The library was quiet once again.
Yuna, Jihun, and Harin sat around the same table, the faint light above them casting soft shadows.
"So…" Yuna said, looking at both of them, "did you find anything?"
Jihun leaned back slightly.
"I followed someone," he said. "Thought it was the culprit."
Yuna's eyes widened a little.
"And?"
"…It was Minji."
Yuna froze for a second.
"…Minji?"
Jihun nodded.
"She said she came because she heard about the slime missing from the lab."
Yuna stayed silent.
Harin then spoke, casually.
"I also caught someone."
Both of them looked at her.
"Choi Kyungmin," she said.
Yuna blinked.
"…The prince?"
Harin nodded.
"Music room. Guitar. Loud noise. That's it."
Silence fell.
All three of them exchanged looks.
"No one suspicious…" Yuna murmured.
Jihun exhaled softly.
"Yeah."
Harin leaned forward slightly, her tone softer now.
"Which means…"
"…Whoever did this didn't get caught."
The atmosphere turned heavier.
Outside, the sky had already started turning dark.
---
A while later—
The three of them walked out of the school together.
The night air was cool.
Streetlights flickered on one by one.
Harin suddenly moved closer to Yuna.
"I'll go with Yuna."
Jihun glanced at her.
"Why?"
Harin smiled mysteriously.
"It's a secret."
Yuna looked between the two of them, confused.
What is going on between these two…?
Before anything else could be said—
A sleek black car stopped in front of them.
Jihun didn't say anything.
He simply walked toward it.
The door opened.
He got in.
And within seconds—
The car drove away.
Yuna blinked.
"…What just happened?"
She turned to Harin.
"What's wrong with him?"
Harin shrugged lightly.
"Nothing."
Yuna frowned slightly.
"…You both are weird."
Harin just smiled.
"Let's go."
And the two of them walked away into the night.
---
Later that evening—
Yuna stood at her part-time job, quietly arranging items.
But her mind wasn't there.
Minji…
Why was she really there…?
She sighed softly.
I know she wanted to help… but what if something happened to her?
Her fingers paused.
She was alone…
Then—
Something clicked in her mind.
"The clip…"
Yuna quickly took out her phone.
She searched.
The same star-shaped clip appeared on the screen.
Her eyes widened.
"…What?"
She scrolled.
And froze.
The price.
"…Are you serious?"
Her grip on the phone tightened.
"This… this is so expensive?!"
Her mind raced.
Who in the world would casually drop something like this…?
And why in the school…?
Her expression slowly turned serious.
This isn't normal…
---
At the same time—
Inside a luxurious room—
Choi Kyungmin sat at his desk, sketching.
The room was quiet except for the sound of pencil against paper.
Then—
His hand suddenly stopped.
His mind drifted back.
"Were you scared… darling?"
Harin's voice echoed in his head.
Kyungmin froze.
"…What the…"
A faint blush appeared on his face.
He immediately shook his head.
"No. No. No."
He stood up abruptly.
"Get a grip."
He pointed at himself.
"You are the prince of this school."
He started pacing.
"You like girls."
He paused.
"…Right?"
Silence.
"…Then why am I thinking about Haru?!"
He froze.
His eyes widened.
"Wait."
"…Wait."
He grabbed his head.
"Don't tell me—"
"I'm becoming GAY?!"
He stepped back dramatically.
"No! No! What the heck is wrong with me?!"
He shook his head rapidly.
"He's a BOY!"
( In reality Haru is a girl named Harin but choi Kyungmin didn't know like Jihun ..)
"…Right??"
He froze again.
"…RIGHT?!"
He stared into nothing.
Completely confused.
Completely panicked.
---
Meanwhile—
Under bright lights—
Jihun moved through the water of a luxurious pool.
The place was filled with rich students.
Soft music played in the background.
Boys whispered—
"Who is that guy?"
"His physique is insane…"
Girls watched—
"Is he the son of that billionaire?"
"He's so handsome…"
But Jihun ignored everything.
His expression was distant.
His thoughts were somewhere else.
"If you don't do something…"
"I might take Yuna away forever."
Harin's voice echoed in his mind.
Jihun stopped moving.
His brows furrowed slightly.
What is happening to me…?
He looked down at the water.
Why am I thinking about that…?
His expression hardened.
"I don't care," he muttered to himself.
"If Haru takes Yuna… what does that have to do with me?"
He clenched his fist slightly.
"My goal is simple."
His eyes turned cold.
"Find Scarlet Shadow."
"And take my revenge."
The memory flashed—
The cafeteria.
The humiliation.
His jaw tightened.
"…That's all."
But even then—
For some reason—
His thoughts didn't feel as clear as before.