Meanwhile, Mansu and Tae were heading home when Tae's phone buzzed.

It was a message from Zeon.

A second later, another one arrived.

And another.

Tae frowned and opened the chat.

Zeon: Well, you're getting widely popular for someone who hasn't even stepped foot in school yet.

Zeon: Everyone is already talking about you.

Zeon: Looks like you'll be just as popular here as you were back in New York.

Zeon: Have a look at the stickers and videos. Aren't they cute? Lol.

Zeon: Also, look at what people are saying about you.

A screenshot followed.

Tae opened it.

The comments section was flooded.

I saw him in real life. He's so pretty, like a manga character.

I can't wait to meet him.

He's way too handsome.

I heard he's joining our school!

He's unreal.

Then Tae opened the stickers.

There were dozens of them.

One showed him slurping Level Six noodles with a completely blank expression while six stars floated above his head.

Another showed him adjusting his denim baseball cap, the brim shadowing half his face and making him look unnecessarily mysterious.

There was one of him holding a bottle of milk.

Another of him wiping Aeryun's tears.

Several clips from the day had already been turned into reaction stickers, GIFs, and short looping videos.

Tae stared at them in disbelief.

Then he texted back.

Tae: Oh no. I'm not up for this again.

A few seconds later, another message appeared.

Tae: The more I run away from popularity and people's opinions of me, the more it follows me.

Tae: I'm more than just a good physique and a pretty face.

Tae: Is it really that difficult to understand?

A typing bubble immediately appeared.

Zeon: Tae, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—

Another message interrupted him.

Tae: No. Sorry.

Tae: I shouldn't have snapped at you.

Tae: You didn't deserve that.

Tae: It's just overwhelming.

Tae: I'm tired of being labeled as the pretty boy.

Tae: I'm so much more than that.

After a pause, another message appeared.

Tae: I hope someone sees me that way too.

Zeon read the messages quietly.

Then he sent another screenshot.

Zeon: Not everyone is talking about your looks, by the way.

Zeon: Some people are busy making conspiracy theories about Aeryun instead.

Tae opened the image.

A few comments accused Aeryun of always finding ways to stay in the spotlight.

Others claimed every incident surrounding her felt staged.

One student even wrote:

There's no way someone that thoughtful and kind actually exists anymore.

She probably paid that boy to help her.

It has to be an act.

Nobody is that nice in this generation.

A heated argument had already broken out beneath the comments.

Some students agreed.

Others defended her.

Then another message arrived from Zeon.

Zeon: I think someone already does see you the way you want to be seen.

Zeon: Look at this.

Tae opened the next screenshot.

The comment had been posted by a user named Sugarcube, Aeryun’s fake account.

How pathetic are all of you?

You're labeling him as a pretty boy before you've even met him.

For all you know, he could be a serial killer disguised as a pretty boy.

Or maybe he's genuinely kind.

Why are we reducing someone to labels and tags before getting to know them?

The way someone looks is genetic. God-gifted.

He can't help looking pretty.

But pretty isn't the only thing he is.

I'm sure of it.

Treat him like an actual human being, you crackheads.

I'll be watching you all.

I see everything.

The comment continued.

And that girl, Aeryun? I don't think she's doing any of this for attention.

Ask Myeora why she's after her for no reason.

Poor girl has been through enough mental stress.

(You wish.)

She's actively fighting demons.

And Myeora.

So leave her alone.

Sources: someone close.

That's all you need to know.

Then came the final part.

Believe her or not, but some people's lives are written by God as a comedy.

And I think Aeryun is the chosen candidate.

She was supposed to be a laboratory test subject for humanity.

Instead, she accidentally got released into the real world.

Tae laughed despite himself.

Then he noticed another reply beneath it.

Lee Eunjae:

I don't know who Sugarcube is, but I agree.

Also, Aeryun has a very complicated personality.

But she definitely has a heart of gold.

I know that for a fact.

And yes, weird things keep happening to her.

Yet somehow she turns everything into something funny.

Which is rare.

And honestly kind of beautiful.

Tae fell silent.

The smile on his face slowly faded.

For a moment, he simply stared at the screen.

Then he blinked.

His eyes had become suspiciously watery. He felt seen for the first time in a very long time again.

Mansu immediately noticed.

“Are you okay?”

Tae looked up. Shrugged it like no big deal.

Then back at the comment.

“Who is this Sugarcube?”

Mansu blinked.

“What?”

“For someone named Sugarcube,” Tae said, “they're not sweet at all.”

Mansu laughed.

Tae shook his head.

“It should've been Sugar and Spice.”

That earned another laugh.

Then Tae looked back at his phone and smiled.

“Well.”

He leaned against the seat.

“I'm glad at least one person doesn't see me as eye candy.”

He quickly typed another reply.

Tae: Thanks for showing me this, Zeon. It really means a lot to me.

Tae: It actually made me feel a lot better.

Meanwhile, across town, Chaerin was finally getting ready for her date.

Just as she finished fixing her hair, her phone buzzed.

A message from Joonho.

Joonho: Not to rush you, but I'm already outside your house.

Chaerin gasped.

“Oh my God!”

Instant panic.

She threw her hairbrush onto the bed.

Ran across the room.

Stubbed her toe.

Ran back.

Knocked over a pile of clothes.

Stepped on one of them.

Lost balance.

And slammed the side of her head directly into the wall.

“OW!”

She dropped onto the floor.

For a moment, she sat there in complete silence.

Then she touched the side of her head.

Her fingers came away red.

“Oh no.”

A small cut near her temple on the right side at the scalp area and it had started bleeding.

Not dangerously.

Just dramatically.

After managing to stop the bleeding, she stuck a bandage over it and hurriedly continued getting ready.

She shoved the perfume bottle into her sling bag.

Applied lip gloss while walking.

Reached the front door.

Stopped.

Went back.

Checked her reflection again.

Nodded.

Then finally stepped outside.

Joonho smiled the moment he saw her.

“Wow.”

Chaerin froze.

“What?”

“You look really pretty.”

She looked away immediately.

Joonho panicked.

“No, wait. That's not what I meant.”

“That usually isn't a good sign.”

“I mean, you always look pretty.”

Chaerin stared.

Joonho groaned.

“That's worse.”

“Much worse.”

“What I meant was…”

He rubbed the back of his neck.

“You look extra pretty today.”

Chaerin felt her ears turning red.

“Let's just go to the café.”

“Yes.”

“Good idea.”

As they walked, Chaerin played music quietly from her phone.Polaroid Love by ENHYPE was playing in the background.

The volume was low enough for them to talk.

A sleepy stray cat appeared from nowhere and meowed at them.

Both instantly crouched down.

The cat received attention from two complete strangers and accepted it graciously.

While Chaerin was busy talking to the cat, Joonho secretly took a few photos.

Then a few more.

Then several more.

The candid shots captured her smiling, laughing, and gently scratching the cat behind its ears.

Joonho couldn't stop looking at them. He clicked more than thirty pictures in a matter of minutes.

The cat suddenly froze.

Its eyes widened.

Then it bolted.

Gone.

As though it had seen a ghost.

Joonho blinked.

“What was that about?”

Then he looked at Chaerin.

And immediately screamed.

“OH MY GOD!”

Chaerin jumped.

“What?!”

“You!”

“What about me?!”

“YOU'RE BLEEDING!”

“What?”

“Your forehead!”

Chaerin touched the side of her head.

Looked at her hand.

Saw blood.

And instantly started crying.

“I don't even feel anything!”

Joonho looked around frantically.

A kid happened to be passing by on a bicycle.

Three minutes later, after a series of desperate negotiations and a promise of an absurd amount of candy, Joonho somehow acquired the bicycle.

It was designed for a child.

It was absolutely not designed for two teenagers.

“Get on.”

Chaerin climbed onto the back.

The bicycle immediately protested.

“Hold onto me.”

She grabbed his waist.

Joonho's soul temporarily left his body.

Then he started pedaling.

Unfortunately, the bicycle moved at approximately the speed of an elderly turtle.

People walking casually were overtaking them.

“Just hang in there,” Joonho said.

“We're almost there.”

Chaerin continued crying while pressing a tissue against her wound.

“Distract yourself,” Joonho said.

“Play some music.”

“Good idea.”

She hit shuffle.

The first song began playing.

Scream — Dreamcatcher.

Both stared at the screen.

Chaerin immediately skipped it.

The next song started.

Monster — Red Velvet.

Silence.

“Absolutely not.”

She skipped that one too.

Joonho nodded.

“I think your playlist is trying to kill the mood.”

“Or me.”

“Possibly both.”

Chaerin turned the music off completely.

“Good decision.”

“Very good decision.”

Joonho continued pedaling furiously.

“Go through your bag.”

“Huh?”

“Maybe there's something that can distract you.”

“Like what?”

“I don't know. Chocolate. Lip gloss. Perfume.”

Chaerin suddenly brightened.

“I do have perfume.”

“See? That's perfect.”

“It has citrus and woody notes.”

“That actually sounds nice.”

Joonho nodded toward his jacket.

“Spray some on me.”

“What?”

“So you can smell it while we get to the hospital.”

Chaerin considered it.

“Fair enough.”

She reached into her sling bag, pulled out the perfume bottle, and sprayed it onto his jacket.

The moment the scent hit the air and the back of Joonho’s jacket.

Both of them froze.

Then their eyes widened at exactly the same time.