Daeyeon Private School, in the heart of Seoul, was a place where wealth and power mattered more than grades. People did not study there. They survived. And the king of that survival was Minho. Handsome, arrogant, with an icy gaze and fists that had met every jaw bold enough to speak out of line. Everyone knew that Minho’s father was a powerful official with connections so strong that even the school principal was more afraid of his calls than those of any parent. Every day, students stepped aside for Minho in the hallway, careful not to meet his eyes. Once, a second-year student accidentally brushed against his shoulder. The next day, he came to school with a cast on his nose and the official story that he had fallen down the stairs. After that, no one doubted that Minho was not to be taken lightly.

But even shadows have cracks. And that crack was Jisung. Quiet, always with a book in hand, headphones on, eyes downcast. It was as if he did not exist. He avoided loud groups, never went to the cafeteria during lunch, ate in the back courtyard. He was first in the academic rankings. But more than that, he was the one person Minho could not ignore.

One day, in the empty school library, when Minho walked in, a short exchange took place between them. It later became something of a legend.

Minho silently approached Jisung’s table. Jisung flinched, sensing someone nearby, and slowly looked up. Minho was standing right in front of him, holding a thin book in his hand. — "You like reading, right?" — Minho asked hoarsely, placing the book on the table.