Stepping into the hall, she looked around her in awe. Her eyes widened as she took in the view before her in disbelief. It was stunning, far better than she would have thought. The student council had done a spectacular job in transforming the rather plain concert hall into an amazing disco scene – glittering streamers dangled everywhere and a brilliant disco ball hung in the middle, glimmering and reflecting iridescent colours all over the dance floor. Though she didn’t feel particularly sentimental as most others felt about the occasion, she did feel a wave of nostalgia wash over her. As much as she denied it, high school did have its fair share of memories to earn a (very tiny) spot in her heart. From the eccentric literature teacher to the passionate basketball games, there was a certain charm that came with the moments in the school, even the stressful exams and the crazy female students.

Soyeon wasn’t a typical student. Well, at least not in the private academy she attended. Unlike the rest of her classmates, whose fathers were top army officials, business CEOs or big stakeholders in government businesses, she sat right at the border of the poverty line. Or even slightly below it. As much as they didn’t say it to her face to protect her dignity, she was sure the differences were evident. Compared to their expensive designer shoes, she was pretty sure her worn out sneakers looked rather… plain. Perhaps it was this status divide that caused her to be a rather lone figure, save for a few acquaintances and well, one or two proper friends she had made in her later years. It wasn’t that the students were exclusive and bossy like most people thought; they just didn’t have enough in common. She had no idea what the latest beauty review was or anything about the newest upcoming designer and honestly, didn’t have time to. As a scholarship student, her grades were everything. Most of her time in school was spent in the library or in an empty classroom, buried behind a stack of books. To everyone, Park Soyeon was just someone they knew, not anyone of a particular importance.

Of course, that didn’t mean nobody noticed her, it was hard not to. She was undeniably beautiful, in an unusual way. She stood out not because she tried to, but because she didn’t. She never had the time to contour her face or raise the hem of her skirt a few inches. Always modest-looking and quiet, she was never one to try. Yet, it was this that made her presence even more distinct. She was pretty in a natural way, effortlessly so. It was just a shame no one would try with her, but at the same time, there wouldn’t be a point. Rich kids married rich kids – those were the unspoken rules.

And so with that concluded her rather uneventful high school life. (Not that she was complaining.) She was still grateful for the little things that came with it, like meeting Nari, the principal’s daughter. Nari was more that just a friend- she and Soyeon had become as tight as sisters in the short time they knew each other. She was perhaps the only person Soyeon trusted with her heart, and showed her true colours to. Like Soyeon, Nari wasn’t a big fan of drama or fashion, and it was rather inevitable the two with all their similarities would click right away. Nari was a genuinely kind person, someone Soyeon truly treasured and was thankful for. With the amount of trouble she faced at home and the constant toil she underwent, Nari had proven herself to be both reliable and loyal. In fact, Nari was the very reason she was here. She’d been adamant not to attend for obvious reasons: it wouldn’t exactly be a special occasion for her, especially when a new prom dress was far out of her budget. She wasn’t going to turn up looking pathetic, so it would be pointless. However, after weeks of persuasion and pestering, Nari had managed to convince her to accept a gorgeous sequined black number as a graduation gift.

Now here she was, still in a rather dazed state: both enchanted by the decorations and pondering over the fact that another chapter of her life had been closed. It was a little awkward and embarrassing, given the fact that whilst countless couples were heating things up on the dance floor or flirting at the bar, she merely stood quietly in a dim corner with a glass of champagne in one hand, observing the people around her. A few boys had come to ask her to dance but really, she knew their motives and there was no way she was going home with one of the rich players. Anyone decent would know to keep their minds (and hands) off the thought of her and she respected that; it was a social norm after all. She didn't exactly want to be facing an angry set of Chaebol parents either. She was lucky enough that her scholarship had actually been fully paid for and she wasn’t going to push it. She’d long learned to acknowledge the fact that life wasn’t very fair at all and somehow she’d ended up on the unlucky side of things. Feeling rather bored, she looked around for Nari but saw no sign of the brunette coming back anytime soon. She’d been whisked away by her longtime crush, Johnny, an hour ago and given the circumstances, it didn’t seem like she was going to make an appe