Seo Hae-won hadn't even stepped out of her apartment when a notification popped on her new phone:
[JHighGossip]
BREAKING: Rich Boyfriend Alert. Seo Hae-won caught sneaking out with Kang Ji-hoon AGAIN. Designer bags. New kicks. Matching caps??! #OppaGoals
Likes: 21.8k | Comments: 6.2k
She dropped her phone on the floor and nearly screamed. "Why does everyone watch me like I'm the season finale of a K-drama?!"
Ji-hoon, lounging in his car downstairs like it was a luxury commercial, sent a text:
"Come down, my little tomato. We're late for our secret-not-secret date."
When she finally walked out—wearing a cream hoodie and the sneakers he "accidentally" bought in three colors—flashlights clicked. Someone across the street literally ducked behind a mailbox to get the angle.
Ji-hoon chuckled and leaned against his car, dressed in all black with sunglasses, like he was auditioning for Vincenzo 2.0. "You're trending again."
She covered her face. "You're enjoying this too much."
"I love chaos," he whispered. "And you."
At school, things were madness.
Girls gasped, boys stared, and even teachers did double takes. Hae-won tried to shrink herself, but with Ji-hoon's arm casually draped around her shoulder like it was nothing, there was no hiding.
Then came Joo Mi-ra, the unofficial queen bee and Ji-hoon's ex. She tossed her perfect curls and fake-laughed like she was in an ad.
"Oh? You two are still a thing?" she asked, sipping her pink latte with a straw shaped like a heart. "I thought that charity phase was over."
Hae-won smiled politely, but Ji-hoon?
He laughed, pulled Hae-won closer, and kissed her on the cheek in front of everyone.
"Aw. Jealousy's not a cute color on you, Mi-ra."
The hall erupted. Phones were flying out of pockets. The app? On fire.
#SeoJiKiss trended for hours.
Lunch time. Canteen. More chaos.
Ji-hoon didn't let her lift a finger.
He bought her kimbap, tteokbokki, bubble tea—and even wiped sauce from her cheek with a napkin like they were in a cheesy romance manga.
A guy two tables away screamed, "I'LL NEVER FIND LOVE LIKE THAT!" and collapsed face-first onto his tray.
Even their classmates were whispering:
"Is this real?"
"She actually looks happy…"
"Okay, but did you see her new bag? Chanel???"
Meanwhile, Mi-ra sat across the cafeteria, stabbing her salad like it owed her money.
After school surprise #1: Rooftop picnic.
Ji-hoon dragged her up with a blindfold. "No peeking."
The rooftop was glowing—fairy lights, cozy blankets, and a small projector showing her favorite childhood cartoon.
"You remembered this?" she whispered, eyes watering.
He handed her a plushie that looked suspiciously like a cartoon tomato. "I have ears, you know. And a very expensive memory."
She laughed through tears. "You're ridiculous."
"But ridiculously yours."
After school surprise #2: A mystery box.
He handed it to her in his car. "Open it when you get home."
Hae-won waited till he dropped her off. When she tore it open, her breath caught—
Inside was a handwritten letter. And under it?
A necklace. Tiny, delicate, and heart-shaped.
On the back?
"HW ♡ JH"
She didn't cry. She sobbed.
Meanwhile… in a dim room somewhere in Seoul…
Joo Mi-ra's eyes twitched as she scrolled through the comments:
"Omg, he's obsessed with her."
"She's so lucky."
"The way he looks at her—UGH. Oppa, I want that too!"
"Power couple!"
Mi-ra's phone cracked as she squeezed it.
"This. Is. War."
The next day. At school.
Hae-won tried to walk in quietly…
But the entire hallway was plastered with photos from the rooftop picnic. Stickers, doodles, hearts, and fan captions.
Ji-hoon had leaked them himself.
"Why would you post those?!" she yelled.
He grinned, twirling his keys. "Because I want everyone to know who I belong to."
And then came surprise #3:
At lunch, the loudspeaker crackled.
"Will Seo Hae-won please come to the music room?"
Everyone turned.
She walked in—confused, nervous—only to find the room lit with pink lights, rose petals scattered, and a banner:
"Congratulations, HW! 100k followers on @JHighGossipFanPage!"
He stepped out with a mic and sang—yes, sang—a verse from her favorite OST.
She froze. Laughed. Covered her face.
And in front of the school, they danced for ten seconds. Awkward. Adorable. Perfect.
Outside, under the cherry blossoms, she whispered, "Why do you keep doing all this?"
Ji-hoon leaned down. "Because you deserve everything they said you didn't. And because I love your laugh. It's my favorite sound now."
She looked up, eyes glimmering.
"And what if I disappear again?"
"I'll find you. And buy you five more pairs of shoes."