I actually met her before Siwon did.

Some of my lackeys went a little too far when they attacked her. They pelted her with eggs and dumped flour on her. It was immature and predictable. I gave them a stern talking-to later.

But that was later. This was in the moment.

She sat there, tears silently running down her face as she sat in a crumpled heap on the tile floor that was now littered with egg yolk.

I stood still for a moment, a stoic expression on my face. I had no idea what to do.

She looked up at me with a resigned look. She must have expected me to kick when she was down. So she heard the rumors about me being an ice queen.

I supposed they were true, as far as anyone else at this school knew. Siwon knew me better, so I didn’t really care. Or at least I think he knew me better.

 I crouched down, careful of my skirt, and looked her in the eye. I held out a soft white handkerchief. When she didn’t take it and only looked at me quizzically, I waved it around in her face a little.

Hesitantly, she reached up one trembling hand and quickly took it. She unfolded it and used it to wipe away most of the gunk from her face.

Once she had gotten most of it off, she looked down at the now filthy kerchief and looked at me with a pitiful expression. I sighed and stood, hands bracing against my knees. I looked over her soiled uniform and filthy arms and legs.

“You should come to my house. I can get you cleaned up then send you home.”

She looked at me doubtfully.

“Come along. Even if you get anything of mine dirty, I can easily get it clean.”

My parents weren’t home, so that wasn’t a worry. They were both on separate affairs of business for the company.

She sat silently in the limo without fidgeting, which was good. It would be rather labor-intensive to get the stains out of the leather as it were. Although it wasn’t as though I was going to clean it personally.

She gazed around in awe once we drove into the front drive. I was a little proud, for the first time I realized how amazing my life really was. And so alone.

I led her to a bathroom.

“Put your clothes outside the door. I’ll get the maids to clean them and get them to you. I’ll find some clothes for you to wear.”

She made no response and instead dashed into my bathroom. Before long, I could hear the water rushing inside.

I found a maid and handed her the uniform. She bowed and hurried away. Walking into my closet, I glanced around and tried to look for something sensible for Jessica to wear.

Rushing, since she had been in the shower for a while now, I grabbed a designer tee and a nice skirt. I’d never worn them, and I never would.

I pushed open the door and she was sitting there patiently with only a towel wrapped around her. I handed her the clothes and looked her over. She had a good figure, but she hid it behind a uniform that was definitely too large for her. I could imagine that she dressed just as badly outside of school.

I turned around and walked away, waiting for her out in the hallway.

She came out soon enough. She looked good in my clothes.

A flicker of hope came into my heart. Could I perhaps have a friend?

I offered her a tentative smile and even more tentative hand.

“Hi. I’m Yoona. Will you be my friend?”