Gender Reversed Geum Taeyang - Chapter 59

Chapter 59 – An Adorable Accident

“Why do you need to wear makeup when you’re a woman?”

“Isn’t sunscreen enough?”

These were words I heard quite often from my friends. While it felt unfair to hear such comments about such basic self-care…

Well, whatever.

Since childhood, my dream was to be elite, to be the person standing at the front. Since my parents were such people themselves, that thought never changed.

You could say that avoiding anything problematic in life and maintaining careful self-management were all part of my elitism.

To stand in front of others, you shouldn’t have anything to be ashamed of. Because you have to be the face of the group.

Hmm.

But.

Today, my usual simple makeup feels inadequate somehow.

Even though it probably wouldn’t look good if a woman wore heavy makeup… I want to look a little prettier…

It’s time to leave if I want to make it to the appointment. But my feet won’t move.

My face, my hair, everything looks insufficient. Have I ever been this concerned about my appearance in my life?

Going to this extent to meet a friend… it’s just, just because my heart wants to. Because I want to.

A black long skirt that covers half my calves. A skirt I bought but never wore, my first time wearing one since childhood as someone who even chose pants for my school uniform.

The slightly exposed bare legs, the cool air touching them gives me an unfamiliar sensation.

A white blouse with a brown ribbon choking at the neck. These are also clothes I bought but never wore.

I chose them because they looked proper, but later realized you could faintly see through to the bra… I never felt like wearing such an unseemly outfit.

I resent my past self who pursued only propriety. Couldn’t I have worn slightly brighter clothes? Even Yuhan wears leather jackets. Am I too plain?

If I had to pick one distinctive feature, maybe the slightly visible black bra?

Whether the Confucian-minded Yuhan who’s so strict about others’ clothing would like it… well, he does show interest in women on broadcasts, so who knows.

Just… if this makes Yuhan look at me even a little more, that would be enough.

I can see myself in the full-length mirror in my room.

Come to think of it, all of these – the cosmetics, the clothes – I chose them all with Lee Junhyuk.

… Damn. That unpleasant phone call comes to mind again. The fact that there hasn’t been a single contact since then probably means he wants my apology.

Well, this time I have no intention of giving in.

My thoughts have wandered too long.

When going to meet Yuhan, there’s no need to think about other men.

I left the house wearing flats I hadn’t worn in a long time.

It’s a nerve-wracking day.

But it’s a good day.

###

20 minutes before the appointment time.

Since I arrived too early, and now that my wallet is thicker, I went into a nearby café and ordered coffee. I sent Ari the café’s location in a separate message.

It’s my first time having coffee that costs nearly 5,000 won, actually my first time even coming to a café, but isn’t this all experience? Somehow it feels momentous.

…

Hmm.

This was definitely underestimating Ari, you could say.

Because less than a minute after ordering, I got a message from Ari. Saying she just arrived.

Good heavens. Who arrives 20 minutes earlier than the appointment time? That’s a shocking sense of timing.

And so, for a moment.

The café door opened…

What the hell is that?

I pride myself on having made every effort not to see Ari as a woman until now.

I didn’t want to have romantic feelings for someone who looks like that and has a boyfriend.

Of course, since this is the first time I’ve gotten along so well with someone, such feelings weren’t completely absent. But I’ve managed to hold back well enough.

But… I really didn’t expect to be attacked with a sight like this.

Makeup that’s subtle but more detailed than usual, highlighting Ari’s natural features.

Hair neatly tied back.

Proper clothing that shows her unique personality.

But the faint black bra visible through the blouse and… the skirt covering half the calves.

It’s my first time seeing this look.

No, judging by that embarrassed expression, it must be her first time wearing such an outfit too.

It would be hard to find someone more covered up than this.

Yet those slightly exposed bare legs, that barely visible bra. Rather, it stimulates the imagination.

Despite this being a reversed world, all the men in the café are looking this way.

“Um… Yu-Yuhan?”

“Huh? Ah. Yeah. Right. Want to sit…?”

“Y-yes…”

An awkward silence. Different from the ‘Tallulah’ incident but.

It’s embarrassing. For some reason I don’t know, something is embarrassing.

Well… Even though I’m a lifelong single, I have knowledge built up from internet big data!

First… When a woman changes something, you’re supposed to notice and compliment it, right?

Well, that’s a method that applies to the original world, but anyway.

“You, you really look good today… Pretty…”

Fortunately, appearance compliments seem to transcend gender. It’s rare to see Ari with such a bright expression.

If there’s a problem… it’s that I’m embarrassed by my own sincere compliment.

Damn, what am I supposed to do? I’ve never had conversations like this with women before.

My body tingles. It’s a tingling sensation I’ve never experienced before.

Please save me.

-Buzzzz

The vibration bell rings just in time.

Of course! A hero always appears late!

“I-I’ll be right back!”

“O-okay.”

This is driving me crazy.

I really need to keep my head straight today.

###

The corners of my mouth rise involuntarily. I can’t control it.

How can that one compliment make me this happy?

Yuhan’s expression was clearly surprised. In a positive way.

It was an expression I’d never seen since getting to know Yuhan.

I’m so happy. Really.

I feel grateful to Lee Junhyuk who helped me choose these clothes. Sometimes, no, quite often he can be annoying, but he really is a good… decent “friend.”

All the stares I got while coming here built up quite a bit of stress, but it feels like it’s all dissolving in an instant.

A heart-fluttering feeling I’ve never experienced in my life.

At first, we couldn’t have a proper conversation due to my embarrassment about showing this look for the first time, and then because of Yuhan’s shy behavior…

Fortunately, we got time to collect ourselves.

My phone’s black screen reflects my face.

Looking almost the same as when I left home, barely disheveled. This should be fine.

Yuhan returns with a tray holding coffee.

Let’s get my mind straight. I can’t make things difficult for Yuhan.

###

Whether this should be called fortunate.

Well, I guess it’s fortunate in that that inexplicable embarrassment has subsided.

I returned to the seat with the tray.

“Um… Yuhan? Did something happen?”

“No, it’s just.”

Ari asks with concern, seeing my strange expression. Of course she’d be surprised, my face changed this much in that short time.

Is it right to just watch such an unjust situation? Shouldn’t I end this scam here?

“Ari. If this is 4,000 won, I’ve been scammed, right…?”

“Uh, yeah?”

I can’t hold back.

“Espresso is… supposed to be this size…? Didn’t you know when you ordered it…?”

“Huh.”

I can endure it.

Hmm. I just ordered it because the name sounded pretty.

My face is burning up, that I can’t endure.

It doesn’t make sense to begin with. It’s an unreasonable drink. If you brought something like this to a construction site calling it coffee, you’d never be able to work there again.

Ari holds back laughter with a strange expression.

Damn. It’s extra annoying because she looks especially pretty today.

“… Haha! You know. I was just joking.”

“… Really…?”

Look at that dubious expression. Look at those curved eyes.

Was she always this playful? We were always close, but somehow she seems even closer than our last meeting.

Yuhan of Daehan Construction. A man who hasn’t lost his pride even in a reversed world.

This coffee is probably… something like that.

Like the old story of floating leaves in water so someone wouldn’t choke.

Like… deliberately serving less so I won’t choke.

A real man doesn’t need such things. What’s the worst that could happen from choking? Death?

I brought the tiny cup to my lips.

###

While pulling out tissues from the table, I thought of the word ‘gap moe’.

The attraction that comes from a different atmosphere than usual.

Isn’t it a word that fits perfectly with today’s unusually clumsy Yuhan?

I heard he had a hard life. Even though I wanted to pretend not to notice such a minor happening…

How can I help laughing?

Someone who looks so fierce and always acts like a fox doing this…

When I brought the tissue to Yuhan’s lips, he snatched it away to handle it himself.

He’s a person with really strong pride, unlike other men. That’s what I like about him.

The earlier awkwardness is gone.

I’m not someone who usually enjoys pranks. I maintained that minimum line with everyone. Whether family or Lee Junhyuk.

But today somehow light jokes keep coming out. I can’t stop them.

It’s so fun when Yuhan plays along.

Truly. Literally. It feels like we’ve become ‘close.’

“Haha! Aren’t you being too clumsy today? Will you be able to film well?”

“Hey…! A 1,500-viewer channel can’t handle that much? Give me that selfie stick you were going to lend. I’ll show you.”

The selfie stick I was going to lend for today.

When I handed it over, Yuhan pulled it out right away.

And that selfie stick that came out to the world…

It broke in half as soon as it was pulled out. More precisely, it was already broken when pulled out.

“Ah.”

A single cry.

My eyes start trembling. I can’t understand the current situation.

“Yu-Yuhan that’s… I mean. Um. That.”

Today’s video filming is quite important for Yuhan, you could say.

Even more so because Yuhan is putting a lot of effort into starting his NewTube channel.

This kind of thing shouldn’t ruin it. I shouldn’t make this kind of mistake.

When was the last time it was used? Wasn’t it when Lee Junhyuk borrowed it to use with his friends?

Ha… shit.

Literally shit. It’s a word containing many emotions.

“… Right! A stationery store! There should be a stationery store nearby…”

“There won’t be one. A stationery store.”

“…Huh?”

I felt like I was going crazy. We were just laughing and chatting, but suddenly his expression turned cold.

I don’t come here often either so while I roughly know the geography, I don’t know about stationery stores… But seeing him speak so decisively, it must be certain.

It’s too shocking. Cold sweat runs down.

Yuhan pushed the broken selfie stick towards me.

The selfie stick enters my downcast view.

And.

Yuhan’s shadow also enters it.

Yuhan leaned his body towards me from across the table.

“Pfft… Why are you so shocked? If it can’t be helped, we just won’t film the video.”

What does this mean?

“What…?”

As I raise my head with this foolish question, Yuhan is smiling with a completely different atmosphere than before.

“Going to the aquarium today. Without the video. Let’s just go on a date, just the two of us.”

And to that sweet proposal.

My head nodded on its own.

(End of Chapter)