YDCF 25

Chapter – 25

Woon Seong-ha had been a gifted student ever since middle school, selected as a scholarship recipient by the Seohae Scholarship Foundation.

Whether it was studying, singing, or sports, he excelled without much effort, always performing above average. His memory and comprehension skills, in particular, stood out.

But Woon Seong-ha didn’t want to show off his talents to others.

“If only your parents were normal, they would’ve supported you so much, huh?”
“Poor guy…”

For Woon Seong-ha, being competent always came with pity.

His life goal was simple: live quietly, without anyone feeling sorry for him. So he had originally intended to attend a vocational track that could lead straight to a job, wanting to start earning money as soon as possible.

The only reason he entered a prestigious high school was because of one thing: his grandfather’s last wish. His mother had passed away early, and he had cut ties with his father, who had a criminal record. His grandfather, who raised him, had said:

“You must get a university degree, Seong-ha. There’s nothing you can’t do. Even if you grew up with nothing, you’re my grandson. Go, forget everything, and live properly.”

His grandfather wanted him to attend a top university and live a respectable life.

So Woon Seong-ha enrolled in the prestigious high school established by the Seohae Foundation, with his tuition, uniforms, and other expenses fully covered by the scholarship.

At first, he got along with the other students.

He even received a confession from Joo Soo-yeon, granddaughter of Joo Tae-baek, chairman of Dongwoo Group—a name any South Korean would recognize—and turned her down.

But that was just the beginning.

By simply paying attention in class and going to the foundation’s volunteer activities to earn gift cards for buying workbooks, he consistently ranked among the top students—surpassing kids from wealthy families who spent months’ worth of allowance on private education. He even took a brief thrill in outshining them purely with his talent.

Everything changed the day he met Joo Soo-yeon at a foundation volunteer event.

“She rejected my confession, and acted so rude. I thought she had some backing.”
“…”
“Turns out, you’re just an ordinary lower-class kid?”

From that day, his life unraveled.

Rumors spread through the grade almost instantly. Students who had been trying to curry favor with Soo-yeon turned their backs on him.

Woon Seong-ha regretted everything.

He shouldn’t have gone to the volunteer activity just to buy a workbook.

He should have gone along with her confession, regardless of his feelings.

No, the real problem started when he applied to Yeongpoong High School in the first place.

To make matters worse, his grandmother’s health worsened, forcing him to half-abandon school life. He pushed through, earning money for hospital bills and medicine.

When the news of him falling out of favor with Soo-yeon reached the teachers, no one at school paid him any attention.

“Your grandma didn’t send you to school just to sleep all day, right?”

No matter what insults were thrown at him, he silently endured, focusing on part-time jobs at night and catching up on sleep at school during the day.

Returning home late, he would hear his grandmother’s cough, so he’d wash up and head straight back out to school.

By the time he reached the second semester of his second year, he had grown used to this routine.

On the first day of the semester, a transfer student—a girl—sat in the seat next to him.

“She’ll just be another classmate anyway.”

The rumors about Joo Soo-yeon, her clique, and the bystanders—they’d all be the same as before.

“Hi, Seong-ha.”
“Seong-ha, aren’t you answering today?”
“Seong-ha, want some of this?”

He assumed their attention would eventually fade, just like it always did. Anyone hearing the rumors would inevitably distance themselves from him.

But then—why? Why on earth…

“Ah, Joo Sae-i! Let go of this!”

“Go back to your friends and your seat. Now.”

Why was she stopping Joo Soo-yeon?

Watching the transfer student confront the group surrounding him, Woon Seong-ha thought she must either be fearless—or not very bright. Otherwise, she wouldn’t stand up for someone with nothing.

I was certain.

Soo-yeon was the instigator, the others were the bullies, and the whole class was just standing by.

I knew Soo-yeon could be reckless, but I didn’t expect this.

Wasn’t she trying to leverage connections with the Ryu family? How could someone openly pull this kind of stunt at a school founded by the Seohae Group?

“My grandfather wouldn’t allow this.”

In fact, Soo-yeon’s grandfather, my grandfather, and Joo Tae-baek were all people who demanded such behavior be punished.

Dongwoo Group, under my grandfather, had successfully eliminated workplace bullying.

“No fear… or no brain?”

…Probably both.

Seeing her shout for him to let go as soon as I intervened, she clearly wasn’t thinking straight.

And if she continued to bully him despite my arrival as a transfer student…

“This has been going on for a while, hasn’t it?”

I recalled the scene again: Woon Seong-ha standing there expressionless, the bullies laughing, and him unconcerned as if used to it.

I let out a heavy sigh next to Joo Soo-yeon, and someone observing from the side spoke up.

“Hey, Joo Sae-i. You’re messing with the wrong person.”

“What…?”

“Soo-yeon! Do you know whose kid this is?”

I knew. I knew all too well.

The daughter of someone I despised the most in the world. How could I not know?

Instead of replying, I snorted. My grandfather wouldn’t waste a shield on someone so trivial.

I gently placed my hand on Woon Seong-ha’s shoulder and spoke.

“Seong-ha.”

“…”

“Your homeroom teacher is looking for you.”

Of course, I was lying.

I figured that invoking the homeroom teacher would at least make them cautious—but judging by their sneer, I suspected the teacher might even be on their side.

I grabbed Woon Seong-ha’s arm. He had a solid build; holding and pulling him with both hands, he reflexively stood up.

“Let’s go.”

What could they do if I used the teacher as an excuse? They’d be as cautious as Joo Soo-yeon.

I boldly led Woon Seong-ha outside.

Even as the bell rang, no one came looking for us.

Honestly, I was so worried.

It was my first time skipping class—what if my grandfather or dad found out?

What excuse would I give if I got scolded…?

I couldn’t betray a bullied student—it would weigh on my conscience.

I handed Woon Seong-ha the banana milk I’d been holding as he followed reluctantly.

I noticed faint injuries on his cheek. Had he been hit before I arrived? His high-prescription glasses were nowhere in sight.

Woon Seong-ha frowned as he looked up at me. I’d only ever seen him lying down or sitting, but he was surprisingly tall—almost as tall as Ryu Do-kyung.

I pressed the banana milk into his hands and even inserted the straw for him.

He dumped it on the floor as if my gesture irritated him.

With a defiant look, he bit his lip and warned me.

“Thanks for helping, but don’t involve yourself in my affairs.”

“…”

“Go apologize. Say you’re sorry.”

“…Why would I?”

“What?”

Woon Seong-ha didn’t know I was from the same household as Joo Soo-yeon. Though his words were sharp, he was probably worried that I or my family would retaliate if he said anything.

Hearing his voice for the first time like this, I realized his defiance wasn’t arrogance—it was a shield.

A look he used to avoid getting hurt any further.

But wait.

“When he takes off his glasses…”

Looking closely, I recognized a familiar face. Woon Seong-ha looked almost exactly like the actor Seo Ha-jun.

“Huh?”

I suddenly remembered a past controversy surrounding Seo Ha-jun, a young actor who had taken the entertainment world by storm in his previous life.

He had hidden his real name to start acting, rising to the top of his twenties, but his troubled past had been exposed, and his real name, Woon Seong-ha, had been revealed.

“Wait a second… wow, really…”

This was Seo Ha-jun!

“Why? What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Feeling unwell?”

“I’m… shocked…”

How could there be another person in the world named Woon Seong-ha who looked exactly like him?

No wonder he seemed too handsome to be an ordinary person…