Gathering her courage, she gave him a hard shove. Theodore groaned as he tumbled off the bed, hitting the floor with a loud thud. "Who's calling for death this early in the morning?" he grumbled, rubbing his head as he sat up.

Jiyeon, arms crossed and eyes blazing, stood over him. "How come you're in my bed?!"

.....

Theodore blinked, his expression a mix of confusion and mild offense. "You're the one who gave me permission," he said, his tone laced with genuine puzzlement.

Jiyeon crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "What are you talking about?"

Theodore tilted his head, searching her face. "Last night," he began hesitantly. "I came into your room, and you were half-asleep. I asked if I could sleep here, and you said yes."

Jiyeon paused, the gears in her mind turning as she tried to recall. Slowly, fragments of the night resurfaced—her groggy self-mumbling something incoherent as Theodore stood at the edge of her bed. She let out a frustrated groan, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Oh, that..."

"Yeah, that." Theodore raised an eyebrow, leaning slightly against the bedpost. "So, what's the problem? You said I could." 

"Yes," Jiyeon snapped, her voice growing sharper. "I told you that you could sleep here in my room, not in my bed! What I meant was you could put your mattress on the floor!"

Theodore shrugged; his calm demeanor unwavering. "I was too sleepy and tired to set up the mattress, so I figured it wouldn't matter if I just... you know... used the bed instead."

Jiyeon's jaw dropped as she glared at him, her cheeks flushing with a mix of embarrassment and irritation. "Wouldn't matter? Are you serious?! I knew you were a pervert! Maybe in your world, you're used to sharing beds with tons of women, so you think this is normal. But don't compare me to... to that! I'm not like that!"

Theodore's eyes widened slightly, her words catching him off guard. For a moment, he said nothing, his usually composed face showing a flicker of hurt. Then, his expression softened, and he tilted his head, observing her intently. "Jiyeon," he said slowly, his voice quieter now. "That's... not what I meant. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just exhausted, and your bed looked comfortable. That's all."

Jiyeon faltered for a moment, the tension in the room palpable. His tone caught her off guard—there was no sarcasm, no teasing, just a genuine explanation. She hesitated, her anger slightly cooling, though she wasn't ready to let it go entirely.

"Still," she muttered, crossing her arms again, "you should've known better. At least next time, ask properly."

Theodore suppressed a smile, sensing Jiyeon's softening stance. "Alright," he said with a small nod, his tone calm and disarming. "Next time, I'll ask properly."

Before Jiyeon could respond, a voice came from the doorway. "What are you going to ask properly?" Seojun's head peeked around the corner, his eyes glinting with curiosity. He looked at them like a kid catching his older siblings sharing a secret. "You guys never tell me anything! I feel so left out. I want to be part of your group too."

"Group?!" Jiyeon and Theodore said in unison, their voices laced with disbelief.

"Who said we have a group?" Jiyeon asked, shooting him a look. "You've been watching too much TV, haven't you?"

"Maybe," Seojun admitted with a grin, stepping into the room. "But still, I want in! I could be the leader—no, the cool guy in the group!"

Jiyeon groaned, rubbing her forehead. "Seojun, you're not making any sense. Anyway, forget about being in some made-up group and go prepare breakfast."

Seojun's grin faded instantly. "Am I the servant or house help here?" he mumbled, sulking. "You two are living in this house like you own the place."

Jiyeon smirked. "Well, someone's got to make up for all the food you eat."

"Unbelievable," Seojun muttered as he trudged toward the kitchen. "Why does it always have to be me? I'm too young for this kind of oppression." He threw his hands up dramatically, making Theodore chuckle under his breath.

As Seojun disappeared into the kitchen, Jiyeon turned back to Theodore. "He's such a drama queen," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

Theodore nodded, his expression neutral, but there was an amused glint in his eyes. "He's got energy, I'll give him that."

In the distance, they could hear Seojun loudly complaining to himself while clattering pots and pans together. Jiyeon shook her head with a laugh. "If I didn't know better, I'd think he enjoys the chaos he creates."

The morning was peaceful as Jiyeon, Theodore, and Seojun sat at the dining table, enjoying their breakfast. The clinking of plates and casual chatter filled the air until the doorbell rang, breaking the calm.

Seojun jumped up eagerly. "I'll get it!" he said, rushing to the door.

From the kitchen, Jiyeon called out, "Who is it?"

Seojun peeked outside and grinned mischievously. "A beautiful lady! Maybe she's your friend."

Jiyeon frowned, setting down her chopsticks. "What?" She stood up, glancing at Theodore. "I'll be back in two minutes. You keep eating."

Theodore nodded, his expression calm as he continued his meal.

Jiyeon walked to the door, her curiosity piqued. Standing there was Soyeon Jung, a classmate from Classroom 1. Jiyeon blinked in surprise. "Oh, hi! How come you're here?"

Soyeon smiled sweetly, though there was an edge to her tone. "I came to ask if Jihoon is home. Did he go somewhere? Do you know where he is?"

Jiyeon froze, tension creeping into her posture. "No... I don't—"

Before she could finish, Seojun interrupted loudly, "Yes, he's inside!"

Soyeon's face lit up with excitement. "Oh, excuse me!" she said, brushing past Jiyeon and stepping inside.

Jiyeon stood there, stunned, her mind racing. Slowly, she turned to Seojun, her lips curling into a deadly smile. "Seojun," she said, her voice dangerously calm, "I see you did great. So why are you looking at me like this?"

Seojun grinned innocently. "I did great, didn't I? Why are you mad? I thought I helped!"

Jiyeon clenched her fists, muttering under her breath, "I want to punish you so badly."

"What?" Seojun asked, tilting his head.

Jiyeon forced a smile. "I said I want to award you. Come inside."

Soyeon made her way to the dining table, her eyes scanning the room with thinly veiled disdain. She stopped in front of Theodore, her lips curling into a mocking smile. "Oh, Jihoon, what are you doing here? Eating this... cheap breakfast?" Her tone dripped with condescension as she shot a side-eye glance at Jiyeon.

Jiyeon remained silent, though her blood boiled beneath the surface. Her grip tightened on the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white.

Soyeon continued, oblivious to the tension she was stirring. "If you're in difficulty, you must call me, Jihoon. I'm always here for you. Why don't you come to my house? It's much bigger than this... place." She wrinkled her nose. "Oh my god, how cheap this house smells. And why are you with this ugly, poor, and dumb girl?"

Theodore's jaw tightened as he clenched his fists under the table, his anger barely contained. Yet, he forced a smile, his voice calm but firm. "No, I'm good here."

Soyeon leaned closer, her voice softening as she gave Jiyeon another disdainful glance. "I know you're not. You don't want to hurt anyone, do you?" She smirked, her words dripping with false sympathy.

Seojun, who had been watching silently, finally snapped. "She may look good," he thought, "but how dare she disgrace our food and house?" Without hesitation, he stepped forward, grabbed Soyeon's hand, and marched her to the door.

"Seojun!" Jiyeon yelled, rushing after him. "What are you doing? She's Jihoon's friend! You can't just—"

Seojun turned, his voice booming with righteous anger. "How can she disgrace our house and food? Doesn't she have any shame? And this isn't all—how can she call you ugly? Everything was fine until she insulted you!"

Soyeon stood frozen, shock written all over her face. Theodore, meanwhile, continued eating his breakfast, seemingly unbothered by the chaos.

From the doorway, Soyeon yelled, her voice trembling with indignation. "Jihoon! See how they're abusing me! Don't you have anything to say to them?"

Jihoon appeared, his expression stern as he addressed Seojun. "Let go of her hand," he said firmly.

Soyeon, sensing an opportunity, wiped her fake tears and turned to Theodore, throwing her arms around him in a dramatic hug. "Jihoon, they're so mean to me!" she sobbed.

Teaser for Next Episode: An uninvited guest stirs up trouble, bringing emotions to a boiling point. Soyeon's dramatic antics push the household to its limits, as alliances are tested and patience runs thin.

 How far will she go to get what she wants, and how will Jiyeon and Theodore respond to her intrusion? Find out in this gripping episode of "The Ruler's Awakening"! 🌟