Mrs. Jung, the owner of the Savour Barbecue restaurant, watched thoughtfully as she observed the high school girl, who appeared to be about the same age as her daughter. The girl remained composed, not reacting at all to Mrs. Jung's gaze. Mrs. Jung wondered why a high school student would choose to work instead of focusing on studying for the college entrance exam. However, she understood that not everyone came from a privileged background, and perhaps the girl was facing difficulties at home.
In a serious tone, Mrs. Jung asked, "What did you say your name was? Is it Kim Ha Eun?"
"Yes," the girl replied, maintaining her composure.
Mrs. Jung, still curious, asked again, "Are you sure you want to work here? Aren't you supposed to be studying for the college entrance exam?"
The girl lowered her head slightly before looking up again, her eyes filled with unwavering determination. "It won't be a problem," she answered.
Her calmness was striking, especially considering her age. Despite not being particularly tall, she exuded a sense of resolve in her decision.
As Ha Eun walked back home, she absentmindedly rubbed the strap of her backpack, reflecting on her situation. Despite now having three part-time jobs—including the one she had just started, along with her shifts at the convenience store and laundromat—it still wasn't enough to cover everything. She struggled to pay for her expenses while trying to save for college.
Lost in her thoughts, she eventually arrived at what she called home. She could hear noise from inside, but her expression remained unchanged. Without sparing a glance at the cluttered living room or her crying mother, she walked straight to her room, ignoring her drunken stepfather slumped on the sofa, rambling nonsense. She was used to this scene; it had become a normal part of her life. Sitting down at her desk, she pulled out her book and started to study.
She thought that if she worked harder, maybe she could earn a scholarship to a university, and that would ease the burden of saving money.
The lamp on the study desk of a girl who hoped to lessen her misery never turned off that night, and for several nights to come .
.....
Ha Eun sat in the far left corner of the classroom, engrossed in her English vocabulary book. Most of the time, she remained unnoticed by her classmates, having little presence in the class. They only remembered her as the girl who consistently ranked in the top ten but never quite made it into the top three.
Park Chaewon and her friends entered the classroom, immediately starting to chat. Chaewon could be considered a "child of fortune"—born with a charming face and an air of arrogance that naturally came from her wealthy background. She was in a completely different world compared to Kim Ha Eun. While Ha Eun had little to no presence, Chaewon's was felt strongly. Despite her haughty attitude and fiery temper, which were often overlooked due to her beauty and influential family, Chaewon was always surrounded by both boys and girls. She was the kind of person at school that no one dared to offend.
In contrast, Ha Eun, though possessing a small, fair face with delicate features that could have easily attracted boys, kept her long bangs that nearly covered her eyes. She was also marked by ever-present dark circles and a gloomy air around her. Her classmates preferred to keep their distance, and she had no friends—nor did she intend to make any. She was a loner.
Ha Eun stayed focused on her studies at her desk, and even during lunch breaks, she spent her time alone on the rooftop. But she didn't care about being isolated from her peers. She had built strong walls around herself, intentionally separating herself from others.
Mrs. Julia, their homeroom teacher, soon walked into the classroom, and the chatter finally quieted down. However, Ha Eun barely glanced up until Mrs. Julia began the lesson. It was English class, and Ha Eun was actually quite skilled at it. Despite never having a tutor or attending cram schools, she was fluent enough in English that her mother once remarked she could easily study abroad. Nevertheless, Ha Eun remained focused, taking notes carefully. She couldn't afford to miss anything.
...
It was lunch break, and Ha Eun quickly finished her meal at the school canteen before the place became crowded. She then headed to her usual spot on the rooftop. The rooftop was quiet, and few students made the effort to climb the many stairs to reach it. Even those looking for a place to smoke preferred the alley behind the building. This made it the perfect place for Ha Eun to have some alone time, often spent revising her notes.
While Ha Eun was deeply focused on memorizing a literature passage, the door to the rooftop suddenly swung open. One of Chaewon's group members pushed a girl onto the roof, followed by the rest of the group, though Chaewon herself was absent. One girl roughly grabbed the poor girl's hair and shoved her to the ground, hurling insults at her. Ha Eun, trying to block out the noise, put in her earphones, but one of them was broken, and she could still hear everything.
The short-haired girl in the group sneered at the girl on the floor. "Didn't you know Ji Ho is with Chaewon? They're a couple," she said. The girl, trembling, replied through sobs, "But when someone asked Ji Ho earlier, he said they weren't dating." The taller girl in the group laughed mockingly. "So, does that mean you can just give him your towel? They're about to start dating," she taunted before slapping the girl. The girl on the ground cried and begged them to stop.
Despite the commotion, Ha Eun didn't move from her seat. She might have been seen as cold and selfish, but she didn't want to get involved or cause any trouble for herself. After a moment, she quietly stood up and left the rooftop. The girls were too caught up in their bullying to notice her departure.
As Ha Eun descended the stairs and reached the hallway, she encountered a girl who was looking for her friend—the one who had been dragged onto the rooftop. The girl said she had been called by the teacher, so Ha Eun simply told her that she had seen the girl on the rooftop. The girl, surprised by the sudden answer, asked, "Are you sure?" but Ha Eun didn't look back and continued walking away.
...
Ha Eun had initially thought the rooftop would be the ideal spot for her to study in peace, but soon enough, the bully began frequenting it, drawn to the fact that teachers avoided the area even more than the students did. Left with no choice, Ha Eun searched for another quiet spot, and she stumbled upon a secluded corner behind the main building. This area was surrounded by unkempt hedges that the school gardener had clearly neglected, and because it was tucked away, no one seemed to notice the bench hidden there. After observing the area for a week and seeing no one around, Ha Eun thought she had finally found her perfect study haven.
However, she soon realized she had overlooked one important detail: this spot was actually the preferred resting place of Choi Ji-ho, the school's most notorious troublemaker.
Ha Eun's first encounter with Ji-ho was nothing short of jarring. As she walked toward the bench, she spotted him lounging under the shade of a large tree, his signature black hoodie pulled low over his face. At first, she thought he was alone, but as she drew closer, she could hear the faint sound of music blaring through his headphones. The moment he noticed her presence, he pulled the headphones out with a sharp motion, his eyes narrowing.
"What do you want?" Ji-ho's voice was as sharp as the glare he gave her.
Ha Eun froze for a moment, unsure of how to respond. She had only wanted to study, but she couldn't help but feel an unease at the sudden confrontation. "I—I was just looking for a quiet place to study," she stammered, her words coming out softer than she had intended.
Ji-ho's lips curled into a smirk, the kind that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "You picked the wrong spot. This is my territory."
Ha Eun, heart racing, looked around. The area was isolated, and there didn't seem to be anyone else nearby. She took a deep breath and tried to keep her composure. "I didn't know," she said, her tone firming slightly. "But I need somewhere quiet."
Ji-ho's smirk faded as he looked her over. There was a brief silence, and Ha Eun wondered if he would just tell her to leave. But instead, he leaned back against the tree and shrugged.
"Fine," he said, a hint of something else in his voice. "I don't need this bench anyway. But don't expect me to be nice about it."
Ha Eun wasn't sure what to make of his response, but she chose not to press the issue. She sat down on the bench, pulling out her books and opening them to the page she had last studied. For a few minutes, everything seemed peaceful, but the tension in the air was palpable.
After a while, Ha Eun began to notice that Ji-ho was no longer just sitting quietly. He would occasionally glance at her, his eyes sharp and watchful. He seemed to be studying her just as intently as she was trying to study her notes.
The atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension, and Ha Eun couldn't shake the feeling that her once-perfect study spot might not be so perfect after all.