The fame was like a tidal wave—exhilarating at first, but suffocating once it pulled you under. Since the face reveal, the quiet hallways of Saebom High had transformed into a gauntlet of flashing phone cameras and hushed whispers. Jae-wook was no longer a "glitch"; he was a phenomenon.
But fame came with a price.
During lunch, Jae-wook and Yoo-na sat in their usual spot on the rooftop, but even here, they weren't alone. Students hovered near the door, trying to snap photos of the "Power Duo."
"It's getting harder to just... talk," Yoo-na sighed, poking at her salad. "I'm happy for you, Jae-wook, but I miss the days when 'Gun' and 'Starry' were the only ones who existed."
Jae-wook looked at his phone, which was buzzing incessantly with sponsorship offers and interview requests. "Me too. It feels like everyone wants a piece of Gun, but nobody actually cares about Jae-wook."
He reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently. "Except you. You're the only reality I have left."
The "unknown sender" from the previous day wasn't finished. As they walked to their next class, Jae-wook's phone chimed again. It was a link to a school forum post that was spreading like wildfire.
The Post Title: Is Gun really a "Hero"? The truth about the "Teacher's Pet" and the rigged grades.
The post contained twisted photos of Jae-wook and Teacher Hae-in talking privately in the faculty room. It suggested that Jae-wook's top grades weren't from studying, but from a "special relationship" with Hae-in. It even hinted that Hae-in had helped fund Jae-wook's expensive gaming rig in exchange for "favors."
"This is disgusting," Yoo-na hissed, reading over his shoulder. Her face was pale with anger. "Hae-in is like an older brother to you! Everyone knows he helps students who struggle socially."
"They don't care about the truth, Yoo-na," Jae-wook said, his voice cold. "They want to see a king fall."
The atmosphere in the classroom was icy. Students who had been asking for autographs an hour ago were now looking at Jae-wook with suspicion and disgust.
Min-ji walked up to them, her usual bubbly energy replaced by a look of grim determination. "I've been tracking the IP of the post. It's coming from inside the school.
Someone is trying to ruin both you and Teacher Hae-in."
"Who?" Yoo-na asked.
Min-ji pointed toward the back of the room.
Jin-ho, the athlete who had been humiliated in the gym, was staring at his phone with a smug grin. He wasn't even trying to hide it.
Jae-wook stood up, but before he could move, Teacher Hae-in entered the room. He looked older, his usual smile replaced by a tired, professional mask.
"Jae-wook, Yoo-na... to the principal's office. Now," Hae-in said. His voice was flat, devoid of its usual warmth.
As they walked down the hallway, the "invisible strings" of the gossip felt like they were wrapping around their necks. The celebrity life wasn't a fairy tale; it was a battlefield.
In the principal's office, the tension was at a breaking point. The school board was worried about the reputation of the institution. They didn't care about a gamer's fame; they cared about a scandal involving a teacher and a student.
"We need to clear this up immediately," the Principal said, looking at Jae-wook. "Or we will have to ask Mr. Lee Hae-in to resign and place you on suspension until an investigation is complete."
Jae-wook looked at Hae-in, who was standing by the window, silent. Then he looked at Yoo-na, who was holding his hand so tightly her knuckles were white.
The glitch hadn't been fixed. It had just evolved into a virus that was threatening to destroy everyone he loved.