It was a Monday, which meant two things at Dulwich College Seoul: the chaos of students running late and the glow-up pressure of looking like you walked off a Vogue editorial. From the school gates to the marble steps, it was madness, rich-kid style.
Luxury cars honked in rhythm like it was a flex-off. A Ferrari revved obnoxiously at the crosswalk, nearly traumatizing a freshman. Meanwhile, a matte black limousine cruised in—elegant, quiet, deadly cool.
From one side, Jaehwan stepped out in his signature black-on-black uniform look. From the other, Chaeyoung emerged, dripping with silent power, sunglasses on despite the cloudy sky.
And then it began.
"OMG, Jaehwan! Can I get a pic for my mom? She literally loves you!"
Jaehwan blinked. "Your mom?"
"Yeah! She said she wants to meet you. Like, personally."
Someone else chimed in, "I think my aunt does too!"
"...Okay," Jaehwan muttered, overwhelmed. "I should start charging for family fan meetings."
He moved like a reluctant celebrity through the mob of students. Some were shoving phones in his face; others were asking what cologne he wore ("It's called 'Leave Me Alone'," he deadpanned). He hadn't even made it up the stairs yet.
"Not again," he groaned.
Meanwhile, Chaeyoung walked past the chaos, untouched. People parted like she was the Red Sea in Louboutins. She didn't need bodyguards. Her aura did the job.
Whispers followed her like perfume trails.
"She's so mysterious."
"She's so cold."
"She's so rich, her lip balm costs more than my tuition."
Chaeyoung's only response to the invisible commentary was a sigh and a subtle eye-roll.
She made her way to the farthest wing of the school—the exclusive territory of the Diamond Elite. Past the velvet-rope hallway and biometric scanners was a lounge nicknamed by students as The Zenith. The school called it Room X, but everyone knew it was just a designer relaxation space for the absurdly privileged.
Chaeyoung entered, tossed her designer bag on the chaise lounge, and casually poured herself a glass of glacier-filtered water—because apparently normal tap water was too mainstream. Legs crossed, phone in one hand, water in the other, she was the picture of effortless intimidation.
The door suddenly swung open.
Jaehwan stumbled in, slightly out of breath like he had just survived a fan stampede. Which he had.
Chaeyoung raised a brow without looking up. "What?"
"I—uh—I booked this place too?" He said, obviously lying.
Chaeyoung took a slow sip. "I booked it first."
"I was being chased by someone's mom. I'm not kidding. She had a selfie stick."
"That sounds like a personal problem."
"I guess so. Remembering peoples name is so hard. I mean... I mistakenly called someone 'Siri' yesterday," he chuckled
"Can I hide here for five minutes?" He asked, peeking out the window dramatically.
She sighed and stood up. "Don't worry. I'm leaving anyway."
"Oh." He stepped aside quickly. "Thanks?"
She paused as she passed by him, tilted her head, and gave him a slow three-second scan. "You're weird," she muttered before leaving.
***
First period: Literature— the only class Chaeyoung had learnt to meditate with her eyes open.
Chaeyoung walked into class flanked by her usual bodyguards. Yes, plural. They looked more like ex-military than normal bodyguards.
"When will this nightmare end?" She mumbled under her breath as she sat in her desk between Jaehwan and Joon.
"Probably when I die," she thought.
Miss Shin entered the class with enough energy to suggest she had coffee with espresso shots and glitter this morning. "Good morning, my lovely students!"
The class groaned.
"I've got amazing news!" Miss Shin clapped her hands. "After last week's vote, the results are in! We'll be doing Romeo and Juliet for this semester's performance!"
Cheers erupted from the back. A few students pretended to faint in despair.
"I've finalized the cast list!" She pulled out a note from her Louis Vuitton handbag. Yes. Louis Vuitton. Even the teachers had drip here.
"Mercutio will be played by Joon," she announced.
Joon fist-pumped quietly. "Yes!"
"Romeo will be played by... Jaehwan. And Juliet will be played by... Chaeyoung."
Cue: Dead silence.
Chaeyoung slowly looked up, blinking like the words had offended her ancestors.
"Excuse me?" She said. "I'm not participating in anything."
Miss Shin looked mildly confused. "But... your name was on the audition list."
Chaeyoung stood up, marched over, and yanked the note from her hand. "That's not even my handwriting."
Jaehwan cleared his throat. "Yeah... that was me."
"You did WHAT?"
"I just... I thought it might help you open up. You know. Bring out your inner butterfly?"
"My what?"
"Your inner butterfly. Like, you're in a cocoon and—" he stopped as Chaeyoung's death stare intensified. "—and maybe I should stop talking."
"Smart move."
She slapped the paper down and stormed out.
"You should know better than to mess with her boundaries. You could have just asked her out like a normal human", Joon whispered to Jaehwan as the class began murmuring again.
***
Chaeyoung was officially removed from the cast due to "disinterest." Lunch rolled around and Joon wandered into the commoners' cafeteria, feeling more like a rejected side character than ever.
He didn't expect to overhear gossip that would ruin his appetite.
"I heard Jaehwan only signed her up because he has a crush on her," someone giggled behind the snack machine.
"No way. He's only been here two days!"
"Still. Romeo and Juliet? That's suspicious."
Joon pretended to drink his banana milk like his life depended on it while eavesdropping.
"Plus, did you see the way he looked at her when she stormed out?"
He looked down. "Rumors aren't true," he muttered, trying to believe it.
Then something clicked in his brain. He pulled out his phone.
"I have something to tell you," he texted Chaeyoung.
She left him on read for five minutes. Classic Chaeyoung.
"What?" she finally replied.
"Can we talk after school instead?"
"Okay."
He smiled faintly and tried to eat. The cafeteria tteokbokki had never tasted more like regret.
***
After school.
Joon sprinted outside, scanning the area like he was on a spy mission. He spotted Jaehwan first, casually strolling and looking too good for someone with that much drama trailing him.
And then he saw her.
Chaeyoung walked out, flanked by bodyguards and with a dead-serious expression. The kind of expression you'd wear if you were a royal about to fire half the court.
"Hey," Joon greeted.
"Speak," she replied flatly.
"Uh, can we talk alone?"
The bodyguards didn't even flinch.
"Right," Joon mumbled. "Cool. Love the personal security."
"I don't have time."
"Okay... maybe I'll just say it over the phone?" He offered hopefully.
She gave him a look that said 'you had ONE job', then walked away without another word.
***
Later that night, Chaeyoung finally made it home.
A maid greeted her at the door, took her bag, removed her shoes, and bowed slightly. "Welcome, madam."
Chaeyoung didn't respond. She climbed the stairs like a ghost in Prada, halfway up before the maid called after her.
"Miss Chaeyoung, Mr. Park left a message."
The maid handed her a sleek blue card with gold detailing.
Chaeyoung's face dropped. She didn't open it. She didn't need to.
She walked straight to her room, slammed the door shut, and walked to the locked cupboard she hadn't opened in years.
Inside, a photo: her, her mom, and two sisters. A rare smile formed on her lips... before fading again.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from Joon.
"I know where to find your sister."