The school was abuzz with the news of a surprise test in various subjects. Students rushed to review their notes, their usual chatter replaced with murmurs of worry. Ji-hyun was pacing back and forth in her dorm room, her physics book clutched tightly.
"Unnie!" Ji-hyun wailed, turning to Sophia. "I'm going to fail. I can’t remember half of these formulas!"
Sophia chuckled softly, patting Ji-hyun’s head. “You won’t fail. Sit down. Let’s go through them together.”
Ji-hyun plopped onto her bed, her face scrunched in frustration as Sophia flipped through the textbook. “Okay, what’s the formula for velocity?”
Ji-hyun groaned. “Don’t remind me of velocity! Ugh, it’s... um...”
“Distance divided by time,” Sophia prompted, her tone encouraging.
Ji-hyun's eyes lit up. “Oh! Right!”
For the next hour, Sophia patiently walked Ji-hyun through the topics, using little tricks and mnemonics to help her remember.
Ji-hyun’s frustration melted into determination, and by the time they were done, she was grinning.
“Unnie, you’re amazing! If I pass this test, it’ll be because of you,” Ji-hyun declared dramatically, throwing her arms around Sophia.
“You’ll do great,” Sophia assured her with a smile.
---
The test day arrived, and Sophia moved through it quietly, focusing on her answers.
She didn’t try to draw attention to herself, but her calm demeanor caught the eye of a boy sitting a few seats away.
Later that afternoon, the same boy approached her in the library. He was tall with soft brown eyes and a shy smile.
“Hi,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “I’m Min-jae. You’re Sophia, right?”
Sophia looked up from her book, slightly startled. “Yes, that’s me.”
“I noticed you in class. You seem… smart. I was wondering if you wanted to study together sometime?” Min-jae asked, his tone nervous but earnest.
Sophia hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Sure. I’m always up for studying.”
From then on, Min-jae and Sophia became regular study partners. They spent hours in the library, discussing everything from schoolwork to random topics.
He taught her more about Korean culture, and she shared bits of her life back in Nigeria—carefully leaving out the darker parts.
Meanwhile, Ji-hyun was busy making her presence known around the school. She managed to play harmless pranks on the bullies who had targeted Sophia, leaving them flustered and confused.
“Unnie, you should have seen their faces!” Ji-hyun giggled one evening, recounting her latest escapade. “I swear, they’ll think twice before messing with you again.”
Sophia laughed, shaking her head. “Ji-hyun, you’re going to get yourself into trouble one day.”
“It’ll be worth it,” Ji-hyun replied with a mischievous grin.
---
During their downtime, Sophia and Ji-hyun would video call Crystal back at Mr. Lee’s estate. Crystal’s warm smile never failed to brighten Sophia’s mood.
“So, how’s everything back there?” Sophia asked during one such call.
Crystal sighed. “Busy as always. Kai keeps teasing me about you, saying Mr. Lee’s been moodier since you left.”
Sophia’s cheeks warmed. “He’s probably just busy.”
Crystal smirked. “Sure, let’s go with that.”
“How’s Kai?” Ji-hyun chimed in, leaning into the screen.
Crystal rolled her eyes playfully. “He’s the same. Annoying, but in a charming way. And Mr. Lee is doing perfectly fine, of course.”
Sophia smiled softly. “I miss you all. It feels strange not being there.”
“We miss you too,” Crystal said. “But it sounds like you’re doing great.”
---
Back in the U.S., Mr. Lee was indeed not fine. His cold, commanding demeanor had intensified, making even his closest staff hesitant to approach him.
“Sir, the meeting starts in ten minutes,” Kai said, peeking into Mr. Lee’s office.
Mr. Lee didn’t look up from his desk. “Noted.”
Kai lingered for a moment before stepping closer. “You’ve been unbearable lately. Missing someone, perhaps?”
Mr. Lee’s eyes flicked up, sharp and unyielding. “Focus on your work, Kai.”
Kai smirked. “You’re impossible, you know that? Denying what’s obvious to everyone but yourself.”
Mr. Lee ignored him, but Kai didn’t miss the way his jaw tightened.
---
One evening, Samantha decided to test her boundaries. She entered Mr. Lee’s private quarters uninvited, draping herself across his bed in a silk robe.
When Mr. Lee walked in, his expression froze. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought you might want some company,” Samantha said coyly.
“This is not your room,” he replied coldly.
She pouted, sitting up. “You’ve been so distant lately. I thought we could… reconnect.”
“Get out,” he said, his tone final.
Samantha’s face fell. “You’re always like this. Why can’t you just—”
“Out,” Mr. Lee repeated, his voice like ice.
Defeated, Samantha left, her expression dark with frustration.
---
One evening, after a particularly difficult day, Sophia sat in her dorm room, her chest heavy with homesickness. A knock at the door startled her.
“Unnie, are you okay?” Ji-hyun asked, stepping inside.
Sophia nodded, but her tears betrayed her. Ji-hyun immediately hugged her, patting her head gently.
“It’s okay to miss home,” Ji-hyun said softly. “But you’re not alone here.”
Sophia leaned into her, her tears falling freely. “I just… I feel so far from everything familiar.”
Ji-hyun smiled. “You’ve got me. And I promise, we’ll make this place feel like home.”
---
Later that night, Sophia received an unexpected video call from Mr. Lee.
“Mr. Lee,” she greeted, surprised.
“You look tired,” he said, his gaze scanning her face.
“It’s been a long day,” she admitted.
There was a pause before he said, “I’ll be back soon. Until then, stay strong.”
His words, though brief, warmed her heart. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He nodded, his expression softening for just a moment. “Goodnight, Sophia.”
“Goodnight,” she replied, the call ending but leaving her feeling less alone.
---
The days continued, filled with challenges and triumphs. Sophia found herself growing stronger, her bonds with Ji-hyun, Min-jae, and even Mr. Lee becoming the lights that guided her through the darkness.
YOU ARE READING
SMITTEN BY HER (unedited)
Romance"Beyond Shadows" In a world where darkness reigns, a young orphan's dreams of becoming a veterinarian are shattered by her aunt's cruelty. But when she's drawn into the mysterious world of enigmatic Mr. Lee - a powerful figure rumored to be "more th...
