The Next Day,Jasper arrived at school, carrying his backpack and dressed in a white jacket with a plain white cap. He pulled up in his sleek sports car, the top down, attracting the attention of several students around. The school bus was already waiting for the students going on the study tour. Jasper made no hurry to board the bus. His homeroom teacher was busy checking the names of students, and she noticed that Jasper was missing from the list. She stepped out of the bus and looked around, spotting him parked across the street.
Jasper smirked and waved at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking.
"Unbelievable," the teacher muttered, shaking his head. "I'm not responsible if anything happens to you on the road!"
Jasper gave him a nonchalant wave and shouted back, "Noted!"
Jun Ho, who had been standing by the bus, turned his attention to Jasper. With a mischievous grin, he ran across the street, ignoring the teacher's shouting, and jumped into Jasper's car.
"Jun Ho!" the teacher called out, but Jun Ho was already inside the car, laughing.
"Later, Mr. Han!" he called out.
In Jasper's Car,The wind whipped around them as the car sped down the road, the engine's roar filling the air. Jun Ho leaned back in the passenger seat, looking relaxed and carefree.
"Man, this car is insane," Jun Ho said, glancing at Jasper. "You sure you're not secretly some chaebol heir?"
Jasper smirked but kept his eyes on the road. "You watch too many dramas."
Jun Ho grinned. "Maybe, but this car screams 'I'm rich and better than everyone else.' Seriously, how much did this cost you? I'd need to work five part-time jobs just to pay for one of your tires."
Jasper shrugged, unfazed. "Not my problem. Just enjoy the ride."
Jun Ho laughed. "Hey, I'm not complaining. But honestly, how are you so chill about skipping the bus? The teacher looked like he was going to explode."
Jasper rolled his eyes. "He'll live. Who wants to be stuck in a cramped bus with a bunch of idiots for hours?"
Jun Ho chuckled. "True. Speaking of idiots, do you think Kyung Ho and his gang are gonna start something stupid on this trip?"
Jasper smirked again. "Oh, I'm sure they're cooking up something brilliant. Maybe another round of their 'genius' pranks."
Jun Ho laughed, shaking his head. "You're savage, man."
Meanwhile, On the Bus ,The students on the bus were in full party mode. Music was blaring, snacks were flying around, and there was an almost constant buzz of chatter and laughter.
Kyung Ho, sitting at the back of the bus with his group, had a scowl on his face.
"Did you see Jasper's car?" Taehyun asked, nudging Kyung Ho. "That guy is so full of himself, driving around like he's some movie star."
Min Joo joined in, rolling his eyes. "And now he's skipping the bus? Who does he think he is, huh?"
Jin Woo added, "Seriously, who does he think he is? Jasper the Great?"
Just as they were about to continue their complaints, there was a sudden stir from the students around them. They all turned to look out the windows, and it was clear that something was happening.
Kyung Ho peered outside, his eyes narrowing as he saw Jasper's car pulling up next to the bus, driving smoothly alongside them.
Jun Ho, sitting in the passenger seat, quickly grabbed a book and held it up to cover his face. It was clear he was enjoying the attention but pretending otherwise.
Kyung Ho gritted his teeth. "That bastard," he muttered.
The car and the bus moved side by side, and then Jasper, with a calm smirk, lifted one hand from the steering wheel and gave the bus the middle finger.
The reaction from the students on the bus was instantaneous—some gasped, others laughed, and a few even shouted in surprise.
"Did he just—?" one guy asked in disbelief.
"That was so cool," another whispered, impressed.
Kyung Ho slammed his fist on the window. "That arrogant jerk!"
Min Joo and Jin Woo groaned in unison.
"Trying too hard to be cool," Min Joo grumbled.
"Yeah, like he owns the world or something," Jin Woo added, rolling his eyes.
Taehyun leaned back, crossing his arms. "He's really asking for it, isn't he?"
Kyung Ho clenched his fists. "Let him enjoy his moment. We'll see how long he lasts."
Back in Jasper's Car,Jun Ho peeked over the top of his book, watching the bus and the students react to what they had just done. He chuckled and turned to Jasper.
"You're insane, you know that?" Jun Ho said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Jasper shot him a sideways glance, a full grin spreading across his face. "You just figured that out?"
Jun Ho smirked. "Remind me to never get on your bad side."
Jasper kept his eyes on the road. "Too late for that, punk."
The car sped down the highway, leaving the bus—and the chaos behind them—far in the distance.
Soon, they arrived at their destination. Jasper and Jun Ho had arrived earlier than everyone else. As the rest of the students began to disembark from the bus along with their homeroom teacher, Kyung Ho and his gang immediately made their way toward Jasper.
But just as things seemed to settle down, a car from another school arrived. The students from the other school got out, and Jasper's attention was immediately drawn to a particular girl among them. She was Ji Hye—the girl from the diner a few days ago, the one who had been serving him.
Jasper stood frozen for a moment, watching Ji Hye as she stepped out of the car. Her presence seemed to catch his attention in an almost magnetic way, as though everything around him faded out of focus. Her hair was tied back loosely, and she had a calm, composed expression on her face. Despite the chaotic atmosphere, there was something about her that made her stand out. He couldn't help but feel a sudden rush of memories from their brief encounter.
Jun Ho, noticing Jasper's distracted state, slapped him on the shoulder, snapping him out of his trance. "Come on, man, let's go inside. You're acting like you've seen a ghost."
Jasper blinked, turning to Jun Ho with a smirk. "Don't be ridiculous," he muttered, his usual cool demeanor returning. But there was a flicker of something in his eyes as he quickly looked back toward Ji Hye, who had just turned and walked with her friends, oblivious to the attention she had drawn.
The group moved toward the entrance, and as they did, Jasper's gaze lingered on Ji Hye for a few more moments. His mind was racing, but he didn't want to admit it—not yet. His thoughts were interrupted when Jun Ho nudged him again.
"Hey, stop staring. You've already seen her once. You don't want to look like a creeper."
Jasper shot Jun Ho a quick glare, though his mind was far from the playful teasing of his friend. It wasn't like him to get caught up in thoughts about a girl, but something about Ji Hye had left an impression on him. He couldn't shake the feeling that their paths had crossed for a reason.
As they walked through the doors of the building, Jasper's gaze briefly flicked to Ji Hye, who was talking with some other students. His curiosity about her was only growing stronger, and he couldn't help but wonder if their story was far from over.
Inside the building, the group walked through the hallways, heading upstairs. Their homeroom teacher was there, assigning rooms for everyone. The sleeping arrangements were simple—each room was for two people, and Jasper and Jun Ho got a room with two levels, a bunk bed.
Meanwhile, Min Joo was standing by the window, looking over at the building next to theirs. He squinted, noticing something, and then spoke, "I think I'll meet my girlfriend there. She's from that school, and now she's on this study tour too. Our building is right next to theirs."
Jin Woo, always the curious one, chimed in, "Do you think we can have some fun with the girls over there?"
Taehyun overheard them and smirked, "You guys are such punks."
Kyung Ho, who had been quietly rummaging through his bag, suddenly pulled out a bottle of alcohol and grinned, "Let's have some fun tonight!" His eyes glinted with mischief as he looked around at the group.
Back to Jasper, who had been sitting on the staircase, his earphones plugged in, he watched everything quietly. He noticed a middle-aged man talking to their homeroom teacher. The conversation seemed ordinary, but Jasper overheard a few words that caught his attention. The man was apparently the one responsible for preparing their meals during the trip.
Meanwhile, Taehyun, with his usual energy, walked down the stairs with his backpack, heading toward the empty cafeteria. Jasper, curious about what was going on, decided to follow him. As he entered the cafeteria, he noticed Kyung Ho, Min Joo, and Jin Woo sitting at a table, sipping alcohol and enjoying some noodles, looking completely relaxed and carefree despite the tension that had surrounded them earlier.
Jasper couldn't help but watch for a moment, sensing that things were about to get even more complicated. The mood seemed to shift, and he wasn't sure if he should be part of it.
Jasper entered the cafeteria without a care in the world, his steps light as if he didn't have a worry. The others, sitting at the table, couldn't help but murmur amongst themselves as he walked by. There was an air of annoyance in their voices as they exchanged glances.
"Look who finally decided to show up," Kyung Ho muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.
Jasper, sensing their gaze and the irritation in the air, turned around with a sarcastic smile. He then shot back, "Is this place yours or something?" His tone was sharp, his confidence unwavering.
Without waiting for a response, he walked up to the counter where the food was kept. Grabbing a few instant noodle packs and some packaged rice, along with bottled water, he tossed them into a plastic bag, his movements calm and deliberate. His eyes met a few others in the room, but he didn't acknowledge them further, acting as if he was simply going about his business.
After collecting his food, Jasper left the cafeteria, making his way back to his room. He found Jun Ho already there, lounging comfortably on the lower bunk of their two-level bed.
"I got us some food," Jasper said casually, placing the plastic bag on Jun Ho's bed.
Jun Ho looked up, a wide grin spreading across his face as he reached for the food. "You're the best, man," he said with enthusiasm, already unwrapping the noodles.
Jasper, feeling the familiar pang of hunger himself, dropped onto the lower bunk and leaned back, letting out a sigh. "I swear, I'm starving," he muttered, rubbing his stomach. He grabbed his own portion of noodles and began to eat.
The room was quiet for a moment, the sound of slurping noodles and the occasional sigh breaking the stillness. Jun Ho was in a good mood, smiling as he dug into his meal, but Jasper remained unusually pensive. His thoughts drifted back to the moments before, to the tension between him and the others in the cafeteria.
As he chewed his food, his gaze was unfocused, lost in the thoughts of what had happened and what might come next. There was something about this trip, the people, and the growing tension that felt like it was just the beginning of something more complicated. But for now, he let the moment pass, focusing instead on the simple pleasure of filling his stomach.
Jun Ho, always more talkative, broke the silence again. "Do you think they're gonna do something stupid tonight?" he asked, looking over at Jasper with a grin.
Jasper's lips curled into a faint smirk as he looked up at him. "Of course they will. They always do."
Jun Ho laughed, shaking his head. "I swear, those guys are just asking for trouble."
Jasper didn't respond right away, taking another bite of his meal. There was a sense of calm in the air now, but it was clear to him that the storm was far from over. He didn't know exactly what was coming, but he knew it wouldn't be long before something would shake things up again.
That night, inside Kyung Ho's room, the group of friends gathered around, raising bottles of soju, laughing loudly, and enjoying the night. The music blared, vibrating the walls, and the atmosphere was one of carefree revelry.
But the noise was too much for Jasper, who had already fallen asleep in his room. The sound of their laughter and the thumping music filtered through the walls, waking him up. He groggily rubbed his eyes, muttering to himself, "What the hell are they doing, making all that noise?"
Annoyed, he got up from his bed, sliding on his shoes as Jun Ho followed him, sensing his irritation. Jasper opened the door, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw what was happening next door.
The light flickered on, revealing a scene he hadn't expected: empty soju bottles, snacks scattered all over the place, and most surprisingly, two girls sitting in the middle of the chaos. They looked out of place, unsure, but seemingly caught up in the party.
Jasper's face twisted into an expression of frustration. He sighed loudly before turning off the light again. "Continue, but no weird noises," he muttered through clenched teeth, shaking his head in disbelief. Then, he slammed the door shut behind him with a force that reverberated through the hallway.
Jun Ho stood there, not sure whether to laugh or worry, but simply followed Jasper's lead.
Once inside his room, Jasper paced back and forth, still seething. He grabbed his phone and quickly typed a message to their homeroom teacher.
"Check the CCTV. They're bringing girls into the building. If this goes south, we're going to have a problem."
He hit send and leaned back, his anger simmering. The night had taken an unexpected turn, and it seemed like things were only going to get worse. Jasper didn't know if his message would do anything, but he wasn't about to let his classmates turn the study tour into a disaster.
Jun Ho, still standing near the door, shot Jasper a confused look. "You really think she'll do anything?" he asked.
Jasper let out a short, bitter laugh. "Does it even matter? It's just a matter of time before everything goes sideways." He rubbed his temples, trying to suppress the rising frustration.
There was a tense silence between them, the weight of the night settling in as they both waited to see if anything would change.
Jasper let out a long sigh, tired of all the chaos happening around them. He glanced at Jun Ho for a moment before walking back to his bed. "Now, I'm going to sleep," he said flatly. "Whatever happens tomorrow, happens."
Jun Ho nodded, a bit surprised by Jasper's calmness despite the escalating situation. He knew Jasper was the type to rarely show frustration or excessive emotion, but it was clear that he had reached his limit this time.
Jasper lay down on his bed, pulling the blanket up to cover himself. His eyes stared at the ceiling, but his mind was still swirling with thoughts of what might happen with his friends, especially Kyung Ho and his gang, who seemed to have no sense of boundaries.
He closed his eyes, trying to sleep, though the sounds of music and laughter from the next room still reached him. "Tomorrow... we'll see what happens," he muttered quietly.
Outside the room, the noise continued. Kyung Ho and his gang had no intention of stopping, while in the other room, Jasper tried to calm himself to rest, knowing that tonight could end with even more chaos. But for now, he just wanted to get some sleep and see what would unfold the next day.