Yuna went to college as usual.
During a free period, she sat with her friends, laughing over nothing in particular. One of them suddenly leaned forward and teased, "Hey, why don't you ever change your earrings?"
Yuna touched the small white beads and smiled. "I'm comfortable with these."
Another girl added playfully, "I know why. You're actually 180 years old, and your beauty is hidden under those earrings, right?"
The classroom burst into laughter.
Yuna laughed the loudest. "Hey! I'm not 180 years old. I'm just 18!"
"No, no!" her friends insisted, still giggling.
She shook her head in disbelief, smiling knowingly as their laughter filled the room. Soon, the day ended, and she returned home.
After freshening up and finishing her homework, she prepared her bed. Before lying down, she removed her white bead earrings and placed them carefully on the table beside her bed. She tied her hair into a loose bun.
Outside, thunder rolled through the sky, and flashes of light reflected against her window. She walked over, noticing that it was about to rain. Taking a deep breath, Yuna closed the window and went to sleep.
The next morning, sunlight spilled gently into her room.
She stirred but didn't open her eyes immediately. Stretching her arms lazily, she rose from the bed and walked to wash her face.
Her skin felt unusually dry.
Still half-asleep, she glanced at her hand.
She paused.
Maybe it was just dryness. Or pimples.
She grabbed her towel and stood before the mirror. As she wiped her face and slowly opened her eyes—
She froze.
Wrinkles lined her skin.
Her hair had turned white.
Her teeth seemed fewer.
Her chin sagged unnaturally.
She looked old.
Yuna leaned closer to the mirror, her breath trembling. She reached up and touched her face in disbelief.
Her fingers traced the deep lines.
She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again.
Nothing changed.
Her breathing quickened.
She wiped the mirror desperately, as if the reflection itself were wrong.
But it wasn't.
The face staring back at her remained the same.
The towel slipped from her hands.
She stepped back slowly, shaking her head.
"No…" she whispered.
Her foot caught against the edge of the rug, and she
fell backward as a scream echoed through her room.
Across the room, the white bead earrings shimmered brightly beneath the morning sunlight.