Jungkook quietly settled onto the box next to her. The soft creak made Nari freeze mid-sob, her body stiffening, her breath catching in her throat.

She didn't want anyone to see her like this, but it was already too late. Slowly, she lifted her tear-streaked face, her vision blurry from the tears that still clung to her glasses, until she saw him sitting beside her.

Jungkook wasn't looking at her, though—his gaze was fixed somewhere ahead, distant, detached. His hand rested on his bag, the faintest hint of tension in his posture.

His presence made the room feel suddenly too small. She wiped her eyes hurriedly, trying to compose herself, but the vulnerability lingered. The soft echo of her sobs still clung to the air. She hated it. Hated that someone else had to witness her breakdown.

"Did you... see?" The words escaped before she could stop them, weak and cracked.

She didn't need to explain further—Jungkook knew what she meant. The confession. The humiliation.

He exhaled a quiet sigh, the sound almost too soft for her to catch. After a short pause, he nodded, and the simple confirmation made her heart drop.

Embarrassment burned hotter than ever, suffocating her chest. She pressed her face back into her arms, her tears coming faster, more uncontrollable now.

She knew. Deep down, she'd always known.

Namjoon wouldn't spare a glance at someone like her. Nobody would. What had she been thinking? Did she really think that 0.01% chance would come true?

A girl like her—awkward, self-conscious, always in the background—was never going to get a chance with him. But still, she wanted to try. She had put herself out there, bare and exposed, hoping against hope. And now she was paying the price for her foolishness.

The heat in her face only grew, the humiliation gnawing at her insides. "I... I should've known my place," she whispered hoarsely. "I shouldn't have even tried..."

Jungkook spoke, his voice gentle but firm, wanting to erase the doubt in her mind. "You know, you're one of the bravest people I've ever met. Most people wouldn't have the guts to confess like you did, especially with all those eyes on you. It takes a hell of a lot of courage to put yourself out there."

Jungkook's praise felt kind, but Nari couldn't help the swirl of conflicting emotions inside her. Her hands gripped the fabric of her shirt, as she struggled to suppress the rising tide of guilt and embarrassment.

She lowered her gaze to the floor, her voice quiet, barely a whisper. "But I... I never meant for it to happen like that," she murmured, her fingers trembling slightly as she twisted them together. "I didn't want to confess in front of everyone... I wanted to ask him out to somewhere quieter, somewhere... private."

Nari felt a sharp ache in her chest as the memory of that moment replayed in her mind. The sun had been too hot, the crowd too loud. She had kept her mask on all day, but when the dizziness hit, when she lost her balance and tripped in front of everyone... it felt like everything had crumbled all at once.

She could still see Namjoon's face—his concerned, caring smile, his gentle hands extended to help her up.

Her words caught in her throat as she continued. "The moment I saw him, I just... panicked. I didn't know what else to do, and before I knew it, I was standing there... confessing... in front of everyone."

She knew she would be rejected. That was never in question. But she had hoped—desperately—that at least it would be somewhere more private. Somewhere that might allow her to save some shred of dignity.

But now, with Jungkook and probably hundreds of other students, having witnessed everything, the humiliation felt endless. Maybe she should just withdraw from this university, she thought, a crushing sense of hopelessness filling her.

Meanwhile, Jungkook wasn't sure if he should tell her what he had found out earlier. What kind of person Namjoon truly was behind his mask. Would she believe him, or would she just dismiss it as a mere misunderstanding?

Namjoon had built such a perfect facade over the past few years, one that even had Jungkook fooled at first. Naturally, no one would take his side. They'd just call him crazy, bitter, or jealous of Namjoon's popularity.

Sighing quietly, Jungkook pulled out a pack of tissues from his bag and handed them to Nari, tapping her gently on the shoulder. She hesitated before taking them.

"Stop crying," Jungkook muttered, his voice low. "He's not worth it."

Nari barely heard him through her sobs, her head bowed and bangs hanging over her face. She didn't understand why he would say that. In her mind, Namjoon was flawless, someone everyone admired.

"Why would you say that?" she mumbled, her voice trembling.

Jungkook's patience thinned at the sight of her so broken over someone like Namjoon. He placed his bag down with a soft thud, frustration bubbling inside him as he crossed his arms, his gaze still focused on her. "Then tell me, why do you think he's worth your tears?"

Nari choked on her sobs, her glasses fogging up from the wetness of her breakdown. She wiped her eyes, but the mask on her face clung to her skin, sticky with the remnants of her tears.

She swallowed thickly, gathering herself just enough to speak. "Because... he's kind. He's always so perfect. So gentle, so strong. Everyone loves him. Why wouldn't he be worth it? I thought maybe... maybe just once I could be the one he would notice, even if just for a second."

She bowed her head even lower, unable to meet his gaze. "I deserve it, don't I? I deserve to be rejected," she whispered, her words barely audible. "I'm so... plain, creepy. And boring. There's nothing nice about me. Of course, someone like him wouldn't want anything to do with me." Her voice cracked with self-loathing. "I shouldn't have even tried. Now I've made myself a joke in front of everyone."

Jungkook listened quietly, the ache in his chest deepening as he heard her words. He knew, logically, that he should tell her what he thought of Namjoon. He wanted to tear the illusion apart, expose the cracks in the shiny image she had created of him. But the deeper issue was something else entirely.

Even if he told her everything now, would it really change anything? Would it erase all of her insecurities about herself? No.

He could see it. The root of the problem was more profound than just Namjoon's rejection. She didn't believe in herself, she didn't like herself. She was stuck in a cycle of self-doubt, constantly measuring her worth against people who would never notice her, people who didn't deserve her.

Jungkook sat with the thought for a moment. Maybe what she needed wasn't the truth about Namjoon. Maybe she needed something more. Something deeper.

That was when he remembered his older sister—Jeon Somin.

Somin wasn't just any celebrity who'd appeared on countless channels—she was a globally renowned fashion icon, celebrated for her transformative makeovers. Her reputation was built not on surgery or black magic, but on science-backed methods: balanced diets, tailored workouts, posture correction, skincare routines, and a deep understanding of personal style. Her goal wasn't just to help people look better—it was to help them feel better, too.

Suddenly, a spark of hope ignited in Jungkook's chest. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it sooner.

"What if I told you I know someone who could help you change?" Jungkook said, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "Someone who can help you become a version of yourself you'll actually love."

Nari froze. Her sobs began to quiet, becoming just hiccups now. His words echoed in her head, but she didn't fully understand. "How...?" she asked softly, her voice still thick with emotion.

Jungkook offered a small, hopeful smile. "I have an older sister, Jeon Somin. Maybe you've heard of her?"

Nari shook her head, no clue who he was talking about. She hadn't kept up with the latest trends or news.

"She's a transformation specialist—she helps people change not just how they look, but how they see themselves," Jungkook continued. "She's actually in Seoul for the week—probably landed about an hour ago. If I talk to her, I'm sure she'd be more than happy to help you."

Nari frowned, confused. She wasn't sure if such a transformation would even make a difference anymore. Could she really change? Was there even a point? She felt as though she were beyond saving.

She let out a quiet sigh and shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, but... I don't think I should waste her time. Maybe the only thing that could change me now is reincarnation."

Jungkook's expression softened, but he refused to let her believe that. He thought for a moment, before pulling out his phone. Scrolling through his gallery, he stopped on a picture and showed it to her.

"This was me when I was twelve," he said, his voice quiet.

Nari's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the photo. The boy in the picture was chubby, his cheeks puffed up almost to the point of looking swollen, and he wore thick glasses that made his eyes appear comically large. The awkward slouch in his posture was painfully familiar to Nari, as if he were trying to shrink away, wishing to disappear from the world.

This child looked nothing like the athletic and handsome young man sitting beside her now.

"Probably didn't expect me to look like that back then, did you?" Jungkook added, a small smile tugging at his lips.

As he swiped to the next picture, he spoke again, his voice softer, almost distant. "I was overweight—way too much for a kid my age. Just walking ten steps would leave me out of breath. Because of how I looked, I had zero confidence. I was bullied constantly. My classmates would send me on errands, claiming they were 'helping me lose weight.' Some even told me to go study in the pig pen. 'That's where you belong,' they'd say. They called me fat, greasy, ugly, and smelly. They made me feel like I didn't matter—like my pride and emotions were something they could trample on."

Nari blinked, taken aback by how openly Jungkook spoke about his past. Most people would hide their vulnerabilities, burying them deep, but here he was, sharing such painful memories with her without hesitation.

"I finally hit my breaking point at fifteen," Jungkook continued, his voice growing heavier. "I broke down completely. I cried myself to sleep every night. The stress of facing people, sitting in classes full of bullies, just made me want to eat more—stuff my mouth with food, to drown out everything else. But deep down, I knew it was only going to make things worse."

He paused for a moment, his gaze darkening. "So, I went on a hunger strike. Locked myself in my room, refused to eat... I took it all out on my parents. I yelled at them, told them to leave me alone, that they were just making everything worse. I ignored their pleas, their worry. They were just trying to help, but I was so wrapped up in my own self-hatred that I couldn't see it. I regret it all now. I wish I could take back every word, every time I made them cry. But at the time, I was too lost in my pain to realise how much I was hurting them."

Jungkook's voice quivered for a second, as if merely talking about his past was about to break him, but he forced it back. "That's when my sister, Somin, stepped in. I'll never forget the day she stormed into my room and slapped me so hard, it snapped me out of my self-loathing. She told me how pathetic I was being—hurting those who loved me over those who didn't, and shouldn't even matter in my life. She swore she'd change me. Told me that if I was suffering this much, I had to do something about it too. She made me see that I couldn't keep pushing away the people who truly cared about me."

He shrugged, the weight of the past not as heavy now. "So, I did. With her help, I started training, exercising, eating right, taking care of my skin. It wasn't easy, though. I had to wake up at 5 AM every day to run, even when my body screamed for rest. I had to learn how to say no to the junk food I craved, the things that had comforted me my whole life. I kept track of every calorie, every rep, every step. There were too many times I wanted to quit, so many times I thought about just giving up. I thought about going back to how I was because, honestly, it felt easier. But every time I thought that, I remembered how far I'd come. I couldn't let myself slip back into that hole. I couldn't let all that pain and struggle be for nothing."

He paused for a moment, his gaze softening as a small smile tugged at his lips. "My sister... she never stopped pushing me. She made me believe I was worth the effort. Slowly, I started seeing changes—not just in my body, but in my mind too. I began to value myself in ways I never thought I could. I started standing up for myself, saying no when I didn't want to do something, even if it meant angering or disappointing people."

He let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head slightly. "And after three years of struggle, I became a completely different person. The person I am now."

Nari was deeply moved by his story. The bullying, the harshness of the world, the constant feeling of being less than everyone else. She could barely believe it; the person sitting beside her now, so confident and at ease, had once been exactly like she felt—lost, alone, and never good enough.

Jungkook, noticing her lack of response, softened his tone. "I'm telling you this because you're not beyond hope. Nobody is. If you think changing your looks will give you the confidence you need, then go for it. But do it for yourself, not anyone else. Changing isn't about fitting into someone else's idea of you; it's about owning who you are. When you start loving yourself, that's when others will begin to see the real you."

Nari sat still, her mind spinning. This was a monumental decision, one that seemed so far out of her grasp. A transformation that felt almost impossible. But maybe... maybe it was worth a shot. Jungkook's words echoed in her mind—change should be for herself, not for others.

But even as she tried to accept that idea, she couldn't shake the thought of Namjoon. If she could change before he graduated... maybe there was still a chance.

Maybe that crushing 99.99% certainty of rejection would shrink, even if just by 0.01%.

In the end, she nodded slowly, the offer tempting her more than she'd like to admit. "I'll try," she murmured. "If I change... m-maybe he'll consider my confession again..."

Jungkook watched her carefully. He couldn't fully agree with her reasons—she still wasn't doing this for herself, but for someone else's approval.

But in that moment, how she began didn't matter. What mattered was that she was willing to start, willing to take control of her life. He hoped that, in time, she would realise that true change came from within, not from trying to meet someone else's expectations.