The Stepsiblings

chapter 1: Beginning

As the alarm clock rang incessantly, I groggily awoke and made my way to the bathroom to complete my morning routine. Once ready, I headed downstairs where I encountered my mom in the kitchen.

"Good morning, dear," my mom greeted me warmly.

But deep in my thoughts, I couldn't help but wonder, "What's so good about this morning?"

Noticing my presence, my mom asked, "Where is Ji-hoon? Hasn't he woken up yet?"

With a flat tone, I replied, "I don't know."

Concerned about Ji-hoon being late, my mom requested, "Can you please wake him up? He'll be late."

In response, I merely hummed a non-committal sound.

In my perspective, I felt obliged to fulfill my mom's request, so I made my way upstairs to Ji-hoon's room. I found him fast asleep and proceeded to shake him awake.

"Sis, just let me sleep for 5 more minutes, please," Ji-hoon whined, not fully aware of the time.

Disinterested in his pleas, I coldly responded, "I don't care. Keep sleeping. It's already 8."

Ji-hoon's eyes widened in surprise as he quickly pulled himself out of bed to begin his morning routine. After some time, I joined him downstairs, and together we enjoyed our breakfast. Once finished, we headed outside and got into our car.

Time skip - School and university are combined.

A/N POV
As soon as y/n and Ji-hoon entered the combined school and university campus, they couldn't help but notice everyone's amused stares. Unfazed by the attention, they continued walking towards the entrance.

Ji-hoon leaned in closer to y/n and whispered, "Sis, I'm heading to uni. Take care. We don't know anyone here." His voice held a soft tone, but he quickly added with a cold tone, "And hey, avoid any conflicts."

Both y/n and Ji-hoon had transferred to this new educational institution due to their mother's relocation. Y/n let out an indifferent reply, "Whatever," in a flat tone, signaling her lack of interest in the situation. With that, the siblings parted ways, embarking on their separate journeys within this unfamiliar school.

Y/n made her way towards the principal's office. Lost in her thoughts, she accidentally bumped into someone, causing them both to momentarily lose balance. The person she collided with wore a friendly smile as they said, "Hey, be careful."

Rather than expressing remorse, y/n responded with a cold tone, "Hmm, sorry." Her guarded demeanor prevented her from easily showing vulnerability. Curiosity sparked in the stranger's eyes as they asked, "Are you new here? I haven't seen you before."

Y/n, still maintaining her aloofness, replied with a touch of defensiveness, "Yeah, so what? Any problem?" It was clear that y/n had built a protective shell around herself, prepared to confront any potential issues head-on.

To the stranger's credit, they didn't seem deterred or offended by y/n's guarded response. They simply shook their head and said, "No, I don't have any problems. But if you're looking for the principal's office, go right and then straight ahead." Their helpful gesture suggested a willingness to extend a hand of friendship, yet y/n remained skeptical.

With a barely audible "Hmm," spoken in a cold tone, y/n walked away, leaving the stranger behind. It was evident that y/n's initial encounter in this combined school and university had only reinforced her inclination to keep her guard up, leaving the door open for the unfolding of unique experiences and challenges that awaited her in this new chapter of her academic journey.

???'s POV:
I informed her about the location of the principal's office, but she walked away without thanking me. I shrugged it off and went to meet my brothers.