Reputation

Chapter 1 - Constant rivalry

As the boys and I entered the school hallway, the constant stares and whispers surrounded us, an ever-present reminder of our reputation. I'm not sure why but people are always afraid to approach me. I swear i'm nice, We made our way to the main hall and took our seats. As soon as the bell rang, the principal began her speech.

"Welcome back, students. I hope you all enjoyed your break. It's time to get back on your feet again," she droned on, her words falling on uninterested ears.

Bored, I lay my head on Joshua's shoulder as he read his book. Jeonghan and Scoups, my twin brother, were chatting away next to us.

"Sleepy, A?" Joshua's calm voice broke through my drowsiness.

"Yep, as usual. Why does she talk so much?" I muttered, closing my eyes and grumbling about the nagging lady on stage. Joshua chuckled and continued reading his book. It was our second year at Haneul Academy, and this one might be more interesting than the first—we could never know for sure.

Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Choi Ara, and I have a twin brother, Choi Seungchol, who was born five minutes earlier than me. So he took it upon himself to be the protective older brother, which I don't mind.

Beside me is Joshua Hong, aka our group's literal sunshine. But don't let his appearance fool you—this man has secrets that might scare you. Lastly, there's the annoying Yoon Jeonghan, aka my academic rival. We've been competing since we were young. I can't really remember how it started, but let's just say we have a love-hate relationship—mostly hate, though.

After what felt like an eternity, the principal finally finished her speech. We got up and made our way to our class.

"Whoa, breathe, girl," I said as my only friend besides the boys Jiyeon arrived late, panting heavily. She collapsed into the seat in front of me.

"Ugh, I literally woke up late and missed the bus again," she complained, catching her breath.

"Seriously? Again?" I teased, raising an eyebrow. "What happened to setting five alarms?"

"I did! But I think I might have turned them off in my sleep," Jiyeon groaned, slumping over her desk. "Anyway, how was your break?"

"Pretty uneventful," I shrugged. "Spent most of it preparing for the new term. And, of course, dealing with Jeonghan's annoying texts."

Jiyeon laughed. "He really knows how to keep you on your toes, huh?"

"Tell me about it," I rolled my eyes. "It's like he lives to compete with me."

As the teacher entered the room, we straightened up and pulled out our books. Our first class was literature, one of my favorites.

"Alright, class, today we're diving into the works of Jane Austen," the teacher announced. "Ara, would you start us off by reading the first paragraph of Pride and Prejudice?"

I cleared my throat and began reading, feeling Jeonghan's eyes on me. When I finished, the teacher asked for a brief analysis.

"Jane Austen's opening line is both a statement and a subtle irony," I began. "It sets the tone for the novel's exploration of marriage and societal expectations."

Jeonghan raised his hand. "While Ara's point is valid, I'd argue that the line also establishes the novel's central theme of misunderstanding and misjudgment."

The teacher nodded. "Interesting perspectives from both of you. This is why I enjoy having you two in class."

As the lesson continued, Jiyeon passed me a note under the desk. I unfolded it to see her messy handwriting.

*Can you believe Jeonghan? Always trying to one-up you!*

I quickly scribbled a response.

*Story of my life. But it keeps things interesting, I guess.*

Jiyeon smirked as she read my reply, and we both stifled our laughter. The rest of the class passed in a blur of discussions and note-taking, with Jeonghan and I sparring intellectually at every opportunity.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, Jiyeon turned to me. "Ready for another year of rivalry and chaos?"

I grinned. "Always. Let's see what this year has in store for us."

During break, we were eating lunch in the canteen when Jiyeon suddenly brought up the topic of our second-year student exchange program. Since our school had a reputation to maintain, they always organized a student exchange for all the second years.

"I can't wait for the student exchange program," Jiyeon said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Think of all the handsome guys we might meet!"

I laughed and nodded in agreement. "Definitely. It's one of the highlights of the year."

The boys stared at us weirdly but brushed it off, returning to their food.

"So, have you guys heard any rumors about the exchange students this year?" Joshua asked, clearly trying to steer the conversation back to safer ground.

"Not much," Scoups replied. "But I heard they're coming from a top school in Japan. Should be interesting."

Jiyeon turned to Scoups, her expression softening. "What about you, Seungchol? Looking forward to it?"

He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "It could be fun. New people, new experiences."

I couldn't help but notice the way Jiyeon and Scoups looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. They had this weird thing with each other, like they liked each other but just wouldn't admit it.

"Earth to Ara," Jeonghan's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "You're spacing out again."

I shot him a glare. "Maybe I just don't find your conversation that interesting."

He smirked. "Or maybe you're just intimidated by the competition."

"Oh, please," I scoffed. "I can handle any competition, especially from you."

Joshua chuckled, clearly amused by our banter. "You two never change."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Jeonghan said with a wink.

As we finished our lunch, the bell rang, signaling the end of the break. We got up and headed to our next class, the excitement of the upcoming student exchange program lingering in the air.

This year was already shaping up to be full of rivalry, friendship, and maybe even a few surprises.