The crisp morning air kissed my skin as I stepped out of my dorm, stretching my arms above my head. Beside me, Jessie walked with her usual animated energy, gossiping about campus drama with a grin.
"Did you hear about Minji and her disaster of a date? Oh, and get this—Jisoo got rejected again by Professor Kang. It's like the third time."
I hummed absentmindedly, only half listening as we walked. Jessie thrived on other people's drama, but my mind was elsewhere. I had a free period, which meant one thing—studying for my upcoming TOPIK test.
As we reached campus, Jessie waved me off, heading to her morning lecture. I turned toward the library, already mentally flipping through the study material I needed to review.
But then—
A sharp, irritated voice sliced through the air.
"Are you blind or just stupid?"
I snapped out of my thoughts, my attention locking onto the commotion ahead. A crowd had formed, students whispering and exchanging amused looks. At the center of it stood a blonde girl, exuding confidence and something far more menacing—arrogance. Her designer bag dangled from her wrist as she glared down at a boy scrambling on the ground. He fumbled with his glasses, his face red with embarrassment.
"You ruined my bracelet, you little freak," she sneered, crossing her arms. "And what are you wearing? Do you even own clothes that aren't from a thrift store?"
Laughter rippled through the onlookers. The guy—obviously flustered—muttered an apology, but it did nothing to soften her glare. My stomach twisted. I could feel the unfairness of the situation clawing at me, but stepping in? That would mean making myself a target.
Just walk away, I told myself. It's not your fight.
And yet, my feet refused to move.
Then, as if fate had a cruel sense of humor, she suddenly stepped back—and collided straight into me.
The world seemed to still for a moment.
A hush fell over the crowd as she whipped around, eyes darkening as they landed on me.
"Excuse me? What's your problem?" she demanded, looking me up and down like I was dirt under her designer heels.
My jaw clenched. "Problem? You're the one who bumped into me."
A murmur ran through the crowd. Someone gasped, as if I had just committed a crime by talking back to her.
Her nostrils flared. "Do you even know who I am?"
I raised a brow, unfazed. "Should I?"
For a second, she looked genuinely stunned—like no one had ever dared to question her before.
Now that all eyes were on me, I might as well go all in. I bent down, picking up the boy's glasses and handing them to him before looking back at her.
He looked at me with gratitude and murmured a thank you.
"I was talking to you," she snapped. "Do you have a problem with me?"
I let out a breath, standing up straight. "Actually, yeah, I do. He apologized for bumping into you, so why are you still being nasty?"
A slow, amused smirk curled on her lips. "Ohh, I see what's happening here. You want to be his little hero?" She scoffed. "How noble. But listen, Miss Nobody, He broke my bracelet, which, by the way, costs more than his miserable life. So why don't you stay out of it?"
My fingers curled into fists. "If it's so expensive, and you are so reachable then shouldn't you be able to replace it easily?" I tilted my head. "Or does being a spoiled brat come with a trash personality as a bonus?"
