Eun Shin stayed with Seung Jee as he changed his clothes in the boy's restroom. Guilt gnawed at her insides. Her attention shifted between the transfer student and her boyfriend, who was clearly taking his anger out on Seung Jee because of her inaction. She couldn't shake the feeling that it was her fault, that somehow, everything that was happening to Seung Jee had her name written all over it.
When Seung Jee finally emerged, holding his school uniform and gym clothes, Eun Shin couldn't help but frown. She hated seeing him like this—humiliated and hurting.
"Were you able to wash it off?" she asked, barely audible. Seung Jee trembled as he tried to force a smile.
"I-I did…" he stammered. The sight of him trying to hide his discomfort made Eun Shin's heart ache. She felt a rush of pity, but it was more than that—something inside her snapped. Without saying another word, she grabbed his hand and gently pulled him toward the door.
"Let's go somewhere together. Let's skip school today," she said firmly. Each step toward the exit felt like a small victory. The weight of her indecision lifted as she walked. The moment she crossed the threshold of the door, it felt as if the light had finally shone down on her, illuminating the path she had to take. She didn't look back. She refused to.
It was time to break free from the toxic environment she had allowed herself to be trapped in for so long.
Seung Jee was confused. He looked back at the hallway, where class had already started, then glanced at the door where Eun Shin was heading.
"E-Eun Shin?" he asked uncertainly. However, Eun Shin didn't stop. She kept walking, and as soon as they stepped outside, she dragged him further. She pulled him out of the school classrooms and to the gym benches by the field. Once they arrived there, she let go of his hand and lay down with the biggest smile she had.
"This feels good. No class lectures and no students… Just peace and quiet," she said to herself. Seung Jee didn't know what to do with the soaking clothes on his hands. Eun Shin paused and leaned on her elbow. She turned to look at Seung Jee with a soft smile. She patted the space next to her.
"Y-Yes?" he asked hesitantly. Eun Shin chuckled.
"Dry your clothes and come lie down," she replied. He did just as she said. He turned behind him and placed his wet clothes on the metal bench before sitting next to her.
"You come here often?" he wondered curiously. Eun Shin placed her arms behind her head as she lay down.
"Only when I want peace and quiet. No one really likes coming to this area," she replied. Seung Jee nodded, understanding that she probably had her own problems to deal with. He sat there in silence while she slept.
CLASS ENDED
Once the school bell rang, students started walking out of the classrooms and headed to the gates. Eun Shin opened her eyes and turned to see that Seung Jee slept with his head on the metal. She smiled at his innocence because he did just as she did and said without a fight. As she tried to get up, a jacket fell from her. His jacket. She paused.
He covered me… while I fell asleep? she thought to herself. Her heart warmed from the thoughtfulness of a caring person who wasn't her own father. She decided to wake him up.
"Hae Seung Jee?" she called softly. Seung Jee frowned as he slowly opened his eyes. He realized that he had fallen asleep.
"Huh? O-oh… E-eun…" he looked at her. She stood and reached her hand for him.
"Let's go grab our backpack before we go," she said. Seung Jee chuckled and nodded. His clothes were now dry as he took them off. They returned to the classroom to retrieve their backpacks before heading out of the school gates. They separated as they turned from the convenience store nearby. She smiled brightly at him.
"Get home safely," she waved. Seung Jee nodded before he waved back at her. Eun Shin walked home this time without heading to her tutoring class.
As she reached home, she took off her shoes. Then she walked inside and bowed while looking around to see if anyone else was home. Lim Rin suddenly stormed out of her room and marched straight up to Eun Shin. She immediately slapped Eun Shin. Eun Shin froze as she didn't know how to react. Her cheek stung, but it was the shame that burned deeper. Still, she didn't cry. Jim Yae gasped at the sight and shielded Eun Shin from Lim Rin.
"Madam. If you want to-"
"When does a servant of this household disrespect their master? I'm teaching my daughter a lesson," Lim Rin said, enraged. Eun Shin trembled as she thought there could be many reasons why her mother was upset. It's definitely not the fact that she skipped school and tutoring today. Her anger was definitely related to Jae Vin and his family.
"Mother…" she mumbled. Lim Rin glared at Eun Shin, thinking how annoying it was to raise a daughter unlike her.
"How dare you skip school today? Do you think just because you're your father's daughter, you don't need to attend school? Your father defended you for educational purposes, and the next day you skipped school?" she shouted. Eun Shin bowed obediently, visibly upset, but held it in.
"Mother, if that's what you're worried about, then I can assure you that you don't need to worry about it…" Eun Shin replied. Lim Rin scoffed as she looked away and then looked at Eun Shin again.
"You are to go to Jae Vin's house and apologize to him for how you have been acting lately," she demanded. Eun Shin curled her hands into fists.
"No. I already informed him about the dinner on Saturday. I don't need to do that," Eun Shin argued. Lim Rin raised her hand one more time to slap Eun Shin. Yung Ji suddenly walked in and saw the hand in the air.
"How dare you raise your hand on our daughter?!" he screamed, startling everyone.
"Yeobo!" Lim Rin angrily screamed. Yung Ji was clearly upset, and he did not want this to go any further.
"Eun Shin, go to your room. NOW!" he demanded. Eun Shin nodded and stormed into her room. She immediately closed the door after her, hoping her mother would stop. However…
"You pushed her so hard about education, and look—she skipped school. What now? What are you going to do about this, huh? She doesn't even care-"
"Stop. If she really doesn't care, she would have been failing by now. We both know that Eun Shin is at the top of her class already. There's no need to get upset about it for one da-"
"Yeobo! She definitely doesn't care! Stop trying to defend her!" Lim Rin screamed. Yung Ji groaned as he pinched above his nose to remain calm. Eun Shin frowned and quickly grabbed her headphones to cover her ears from hearing any more of this.
About thirty minutes later, Lim Rin's voice stopped. Yung Ji walked to Eun Shin's room and softly knocked before he opened to peek at her. Eun Shin saw her father and didn't smile. Yung Ji smiled softly as he stepped in and opened the door wide. Eun Shin removed the headphones from her head.
"Yes?" Eun Shin asked slowly. Yung Ji placed his luggage of work on the ground and sighed heavily.
"Your mother needs some time. Do you want to explain to me why you skipped class today?" Yung Ji asked curiously. Eun Shin looked down, debating whether to tell him the truth about Jae Vin or her feelings. Yung Ji waited patiently. She sighed before she looked at her father in the eyes again.
"That transfer student got bullied… I. I didn't enjoy seeing that. So I helped him," she mumbled. Yung Ji paused and then smiled at his daughter. Despite her own self, she thought and protected another person. Like father, like daughter. He stepped closer to her and knelt beside her while looking up at her face.
"Eun Shin…" he called softly. She cried as she tried to remain unfazed in front of her father.
"Yes?"
"You made a great choice in protecting someone you cared about. Don't let anyone else tell you that you were wrong," he replied. Eun Shin gasped as she couldn't hold her tears anymore. Her tears streamed endlessly down her face. She reached her hands out to hug her father.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry for skipping school today. It won't happen anymore. I promise," she cried. Yung Ji nodded slowly as he patted her back to soothe her.
"It's okay. You did nothing wrong… You did something only a good-hearted person would ever do," he said gently.
After their conversation ended, Yung Ji returned to his study to finish his paperwork. As for Lim Rin—she was gone. Eun Shin knew where she had gone: either to buy herself something new for Saturday's dinner or to meet with the other rich mothers in their usual club. Eun Shin didn't mind, though, because the house was finally at peace.
Meanwhile, Jae Vin was staring at his phone endlessly while he sat on the couch in his home. His mother, Lee Seum Tae, walked in suddenly and looked at him. She lifted her purse into the air for the servant to grab it from her. Then she sat down and glared at Jae Vin.
"So, what's the result of the dinner plan?" she asked. Jae Vin groaned as he looked at his mother.
"Ma, she said Saturday. So let's book a place to impress them," he answered with a smile. She smirked and felt relieved.
"Good job. Make sure there will be no mishap…" Seum Tae stated. Jae Vin nodded positively before he stood straight and walked to his room. However, once the door closed behind him, he was staring at his phone anxiously.
"Fuck. He better attend this Saturday. That's all my mother thinks," Jae Vin mumbled to himself. His mind raced with the possibilities: either she'd unload on him for messing up, or she'd reward him with a rare, fleeting approval—though the latter didn't feel nearly as satisfying as it should.
However, Eun Shin knew that her father would not attend. Why should he? He never even enjoyed these types of unions, especially from those who were as crazy as her mother. Saturday was near, and Eun Shin hated the weekends for once.
SATURDAY THAT WEEK
Eun Shin dressed more conservatively than her mother wanted her to dress. However, they left together without Yung Ji. Once they sat down, Eun Shin peeked at her phone and messaged Seok Jun about the location. Lim Rin scoffed as she waited.
"Those bastards think they're all high and mighty, making us wait," Lim Rin murmured to herself. Eun Shin sighed as she looked around the dining room. She silently expressed her displeasure that they tried to flaunt their wealth through such a tactic. Lim Rin turned her head slightly to Eun Shin.
"You better be a good daughter. If you talk in any way to disrupt us, you'll sure get it when we return home."
Moments later, the Lee family walked in. Jae Vin appeared first, followed by his mother and father. As Lee Jun Jae slid into the seat to Eun Shin's left, he leaned in slightly, his gaze lingering too long. Cold and calculating, his eyes traced her features, a stare that felt like it was touching her skin. The weight of his unblinking gaze pressed on her, as though he were silently judging her, deciding something without a word.
Jae Vin sat across from Eun Shin, offering a smile, but she didn't return it. Instead, her fingers tightened around her glass, her posture stiffening involuntarily. She couldn't shake the feeling of being appraised, as if she were a prize on display. The air around her felt thick, suffocating, as Lee Jun Jae's gaze remained fixed on her—his interest not innocent, but something darker.
"Aigoo, you made it on time," Lim Rin smiled as she stood and reached her hand out. Seum Tae smiled as she sat down.
"Where's your husband?" she asked instantly. Lim Rin awkwardly laughed it off.
"My husband… Aigoo, he said he will come later. He had some things to do," Lim Rin brushed it off. Seum Tae scoffed as she looked away and then looked at Eun Shin, who was tense.
"Could this be your daughter, Park Eun Shin?" she shifted her interest. Lim Rin broke into an overly enthusiastic laugh, nodding rapidly.
"Yes, yes. She's my beautiful daughter that I have been talking to you about. Isn't she stunning? So smart, too. I didn't expect her to be dating your son," Lim Rin gushed, almost as if she were trying too hard to compensate for the awkwardness. Seum Tae laughed along with Lim Rin. Their connections were not with Eun Shin at all. She felt as if time had frozen around her, her body stiff with discomfort, realizing she was in the midst of a tiger's den.
"Yes, your daughter is quite a painting. She has become as beautiful as her mother," Jun Jae said, sipping his wine, his gaze fixed on Eun Shin. The words struck her like ice. Lim Rin laughed, oblivious.
"Thank you, thank you. I know she got her beauty from me," she replied, patting her hair as she sat down. Eun Shin's stomach twisted. The meaning behind his words was unmistakable. She clenched her fists beneath the table, trembling—not from fear alone, but from the violation of being looked at like that.
What a disgusting old man. Father would never want them as in-laws.
Eun Shin stayed silent as their voices descended slowly from her. She was clearly uncomfortable with them and her mother. They talked endlessly about the possibility of marriage and college. Jae Vin reveled in their discussions, the idea of marriage and college fueling his sense of entitlement as he eyed his future as the heir to his father's company. Eun Shin, on the other hand, felt increasingly alienated. None of this mattered to her—they cared only about the results of the relationship, not the person in it.
Suddenly, a knock on the door silenced them. They turned their heads to see who would be entering during the mealtime. Their hopes were up, and Jae Vin smiled slowly as if he knew who it would be. Yung Ji?
The door opened—
.
.
Seok Jun.