Make up

I'm riding on the KTX up to Seoul for a trip to Matsue, Japan. There weren't many seats left when I was booking, I could only get a seat in the middle of the car where I am in one of four seats facing each other. But there are lots of empty seats. It doesn't start filling up until Osan.

A lady gets on at Osan and asks me to let her get past to her seat. I am ready for this. I am up in a tinkle and let her in. Seconds later, a man comes in and asks the same of the lady I am facing. She is not ready for it. A little confused even. She takes her sweet time.

We depart Osan, and the lady beside me pulls out her make-up kit. All the way to Seoul she is spritzing, patting her face, looking in a compact, brushing things on, dabbing, applying, and patting her face again.

As we draw close to Seoul, I am curious what the point of all this was. I turn to her and say, "Excuse me." She turns, and I take my time inspecting her face. "Yes?" she says.

"I don't think it worked." I say, "You look the same."