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Chapter 12: "Must I?" "Yes, You Must."
"Where's the teacher's office?" Ju-kyoung muttered under her breath as she climbed the school's stairs.
Sadom High wasn't as huge as her old school, but it felt far more comfortable—less intimidating, less suffocating. Still, she was the new girl, and new girls always drew attention.
The moment she stepped into the main hallway, the students who had been laughing and playing froze. Heads turned. Whispers spread like ripples in water.
Some eyes widened in surprise.
Others offered compliments under their breath.
No one dared block her way.
She walked on, pretending not to notice, until she spotted the sign: Staff Room.
Knocking once, she heard a voice call from inside.
"Come in."
The staff room was bigger than she'd expected. Small, individual desks were arranged for each teacher, each with its own computer. The scent of coffee drifted from a well-stocked station in the corner, and the walls were painted a crisp white that made the space feel bright and professional.
Her satisfaction dimmed when she spotted her brother. He was lounging at a desk across the room, a sly smile curling at his lips.
"Why are you acting so ladylike?" he murmured just loud enough for her to hear. His tone carried a teasing bite only a sibling would understand.
Ju-kyoung shot him a glare. "Stop pretending to be a model student."
"What?" he asked, feigning innocence.
"Watch it," she warned under her breath.
Before she could step closer, their teachers intervened. A tall male teacher, with neatly combed black hair swept back, greeted her warmly.
"You haven't moved that far, but it must still feel strange, right?"
Ju-kyoung smiled politely. If only you knew how happy I am to be in a new school, she thought. Aloud, she said, "It's okay. I used to live here until I was ten."
"That's good," he replied, picking up an ID card from his desk and handing it to her. "Here you go—you're now officially a student of Sadom High."
She accepted it with a small bow. Her current picture looked… gorgeous. She didn't dare remember her old ID from her previous school. That chapter was over. She was determined to focus on her new self, not her past.
From across the room, a man approached. "I hear the new transfer student was top of her class at her old school," he said loudly enough to draw attention.
Ju-kyoung froze.
The man looked at her, then her brother, then back again. "It must be you, right? You look like a model student."
But when he glanced at her report card, his smile faltered.
"Oh… I was wrong."
He turned to her brother. "My goodness—you must be the top student!" His tone shifted into admiration. "You can just tell by looking at him."
Ju-kyoung's brother stood straighter, clearly enjoying himself, while she stared daggers at him.
Her teacher cleared his throat. "That's the vice principal. Don't mind him." Lowering his voice, he added, "There's more to life than grades, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay."
Before she could respond further, the vice principal's booming voice filled the room again. "Here comes our top student in the junior class!"
Ju-kyoung glanced up—and saw a tall boy entering. Something about him felt familiar, though without her glasses, she couldn't quite place him.
He's… handsome, she accidentally whispered aloud, quickly covering her mouth.
The boy greeted the room politely, his voice calm and clear. Ju-kyoung felt a faint shiver. I've heard that voice before.
Without glancing at her, he stepped forward and placed a booklet on her teacher's desk. The teacher addressed him. "Soo-hoo, this is our new student. Could you walk her to class?"
Soo-hoo glanced at her briefly, then asked flatly, "Must I do that?"
The teacher didn't flinch. "Yes. You must."
He turned away without a word.
"Go after him," the teacher urged.
Ju-kyoung bowed slightly. "Okay."
She hurried out, trying to match his long strides. Around them, students whispered.
"He's so handsome—and top of the class?"
"God is really unfair."
A girl ahead called out, "Hey, Soo-hoo!" He didn't slow down—until she caught his sleeve. Ju-kyoung, right behind him, bumped her forehead against his back.
She blinked, then noticed with horror: her makeup had smudged onto his blazer. She tried to wipe it off discreetly, but he kept moving.
The girl in front of him spoke nervously. "Um… Soo-hoo?"
He met her gaze, his expression sharp enough to make her look away. "Do we know each other?"
"I… can I have a moment?" she asked.
"I don't have a moment."
"It won't take long—please."
"You have three seconds."
Her eyes widened. "What?"
"One."
"I've… I've liked you ever since—"
"Two, three." He turned away. "My answer is no."
She ran after him, now holding a gift box decorated with blue designs. Inside, through a transparent lid, was a cake with his face printed on top. Soo-hoo took one look… and tossed it aside without breaking stride.
Ju-kyoung hesitated only a second before following. "Wait!" she called, jogging to keep up. She cupped her face. Is my makeup still intact? Then she remembered him and picked up her pace again.
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