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"You have to know that many boys in our class are still asking their parents for pocket money. But you can already work in the company. Hanbin, you're really amazing. You're practically my idol."
"That's right, Hanbin. You're so amazing. We all admire you."
"Hanbin, you're amazing. You got first place in the country in the exams, and now you're entering the company. How do you know everything? You're an all-rounder genius."
The boys were speechless seeing the group of girls swooning over him.
They had become invisible.
The girls only had eyes for Hanbin.
But they weren't jealous.
They had to admit that Hanbin was more outstanding than them.
They were speechless because the girls' motives were too obvious.
All of them wanted to be Young Madam Manoban, right?
They were all fighting to get closer to Hanbin.
It wasn't that they were jealous. If they were Hanbin, they definitely wouldn't like any of them.
He had good looks, a good family background, and was a top student.
Such an outstanding person had to be matched with a girl as outstanding as him.
Not one of these female students was not smitten with him.
Speaking of which, it wasn't impossible to find a female classmate worthy of Hanbin.
They felt that Somi was pretty good.
She was good-looking, came from a rich family, and had excellent grades.
But Hanbin didn't like her. So, even if she was worthy of him, it was meaningless.
At the thought of Somi, someone couldn't help but mutter, "Eh, didn't they say that Somi was coming today? Why haven't we seen her?"
"Yeah, why isn't Somi here?"
If Hanbin was the girls' Prince Charming, then Somi was the boys' goddess.
Before Somi transferred schools, almost two-thirds of the boys in the class had a crush on her.
The remaining one-third actually had a crush on her, but they hid it very well.
"Are you sure Somi will be here today?"
It had been a long time since they last saw their goddess. The boys were still looking forward to her arrival.
Hanbin was casually chatting with someone when he heard Somi's name.
That's right.
Everyone was here, why wasn't Somi here yet?
She said she would come.
She even told him that they would meet at the class gathering.
Although she had a bad temper and was very particular about her cards, she wasn't someone who didn't have a sense of time.
She was always punctual in the past.
Did something happen on the way?
Hanbin's expression changed.
He took out his cell phone and quickly typed a message.
Hanbin: [Somi, why are you not here yet?]
He added "We're all waiting for you" before sending the message.
Not long after, his cell phone vibrated.
It was Somi's reply.
Somi: [I've already entered the elevator, I'll be there soon. There was a car accident on the way, so the traffic was jammed.]
Hanbin's heart returned to calmness, and his eyes lost their panic.
At this moment, he suddenly heard a strange laugh. "Could it be that she doesn't dare to come?"
"In the past, she used her status as the daughter of the Jung family to shamelessly pester Hanbin. Now, Hanbin is different from before. He's not someone she can bully. Is she afraid?"
Hanbin frowned.
Soon, another voice was heard. "Didn't she feel too ashamed to continue in our school? It'd be best if she doesn't come. I don't want to see her annoying face. I don't know who invited her. Who let her attend the class reunion? Isn't this affecting everyone's mood?
"Especially Hanbin's mood."
"That's right, that's right. Hanbin doesn't like her the most, who let her come? So frustrating!"
"She used to pester Hanbin all the time. Now that she knows that he is the Young Master of the Manoban family, she'll probably pester him even more when she sees him. Hmph. Anyway, if she comes and still dares to pester Hanbin, I won't let her succeed!"
"We have to protect Hanbin!"
Hanbin's expression darkened and he clenched his fists.
A surge of anger rose in his heart.
It wasn't like that.
He had already explained to them that Somi hadn't pestered him.
He didn't hate her.
But why did they still say that about Somi?
They had no idea that she had stopped pestering him.
Now, he wanted to pester her.
"You girls are too unfriendly." The boys liked Somi and couldn't help but speak up for her. "Somi is our classmate too. She's been our classmate for almost four years. Thus, we decided to invite her.
"Hmph, are we wrong?"
The more someone spoke up for Somi, the more upset the girls became.
They had long disliked Somi.
She was in the limelight before she transferred schools. With her looks and good family background, she became the goddess in the hearts of many boys in school.
Almost every boy in school liked her.
Thankfully, Hanbin didn't like her.
This made the jealous group of girls feel much better.
But even so, they couldn't bear to see the boys speak up for Somi.
"Didn't Somi pester Hanbin for years? I've never seen a girl as thick-skinned as her. Hanbin rejected her several times, but she still refused to give up."
"Yeah, she's so shameless."
"She thinks as the daughter of the Jung family, all the guys have to like her?"
"She's just relying on her status as the daughter of the Jung family. She's nothing without it."
"You guys treat Somi as a good classmate and even speak up for her, but do you think others will even look at you? Don't think we don't know what you guys are thinking. No matter how much you lick her, in Somi's heart, you're just a bunch of toads."
What a terrible thing to say.
The boys' faces darkened.
The atmosphere became tense.
The girls realized that they had gone overboard, but they refused to apologize.
A voice suddenly rang out.
"I allowed Somi to pester me. Also, I've never told anyone that I hate her.
"So, I don't want anyone to spread these rumors in the future.
"Also, I rejected her not because I didn't like her, but because I didn't think I was worthy of her. She'd be outstanding even if she wasn't the daughter of the Jung family."
Everyone looked at Hanbin in shock.
Did they hear it right?
Hanbin said that he allowed Somi to pester him?
He rejected Somi only because he felt that he wasn't worthy of her?
Didn't that mean that if he was worthy, he wouldn't have rejected her?
He also mentioned that he didn't hate Somi.
So, Hanbin... might like Somi?
Everyone was shocked again.
Especially the girls who spoke badly of her.
Hanbin was slapping them in the face.
What did he mean?
Did he really like Somi?
But he used to dislike her.
Not just them, everyone in school thought that he didn't like Somi.
As if sensing something, Hanbin suddenly turned to look at the door.
Somi was standing at the door with a pale face.
He wondered when she arrived.
Did she hear what the girls said?
Looking at her expression, Hanbin felt that she probably did.
Looking at Somi's pale face, his heart ached.
Those attending this class gathering were close friends.
There were two girls among them. Hanbin remembered that they used to have a good relationship with Somi.
But just now, they also criticized her.
No one would feel good if their good friend criticized them.
Hanbin regretted it.
Why didn't he stop them from talking?
He should have stopped them when he heard the first sentence.
At this moment, the others also noticed Somi standing at the door.
The expressions of the girls who spoke ill of her changed again. They wondered if Somi had heard what they said.
They heard that the Jung family was back on track.
Somi, this poor daughter, was back in the limelight.
They were still a little afraid of her identity.
"Somi, you're here."
The boys' eyes lit up when they saw their goddess. "Come and sit. We were all waiting for you."
Somi stood at the door for a few seconds before nodding nonchalantly and entering the private room.
She looked normal.
After entering, she smiled and greeted everyone. "I'm sorry, I was caught in a jam on the way. I made you guys wait."
The girls looked at each other, thinking that she hadn't heard what they said.
"Not too long ago, we also just arrived." Seeing Somi walk over, the boy who made room for her blushed.
The thought of his goddess sitting beside him excited him.
Somi had just walked to the seat when she heard the sound of fingers knocking on the table. She turned around and heard Hanbin say calmly, "There's no one sitting beside me. Come and sit here."
Everyone in the room was shocked.
Hanbin took the initiative to ask Somi to sit beside him?
He used to avoid her!
Even Somi was stunned.
Seeing that she was looking at him, Hanbin covered his mouth and said, "Fatty and Dong will be drinking later. You'll affect their drinking by sitting between them."
Fatty and Dong were speechless.
Who said they were going to drink?
Moreover, even if they wanted to drink, it wouldn't matter if Somi was between them, right?
Before Dong could react, a classmate tugged at his shirt and gave him a look.
How stupid.
Couldn't he tell?
Hanbin was obviously trying to get Somi to sit beside him, so he found an excuse.
It wasn't about drinking, he just wanted Somi to sit beside him.
Even the slow-witted boys could tell Hanbin's true intention.
The girls could tell too.
They were wondering if Hanbin liked Somi.
He used to avoid her.
But now, he actually took the initiative to ask Somi to sit beside him.
He definitely wouldn't do this if he hated her.
But they really couldn't understand it.
Why did Hanbin suddenly start liking Somi?
Was it really as he said, that he'd always liked Somi and was unwilling to accept her in the past because he felt that he wasn't worthy of her?
The girls' expressions darkened.
If Hanbin liked Somi, they had no chance!
"Oh, right, right, right. We're going to drink later." A certain fatty finally understood what was going on and nodded profusely. "Student Somi, I'm sorry. You can sit with Hanbin."
Hanbin had already pulled out the chair beside him.
Somi looked and he looked at each other for a while. She stood beside Fatty for a few seconds before walking towards Hanbin.
The girls looked at her with jealousy.
Somi's dressing style was still as extravagant as before.
She took off her coat after entering the private room, showing her good figure. She was a 17 or 18-year-old girl, just like a blooming flower.
She was wearing a tight black velvet dress. Although it was a dress, the style was the same as a mini dress.
The black velvet dress was made of shiny material. Under the light of the crystal, it looked like she was sparkling.
Her makeup was exquisite, and her hair was curled up. There was also a diamond-studded hair clip with two tassels hanging down.
Somi was pretty usually.
She was even more stunning when she dressed up.
The few guys who had a crush on her were stunned.
Their goddess got prettier.
Of course, Somi was very beautiful before. But she was even more beautiful now.
Perhaps it was because she had completely matured, but her eyes were much more mature and reserved.
Somi used to be more pampered.
Now, she exuded a calm aura, and her temperament was different from before.
She was even more attractive than before.
The group of boys stared at her and blushed.
Somi was so pretty.
They knew it. How could Hanbin not like her?
Such a good-looking girl had been chasing him for years. If he wasn't moved at all, something must be wrong with him.
The boys looked at Somi with admiration.
Seeing this, the girls at the table scolded them for being shallow and shameless.
Hanbin also noticed the gazes of his male classmates. He frowned and turned to look at Somi.
She wasn't dressed sexily.
She was wearing a long-sleeved black velvet dress, a high-collared one. It wasn't revealing at all.
But it was beautiful.
Her skin was very fair, and the black dress made her skin look even fairer.
In Hanbin's memory, Somi had always been exquisite.
No matter the occasion, she would always dress up nicely.
Even in her school uniform, she always dressed differently from others. She would work hard on many small details.
For example, she would put a diamond brooch on her school uniform or some other jewelry.
In any case, she looked like a real rich girl.
She was always wearing luxury brands.
One month ago, Hanbin saw her change into a new pair of shoes every day. It was said that each pair was from a luxury brand worth at least five or six figures.
To Hanbin back then, Somi and he were from two different worlds.
He couldn't understand her life at all.
When he rejected Somi, he did have some materialistic considerations.
Everything that Somi consumed wasn't something he could afford.
If he got together with her, he wouldn't have the money to spend.
And he would never spend his woman's money.
Somi's dressing tonight was very normal. It was no different from her previous style.
But Hanbin frowned.
"Aren't you cold?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Mm?" Somi was stunned. "No."
The heater was on, how could she be cold?
And her dress had a certain thickness.
Hanbin's expression stiffened. "You're so thin, how could you not be cold?"
"But I..."
Somi wanted to say that she really wasn't cold, but before she could finish speaking, Hanbin called the waiter over. "Go get Miss Jung a blanket."
Somi: "..."
She wasn't cold.
She didn't need a blanket.
But the waiter had already followed Hanbin's instructions and left the private room to get her a blanket.
Hanbin's actions made the others at the table even more curious.
The boys were slow to react and probably didn't know what Hanbin was doing.
But the sensitive girls could already tell that it was ambiguous.
Was Hanbin trying to use a blanket... to cover Somi?
Was it because he didn't want the boys to stare at her?
Such possessiveness and jealousy...
The girls felt sour.
No, it was worse than eating a sour lemon.
Somi was superior to them in every aspect, and it wasn't easy for them to use Hanbin's incident to attack her. But if Hanbin liked Somi, how could they attack her?
They were the ones who felt the blow.
Even the poor Hanbin and Somi would feel uncomfortable when they were together.
But now, Hanbin was the Young Master of the Manoban family.
If Somi was with him, they wouldn't even be incompatible in the family.
Soon, the waiter returned with a blanket.
Hanbin took it and handed it to Somi. "Put it on."
Somi: "..."
"Hanbin, I'm not cold. I..."
"You're obviously cold, don't deny it. Your elegance isn't as important as your temperature."
This time, Hanbin draped the blanket over her without caring if she was willing.
When his hand passed through her hair and touched her neck, Somi stiffened.
Hanbin wrapped the blanket around her and only let go after making sure she was fully covered.
Somi looked down at the blanket and slowly looked up at him with a complicated expression.
What was Hanbin trying to do?
First, he said in front of everyone that he allowed her to pester him. He even said that he didn't accept her because he felt that he wasn't worthy of her.
And now, he was doing this to her in public.
Although it was just a blanket, they wouldn't do this if it was a normal couple.
This was already considered ambiguous.
Hanbin wasn't trying to avoid suspicion at all.
The table was silent.
Everyone was shocked.
After all, they'd always thought that Hanbin didn't like Somi.
In the past, he avoided her whenever he could.
All along, they saw Somi clinging to Hanbin shamelessly. Hanbin always looked annoyed.
Hence, they felt that he definitely hated Somi.
Who wouldn't hate being harassed by a girl they didn't like for years?
But Hanbin's actions were like a slap to their faces.
"Are you still cold?" Hanbin asked gently as if he hadn't noticed the stares around him.
Somi: "..."
She shook her head. "No."
She wasn't cold, to begin with.
He was the one who insisted on covering her with a blanket.
"That's good." Hanbin nodded and smiled. "If it's still cold, get the waiter to increase the temperature of the air conditioner. It's not good to catch a cold in this weather. I remember you caught a cold once, and it took a long time to recover."
Such gentle and considerate words, not to mention others, even Somi was a little dazed.
What was Hanbin up to tonight?
"Hanbin..."
The girl sitting opposite finally couldn't hold it in anymore and asked with jealousy and dissatisfaction, "Can I ask a question?"
Hanbin turned to look at her. "What do you want to ask?"
"You and Somi..." The girl bit her lip and looked at them. "Are you two dating?"
Somi was stunned. Just as she was about to speak, Hanbin replied first. "No, I'm still pursuing Somi. She hasn't agreed to it."
"W-What?" The girl widened her eyes in shock.
The others also felt like a huge melon had landed on their heads. They were all stunned.
Hanbin was chasing Somi?
Was the sun rising from the west?
Hadn't Somi been chasing Hanbin all along?
But now they reversed roles?
Of course, this wasn't the main point. The main point was that Somi still hadn't agreed?
Didn't she like Hanbin very much?
What was going on?
Somi was also stunned. She turned around and looked at the person beside her.
"Hanbin, are you serious?" the girl asked with a pale face.
"Of course." Hanbin looked calm. "Previously, because of my inferiority complex, many people thought that I didn't like Somi. And because I didn't explain in time, many misunderstandings towards her were created, causing her to suffer a lot.
"So, she's still unwilling to accept my pursuit.
"But I won't give up."
At this point, Hanbin turned to look at Somi with gentle eyes. "Somi, I've said it before. It's my turn to chase you. Today, everyone sitting here is my witness. You've chased me for four years. No matter what, I have to chase you for four years."
Somi looked at him blankly.
"Hanbin, you..."
"I'm serious." Hanbin's eyes were bright, and the outline of the young man's handsome and exquisite face was clearer and clearer. His eyes were firm as he expressed his determination in front of everyone. "Somi, it's my turn to chase you from now on, alright?"
"Hanbin, I..." Somi was at a loss for words.
"You don't have to answer me now. You can think about it when you get back. You know my cell phone number. Call me when you've thought about it."
The others at the table didn't expect to eat dog food.
Who would have thought that Hanbin liked Somi?
This was probably the most shocking thing to happen in the past few years.
The girls who mocked Somi for being shameless and clinging to Hanbin felt their butts burn.
As for the boys who had a crush on Somi, although they felt jealous, they weren't as petty as the girls and quickly accepted reality.
They knew very well.
Even if Somi wasn't with Hanbin, she couldn't be with any of them.
Although they had a crush on her, they knew their place.
If Hanbin wanted to chase Somi, they probably wouldn't be a match.
Somi had always liked him.
He was also very eligible.
If Somi was going to get married in the future, they would rather it be Hanbin than another man.
It wasn't a pleasant meal.
Ever since Hanbin publicly announced that he wanted to pursue Somi, the girls at the table seemed to have taken a pill and barely spoke.
Hanbin kept putting food into Somi's bowl.
This scene made the other girls lose their appetite. Before they finished eating, three girls found an excuse to leave early.
Although the rest of them were still sitting, their minds were no longer there.
After a tasteless meal, the rest of them left.
There was supposed to be an activity after dinner.
The initial plan was to find a KTV to play for a few more hours after lunch.
But now, all the girls were gone.
Besides Somi, there was only a group of boys left.
The other boys saw that the other girls had left and didn't dare to stay.
Hence, they found excuses and left too.
At once, only Hanbin and Somi were left.
"Are you going home too?"
After paying, Hanbin took his card from the person at the counter. Somi glanced at it. It was a black card that symbolized his status.
There was even a special symbol of the Manoban family on it.
The people in the industry knew that the symbol represented the cardholder as a symbol of the Manoban family.
Only the direct relatives of the Manoban family could get such a card.
Somi was in a daze. Her gaze landed on the black card for a few seconds before turning back to the handsome face of the young man in front of her.
The Hanbin now was indeed not the Hanbin from before.
He hadn't changed much, but Somi noticed a few things.
He didn't grow up in the Manoban family. But now, Somi could feel Lisa's aura exuding from him.
A strong and steady aura.
It was as if he'd grown up in the Manoban family.
Was this the power of bloodline?
Even though Hanbin didn't grow up in the Manoban family, he was getting closer and closer to their style because he was a member of the family?
The young man was still the same young man.
But everything else was different.
Somi felt that Hanbin must have experienced something after returning to the Manoban family.
His eyes weren't as clear as before. He was starting to hide things, and he'd learned to hide his emotions.
She could see through Hanbin in the past, but now she couldn't.
He seemed to have put on a layer of armor over himself. All she could see was what he chose to let her see.
"What are you looking at?" Hanbin saw that she was staring at him and looked a little uncomfortable. He reached out and touched his face. "Is there something on my face?"
"No." Somi shook her head. She kept quiet for a while before saying, "Hanbin, thank you."
"Why are you thanking me?" Hanbin was stunned.
Somi looked into his eyes. "Thank you for everything you've done for me, saving my face."
Hanbin was stunned again. After a while, he said, "You think I said all that just to save your face?"
Somi nodded. "Mm, thank you."
"Somi." Hanbin suddenly spoke seriously.
Somi looked at his dark and bright eyes, and her heart trembled.
"Let's talk somewhere else." Hanbin reached out and grabbed her wrist. Under Somi's shocked gaze, he pulled her into the elevator and pressed the 13th-floor button.
The 13th floor was a cafe set up by the hotel.
After entering the elevator, he let go of her hand.
Somi looked at him blankly. She could still feel the warmth of his fingers on her wrist.
"Hanbin, where are you taking me?" Somi looked at the button he pressed and frowned. "What do you want to say to me? Can't you say it here?"
Hanbin turned to look at her. "Are you in a hurry to go back?"
"No, I..."
"Since you're not in a hurry, then go back later." Hanbin paused and added, "I'll send you back later."
Somi kept quiet.
The elevator was very small, and they were very close.
She could smell Hanbin's perfume. It was faint and pleasant, not pungent at all.
Somi was stunned.
She remembered that Hanbin didn't use perfume in the past.
Why was he using it now?
That was true. Now that he was the Young Master of the Manoban family, his basic necessities were different from before.
Neither of them spoke for a while. Somi watched as the elevator went up. She had a lot to say, but she couldn't open her mouth.
The silence was awkward.
Thankfully, the elevator soon reached the 13th floor.
After exiting the elevator, Somi saw that the 13th floor was a cafe and Western restaurant. The moment they stepped out of the elevator, a waiter immediately greeted them.
"Good evening, Mister and Miss."
Hanbin told the waiter that they were going to the cafe, and the waiter led them into it.
The cafe was romantically decorated. There was even a small performance stage. At this moment, a blonde foreigner was standing on the stage, playing the violin. The melodious and slow music floated in the air, making people feel like they were at a ball.
Hanbin picked a seat and they sat down. Then, a waiter came over.
"Mister, Miss, what would you like to drink?"
"A cup of black coffee for the lady. Oh right, add more milk and sugar to her coffee. She likes sweeter flavors."
"Alright, please hold on."
The waiter left with the order.
Somi was shocked. "You know what I like to drink?"
"Mm." Hanbin nodded. "I remember you like coffee sweet. Did I remember wrongly?"
Somi was silent for a while before shaking her head. "Mm, you didn't remember wrongly."
She did like cappuccinos.
She liked the sweet taste. Every time she ordered coffee, she would add another spoonful of milk and sugar.
However, she didn't expect Hanbin to remember such details.
How did he remember?
He hadn't paid attention to her before.
"Hanbin, can I ask you a question?"
"Mm, ask away."
"How do you know what I like to drink?"
Hanbin kept quiet for a few seconds. "I-I've always known."
Somi was stunned. "You've always known?"
"Mm."
"How?"
"You treated me to a few meals." Hanbin pursed his lips as he recalled the past, and a gentle smile appeared in his eyes. "I remember you asking the waiter to get you a cappuccino every time."
Somi's heart raced when she saw the smile in his eyes.
She bit her lip, her eyes filled with disbelief. "So, y-you've been paying attention to me since a long time ago?"
"Mm."
Hanbin nodded calmly. "To be precise, when you first confessed that you liked me, I started paying attention to you."
Somi was completely stunned.
He had been paying attention to her since then?
But she thought he wasn't interested in her at all.
"Somi." Hanbin's gaze was fixed on the girl sitting opposite him, and his eyes were apologetic. "I'm sorry. I rejected you because I felt that it was impossible between us from the start. I didn't want you to have any fantasies, so... I deliberately treated you coldly.
"I thought that you wouldn't be interested in me anymore after what I did to you. Actually, I know very well how good you are to me. It's just that I didn't have money or power, and I was ill back then. I didn't dare to hope for anything.
"I don't have the right to expect anything.
"You're very good, you shouldn't be delayed by someone like me. Moreover, our social classes were too different, and many of our concepts were different. Your casual meal, a piece of clothing, a pair of shoes, and even the money for a hairdo might be my annual living expenses.
"If we really got together, what could I have done for you? Perhaps I couldn't even afford to treat you to a meal at a high-end restaurant.
"Soon, you'd feel that it was meaningless to be with a poor guy like me."
"No, Hanbin, I..."
"Somi, let me finish." Hanbin smiled at her. "I believe you really like me. But have you heard of this saying? Reality defeats love. Your love for me can't compare to reality."
"I..." Somi opened her mouth to deny it.
If she despised him for being poor, she wouldn't have liked him.
"Somi, let me ask you, why did you chase me back then? What part of me did you like? Or rather, what part of me attracted you?" Hanbin still had a smile on his face as he asked softly.
Somi was stunned.
What did she like about Hanbin?
She looked at the young man's exquisite face and suddenly blushed. She bit her lip and said a little embarrassedly, "Do you want to tell the truth?"
"Of course."
"Alright." Somi pursed her lips and touched her slightly hot cheeks. "I chased you back then because... because I thought you were very good-looking."
She was so superficial!
Back then, Hanbin was just a poor boy, and Somi wasn't short of money. The only thing that could attract her was his looks.
She fell in love with Hanbin's looks at first sight.
At that time, she thought that such a good-looking guy must be her boyfriend.
She thought it was a simple matter.
She, Somi, was good-looking, had a good family background, and excelled in her studies.. If she pursued him, she thought that no guy would reject her.