Better to be a Snake's Head Than a Dragon's Tail

"I'm going to be Snow White!"

"No, I'm going to be her!"

In kindergarten, a fierce battle was underway among the girls over who would play Snow White in the class play. When a slightly larger girl pushed another to the ground, the fallen girl burst into a loud, wailing cry.

"See? Now I'm the one playing Snow White, right?"

The larger girl looked around with a triumphant expression. However, there were still plenty of other girls to suppress.

"I said I'm doing it!"

"No, it's me!"

"I'm going to act with Yoon-gi!"

The root of all this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chaos was none other than Yoon-gi. As the most popular boy at Hana Kindergarten, his casting as the Prince was the catalyst for the drama.

"Principal, this is exactly why I told you we shouldn't let Yoon-gi be the Prince."

A teacher in her late 20s with a bob cut stomped her feet, looking at the principal as if she were at a total loss.

"Teacher Lee, why are you dumping the responsibility on me? All the girls want Yoon-gi to be the Prince; what can I do about it? Why don't you tell the girls yourself that Yoon-gi isn't going to be the Prince? Or should I tell them that Yoon-gi isn't doing it because of you?"

"No, that's not..."

The girls were busy fighting, and the teachers were busy passing the buck. Unlike the overheated atmosphere, there was one group that was more dejected than anyone else.

"Must be nice to be Yoon-gi..."

A boy with a perm that looked like something an auntie would have was sitting on the stairs, resting his chin in his hand and sighing.

"Then you be the Prince."

With a high-bridged nose and large eyes inherited from his mother, a well-proportioned frame, and the height inherited from his father, Yoon-gi—who had been showered with love and nutrition—boasted an appearance that couldn't even be compared to Kim Chanyeol's previous life.

"Really?"

The permed boy’s eyes lit up. His name was Kim Jin-soo. He was essentially a male follower who trailed after Yoon-gi at kindergarten.

"Yeah."

"Yes!"

At Yoon-gi's permission, Jin-soo ran out and stood in front of everyone.

"Hey everyone! Yoon-gi told me to be the Prince! I'm the Prince! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

In an instant, a common enemy was born among the girls who had been fighting each other.

"You told Yoon-gi not to be the Prince, didn't you?!"

At one girl's words, the others swarmed in, knocked Jin-soo down, and began to trample him.

"Aaaah! Aaaaaaah! Waaaaaaah!"

As the situation escalated, Teacher Lee ran over and scooped Jin-soo up into her arms.

"Waaaaaaah!"

Teacher Lee patted the still-crying Jin-soo and shouted, "If you kids keep fighting!"

At the girls' fierce counter-question, Teacher Lee broke into a cold sweat and looked at Yoon-gi. Her eyes seemed to beg for salvation. However, Yoon-gi was very satisfied with his current life and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was enjoying it thoroughly; he found the situation amusing and had no intention of putting out the fire.

"Should I make Yoon-gi the Princess?"

Just as the girls were about to erupt again at Teacher Lee's desperate remark, Yoon-gi spoke first.

"Me?"

"Oh? U-um..."

Teacher Lee nodded awkwardly at Yoon-gi. If he were the child of an ordinary family, she might have forced it, but since he was the child of a family that tipped the academy teachers generously, she could only offer an awkward smile.

"Why?"

"Well, it's just... because the girls are fighting..."

"I don't want to wear girl's clothes."

The moment Yoon-gi answered, the girls went into an uproar again.

In the midst of the renewed chaos at the kindergarten, a notice was finally completed and sent to each home.

"Yoon-gi, what kind of play is a 'Snow White without a Prince'?"

After work, his father, Choi Cheol-ho, asked while drinking soju with pork belly, looking at the notice. Yoon-gi shrugged and replied, "I don't really know either."

The period when Choi Yoon-gi could study while revealing it to those around him was after he turned six. It started when ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he followed his mother to a bookstore and picked out an alphabet study book, and gradually, he was able to buy more difficult books. However, since there was a risk of inflating expectations if he chose books that were too difficult for his age, by the time he was about to enter elementary school, he had perfectly mastered the elementary curriculum.

Among those, his English had easily surpassed the middle school level, and his vocabulary already exceeded that of most adults. After all, all he had to do was memorize the dictionary. The same went for Korean. Because he had practically memorized the works of authors likely to appear on the college entrance exam under the guise of "reading books," he was highly likely to have a significant advantage in future school exams. Of course, this was a secret, so to his grandfather Choi Ki-hyun and his parents Choi Cheol-ho and Park Yeon-ji, he was simply a "bright child."

"How do you think we should send Yoon-gi to school?"

To Choi Ki-hyun's question, Choi Cheol-ho answered without hesitation, "I will follow your opinion, Father."

"It's not bad that you hang on my every word, but this is about deciding a child's life. Have you never thought about it?"

"In that case, I will follow my wife's opinion. I'm busy with company work and don't know Yoon-gi that well, so my wife would know better."

Then, the gazes of Choi Ki-hyun and Choi Cheol-ho turned to Park Yeon-ji.

"My dear, what do you think?"

Although Park Yeon-ji was now nearing her 30s, she had been elevated to "My dear" as a reward for giving birth to such a bright grandson.

"Hmm..."

Watching Park Yeon-ji ponder, Choi Ki-hyun gave a warm smile. "It would have been nice if your mother-in-law were still alive, but now you can decide the major matters of the household. Matters outside the home are for me or your husband to decide, but shouldn't you be the one to manage the household?"

"I'm still young, so..."

"Oh, don't say such things. When I was young, women your age ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠handled everything, inside and out. So, speak your mind freely."

As the atmosphere softened, Park Yeon-ji asked cautiously, "By any chance, have you considered places like Cheongwon Elementary or Gyesung Elementary?"

"It's not that I haven't thought about it... but it's true that since the grandson is bright, I've become greedy."

Cheongwon and Gyesung were famous private elementary schools where the children of wealthy families and political circles often applied to build early connections.

"Can we definitely get him into those places?"

"I think we could if we wanted to, but I'm not sure if that's the best path."

Thanks to Choi Yoon-gi, Samwoo Products, which had avoided a crisis, had become the Samwoo Group and was hovering around the top 100 companies in South Korea, so they had more than enough ability to make requests to private schools.

"How about sending him to study abroad in the United States? Yoon-gi seems to have quite a talent for English..."

"Hmm, that could be fine, too."

Choi Cheol-ho, who had been listening to their conversation, offered an opinion as if he had just remembered something. "Why don't we just ask Yoon-gi? He's a bright kid, so maybe he wants something."

"Ask Yoon-gi?"

"Yes."

It was an out-of-the-blue suggestion, but thinking it was a decent idea, Yoon-gi was summoned to the study.

"Yoon-gi. You'll be going to elementary school soon. Do you want to study abroad in the U.S. or go to a famous private school?"

At his grandfather's question, Yoon-gi answered without hesitation, "Can't I just go to a school nearby?"

At Yoon-gi's request to go to a nearby school, his grandfather Choi Ki-hyun tried to persuade him that a famous private school would be better, and his maternal grandfather, Brigadier General Colson, urged him to study abroad. However, at the single remark, "I don't want to be away from my grandfathers," both of them melted and permitted his enrollment at a nearby school.

Since both elders of the family had given their permission, Choi Cheol-ho and Park Yeon-ji had no reason, justification, or thought to oppose it, so they enrolled their son, Choi Yoon-gi, in the nearby Jeongwon Elementary School. Of course, it wasn't just a simple enrollment. Since it was already decided which class he would be assigned to before school started, Park Yeon-ji took her son to meet the person who would be his homeroom teacher.

"Thank you so much for meeting us despite your busy schedule."

At the sight of the impeccably dressed Park Yeon-ji, Park Seon-ja, who had been designated as the homeroom teacher, reacted with a somewhat intimidated nod. "O-oh, no. I'm the one who is honored that you came in person."

Park Seon-ja's words were by no means empty. A large donation had already been made to Jeongwon Elementary School in the name of Choi Ki-hyun, the Chairman of the Samwoo Group and Yoon-gi's grandfather, and the family's basic background had been relayed to the principal, and through the principal, to the other teachers. In such a situation, with the daughter-in-law of the Samwoo Group visiting in person, not only Park Seon-ja but all the other teachers in the staff room were tense. Furthermore, there was Park Yeon-ji's appearance. Because she had inherited the blood of Brigadier General Colson, her blue eyes and wavy black hair had a significant effect in a South Korea that admired white people. She possessed the social status of a teacher, yet Park Seon-ja, an elder in her 40s, couldn't even dare to meet Park Yeon-ji's eyes.

"Yoon-gi is really handsome, taking after his mother."

At Park Seon-ja's remark, intended to break the ice, Choi Yoon-gi showed no signs of being intimidated, instead listening quietly with a look of complete composure. If he had shown a timid side, Park Seon-ja might have tried to make additional demands using Choi Yoon-gi later, but this confident attitude had the effect of blocking such situations in advance.

"Rather than taking after me, he takes after his grandfather a lot. He shouldn't be a child who causes trouble, but if any problems arise during school life, please contact me immediately."

With those words, Park Yeon-ji handed Park Seon-ja a very thick envelope. In an era where a bowl of jajangmyeon cost 200 won, an envelope containing an amount unimaginable to Park Seon-ja, who was receiving a monthly salary of barely over 40,000 won, appeared before her eyes.

"Th-th... thank you..."

Unable to refuse, Park Seon-ja accepted the envelope with trembling hands, unable to hide her smile at the heavy weight and the sight of the 10,000-won bills visible through the envelope. It was so obvious that the other teachers watching from the sidelines could be heard swallowing hard.

Watching this, Choi Yoon-gi was reminded of his childhood.

But now, although it was a different person, seeing the teacher unable to dare look at his mother, let alone himself, the feeling was truly novel. At Choi Deok-bae's words, one corner of Choi Yoon-gi's mouth rose just enough that no one would notice.

"Please let me off here."

When Choi Yoon-gi spoke from the back seat of the car, the driver replied in a troubled tone, "But, the Chairman said..."

"If my grandfather says anything, I'll tell him. I don't want weird rumors spreading among the kids from the first day that I'm a rich kid."

"Then I will drop you off a little further ahead. This area is near a bridge where thugs sometimes appear. Just cross that bridge; how is that?"

The driver was in his late 30s, but he spoke with extreme politeness to the mere 8-year-old Choi Yoon-gi, and Choi Yoon-gi accepted the driver's behavior as if it were only natural.

"Then, please do that."

He didn't say anything unnecessary like, "I'm younger, so just speak informally," or "Speak comfortably." It wasn't because of his current status as a chaebol grandson, but because he had learned through a grueling previous life that useless kindness was truly meaningless.

"You can get off here. If any problems arise, please run straight back to the car. I will be watching."

After nodding, Choi Yoon-gi began to walk toward the school, and passersby looked at him with envy. A bowtie, white socks pulled up to below his knees, black suspender shorts, and a white shirt. Along with his American-made school bag, it was an outfit that told everyone he was a rich young master. But the highlight was Choi Yoon-gi's appearance, which seemed to radiate light even if left alone. However, as Choi Yoon-gi reached the school gate, a car that stole everyone's attention stopped right in front of the gate.