Anha slowly made her way home.
On other days, she would usually take the bus, but today… she didn't feel like getting on one at all. Her mind was heavy. No matter how hard she tried, her life just wasn't moving the way she wanted.
How do you even solve something like this…?
Still, thinking about it brought a faint sense of comfort—maybe, just maybe, she had made a new friend today. Though she couldn't quite call it "friendship" yet, there was nothing bad about it either.
If she truly wanted to rise to Class A, then perhaps… this was her first step.
Besides, her exams were approaching fast. If she could perform well, there was a real chance she might earn a scholarship.
The road she walked ran alongside a small river, known as the heart of the city.
On both sides of the river stood rows of sakura trees, their blossoms in full bloom, painting the scenery in soft shades of pink.
As Anha walked, a gentle breeze flowed through the air, carrying the petals with it. They drifted all around her, as if the world itself was inviting her forward.
At that moment, her phone rang.
"Are you coming to work today?"
"Yeah… but I'm not feeling well again. I was thinking of taking a day off."
"No problem. Take rest. Come tomorrow."
Her job at the restaurant at least gave her some stability—a place to stay at the end of the day, and a way to manage her meals.
She was exhausted.
Reaching a sloped area beside the road, she slowly walked down and sat, placing her bag beside her.
A small bridge stood not far away—the view from there was beautiful.
Long black hair, a well-built figure… anyone could tell at a glance that her beauty was extraordinary. People at school often said Anha was the second most beautiful girl there.
Yet she never took care of her appearance.
For someone whose life was filled with countless problems, such things felt like luxury.
Lost in thought, Anha sat by the river, watching the water flow endlessly.
She didn't care if anyone was watching her. All she could think about was how to solve the chaos of her life.
Meanwhile, Jun-seo and a few of his friends were walking along the same path.
His eyes suddenly stopped.
He saw her—Anha—sitting alone in the distance.
But almost immediately, he grew cautious. If his idiot friends noticed her, they would spread rumors throughout the entire school. That could cause trouble—not just for him, but also for his mother and his brother's position.
"So you guys said you weren't going anywhere today, right?" Jun spoke casually. "Why don't you take the bus from that stop over there and go home? I'll be a bit late."
"What? Didn't we say we'd walk today? And then go to your place to play games?" one of his friends protested.
"I told you to take the bus. So take the bus. Why are you talking so much?"
His sudden change in attitude left them stunned.
But they had no choice. When Jun decided something, it happened. Going against him was never a good idea.
"…Fine. See you tomorrow."
Jun stood at a distance, quietly observing Anha.
He couldn't understand why his heartbeat was rising so fast.
It felt like… today was a happy day.
Everything around him felt beautiful.
Her hair swayed with the wind, sakura petals drifting around her. Leaning against a tree, Jun watched in silence, completely mesmerized.
Slowly, he lifted his phone, trying to capture her in that moment.
There was no one else around. Just the gentle air and the fragrance of flowers.
After a while, Anha stood up.
Jun quickly stepped back, making sure she wouldn't realize someone had been watching her.
Later…
"I need a camera," Jun suddenly told his mother.
"A camera? What for?"
"I said I need one."
"You know I don't give you money without reason. If you don't understand the value of money now, you won't be prepared for the future. This is your time to study. When the time comes, ask your father."
The conversation went nowhere.
Annoyed, Jun stormed off to his room.
He always argued with his mother, yet deep down, he admired her—and his sister—the most.
His sister had also enrolled in the same school.
Their family was among the wealthiest in the country. His parents cared deeply for their children and gave them plenty of freedom.
His mother had even joined the school's managing committee just to ensure a better future for them.
It was a perfect family—one anyone would envy.
Jun might be a bit different… but he wasn't a bad person.
The Next Day – Chess Tournament
The match began.
Ha-neul vs Seo Yoon-ah (Anha)
Anha looked visibly nervous.
Ha-neul shook hands and made the first move.
Ha-neul had the white pieces, and Anha had black.
White - Ha-neul Black - Seo Yoon-ah
1.e4 - pawn e5 - pawn
2.c3 - knight d6 - pawn
3.f3 - knight f6 - pawn
4.b5+ - Bishop c6 - pawn
5.e2 - Bishop b5 - pawn
6.d3 - Bishop a5 - pawn
7.a3 - pawn a4 - pawn
8.O-O - Castling g5 - pawn
9.b3 - pawn h5 - pawn
10.h3 - pawn axb3 - pawn
11.cxb3 - pawn a6 - knight
12.c1 - rook c5 - knight
13.c2 - Queen xd3 - knight
14.xd3 - Queen a7 - rook
15.a4 - pawn b4 - pawn
16.a2 - knight c5 - pawn
17.d5 - queen g4 - pawn
18.h4 - knight ghx3 - pawn
19.g6 - knight hxg2 - pawn
20.xh8 - knight h4 - pawn
From the very beginning, Anha was in terrible condition.
It felt like she was about to lose all her pieces.
Chess is about making the right decisions at the right time—but today, something was clearly wrong with her. Her hands were trembling.
It was as if she was seeing hallucinations.
"What the fuck is this!? You bastard—you beat me in the semifinal and now you're doing THIS!? I'm going to kill you! You don't even know a single tactic! Why the hell are you moving pawns instead of power!? What is this!?" — Jun-seo
His furious voice echoed.
But the hall was silent.
Class A students praised their captain, while Class C whispered among themselves.
"Something's wrong with Anha… otherwise how could she play this badly?"
"If she was going to play like this, she shouldn't have reached the finals."
I-seul noticed immediately that something was off.
As Anha's coach, she waited for the interval so she could talk to her.
Then came the biggest mistake.
Move 19.
A pure blunder.
Enough to lose the match.
21.xg8 - queen h3 - pawn
22.g6+ - Queen d7 - king
23.h7+ - queen c6 - king
Ha-neul was completely dominating.
Hee captured Anha's rook and bishop consecutively.
At this point, everyone believed the match was over.
Interval
Anha ignored everyone and went straight to the washroom.
Jun was already there.
"This is the girls' toilet. Didn't you see that?" — Seo Yoon-ah
"I don't care about that! What the hell are you doing!? I know you're not like this! Why aren't you using any power!? Why are you obsessed with pawns!? Can't you see you're losing!?" — Jun-seo
"None of your business. Mind your own."
That was it.
Jun-seo lost control.
He grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall.
"Whether it's my business or not doesn't matter! But I will never forgive you if you lose to my brother!"
"Remember this… I do whatever I think is right. And you know who I am."
"If you're so scared of your father, go beg him! But listen carefully… I've taken a liking to you."
"That means you're mine."
Anha shocked for a moment,