*Jiyeon’s House*

The early morning sun filtered through the curtains of Jiyeon's room. As the first rays touched her face, Jiyeon's mother called out, “Good morning, sweetheart! Wake up quickly, you're getting late for school.”

Jiyeon groaned and pulled the covers over her head. “Just two more minutes, Mom,” she pleaded.

With a sigh, her mother relented. “Alright, but hurry up and come downstairs for breakfast.”

Slowly, Jiyeon descended the stairs, her eyes still heavy with sleep. She took a seat at the breakfast table, where her mother had set out a warm meal. After finishing, she bid her mother farewell. “Bye, Mom.”

“Bye, sweetheart!” her mother called after her.

---

At school, the quiet atmosphere was broken by the sudden ringing of the bell, signaling the end of the day. Students bustled out of their classrooms, eager to head home.

Nari Kim, Jiyeon's friend, approached her. “Jiyeon, want to go to the convenience store with me? It's been a while since we went together.”

Jiyeon nodded. “Sure, I'll pack my bag and meet you.”

As they walked side by side on the sidewalk, Nari glanced at Jiyeon. “Can I ask you something? Are you and Jihoon still talking?”

Jiyeon's expression remained neutral. “No, we aren’t.”

Nari looked puzzled. “But I thought you two were best friends. You’ve been inseparable since childhood.”

Jiyeon forced a smile. “We were. But maybe not anymore. He has new friends now, so he doesn’t need me.”

Nari looked ahead and suddenly stopped. “Oh, I’m sorry. But isn’t that Jihoon over there?”

Jiyeon followed Nari’s gaze and saw Jihoon crossing the street. Before she could call out to him, a loud screech of tires and a thud filled the air. Jihoon lay motionless on the ground.

With her heart pounding, Jiyeon sprinted toward him. The world around her seemed to fall silent as she knelt beside him, a tear sliding down her cheek. “Jihoon, what happened? Someone call an ambulance! Jihoon, please, get up. Open your eyes!” she screamed frantically.

After a few tense moments, Jihoon’s eyes fluttered open. He looked at Jiyeon with confusion. “Who are you? What are you doing here? And why do you keep shouting Jihoon? Where am I?”

---

Thank you, everyone, for reading the first episode of *The Ruler's Awakening*. Your support means the world to me ♥ Please forgive any grammatical mistakes—your little author is learning and improving! Stay tuned for Episode 2!

---