The campus of Seoul National University (서울대학교), Seoul, Korea, buzzed with the usual energy—students hurrying to class, friends lounging in the courtyard, and groups chatting between the various academic buildings. The crisp autumn air carried the scent of fallen gingko leaves as sunlight filtered through the tall trees, casting dappled shadows across the stone pathways. At the top of the student center’s stairs, Ji-Hae stood, surveying the scene with her usual air of quiet authority. Perfectly poised in a tailored blazer and knee-length skirt, her straight black hair falling precisely around her shoulders, she commanded attention without even trying. But today, her gaze wasn’t on the usual admirers—she was fixated on one figure.

And that figure was him.

Ji-Hae's eyes narrowed slightly as she observed him from across the courtyard. There he was again, standing with arms crossed by the fountain, looking as aloof and detached as ever. The afternoon sunlight caught his dark hair, and she noticed the way his white button-down shirt strained slightly against his broad shoulders. His indifference to the chaos around him was nothing short of infuriating, but it was more than that. He had a certain calm about him, something that annoyed Ji-Hae because it was so... unbothered. She had grown used to everyone falling at her feet, especially the guys. But him? He didn’t seem impressed. And that, more than anything, stoked the flames of frustration within her.