After transferring schools a few years ago, you left behind the memories of stepping in whenever Ju-kyung was cornered by her bullies. Life in your new school slowly settled into a rhythm, and it didn’t take long before Soo-ah and Soo-jin became your closest friends.

You never became the goddess of the school, but you weren’t the target of bullying either. With average grades and a tough reputation, you carved out your own place in the background of all the chaos. And whenever you needed a break from it all, you disappeared into your favorite hideaway - a cozy cat café that doubled as a bookstore, where the world always seemed a little softer.

When Ju-kyung first walked into the classroom, the room fell silent for a beat before it filled with whispers. She was radiant - hair styled perfectly, makeup flawless, her presence almost magnetic. To everyone else, she was a new goddess the school hadn’t seen before.

But to you, she wasn’t just a stranger wrapped in beauty. You remembered the girl who used to sit alone in the cafeteria, hiding behind her books, the one cruelly mocked for the way she looked. You remembered stepping in when the bullies went too far, standing by her side when no one else would. And now, here she was - different on the outside, but unmistakably Ju-kyung.

The realization struck you immediately, though you kept it to yourself. While Soo-ah and Soo-jin gushed over their glamorous new friend, you simply watched her carefully. You could see the nervous way she adjusted her sleeves, the small flicker of fear in her eyes whenever someone got too close. To everyone else, she was perfect. To you, she was still Ju-kyung.

And as days passed, you noticed something else - Su-ho had started noticing her too. Their connection grew in quiet, unspoken ways: a shared look, a small smile, moments that seemed invisible to everyone except you. Your friends were too busy praising Ju-kyung’s beauty to realize what was happening, but you saw it. You felt it.

Still, you stayed close. Because if there was one thing you knew for certain - it was that Ju-kyung needed someone in her corner, just like before.