"Ah, Ju Mi… are you okay?"
A girl with short black hair stopped Kim Ju Mi at the school entrance, eyeing her curiously. Ju Mi raised an eyebrow, as if asking, What do you mean?
"Well… you look a bit taller," the girl said hesitantly. "And, um… your shoulders seem broader than before. Your eyes look a little narrower, too. And you're wearing some heavy makeup today…"
She paused, glancing at Ju Mi's outfit. "Most of all, why are you wearing a high-neck shirt in the middle of summer? Aren't you hot?"
Ju Mi sighed. Why are these girls so nosy? Can't they just mind their own business?
"So what?" she said, her tone sharp with annoyance.
The short-haired girl let out an awkward laugh. "Hah… ha… I was just checking if you were okay. I didn't mean anything by it. Sorry, Ju Mi!"
Ju Mi shot her a cold side-eye before walking past her and entering the school gates.
Ansung High.
A well-known school in Itaewon, with large grounds and tall buildings. From the outside, it looked like the perfect place to study.
But that was just an illusion.
Shaking her head, Ju Mi pushed away any unnecessary thoughts and kept walking forward.
Once she was out of sight, a girl standing by the entrance turned to Mina. "Hey, Mina, why did you ask Ju Mi that?"
Mina, the short-haired girl, sighed, her eyes filled with worry. She had been checking the outfits of the schoolgirls, probably as part of her duty as a prefect.
"You see… I know Ju Mi is getting bullied," she said quietly. "I feel so useless. I can't do anything for her… I just wanted to check if she was okay."
The other girl let out a sigh. "Mina, that's not your problem. Don't you remember what happened to Yoon Seong? He tried to protect Ju Mi. He stood up against Yi Jun… and now he's in the hospital. Even Ju Mi must understand that we're too powerless to do anything."
But was that really true?
Would Ju Mi really understand?
Mina had been Ju Mi's friend for three years, but now they barely even talked at school. She couldn't do anything to protect her. She didn't have the courage to stand up to the bullies, not after what happened to Yoon Seong.
And today… Ju Mi had looked at her with annoyance. She spoke differently. She acted differently.
Mina clenched her fists.
That girl who just walked past the entrance… was that really the Kim Ju Mi she knew?
Mina wasn't sure anymore.
"Aaah, man! I was so close to getting caught!" Kim Ju Mi muttered to herself while trying to figure out where her classroom was.
Wait… her classroom?
Yeah, right. Like he would know.
Because the person standing here, acting like Kim Ju Mi, wasn't actually her.
Kim Ju Mi was a sweet, innocent girl. But the one walking these halls today? He was nothing like that. He was a man. A man with a sharp gaze and a cool, badass aura, Kim Ju Mi's twin brother, Kim Jun.
He couldn't sit still after hearing that his little sister was getting bullied. He needed to see for himself if it was true. Ansung High is an elite school… there's no way she's being bullied, right? That's what he thought. But Ju Mi's mental state had been getting worse every day. She refused to go to school.
So, he made a decision.
If she wouldn't go, he would.
But there was one problem, he wasn't a student at Ansung High.
That's why he did something crazy. He disguised himself as his own sister.
It wasn't too hard. He wore a high-neck shirt to hide his Adam's apple, stuffed some clothes into a bra, and threw on a wig. The wig was the hardest part. It was so itchy. But after completing all of that, he made it in.
Now, there was only one issue…
"Damn it… what was her classroom again?" he muttered under his breath. His eye twitched as he rubbed his temples.
"Oh, come on! Why is my memory so bad?!"
Kim Jun glanced around the classrooms as he walked down the hallway. The place was clean, spotless, even. The glass windows sparkled under the light, and the hallways, though packed with students chatting in groups, were just as tidy. A soft, sweet scent of perfume and hair products lingered in the air.
Muttering to himself, he kept walking until his feet stopped in front of a classroom. His eyes landed on a boy sitting by the window- a guy with bright orange hair.
Kim Jun didn't know anyone at Ju Mi's school. Not a single person.
But he did know that guy.
Ju Mi had once shown a picture of him to one of her childhood friends, and Kim Jun just happened to sneak a peek.
Kang San Ha.
The pampered son of the president of Geongsan Group. A rich kid who had probably never struggled a day in his life. Kim Jun wasn't exactly a fan of him, but at least this rich kid had been useful for once, because thanks to him, Kim Jun had found Ju Mi's classroom.
Now, onto the next problem…
Where the hell does Ju Mi sit?!
He clenched his fist and groaned under his breath.
"Ah, goddamn my crappy memory!"
Kim Jun sighed and rubbed his forehead. Alright, think, think... He had seen Ju Mi's school ID before, but he never bothered to check her class details. Damn it. He had gone through all this trouble, and now he was stuck at the classroom door like an idiot.
He peeked inside. The teacher wasn't here yet, and the students were still chatting, some leaning against desks, others laughing in groups.
Maybe he could just guess?
His eyes scanned the room. The seats near the front were filled with nerdy-looking students, scribbling in notebooks.
No way Ju Mi sits there.
The back was crowded with noisy kids who looked like trouble.
Nah, she's not the type to hang out with them either.
Then, his gaze landed somewhere in the middle, a desk with a neatly arranged notebook, and a small pink keychain hanging from the side.
Bingo.
Kim Jun strolled in casually, trying not to look suspicious. He sat down at the desk, dropping his bag beside him.
But just as he started to relax, someone slammed a hand on his desk.
"Yo, Ju Mi, where the hell were you yesterday?"
Kim Jun slowly looked up.
A mid-height, thin girl with a cocky smirk stood in front of him, arms crossed. A couple of other girls hovered behind him, watching with interest.
Kim Jun had no idea who this girl was.
Shit.
He forced a nervous chuckle, trying to sound like his sister. "Uhh… I- I wasn't feeling well so I am at home?"
The girl narrowed her eyes. "Huh? Since when do you talk like that?"
Damn it! Did Ju Mi talk differently around these girls?!
Kim Jun gulped. He was about to say something when,
"Tch. Move, you idiots."
A new voice cut in.
A tall girl with a ponytail stood up from her seat and walked over. She shoved the cocky girls aside and leaned down toward Kim Jun, resting an arm on the desk.
"Ju Mi," Tall girl said with a lazy smirk, "you sure you're okay? You look… different."
Kim Jun's heart pounded.
This girl was sharp.
Too sharp.
Just as that little chick Mina!
"Since when did you start worrying about me, huh?" Kim Jun said, leaning back with a bored look. He had no idea who these people were, and for all he knew, they could be the ones bullying his sister.
The tall girl's eyes twitched. She looked surprised like she wasn't expecting the usually quiet and sweet Ju Mi to talk back like this.
"What happened to you, Ju Mi?" The girl chuckled, but her tone was sharp. "Did you finally lose your mind because we played with you too much? Ah, but don't be mad. We're just having fun, aren't we? Kim Ju Mi, you and us… we're playmates, right?"
Now, it was clear.
So these are the ones making Ju Mi's school life hell.
Kim Jun clenched his fists under the desk, but before he could say anything, the teacher walked in.
"Tsk." The tall girl clicked her tongue and stood up straight. "Well, we'll talk later, Ju Mi."
She walked back to her seat, and the other girls followed, whispering among themselves.
Kim Jun exhaled. Damn. This might be harder than I thought.
But one thing was certain,
These people were not Ju Mi's friends.
Kim Jun forced himself to stay calm as the teacher began calling attendance. He couldn't afford to mess up now.
"Kim Ju Mi?"
He quickly raised his hand, keeping his voice as soft as possible. "Here."
The teacher barely glanced up before moving on. Good, he thought. At least the teacher wasn't paying much attention.
But the same couldn't be said for the students.
From the corner of his eye, he saw a few classmates sneaking glances at him, whispering to each other. That tall girl from earlier was watching him closely, her sharp gaze practically drilling into his skull.
Damn. This girl really won't let it go, huh?
Kim Jun tried to act natural, resting his chin on his hand like he was bored. He needed to get through this day without blowing his cover. Then, he could find out exactly what had been happening to his sister.
But just when he thought things were settling down a small, folded note slid onto his desk.
He blinked.
A note? In this day and age?
Carefully, he unfolded it under the desk.
Kim Jun stared at the note, tapping his fingers against the desk.
Meet me behind the gym after class.
His eyes flicked to the tall girl. She was smirking, resting her chin on her hand while stealing glances at him.
Tch. So, it's from her, huh?
She was testing him. Maybe she already suspected something was off.
Kim Jun leaned back in his chair, letting out a small, annoyed sigh. He couldn't react too much, Ju Mi wouldn't. If he acted too different, he'd blow his cover.
But still… Behind the gym, huh?
If this girl was part of the group that bullied Ju Mi, then he had no reason to back down.
Fine. I'll play along.
The rest of the class dragged on, but Kim Jun barely paid attention. His focus was on the upcoming meeting.
When the bell rang, students rushed out of the classroom. Kim Jun took his time, stretching and yawning, pretending to be uninterested. But as soon as the classroom emptied, he slipped out.
He made his way behind the gym, where the school walls cast a long shadow over the ground. It was quiet. No teachers, no students. Just the perfect place for a private conversation or an ambush.
Then, a voice broke the silence.
"So, you actually showed up."
The tall girl stepped out from behind the gym, arms crossed, a smirk still on her face.
Kim Jun tilted his head. "Why wouldn't I?"
She took a step closer, eyes narrowing. "You're not acting like yourself today, Ju Mi."
Kim Jun's heart pounded, but he kept his expression blank. "What are you talking about?"
The tall girl chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't know… You're different. The way you talk, the way you walk. Even the way you look at me." She leaned in slightly. "Did something happen to you?"
Kim Jun forced a small laugh. "You're imagining things."
The girl stared at him for a long moment before sighing. "Maybe." Then, her smirk returned. "But just in case… why don't we play a little game?"
Kim Jun raised an eyebrow. "Game?"
The girl stepped back and cracked her knuckles. "If you're really Ju Mi, you won't mind, right?"
Kim Jun's lips curled into a small, dangerous smile.
Oh?
Kim Jun's fingers twitched. A fight, huh?
He could take her down in seconds, no doubt about it. But if he did, he'd blow his cover. Ju Mi was weak in their eyes, a plaything, a girl who never fought back. If he suddenly showed skill, they'd know something was up.
Tch. Annoying.
The tall girl cracked her knuckles again, grinning. "What? Scared?"
Kim Jun sighed dramatically, tilting his head. "Seriously? You called me here just to fight?"
The girl's smirk widened. "Why not? If you're really Ju Mi, you'll just take a few hits and cry, right?"
So that's how they treat her, huh?
Kim Jun clenched his fists, but he forced himself to relax. He couldn't punch this girl's teeth in yet. Instead, he gave a lazy shrug. "Nah. I'm just wondering why you're so desperate to hit me."
The girl's expression twitched, but she recovered fast. "Desperate? Please. I just want to see if you're still you. Lately, you've been acting weird."
Kim Jun smirked. "Maybe I just got tired of being your punching bag."
For a second, the girl's eyes darkened.
Then, she laughed. "Hah! So you did change. Guess it's time to remind you of your place."
She swung her fist. Fast. But to Kim Jun, it was slow as hell.
He tilted his head slightly, letting the punch barely graze past him.
"Oops," he muttered, stepping back. "Missed."
The tall girl's grin faltered.
Kim Jun faked an innocent look. "You should be more careful. What if you actually hurt me?"
Her fists clenched. "You little-"
She lunged again. Another punch, then a kick- sloppy, undisciplined. Kim Jun dodged effortlessly, making sure his movements looked accidental, like Ju Mi flinching rather than avoiding a fight.
The girl clicked her tongue. "Tch. What's up with you today?"
Kim Jun let out a fake nervous chuckle. "I just don't wanna get hit?"
The girl stared at him, eyes narrowing.
For a second, Kim Jun wondered if he messed up. Maybe he was too smooth, too quick.
Then, she stepped back and scoffed. "Whatever. You're still a coward."
Kim Jun shrugged. "If you say so."
The girl turned away, tossing one last glance over her shoulder. "Stay in line, Ju Mi. I don't like surprises."
Kim Jun's eyes sharpened.
As the girl walked off, Kim Jun stood there, rolling his shoulder.
'This is worse than I thought. These guys have completely crushed Ju Mi's spirit. No wonder she's been acting strange.'
He exhaled, running a hand through his wig.