The cafeteria was too quiet.
Not in the literal sense—trays clattered, students gossiped, forks scraped against ceramic. But where Kang Ha-Rin sat, beside Jin Seo-Won, time felt frozen. Every move she made was watched, judged, whispered about. The bulgogi in her bowl had more dignity than she did.
"Chew slower," Seo-Won murmured, his lips grazing the edge of her ear. "You look like you're starving."
She set her chopsticks down with trembling fingers. "Maybe because I am."
He chuckled, unbothered. "Tame that mouth, Ha-Rin. You're mine now."
"I'm not your pet."
"Right. You're my toy. Keep up."
She turned to glare at him—but he was already leaning back, arms casually spread along the bench like a king surveying his court. The gold pin on her blazer glinted under the cafeteria lights: DROP OF J.S.W.
It burned against her chest.
"You're enjoying this," she said quietly.
His eyes flicked to hers. "Immensely."
Around them, the entire student body buzzed like a hive disturbed.
"Is it true?"
"Did she really slap him? Twice?"
"Maybe he likes being punished..."
"Do you think she's doing that to keep her scholarship?"
Ha-Rin stood abruptly, grabbing her tray.
Seo-Won caught her wrist.
The cafeteria silenced.
"I didn't say you could leave," he said, voice low but deadly.
Her jaw tensed. "I'm not your prisoner."
"You're my Drop. That means when I stand, you follow. When I eat, you wait. When I leave, then you leave."
She yanked her wrist free. "Then hurry up and finish your damn food."
Gasps erupted. Someone dropped a spoon.
Seo-Won stood slowly, towering over her. The corner of his mouth curved, but his eyes were ice. "You're going to make this so fun."
She didn't wait for him. She stormed out.
—
By the time she reached her dorm that night, the rumors had grown teeth.
A note had been taped to her door in glitter pen:
"Welcome to your new role, Gold-Digger."
Ha-Rin crumpled it, shoving it in the trash, only to find her inbox flooded with anonymous messages.
You think sleeping your way up is cool?
Don't get too comfortable. Drops don't last long.
Hope he ruins you like the last one.
Last one?
She hesitated, then opened her browser.
Jin Seo-Won + Drop + Haneul Academy.
Dozens of results.
All pretty girls. All vanished within months.
One transferred to an all-girls school in Jeju.
One went abroad mid-term.
One disappeared from social media completely.
Each had worn the same gold pin.
Each had been "chosen" by Jin Seo-Won.
And each had been discarded.
Her stomach twisted.
Why me?
The answer came too easily: because she slapped him. Because she didn't crawl.
Because he liked breaking things.
She looked down at her blazer. At the gold tag.
It suddenly felt heavier than the world.
—
The next morning, she found him waiting at the gates.
He was early. Leaning against a black town car, reading something on his phone. Students passing by bowed their heads, lowered their voices, adjusted their ties.
Ha-Rin kept walking.
"Good morning, Miss Drop."
She froze.
He didn't even look up. "Did I stutter?"
She turned, eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"
"You're late."
"It's not even homeroom yet."
He tossed his phone into the car and stepped toward her. "New rule. You arrive when I do. You wait here until I'm done. You walk beside me into school. Not in front, not behind. Beside. Got it?"
She clenched her fists. "Are you done marking your territory?"
His gaze dropped to her chest, then lingered just a second too long on the tag.
"For now."
She brushed past him, but he fell into step easily, like they'd been walking together forever.
Students parted for them like the Red Sea. Some bowed. Some whispered. Most stared.
"Where are we going?" she muttered.
"To class, obviously."
"You don't take morning classes."
"I do now."
She glanced sideways. "You changed your schedule to follow me?"
"I changed your schedule," he replied smugly. "You're in all honors courses now. Welcome to hell, Ha-Rin."
She nearly tripped. "What?!"
"You're smart enough. Barely."
She stopped walking. "You can't do that."
"I'm Student Council President. I can do whatever I want."
She looked around—teachers were watching. So were students. She couldn't scream, couldn't slap, couldn't escape.
So she did the only thing she could.
She smiled.
"I hope you fail all your exams," she said sweetly.
His smirk widened. "Too bad I have you to take notes."
—
By lunch, she was already drowning.
Advanced Literature? The teacher called her out by name and made her analyze an entire poem in front of the class.
Calculus? She got lost after the third formula.
Politics and Law? Jin Seo-Won volunteered her for a debate against the class president.
"I thought you said this was symbolic," she hissed at him as they left.
He blinked innocently. "It is. Symbolic of how you suffer while I enjoy the show."
"You're psychotic."
"You're catching on."
And as if on cue—
"Seo-Won-oppa~!"
A voice like honeyed venom.
Lee Na-Gyeom appeared at the top of the steps, surrounded by her usual entourage of clones. Perfect makeup. Designer shoes. An expression that could cut steel.
"What is this peasant doing beside you?"
Seo-Won didn't even blink. "My Drop. Didn't you hear?"
Na-Gyeom's smile tightened. "I thought you liked elegant girls."
"I like obedient ones," he said lazily. "Though she's testing my patience."
Ha-Rin bit her tongue so hard it almost bled.
Na-Gyeom stepped forward, reaching out to adjust Ha-Rin's collar like she was touching something filthy.
"If you need tips on how to behave," she said sweetly, "I can lend you a mirror."
"I don't take beauty advice from second place," Ha-Rin snapped.
Na-Gyeom's hand froze mid-air.
Seo-Won turned away to hide his laugh.
"You'll regret that," Na-Gyeom hissed before sauntering off.
"You're making enemies," Seo-Won warned.
"I thought that was your job."
He smiled at her, something sharper than affection dancing in his gaze.
"You're not what I expected," he murmured.
She looked up, defiant. "And you're exactly what I hate."
But when their eyes locked, the air between them shifted. Hot. Sharp. A little dangerous.
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them looked away.
And for the first time since the contract began... she felt something twist inside her that wasn't just hate.
—
End of Chapter 2.
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