Chapter 42

Two days later.

“Ah, shit… So bothersome…”

Hayoon found her student ID and name on the math teacher’s attendance check post for the in-school band and clicked the checkmark.

Most schools at this time struggled with student management, and many were unable to properly conduct online classes.

Hayoon’s school was no exception, even though it was a Meister High School.

Since it was a school where students learned practical skills, most of the first-year classes involved submitting simple assignments after completion.

And for core subjects like math, Korean, and social studies, merely turning on the video for attendance and leaving it on mute was sufficient.

“Ah, shit… How am I supposed to listen to music if the class is just playing a video?”

Even this didn’t sit well with Hayoon.

After all, she’d already endured twelve years of school life in elementary, middle, and high school, and now she had to spend three more years in high school.

Shaking her head as if to express her utter exasperation, she shoved her phone into the pocket of her jeans.

Today Hayoon’s outfit consisted of jeans with a white tee and a cardigan.

A combination that countless beauties managed to pull off charmingly, and Hayoon, dressed in such an alluring manner, naturally drew attention as she waited.

“Ah, sorry. Did I keep you waiting?”

It was Arin.

“No, not at all. Not one bit. You’re right on time.”

“R-Really…?”

Glancing sideways, Arin checked her wristwatch to confirm the time was exactly 10:20 AM.

They had agreed to meet at Studio Yun, which was a five-minute walk from Hongdae Station, with their appointment scheduled for 10:30 AM. She had arrived right on schedule.

“Hmm, hah….”

“If you’re tired, you can take your mask off. No one’s going to say anything about you catching your breath for a moment.”

“W-Well, even so… I feel like I’d be causing you unnecessary trouble.”

After panting for a while with her KF94 mask still on…

“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s go.”

“Yes, let’s go now.”

Prompting Hayoon with a look that asked her to lead the way, they began walking as Hayoon naturally took the lead.

‘Hmm…?’

Arin noticed something odd.

‘The eye level… is it…’

It had been nearly two months since Arin had last seen Hayoon in person.

Following the social distancing guidelines, they had reduced their collaborative café sessions since February.

However…

‘Did she grow taller?’

The last time Arin saw Hayoon at AGC, she seemed to barely reach 160 cm, whereas Arin herself measured 166 cm, giving them a noticeable height difference.

But now…

“Hey, stop just for a moment.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Just for a moment will do.”

Stopping Hayoon, Arin exchanged glances with her, and then she was certain.

“You’ve grown taller, haven’t you?”

“Taller? Height just keeps growing, right?”

“No, not that… It just seems like you’ve grown significantly while I wasn’t looking.”

Arin, who remained at 166 cm, now noticed the height difference had shrunk to less than three centimeters.

In just two months of not seeing each other, Hayoon had grown nearly three centimeters.

And she was a girl entering high school, for crying out loud.

“What’s good is good, right? Growing taller is a good thing, after all.”

“B-But still…”

“Why are you so bothered?”

“I’m older, right? I’m supposed to be taller…”

Arin felt a deep sense of crisis.

To be honest, there wasn’t anything she excelled at compared to Hayoon.

Illustrations, project management skills, and even appearance—there wasn’t a single area where she could clearly claim superiority.

And now, losing even in terms of height would completely strip her of the dignity that came with being the elder.

“Can’t you just… stop growing so much?”

“C’mon, what difference does it make if a girl grows taller? Even if she grows a lot, she probably won’t exceed 165 cm, right?”

“Y-Yeah… I guess?”

Though Arin didn’t fully agree, she clung to the small reassurance Hayoon offered by saying she wouldn’t grow too much.

“Mom, we’re here.”

“Oh, you’re here? I left the costumes in the dressing room. You can go change in there.”

Hayoon arrived at Studio Yun with Arin, exchanging a brief conversation with Yusoohee.

“Hello!”

“Is that you?”

“Uh, I’m not completely sure what you mean, but I’m Arin.”

Arin introduced herself, slightly nervous and cautious.

“Hmm, I more or less get the story.”

“Um, thank you?”

Arin, being a regular high school student, felt uncomfortable around adults outside of her family. And Yusoohee was skeptical of Arin, believing it was her influence that made Hayoon develop an interest in cosplay.

With both holding quite opposing views, the atmosphere naturally became tense.

“Alright, let’s change clothes.”

“Huh? Uh… Yes?”

Hayoon guided Arin toward the dressing room, as if protecting her, by gently nudging her back.

Once inside, Hayoon approached the topic directly.

“What are you waiting for? Take off your clothes.”

“E-Excuse me?”

“We need to change into the costumes.”

Without hesitation, Hayoon began stripping down.

She had done this before in communal changing rooms like AGC or conventions, so seeing other women’s bare skin no longer fazed her at all.

She hung her white t-shirt and jeans on a hanger in the cabinet, then, in her underwear, she moved toward the hanger containing the outfit for the first shoot.

Meanwhile, Arin…

“You…?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Did your… chest grow too?”

“Doesn’t a girl’s chest naturally grow as they mature?”

“Does it, though…!”

As the elder, Arin felt her dignity crumbling.

‘At this rate, I’m really going to end up as just an incapable elder with nothing but age…!’

She couldn’t bear it.

At least here.

Especially in cosplay — what was essentially Arin’s main stage — she was determined to give her all.

With both Hayoon and Arin now in their underwear, Arin dashed toward the hanger and grabbed her outfit.

Today’s shoot.

The first costume was…

A French maid-style uniform.

The outfit, highlighted by a corset, accentuated a slim waistline while also enhancing the bust, making it appear larger than usual.

There was no special reason for choosing the French maid style.

It just made the curves stand out the most. That’s why she picked it.

Hayoon was, without a doubt, someone who knew a thing or two about looking good in photos.

#

“We’ll start with some individual shots.”

As Hayoon and Arin emerged in their outfits, Yusoohee quickly grabbed her camera and gestured toward a corner of the studio, a small garden set-up ready for photography.

The edges were lined with reflectors, a gentle spotlight illuminated the ceiling, and fake flowerbeds, a European-style table and chairs, and tea set adorned the setting.

“Hayoon, strike your pose first.”

“Uh, what kind of pose?”

“Didn’t you mention wanting to highlight the unique appeal of French maids in yesterday’s plan?”

“I did?”

“Sure, highlighting distinct features can be good, but if I’m honest, your proposal was pretty much all about overt sex appeal. Even without me mentioning it, you insisted on ordering outfits that showcased cleavage, right?”

“Ah, hehe…”

This particular set was actually arranged by Yusoohee according to her own discretion.

Hayoon’s original plan was essentially full of overt sex appeal, which killed the narrative depth that a cosplay book should possess.

“Anyway, your proposal’s tone is too risqué. We need a few shots with our maids looking normal, such as drinking tea quietly.”

“Eh, but it’s not really that bad…”

“Let me recount some of the first things I remember: like emphasizing cleavage by crossing your arms over your chest, or something along those lines!”

“Ah, aah! Don’t be mad, don’t be mad! Re-lax!”

As Hayoon replied somewhat dismissively, Yusoohee tried to list Hayoon’s initial designs, finding her behavior amusingly exasperating.

In return, Hayoon yelped and moved toward the table.

There was no way Hayoon was going to win this argument.

“Is this tea actually real?”

“Yes, it’s good tea leaves, so you should try savoring the flavor and aroma. It might help with your performance.”

In an attempt to steer the conversation elsewhere, Hayoon took the tea Yusoohee had set out, poured it into a cup, and sipped it cautiously.

To that, Yusoohee gave in to her with a light smile, swept up in the moment.

“Indeed…”

After following Yusoohee’s instructions to take a sip of tea, Hayoon’s face lit up with amazement.

The bold taste mingled with subtle fruity notes, satisfying her palate, while the delicate floral notes at the finish further enhanced her experience.

It was, as Yusoohee said, undoubtedly an excellent quality tea. Right as Hayoon was about to dive fully into the performance…

“Isn’t this alright?”

“Wow, this is good?”

“What’s going on…?”

Meanwhile, Yusoohee and Arin were already admiring something on the camera screen.

It was a photo of a smiling Hayoon gently sipping tea.

“Since you lack acting experience and might struggle with facial expressions, we should capture candid shots like this to make the final results look better.”

“It’s not like a kid’s birthday photo shoot where they bribe the babies with snacks…”

“Well, to me, even at your age, you’ll always be a kid.”

Yusoohee chuckled and, as though dismissing her, gestured for her to come out, as the photo session was over. Hayoon reluctantly stood and checked the camera to see herself.

The Hayoon in the camera…

“Beautiful…”

“Isn’t she? It’s all about the good expression. A little touch-up will make it even better.”

As if to defy her earlier stance against cosplay,

Yusoohee patted her on the back, offering praise, making Hayoon’s face slightly tinge with red.

And Arin, stuck between this mischievous mother-daughter duo, announced…

“I’ll do my part with acting.”

“Can you act?”

“To look at me this way, but yeah, I’m actually quite confident in my expression acting.”

Unlike Hayoon, she stood facing away from the table, resting her chin on one hand and placing her forefinger atop her reddened lips.

It created an atmosphere as though she were contemplating something deeply.

“Surprisingly much better than expected.”

“…”

“Perhaps try a more sidelong gaze. This angle works better when not directly facing the camera.”

Suddenly, the mood shifted, and Yusoohee began snapping pictures.

The shot of Arin captured this time…

She seemed like a maid secretly gazing at her absent master, suppressing her unspoken love.

It was perfect acting, without a doubt.

“Good start. Both of you are doing well, and one of you seems to have pretty decent acting experience?”

“While doing cosplay, people often ask me to ‘capture their expressions,’ so I’ve responded as best I can. I think it’s made my facial muscles more flexible.”

“So it seems. You can handle most expressions then. No worries. Now all we need is for Hayoon to do her part?”

Naturally, Yusoohee’s expectations shifted toward Hayoon.

If they can do that well, can you do the same?

Her eyes were saying.

At this point, Hayoon’s job was set.

“Alright, let me give it a try. Sure.”

Today, during the shoot,

She was determined to absorb every ounce of Arin’s acting prowess.

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