The Billionaire’s Son in the Shadows

"The most dangerous secrets are the ones you don't even know you're keeping."

Joon-hyuk walked down the hallway, his hands tucked into his pockets, acting like Kang Min-ho’s warning meant nothing. But deep inside, something in him was boiling.

He had promised himself that he wouldn’t let anyone in this school get to him. That he wouldn’t care about their world, their money, their fake power plays. But hearing those words—

"You don’t belong."

It hit deeper than he wanted to admit.

Because they were true.

Not in the way Kang Min-ho thought, though. Joon-hyuk didn’t belong in this school—not because he was poor, but because he was richer than all of them combined.

The Hidden Life

No one at Shinseong High knew who he really was. They thought he was just a scholarship student with no connections, no status. And he let them believe that.

Because the truth?

His father was Lee Tae-sung, CEO of LK Group, a multi-billion-dollar empire that controlled everything from luxury hotels to tech companies. A man who had power that stretched far beyond Korea.

But to the world, Lee Tae-sung didn’t have a son.

Joon-hyuk had spent his whole life in the shadows, hidden away from reporters, from cameras, from anyone who could connect him to his father’s name. It wasn’t just a choice—it was a command.

"You will not use my name. You will not seek attention. And above all, you will not show weakness."

His father’s words had never left him.

That’s why Joon-hyuk had fought for his own place in this school, getting in through his own grades, his own abilities. No one handed him a silver spoon. No one even knew he was holding one.

The Girl Who Sees Too Much

Joon-hyuk reached the rooftop, the only place in Shinseong High where he could breathe. Away from the whispers, the expectations, the constant pretending.

But today, he wasn’t alone.

Han Soo-ah stood there, leaning against the railing, staring at the skyline.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

She didn’t turn around. "Thinking. What about you?"

"Existing."

That made her chuckle. “So mysterious. You’re like one of those brooding drama protagonists.”

Joon-hyuk sighed. "And you're like one of those nosy female leads who can't mind her own business."

Soo-ah finally turned to face him, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "That’s because you’re interesting."

Joon-hyuk raised an eyebrow. "I’m not."

"Oh, you definitely are." She stepped closer. "You’re different. And not in the ‘scholarship student trying to survive’ way."

For the first time, Joon-hyuk felt something close to panic. Did she… know?

Before he could respond, she smirked. "Relax. I’m just saying—I can tell you’re hiding something."