The rides of Notte World loomed high above the entrance gates, all glittering steel and painted monsters, drawing shrieks of excitement from students pouring in. Teachers struggled to bark orders, but their voices were lost in the sea of chatter.
J High scattered quickly—some rushing toward rollercoasters, others huddling for pictures. But the tension from the gates still lingered, buzzing underneath the laughter.
Because Potato High had arrived.
Seonong Ham stomped through the crowd, still blotting at his tracksuit with tissues. No matter how much he scrubbed, Vasco's puke clung like a stain on his pride.
He gritted his teeth, chest puffed out, jaw clenched so hard it ached.
How dare they.
This was supposed to be his day—the day he proved himself in front of Soomi. The day he showed everyone that country boys weren't weak. But instead, he was humiliated in front of the whole park.
And Soomi…
When he turned, his heart sank.
Her gaze wasn't on him.
It was locked on Daniel Park, the "pretty boy" from J High. Daniel wasn't even doing anything—just standing there, helping Zoe adjust her bag—but Soomi looked at him like he'd descended from heaven itself.
Seonong's fists shook.
"No," he muttered under his breath. "Not today. She'll see. I'll make her see."
Soomi's Fascination
Soomi clasped her hands against her chest, cheeks glowing pink. She trailed after Daniel with wide, fluttering eyes.
"He's so tall," she whispered to a Potato High friend. "And his face—it's like an idol's!"
Her friend rolled her eyes. "What about Seonong? He's been trying all morning to impress you."
Soomi barely heard her. Daniel had brushed his bangs out of his eyes, and her heart skipped.
Seonong caught the exchange and nearly exploded.
Daniel felt the stares. Girls whispering. Boys glaring. He hunched his shoulders, wishing he could melt into the crowd.
Why me? he thought miserably.
He'd gotten used to J High's chaos—but Potato High was new, unpredictable, and already hostile. And the way Soomi kept sneaking glances made him even more uncomfortable.
When she darted up beside him, her voice sugar-sweet, Daniel froze.
"Um… could I get your number?" she asked, eyes sparkling.
Gasps rippled from both schools.
Daniel panicked. His eyes flicked to Crystal standing in the distance, poised like a queen watching everything. Something about her gaze made him freeze.
"I… sorry," he muttered quickly. "I can't."
Soomi's face fell, crushed. Her friends whispered. Potato High boys snickered.
And Seonong's pride snapped.
The Challenge
"You think you're better than me?!" Seonong roared, stepping forward. He jabbed a finger at Daniel's chest, his voice cracking with fury.
"You walk around with that face, stealing all the attention, acting like you're some big shot—" He shoved Daniel's shoulder. "Fight me! Right here, right now!"
The air shifted instantly.
Potato High rallied behind him, egging him on with shouts. J High students tensed, some whispering nervously, others grinning in anticipation.
Daniel raised his hands quickly. "Wait, I don't—"
But Seonong shoved him again. Harder.
Gasps rippled.
Zack Lee stepped forward, cracking his knuckles, ready to intervene. Vasco squared his shoulders despite still looking pale. Even Vin Jin pushed up his shades, muttering curses.
But all eyes turned toward Daniel.
And Daniel… froze.
Jay's Comic Misadventure
While tension burned at the main gates, Jay had wandered off toward the drop tower, clutching his phone like treasure.
If I take a picture from the top, Daniel will like it , he thought, determination blazing.
The ride shot upward, his phone slipped from his hand, and his heart shattered.
after getting of the raid he came rushing to find he phone.
When he scrambled to find it, Potato High boys spotted him crawling on the ground.
"Yo, look—it's a beggar. ""Guess J High's not all rich city kids."
Jay's face turned crimson.
One of them shoved a half-eaten potato into his hand with a smirk.
"Here. You look hungry."
Jay clutched it like a gift, tears pricking his eyes.
"…."
The Potato kids blinked, confused, as Jay bowed deeply and hurried off.
Away from the chaos, Crystal Choi stood slightly apart, watching everything with her arms folded.
She didn't flinch when Seonong shouted. She didn't even glance at Soomi's swooning or Seonong's humiliation.
Her gaze had locked onto one person only.
Seong Min.
He hadn't moved. He hadn't spoken. He stood with calm detachment, eyes scanning the board like chess pieces. While everyone else shouted or panicked, he simply watched.
Crystal's jaw tightened.
The memory of Yui's video still burned. The sound of her moans. The words whispered to her, "He only rewards loyalty."
Her pride screamed to dismiss it. To sneer. To rise above.
But the truth pressed sharper with each second:
If I don't move, Yui will keep her place. there is no time to hesitate, Zoe will try to take it too.
Her fingers curled at her sides.
She didn't voice the vow aloud this time. But the thought repeated in her chest, steady, unyielding:
The Ferris Wheel. That's where I'll act. That's where I'll face him.
Her mask never cracked. But her path was already set.
The teachers rushed in, trying to pull the groups apart, shouting about "keeping order." Students jeered, phones filmed, rumors already spiraling into the group chats.
Seonong still raged, pointing at Daniel. Soomi still gazed dreamily at him. J High stood braced for a fight. Potato High bristled with pride.
And above it all, Seong Min's calm presence pulled at every whisper, every rumor, every glance.
The park had only just begun.
And already, the storm was building.
✨ End of Chapter 75✨