“This is ridiculous…”

Choi Ji Hyun, who was walking through the alley, stopped in her tracks. The nonsense disguised as advice she had heard a few days ago came to mind, and her brow furrowed unconsciously.

In the space filled with the red light of the setting sun, the two faced each other for a while. In the strange silence, Ji Hyun thought Shin Seung Ho’s eyes also looked red, as if stained by the sunset glow.

“Don’t go around bragging about knowing me, wherever you go. Don’t even say you know me.”

So she couldn’t understand. She was blankly staring into his eyes, so-

“What? I don’t quite get what you mean…”

“…”

It was a rather absurd thing to say, so Ji Hyun asked again, but Seung Ho only stared intently at her eyes. She wanted to argue back, but Ji Hyun just blinked, forgetting what she wanted to say.

‘Isn’t this an inflated ego?’

What he said next was even more ridiculous.

“And you better not even think about messing around with some loser guy at school or anywhere else. Our family considers the dignity of our employees too.”

“What did you say?”

Ji Hyun’s voice rose at the extremely rude remark, but Seung Ho, who had already turned his gaze away from her, waved his hand in the air as he opened his book again.

“If you got it, you can go now.”

She wanted to argue back, asking who he thought he was to say such things, but Ji Hyun’s throat felt choked up and she couldn’t say a word as she left the mansion. It was her burden for not being able to refute him that she couldn’t fall asleep, unable to swallow her anger.

‘Who would brag about knowing a jerk like him? And am I crazy? To say that obnoxious name…’

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. As Ji Hyun gnashed her teeth, an arm hung around her neck.

“Hey, Choi Ji Hyun!”

“Huh?”

It was her friend Lee Mi Ri, whom she had quickly befriended after meeting on the way to the cafeteria on the first day of school, smiling at her.

“What are you thinking about that you don’t answer even when I call you?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Mi Ri shook her head as if it didn’t matter.

“Did you talk to your parents?”

“Ah…”

Ji Hyun laughed awkwardly. Yesterday, Mi Ri had suggested they attend an academy together. With the persuasion that studying together would greatly boost efficiency.

However, the academy Mi Ri attended was not a cheap place, and Ji Hyun had neither the money nor the time to pay for it.

“I’m telling you it’s really effective even if it’s a bit expensive.”

Just then, a shadow fell to Ji Hyun’s left. Kim Ha Jun, who had appeared out of nowhere, came to stand beside Ji Hyun and shook his head at Mi Ri as if pitying her.

“Stop nagging her. Are you Ji Hyun?”

Mi Ri’s eyes narrowed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what it means. The academy is where you need to go. This kid doesn’t need it.”

“Kim Ha Jun, you’re really… too honest.”

Mi Ri sighed deeply as she looked at Ha Jun. With his height that seemed to be at least 180cm, his easy-going looks and warm personality, Ha Jun was very popular at school.

He was also the first friend who had kindly approached Ji Hyun when she was lost on her first day as a transfer student, not knowing where the cafeteria was.

From that day on, Ha Jun ate lunch with Ji Hyun and also introduced his childhood friend Mi Ri. That’s how the three of them became friends who hung out together.

“Ah, I just really hate going alone.”

“It’s supposed to be a famous place?”

“Yeah. There are hardly any kids from our school. Most are from Seomun High. Even just seeing them makes me feel extremely intimidated.”

“And you won’t feel intimidated if Ji Hyun is there?”

“Yeah, Ji Hyun is pretty, you know.”

To Ha Jun’s sarcastic question, Mi Ri responded matter-of-factly.

“If I can’t win in grades, at least I have to be superior in looks.”

It was a strange thing to say, but at the name that kept being mentioned, Ji Hyun’s face reddened.

“With that mentality, no wonder your grades aren’t improving.”

Ha Jun clicked his tongue. But Mi Ri went on anyway.

“Ah, if only that supposedly great Shin Seung Ho would come, it might make going to the academy worthwhile…”

Shin Seung Ho.

When that annoying name came out of Mi Ri’s mouth, Ji Hyun’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Shin Seung Ho?”

“Yeah. You know, that really famous kid at Seomun High. I heard his dad is the chairman of some group?”

Ha Jun added to Mi Ri’s words.

“It’d be harder to find a regular employee’s kid at Seomun High.”

“Well that’s true. But still, Shin Seung Ho is on a totally different level.”

“What is? What’s so different?”

“His looks are out of this world.”

“Not to that extent…”

As Ji Hyun mumbled, Mi Ri’s eyes went wide.

“You know Shin Seung Ho too?”

“No, I don’t! I absolutely don’t know him!”

Remembering that jerk who told her not to brag about knowing him, Ji Hyun firmly denied it.

“Well, since you just transferred, you wouldn’t know. He’s really famous.”

Ha Jun, who let out a chuckle, sarcastically said to Mi Ri,

“Famous indeed…”

“If even Ha Jun knows his name, that says it all. Shin Seung Ho is famous for being crazy rich and crazy handsome.”

“Um… yeah.”

Even at Mi Ri’s enthusiastic description, Ji Hyun showed little reaction. Glancing at her, Ha Jun casually asked,

“What about his personality?”

‘His personality is terrible.’

Ji Hyun retorted inwardly. But Mi Ri’s answer was different.

“He’s nice.”

“What?”

Mi Ri’s eyes sparkled as she murmured in a dreamy voice,

“If you’re handsome, doesn’t that mean you’re nice? Someone like Shin Seung Ho must be an angel.”

Ha Jun was appalled.

“Seriously, Lee Mi Ri’s nonsense is something else.”

“Ah, whatever. I heard he’s so handsome that actors are no match, but since he’s from a rich family, he probably won’t come to places like academies.”

Looking at Mi Ri who was whining, Ji Hyun smiled bitterly. Unlike what Seung Ho had scoffed at when they first met at school, the school Ji Hyun attended was also located in a wealthy area, so there were many well-off kids.

Although he didn’t show it off, it naturally exuded from Ha Jun that he was from a quite affluent family, and Mi Ri was no different.

So Ji Hyun was the only one who was different.

She had to be careful each time to keep the only uniform she had clean to wear the next day and the day after. She diligently washed the shirt every night and pressed it with an iron in the morning.

The sneakers with loose soles were barely brought back to life with a strong adhesive. It was always Ji Hyun’s burden to struggle.

“Ji Hyun, don’t forget what I said and try mentioning it to your mom one more time.”

Mi Ri seemed to not have given up yet as she suggested one last time. Unable to say she had no money, it was Ha Jun who nonchalantly retorted on Ji Hyun’s behalf.

“Only if you go and improve your grades will Ji Hyun be tempted.”

“This guy, always saying the harsh truth is going to be trouble.”

Looking at the two bickering back and forth, Ji Hyun silently smiled.

Even though it must have been obvious that she was lacking and poor, Mi Ri and Ha Jun had no qualms accepting her as part of their group. Just being with them made attending high school really worthwhile.

“Well then, I’ll get going to the academy now.”

Mi Ri’s shoulders slumped.

“Go and pay attention in class instead of just reading web novels.”

“Mind your own business!”

Ha Jun coolly advised and together with Ji Hyun, they saw her off.

Tap.

As Ji Hyun watched Mi Ri’s back moving further away with bold steps, she felt a weight on her head. Ha Jun had gently placed an English workbook on top of her head.

“I accidentally bought two.”

A lie.

Ji Hyun swallowed the words she was about to blurt out. Although she didn’t specifically mention the reason for transferring, Ha Jun seemed to have noticed her difficult situation and took care of her studies to the extent that it wasn’t burdensome.

Receiving help between friends could sometimes hurt one’s pride, but Ji Hyun couldn’t do that. Her circumstances were too poor to worry about pride.

“Keep it. It’s the workbook the English teacher likes.”

That meant there was a high chance the questions for the final exam would come from this workbook.

“…Thanks.”

As she spoke in a choked voice, unable to refuse, Ha Jun laughed as if it was no big deal and shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s nothing…”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Who’s that girl? She’s quite something.”

Min Woo, with his face pressed against the window, whistled.

“Who?”

Seung Ho, who was fully immersed in a shooting game, asked indifferently without taking his eyes off the monitor.

“The girl coming in wearing a gray uniform.”

Seung Ho’s brows furrowed for a moment. There was only one person besides himself who would be walking around this house in a school uniform.

“The girl who works at our house.”

“Ah, so she’s a maid. A maid.”

Although the word ‘maid’ that Min Woo playfully uttered bothered him, Seung Ho let it go. Min Woo’s interests rarely became his own concerns.

Until he started to pretend to know…

“She seems to attend Cheongmyeong High. Ah, could she be that girl?”

Seeing Min Woo tilting his head and trying to remember, Seung Ho’s eyes sharpened.

“That girl?”

“Ah, a friend of mine who goes to Cheongmyeong High said a while ago that a really pretty girl transferred to his school.”

Seung Ho put down the game controller as if tossing it aside and stood by the window where Min Woo was. Ji Hyun, who was walking with a slightly tired look, came into view.

“I don’t think she knows, but apparently she’s quite popular behind her back. Well, it would be weirder not to be with those looks.”

“No way…”

Min Woo, busy examining Ji Hyun, clicked his tongue and continued.

“It’s true. Look at that. You think the workbook in her hand is just any workbook? It’s hard to get even at our school, but she’s casually holding it. I bet some idiot put it in her hands.”

As Min Woo said, an elite instructor’s workbook that compiled only the key points was in Ji Hyun’s hands.

The workbook, which could never be purchased with the hourly wages earned from doing chores, dangled from the hands of its owner who was unaware of its value.

Seung Ho, who had been glaring at the back of her head as she headed to the annex, took a deep breath instead of responding to Min Woo’s words. Having heard news he didn’t want to know, he was in a very bad mood.

“You should go home now.”

“Why? Things seem to be getting interesting…”

Seung Ho’s eyes were sharp as he looked at Min Woo who smacked his lips regretfully.

“I just remembered I have something important to do.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Again.”

Ji Hyun blinked as she set down the tray with coffee. Seung Ho’s eyes were still fixed on the game monitor. Even before she could take off her uniform after arriving at the dormitory, the head of the mansion’s staff, Manager Kim, had come rushing out of breath urgently looking for Ji Hyun.

“Young Master Seung Ho is asking for you. Hurry and go.”

To her who quickly changed clothes and followed, Manager Kim added,

“I don’t know what it’s about, but he seems to be in a very bad mood, so be careful.”

As expected, Seung Ho was waiting for Ji Hyun at the door with his arms crossed, his eyes cold enough to feel a chill.

“Bring me tea.”

With the help of the kitchen lady, she brought the Earl Grey he was said to enjoy drinking.

“I brought Earl Grey.”

The moment she set the steaming teacup on the table, Seung Ho’s expression crumpled.

“When did I tell you to bring Earl Grey?”

“What? Then what kind…”

“Milk tea.”

Ji Hyun obediently went back down to the kitchen and brought milk tea. But Seung Ho’s mean streak didn’t end there.

“On second thought, coffee would be better than milk tea. Bring me coffee.”

At his capricious order, fatigue washed over Ji Hyun, but she had no choice. But this time, before she could even set the cup of coffee down, Seung Ho told her to make it again.

Only then did she realize his goal was not to order coffee, but to torment her. The hand holding the coffee cup that hadn’t even reached the table trembled.

“Why, were you going to drink it?”

When an answer didn’t come right away, the eyes that had been watching the monitor turned to Ji Hyun. Seung Ho smirked as he alternately looked at the coffee cup she was holding and her face.

“Throw it out and make it again.”

Suppressing the urge to pour the coffee over his head, Ji Hyun clenched her teeth.

‘This annoying bastard.’

“Wait.”

Seung Ho, who called out to her as she was about to go to the kitchen, had an even more mischievous glint in his eyes.

“You might put something in the cup out of anger without realizing, so you better go out and buy it.”

Ji Hyun swallowed the sigh that came through her teeth. His mean streak wasn’t over yet.