Chapter 1: When Cold Meets Kindness
Aeri didn't need anyone to remind her she didn't belong.
She felt it every time someone moved their chair away from her in class, every time the lunch table filled up—except the seat next to her—and every time laughter echoed around her for reasons she didn't understand.
She was used to being invisible.
But that didn't mean it didn't hurt.
Aeri walked through the college gates like a ghost each morning, her worn-out shoes brushing against the marble floors that seemed too polished for someone like her. She held her books tightly to her chest—like armor—hoping today wouldn't be another day she'd cry in the restroom stall during lunch.
She was just a girl trying to study business and make her late father proud. That's all.
But the world wasn't kind to girls like Aeri.
And certainly not this world—where last names had more value than kindness, and your wardrobe spoke louder than your words.
---
Then there was Mark.
Mark Seo didn't walk—he strode. Tall, sharp-featured, always in black. His presence made people part like waves. He didn't talk much, but he didn't have to. One look could shut someone up.
Cold. Rich. Untouchable.
The son of that Seo Corporation—the one that basically ruled half the city.
Everyone feared him. Some adored him from afar. And everyone respected the fact that he didn't care about anyone.
And that's exactly why Aeri kept her feelings buried.
Because how could someone like her—secondhand books, stitched-up shoes, scholarship student—ever fit into his picture-perfect world?
So, she watched from a distance. Silently. Hopelessly. She never even dared to dream.
---
But fate has a strange way of turning tables when you least expect it.
It happened on an ordinary morning.
The sky was pale and sleepy, the corridors half-empty. Mark was walking toward his lecture room, earbuds in, mind somewhere far away. Everything was as usual.
Until he stopped. Dead in his tracks.
Ahead of him, a scene played out that made something shift in his chest.
Aeri was crouched on the floor, her books scattered. Her lip was trembling. Three students—two girls, one guy—stood around her, laughing cruelly.
"You should be used to this by now, beggar," one said, flicking her notebook away.
"I didn't do anything wrong," Aeri whispered, tears in her voice more than in her eyes. "Please…"
The sound of her voice—shaky, pleading, exhausted—rattled something inside Mark he didn't know he had.
She turned slightly and saw him standing there.
For a moment, their eyes met. Hers were pleading—please, someone... just someone stand up for me. She wasn't expecting him. But she hoped.
Mark clenched his fists.
Then, before anyone could react, he stormed forward and punched one of the boys square in the jaw. The thud echoed down the corridor like thunder.
Gasps.
"What the hell?" one of the girls shrieked.
Mark's eyes were like fire. "Who gave you the right to treat her like that?"
They stammered. "W-We were just—"
"Just what?" he snapped. "Just humiliating her for your entertainment? Just proving you're cowards who pick on someone who can't fight back?"
The group backed away. They all knew who he was. And they knew better than to test him when he was like this.
"If I see any of you near her again," Mark said slowly, venom dripping from every word, "I'll personally make sure you regret ever stepping foot on this campus."
They fled.
---
And then… silence.
He turned back.
Aeri was still crouched, wide-eyed, her shoulders trembling. A tear slid down her cheek.
He had never seen her up close like this. She looked… small. Hurt. But still holding herself together with all the dignity she had left.
And it broke something in him.
He knelt slowly in front of her. Not as the rich boy everyone feared. Just… a boy.
"Are you okay?" he asked, gently, his voice softer than he thought it could be.
Aeri nodded, barely.
"They won't touch you again," he added, offering her his hand.
She hesitated. Then placed her trembling fingers into his.
"Thank you… for protecting me," she whispered.
He helped her up, and as she walked away, still wiping her tears, Mark stared after her—feeling something unfamiliar bloom inside his chest.
What's happening to me?
Why… does she matter so much all of a sudden?
---
And just like that… the coldest boy in college had begun to melt.
But neither of them knew then—that this small moment of kindness would lead to something far bigger than either of them could imagine.
Something that would change everything.
Forever.
Perfect! Let's continue Chapter 1 in a deeply humanized and emotional way, leading into the cafeteria confrontation with Mia. This keeps the tone intimate, raw, and heartfelt, while building tension and chemistry between Aeri and Mark.
Chapter 1: When Cold Meets Kindness (Continued)
After that day, things… changed.
Aeri started noticing the whispers. Not the usual cruel ones—but confused ones. Curious ones.
"Why did Mark Seo defend her?"
"Did you see him punch that guy?"
"No one's ever seen him talk to anyone like that…"
But Mark didn't care.
He sat beside Aeri in class the very next day. No questions. No hesitation.
"Can I sit here?" he asked casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Aeri blinked, stunned. "Y-Yes, of course…"
She could hardly believe it. The Mark Seo—cold, untouchable, intimidating—chose to sit next to her? Her heart wouldn't stop racing. At first, she thought maybe it was out of pity, a one-time thing. But when he showed up again the next day—and the next—it began to feel real.
Slowly, the ice between them began to melt.
They talked.
At first, it was just small talk. Awkward. Hesitant. But over time, their conversations got warmer. Deeper.
She told him about her love for books, how her father used to read to her under a broken ceiling fan. He told her about how empty his mansion felt, how lonely it was growing up around people who only cared about money.
It turned out they both knew something about being alone—just in different ways.
They started having lunch together. He'd quietly bring an extra snack and pretend like he brought too much. She'd shyly thank him and share her favorite homemade dishes, even if she had barely anything in her tiffin.
And somewhere between shared laughter and stolen glances, something bloomed.
But neither of them said it out loud.
Not yet.
Then came the day everything changed.
The cafeteria was buzzing that afternoon. Aeri and Mark sat at a small table in the corner, laughing about something silly—a spilled juice box or a professor's weird necktie.
Aeri felt happy.
Not just because Mark was sitting with her. But because he was smiling. Genuinely. Just for her.
She didn't feel poor. Or invisible. She felt seen.
But then…
"Hey Mark," came a sweet but sharp voice.
Aeri looked up to see Mia standing there in a tight black dress and high heels—on a normal school day.
Mia, the queen bee of the business department. Beautiful. Rich. Ruthless. And very used to getting what she wanted.
Especially boys.
Mark didn't even look at her. He kept talking to Aeri, completely unfazed.
Aeri felt the tension. Her palms turned cold. Mia had always been cruel in subtle ways—especially to girls she saw as competition. And now, Aeri was sitting with the boy Mia had been chasing for months.
Aeri gently nudged Mark's arm. "Uhm… she's talking to you…"
Mark glanced at Mia, expression flat. "Unimportant," he said bluntly, before turning back to Aeri.
Aeri blinked, stunned. Her chest filled with something warm—but it also made her nervous. Mia was not someone who took rejection quietly.
And sure enough, Mia's face darkened.
She stepped forward and slammed her hand on the table. "Attention, everyone!"
The entire cafeteria went quiet. Heads turned. Forks froze mid-air. Aeri looked around, panicked, while Mark leaned back in his chair, unfazed.
Mia tossed her hair over her shoulder and spoke confidently.
"Today, I want to confess something," she announced. "I want to confess my love… to Mark Seo."
Gasps rippled across the cafeteria.
Aeri's stomach dropped.
She stared at Mia, then at Mark. Her eyes stung, but she tried to stay calm.
Mia turned directly to him, smiling like it was her spotlight moment.
"Mark, I love you. I've loved you for so long. Will you be my boyfriend?"
For a moment, the world froze.
Then Mark stood up.
Aeri looked down, unable to watch. Her heart felt like it was cracking in slow motion.
Mark's voice was cold. "Oh, you want me to say 'I love you too', right?"
Mia beamed. "Yes—!"
"Well, I'm not interested," he said bluntly. "Do you think I'm stupid? You don't love me. You love the idea of my money. And I don't waste time on fake people."
Gasps again. Louder this time.
Mia's expression crumbled.
Then Mark added—loud enough for everyone to hear—"Also… I'm already in love with someone else."
The room went silent.
Aeri's breath caught in her throat. Her fingers trembled under the table.
Mia's eyes widened in disbelief. She spun around and glared at Aeri like she'd been stabbed in the back.
"This is your fault," she hissed. "You poor little leech—how dare you steal him from me?! I'll ruin you!"
She raised her hand to slap Aeri—
—but never got the chance.
Because Mark stepped between them like lightning, caught her wrist mid-air, and twisted it away from Aeri.
Then he slapped Mia. Hard.
A loud, echoing crack filled the cafeteria.
"You dare raise your hand against her?" he said, his voice deadly calm. "Don't you ever touch her again."
"You slapped me—for her?" Mia screamed, clutching her cheek. "She's just a gold digger!"
Mark's eyes turned ice-cold. "You don't know her. You'll never know her. And if you insult her again, I'll make sure you regret it."
Then, after a beat, he said loud and clear, "I love her. Not you. Not anyone else. Just her."
Aeri couldn't hold it anymore.
Tears streamed down her face as she covered her mouth in shock.
Mark turned to her, eyes softening instantly. He walked over, knelt down in front of her, and pulled out a small velvet box from his pocket.
"Aeri," he said gently, "I don't care about your past. I don't care about your money, or your clothes, or what anyone says about you."
He opened the box.
Inside was a delicate silver ring, simple but beautiful.
"I care about you. Just you. So… would you be my girlfriend?"
Aeri's tears turned into sobs. Her heart overflowed.
"Yes," she whispered. "Yes. I will."
Mark smiled—genuinely, brightly—for the first time in years.
He slipped the ring onto her finger, then kissed the top of her head and pulled her into a warm hug.
The cafeteria burst into claps, cheers, hoots—even people who once avoided her smiled.
It was like a fairy tale.
But this was just the beginning.
Because love… no matter how strong… is always tested.
What happens next?
Will their love survive the storm that's coming?
Or will a secret from the past tear them apart?
Hey 🦋
Stay tuned for Chapter 2… 🌙💔