Chapter One
The Beginning of a New Dawn
The air in the small farmhouse was thick with anticipation. Outside, the cicadas of Busan's countryside sang their endless summer chorus, but inside the Oh family's living room, silence pressed against the walls like an invisible weight.
Seated at the wooden dining table, Oh Hyera clasped her hands together so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. Her parents sat beside her—her father, Oh Jisoo, a weather-worn man whose broad hands bore the scars of years spent tilling the soil, and her mother, Minhee, gentle yet strong, who always carried worry lines across her forehead. Between them sat the family's single laptop, old and slightly cracked along the hinges, its screen casting a dim glow across their anxious faces.
On the opposite chair, her younger brother Junho lounged with his phone in hand, furiously tapping away at a mobile game. His casual humming was the only sound that broke the tension in the room, though even he occasionally looked up, his curiosity betraying his usual nonchalance.
Hyera's heart thumped loudly in her chest. This was the moment. Months of sleepless nights, juggling schoolwork and the grueling extra classes, were about to be decided by a single announcement. She could have remained in her old high school, safe in the comfort of familiarity, but she had wanted more. Needed more. The burden of her family's struggles weighed on her every day. Their farm was small, their income barely enough to cover necessities. She could not bear to see her parents silently count coins before every grocery trip, or Junho wearing the same worn shoes year after year.
That was why she had thrown herself into the scholarship exam with a desperation most of her classmates couldn't understand. This wasn't just about prestige—it was about survival, about clawing her way toward a future where she could break free from poverty and pull her family along with her.
Her mother's hand reached across the table, squeezing Hyera's trembling fingers. "No matter what the result is," Minhee whispered softly, "you've made us proud already."
Hyera bit her lip and nodded. Her father gave a gruff sound of agreement, though his eyes never left the glowing screen.
Then the page refreshed.
The letters appeared, stark and undeniable.
For a moment, the room froze. The air seemed to vanish from Hyera's lungs.
Congratulations, Oh Hyera. You have not only passed the National Elite Examination—you have achieved the highest score in the entire country. You are hereby awarded a full scholarship to Yonghwa High School, Seoul.
Her eyes blurred as she read the words again and again, as if they were a dream that would vanish if she blinked too long. Highest score. The whole of Korea. Yonghwa High School—the place she had only heard about in hushed tones, a school so exclusive that its name carried weight like royalty.
She covered her mouth with trembling hands, tears springing to her eyes.
Her father was the first to react. He stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. For a man who rarely displayed strong emotion, his face broke into a wide, almost boyish grin. "She did it," he said hoarsely, his voice cracking. "Our Hyera did it!"
Minhee's eyes brimmed with tears as she pulled her daughter into a fierce hug. "My precious girl… you've made it. You've really made it."
Junho finally looked up from his phone, his jaw dropping. "Wait—no way. The Yonghwa High School? That's where all the chaebol kids go, right? Like… actual millionaires' kids?"
Hyera gave a shaky laugh through her tears, still overwhelmed. "It… it says so. A full scholarship. Free tuition, free dorm, meals… everything."
Her father's shoulders shook as he laughed, a sound filled with relief. "You've opened a door none of us could have even knocked on. You're not just going to a good school, Hyera—you're going to the best."
But beneath the joy, Hyera felt a twinge of fear. She knew what Yonghwa meant. It was a world far removed from her own—the world of wealth, power, and polished perfection. A world where she would be the outsider, the farmer's daughter from Busan pretending to fit among heirs and heiresses.
Still, she clenched her fists with determination. This is my chance. My chance to change everything.
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A week later, the farmhouse bustled with unusual energy. For once, her parents had closed the fields early. With what little savings they could manage, they bought Hyera new clothes, toiletries, and a sturdy suitcase that gleamed like hope against the worn furniture of their home. Junho even parted with his favorite headphones, pressing them into her hand.
"You'll need these more than me," he muttered, looking away. "Seoul's a noisy place, right?"
Hyera hugged him tightly, her heart swelling. She would miss his sarcastic remarks more than she wanted to admit.
The day of departure arrived faster than she imagined. At the airport, the Oh family stood together, trying to hide their tears behind forced smiles. The terminal was busy with travelers rushing by, but for Hyera, the world seemed to narrow to the faces of her family.
Her mother adjusted the scarf around her neck for the third time, as if reluctant to let go. "Eat well, study hard, and don't let those rich kids look down on you," she whispered fiercely.
Her father placed a hand on her shoulder, his rough palm warm and steady. "Remember why you're doing this. Every step you take in Seoul, take it with pride—for us, for yourself."
Hyera swallowed hard, blinking away tears. "I'll make you proud. I promise."
The final boarding call echoed through the speakers. She turned one last time, memorizing their faces, their smiles, their tears. Then, with her suitcase trailing behind her, she walked toward the gates.
Her journey had begun.
Busan faded behind her, but its warmth remained in her heart. Ahead lay Seoul—the city of dreams, of power, of challenges she could not yet imagine.
And somewhere in that glittering city waited Kim Junghyun, the boy whose world was nothing like hers, and whose path was destined to collide with her own.