make up skills. I do not know what I would have done without you this past year."

She stopped packing away her box and turned around, putting her hands on her hips, mouth in a slight frown.

"Woo Hee, why are you saying all of that? It makes it seem like you are going away somewhere. I simply helped you prepare for your performance tonight. You worry too much!"

Woo Hee's expression seemed to waver a bit before she smiled again, just as normal. Soo decided that it must have been her nerves talking, so she went over to give Woo Hee a hug.

"You will be fantastic tonight."

Woo Hee returned her embrace and Soo could feel her nod before pulling away.

"I should go get ready with the other girls. We have a final practice before the performance in a little bit."

"All right, have fun!"

With a last smile, Woo Hee gathered her swords and left the room. Soo tidied up the rest of the supplies before stowing away her box. It became routine for her to do Woo Hee's make up ever since she came to the Gyobang, and she was thankful for the opportunity to keep practicing her skills. Though tonight was a bit strange. She could see Woo Hee had something on her mind, but she didn't know what it was. When she had asked her to do her make up for tonight, it seemed as if it was a last request.

"I want them to see me once, and never be able to forget me again."

No, she was probably overthinking it. Woo Hee always did conduct herself with a sense of maturity and seriousness, as if she held the world upon her dainty shoulders. Though Soo had wanted to ask about her troubles many times, she held back. She knew what it was like to have memories she didn't want to share, and Woo Hee was the same. Soo just hoped that Woo Hee would be okay from now on, especially because she had Baek Ah now. As she walked out of the Woo Hee's room, she had a smile on her face. Baek Ah was clearly in love with Woo Hee, and she was simply waiting for the moment when the two would be honest with their feelings towards each other.

Arriving at the stairs, she grimaced. Her knee was bothering her again tonight, but she would make do. As she limped down the stairs, Soo suddenly heard someone call out her name.

"Soo ya!"

It was Wang So. She made it down the stairs and tried veer around him as he came towards her. However, he would not have that and blocked her way. She kept her head down, hoping that he would take that as a hint to leave her alone. He didn't say anything before holding out his hand, revealing the pin she had given back to him a year ago.