The invitation to Yoo-na's house was the spark that set the school's gossip mill on fire. By Tuesday morning, the atmosphere had turned toxic. It wasn't just curiosity anymore; it was resentment.
"What does she see in him?"
"Is she just doing this for a dare?"
"I heard he's actually a delinquent and that 'handsome' photo was just a filter."
Jae-wook heard it all as he walked through the corridors. For the first time, being invisible felt like a luxury he could no longer afford. He saw the way people looked at Yoo-na—no longer with pure admiration, but with judging eyes. They were attacking her character to make sense of her choice.
During the lunch break, Jae-wook found Yoo-na sitting alone on the rooftop. Even Min-ji was nowhere to be seen. Yoo-na was staring at the silver star keychain, her expression tired.
"You don't have to do this," Jae-wook said, stepping onto the concrete roof. "You don't have to defend me. It's making people say horrible things about you."
Yoo-na looked up, forcing a small smile. "They've always said things, Jae-wook. Before, it was about how 'perfect' I was. Now it's about how 'crazy' I am. Either way, they aren't talking about me.
They're talking about the version of me they've created in their heads."
She stood up and walked toward him, the wind whipping her hair across her face. "But when we're in the game, or when we were at the café... that was real. I'm not letting go of something real just because people are loud."
"They're calling you a liar," Jae-wook whispered, his heart aching. "They're saying you're using your reputation to cover for someone like me."
"Then let them," she replied firmly. "Let's give them something real to talk about."
The conflict peaked during the afternoon gym session. A group of boys, led by the school's star athlete, Jin-ho, cornered Jae-wook in the equipment room.
"Hey, Glitch," Jin-ho sneered, tossing a basketball hard against Jae-wook's chest. "Yoo-na is out of your league. Stop playing these games. That photo Min-ji took? We know it's fake. A loser like you doesn't just turn into a model overnight."
Jae-wook caught the ball, his grip tightening. He remained silent, his eyes fixed on the floor.
"What's the matter? No 'Gun' to save you here?" Jin-ho laughed, stepping closer. "Tell everyone the truth. Tell them you're tricking her."
Jae-wook looked up. His glasses reflected the harsh gym lights, but his voice was steady. "I'm not tricking anyone. If you're so insecure that you can't handle a 'nobody' being friends with her, that's your problem, not hers."
Jin-ho's face flushed with rage. He raised a hand to shove Jae-wook, but a voice rang out from the doorway.
"That's enough!"
It was Yoo-na. She was standing there, her phone in her hand, recording the entire thing. Behind her stood Teacher Hae-in, his arms crossed, looking disappointed.
"Jin-ho, my office. Now," Hae-in said, his voice cold.
As the group of boys scrambled out, humiliated, Yoo-na ran to Jae-wook. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
"I'm fine," Jae-wook said, but his voice was trembling. He realized that as long as he stayed in his shell, Yoo-na would always be the one fighting his battles. He was tired of being the victim in her story.
"Yoo-na," he said, looking at her with a newfound determination. "I'm tired of being a glitch. It's time I updated the system."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"The face reveal," Jae-wook said. "I was going to wait until the end of the season. But I'm doing it tonight. On the official Shadow Strike channel."
The world was about to find out that the "invisible boy" was the king they all worshipped. And the school gossip was about to become the biggest news of the year.