Kim Ri-an had never so much as cast a glance at another girl during his time with Jae-i. Even after their breakup, his gaze remained fixed solely on her. That was, until you entered the picture.

In the cavernous halls of his opulent mansion, Ri-an wallowed in a silent grief that felt infinitely heavier than the luxurious surroundings he inhabited. Behind his frosty demeanor and the swirling rumors that followed him like a shadow, Jae-i had been the only person who truly mattered, the one who filled the aching void left by his mother. His mother had been emotionally distant, a fleeting presence in his life, seldom engaging in conversation longer than thirty minutes, and often absent altogether.

Jae-i had been his constant since childhood, a steadfast companion since they were just six years old. Yet now she had walked away, convinced that his entourage was responsible for an accident that had taken a life—a tragic misunderstanding, as the truth was that the boy had merely stumbled into traffic with no one pushing him.

With Jae-i out of the equation, the school buzzed with girls vying for his attention, yet he remained impervious to their advances, shutting them out as if they were mere specters.

The belief that he would never love again weighed heavily on him, so he channeled all his energy into a singular obsession: destroying Kang-Ha, the scholarship kid who had dared to kiss Jae-i in front of him at the party. Rage became his refuge.

But then you joined the school, and everything began to shift. Your laughter rang out like a balm, infectious and uplifting, igniting a smile that he couldn't suppress even when he tried to hide behind his hand.

Before long, he found himself drawn to you, compelled to bridge the gap that Jae-i had torn wide open in his heart. And as he sought your friendship, he realized with dawning clarity that he was falling—hard—for you. Far harder than he ever had for Jae-i.