Episode -2 " Back then, it was me "

I ran up to my room, overwhelmed, thinking about everything that happened today.

My entire past suddenly came rushing back to me.

(5 Years Ago)

"Yumin! Get up, you have to go to school!"

"No, Mom..."

"Shut up and get up, you lazy girl!"

"Ugh, okay..." (I slowly got up and went to wash my face.)

"Ugh, it's me... why do I look so ugly?"

I sighed.

"I have glasses because of my bad eyesight... and even braces because of my crooked teeth. Ugh. When I got both of these, I started to feel like I was just... average in everything..."

(tears up while looking in the mirror)

"Yah! Yumin, are you ready? Your bus is about to leave!"

"Yes, Mom!"

---------------

As I walked toward the school gates, I adjusted my glasses nervously. My braces felt tighter than usual, and I kept my head low, hoping to blend in.

But then I saw him—my only friend.

"Yumin!" She waved excitedly from under the big tree near the entrance.

His name was ha rin . A quiet girl,kind-hearted, and just as out of place as me.

"Hey, yumin," I said with a small smile.

SHe grinned. "You look... better today."

I laughed. "That’s a lie, but I’ll take it."

Just then, she appeared—Rina, the queen bee of the class. Tall, perfect skin, no braces, no glasses. Basically everything I wasn’t.

She strutted up to ha rin and smirked.

"Aww, is the nerd squad having a reunion again?"

She glanced at me from head to toe. "Yumin, are those the same glasses from last year? Still stuck in loser mode?"

I didn’t flinch. Instead, I fixed my bag on my shoulder, tilted my head, and replied calmly:

"At least I don’t need fake confidence to walk into school. You sure you’re not running out of battery for your ego today?"

Her smile faltered.

"Come on, harin . Let’s go. The air’s getting toxic here," I said coolly and walked past her like she didn’t exist.

rin looked shocked for a second, then burst into a laugh as she followed me.

Inside, I was still the girl who cried in front of the mirror.

But for once—I didn’t let anyone see it.

We entered the classroom just before the bell rang. I took my usual seat in the second-last row by the window, with rin beside me.

The class buzzed with chatter until our homeroom teacher walked in, followed by a tall guy with jet-black hair and a cold expression.

"Good morning, class. We have a new transfer student today."

The class went silent immediately—the eyes locked on him.

"I’m Park Haejin."

That’s all he said. Short. Cold. No smile.

Still, it was enough.

The girls in the class started whispering instantly.

"He’s sooo handsome!"

"Did you see his jawline?"

"I bet he’s from Seoul or something rich like that!"

The teacher continued, "Park Haejin, you can take that empty seat behind Yumin."

He pointed toward me.

I froze.

"Yumin, please help him with books, notes, and class chapters for this week."

"Yes, sir..." I muttered.

Park Haejin walked toward the seat behind me without looking at anyone. His eyes were unreadable—cold, maybe even annoyed?

I tried to stay still, but inside, my brain was running a race.

> “Why behind me? Out of the whole class? Ugh… just stay quiet and don’t embarrass yourself, Yumin.”

I could still hear the girls whispering.

"She’s so lucky."

"Why her?"

"Maybe he’ll never talk to her anyway."

I glanced sideways at rin. She gave me a playful smirk.

I rolled my eyes and looked out the window, pretending I didn’t care.

But deep down, I felt something strange.

It wasn’t just the class reacting to Park Haejin...

Even my heartbeat wasn’t acting normal.

---------

By lunchtime, it felt like Park Haejin had been at our school for years, not just a few hours.

The cafeteria buzzed louder than usual.

Girls surrounded his table, laughing at everything he said—even when he wasn’t saying much.

Boys from the basketball team were already inviting him to join tryouts.

He hadn’t even touched his food, and yet everyone acted like he was a celebrity.

I sat at my usual corner table with rin , poking my food with a spoon.

"Is it just me or is he already running the school?" rin mumbled, biting into his sandwich.

"Nope, not just you," I replied, staring across the cafeteria at the now full table around Haejin.

> “When did he even make so many friends? He literally said three words this morning. Do people get popular just by having a good look now?”

I sighed and looked down at my tray.

"It’s weird," I muttered. "He barely talks, but everyone wants to sit with him. I’ve been here for years and the only person who talks to me is you."

rin grinned. "Lucky you."

I laughed lightly, then my eyes drifted back toward Haejin. He wasn’t laughing or even smiling. Just nodding while others talked around him. Like his mind was elsewhere.

And then—for a split second—he looked across the cafeteria...

Right at me.

Our eyes locked.

I quickly looked away, my heart skipping

< " What was that ? Did he actually look at me ? Or it was just a coincidence"

Rin noticed," Did he just _?

"No , don't start "I muttered , shoving a spoonful of rice in my mouth to end the topic .

But even as i chewed , my brain wouldn't stop thinking.

" Park haejin who are you really?"

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