Chapter 1: Introduction
Eun-Hee had always believed that staying in Seoul for college meant her life wouldn’t change much. The same crowded streets, the same corner cafés, the same skyline glowing beyond the Han River. Yet the moment she stepped through the gates of one of the city’s most prestigious universities, she realized she was wrong. Everything felt bigger—taller buildings, louder ambitions, and students who seemed to walk with purpose, as if they already knew who they were meant to become.
The first few weeks passed smoothly. Eun-Hee attended her lectures diligently, found quiet corners in the library, and slowly learned how to navigate campus life. Her professors praised her sincerity, and classmates were drawn to her gentle manners and soft smile. She didn’t try to stand out—she never had to. There was something naturally comforting about her presence, something honest that made people feel at ease.
Then came the first snowfall of winter.
The campus transformed overnight, paths covered in white and laughter drifting through the cold air. It was on that day, while hurrying across the courtyard with numb fingers and a racing heart, that Eun-Hee crossed paths with Seo-Han. A senior known by everyone—confident, charming, and infamous for treating life like a game he always won. He had seen countless faces pass him by during his years at the university, yet when his eyes met Eun-Hee’s, he paused.
There was something different about her. Something unguarded in her innocent gaze and quiet smile that lingered in his thoughts long after the snow continued to fall.
And just like that, Eun-Hee’s ordinary college days began to shift into something she never expected.
