The morning sun hung low over Seoul, casting a golden glow across the sprawling campus of J High School, Korea's premier institution for nurturing raw talent in the fashion industry. Students poured through the gates, some were sprinting in at the last minute, others leaning against walls, not caring about the time at all. And true to J High's reputation, almost no one looked like your average high schooler. It was as if a fashion show had thrown up on the school grounds.
Some wore the standard J High uniform, crisp navy blazers, pleated skirts, or trousers
Some had taken liberties with their uniforms: skirts shortened, ties loosened or replaced entirely with chains or ribbons. Blazers were bedazzled with patches, while some students opted out of them altogether, choosing flashy trench coats or even streetwear-style jackets.
One student, a second-year from the Textile Design Department was literally wearing a dead fish mascot costume, his face poking out through the fish's gaping mouth, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Another girl had a neon green undercut and wore leather gloves like she was ready to punch fashion into submission.
But none of this surprised anyone. This was J High, Korea's top high school for creative and talented youth. It had a reputation. If Eunjang was known for delinquents, and Yeonhwa was for elite college prep students, then J High was the school for prodigies in design, fashion, makeup artistry, and more. The school's reputation for turning out industry gems was unmatched, and its students wore that prestige like a badge of honor, even as they pushed the boundaries of what "school uniform" could mean.
The school was famous for launching some of the country's most eccentric fashion icons. J High alumni had walked runways in Paris, designed looks for K-pop idols, and created viral streetwear brands from scratch. So, if someone wanted to show up in a wedding dress or pajamas or cosplay, no one would bat an eye.
At J High, eccentricity was normal.
The school had only three years of education, but it was packed with more hands-on training, real-world internship programs, and practical experience than most universities. Students didn't aim for college here. They aimed for contracts, collaborations, and careers.
As the clock ticked closer to 8:00 AM, the security guard, a grizzled man named Mr. Park who'd seen it all in his ten years at J High, began his slow march toward the gates. His whistle dangled from his neck, ready to signal the official closing. Latecomers would have to beg their way in, and Mr. Park wasn't known for his mercy.
But just as the last student ran past the school gate half-buttoned shirt, messy hair, iced Americano still in hand....a bright yellow taxi pulled up in front of the gate.
But then, a yellow taxi screeched to a halt just outside the gates, its tires kicking up a puff of dust. The sudden arrival drew curious glances,
A girl stepped out...light violet hair cascading over her shoulders in soft waves, the morning sunlight catching strands of lavender and silver.
She was wearing the school uniform, but unlike most of the students who had turned theirs into a personalized canvas, hers was neat and untouched. Black stockings clung to her long legs, and her shoes had a polished sheen. Her blazer was properly worn, her tie was correctly placed, and her pleated skirt fell just above her knees not too long, not too short. She looked like something out of a school brochure but also like something way beyond that. Something… unreal.
As she stepped out, she was visibly sweating, fanning herself slightly as she rummaged through a tiny purse for the correct change.
"Ah-" she whispered under her breath, biting her lip as she realized she had dropped a few coins. Kneeling quickly, she picked them up with elegant fingers before finally handing them over to the driver with both hands, bowing politely.
The driver, a middle-aged man with greying hair, looked flustered. "Ah, no need to bow that much… G-Go in carefully, miss."
But when she turned around, purse now clutched tightly in her hands, she froze.
Dead silence...The world seemed to pause. From Mr. Park, frozen mid-step with his whistle halfway to his lips, to the students who'd been mid-conversation or mid-strut, every pair of eyes locked onto her.
It was like someone hit the mute button on the entire school.
Literally everyone was staring at her. The security guard who had just stepped forward to close the gate stood frozen, his hand hovering mid-air. A group of boys near the bench dropped their drinks. A girl chewing gum stopped mid-bubble. Another guy, still dressed like a fried shrimp from his part-time job at a seafood restaurant, nearly tripped over his own platform shoes.
She blinked, eyes wide for a moment.
From the stunned crowd, someone whispered under their breath almost like a prayer.
Someone, a first-year with stars in their eyes, muttered, "...A goddess." and the word caught like wildfire, spreading through the courtyard in hushed reverence.
A wave passed through the courtyard. That was all it took. Everyone fell completely still, captivated. Some jaws fell open. Some forgot to breathe.
Because what they were looking at wasn't just a pretty girl. It was the most beautiful girl they had ever seen in real life. There was something special about her...like she didn't belong to this world, like she'd stepped straight out of a manga panel or a dream which you see once every 2 years. Her expression was calm, but there was a certain distance in her eyes. Cold, disinterested. Like she wasn't really looking at anyone...like they weren't worth looking at.
She flicked her hair back with a casual elegance, her gaze sweeping over the crowd as if they were insignificant pests. That's what they saw, at least.
Each step she took echoed like a beat, the sound of her polished shoes clicking softly against the pavement. Her posture was perfect...chin raised, back straight, arms relaxed at her sides but her presence was domineering. The way she walked and her confident looks suggested she was above it all, a queen surveying her kingdom.
Some students backed away as she passed, as if subconsciously trying to make space.
Others tried to look cool, fixing their jackets, striking poses like they were on a fashion shoot. A few whispered in awe. One girl muttered, "Who is she?" while a guy next to her replied, "I think I'm in love."
But amidst all this chaos this worship, this attention the girl's eyes narrowed slightly.
Because what no one knew was that beneath the surface, she was panicking.
Her name was Komi Shouko.
And this... all of this was her worst nightmare.
Komi had come to J High precisely because it was famous for being a place full of weirdos. She had thought, "If everyone's weird, then maybe I'll finally blend in."
But instead, the moment she stepped out of that taxi, she'd become the center of attention. A spotlight had been cast on her, and she felt like she was being stabbed by a thousand gazes.
Her skin crawled. Her breath caught in her throat. Her fingers clenched the strap of her purse tighter as she tried not to break into a full-on sprint.
But she couldn't. That would make things worse. So she forced herself to walk.
On the outside, she looked poised, refined...even arrogant.
But on the inside?
"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no" she was practically fleeing, desperate to escape the spotlight that seemed to follow her everywhere.
Each glance that landed on her was a blade, and there were too many blades. She could feel herself shrinking, even as she walked tall. She wanted to scream. She wanted to hide. She wanted to melt into the shadows and disappear.
Her hand twitched towards her pocket, where she kept a small notepad her lifeline. She often used it to communicate instead of speaking, her social anxiety making it almost impossible to talk out loud. But right now, there was no one to show it to.
So she kept walking, head held high, heart pounding in her chest like a drum.
As soon as she passed through the door, it was like someone hit the "unpause" button.
"...Holy crap," someone whispered.
"Dude, did you see her?"
"That hair… those eyes…"
"Who was that?"
A wave of murmurs rolled through the courtyard, and then…
An uproar.
Students gathered in clumps, replaying the scene like it had been a red carpet moment.
"A goddess… A literal goddess has entered J High."
"I think I need to transfer classes. What if she's in mine?!"
"Did anyone get a picture? No?! AHH—WHY DIDN'T YOU?!!"
Even the guy in the fish costume took off his headpiece and stared toward the school doors in awe. He started spin in circles, chanting, "Goddess! Goddess!" until Mr. Park barked at them to quiet down and get to class.
.
.
.
"So awesome," Daniel muttered, barely loud enough for anyone to hear, but just audible enough for those around him to glance sideways at the awe-struck new transfer student.
It wasn't just the fact that she was from Japan or that she looked like she had stepped out of an anime. No, what left Daniel in stunned silence was her aura. The confidence. The quiet gravity with which she walked into the classroom like she owned it, even though it was her first day at a new school in a foreign country. Without so much as a pause, she stepped past the desks, took the chalk from the teacher's hand mid-sentence, and wrote her name across the blackboard in elegant Korean characters.
"Komi Shouko"
There was no hesitation, no stutter, no uncertain glance for approval. Just fluid, practiced strokes and then silence.
For a full ten seconds, no one breathed. The teacher's mouth was still open mid-sentence, his mind trying to piece together how his introductory greeting had been completely hijacked. Even Zack Lee raised an eyebrow, something that rarely happened unless someone picked a fight with him.
She didn't speak. She didn't bow. She simply turned around and walked to the seat by the window the "protagonist seat," as everyone called it. A cliché to most, a dream to some, and now… it was hers.
She sat down and placed her bag gently beside her, her expression unreadable. With the soft click of the chair against the floor and the rustle of her skirt, the room slowly began breathing again.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"Who is she?"
"Did she just… ignore the teacher?"
"She's hot, but like… scary hot."
"I bet she's from a Royal family or something…"
The teacher cleared his throat awkwardly and tried to resume the lesson, but no one was really paying attention. Eyes darted toward the girl at the window, who now gazed outside like she hadn't just upstaged the entire class. There was something distant in her expression, as if she was somewhere far away despite being physically present. Her posture was straight, poised, elegant yet there was an unmistakable air of tension, like she was enduring the eyes on her rather than enjoying the attention.
Daniel tried not to stare too hard, but it was difficult. She was just so… different. Not just because of the way she looked long, straight light-violet hair that shimmered faintly under the classroom's dim lights, or her porcelain skin that didn't seem real but because of the way she made everyone else feel small without trying.
He wasn't the only one staring.
Zack Lee, seated a few rows to the side, leaned back and studied her for a moment. Unlike the rest of the class, his gaze wasn't one of admiration or infatuation. It was analytical, skeptical even.
Strict eyes, he thought, as she briefly glanced in his direction.
Their eyes met.
Just for a second.
She didn't flinch. Didn't even react. She looked through him, like she was observing a piece of furniture.
Zack blinked.
"She looks way more strict… like my mom," he muttered under his breath and quickly turned his gaze back to his notebook. He shivered.
Silence fell again as the girl slowly turned her head to observe the classroom. Everyone she looked at instantly averted their gaze, some pretending to be writing, others fiddling with their phones. It was like she carried a gravitational pull that made it impossible to meet her eyes.
Only Daniel didn't look away fast enough.
Their eyes met.
His heart skipped a beat.
But before he could process anything more, she looked away slowly, mechanically as if he hadn't even registered in her field of vision.
Class dragged on awkwardly after that. Even the teacher had trouble finding rhythm again. No one dared talk loudly, and even Zack didn't pick a fight with anyone that morning. Everyone was simply too focused on not drawing the new girl's attention again.
Break Time.
Daniel glanced around nervously. Some of the students had already left for the cafeteria. Others were gathering in their usual groups. But Komi remained seated, her gaze shifting subtly as she waited. It was obvious she didn't know where the cafeteria was or even the restrooms. She was waiting for someone to lead the way so she could follow discreetly.
Maybe I should help her? Daniel thought. He hesitated. His heart was pounding. He could feel a thousand eyes waiting to see what he would do.
Then, taking a deep breath and trying to project the confidence that came with his new body, Daniel stood up and walked over to her desk.
"Um… hi," he said, voice cracking slightly before clearing his throat. "I'm Daniel. Nice to meet you."
She didn't look up.
The classroom collectively held its breath.
Whispers started bubbling up.
"No way…"
"Is that Daniel talking to her?"
"The nerve of that guy…"
"Didn't he knock out Zack the first day? Who does he think he is now?"
The boys were livid. Many of them had spent the last few days watching Daniel gain popularity out of nowhere. He went from being a nobody to the guy who beat Zack Lee in front of everyone. And now? Now he was talking to the new goddess? Unforgivable.
Meanwhile, the girls looked at Komi with mixed envy and awe.
They had never seen Daniel initiate a conversation so confidently especially not with a girl.
But Komi still didn't react.
Daniel, flustered but trying to hide it, rubbed the back of his neck.
"I could, uh… show you where the cafeteria is? Or the restroom maybe? You looked like you weren't sure where to go…"
Still no response.
Then, slowly, Komi stood up.
For a moment, Daniel's eyes lit up.
But she didn't look at him.
Didn't say a single word.
She simply walked past him, ignoring his outstretched hand, and exited the classroom.
Just like that.
Silence.
Daniel's hand hung awkwardly in mid-air.
Laughter erupted.
Zack Lee doubled over, slapping his desk.
"Loser!" he shouted between fits of laughter. "Bro got ghosted like he was invisible!"
Even the teacher in the hallway peeked inside, raising an eyebrow at the scene.
Mira Yoo walked by just in time to hear Zack's jab and smacked the back of his head with her notebook.
"Shut up," she said flatly, though her eyes flickered with amusement.
"Yow! What was that for?!"
"You're not funny," she said, walking off to the cafeteria with her arms crossed.
Jay Hong, who had been quietly watching from his seat near the back, walked up to Daniel. He looked at the hand still hanging awkwardly, then extended his own and gave Daniel a quick handshake and a quiet nod.
Daniel blinked.
"…Thanks," he said awkwardly, feeling his face go hot with embarrassment.
Jay gave him a soft, understanding smile.
Daniel sighed and sat back down. The class was still buzzing.
Outside, Komi leaned against a hallway pillar, out of sight. Her hands were shaking just a little.
Stupid… why did he have to talk to me? In front of everyone too...
She took out her small notepad ... the one she always kept with her.
Her fingers hesitated before scribbling quickly:
"I'm not ignoring you. I just don't know what to say."
Then, as if that confession were too vulnerable, she tore out the page and folded it into a tiny square. She didn't know why she kept it.
Maybe she'd give it to him someday.
Maybe not.