SCARLET STRINGS

PART 3

Aria woke up in her oversized bedroom, sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked a private garden. The space was the epitome of luxury, with plush cream carpets, golden accents, and a four-poster bed draped in silk.

Her morning was as quiet as ever—her only companion, Mrs. Choi, the nanny who had been with her since she was a child. Mrs. Choi had prepared breakfast for her in the grand dining hall, but Aria barely touched it. She wasn’t hungry, and she wasn’t in the mood for small talk.

She threw on an outfit that hugged her curves and exuded confidence: a cropped black top paired with high-waisted denim shorts and thigh-high boots. She didn’t care if it was too revealing for the library; she always dressed how she wanted.

The library was buzzing with activity when she arrived. Heads turned the moment she walked in. Whispers rippled through the room as she made her way to the romance section, her heels clicking against the polished floors. She chose a spot by the large windows, leaning back in her chair with a novel in hand.

Across the room, Jinwoo had just entered with his friends. They were here for a completely different purpose—to raid the comic section.

“Dude, isn’t that the new girl?” one of his friends, Minho, whispered, nudging Jinwoo.

“Who?” Jinwoo asked absentmindedly, scanning the shelves.

Minho pointed toward Aria. Jinwoo turned, his eyes widening slightly when he spotted her.

“Wow,” Minho muttered. “She’s insanely hot.”

“She looks like a goddess,” another friend, Jaemin, added, practically drooling.

Jinwoo rolled his eyes. “Calm down, guys. She’s just another girl.” But even as he said it, he couldn’t help but stare a little longer.

Feeling daring, Minho and Jaemin decided to approach her. Jinwoo followed, curious to see how she’d react.

“Hi,” Minho began, flashing his most charming smile. “We couldn’t help but notice you. You’re the girl who fought like a pro yesterday, right? That was amazing!”

Aria barely glanced up from her book. “And?”

Jaemin chuckled nervously. “And… we were wondering if you could teach us some moves. Or, you know, give us your number?”

Aria finally looked up, her sharp gaze silencing them instantly. “I’m not here to entertain you. Leave.”

Her tone was icy, her expression unreadable. The boys exchanged awkward glances, clearly taken aback by her bluntness.

Jinwoo, who had been watching from a few steps away, smirked. “She’s too much,” he said under his breath, loud enough for her to hear.

Aria’s eyes flicked to him. “And you’re too loud.”

Jinwoo laughed, intrigued by her audacity. “Fair enough. But you’re not as scary as you think you are.”

She leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing. “Want to find out?”

The tension between them was electric. Jinwoo held her gaze for a moment longer before shrugging. “Another time, maybe.” He turned to his friends. “Let’s go.”

As they walked away, Minho whispered, “Man, she’s incredible. I’ve never seen a girl like her.”

“Me neither,” Jinwoo admitted, though he’d never say it out loud.

By the next morning, Aria’s reputation had skyrocketed.

Every boy in the school—seniors, juniors, even those who usually kept to themselves—was smitten. Her beauty, her attitude, and her mysterious vibe made her the center of attention.

In the cafeteria, girls whispered about her, their envy palpable.

“She thinks she’s so special just because she’s pretty.”
“I heard she beat up some guy in the library.”
“She’s just showing off.”

But no amount of gossip could change the fact that Aria was untouchable.

Jinwoo watched from his usual spot with his friends, sipping on a soda as he observed the chaos she had unintentionally caused.

“She’s like a walking hurricane,” Minho said.

“More like a typhoon,” Jinwoo muttered, smirking. Despite himself, he found her captivating. She wasn’t like the other girls who fawned over him—she didn’t care about his money, his looks, or his charm. And that only made him more curious about her.

Would you like to explore Aria’s growing popularity, her clashes with jealous classmates, or Jinwoo’s attempts to get closer to her next?