Chapter Text
Chapter 1: The Principal's Son
"Park Seonghwa. My office. Now."
The voice that echoed through the classroom was enough to make everyone fall silent.
The lunch bell had barely rung when the announcement came through the intercom. As usual, dozens of eyes turned toward the boy sitting by the window.
Seonghwa slowly raised his head from his notebook.
Whispers immediately spread around the room.
"Again?"
"Did he mess up this time?"
"No, it's probably because he got ninety-nine instead of one hundred."
Wooyoung, who sat behind him, clicked his tongue.
"Seriously, your mother is terrifying."
Seonghwa forced a small smile.
"It's okay."
But it wasn't okay.
Not anymore.
He quietly gathered his books and left the classroom, pretending not to hear the laughter and comments that followed him into the hallway.
At Hanbit High School, Park Seonghwa was famous.
Not because he was handsome, and has a delicious scent.
Not because he consistently ranked first in every exam.
Not because he had once won a national piano competition.
No.
To everyone, he was simply—
The principal's son.
And Principal Park was feared by everyone.
Teachers straightened their backs when she appeared.
Students lowered their heads when she passed by.
She was strict.
Cold.
Perfection itself.
And unfortunately for Seonghwa…
She expected the same perfection from him.
---
Principal Park sat behind her desk, perfectly composed.
Without greeting him, she pushed a test paper across the desk.
"You lost two points."
Seonghwa stared at the mathematics exam.
98/100.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
"I thought I did well…"
Her eyes hardened.
"Well isn't enough."
"M-Mother—"
"Two points are still two points."
Silence.
"Your concentration is slipping."
"I'm sorry."
"You should be."
Seonghwa lowered his head.
"I'm withdrawing you from the Dance club."
His eyes widened.
"What?"
"Dreams and hobbies are distractions."
"But I only attend twice a week—"
"I wasn't asking for your opinion."
Her voice remained calm, but it felt colder than ice.
"You'll go straight home after school. No more club activities. And your tutoring schedule will be increased."
Seonghwa's lips trembled.
"M-Mother, dance makes me happy…"
"Success should make you happy."
"Mother—"
"Enough."
The finality in her tone crushed any remaining protest.
"...Yes, Mother."
"Dismissed."
As he left the office, Seonghwa felt his chest tighten painfully.
He had stopped crying years ago.
There was no point.
Tears changed nothing.
Still…
Why did it hurt so much?
---
Back in the hallway, students quickly moved aside as he passed.
Nobody approached him.
Nobody invited him to eat lunch.
Nobody really knew him.
They only knew who his mother was.
And eventually…
Seonghwa had convinced himself that loneliness was normal.
He sat alone beneath a tree in the courtyard, eating his lunch in silence.
Nearby, groups of friends laughed together.
Couples shared snacks.
Basketball players argued loudly.
Everyone seemed so alive.
And Seonghwa felt like he was merely existing.
He absentmindedly opened his phone.
No messages.
No missed calls.
No invitations.
He smiled sadly.
"Guess it's just me again."
---
At the same time, on the rooftop, Kim Hongjoong leaned against the fence.
The wind played with his dark hair as he stared down at the courtyard.
His cedarwood scent drifted through the air, soothing and warm.
But Yunho knew better.
Behind that pleasant aroma hid years of bitterness.
Following Hongjoong's gaze, Yunho sighed.
"You're watching him again."
Below, Seonghwa sat alone beneath the tree.
Hongjoong's eyes narrowed.
"I hate that woman."
Yunho frowned.
"Hyung…"
"Principal Park destroyed my family."
His voice was quiet.
Too quiet.
Years ago, Hongjoong's father had been a respected teacher at Hanbit High.
Then came the accusations.
The dismissal.
The scandal.
His father had never recovered.
His mother had worked herself to exhaustion to support them.
And through it all…
Principal Park had remained untouchable.
Hongjoong still remembered his father's broken expression.
Still remembered the nights his mother cried when she thought he was asleep.
Still remembered promising himself one thing.
Revenge.
"And now…" Hongjoong murmured.
Yunho immediately became uneasy.
"No."
Hongjoong smiled bitterly.
"I'm going to make her suffer."
"No."
"I'm serious."
"Seonghwa didn't do anything."
"He's her son."
"That's exactly why you shouldn't involve him."
Hongjoong laughed softly.
"Life wasn't fair to me either."
"But you're not like her."
A shadow crossed Hongjoong's face.
"Maybe I am."
---
After lunch, Seonghwa hurried back inside.
His thoughts were elsewhere.
Dance club.
Gone.
Again.
Another piece of himself taken away.
Lost in thought, he accidentally bumped into another student.
"Oh!"
Books and papers scattered across the floor.
"I'm sorry!"
Seonghwa quickly crouched down.
His cheeks turned red.
"Ah… what a mess…"
Before he could pick everything up, another hand reached for a notebook.
Long fingers.
A silver ring.
Seonghwa froze.
He slowly raised his eyes.
Black hair.
Sharp features.
And the gentle scent of cedarwood.
Kim Hongjoong.
The most popular alpha in school.
Captain of the music club.
Top grades.
Good-looking.
Friendly.
And a bit of a bad boy.
Practically everyone liked him.
Including half the school.
And he was currently kneeling on the floor, helping Seonghwa gather his papers.
"H-Here…"
Hongjoong handed him a notebook with a warm smile.
For a second, Seonghwa forgot how to breathe.
"T-Thank you…"
"So you're Park Seonghwa."
His voice was soft.
Unexpectedly soft.
Seonghwa nodded nervously.
"Y-Yes."
Hongjoong smiled again.
"I'm Kim Hongjoong."
"I know…"
Immediately, Seonghwa covered his mouth.
Hongjoong blinked.
Then laughed.
A genuine laugh.
And suddenly, Seonghwa felt his ears burn.
"Sorry! I mean… everyone knows you…"
Hongjoong chuckled.
"Should I be honored?"
Seonghwa looked away, embarrassed.
"It's just… you're famous."
"And you're not?"
Seonghwa's smile faded slightly.
"People only know my mother."
Something flickered in Hongjoong's eyes.
For a moment, guilt pierced his chest.
But he buried it quickly.
"Then I guess I'll have to get to know Park Seonghwa."
Not Principal Park's son.
Park Seonghwa.
Just Seonghwa.
The words were simple.
Yet they struck something deep inside him.
Nobody had ever said that before.
Nobody had ever looked at him like that.
His heart beat faster.
And without realizing it…
A small smile appeared on his face.
One that Hongjoong noticed immediately.
Beautiful.
Too beautiful.
For a split second…
Hongjoong hated himself.
Because that smile was genuine.
And because he knew—
Sooner or later…
He would be the one to destroy it.
Neither of them knew that this simple encounter…
Would become the beginning of a story filled with love, lies, betrayal…
And a tragedy that would change both of their lives forever.