"Intrigue"

The next morning, Ji Hwan and Ji Yeon headed to school. Ji Hwan wore his school uniform messily, riding his sports bike, while Ji Yeon wore a jacket over her uniform as she sped ahead on her Vespa.

As Ji Yeon disappeared down the road, Ji Hwan casually rode at his own pace. Along the way, he spotted Seung Woo with a girl—his girlfriend from another school. Seung Woo was dropping her off, looking around cautiously as if he didn't want to be seen.

Just as Ji Hwan was about to pass, his eyes landed on someone familiar—the cashier girl from last night's restaurant. Grinning, he honked his horn loudly and gave her a thumbs-up before speeding away.

Seung Woo, watching from across the street, sighed internally. "Ah… Ji Hwan is totally the type to spill this to everyone…"

Ji Hwan parked his motorcycle in the usual spot and casually walked into the classroom. As soon as he entered, he noticed Ji Yeon sleeping at her desk.

But what surprised him more was the reaction of his classmates. Almost everyone was glaring at him with annoyance.

"Ji Hwan! Why didn't you invite us yesterday?!" one of them complained.

The others chimed in, blaming Ji Hwan for not taking them along. But, as always, Ji Hwan smoothly changed the topic.

"Hey… Seung Woo has a girlfriend! And he didn't even tell us?!" he announced mischievously.

Immediately, the atmosphere shifted. All eyes turned toward Seung Woo, who had just walked into the classroom.

Joo Hyuk chuckled and said, "Wow… even the ever-so-cool Seung Woo has a girlfriend, huh?"

Seung Woo glanced at them with a sharp look, but Joo Hyuk just wrapped an arm around him and kept teasing.

Ji Hwan stuck out his tongue playfully as Seung Woo grumbled, "Yaa… you guys are the worst!"

But the fun didn't last long. A few moments later, Ms. Lee entered the classroom, making everyone quickly rush back to their seats.

Ji Hwan and Rowon kept whispering to each other, completely ignoring the lesson.

Ms. Lee, who had finally had enough, called them out. "Ji Hwan, Rowon! Since you seem to be having such an interesting conversation, why don't you answer this question?"

Ji Hwan blinked, caught off guard. He had no idea what the question was.

After a moment of hesitation, he confidently blurted out an answer—one that was completely wrong but absurdly funny.

The entire class burst into laughter. Even Rowon was struggling to keep a straight face.

Ji Yeon, resting her chin on her hand, sighed and muttered, "I sekki…" (This brat...)

Ms. Lee shook her head, clearly exasperated. "Ji Hwan… Just sit down."

But Ji Hwan, unfazed, simply grinned and plopped back into his chair as his classmates continued chuckling.

Meanwhile, in Tae Min's class, the atmosphere was different. There was no laughter like in Ji Hwan's class.

Tae Min sat at his desk with a blank expression, listening to the teacher's explanation without interest. Some of his classmates glanced at him cautiously, aware that he was in a bad mood.

A classmate sitting next to him, Han Joon, whispered, "Hey, Tae Min, did you hear? Ji Hwan and his gang had a celebration yesterday. I heard they're moving to a nicer dorm under his father's authority."

Tae Min, who had seemed indifferent at first, clenched his jaw slightly. "A dorm under his father?" he muttered, his eyes narrowing as if deep in thought.

The teacher noticed Tae Min spacing out and called on him. "Tae Min, answer this question."

But instead of responding, Tae Min just stared blankly ahead, his mind already elsewhere.

Meanwhile, at the technical school, Jin Woo, Dong Il, and the other members of Ji Hwan's gang were gathered in their classroom.

Not long after, a classmate called out to Jin Woo. "Hey, a bald guy and two other men are looking for you downstairs."

Jin Woo stood up and said, "Alright, I'll go down."

When he reached the entrance, he casually approached the men and asked, "So, you're the bald guy my friend was talking about?"

The bald man immediately looked offended. "Hey, kid! How dare you talk like that?!"

Dong Il, who had followed, struggled to hold back his laughter at the bald man's reaction. Jin Woo then glanced at the other man, who was heavyset.

The heavyset man squinted his eyes and said harshly, "What are you looking at, you brat?"

The bald man raised his hand to stop him. "Enough. Let's get straight to the point."

He continued, "From now on, you will stop being part of Ji Hwan's gang. That gang is being disbanded, and you will be under our supervision, under the leadership of Kang Dae Ho—Ji Hwan's father."

Jin Woo and Dong Il exchanged surprised looks.

The bald man added, "Ji Hwan has been dealing with too many problems lately. So, from now on, you'll be under our watch."

Jin Woo crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. "Tsk… so you're saying we have to follow you guys now?"

The bald man nodded. "That's right. You'd better start getting used to it."

Back at the all-boys school, Ji Hwan was eating in the cafeteria while Ji Yeon was also having her meal.

As he absentmindedly chewed his food, his mind wandered to something ridiculous—earlier that morning, before taking a shower, he had seen a photo of his late cat in his room.

"Tsk… poor thing," he muttered to himself with a silly pout.

Across the table, his classmates were chatting when one of them suddenly leaned in. "Hey, Ji Hwan, you're really starting to annoy me..."

Ji Hwan snapped out of his thoughts and blinked. "Huh? What did I do this time?"

His friend rolled his eyes. "You're just sitting there, spacing out with that dumb look on your face. What are you thinking about?"

Ji Hwan sighed dramatically and placed his chopsticks down. "If you must know… I was thinking about my cat."

The whole table went silent.

Ji Yeon, who was sitting nearby, turned to him with a deadpan expression. "What…?"

Ji Hwan nodded seriously. "Yeah. I saw a picture of him this morning. He looked so majestic. A true king."

Joo Hyuk scoffed. "You're getting sentimental over a cat?"

Seung Woo, who had just sat down with his tray, raised a brow. "Wait… isn't that cat already dead?"

Ji Hwan gasped dramatically. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY IT LIKE THAT!"

The entire group burst into laughter while Ji Yeon simply sighed, regretting ever sitting near them.

On the other hand, Ji Hwan's uncle skipped campus today because there was an upcoming inter-campus basketball match.

Meanwhile, Tae Min was still on the school rooftop, lost in thought as usual. No one knew what was on his mind.

At Jung Corporation, the atmosphere was as busy as ever, with employees moving around, focused on their tasks.

At the technical school, Jin Woo had just arrived with Dong Il. As they walked down the hallway toward their classroom, one of their classmates whispered, "Hey, did you hear? Dae Ho is here at school today."

Jin Woo and Dong Il exchanged glances.

"Seriously? Why?" Dong Il asked.

As they headed to class, they saw Dae Ho standing in the school hall, talking to some school staff.

Jin Woo let out a sigh. "Ah… so he really is here."

They moved closer to get a better look. One of the school staff speaking with Dae Ho said, "We truly appreciate this partnership, Mr. Dae Ho. The support for school facilities means a lot to our students."

Dae Ho gave a small smile. "This school is part of an investment for the future. I just want to ensure they get a proper education."

Jin Woo folded his arms and whispered to Dong Il, "So all this time, he's been working with the school for donations and facilities?"

Dong Il nodded slightly. "Looks like it… who would've thought?"

They never expected that Dae Ho, who was mostly known for his dealings in the gangster world, was also involved in supporting education.

Jin Woo chuckled and said, "A father and son can both be good people, huh? The only difference is that Mr. Dae Ho is charismatic and dignified, while Ji Hwan..."

Dong Il smirked. "He's annoying and childish?"

Jin Woo nodded quickly. "Exactly! Ji Hwan is like a little kid who can't sit still, always looking for trouble, and sometimes gives us headaches."

Dong Il added, "But you have to admit, he always knows how to get out of trouble, right?"

Jin Woo sighed. "That's the thing! Every time I think he's finally caught in a big mess, he somehow manages to slip away. If it's not luck, I have no idea how he does it."

Dae Ho, who was still talking with the school officials, suddenly glanced in their direction, making Jin Woo and Dong Il quickly pretend to be busy with their phones.

"Are you eavesdropping?" Dae Ho asked casually.

Jin Woo gave an awkward smile. "Eh? No, Ajusshi. We just happened to be passing by."

Dae Ho raised an eyebrow before returning to his discussion with the school staff.

Dong Il whispered, "Well, if you think about it, maybe Ji Hwan will grow up to be like his dad someday?"

Jin Woo immediately shook his head vigorously. "Hah?! Ji Hwan turning into Mr. Dae Ho? No way! I can't even imagine Ji Hwan being serious and charismatic."

The two stared at each other for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter. "Yeah, you're right... not happening."

Ji Hwan scratched his itchy ear and muttered, "Feels like someone is gossiping about me..."

Moments later, a bespectacled classmate entered the room, but something was different this time. His lips were bruised, and there was a little blood on his nose. Usually, whenever Ji Hwan messed around with him, there would be laughter. But not today.

Ji Hwan immediately stood up, his expression serious. "Hey... who did this?"

The whole class, who had been busy playing indoor basketball and card games, immediately turned their heads and gathered around.

"What happened?" one of the students asked.

Ji Hwan eyed the injured student. "Looks like someone's been bullying Hanwool..."

The class grew furious. "Ah shibal! Who dares?!"

Hanwool quickly raised his hands in defense. "Gwenchana... I always get nosebleeds because of my condition."

But his classmates weren't convinced. They pressured him to tell the truth.

Suddenly, Ji Yeon, who had been silent, finally spoke up.

Meanwhile, in the teachers' office

Ms. Lee sat at her desk, reading a message on her phone. It was from Kang Ryun, Ji Hwan's uncle.

"You have to come this evening. I have a match. Arasso??"

Ms. Lee sighed. "This guy... always so bossy." But without realizing it, the corners of her lips lifted slightly.

Ji Hwan and his friends barged into the gym, heading straight for a basketball player who was stretching. The player looked up at them, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

Ji Hwan crossed his arms and smirked. "So, you're the one who dared to mess with Hanwool, huh?"

The basketball player frowned. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Ji Hwan dramatically pointed at him. "Don't play dumb! Hanwool's face is enough proof! You must have hit him!"

Before the player could respond, Joo Hyuk sighed and smacked Ji Hwan on the head. "Hey, idiot. At least hear him out first!"

Ji Hwan rubbed his head and glared at Joo Hyuk. "Ya! Why am I the one getting hit?!"

Ji Yeon, standing beside them with her arms crossed, suddenly shouted angrily. "Yaa, shiballoma! What did you do to Hanwool?!"

The basketball player looked even more confused. "Seriously, I have no idea what you're talking about..."

Hanwool, who had been standing behind them, scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh... guys... I already told you, it's just a nosebleed..."

Everyone turned to look at Hanwool, their furious expressions slowly turning into confusion.

Ji Hwan blinked a few times. "Wait... so no one hit you?"

Hanwool nodded. "Yeah... I get nosebleeds often."

Silence filled the gym. Then, without hesitation, Joo Hyuk smacked Ji Hwan's head again.

"YAH! YOU DRAGGED US ALL HERE FOR NOTHING?!"

The whole class groaned in frustration while Ji Hwan just laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Ehehe... my bad?"

Suho walked closer with a confident smile. "Hey, Ji Hwan-ah!"

Ji Hwan turned around, his eyes widening. "Wait, Suho-ah! You transferred to this school and joined the basketball team?"

Suho chuckled, spinning the basketball on his finger. "Of course. But hold on... Weren't you a basketball player back in middle school?"

The whole class fell silent.

"WHAT?! JI HWAN? A BASKETBALL PLAYER?!"

One student dropped his water bottle. Another clutched his chest like he was about to faint. Joo Hyuk, who was eating, nearly choked.

"No way... Our Ji Hwan? The one who always skipped warm-ups and slept in class??"

Ji Yeon crossed her arms with a blank expression. "Tsk. Hard to believe."

Ji Hwan smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Tch, you guys underestimate me too much." He turned to Suho with a grin. "Wanna go one-on-one?"

Suho raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You sure you can still play?"

With confidence, Ji Hwan grabbed the basketball and started dribbling. Then, with dramatic flair, he turned and took a shot…

…which completely missed.

The ball hit the edge of the hoop, bounced high into the air, then dropped straight onto his forehead.

The entire class burst into laughter.

Joo Hyuk pretended to wipe away tears. "Ah… Our legendary Ji Hwan."

Ji Yeon shook her head. "I knew it."

Suho stood with his arms crossed, trying to hold back his laughter. "…Okay, now I understand why you quit basketball."

Ji Hwan rubbed his forehead, trying to stay cool. "T-that was just a warm-up shot!"

His friends groaned. "Just sit down, Ji Hwan!!"

One of Ji Hwan's friends nervously whispered, "I think Ms. Ji Hye is coming."

The entire class froze. Ms. Ji Hye was infamous—strict, terrifying, and had zero patience for nonsense.

The moment she stepped inside, the class went silent.

Her eyes scanned the room before she coldly asked, "Who's the leader here?"

Without hesitation, every single student pointed at Ji Hwan.

"..." Ji Hwan blinked, completely betrayed. "YAH! YOU TRAITORS!"

Ms. Ji Hye didn't even give him a chance to argue. "Ji Hwan, get out. Now."

And just like that, Ji Hwan was kicked out of class.

He lazily made his way downstairs, hands in his pockets, until something caught his attention near the school gate. A group of suspicious-looking men stood there, glancing around like they were searching for someone.

Frowning, Ji Hwan casually approached them. "Who are you looking for?"

One of the men scoffed. "You a cop or something? Mind your own business."

Ji Hwan smirked. "Relax. Just asking."

The other man sighed. "We're looking for Seung Woo. He owes us money."

Ji Hwan raised an eyebrow. "Ahh, debt collectors?"

The men nodded. Ji Hwan scratched his head, pretending to think. Then, with a completely serious face, he held out his hand.

"Give me your phone."

The men blinked, confused. "Huh?"

"Just give it to me." Ji Hwan insisted.

Hesitantly, one of them handed over a phone. Ji Hwan quickly typed in a number, then returned it to them.

"Here. That's my number. Call me instead. I'll pay for him. Just don't bother Seung Woo."

The men stared at him, dumbfounded. "Wait… what? You're going to pay his debt?"

Ji Hwan nodded confidently. "Of course! …But not today. I'm broke right now. Maybe next month. Or next year."

The debt collectors looked at each other, completely speechless.

"What the hell is wrong with this kid?" One of them muttered.

Ji Hwan just grinned. "Anyway, if you need updates, just text me. Bye~"

And before they could say anything else, he casually walked away, whistling like nothing had happened.

On the other side, Tae Min was smoking on the school rooftop, enjoying the breeze as he gazed down with a blank expression.

From a distance, someone was watching him with a sly look, observing his every move in silence.

Suddenly, Tae Min's phone vibrated. He sighed before answering. "Hyung?"

On the other end of the call, Jung Ha Joon's voice was quiet yet serious. "I need your help, Tae Min. But don't let Dad find out."

Tae Min narrowed his eyes, sensing something was off. He stepped away from the edge of the rooftop, leaning against the wall. "What kind of help?" he asked casually, blowing out a puff of smoke.

"I'll explain later. Meet me after school at the usual place," Ha Joon said urgently.

Tae Min smirked slightly, intrigued. "Alright, hyung. I'll be there."

The call ended. Tae Min glanced at his phone for a moment before slipping it back into his pocket.

"Huh... Looks like today just got a little more interesting," he muttered, crushing his cigarette underfoot before heading back to class with an unreadable expression.

That evening, Ji Hwan and Ji Yeon arrived at the campus court to watch Kang Ryun's match. The atmosphere was lively, with students cheering for their teams.

Ji Hwan nudged Ji Yeon's arm while pointing towards the stands. "Hey, Ji Yeon! Look, it's Ms. Lee! I knew she and Uncle Kang Ryun had something serious going on! Let's go sit near her." He grinned mischievously.

Ji Yeon let out a long sigh. "Ji Hwan, do you really have nothing better to do?" she muttered in frustration. As his twin, she was used to his antics, but sometimes, she wished she could just tape his mouth shut.

They found seats not far from Ms. Lee, who was watching the game intently.

As Ji Hwan glanced around, his eyes landed on Tae Min, who was sitting calmly, accompanied by Kyung Ho and Mi Soo.

But something felt off.

Usually, Tae Min looked lazy and indifferent, but today, his expression was more serious. Even Kyung Ho, who was normally talkative, remained unusually quiet. Mi Soo, on the other hand, kept glancing around cautiously, as if she were expecting something to happen.

Ji Hwan narrowed his eyes, sensing that something was up. "What are they planning?" he mumbled under his breath.