Si-hyeon is a second-year student at the prestigious Haneul High School in Seoul. He earned his place thanks to his exceptional results on the inter-school entrance exams, good enough to gain admission to such a selective institution.
Three days have passed since his arrival in this new class.
Three days of observing, analyzing, and remaining silent.
Three days of watching groups form, listening to their conversations—sometimes hypocritical, passionate, or just… mundane—and blending into the crowd without ever drawing attention to himself.
These three days have allowed him to discover an entire ecosystem.
And in this ecosystem, everyone has their place.
And each place has its unspoken rules.
First, there are the “Ms. Perfect” girls.
Always impeccable. Never a hair out of place. Never a word out of place… at least on the surface.
Always with their stock phrases like:
“No, I’m different, I’m not like the others.” “Si-hyeon, on the other hand, sees right through their game. Always there to soothe their egos, pointing out someone’s flaws or subtly mocking them… but in reality, it’s all just a strategy.
To attract the boys’ attention.
To appear interesting. Brilliant. Special.
Honestly… change battles.
This one is clearly not for you.
Then there are the gals.
The girls with the alternative Japanese style.
The true divas of the class.
Always perfectly made up.
Always well-dressed.
Always able to adapt their style to the school uniform without losing their identity.
And above all: they don’t chase after boys.
No.
It’s the boys who chase after them.
Because at least they know their worth.” They have this untouchable aura that some respect… and others envy.
At least they don't cry over some old bachelor they met three days earlier.
Simple. Efficient. Imperturbable.
Then there are the intellectuals.
They… they write everything down.
Really everything.
You have to wonder if they even take notes when the teacher gets up from their chair.
It's impressive.
Sometimes irritating. Respect.
But please, breathe.
Drink some water.
We're only in tenth grade, not medical school.
There are also the guys with the absurd antics.
Always noisy.
Always setting ridiculous challenges for each other.
Always testing the limits of what's embarrassing.
But… honestly?
They're funny to watch.
They bring chaos.
And sometimes, that chaos is necessary for the class's equilibrium.
Then there are the normal people. Those who don't try to stand out. Those who talk about food, tests, or drama without turning it into a show.
Without them?
The class would be doomed.
They're the foundation.
The point of equilibrium between all the extremes.
And then…
public enemy number one.
The one everyone fears above all else…
The snitch.
The teacher's pet.
She reports you if you talk.
If you cheat.
If you haven't handed in your homework.
She reminds the teacher about a test they forgot.
She ratted you out for anything and everything.
With her, you don't need enemies in your life.
Even the intellectuals are wary of her.
And finally…
the cherry on top.
The crazy ones in the class.
And here, Si-hyeon chooses her words carefully.
One day at recess, he got up to get a pack of candy from the vending machine.
He brushed against a table.
A notebook fell.
Written on it in large letters:
DO NOT OPEN
Of course… he opened it.
And then—
The shock.
Pages.
And pages.
Of fanfiction.
With his classmates.
Ships.
Invented dialogues.
Improbable love triangles.
And above all…
way too many pages where his own face appeared.
In frankly questionable poses.
Si-hyeon was horrified.
Literally.
He closed the notebook.
And left.
His heart was pounding.
His brain was overloaded.
Honestly…
who teaches people to draw that?
He didn't understand.
And at the same time…
it was fascinating.
Horrifying.
But fascinating.
The worst part of it all…
was that he couldn't even pretend to be completely shocked.
Because Si-hyeon had already read Boys' Love.
Yes.
Of his own free will.
Casually.
At home, during recess or at lunch.
But this?
This was different.
Reading fictional stories about fictional characters is one thing.
Seeing yourself used in a classmate's fantasies…
that's quite another.
A WHOLE different.
And clearly—
it was too much for him.