At South Korea's most prestigious high school, a scandal is brewing - but its privileged students will do anything to silence the truth. When a scholarship student enters the fold, he's determined to crack the school's impenetrable façade and reveal...
"No way. Jae-i and that scholarship kid? She would... would she, Hera?" Jiye sounded almost disgusted.
"I wouldn't rule it out. Scholar or not, if Jae-i likes him, that's that. Actually, it's inspiring—to be attracted to someone without regard to their social status or class," Hera replied enthusiastically.
"Really? How about you, Hera? Does the rule apply to you?" Jiye asked teasingly, making Hera smile knowingly. "No, I'm different. I would never be attracted to a man who's poorer than me. It's just in my DNA," she quipped, causing Ellie to scoff quietly as she gathered her things.
As Ellie prepared to leave, she noticed a crowd forming nearby. Rian and In-ha were at the center of attention. With a resigned sigh, Ellie took a deep breath and walked over, grabbing In-ha's arm firmly. "Let's go," she said, giving him a meaningful look.
Before they could make their way out, a man stepped in their path. Ellie glared at him, recognizing him as one of Rian's friends. "It's early in the morning to cause a ruckus," she said calmly, though her eyes held a hint of challenge.
When Ellie and Rian made eye contact, a flicker of something crossed Rian's face—a flash of recognition or guilt, perhaps. He quickly looked away and began walking past them. In a deliberate move, he bumped into In-ha, causing a ripple of confusion among those watching.
Ellie sighed inwardly, sensing the tension in the air. She guided In-ha away from the commotion, trying to keep him from getting drawn into any unnecessary drama. As they moved through the cafeteria,
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"You don't want to get on their bad side, do you?" the girl said in a panicked whisper to In-ha, as they huddled in a corner of the room.
"Everything Chang-min said is true. The kid who crossed Rian ended up dead. They said it was a hit-and-run, but that's bullshit," she continued, her voice low and urgent. In-ha listened carefully, sensing the gravity of her words.
"He was so scared of Rian's goons that he ran into traffic—or maybe someone ran him down on purpose," she added, her eyes darting nervously around the room. Ellie, who had been quietly reading her book in the corner, shifted slightly, making the girl relax a bit.
"But why? What did the student do to piss off Rian?" In-ha asked, perplexed by the dangerous aura surrounding Rian.
Ellie paused in her reading, intrigued by the conversation unfolding beside her. The girl looked at them both, considering how much to reveal. "It's because of Jae-i. He was friends with her, and Rian didn't like it," she explained, her voice tinged with caution.
"That's it?" In-ha exclaimed, dumbfounded by the simplicity of the reason.
The girl shook her head, a knowing look in her eyes. "That's not all. It's not just because Jae-i and Rian are friends. She's his girlfriend—his Achilles' heel. He only cares about her," she elaborated, emphasizing the depth of Rian's feelings for Jae-i.
In-ha sighed, absorbing the information. The girl glanced at Ellie and then quietly excused herself, leaving the two of them to ponder the revelations. Ellie rolled her eyes at the drama surrounding Rian and Jae-i, muttering sarcastically to In-ha, "Why did you get yourself into this mess?"
In-ha looked at Ellie, a mix of frustration and amusement on his face. "Jae-i and Rian," Ellie whispered to herself with a chuckle before walking away, leaving In-ha alone to contemplate the complexities of relationships at Jooshin High.
Alone in the quiet garden, Ellie decided to take a break and smoke. She set her bag down and found a secluded spot where she could light up.
As she flicked her lighter and brought the cigarette to her lips, memories flooded back—memories of the day she almost lost herself when her brother was killed, a victim of what was officially termed a hit-and-run.
Her fist clenched involuntarily at the injustice of it all. Just then, voices caught her attention. Curious, she followed the sound and quietly approached a nearby room. Peeking inside, she saw Rian and Jae-i engaged in conversation.
Ellie froze, her cigarette forgotten. She leaned against the wall, listening intently to their conversation, trying to make sense of the tangled web of relationships.
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