Everyone was worried.
After all, Anha was the only one who had risen from Class C—no one else had ever done that before. This chess tournament wasn't just a competition; it was a long-standing tradition of the school, a symbol of its pride and culture.
When Anha won her first match, her classmates were overjoyed. But that excitement didn't last long. In her second match, she lost to I-seul but … and with that loss, it felt like she had lost faith in herself as well. Her first win was against Ye-rin.
Time was changing things—slowly but surely.
And yet, Ye-rin found herself drawn to Anha.
Maybe she liked her… at least a little. But that was something Ye-rin couldn't easily accept. After all, she was a girl too—and liking another girl wasn't something people looked at kindly. Still, in Ye-rin's case, it was different.
She didn't just see Anha as a classmate. She saw potential.
She believed that one day, Anha could become someone great—if only she had someone by her side. Someone who could support her. Someone who could be her friend.
But that was the problem.
Anha was from Class C.
Forming a friendship with her would be like staining her own image. This school had its own rules—unspoken, yet absolute. The expectations of parents were even stricter. They wanted their children to stay among the "right" people, the kind who wouldn't jeopardize their future.
This place was meant to be perfect.
And Anha… didn't fit into that perfection.
A brief silence followed.
Then the results for the next match were announced.
It was time to decide the finalists.
Luck seemed to be on Anha's side—she managed to win her third match with everything she had. Her opponent had been Jun-seo from Class B.
But Jun-seo wasn't someone who accepted defeat easily.
Furious, he demanded a rematch right then and there, ignoring all rules. Yet the moment his eyes met his mother standing at a distance, his voice faltered. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the hall.
Now, only the final match remained.
And her opponent would be Class A's top student—Ha-neul.
There was no end to Ha-neul's reputation. He was the model student of the entire school. No one had ever defeated him—not once. He had never ranked second in any exam.
And more importantly…
He was Jun-seo's twin brother.
Yet the two couldn't be more different. Their appearances didn't match, nor did their personalities, behavior, or values.
They were complete opposites.
Their relationship wasn't good either. Jun-seo always had some complaint about Ha-neul, constantly blaming him in front of their mother.
After leaving the hall, Anha headed to her classroom to grab her bag. There were no more classes today.
But suddenly—
A sharp pain shot through her stomach.
This wasn't normal.
She knew it.
The doctor had already warned her—she needed surgery as soon as possible. But the money she had saved… her father had lost it all to gambling.
Since then, she hadn't been able to gather enough money again. She could barely afford to live, let alone pay for surgery.
Back in primary school, she had been a brilliant student. She even earned a scholarship, which gave her the chance to take the entrance exam for Dawnmoon High School.
But after coming here, she realized something harsh—
Compared to everyone else, she was just… ordinary.
And unlike them, she didn't have the money for private coaching either.
On top of that…
There was her appendix condition.
Clutching her stomach, Anha hurried toward the bathroom.
Inside, she noticed Ye-rin and Min-jun already there, talking about something. Ignoring them, she went straight into a stall, locked the door, and pressed her hands tightly against her abdomen.
The pain was unbearable.
And she was only fourteen.
One of the youngest girls in her class.
Seeing her strange behavior, Min-jun frowned and muttered,
"This is exactly why I hate coming to lower classes. What was even the point of coming here?"
Ye-rin didn't respond. Instead, she said coldly,
"You're done here. You can leave now, Min-jun."
Her tone was sharp enough to make Min-jun uneasy.
"Alright, I'm going. See you tomorrow. And don't forget the lab work."
Though Min-jun appeared cold and arrogant, she was actually kind-hearted. Still, there were moments when she acted selfishly—especially when there was nothing to gain.
After Min-jun left, Ye-rin leaned quietly against the wall.
She was waiting.
Waiting for Anha.
She had come here just to talk to her.
Because Anha had no one in this school.
No friends.
There was a saying—money recognizes money.
In this place, it was the same. The rich stayed with the rich. To survive here, you needed connections with those above you.
Anha had none.
Once, she had a friend—Hajun. But he had left the country long ago for a brighter future.
Leaving Anha behind.
In society's eyes, her mother was a criminal who ran away after stealing people's money.
Her father?
A drunk.
A gambler.
Her mother had abandoned her right after she was born. She didn't even know what her mother looked like.
And honestly…
What was the point?
Some mothers were better off not existing at all.
A faint sound of crying reached Ye-rin's ears from inside the stall.
She froze.
She didn't know what to do.
No one liked Anha. And if someone saw Ye-rin in this situation, it could create rumors—problems.
She had an image to maintain.
She was always ranked second or third in Class A. If anything affected her studies, her parents would be furious… they might even transfer her to another school.
But in the end—
She pushed aside her fears.
And spoke.
"Aren't you Seo Yoon-ah? I don't know what's going on, but… can you tell me? Why are you crying?"
Anha wiped her tears and slowly opened the door, still holding her stomach.
Her eyes were red, tears still falling.
"Why are you crying? What happened? If you don't mind… you can tell me."
After a moment of silence, Anha replied softly,
"My stomach… it hurts a lot."
At first, Ye-rin assumed it was something normal—something every girl experiences monthly. Trying to comfort her, she said,
"Oh… I see. I have some medicine. Take it—it might help."
Anha shook her head.
"I have the same medicine."
"Then why didn't you take it? It should've helped."
Anha hesitated before replying,
"Thank you for worrying… but I think you misunderstood. And… may I know your name?"
Ye-rin blinked in surprise.
They were in the same grade, yet Anha didn't know her? She had once been the top student.
With a faint sigh, she said,
"I'm Ye-rin. Ranked second in Class A. But the funny thing is… I know your name."
Anha looked confused.
"But I'm not popular… I'm not even good at studies. I don't play sports either…"
Ye-rin smirked slightly.
"Then how did you reach the finals of this chess tournament?"
Only then did Anha realize—
Maybe… she had become a little famous.
Meanwhile, the pain in her stomach began to ease, and the two of them continued talking.
The next day, Ye-rin made a request.
"If you win this tournament… something good will be waiting for you."
She explained—
Anha could join the official school chess club. She might even receive a scholarship, depending on her performance.
Ye-rin herself was an active member of that club. She was also a strong candidate for class president.
Her request was simple—
"Defeat Ha-neul."
But the question remained—
Could Anha really defeat him?