Makeover Project

“You chose this place specifically. That means you like the things they have here, right?”

Mia lowered her gaze to the floor, reluctant to confirm Wes's words. It was selfish of her, she knew. She neglected to consider that he might feel uneasy in such a high-end establishment.

“Um, I… I-I don't really go shopping at the mall… I just tag along with Jenny sometimes, and, well… I-I’ve seen some clothes that might suit you…”

His gaze softened. “Then, we stay.”

“But she… To you…” 

“Don’t worry. That didn’t bother me at all. Let’s proceed with your plan, okay?”

Since he wasn't backing out, she had no choice but to agree. He gave her a reassuring smile, but it did little to placate her. He’s the one who'd been insulted, yet he wasn't the least bit upset.

“I-I don’t want others to treat you that way,” she murmured, barely audible enough for him to hear. “I can’t stand it.”

His breath hitched. “Is that how you really feel?”

“O-Of course! She's being r-rude! A-And it’s uncomfortable for you to be near that kind of person, isn’t it?”

“For me? What about you?”

“Huh? Me? W-Why me…?”

“Would you rather it's just us here, then?”

She tilted her head, baffled by what he meant. Before she could ask, though, he had already turned and walked in the opposite direction. His back, at that moment, seemed larger and firmer than usual.

‘Where is he off to?’

Mia deliberated whether to follow him.

However, given that he neither explained his intention nor called out to her, she decided he must have needed some privacy. Left wondering, she simply stood there and waited until something came to her attention; she was all alone. Suddenly, it was like the chatter and footsteps in the background had vanished into thin air.

‘What happened? I was sure there were other customers around a while ago.’

Feeling tense, she surveyed the aisle and the surrounding area. More seconds passed by, and soon, the entire store felt unnaturally vacant. While she preferred uncrowded places, she couldn't remain calm in this inexplicable situation.

‘Are they about to close? But it's still too early-’

“Shall we get going?” Wes returned right then.

She spun towards him with evident apprehensiveness. Meanwhile, he sauntered closer in a relaxed gait. Their contrasting reactions bewildered her, causing the question she meant to ask earlier to slip from her mind.

“I-I think they’re closing early today. Sorry, I wasn't aware of this. Let’s just find another-”

“It’s alright, Mia,” he interrupted her, smiling gently. “They’re open until the mall closes. Now, come on.”

Without waiting for her to reply, he took her hand in his and tugged her along to the men’s section, leaving her utterly lost in his wake.

---

Having nobody else around worked in Mia's favor, but Wes could tell she was also disoriented by the abruptness of it all.

The store had been wiped out, completely rid of employees and customers alike. Despite that, he continued acting normal, and eventually, she learned to ignore it as well. Once they reached their destination, her full attention zeroed in on the task at hand.

“H-Here, Wes, try this one.”

With a spring in her steps, she approached one of the wall-mounted racks to pick up a blue, long-sleeved polo. She then faced him again and draped it across his figure, nodding. From there, ecstatic rambling ensued, shedding light on the fashion lover in the young woman.

“…As I thought, this color palette suits you best. It makes your eyes pop, and take a look at the fit! This style both accentuates your masculine build and retains a cool image. Alright, we have to make it appear polished but not overdone. So, the bottom wear and accessories shouldn’t be too sophisticated or flashy either, just casually refined. Ah, I know! Let’s go for a sleek, minimalist vibe…”

Mia was now speaking whole sentences without once stuttering, rendering Wes speechless. ‘Is she always like this when it comes to the things she loves, I wonder?’

This was the first time he was hearing her talk with fervor, her inner confidence shining through. Earlier, too, she had snapped back at the store assistant, enraged on his behalf. Time and again, she had proven to him that she wasn’t all as she seemed.

Fascinated by these newly discovered sides to her, he listened attentively throughout her explanation and dared not interject to avoid ruining the rare moment. Fashion design was undoubtedly her calling. To her, every color, texture, and pattern had a story that was worth putting into words.

‘And it shows in her choice of attire, too,’ he mused, mind getting sidetracked.

He suppressed a dreamy sigh, secretly admiring her in her floral print, white dress. Her hair flowed gracefully behind her back, her feet adorned with lacy, brown sandals. She looked every bit like the princess he knew she was.

‘She's so pretty today… Wait, have I already told her that-’

“Umm... Wes?” she called, snapping him out of his trance. “S-Sorry for getting carried away. I k-know it’s, uh… I-It’s b-boring to listen to all this, and um… Y-You probably don’t even get half of what I’m saying…”

“It’s alright. It sounds interesting.” Considering who he was, of course, he could relate to a certain extent. “I can see you’re having fun, and for me, that's the most important part because it means you’re truly passionate about this. I believe I'm in good hands.”

After taking a moment to absorb his words, she beamed with pride, her entire being lighting up. How she’d get overjoyed by something so small and simple made his heart swell with affection. It was an emotion he’d grown accustomed to these past days.

“Do you feel at ease with me now, Mia?” he asked, stepping closer to her.

She blinked, not understanding. “W-What?”

“I mean, am I…not like the others? Are you comfortable around me? If there’s anything that bothers you, just let me know.”

Instead of answering, she studied his expression. A subtle, pleasant thrill coursed through his body at the sight of her doe-like eyes peering at him, cheeks dusted by a pinkish glow. Then, she scooted closer and offered him a genuine smile.

“Wes, I… I enjoy spending time with you like this,” she started, “I know I always get so jittery over the smallest things, but I… I-I promise it’s not because of you. Please, don’t think that you’re hard to be with, so you don’t have to change anything about yourself… T-To be honest, you're perfect just the way you are, Wes.”

Time seemed to halt for Wes.

Suddenly, nothing else mattered but this beautiful girl before him. He’d never received such heartfelt words from anyone before, and judging by her flustered look, this must have also been her first time saying them to another. Again and again, they repeated in his head like a broken recorder.

It felt as though she was embracing all his flaws by calling him perfect in spite of them. She definitely saw something in him that he didn’t—something irrelevant to fame, wealth, power, and appearances. Only she viewed beneath the surface and found what had long been concealed.

Just when he thought that experiencing love at first sight was bizarre enough, especially for someone like him, here he was falling much deeper—and, really, he couldn’t find it in himself to complain.

“Thank you, Mia.”