SCARLET STRINGS

PART 4

At Haneul Academy, even the teachers treaded lightly around Aria. Her father’s wealth and influence cast a long shadow, and no one wanted to risk upsetting her. Though Aria didn’t abuse her power, her reputation for being cold and unapproachable made even the strictest teachers hesitate before reprimanding her.

One day, during lunch break, Aria sat alone in the courtyard, flipping through a book. The chatter of students surrounded her, but she paid no attention—until a commotion caught her eye.

Near the far corner of the schoolyard, a group of girls had cornered someone, their taunts and laughter echoing through the air. Aria’s sharp gaze zeroed in on the scene.

The victim was a petite girl with round glasses and a nervous demeanor. She clutched her books tightly as the bullies surrounded her, shoving her and mocking her timid nature.

“Why don’t you just leave this school? You don’t belong here,” one of the bullies sneered.

“Yeah, no one even notices you’re here. You’re just a loser,” another chimed in.

The girl’s eyes welled with tears, but she didn’t respond.

Aria stood, her movements deliberate and slow. She wasn’t the type to involve herself in others’ problems, but something about this scene struck a nerve. Without a word, she walked over to the group.

The bullies noticed her immediately, their expressions shifting from smugness to unease.

“What do you want?” the ringleader asked, trying to sound brave.

Aria tilted her head, her voice calm but laced with menace. “Leave her alone.”

The ringleader laughed nervously. “And what if we don’t?”

Aria smirked. “Then I’ll show you why that’s a bad idea.”

Before they could react, Aria demonstrated her martial arts skills with swift, calculated precision. A quick sweep of her leg knocked one bully to the ground, and a sharp elbow strike sent another stumbling backward. The remaining girls backed away, their bravado shattered.

“Apologize,” Aria demanded, her tone ice-cold.

“We’re sorry!” they stammered before running off, leaving their victim behind.

The bullied girl looked up at Aria with wide eyes. “Thank you…” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Aria shrugged. “Don’t thank me. Learn to stand up for yourself.”

Just then, Jinwoo arrived on the scene, having heard about the incident from a classmate. When he saw the girl, his eyes widened.

“Eunji? Are you okay?” Jinwoo asked, rushing to his younger sister’s side.

“I-I’m fine,” Eunji stammered, glancing at Aria.

Jinwoo turned to Aria, his expression a mix of gratitude and admiration. “You helped her?”

Aria crossed her arms. “Yeah. So what?”

Jinwoo smiled, ignoring her rude tone. “Thank you. Really.”

Aria narrowed her eyes, her voice sharp. “I didn’t do it for you. Keep your gratitude to yourself.”

Jinwoo chuckled, unbothered by her coldness. “You really are something else.”

Aria rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving Jinwoo behind. But as he watched her retreating figure, his admiration for her grew even stronger.

“She’s incredible,” Eunji whispered.

Jinwoo nodded, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Yeah, she is."

Would you like to continue with Jinwoo trying to get closer to Aria, or focus on Aria’s growing popularity and challenges?