Pygmalion

10,000 dollars1?! The lump sum lease for her apartment was 10,000 dollars2. Was this place worth that much money for her to spend?

 

“So 10,000 will be enough to fix me?”

“I said the price starts at 10,000. It will definitely cost more than that.”

 

10,000 dollars… Sukyung bite her lower lip anxiously. She looked up at him hesitantly and asked, 

 

“And if I pay that much, I… umm… I will look like the other women in this neighborhood? All beautiful and elegant?”

“That will depend on you.”

 

Sungwoo rubbed her chin and studied her as he leaned against the chair.

 

“But I could put you in the special client program as a VVIP.”

 

Sukyung blinked. He leaned forward a little this time and continued, 

 

“That means everything about you can be transformed. Not just your looks but also your posture and attitude. EVERYTHING. I will be your personal coach and I guarantee you, it will change your life.”

“How much will it be?”

“I can negotiate.”

“Pardon?”

 

When she stared in confusion, it seemed Sungwoo was slowly losing his patience. He replied,

 

“I said I’m willing to negotiate the price.”

 

But how? What could she offer other than money? When she continued to stare, he waved his hand.

 

“If you tell me the real reason why you came here, I will charge you just 10,000 dollars.”

 

Seriously? Sukyung stammered, 

 

“I… I really came here because of my brother… He said I looked so horrible…”

 

Sungwoo frowned.

 

“Are you being truthful? Your brother?”

 

When she nodded, he asked,

 

“And where does he work then?”

 

Sukyung couldn’t hide her surprise and concern. When she refused to answer, Sungwoo slammed his desk a few times and glared.

 

“Do you want to leave or will you answer me?”

 

Something felt wrong here. This wasn’t a normal conversation between a customer and the shop owner. This man was acting like she was a criminal, and he, a detective questioning his suspect. And if she was really guilty of something, she would’ve left without answering him, but…

 

Sukyung researched this place before coming here. Based on countless reviews and magazine articles, Suhyang Palace was THE BEST in the country. The success rate of transforming a woman into a beauty was apparently 100%. Everyone claimed that this place was worth every penny. The past clients, the beauty experts, the celeb analysts… All of them stated any woman would be lucky to be accepted here.

 

If she could become pretty, then Jaewon would like her… No, she didn’t even dream of him falling in love with her. All she hoped for was to be allowed to stay by his side… If she could accomplish this, Sukyung was willing to pay any amount. She would be happy to give up her entire savings.

 

“He works at a hair salon near this place… It’s called the Carter’s.”

“Oh, that’s a good place. And what does he do?”

“He’s a hair designer.”

“A full fledged designer? Or an assistant designer?”

“An assistant designer, but his boss told him he will be promoted if he does well in a few months. My brother used to work there before he left to study abroad, so the owner knows him well.”

“And how long did he study abroad?”

“Three years.”

“Where?”

“England.”

 

Sungwoo rubbed his chin and frowned. Then, he glanced at her and asked suspiciously,

 

“And your brother’s opinion matters that much?”

 

Sukyung bit her lips and nodded.

 

“Why?”

 

Because if she didn’t become beautiful, Jaewon wasn’t going to allow her anywhere near him. Jaewon was all she had left. He was the only one for her. If she lost him… Sukyung could’t find a reason to live.

 

She didn’t expect Jaewon to love her. All she wanted was to be allowed to stay by his side. And for this, she was willing to spend all the money she had.

 

“Sir, will you do this for me?”

 

Sukyung begged him. Sungwoo seemed to be contemplating for a moment. Finally, he shrugged.

 

“There should be a treatment coordinator at the front. Tell her to book you an appointment next week. I will give you my answer then.”

 

Sukyung’s face brightened.

 

“T…thank you! Thank you so much!”

“Don’t thank me. I said I will decide next week, so I’m not saying I will do this for sure. I’ll see how hard you work before making my decision. If I take your case, you better know now that I won’t go easy on you. I will force you to straighten your posture, walk straight, wear the right clothes, and learn how to do your makeup and hair correctly. You better be ready for some pain.”

“I swear I will work hard!”

I’m just gonna write in dollars instead of Korean Won to keep things simple.In Korea, there is an option to rent a home by placing a lump sum deposit. This way, you can either pay much less monthly rent payment or no payment at all in some cases. The deposit is returned when the lease is terminated