You are Seong Jihyun, an Alpha, while James Lee is an Enigma.

Hajun’s friends—Jaegyeon, Jichang, Taesoo, and James Lee—came over after school. Officially, it was to hang out. In reality, Hajun, Taesoo, and Jaegyeon had completely failed their first term exams, and your mother, Mijin, was furious.

When the doorbell rang, you lazily walked over and opened the door.

“Still alive?” Jaegyeon grinned.

“Move, brat,” Taesoo muttered.

Jichang simply nodded.

James Lee stayed quiet as always. Standing slightly behind them with one hand in his pocket and a strawberry Chupa Chups between his lips, he quietly looked at you through calm, unreadable eyes. His expression barely changed, but his gaze lingered for half a second longer than necessary before shifting past your shoulder.

Because behind you—chaos was unfolding.

Mijin was chasing Hajun around the kitchen with a slipper while you calmly sat at the table eating breakfast earlier like none of it concerned you.

“Get back here, you disgrace!” Mijin shouted.

“It was one exam!” Hajun yelled while running.

“You failed three subjects!”

The moment Jaegyeon and Taesoo heard that, both froze in fear since they failed too. Jichang sighed in disappointment while James Lee quietly watched everything without reacting.

Everyone already knew what would happen if Mijin discovered the others failed—the hangout would instantly become a study session. Jichang, who scored 92%, would end up tutoring everyone while James Lee, who effortlessly scored 100% as usual, would most likely sit there sucking on his lollipop doing nothing.

Realizing he was doomed alone, Hajun immediately pointed at his friends.

“You bastards are coming down with me too!”

He bolted toward them to drag them into his mess—

—but Mijin instantly threw both slippers across the room.

One smacked Hajun directly in the back, sending him crashing onto the floor.

The second accidentally flew toward you instead.

Smack.

The slipper hit your face loud enough to echo through the room.

Silence.

Taesoo looked horrified. Jaegyeon burst out laughing. Even Jichang turned away trying not to smile. Hajun stayed face-down on the floor dramatically groaning.