Jiana is new.
After getting adopted by one of the country's wealthiest couples, she is steeped into high society full of people who have everything. As she struggles to shake that feeling of being completely out of depth with her new environment, Ji...
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ROWDY PARTIES WEREN'T generally Lee Heeseung's type of scene. He could withstand it, for the first few hours. But this wasn't social awkwardness or anxiety; Heeseung simply tired of people easily. The only exceptions to this rule were his friends, and he'd only been dragged here tonight as a best friend of the host. So he laughed and chatted and danced for as long as he could bear before disappearing into the inner library room for a much-needed reprieve.
Heeseung shut the door behind him, eyes scanning the dim space to ensure that nobody had followed him inside. With a little sigh of relief, he crossed the floor over to the nearest shelf, fished out the novel he'd started last time, and collapsed onto the couch in the alcove to read. The music from outside was still too loud, but he hardly noticed.
Then the door banged open, and Heeseung nearly jumped two feet in the air. His surprised expression morphed into an unimpressed scowl when he saw the culprit.
"You're being antisocial again," Park Sunghoon sing-songed, striding inside like he owned the place.
"You're one to talk," Heeseung deadpanned.
Sunghoon just ignored him, coming over to sit beside. "I'm bored," he pouted. "Entertain me."
Heeseung didn't look up from his book. "Just because Aeji isn't here doesn't mean you should bother me instead."
"But parties aren't fun without her," Sunghoon whined, slumping into the couch.
"You're pathetic," Heeseung said, even as his lips turned up at the corners.
"And you're jealous." Sunghoon fished his phone from his pocket, that usual lovestruck smile floating onto his lips as it usually did whenever he spoke about his girlfriend. "Should I call her? Or will she yell at me 'cause I interrupted her sleep?"
"The second one." Heeseung hadn't known Aeji for long, but he could guess. "I like Aeji," he admitted. "You two are good for each other. Don't fuck it up."
"Why would I?" Sunghoon asked, baffled.
"I don't know. You're strange."
"Thank you."
"Not a compliment," Heeseung laughed. Sunghoon relaxed against the couch, fluttering his eyes shut.
The door opened again, and Heeseung looked up, exasperated. But this time it was a girl standing there, two glasses of something in her hand as she looked around. Then her eyes found them and she smiled, walking over. "Hey, Heeseung," she acknowledged before turning to the other. "You left your drink back by the bar, Hoon."
Heeseung's brows drew upward as he watched. Sunghoon shot the girl a grateful smile. "Oh, thanks. I'll need it."
She laughed, a high, tinkling sound, even though Sunghoon hadn't said anything particularly funny. "I haven't seen you on the dance floor all night," the girl commented. "Where have you been?"
