"I want to be beautiful."
There was no way that just came out of my mouth. I thought. Why would I say something like that? So stupid.
"Hey, hey, hey." Young-ho help up a hand. "No can do. We can't take a beautiful woman and give her a complete makeover."
"What? Why not?" I whined. Ew. Never do that again.
"Because--" Byeong-ho started.
"You think I'm beautiful?!" I interrupted and backed away in disbelief. There was no way someone as handsome as these two men would call me beautiful. I've literally grown up all my life with people telling me I'd never go anywhere in life with a face like mine. Were they just jealous or was it really true and these men were trying to make me feel better? Either way, it was making me pissed.
"I think you're only saying that to make me feel better," I accused.
"No, no, no. I'd never lie about something like that," Young-ho denied. "Even if I were to say you were ugly, I wouldn't say it to you directly. Especially when we're working for your father. Rude and unprofessional."
"B-but--"
"No. We're not giving you a makeover, but what if you work for us as a model for the fashion show?"
I was bewildered by their confidence. This all had to be a lie. There was no way two handsome men were stuck on telling me I was beautiful for three whole minutes. I couldn't stand here and believe these lies. I was ugly and I knew it. My face wasn't the perfect face of a model.
"I think...if you do accept this offer, we can sell your father's fashion line in one week," Young-ho continued.
"Really? You're going to use me for business?" I exclaimed in faux disgust.
"No."
"Yes, we are going to use you for business," Byeong-ho. "I'm not going to deny it, but it'll help your father more than it'll help us. Plus, I want to see how people will react to seeing your face for the first time without it being blurred out."
"That's not helping," Young-ho hissed.
"I don't want to." I crossed my arms. "I already told Cece I wouldn't do it, so why would I change my mind and say I'd do it now?"
"I don't know. Maybe you'd think of how it would help your father."
Before Byeong-ho could say more, the door opened quickly. My father came in with someone following close behind. They seemed to be having an important conversation, because they didn't notice how I was huddled with two guys. Pére would be surprised to see me standing here. Especially when I'm very cautious of the people I hang around.
"Oui. I can have the information on your desk by Monday. I want to check it for myself Saturday though," the blonde haired man was saying. "Is it possible I could get Cece to take me there?"
"Maybe. The weekend should be more settled," Pére pointed out. "I would join you, but I have to attend yet another dinner with Marie. You know how it is with my children."
"Sort of, Monsieur Délon."
I inched away from the men to the window. I couldn't let them see me all comfortable. Not now.
"Francesca, mon cheri," Pére greeted me. "How are you getting along with Monsieur Kim and Monsieur Lee?"
"...Just fine, Pére," I muttered.
"That's great...Young-ho, I have a meeting with the designers from the west in a couple of hours. Would you like to join me?"
"Sure, Monsieur Délon. It would be an honor."
"Francesca, this is Park Dae-jung. He's in charge of our sales and trades while he's here. That means when we have designers and investors at the show, he's going to get them to sign contracts with my company."
"...Cool," I grumbled. "Can we get some lunch? Maman wanted us back home anyway."
"Sure, amour."
⚜⚜⚜⚜
"Yah, I told you not to say anything to him. Now he's pissed and you're going to deal with him!"
"I didn't do anything, Marie. How was I supposed to know that you didn't want him to know? I thought you told him already."
"He hates surprises, Jane. I swear you're so...so--"
"Don't even finish that sentence. I'll hurt you."
"Girls!" Maman yelled. "DO NOT GET ME STARTED!"
"See?" I crossed my arms and huffed. "Why did I have to be born in this family?"
"If not for you," Pére started. "I don't think I'd still be with your mother."
I laughed and leaned back in my chair. In the comfort of my parents house again, I was able to relax and carry on with my life. Surprisingly, I wasn't in the tabloids yet with some crazy story about me finally allowing myself to be seen by the world. Also, the designers from this morning had my number, so I was getting random texts asking if I had made up my mind yet.
I didn't know what I was going to do. I talked with Pére about it on the way home, but he told me it was my choice. He informed me about how his secret line was going to change how people viewed his designs. With the designers from Korea working with him on it, it was going to have different perspectives. Not just one that would get boring after two wears. If it made it past the first wear.
"Marie!" Pére shouted. "Jane! Both of you need to sit down. When your sisters come home from school, I'm sure they don't want to hear the both of you arguing...again. Even I get tired of it. I didn't raise both of you to act like this every chance you got."
"But, Pére," Marie whined. "Jane told Todd I was planning a trip to Moscow for our honeymoon. Now he's mad, because I didn't give him a heads up."
"...Marie, I don't care about what Todd thinks right now. I want you and your sister to sit down. All your chasing is giving me migraines."
I pursed my lips to keep from laughing. My sisters were crazy and they knew it. They drove my parents crazy every chance they got. Especially when they knew one of them would come out victorious in any argument. I never got involved. As soon as I voiced my opinion, they shut me down and pretended I hadn't said anything.
My younger sisters aren't as bad, but they loved me more than Jane and Marie did. When I wasn't feeling okay, they checked in on me. But, every chance they got, they called me names and reminded me of how pretty I wasn't compared to them. Yes, I may not be able to get a man just by looking at one, but that didn't mean I never tried.
"Maman," I called. "What are we having today?"
"Boeuf Bourguignon," she said. "Did you have a good day at your father's job today? Did you find a good house?"
"No and yes." I uncrossed my arms and put my elbows on the table. "Pére's personal designers want me to be a model for the show."
"What?" Marie exclaimed.
"Who would want someone like you as a model?" Jane scoffed. "Have you seen your face?"
Yes, I look in the mirror everyday if you haven't noticed. I guess I should give up then. My sisters were right. I wasn't that pretty. No one would like me in the show anyway.