Beneath the Hierarchy | Hierarchy - Kim Rian

Chapter 8 - Bound by Love

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The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains of Jia's apartment, casting a warm glow on the room as she stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her tie with a critical eye. Kangha had departed early, having forgotten his uniform, leaving Jia's place in a flurry of early morning motion. Her gaze shifted towards the bed where her twin brother Jihoon lay sprawled out, sleeping like a starfish. His head hung over the edge of the bed, mouth slightly ajar in a contented snore, his tousled hair a testament to his deep slumber. Jia couldn't help but chuckle softly to herself, marveling at his ability to sleep so deeply.

Grabbing her phone from the bedside table, Jia quietly approached Jihoon's side of the bed and snapped a quick photo, smirking to herself as she made a mental note to tease him about it later and slipped her phone back into her pocket.. It was a habit she had developed — capturing these candid moments of her brother's quirky sleeping positions and his embarrassed moments to tease him later. Mental note made, she tucked her phone away, preparing to wake him.

"Jihoon," she said softly, shaking his shoulder. "Wake up, you're going to be late for school."

Jihoon stirred abruptly, nearly falling off the bed in his half-asleep state. He blinked groggily, rubbing his eyes before darting off towards the bathroom at lightning speed, a typical morning rush for him.

As Jia chuckled at Jihoon's clumsiness, her phone chimed with a message notification. Expecting Kangha's text, she was surprised to see Rian's name on the screen. Her heart skipped a beat as she read his simple "Good Morning" message accompanied by a simple smiley face. A blush creeping up her cheeks and a rush of excitement mingled with nervousness fluttering in her stomach. Before she could compose herself, her phone rang, startling her. This time with an incoming call from Rian. She hesitated for a moment before answering, her voice slightly breathless.

"Hey, good morning," Rian greeted warmly.

"Good morning, Rian." she greeted, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies in her stomach, but her voice betraying her slight nervousness.

"Are you ready for school?" Rian replied casually, but his voice sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine. 

Jia nodded instinctively before realizing he couldn't see her. "Yes, almost ready. What about you?"

"I'm actually on my way to your place. I'll be there in ten minutes. Take your time, we can go together from now on," Rian said matter-of-factly.

Jia's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth hanging open slightly. She blinked, trying to process his words. "W-what did you say?" she stuttered nervously.

"I said, let's go to school together from now on," Rian repeated calmly, chuckled softly on the other end of the line, his voice teasing yet reassuring.

"But... what will people think?" Jia panicked slightly, biting her lip nervously as her thoughts spinning. 

Rian cut her off, his response was immediate and confident. "Let them think what they want. It doesn't bother me." he said, his tone unwavering. 

Jia felt her cheeks burn even hotter as she felt a rush of warmth spread through her at his words, her cheeks coloring with a mixture of embarrassment and excitement. "We're not even friends, and definitely not... not..." Jia stumbled over her words, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Not yet," Rian interjected smoothly, his voice low and filled with promise. Jia feel his smirk as he talk.

Jia's breath caught in her throat, her mind reeling with the implications of his words. Before she could gather her thoughts to respond, he continued, "Be ready. I'll text you when I'm outside."