Chapter 21

Early morning at Jaedamjae.

I bustled around packing my things.

What is there to even worry about, that I’m this nervous…….

Today was the start of the new term at Yeongpung High — and the day my transfer would become official, for real this time.

In the days leading up to it, I’d listened to Grandfather’s fretful lecturing so much my ears had nearly grown calluses.

It wasn’t just nerves over being the new transfer student on her first day, either.

Grandfather had ordered the Joo bloodline to get along with each other, so I’d ended up in the same class as Joo Su-yeon — a little annoying, but something I could just ignore.

The real problem was Ryu Do-gyeong.

“Then our Do-gyeong can look after her.”

“Of course I’ll look after her.”

Just as we’d discussed over that Korean meal, I found myself saddled with Ryu Do-gyeong’s care starting from my very first day of school.

Maybe Chairman Ryu had put him up to it — Ryu Do-gyeong had shown up at Jaedamjae early that morning, saying he’d walk to school with me.

God, he’s relentless.

He didn’t look especially eager to get close to me again either. What was so great about the Seohae Group’s heir seat that he kept going out of his way to suffer for it?

I figured Ryu Do-gyeong had his own reasons, but I still didn’t love being dragged into them.

“You’re taking forever just to get ready.”

“I’m basically done. And don’t just barge into my room.”

“Did you pack your bag properly? You used to forget your supplies all the time back in kindergarten.”

……What era is this guy even talking about!

“I, I never did any such thing……”

“You want me to spell it out?”

“…….”

“Remember Parents’ Day, when you left your carnation at home and I had to—”

“Stop! Get out of my room, now!”

How does he even remember something like that.

Even I’d forgotten about my kindergarten years, and here Ryu Do-gyeong was bringing them up out of nowhere — my face went hot.

Ryu Do-gyeong said something from outside the room, but I pretended not to hear and busied myself wandering around inside instead.

Once I’d finished getting ready, Ryu Do-gyeong caught hold of my bag and we headed out of Jaedamjae together.

“……Don’t tell me you expect me to ride to school in that car.”

“Would you rather walk, then.”

The car Ryu Do-gyeong had come in was the kind of luxury sedan a chairman would ride in.

Even granting that Seohae Group’s educational foundation had built the school…… wasn’t that a little excessive?

When I hesitated, Ryu Do-gyeong didn’t even get in the car — he just stood there looking down at me, waiting.

I don’t want it getting out that I’m Dongwoo Group’s granddaughter.

Once my work got released, my face would be recognized soon enough anyway.

But if word got around school that I was Dongwoo Group’s granddaughter, the students at Yeongpung High might spread all kinds of rumors about my family in every direction.

Something like a baseless story that Dongwoo’s granddaughter had bought her way into a role, for instance.

So until I’d established myself, I wanted to keep it quiet for a while.

This had already been settled with Grandfather. He’d even gone so far as to call Joo Su-yeon in and personally ask her to keep the secret.

But if I show up riding in Ryu Do-gyeong’s car, all of that goes right out the window!

A transfer student dropped off at school by the one and only heir to Seohae Group? Just imagining the rumors that would spark was awful enough.

After agonizing over it, I shook my head.

“I don’t think this really lines up with the Chairman’s wishes.”

“…….”

“I’ll just take the bus.”

Thinking it over again, riding to school in something like that was too much for someone like me, who’d only ever splurged by taking a taxi out of fear of being late.

I’d rather just take the bus.

So shoo, go on, shoo……. I silently prayed that Ryu Do-gyeong would just take the car to school alone, when—

“……The bus isn’t so bad, either.”

“Huh?”

What’s he even saying? What is this nonsense right now.

He drags along an expensive car and a driver, and now he’s answering like he’s actually going to take the bus to school?

A man who looked like he’d never once set foot on a bus, let alone the subway, in his whole life…….

“There’s no official schedule today, so go ahead and enjoy the drive.”

“Yes……?”

“You can take your family along too, if you like.”

Driver, I’m sorry, but please don’t go. If you must go, at least take Ryu Do-gyeong with you…….

Despite my pleading eyes, the newly liberated driver thanked him over and over and started the engine.

He looks so happy I can’t even argue with it…….

I stared blankly as the car drove off into the distance.

Meanwhile, Ryu Do-gyeong, having cheerfully sent his driver off, stood there with his hands in his pockets, staring at me blankly in return.

“Why the look like you’ve lost everything. Regretting not taking the car, now that it’s too late?”

“That’s not it……”

“Then let’s get going.”

He surely wasn’t planning on just tagging along behind me without even knowing the way.

“…….”

Watching him not move first, it seemed that was exactly the plan.

Only once I started walking did he follow after me.

According to Cocoa Map, it would take about seven minutes to reach the bus stop.

So I was supposed to just walk along quietly the whole way, without doing anything else?

The script…… let me at least look at the script.

I pulled out the next day’s filming pages from my bag.

The moment I closed the bag and went to sling it back over my shoulder, Ryu Do-gyeong snatched it from me. He seemed to want to carry it for me instead.

“It’s heavy.”

The weight of the bag was nothing compared to the weight of letting Chairman Ryu’s grandson carry my bag for me.

It didn’t look like asking for it back would get me anywhere. I decided to just focus on walking to the bus stop as quickly as possible.

“Is that it over there.”

“First time riding a bus?”

“Not quite.”

“Really?”

“Do I look like some pampered young master to you……”

He’s not?

I hid my surprise with a quick, awkward cough.

He might have ridden a bus before, but I’d bet this is his first time riding one to school.

Sure enough. Ryu Do-gyeong had both of our bags slung over his back. Anyone could tell at a glance he’d never ridden a packed bus in his life.

“Give that here.”

“Why.”

“It’s easier to carry it like this. It’s also just manners.”

Taking the chance, I reclaimed my bag and demonstrated by wearing mine in front of me instead.

Ryu Do-gyeong followed my lead rather obediently.

But his composed expression vanished the instant the packed bus pulled up. Turning pale, he leaned toward me, looking utterly dismayed.

“Hey, there’s no way I’m getting on this.”

“Why not? If you don’t get on, I’ll just go by myself. I can call your driver back right now if you—”

“……I’ll get on.”

Well, look at that, he’s getting on after all…….

My whole plan to shake Ryu Do-gyeong off had completely failed.

In the end, I had no choice but to spend the entire ride to school pressed up against him on that bus.

The mood in the classroom wasn’t bad, aside from the fact that Joo Su-yeon kept glaring daggers at me the whole time.

Then again, since Grandfather’s orders meant she couldn’t openly pick a fight with me the way she did at Jaedamjae, I supposed I should count that as a small mercy.

After finishing my introduction as the new transfer student, I headed over to the empty seat the homeroom teacher had pointed out.

……Nice scent.

A fresh, clean smell brushed past my nose for a moment. It was coming from the boy sitting next to me.

His face was mostly hidden behind messy hair and thick glasses, but there was something distinctive about him all the same. Enough that even I — who’d just come face-to-face with Byeon Seo-jun and Do Je-hyeon on set — found my eyes drawn to him.

He had a solidly built frame for his age, without an ounce of extra softness on it. His summer uniform shirt sat well on him, maybe thanks to his straight shoulders. And somehow, even sitting down, he looked tall.

He could be a model.

Sitting down, I tilted my head slightly to check the boy’s name tag.

Woon Seong-ha.

A name that sounded like it belonged to a real celebrity. It wasn’t exactly a common name, and yet it felt oddly familiar.

I was sure I’d heard it somewhere before…… And there was this feeling, too. Had we met before, maybe?

“Um, hi.”

“…….”

“Looking forward to getting along.”

“…….”

Heard it somewhere, my foot. Met him before, as if.

There was no way I knew someone who’d blatantly ignore me like this after I’d said hello.

Woon Seong-ha didn’t respond to a single thing I said after that. Not once.

And it wasn’t like I’d asked for his number. Or asked to borrow money. All I’d done was ask something harmless because I was new and didn’t know my way around yet!

“So, um, do you know which page we’re supposed to have open in the textbook?”

“…….”

“……Ahem, right. Sorry for bothering you……”

I’d thought I’d built up some resistance to being ignored after what Do Je-hyeon put me through at the script reading, but I still had zero immunity to flat-out being chewed up and spat out, silence and all.

“Sae-i, hey, are you and Su-yeon close? You’ve got the same last name, so I figured maybe……”

“Hm? Who’s Su-yeon?”

“Wait, so it really was just a coincidence with the last name? Ugh, forget it, let’s go.”

As if that weren’t bad enough, the moment I played dumb about not being Chairman Joo’s granddaughter, my nameless, status-hungry classmates lost all interest and turned right back around.

I want to go home…….

I’d honestly rather deal with Ryu Do-gyeong at this point. The memory of his handsome face, constantly trying to strike up conversation with me on the way to school, started floating in front of my eyes.

My stomach ached just thinking about it.