Mr. Popular

Lara stepped into the classroom early, the morning still quiet with the bell yet to ring. Deciding it was best to avoid drawing attention, she headed straight to her seat, deliberately steering clear of Minji. The last thing she wanted was to get caught up in any drama on her first full day.

"Hey, did you see the test scores posted outside?" Ji-won asked, walking up to her with a bright smile.

"Test scores?" Lara echoed, puzzled. She hadn't taken any tests since her arrival.

"I'm talking about the last test we wrote before you got here," Ji-won clarified, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"What about it?" Lara asked, her curiosity piqued.

Ji-won grinned, enjoying the suspense, and pulled Lara out of her seat. "Come on, I'll show you."

They headed to the notice board just outside the building, where the test scores were displayed for everyone to see. It seemed to be a tradition at the school—a public ranking that everyone passed by on their way in.

"Look," Ji-won said, pointing to a name at the top of the list: Joo Hyun-min.

Lara's brow furrowed. Hyun-min… where have I heard that name before? Oh, right—Minji mentioned him.

"Did you drag me out here just to show me some random kid's score?" Lara asked, unimpressed.

"He's not just some kid," Ji-won said, her tone slightly exasperated. "He's Joo Hyun-min, the most popular guy in the entire school."

Before Lara could respond, a deep voice interrupted them from behind. "Excuse me."

Ji-won quickly pulled Lara to the side, leaning in to whisper, "Speak of the devil."

Lara turned, her eyes widening as she took in the figure before her. Joo Hyun-min was tall, with sharp features that made it clear why he was the school's heartthrob. Even Lara had to admit, he was more than just a little handsome.

"Is he some kind of playboy?" Lara asked, still eyeing him out of the corner of her eye.

Ji-won chuckled. "Interested already?"

"Not even close," Lara shot back. "I don't do love at first sight."

Ji-won laughed softly. "Well, for what it's worth, he hasn't dated anyone. But he's definitely a lot of girls' Prince Charming."

And Minji happens to be one of them, Lara thought, glancing at the notice board again. Her eyes caught on Minji's name—second place. A proud smile tugged at her lips.

"She's still as smart as ever," Lara murmured to herself.

"Who?" Ji-won asked, curious.

"No one," Lara lied, her heart swelling with pride for her best friend.

Just then, a girl pushed past them to check her score. When she saw her name listed third, she let out an annoyed huff and stormed off.

"What's up with her?" Lara asked, watching the girl leave.

"That's Junhee," Ji-won explained. "She's a perfectionist and hates being anything less than the best. But don't worry about her—she's not worth your time."

As they returned to the classroom, Lara noticed Minji approaching Hyun-min, a drink in hand.

"Here, I got this for you," Minji said, her voice laced with a hopeful sweetness.

"Thanks," Hyun-min replied with a polite smile.

Lara quickly averted her gaze, not interested in hearing the rest of their conversation. The thought of her best friend flirting with a guy was strangely unsettling.

The bell rang, and Miss Hara, their homeroom teacher, walked in with a bright smile. "Good morning, class," she greeted, and the students responded in unison.

She seemed especially cheerful, and it didn't take long for Lara to realize why. As the teacher began congratulating the students on their test performances, her eyes lingered on Hyun-min.

"Hyun-min, keep up the good work," Miss Hara praised, clearly fond of the star student. Despite his popularity, Hyun-min always excelled academically, making him a favorite among the teachers. Miss Hara herself seemed to admire him, perhaps a little too much. If she were still in high school, she might have had a crush on him too.

With a smile, Miss Hara tapped the board to get everyone's attention. "I have an important announcement to make."

The class fell silent, curious. Miss Hara took a deep breath, her smile widening. "I'll be taking a leave of absence for a few months," she said.

The news was met with collective groans from the class. Miss Hara was one of the best teachers at Seongsu-dong High, and her students were clearly disappointed to see her go.

She chuckled at their reaction, touched by their affection. "Well, I'm getting married," she announced, her eyes sparkling with joy.

The class erupted in applause, the earlier disappointment forgotten. "Congratulations, Miss Hara!" Ji-eun, the class president, called out, her voice brimming with genuine happiness.

"Thank you," Miss Hara replied, her smile warm and full of gratitude.