At Dulwich College Seoul, the air was thick with chatters, and the Diamond Ranks leaderboard was the heart of the school's social hierarchy.
An anonymous blog's whispered judgments could make or break reputations, and connections were the hidden currency that bought status and power.
In this ruthless system, students clawed their way to the top, desperate to claim their place among the elite.
Park Chaeyoung was the crown of Dulwich College Seoul, her name similar to that of excellence and prestige. While others jockeyed for position on the Diamond Ranks, Chaeyoung's status remained uncontested— a testament to her unending influence and poise.
As the Diamond Ranks leaderboard updated monthly, one name remained a constant: Park Chaeyoung, the undisputed Queen of Diamonds.
Students would gather, 'gossiping' about potential shifts in the rankings. "I wonder who's going to take Chaeyoung's place this time?" One student mused.
Her friend chuckled. "You know nobody stands a chance against her, right?"
Another student came in, "Maybe she's the one running the blog, you know? Rigging the rankings to stay on top. Classic stuff." The group's conversation trailed off, their whispers a mix of admiration and suspicion.
Rumors swirled around Chaeyoung like a never-ending storm. Some claimed she was the mastermind behind the Diamond Ranks blog, manipulating the rankings to suit her own preference. Others whispered about her parents bribing school officials to secure her flawless grades, insisting it was impossible for anyone to achieve such academic perfection with her status.
Despite the diverse 'controversies', one thing was certain: no one dared to voice these doubts in Chaeyoung's presence. As the President's daughter, she held an unspoken power that commanded respect and fear, even from the school's director, who couldn't meet her gaze without a hint of deference.
Chaeyoung's arrival was a daily routine of awe, her limousine gliding to a stop in front of the school like a magnet drawing attention. Her posture and confidence in class left everyone in awe, but also intimidated. Boys admired her from afar, staring at her flawless features, but no one dared to approach her.
One ill-fated student had made the mistake of mustering the courage to ask her out, only to be met with a devilish glance that seemed to strip him bare. Chaeyoung hadn't spoken a word, hadn't even acknowledged his presence, yet her silence had been enough to make him vanish from school altogether.
Rumors swirled about her 'retaliation'. Some claimed she'd sent some people to deal with him, while others whispered about a payoff to his family to relocate abroad.
While some dismissed Chaeyoung's reputation as exaggerated, her few public speech only added to her dark aura. The only word most students could hear her say was "No" – a curt response she'd given when asked to present in class.
Unlike other influential students who used their power to forge alliances or antagonize peers, Chaeyoung remained different, her interactions limited to the bare minimum, both at school and at home—the only two places she ever went to.
As Chaeyoung walked through the hallway, students parted like a curtain, their eyes fixed on her. She walked halfway down the crowded hallway before stopping abruptly.
Her gaze locked onto a junior, who stood frozen, refusing to move. Chaeyoung's eyes was visibly full with anger, her expression unforgiving.
With a swift motion, she slammed a nearby locker shut, the sound echoing through the quiet, yet crowded, hallway, and leaned in close to the girl. Her voice was barely audible, but the girl's eyes widened in terror—like she had seen a ghost.
Despite the intensity of the moment, Chaeyoung's words were deceptively simple— just two whispered syllables. With a striking glance, Chaeyoung straightened up and continued toward her classroom.
Later, on her way to the restroom, she overheard envious whispers about herself coming from a vacant classroom. A faint smirk played on her lips as she walked on, uninterested in the speculation.
In the restroom, Chaeyoung was met with the sound of retching. "I must get that number one spot. I deserve it! Not that bitch, Park Chaeyoung!" The girl exclaimed, her voice laced with desperation and resentment.
Unknowing to her, she'd just spoken about the very person standing behind the door. The girl continued to vomit, driven by the cruel taunts of her friends about her weight, trying to maintain a perfect figure.
Chaeyoung gazed at her reflection in the mirror, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "You know, if you speak of the devil, she'll be sure to appear," she said, her voice low and smooth. It was the first time anyone had heard her put together a complete sentence beyond mono or disyllabic responses.
The girl's eyes widened in terror, her heart racing at double its normal pace. "Wait is that… Chaeyoung? What do I do? Why did I have to say that? What's Chaeyoung even doing here?" She thought to herself.
The stall door creaked open, and the girl Chaeyoung had confronted earlier stood before her. "What a pleasant surprise," she said, her voice dripping with disdain.
"First, you spread fake rumors about me, and now you're what? Talking about me in the bathroom?" She sneered, her eyes flashing with disgust. "Your kind of people disgust me," she spat, her words punctuated by a glob of saliva that landed on the girl's face.
The girl's terror was visible, her silence a contrast to her earlier outburst. Chaeyoung's smile grew, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You want to claim the top rank? Why are you speechless now?"
Chaeyoung squatted down, her eyes locking onto the student ID in the girl's trembling hands. "Lim Yoona," she read, her voice laced with disdain. "A pathetic name for a pathetic girl."
Standing up, she towered over the girl, her expression unyielding. "That's two strikes. You have one more chance. If I were you, I'd move on carefully. But, of course, It's very clear that I'm not you." With that, she turned and walked away, the door slamming shut behind her.
To others, Chaeyoung was a spoiled, nonchalant girl who effortlessly got what she wanted, a reputation that displayed her as the President's daughter. Some envied her, some idolized her, and the rest despised her, but Chaeyoung couldn't care less— about the Diamond Leaderboard, her grades, or public opinion.
***
As Ms. Lin, the Biology teacher, began to explain the day's project, she grouped the students into teams of three. When only three students remained— Kim Haejin, Shin Sujin, and Park Chaeyoung— Ms. Lin paired them together.
Sujin hesitated, glancing at Chaeyoung, who seemed uninterested in the class. "Are you sure, ma'am?" Sujin asked, her voice laced with doubt. "Why not?" Ms. Lin replied, her expression confused.
Chaeyoung's gaze drifted from her phone to Ms. Lin, then to Sujin and Haejin. "No," she said, her voice flat. Ms. Lin's expression turned stern.
"What do you mean 'no'? This project is compulsory for your grades." Chaeyoung stood up, her movements fluid, and walked towards Ms. Lin.
"'No' means 'no'," she said, her eyes locked onto the teacher's. Without warning, she took the cup of hot coffee from Ms. Lin's hands and poured it over her head, the liquid cascading down her face and clothes.
Ms. Lin stood frozen, unable to react. "I'm doing the project myself. If you have anything else to say, speak up now," Chaeyoung said, her voice dripping with disdain. She placed the cup back in Ms. Lin's hands. "Now you look way better," she remarked, before turning and walking out of the classroom.
As she exited the school, a scooter zoomed towards her, the rider signaling frantically for her to move. Chaeyoung stepped aside, her expression disgusted, and the scooter halted just inches from her. Water splashed onto her uniform from the wet pavement which were the remnants of the previous night's storm. The rider apologized profusely, trying to wipe the stains from her clothes.
Chaeyoung's limousine arrived, and she left the stranger to his efforts, getting in without a word. "I won't wait for you next time," she told her driver, Mr. Xian, who nodded slowly in response. Mr. Xian was old enough to be Chaeyoung's grandfather.
At home, her stepmother greeted her with a warm smile. "Honey, you're home! How was school?" Chaeyoung's response was venomous. "'Honey?' Please stop the charade. Since when did you care about my day? And, for the record, I'm Park Chaeyoung, daughter of President Park Jongnan— get that straight". She stormed upstairs, shutting herself in her room.
The mirage of perfection cracked as she collapsed onto her bed, tears streaming down her face for nearly an hour. After showering, she couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness.
To the world, she was the Queen of Diamonds, but few knew the truth— she was adopted, a secret kept hidden to protect the President's reputation. Life felt like a never-ending loop, devoid of genuine emotions.
The next day, Tuesday, Chaeyoung arrived at school in her black limousine, looking tired. Everyone stared, but this time, it wasn't just admiration.
The Diamond Leaderboard's display on the wall had changed— Chaeyoung was no longer at the top. Lim Yoona's name now occupied the number one spot.
Chaeyoung's lips curled into a faint smirk as she gazed at the screen.