The First Day of School
The alarm rang, and the first-year male freshman rose from his bed immediately. After a quick wash in the bathroom attached to his room, he changed into the school uniform he had prepared over the weekend. Then he headed down to the first-floor living room for breakfast.
"Good morning, Mother."
"Mmm! My son! You look so incredibly handsome in your uniform no matter how many times I see it!"
"Thank you."
Mother wore an ecstatic expression at the sight of her son in uniform — something she had never even dared to dream of. It was the face of someone who had obtained every ounce of wealth and honor in the world. After all, in this world, such a scene was utterly impossible.
A boy who woke up on time, put on his uniform, and made sure not to be late for school? Even the tiny handful of boys who attended school could show up for attendance whenever they felt like it. For men, classes were little more than a hobby. What could a female teacher possibly do to a male student who slacked off?
But Shinwoo was different. Today was his first time ever stepping foot inside a school, and he had been so nervous that he hadn't slept a wink the night before. Thanks to that, he ate breakfast with slightly sleepy eyes.
"Thank you for the meal."
"Oppa?! You're up so early..."
"Yeah. Did you sleep well, Mijin?"
"Yes!"
Only after Shinwoo stood up from the table did Han Mijin finally appear, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she sat down. Up until now, because her older brother usually slept in, they had always eaten together — or she would be the one to leave first. Now it felt like something precious had been stolen from her.
So when she saw Mom bringing over breakfast, Han Mijin declared in a loud, energetic voice.
"Mom, starting tomorrow, wake me up a little earlier!"
"Huh? But you're always the one throwing a tantrum saying you want to sleep ten more minutes."
"It's fine! From now on, I'm going to be much more diligent!"
A blue flame burned brightly in Han Mijin's eyes.
Meanwhile, Shinwoo headed to the nearby first-floor bathroom to brush his teeth. Just as he was about to open the door, his older sister Han Chaewon stepped out.
"Noona, did you sleep well?"
"Yes. What about you, Shinwoo? You look... a bit tired?"
True to her elite nature, Han Chaewon immediately pinpointed the exact reason Shinwoo looked more exhausted than usual.
"Haha. The truth is, I was so nervous I couldn't sleep at all."
His words were meant in a positive way, but—
"Were you that scared? Does that mean going to school is too much for you?"
"Yes... wait, what?!"
"If anything happens to you at school, tell your noona right away! I'll take care of everything!"
Han Chaewon's eyes blazed with a purple flame, just like Han Mijin's had moments earlier. Still, it was a caring remark from family, so Shinwoo nodded and stepped into the bathroom to brush his teeth.
Meanwhile, Han Chaewon returned to her room, grabbed her bag, and headed toward the entrance. Her face flickered between joy and worry. Her eyes drooped for a moment before breaking into a silly, lovestruck smile as she pictured Shinwoo wearing the same uniform as her.
"S-Shinwoo and I... at the same school... I'm his senior... we're in the same building... if I'm lucky, we might even bump into each other in the hallway..."
Like mother, like daughter. The mere thought made her mouth water.
Han Mijin stared at her older sister with clear displeasure. The younger sister looked at her with a dissatisfied expression, then turned to their mother standing beside her. It was already past the usual time for her to leave for work, yet it was obvious she had been waiting just to see her son.
"Mom, aren't you leaving soon?"
"Mm. I'm only leaving after I get to see my son."
"But Oppa didn't even go to elementary school. Doesn't that mean he should start from elementary school with me?"
Han Mijin slyly floated the possibility.
"Mijin, our Shinwoo's already at that age. I've heard that for a man, 'gao' — that sense of pride and dignity — is the most important thing!"
Even the older sister who was usually as gentle as a goddess refused to yield on this point.
"Where did you even hear that...?"
"On the internet!"
While the younger sister looked sour, the older sister wore a relaxed smile. Feeling like she was the only one without any special events with her brother, Han Mijin let out a deep sigh.
But the moment she saw her brother walk out of the entrance after grabbing his bag, her face instantly bloomed into a bright, happy grin.
"Whew. All done. ...Huh? Were you all waiting for me?"
"Of course! It's our son's monumental first day of school!"
"We're going the same way anyway. It's better to go together."
"I'll walk with you part of the way too!"
And so, the four family members stepped outside the house together for the first time. It felt a little embarrassing, but Shinwoo made a silent vow to remember this moment for the rest of his life.
They parted with Mother at the elevator heading down to the basement parking, then said goodbye to Han Mijin at the fork leading to the elementary school. Though she looked a little sad, after Shinwoo gently patted her head, she broke into a bright smile and ran off happily to school.
Now left alone with Han Chaewon on their walk to school, Shinwoo began to see female students in the same uniform appearing one by one. The happy feeling lasted only a moment. Han Chaewon grew anxious and kept scanning their surroundings as they walked. And though they tried to hide it, the females around them kept stealing glances in their direction.
Come to think of it, Shinwoo would soon be surrounded by girls he'd never met before in another classroom. Facts she had completely forgotten in her excitement about walking to school with her younger brother. The school life she had imagined would be nothing but happiness suddenly felt like a battlefield to Han Chaewon.
She stopped drooling, emanated a murderous aura, and made a deep vow in her heart.
8:30 a.m. First-year Class A at the prestigious high school.
The classroom should have been quiet, as it usually was right before morning homeroom began. But right now, not only the girls in Class A but every classroom in the entire first-year cohort was buzzing with rumors about the male transfer student who would soon arrive. Especially Class A, the one that would actually receive him.
"I-Is it really going to be a boy?"
One girl asked in a trembling voice. That single question triggered a flood.
"I think so...?"
"Or maybe it's another girl dressed as a boy again..."
"Please stop with those scams! Last time I really thought it was a boy and secretly collected all his saliva!"
The voices in Class A grew louder and louder. Everyone was eagerly anticipating the new male student — not quite on the level of the handsome third-year senior Yoo Duhak, of course, but still something to look forward to.
Everyone except one.
A girl with sleek ruby eyes and straight blue hair.
"Hmph. In the end, all men are the same anyway."
She spoke in a relaxed tone, as if she had seen countless men since ancient times. With her lofty posture and arrogant way of sitting, she was the class president of first-year Class A.
And if Han Chaewon was the Queen of the third-years, then she was the Queen of the first-years. A transfer student from the far northern lands — Russia. Elena Barbachof.
She received the envious, admiring gazes of all the excited girls and opened her mouth.
"As expected of Lady Elena! Not even batting an eye after hearing about the male transfer student!"
"Truly the next student council president! Even her composure is on another level!"
"Hehe. Of course. After all, I am a woman who has a 'father.'"
Father. The moment they heard that both parents existed, the girls swallowed hard. In this world with its broken gender ratio, a daughter born from a father's touch was a treasure — a royal compared to commoners.
But that was a lie.
Ever since the rumor about the male transfer student spread, Elena hadn't slept a wink, just like everyone else.
'H-How will he look? What if he's a boy with insanely good looks like Senior Yoo Duhak?!'
Inside, Elena was just as excited as all the other girls. Having grown up with a father who had always been scrawny like a dried anchovy, she had developed some immunity to ordinary men. The only man who had ever shaken her heart was the top one-percent male currently attending the same school — a third-year senior whose weight and height difference was only about sixty units. Yoo Duhak alone.
If another boy on that level transferred in, what on earth would happen to her?
'Senior Yoo Duhak has already set his sights on the third-year Queen, so I couldn't even dare speak to him... But what if I get a chance like the one Senior Chaewon had...?'
Elena wore an ecstatic expression as she indulged in hopeful fantasies. But as the Korean saying went — don't drink the kimchi soup before it's even served. Sensing the gazes around her, she quickly regained her senses and returned to her usual cold, icy, haughty expression.
"Hmph. In the end, all men are the same anyway."
"Kyaaa! Lady Elena! That arrogant attitude even in front of the incoming transfer student is so cool!"
"We're in awe!"
"Hehe. Admire me all you want. And worship me while you're at it."
Elena recalled the image she had carefully built since enrolling in this school. She took a deep breath and made a firm resolution.
She was the candidate to succeed her idol, Senior Chaewon, as the next student council president. According to the rumors, Senior Chaewon had completely rejected all of Yoo Duhak's advances. As expected of the only person she worshipped — a true Queen who stood at the pinnacle regardless of origin!
I must become a magnificent queen just like my admired senior.
Thanks to her scrawny father, she had developed a separate immunity to men. Whether it was a dried anchovy or a pig, she was confident she could maintain a queenly poker face no matter who appeared.
But like a broken wind-up toy—
"E-Everyone...?"
"...?"
The homeroom teacher entered the classroom, creaking with every step. And at the front door she pointed to with both hands—
"...!"
A boy overflowing with masculine beauty that made Yoo Duhak look like nothing in comparison. Shinwoo stepped into the classroom with a slightly nervous expression.
The entire first-year Class A froze solid on the spot. The Queen's cold poker face had already shattered, her mouth hanging wide open.
There was no cheering. Just like when Shinwoo had appeared in the third-year hallway before, not a single sound could be heard. Every girl's mind had simply crashed, displaying nothing but errors.
Looking at the frozen classroom, the homeroom teacher recalled what had happened in the staff room moments earlier. Still, she had to follow procedure, so she did her best to introduce Shinwoo as naturally as possible.
"W-We have a t-transfer student! I-I will now i-introduce him!"
"Um... My name is Han Shinwoo. Please take good care of me?"
With those words, time in the classroom began to move again — accompanied by a thunderous wave of applause.