Light High | •° RIIZE °•

04. FIRST RANK??

Hyeon's pov

I slowly walked toward the main hall, my heart pounding with every step. This was the moment of truth—the first time I would receive my rank at this school. Excitement and anxiety twisted in my stomach, memories of Yeon's stories about her fierce battle for the top spot flooding my mind. But who knew the rankings would feel like this?

As students gathered, I noticed that none of them wore color stars. The stars were all neatly arranged on a table beside the teacher, and the faculty members were lined up on the stage, their expressions unreadable. My nerves tightened as a teacher began to announce the rankings, starting from rank 50.

"Rank 50 is Kang Heecho," the teacher called out, and a nerdy-looking boy stepped forward. He seemed like someone who worked hard, and I couldn't help but pity him. What must it be like for him, knowing he was at the bottom? And who would pity me when my likely terrible ranking was announced?

"Rank 42 is Kang Heecho," continued the teacher, revealing a pretty girl. If she were in a normal school, she would be popular, but here, her low rank overshadowed her beauty.

"Rank 20 is Seo Sungjoon." My name still hadn't been called, and I began to wonder if they'd forgotten about me because I was new. Or maybe I'd been cut from the list entirely.

"Rank 12 is Song Jia." The girl who had shown me around was still hanging on to her spot in the top rankings.

"Okay, so the 10th ranker is a bit new. She is Park Hyeon. Oh, sorry, it's Lee Hyeon." My heart stopped. Not because I was 10th, but because the teacher had used my real name. How did they know it? Changing my name to Lee had clearly been pointless.

I slowly rose from my seat, making my way to the stage to collect my color star. As I approached, I overheard two teachers whispering to each other.

"She looks so much like her," the female teacher said with a slight laugh. "I thought Yeon had escaped and come here again to take revenge."

Escape? Revenge? My mind buzzed with questions.

"Shh... reduce your voice. Someone might hear," the male teacher warned her.

After receiving my star, I returned to my seat, where a large number 10 was printed on the backrest. The teacher continued announcing the ranks.

"The 9th ranker is Osaki Shotaro." I recognized him as the boy I'd bumped into yesterday. He was all smiles as he stood on the stage, and despite myself, I smiled back. His happiness was infectious, momentarily washing away my worries.

Would I ever be able to smile like that, free from all my problems, surrounded by my family? But that was just a dream—one that could never come true.

"The 2nd ranker is Hong Seunghan." It was the cold boy who had helped me. He stood on the stage, expressionless, and I realized how much I hated him, despite his help. He was the only one who had shown me any kindness, yet something about him made my skin crawl.

"The 1st rank is our unbeatable Park Wonbin, as always." The hall erupted in cheers that echoed painfully in my ears. I watched as the so-called "No. 1 jerk" ascended the stage. Our eyes met briefly, and he smirked when he noticed the wound on my cheek. But when he turned to face the teacher, his demeanor changed instantly to one of polite respect. What a fake.

A girl from the crowd ran up and kissed him. I cringed. So he had already moved on from Yeon. How hurt she would be if she saw this. Why did she ever date this jerk?

"Hello!" a voice called out from behind me, breaking my thoughts. I turned to see a handsome silver star smiling at me.

"Hello," I replied.

"Congratulations on taking 10th place. You successfully took my spot. But don't worry, I'll get it back." He grinned, but his words carried a challenge.

"Go ahead. I'm waiting," I responded, the words slipping out before I could stop them. What was I thinking, provoking him like that? I bowed quickly and left the hall, heading to the school garden.

Why hadn't anyone told me there was such a beautiful garden here? I wandered through it, taking in the serene atmosphere, when I heard soft sobbing.

Curious, I followed the sound to the large fountain in the center of the garden. There, crouched down beside it, was Seunghan, tears streaming down his face. For a moment, I considered leaving him there—after all, he deserved it. But something in me couldn't ignore his pain.

I crouched down beside him and gently hugged him from the side, offering silent comfort. To my surprise, he clung to me, his sobs growing louder. Whatever had caused his tears, he clearly needed someone, and I found myself oddly affected by his vulnerability.

"I don't know what's wrong, but if you want to talk, I'm here," I whispered. After a while, he pulled away and looked up at me.

"Thank you," he murmured, his voice so soft I barely heard it. Then he added, "But don't think we're friends just because I said that." Despite his harsh words, I found his awkwardness endearing.

"Alright, then we're enemies," I replied, standing up and leaving the garden with a small smile on my face, amused by my own ridiculous actions.

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Another chapter incoming.. Wonder why Seunghan was crying?