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Feelings of familiarity hit (Y/N) as she gazes at the once-familiar street. This moment has occupied her thoughts day and night for months, and now, she is determined to alter her original fate.
(Y/N) walks toward the street where Johan, Mira, Zack, and she used to play. The young (Y/N) is captured in a joyful moment, smiling brightly. The future (Y/N) wears a bitter smile, contemplating what could have been.
"Johan, wait!" the young (Y/N) calls out to her childhood best friend. She is well aware of Johan's feelings for Mira, yet she pretends not to notice. Despite this knowledge, she positions herself in the small gap between Mira and Johan. Perhaps it's because she senses a similarity with Johan, making her feel comforted by his presence.
Rain begins to pour, catching the four friends without shelter. Undeterred, they let the rain cascade over them while engrossed in their games. The future (Y/N) watches them with a stoic expression, allowing the raindrops to fall on her as if they were nothing.
(Y/N) observes her hand as the rain pours over it, but suddenly, it stops. The rain no longer falls on (Y/N) as she glances up to find an umbrella shielding her.
"What are you doing here? You're gonna get sick," says a handsome man, and (Y/N) notices that the space where his name should be is blank.
Several months have passed since (Y/N) arrived here, and she's learned that individuals with a question mark above their heads are the ones Yuna doesn't recognize. If this man and Yuna don't know each other, why is he so kind to her?
"I'm waiting for my sister," (Y/N) lies without hesitation, watching her younger self and the others run for cover from the rain.
"Ah, a younger sister, I see! You know, I have a younger brother. He's the greatest younger brother anyone could have had, the same age as your sister should be," the man shares, his pride in his brother evident through his words.
"You're so nice it makes me want to puke," (Y/N) remarks, glancing at the man who continues to smile, unfazed by her harsh words.
She has an urge to wipe that smile off his face. Looking at his carefree expression, (Y/N) has no idea that he will become a significant figure in her life, shaping her into the person she becomes in the future.
"I'm Hangyeol Baek. What's your name?" the guy introduces himself, unknowingly setting the stage for his importance in (Y/N)'s journey.
"Yuna Kim, the name's Yuna Kim," (Y/N) declares before turning her back, leaving the shelter of the umbrella to embrace the rain.
Over the past few months, she hasn't encountered the Kings of Daegu, Suwon, and Chungcheong. Even the new King of Seoul, her brother, seemed to be avoiding her like the plague.
"Yuna Kim?" questions a guy in a Moon High School uniform with red hair and a slightly wild expression. His malicious grin reveals sharp teeth. "I knew something was wrong when you didn't show up."
(Y/N)'s expression tightens. "Who are you?" she can't help but ask. She laughs, realizing that she can see people's names above their heads. James Lee – the name of the legend, the one-man circle.
"How could you have forgotten about me? When you're the one chasing me around," James Lee states, leaving (Y/N) stunned. Chasing men around? First Taesoo Ma, now James Lee – Yuna Kim seems like a female version of a gigolo. Is this how the only daughter of Gapryong Kim should act? (Y/N) is speechless, unable to comprehend Yuna's behavior.
"No, I think you're twisting your words. Aren't you the one chasing me, James?" she refutes, unwilling to accept it. Taesoo, she can somewhat understand, but James? Absolutely not. If she is the 1st Generation King of Incheon, her position is in jeopardy, especially with someone like James Lee who might end the first generation and initiate the second generation.
(Y/N) glances at James Lee's back, noticing a motorbike and a helmet in his hands, with another helmet resting on the seat of the bike.
"Come on," he insists, reaching for (Y/N)'s hand, attempting to shelter her from the rain. His grip is firm as he pulls her towards him. "Let's find a place to escape from the rain."
"What if I don't want to? I'm already wet; I don't need shelter," (Y/N) responds, trying to free her wrist from James's grasp, only to realize that she can't pull away. His strength is impressive, comparable to Gun's, if not stronger.
"You told me you would love me if I became strong, because you like strong men like Gongseob Ji, Taesoo Ma, Jichang Kwak. I'm stronger than them," James declares, his grip tightening until (Y/N) can feel her bones cracking. Just how powerful is James?
"You mentioned that I am the one chasing you?" (Y/N) questions, blinking as a raindrop almost enters her eyes. "And also, release my wrist," she demands, attempting once more to free her wrist from James's grasp.
James released her wrist, but before (Y/N) could react, he swept her up in his arms like a bride. Caught off guard, (Y/N) let out a surprised scream, her face flushed with embarrassment.
She quickly placed her hands over her mouth, muffling any further sounds to avoid drawing attention. Whispering, she questioned James, "What are you doing?" The raindrops continued to cascade down her face, accentuating her blushing cheeks.
Whether it was a trick of the light or not, (Y/N) was certain she saw a hint of a blush on James's face.
Leaning close to (Y/N)'s ear, James murmured, "You might get sick if you stay longer in the rain, and besides, you look really pretty right now. I don't want others to see you in this state of beauty."
