Not One of Them?

The tall girl with icy blue eyes took a step closer, crossing her arms. "So, you're Han Hyorin," she said, her tone laced with condescension.

I blinked, maintaining my composure. "Yes, and you are?"

She scoffed, flipping her long, silver-blonde hair over her shoulder. "You don't need to know my name. What you do need to know is that your presence here is already causing unnecessary trouble."

I tilted my head, feigning ignorance. "Trouble? I'm just attending my classes like everyone else."

Another girl, slightly shorter but just as intimidating, stepped forward. "Oh, don't play dumb. We're talking about Seungho. Do you have any idea how many noble ladies have dreamed of marrying him?"

Minji, Yujin, and Eunwoo stiffened beside me, but I could tell they didn't want to escalate the situation just yet.

I let out a small sigh. "I haven't even agreed to the marriage. In fact, I only found out about it recently myself."

The third girl, who had been quietly glaring at me, suddenly scoffed. "That doesn't matter. The fact that you even have the option is the problem."

I raised an eyebrow. "And that's my fault?"

"Yes!" she snapped, her eyes flashing with irritation. "You don't belong in nobility, yet you're being handed a marriage to the most sought-after royal in the country. Do you even understand how unfair that is?"

I clenched my jaw but forced myself to stay calm. "Unfair? You talk as if I begged for this engagement. I didn't choose this situation, and I certainly didn't ask to be in anyone's way."

The first girl smirked. "Then why not reject it? If you truly don't want it, refuse the engagement and leave Yeonghwa Estate. Go back to wherever you came from."

Yujin scoffed. "That's ridiculous! Hyorin has every right to be here."

"No, she doesn't," the girl snapped back, turning to Yujin with an icy glare.

"She's only here because of a technicality. She wasn't raised as a noble, she doesn't know our customs, and now she's suddenly attending Yeonghwa University as if she belongs?"

I exhaled slowly, feeling my patience wear thin. "Let me make one thing clear, I might not have been born into nobility, but that doesn't mean I'll let anyone walk over me. If Seungho's engagement is such a problem for you, then take it up with him, not me."

The second girl narrowed her eyes. "You're awfully bold for someone who doesn't understand how things work here."

I met her glare with my own. "I might be new, but I learn fast. And I don't take kindly to being threatened."

The first girl smirked again, clearly entertained. "We'll see how long that confidence lasts. Enjoy your time here while you can, Lady Han."

With that, they turned and walked away, leaving behind a thick air of hostility. As the group of noble ladies walked away, leaving behind a heavy atmosphere, I let out a small sigh.

Minji shook her head in disbelief. "They're really obsessed with Prince Seungho, huh?"

Eunwoo chuckled, resting his chin on his hand. "What did you expect? He's the crown prince. Of course, they see you as a threat."

Yujin pouted. "Still, they were so rude! You handled it well, though. I was ready to throw my drink at them."

I smiled at their support, but before I could respond, Minji suddenly leaned forward with curious eyes. "By the way, Hyorin… have you met Prince Seungho yet?"

I blinked. "No, not yet. I haven't even seen a picture of him."

Minji, one of the girls, leaned in excitedly. "I've seen him once, from a distance, during a royal event. Even from far away, he had this… aura. You just know he's someone important the moment he enters the room."

Yujin nodded in agreement. "My older brother saw him up close once. He said Prince Seungho has this cold, unreadable expression, but when he speaks, people listen. He's not just handsome, he's powerful."

I glanced at Eunwoo, who had been silent until now. "You've seen him too, right?" I asked.

Eunwoo smirked, tilting his head. "I have. And everything they're saying is true. But trust me, Lady Han, it's one thing to hear about him and another thing to stand in front of him."

I felt a strange sense of anticipation at their words. Everyone spoke of Seungho as if he were almost untouchable, someone out of reach despite his noble status.

Minji suddenly grabbed my hands, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You have to tell us everything when you meet him! And please... mention us to him!"

I blinked, taken aback by her eagerness. "Mention you? Why?"

Yujin practically bounced in her seat. "Because we exist! And because he's Prince Seungho! Just imagine, if he even acknowledges us, our families would go crazy!"

Eunwoo chuckled beside me, shaking his head. "I doubt the prince has time for fan letters, but hey, it's worth a shot."

I let out a small laugh, still trying to process how much admiration they had for him. "I haven't even met him yet, and you guys are already asking me to be your messenger?"

Minji pouted. "Come on, Lady Han! If I were in your position, I would be thrilled. Do you have any idea how many noble girls would trade places with you in a heartbeat?"

I sighed, leaning back slightly. "I get that he's well-respected, but I don't even know what kind of person he is."

Minji sighed dreamily. "Just thinking about it gives me chills. You're really lucky, Lady Han."

Lucky? I wasn't so sure about that. But as they continued to gush about Prince Seungho, I couldn't help but wonder, would he really be as impressive as they claimed? Or was he just another noble bound by expectations, just like the rest of us?

As soon as class ended, the faint sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway. At first, I didn't think much of it, students were always coming and going. But when the murmurs outside grew louder, followed by a few gasps from my classmates near the door, I sensed that something unusual was happening.

Then, the door swung open.

Standing at the entrance was none other than Baek Rion.

The entire classroom froze. Conversations stopped mid-sentence, pens were left hovering above notebooks, and even my classmates who had been half-asleep jolted upright. The room, which had been lively just moments ago, was now filled with stunned silence.

"Is that… Baek Rion?" someone whispered.

"No way. Why is he here?"

I blinked, staring at him as he casually stepped inside, his butler and personal guard standing just behind him. His gaze swept across the room before landing directly on me.

The tension in the air grew heavier. My classmates started exchanging glances, their curiosity practically radiating off of them.

"Why is he looking at Lady Han?"

"Don't tell me… he's here for her?"

At that moment, Minji nudged me, her excitement barely contained.

"Hyorin, he's coming this way!"

I barely had time to react before Rion walked right up to my desk, his hands casually tucked into his pockets, and tilted his head slightly. A small, knowing smirk played on his lips.

"You ready?" he asked, his voice smooth and unbothered by the intense scrutiny of the entire room.

For a moment, I just blinked at him in confusion before realization dawned.

The library.

"Oh," I muttered, standing up quickly. "Right. The book about Oathbreakers."

The whispers erupted again.

"They're going somewhere together?"

"Wait, wait—since when did Baek Rion personally pick someone up from class?"

"First, she's engaged to Prince Seungho, and now Baek Rion is coming to see her?!"

Even Eunwoo chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "You sure know how to make an entrance, Mr. Baek."

Rion glanced at him briefly before turning back to me. "Shall we?"

Feeling the weight of a hundred curious stares, I sighed, grabbed my bag, and walked toward the door. The moment we stepped out together, the classroom behind us exploded with murmurs.