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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IT WAS LIKE WITNESSING a car crash.
Jake saw when the fateful ball was thrown and when it hit Jiana's head with an audible thwack. He winced. Then he'd seen her crumple to the floor.
Jay was already bent by her as the other students paused their gameplay. The gym teachers called a time-out. They were used to casualties in dodgeball; it was a miracle the game had been played this long without someone getting hurt already.
From behind, a dodgeball hit the back of Hyunjoo's head. People who'd seen turned. Genny sauntered over. "What the hell are you doing?" Hyunjoo snapped.
Genny shrugged. "Revenge dodgeball." She picked up another from the floor and lobbed it at Hyunjoo with surprising force. It smacked her cheek, leaving a red mark.
Hyunjoo's teeth gritted. "You-"
"That's enough." The gym teacher's voice was weary. "Jiana will be fine, just maybe a trip to the infirmary first. Who-"
"I can," Jay and Jake said together.
The gym teacher blinked.
"It's okay." Jay nodded at Jake. "My ankle's been bothering me anyway." He slipped his arms under Jiana's back and legs and began carrying her towards the exit. Hyunjoo went red with anger at the sight.
As the crowd dispersed, Jake said to her, "It must be frustrating to have nothing go your way."
"Not your business."
He placed a hand on her shoulder and swiveled her around to face him. His expression was thunderous, fingers squeezing just hard enough as he lowered his voice. "Word of advice: fix whatever inferiority complex you have, and fast, because that shit you pulled today? Next time, I won't let it slide."
"Empty?" Jake stepped closer. "Try me and find out how fucking empty they are. You're pathetic, you know." His lips twisted. "You're the only one competing and you're still losing."
Hyunjoo's vision clouded. "Threatened?" she retorted coolly, folding her arms across her chest. "Don't be dense, Jaeyun."
"I'll ruin your life," Jake said, ignoring the curious stares they were getting. "You understand that I can do that, right?"
"Sure." Hyunjoo stepped closer, forcing herself to adopt a blasé tone as she brought a finger up to trace his jaw. "Yet you keep coming back to me. You find me so awful, but when it comes to other things..." Her breath fanned across his face, noses nearly touching. "You don't mind quite so much."
Jake's expression was impassive. "Ask yourself why your value is tied to those other things and not you as a person."
