...

It was a peaceful Friday afternoon for Jennie. Well except the annoying conversations she had with the five guys she rejected to have group studies with awhile ago but aside from that, the day was going s-

"Hey there...uhm. Jennie." If only she could vomit from the voice that uttered her name, she would. Now her day was ruined. Although, she tried to maintain composure at last minute. "Hey..." She responded, barely making any effort to smile.

Did someone say Jennie's day was going smooth? Well scratch that because she's about to swallow this male senior whole.

"I'm sure you have heard about me. I'm quite popular around here." A gloat of pride flashed from the jock.

"No. Not really." She deadpanned. He chuckled his embarrassment out. Jongin could only pretend to not be ed if he wants to pursue this complex but damn hot newbie.

He clears his throat. Trying to regain confidence, "It's Kim Jongin. Does it ring a bell?" A pinch of desperation was in his tone as he used his body to block her way again. KIm Jongin. He placed third on the student board this month and he's that guy I danced with back at the elite party. Jennie reminds herself, but she had no plans on letting him know. She has no time to entertain another male.

"Yeah, the bell rang. So, I need to go to class." The sarcasm hurt the brute more but she just puts her head down and tries to charge her way out of his space, but the jock was too quick. "I should really let you know more about me, since we've kind of connected back when we danced at the Elite party. How about we do lunch tomorrow?" A pinch of desperation clicked from his voice.

Jennie stiffened from the offer, just because no one has dared to ask her for lunch. The boys always preferred group studies with her because it was safer to be in a group with her since they can't quite figure out who Jennie Kim really was yet. He must've felt like he could handle such mystery alone.

Well, the latter wasn't really up for the challenge. "Did I say that I want to know you?"

The backfire just crushed the senior's ego. No girl has ever talked to him that way. Well, Krystal does at some occasions but not from a demure-looking hoobae of his.

"Excuse me?" Jongin was cut short. As he pretended to choke to cover his flustered face. He just stood frozen and didn't recover. "I have to get going." And with a polite bow Jennie left the conversation swiftly. She left with unfazed feelings. He was nothing more than just one of those boys who thinks that they would gain something if they date someone as beautiful as her. When the real question they should've been thinking was, what would Jennie ever gain from them?

They don't even know what the girl wants. And no one bothers to ask.

...

The events of yesterday sparked Jongin's spite. It was petty but hell did he enjoy being petty. He even ignored his clingy girlfriend Krystal who've just arrived, to have his revenge on the sophomore. He doesn't even know if his infatuation intensified or it's just mixed with vexation now.

For the past week he did everything within his might to get Jennie's attention but to no avail. Jongin bribed the younger years to let the brunette attend his afterschool basketball practices but she always puts an excuse to study. He traps her in a corner inside their library to talk but she doesn't even bat an eye. He sits beside her during lunch but she never talks. Even at the advantage of his girlfriend going away for an important family trip, his efforts was still exhausted by the latter.

", man!" He swivels his head a quick snap to the left as his face meets frustration again. "You should stop trying, Jongin." Chaeyoung who's playing her soccer ball between her fingers suggests. "You can't call dibs on someone who doesn't want to be owned." the subdued blonde adds. They were hanging out on the benches in the soccer field. Jongin and Jinyoung decided to visit Chaeyoung's practice since they were done with theirs.

"What's so special about her, anyway?" Jinyoung spoke out of spiteful empathy for his defeated friend.

A pressing look was in Jongin's face. "Well, I just found out yesterday that she's more valuable than Krystal."

"What? She can't be more valuable than her. Krystal's family is engraved as one of the powerful Seoul elites. New money can't just surpass that." Jinyoung was now more mystified about the said girl that he pulls himself closer to Jongin to listen. Chaeyoung didn't move a muscle but she knows what her friend was talking about, she just didn't expect that he would be so into her in that way.

Jongin proceeds to reveal his endeavors, "Jennie's Father might control Seoul when he succeeds on his integration plan for the estate development. This means every estate of the city's conglomerates will be under his hands."

"Even Chaeyoung's family empire?" Eunwoo questioned. For everyone's enlightenment, Park Chaeyoung is the only daughter of the President. First daughter of the country. But before that title was added, she was first known as the heiress of their tech empire. Parktech. Technically her mother is the real owner of the company, but it grew stronger when she married her then-senator Father. And when her Father ran for presidency and won, the company just expanded globally and made it an empire in over a year.

"No, of course. The president and his tech empire is the last thing you want to mess with." Jongin countered.

"Jongin's right. Apparently, my Father personally approved Mr. Park's integration plan. I think they settled it weeks ago during the elite party." The blonde revealed in a cautious tone, she suddenly found the urge to talk about it.

"Does that mean Krystal's finally experiencing her first fall from second place?" Jinyoung, with a internal hate for the gal, smugly smirked.

This Krystal Jung, however, comes from a family that profits from aviation. They own the largest chain of airlines around the world. They have remained one of the renowned families in Seoul.

The jock nodded, "I guess so. Her family can only profit much from their multiple airlines. Compared to Kim here, who's planning to take over every land in the city."

"So, are you trying to date that sophomore because you want to have her privilege?" Chaeyoung raises a brow of curiosity.

"It's called an early investment, Chaeyoung. I have to boost my assets if I want to be the heir of our conglomerate. Because the truth is, you don't get to have anything when you're the third child." He answers with a leaking bitterness at the end. Kim Jongin comes from a family of lawyers and prosecutors. Their law firms have handled extreme cases that surged them into popularity, even more so now, since they're handling the President's law security. You don't have to wonder why Chaeyoung and him became best of friends anymore. 

Chaeyoung only found her best friend more pathetic and desperate. She snickers, "Don't get too ambitious, Jongin. You need to figure out how to pass chemistry first before you can exploit people."

 "Well, I'm sorry that I am not as smart and rich as the Park Chaeyoung." Jongin hisses at the hurtful remark. "Besides, she has hurt my pride too much that I can't let her go so easily now." He added. Unbeknownst to everyone, Jongin had already sparked a mischievous idea. He does not know if it was on impulse or it was destiny trusting him to take the call. Whatever delusion the guy was in, it was sure to be centered at Jennie Kim.

Park Chaeyoung draped in a clueless face, thought out loud, "Well, I'm flying out to the US for a couple of days. Don't get me involved in that hopeless fiasco of yours and don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"Come on, Park. You don't give me much credit. I'll get that sophomore before you get back." The latter remained unfazed, his face etched more determination. And Chaeyoung doesn't know where she would put her worry. Should she put it to Jongin or to that small sophomore?

"Wait. Why are you flying out? You can't just leave us here. School just literally started." Jiny