Fate, Jhenna decided, was just a story people made up to feel better about their choices. In reality, there was only timing, and the ability to exploit someone’s weakness.

After school, Jhenna didn’t go to a fancy cafe or a hagwon. She went straight to her job at a local grocery store. Her scholarship covered tuition, but it didn't cover the cost of surviving in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

During her break, she opened her notebook. She had listed every major heir she’d encountered. One by one, she crossed out the "useless" ones—those with low influence or weak personalities. They were clutter.

Then, her pen stopped at a name she had circled twice: Lee Seo-Jun.

The heir to a massive media empire. Charming, reckless, and hopelessly addicted to being the center of attention. Which made him one thing: Predictable.

Challenges catch his interest, Jhenna thought, closing the notebook. He’s bored of girls who chase him. He needs a girl who doesn't even see him.

A few days later, the opportunity arrived ahead of schedule.

A sudden, violent downpour turned the sky gray, trapping the students under the school’s grand entrance. The ground turned slick, and a cold dampness climbed up their expensive sleeves.

One by one, luxury cars arrived in a perfect, synchronized row. Drivers stepped out with umbrellas, calling out names like a roll call of the elite.

Jhenna stood at the very edge of the stone steps. She had no umbrella. No driver. No one coming to save her. But she didn't look helpless or embarrassed. She stood perfectly still, watching the rain with an indifference that was almost haunting.

It was her lack of reaction that caught Seo-Jun’s eye. While others grumbled and panicked, she looked like she belonged to the storm itself.

He walked over, his movements casual and amused. “You’re going to get soaked,” he said, his voice light.

Jhenna didn't respond. She didn't even turn her head. Her eyes stayed fixed on the gray horizon.

He’s handsome, Jhenna admitted to herself. Up close, Seo-Jun wasn’t just rich; he was breathtaking. Any other girl would have melted. But Jhenna wasn't any other girl. She was a girl who needed power, not a crush.

Seo-Jun smirked, stepping into her line of sight. “You’re the scholarship girl, right?”

Finally, Jhenna turned. Their eyes met. For a split second, the practiced smirk on Seo-Jun’s face faltered. He expected shyness or a frantic introduction. Instead, he found a gaze that was cold, unimpressed, and entirely bored.

“Yes,” she answered. Just one word. No politeness. No effort.

Seo-Jun tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. “…That’s it? No ‘It’s an honor to meet you’?”

Jhenna blinked once, her eyes already drifting away from him. “This conversation is over.”

Seo-Jun let out a short, genuine chuckle. “Wow. You really are cold.”

He stepped closer, lowering his voice into a seductive whisper that usually made girls tremble. “You know who I am, right?”

Jhenna looked back at him, her expression blank. “…Should I?”

The air between them charged. It wasn't anger that flashed across Seo-Jun’s face—it was excitement. The hunter had found something that refused to be caught.

Suddenly, without warning, Jhenna stepped off the ledge.

She walked straight into the downpour. Startled gasps rose from the students behind her as the water drenched her uniform in seconds. She didn't hesitate. She didn't run. She just walked.

“Hey! Are you crazy?” Seo-Jun yelled. He was running before he even realized it. He reached her in seconds, his fingers closing around her wrist to stop her. “What are you doing?!”

Jhenna stopped and looked down at his hand on her skin, then up at his face. “Going home,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“In this rain?”

“I don’t have someone waiting with an umbrella,” she stated. It wasn't a plea for pity. It wasn't dramatic. It was a cold, hard fact.

Seo-Jun’s grip loosened. A strange feeling took root in his chest—not pity, but a raw, sharp interest. He looked at her like she was a puzzle he had to solve. “You’re strange,” he whispered.

Jhenna pulled her wrist free, her movements firm. “No,” she said quietly. “I just don’t wait for things that aren't coming.”

She turned and walked into the gray veil of the rain, leaving him standing there.

That night, Lee Seo-Jun lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His expensive silk sheets felt boring. All he could see was the girl in the rain who didn't know—or didn't care—who he was.

“What a strange girl,” he murmured, a dreamy look in his eyes. For the first time in his life, he was determined to make someone look at him.

Meanwhile, in her small apartment, Jhenna sat by the window. She was dry, changed, and perfectly calm. Her phone buzzed with a notification from the school's social board—a photo of her and Seo-Jun in the rain was already going viral.

A faint, dangerous smile touched her lips.

“The bait has been taken.”.

AUTHOR's NOTE:

Welcome to the end of chapter 3!!!

I am really encouraged and happy that you have made it this far with jhenna Adeyemi's adventure.

Question for the comments :

Do you think jhenna would make a good queen for haneul ?

If you were in jhenna's shoes, would you go for KANG MIN JAE as your first target ?