1ST ROSE: Welcome to the Empire

SONG JIN HEE CRINGED AS SHE GOT out of her uncle’s pastel pink van while driving her to her new school. She took one glimpse at her new school and looked back at her uncle.

“Sukbu,” she called him. “I don’t think I can do this. I don’t think I can enter that school.” (*father’s brother, uncle)

this kid. How many times did I tell you that you shouldn’t call me Aigoo, “sukbu. You should call me gomo,” with his feminine voice, Song Shin Hyuk also known as Mama Shin corrected that made Jin Hee sigh. “Don’t be nervous, Jin Hee-yah. I know you can do it! Do well at school! Hwaiting!” Mama Shin threw her a flying kiss before driving his pink pastel van away. (*paternal aunt)

She waited for her uncle’s feminine van to disappear in her eyes before facing the grand gate of her new school. She made a face while looking at the prestigious building of the said place. Jin Hee didn’t expect that when she took her first step on Seoul’s ground, she’d enter this prestigious private institution. The school gate is filled with luxurious black paint as the metals bent in different shapes and symbols covered with golden paint—flaunting how grand, elegant and superior this school is.

She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath then she opened it again and stared at the school’s gate once more.

“You can do this, Jin Hee!” she encouraged herself secretly, trying to quench the nervousness that flowed through her body. She took a glance at the brochures and school directory that she was holding before she entered the premises.

Sumptuous, opulent and plushy cars got her attention as she walked on the school grounds. She saw some students assisted by their drivers in holding their bags—which made her think that they’re too lazy to hold it for themselves. They have two hands. Why do they need to have assistance in holding their bags? If possible, when they walk, they still need an assistant. Tsk, rich kids. She thought.

She shrugged and ignored it. It’s not her business to espy on people around her anyway so she continued walking and searching the Senior High building.

In front of her were some students talking about luxurious living and they’re walking at a slow pace that made her feel the jolt of annoyance, wanting to kick their off to make them walk faster.

“You’ll not gonna believe what happened. Do you know that I lost a bet with my brother?” she heard the guy in front of me talking to his peers. “He bought one of my stock at the lowest value. Ugh, it really . He’s so stingy.”

“Oh, really? How much did he buy your stock?” asked the girl on his right side. Her wavy, long hair looked good in her ponytail. Looking at her from behind, she looked good in her uniform and long, white sock with two black stripes around the knee part. Their uniform suit or vest was color black with white edges on the collar, gray-colored V collar gilet shirt, wrist cuffs, side pockets and pocket on the left chest. Their left chest pocket bore the prestigious logo of the school. The girl’s skirt was about four to five inches above the knee and it was color red and checkered with black and green lines on it and it’s in straight, neat plates. They also had different colors of the necktie—red for girls and yellow for boys with the school’s logo as the design.

“One hundred billion won,” she almost choked when she heard the guy’s answer. She should be aware that they’re all rich but she didn’t expect they have that much money in their accounts and pockets.

“One hundred billion won?” the girl repeated. “That’s cheap! He really is stingy.”

“You know, once your stocks’ income will grow higher, you can snatch back your stock from your brother,” the guy beside him said.

“Yeah, right.”

Jin Hee switched lanes from where she’s walking, thinking that she will not hear business matters anymore but it gets worst because of the two girls in front of her.

“Have you seen this?” one of the girls shown her necklace to her companion.

“OMG. That’s 22.5 ct. tw Yellow and White Diamond heart shape Infinity necklace in 18K white gold worth 87,000 US Dollars! When did you avail that?!” her friend exclaimed in such surprise.

“Just yesterday,” she said proudly. “And also this Prada bag of mine and the latest model of iPhone, these just arrived yesterday. Dad gave me these as a reward for my shares’ growing income in our company.”

“Gosh. You’re unbelievable,” her friend shook head. “I wish my dad will do the same to me too.”

Jin Hee gasped in awe. I couldn’t believe their stuff can equal the gold’s worth. This is crazy.

“I saw your new car earlier,” she heard a guy’s voice behind me.

“Yeah, right. Ferrari Pininfarina Sergio, it’s just worth 3 million US Dollars,” answered the other guy.

“Not bad. It’s hot and slick!”

her eyes almost fell from the sockets when she saw how simple and nonchalant they were while talking about their opulent items and money. She bet her cheap 300 pieces sticker collection of Sailor Moon that his car was superb expensive than one of the biggest malls in Jeollanam-do.

“You see this?” she turned her gaze to her right side and saw this one guy raising his hand to his two friends like he was showing something.

“Hey, that’s the world’s most expensive watch as of this year!” the guy on his right side exclaimed in astonishment.

“Yep. This is the 18 Million US Dollar Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch. You know, there were only two of us here in our country availed this watch. Do you know who’s the other one?” the guy asked the two of them.

“Who?” curiosity was driven the two to ask.

He smiled proudly like he owned the world. “Yoon Baek Hyeon.”

“Hey! That’s crazy!” the two responded in shock English.

“Don’t you think I pull it off better?” he also asked in English as he fixed his cuffs to emphasize his superb expensive wristwatch.

“Hey, lend it to me!” the other guy almost pulled his wrist just to get the watch.

“No, let me have it first! Me first!”

Jin Hee felt that she can hardly breathe from what she heard from them. The students in Empire Academy were beyond the qualities of an ordinary student. They’re full of indulgence. For commoners, those things were hard to find and having those things were already a dream come true but for these people, the elite ones, those were just ordinary things that they can have and they can get in a snap.

People may ask her why is she here? Is she rich just like them? Is she one of the lucky ones? Is she an elite?

No, she’s not.

She’s not one of the business heirs, stock heirs and those who were sons and daughters of rich politicians, lawyers, doctors and any other rich professionals and personalities.

She’s just an ordinary student, an ordinary person. She’s in a low class.

Yes, she’s a commoner.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

She came from a simple family in Jeollanam-do. Her mother is a housewife—she’s just working in the house taking care of her, her brother Jin Young and her father. But sometimes, she sells Jeollanam-do street foods during the day in their neighborhood. Her dad is a driver of a food factory. He delivers different kinds of canned goods, dry goods and other forms and brands of snacks on mini marts, convenient stores and malls in Jeollanam-do. Her brother Jin Young is in 10th Grade and he’s also an achiever in his class. They’re just a normal family—contented by what they have.

But then, life is not always sunshine. There’s always nimbostratus or cumulonimbus clouds that will pour heavy rain.

The factory where her father was working got bankrupt and all of the employees, including her father, didn’t get even a single cent from that company. Almost all their everyday life expenses, school fees and allowances depended on her father’s salary in that company so it’s really hard for their family now that he lost his job.

Jin Hee decided to stop schooling and help her mother and father instead. It’s been hard for her to decide about it since she has been dreaming to finish her studies and help her family. She wants her family to live a comfortable life and she wants to give them what they deserve—to all the sacrifices and hardwork they made to give her and Jin Young a comfortable life. She wants that she will be the one to pay Jin Young’s school fees once she finished her studies. That’s all she dreamed about—to be successful for herself and to her family.

Unfortunately, her parents didn’t allow her to do it. They don’t want her to stop schooling and work to help the family. They accepted her uncle, her father’s brother’s offer that he will be the one to take the obligation of schooling her in Seoul since he doesn’t have any son or daughter. She’s happy about the offer and the idea that her uncle will take the obligation of schooling her and her parents will never worry about her school fees anymore at it will lighten their burden. But she’s hesitant. Yes, studying in Seoul is a big opportunity for her but she don’t want to leave her family in Jeollanam-do.

But in the end, they convinced her to continue her studies in Seoul with the aid of her father’s brother.

She left Jeollanam-do with a promise that she will graduate and become successful and she will give her family a comfortable life someday.

“What is this, sukbu?” Jin Hee asked her uncle Song Shin Hyuk, her father’s younger brother. He runs a small salon and restaurant in Apgujeong. He is also living with his beauticians and staff which he considered as his ‘sisters’—Shin Hye, Su Ji, Ji Woo, Yoona and Dasom—yes, they’re certified gays and they named themselves after those beautiful celebrities and K-pop stars.

They’re currently talking in his living room. Jin Hee was sitting in the single couch, massaging her right shoulder when her uncle Shin Hyuk or they used to call him ‘Mama Shin’ (that’s actually his fem