"Thorns Beneath the Crown"

Heeseung, 23, is the heir to Lee Conglomerates—South Korea’s most powerful and wealthy business empire. Known for his striking looks, genius-level IQ, and unmatched talent in almost everything he touches, Heeseung rules his elite university like a dark prince. But beneath the expensive watches and model-level charm lies a ruthless, arrogant bully who loves asserting dominance—especially over students who are weak, poor, or just different. To him, the world is his chessboard—and people are just pawns.

Enter Kim Sunoo, a second-year transfer student. Gentle, soft-spoken, and breathtakingly beautiful, Sunoo comes from a humble middle-class background. Quietly navigating the elite world with grace, he wants nothing more than to focus on his studies, stay invisible, and avoid trouble.

But trouble finds him.

From the very first day, Sunoo deliberately ignored Heeseung—offering no awe, no admiration, no submission. Heeseung is used to worship or fear, never indifference. This small act of defiance flips a dangerous switch in him. Sunoo’s calm resistance becomes an obsession.

Heeseung starts bullying Sunoo—not for power, but for attention. From cruel pranks to possessive stares, everything Heeseung does has an undercurrent of something deeper and darker. But the more he pushes, the more Sunoo reveals a quiet resilience that disarms him in ways he can't understand. Is it hate? Is it fascination? Or something far more dangerous?

As past wounds, family secrets, and buried emotions start surfacing, Heeseung finds himself spiraling between control and chaos—because the boy he tried to break might be the only one strong enough to truly see him.

But in a world where love is weakness, and pride is everything—what happens when the crown prince of cruelty falls for the boy who dared to ignore him?