A month later.
Hannah stopped mid-step, her boots sinking slightly into the thin crust of snow that coated the ground. Her gaze drifted upward, settling on the familiar facade of the school building. A faint chill—one that had nothing to do with winter—ran through her as she remembered the first day she had arrived here. Back then, her heart had been light, her thoughts brimming with excitement. She had believed this place would be the start of something wonderful. But reality had been cruel. Her stay here had brought her far more suffering than joy.
This semester, she intended to change that. She would start differently—fresh, determined. No more being led by her subconscious into traps she could not escape. No more letting her mind trick her into becoming someone she wasn't.
Her sister had left her at the end of the summer break, and in her grief and confusion, Hannah had let herself be manipulated by something… something that wore Danielle's voice and claimed her sister's name. In doing so, she had hurt herself—and him. The boy who had already suffered enough from the twins.
Now she meant to fight back. To face the dark presence that lurked in the old dorm room—the one that cursed its occupants with misfortune. She had to end it.
Pulling her white scarf tighter around her neck, she scanned the snowy field. The air rang with the gleeful shrieks of students. Boys scooped up snow, molding it into icy spheres before hurling them at squealing girls. The girls retaliated with shrill laughter, darting across the slippery ground only to tumble and fall, their rosy cheeks bright in the cold. The sound was contagious, and despite herself, the corners of Hannah's lips lifted.
Her small moment of warmth ended abruptly with a startled scream as arms wrapped around her from behind. Before she could twist away, she was lifted clean off the ground, her captor spinning them both in dizzying circles. The world blurred—snow, sky, snow, sky—until even he lost his balance. They crashed down in a heap, the shock of the cold seeping through her clothes.
Blinking through the light snowfall, she found herself staring into the grinning face of Tom. He was lying sideways beside her, his breath steaming in the frigid air, his eyes alight with mischief.
"Trying to kill us before the second semester even begins?" she teased, brushing snow from her hair. "Looks like the month-long break gave you new strength."
"I spent the first two weeks in the mountains with the guys," he replied proudly. "You should've seen Jin on skis… we didn't stand a chance against him. He and Joseph ended up racing, nearly killed each other in the process."
That made Hannah push herself up to sit, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "What do you mean they nearly killed each other?"
Tom shrugged, still grinning. "No idea what possessed them. That day, it was like they were… I don't know, possessed. They argued like crazy, but Jimmy and I couldn't figure out what it was about. They're both so stubborn, neither wanted to make peace. I had to step in. Now at least they're speaking."
"That's strange… Joseph can be difficult, sure, but I always thought Jin was the one to extend the olive branch first." She frowned slightly, realizing she might not know Jin as well as she had believed.
"Joseph was acting weird the whole trip," Tom continued. "Always disappearing to make calls, hiding away somewhere. No clue what's going on with him."
Hannah's mind flickered back to the last day before returning home, when an older student had shown up at her room unannounced—and Joseph's behavior had shifted into something she still couldn't quite explain.
"I missed you," Tom said suddenly, his voice dropping into a mock-sentimental tone. Hannah blinked at him in disbelief as he wrapped an arm around her and dragged her close. In one playful movement, he let himself fall backward into the snow, taking her with him so she landed against his chest. She shrieked for him to let go, but his laughter only deepened as he hugged her tighter. "You're my mascot."
From nearby came a snide remark, dripping with disdain. "I don't get what they all see in her. Guess whores just have that kind of charm."
Hannah heard every word clearly, her blood heating in her veins. She started to push herself up, ready to snap back, but her attention was caught by movement—Joseph, standing a few paces away, his black suitcase dropping to the ground. Clad entirely in black, as always.
The dark prince had returned.
Without a word, he stooped, scooping a handful of snow. Hannah's eyes widened as he strode toward the girl who had just insulted her. A second later, the snow smashed against the girl's face.
"Did you forget the rules here?" His tone was casual, but there was an edge to it. "I don't want to hear a word about Hannah. Not from you." His lips curled into a faint, cynical smile. "Only I get to make her uncomfortable."
The girl sputtered and wiped at her face, black mascara streaking down her cheeks like ink. Joseph watched her with quiet amusement before turning away, ignoring both her and Hannah completely.
So she spoke first. "Why did you stand up for me?"
"Happy birthday, kid," he said flatly, his gaze already elsewhere.
She stared at him, caught off guard.
"It's your birthday? Today?" Tom's eyebrows shot up. "Why didn't you say anything? How does Joe even know?"
"I'd like to know that myself…" she murmured, watching Joseph walk toward the front doors without looking back.
"My ass is frozen. I'm gonna make icicles instead of—" Tom began cheerfully, but it took a few moments for his words to register. Hannah turned to him with a look of disbelief.
"What? Everyone does it. Why are girls so shy about it?"
"I thought you'd finally grown out of talking crap," she replied with a smirk, getting to her feet and brushing snow off her coat. "Just be careful you don't freeze something else."
With a mischievous grin, she darted toward the school, leaving him standing there in the cold.
*
She closed the door behind her and let her gaze drift slowly across the familiar interior. The room was the same, yet she wondered if her time here would feel entirely different now.
Setting down her suitcase with a soft thud, she threw herself onto the bed, the mattress sinking beneath her weight. A long, weary sigh escaped her lips as she stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. What would this semester bring? Would she finally be able to handle whatever awaited her?
Hannah lay there for a while, with no intention of moving. The bed was comfortable, and for a brief moment she allowed herself to simply rest. But the peace didn't last. A knock on the door interrupted her quiet, and when she called for the person to enter, she was not expecting to see Mariah.
"How are you feeling, birthday girl?" Mariah stepped inside, closing the door behind her before perching on the edge of the bed. Her voice carried a warm note. "Happy birthday."
"Does everyone already know it's my birthday?" Hannah asked, raising a brow.
"Well… Tom can't hold his tongue. He's so excited about today that he even ran to the candy store to buy you a cake."
Hannah's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"
"He's a nice guy, and you can see he really likes you. You're a lucky girl." Mariah gave her shoulder a friendly pat before her expression shifted slightly. "But, changing the subject… tell me, did you manage to recover over the holidays? Did you forget all the unpleasantness that happened here? I'm sorry I couldn't warn you sooner about who was behind it all. I was afraid of that woman. Joseph didn't believe me, so I had no one on my side—do you understand?"
"If I were you, I would have been afraid too," Hannah admitted softly. "She was our guardian, and besides, her father is the principal. You wouldn't have had a chance against her."
"I'm glad you understand me… and I'm sorry you suffered so much."
"Maybe the first semester wasn't pleasant," Hannah said with a hint of hope in her voice, "but I'm hoping this one will be completely different. I'm counting on it."
"I hope so too. I want my last months here to be peaceful. Actually…" Mariah hesitated for a moment, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "During the holidays, something happened—I gave Jimmy a second chance. I hope we'll succeed this time. At least now Joseph has no reason to hate me, so he won't interfere in our relationship."
A genuine smile touched Hannah's lips. "In that case, I wish you all the best. You're a good match. You're the most beautiful couple in this school," she said with conviction.
Mariah laughed lightly at that. "If you think so…"
Hannah sat cross-legged on the bed, grinning. "We'll see if you'll also be the most loving couple."
"You know," she added after a pause, "I wish this semester would go on forever. Once you all graduate, I'll be left alone here. I'll even miss mean Joseph. I can't imagine this place without you."
Mariah gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "It's time you start making friends from your own year."
"That's going to be hard," Hannah admitted with a shrug. "Everyone hates me because of my friendship with the boys. But what can I do? I have no choice. I'll just have to try."
*
Hannah's eyes lit up when the boys appeared in the cafeteria for dinner. All four of them walked in together, but her gaze immediately fixed on Jin. In a crisp white shirt and tailored black pants, he looked like a million dollars. Tom wore a designer tracksuit, Jimmy had paired black trousers with a denim jacket, while Joseph, as always, stood out in his brooding dark style. They all looked perfect, and Hannah wasn't surprised by the chorus of whispers among the schoolgirls.
Jimmy spotted Mariah. His easy, confident smile appeared the moment his eyes landed on the girl he had spent time with over the holidays. She sat with her best friend, but that didn't deter him — he clearly intended to join her.
Hannah glanced at the so-called dark prince, noting the way his expression soured as soon as he saw Jimmy's renewed relationship. Tom followed his friend toward the tables, but Jin lingered in the middle of the room, watching Hannah.
Their eyes met. He smiled. And then, without hesitation, he crossed the room.
To her surprise, he pulled a small box from his pocket and set it down beside her plate."I remembered your birthday was during the break, so I got this before coming back to school. I hope you like it. Happy birthday."
"For me?" Her voice brimmed with excitement as she picked up the box. "I feel awful — this is already the second gift you've given me. I don't deserve it."
"You do," he said simply, resting his cheek on his hand. "We promised to start over, remember? To forget everything that happened before."
She didn't answer, just smiled and lifted the lid. Inside lay a delicate silver butterfly pendant, glittering in the light. Her breath caught."It's beautiful. I love butterflies."
"I know.""You know?" She tilted her head, eyes narrowing with curiosity."I just do." He shrugged with a small smile.
"Thank you," she whispered, carefully placing it back in the box.
Across the room, Joseph had been watching the entire exchange, his fork moving mechanically as he ate. The happiness on Hannah's face clearly irritated him.
Tom noticed the frown. "Why's your eyebrow twitching like that? You look like you stuck your finger in a socket."
"Say another word about my face…" Joseph muttered, pointing his knife.
"Can't even joke with you anymore. You've been even moodier since the holidays — barely talking to us. Is it because your much older girlfriend turned out to be—what—an otter?"
"You're annoying."
"Good!" Tom suddenly raised his voice, pushing back from the table. "I'm going to get cake for my wife, and you can sit here alone if you're going to be such a jerk."
The cafeteria turned curious eyes toward them as Tom stormed off. Joseph seemed unfazed. Moments later, the entire room went dark.
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the students — until Tom reappeared, carrying a cake with glowing candles."Happy birthday to you…" he began to sing, walking toward Hannah's table. Girls across the room looked on with envy; it wasn't every day the most attractive boys at Horace Mann made such a show for someone.
Hannah stood, leaning over the cake to blow out the candles. Applause filled the room — but Joseph's voice cut through the moment:
"Turn the damn lights back on. I'm hungry."
The bulbs flickered to life. Joseph got up and wandered over to them."Seventeen now, huh? Planning to eat that whole cake? You know it'll make you fat and ugly."
"And good," she muttered, glaring at him.
He swiped a finger through the frosting. "Mmm. Sweet."
"Why are you picking on her again?" Jin's voice was sharp. "I thought you at least liked her once — you said you wanted to protect her."
"That was just a whim." Joseph shrugged. "I don't like her anymore." He turned to Hannah, eyes cold. "I don't like seeing you happy."
"Before you left, you were nice to me. We talked. What happened?"
"I saw something in your suitcase. A handkerchief, tucked between your clothes."
"What's wrong with it? It's the only thing I have left from my biological mother."
"And that's why it's ugly," he said flatly. The words hit her like a slap. "Don't get too upset, though — you're fragile. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."
Tears welled in her eyes as he walked away.What had gotten into him?