The next morning, Seojin and Seolhyo walked to school together, hands loosely linked.
"Did you bring your gym uniform?" Seojin asked.
Seolhyo knit her brows slightly. "I think so… I put it in my bag, I think. Can you check?"
Without stopping, Seojin stepped behind her, unzipped her backpack, and peeked inside.
"It's here."
He moved back to her side.
Seolhyo slipped her arm around his, leaning into him comfortably.
"So," Seojin said casually, "what are you planning to do for your birthday?"
She thought for a moment. "Nothing special, really. My mom can't come because of work, and my brother will probably just buy food and call it a day."
"That's it?" Seojin frowned.
"Well… I'll also celebrate with my middle school friends." She glanced at him. "But I'll celebrate with you guys first."
Seojin slowed just a little. "So you're not free this weekend?"
"Yeah. Why?"
He scratched the back of his neck, smiling awkwardly.
"I was hoping we could celebrate it. Just the two of us."
Seolhyo's lips curved into a quiet smile."…I could meet them on another day if you really want."
"No, it's okay." He paused, then added, "What about Friday?"
"Friday? Don't we have school?"
"We could skip," he said lightly. "Just night study. That's still plenty of time, right?"
He laughed softly, a little deflated. "Never mind. I know you don't like skipping."
Seeing his mood drop, Seolhyo leaned her head against his arm. "Skipping once won't ruin our grades." She looked up at him. "But you have to tutor me in math."
His expression instantly brightened.
He pulled her closer, grinning. "Of course consider it done."
She shoved his face away before he could get any closer. "Hey! Get off me. There are people around."
Time slipped by, and the final bell rang.
The classroom slowly emptied, chairs scraping against the floor as students packed up, voices overlapping with plans about PC bangs, late dinners, and hanging out until curfew.
Seojin slung his bag over his shoulder and headed straight for the door.
Suwon noticed him just as he was disappearing into the hallway. "Where's Seojin going? He seem in a hurry."
Park Dong didn't even look up. "Don't know. Don't care." He grinned. "We're hitting the PC bang, wanna come?"
Suwon grabbed his bag. "Count me in."
-
Outside, Seojin spotted Seolhyo's group walking down the hallway.
Seolhyo noticed him approaching alone and stepped forward. "Why are you by yourself? Where are the others?"
"I headed out first," Seojin said. "I've got somewhere to go."
She tilted her head, curious. "Where? Want me to come with you?"
He smiled softly. "It's nothing. I just need to buy something. You don't have to."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." He lifted his hand in a small wave. "Be careful on your way home."
"You too," she replied, watching him go.
-
Once outside the school gates, a small crowd had already gathered near the street.
A white Rolls-Royce Phantom sat parked by the curb, its polished body gleaming under the afternoon sun.
"Hey take a picture of me with this car."
"Whoa… I only saw this car in Tv"
"Is that real?"
"How much do you think is that?"
"Probably more than your family house."
Students whispered and stared openly, phones half-raised.
Seojin walked straight through the crowd without slowing.
He opened the passenger door and slid inside not minding the prying eyes on his back.
The murmurs exploded behind him.
The driver, already waiting, met his eyes in the rearview mirror. "Where to, young sir?"
"Jewelry store," Seojin replied calmly.
The engine purred to life, and the car rolled forward, leaving the stunned students behind.
"…Was that Yoon Seojin?"
"No way. That was him, right?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"His family's that rich?"
"Damn it… I wanna ride in one of those at least once."
The car arrived at the jewelry store just after sunset, stopping smoothly in front of the glass-fronted building.
The drive had taken nearly thirty minutes this place was outside Yongin but time hadn't mattered.
The store wouldn't close until midnight. He had plenty of it.
Seojin stepped out of the car.
Warm light spilled through the tall windows, illuminating displays that shimmered faintly even from outside.
Inside, the store was quiet soft classical music, polished marble floors, and the faint scent of something expensive.
The moment I step inside, I felt their eyes on me.
The staff stared a little too long trying to hide it, failing anyway.
I was younger than their usual clientele, that much was obvious.
But no one said anything.
Since they all saw him came out of a Luxurious car that alone speak of his status.
A well-dressed employee approached with a professional smile and a slight bow."Good evening, sir. How may we assist you today?"
Seojin glanced around once more before answering."I'm looking for a bracelet. Could you show me some options?"
"Of course, sir. Please follow me."
He was led to a glass counter near the center of the store, where a female attendant stood waiting.
She bowed politely as he approached.
The staff member murmured a brief explanation of what Seojin was looking for, then excused himself.
The woman turned, retrieving a sleek black case from the display behind her.
She placed it gently on the glass counter and opened it with care.
Inside lay several bracelets elegant, extravagant, its unmistakably expensive.
"These are from our exclusive collection," she explained softly. "Limited designs. Some are custom pieces."
She slid the case slightly closer. "Please feel free to take a closer look."
"Yes," Seojin replied calmly, his gaze already fixed on the display.
One by one, he lifted each bracelet, feeling the weight, examining the craftsmanship. Gold. White gold. Diamonds arranged in clean, minimal patterns.
Then his fingers paused.
A platinum chain bracelet rested on the velvet tray. Three small, round diamonds glimmered under the light, perfectly spaced along the chain. On one side, an infinity symbol was worked seamlessly into the design
"…This one," Seojin said. "Can you tell me about it?"
The attendant's smile softened, almost approving.
"This bracelet was designed to symbolize continuity and promise," she explained. "Platinum, as you know, represents permanence. The three diamonds are meant to signify past, present, and future."
She gestured lightly to the infinity symbol.
"It's often chosen as a gift for someone important something meant to last."
Seojin stared at it for a long moment.
He didn't hesitate.
"I'll take this."
The woman hesitated for just a fraction of a second before speaking, her professional smile tightening slightly.
"I should inform you first, sir," she said carefully, "this piece is quite expensive. It's a one-of-a-kind design."
Seojin didn't blink. "How much is it?"
She said calmly. "This piece is priced at ₩8,500,000."
Without another word, Seojin reached into his wallet and slid out a black card the one his parents had given him for moments exactly like this.
The woman froze.
Her eyes widened, her mouth parting before she could stop herself.
She took the card with both hands, nodded stiffly, and hurried to process the payment.
The machine beeped softly.
Approved.
Seojin watched her stand there a second too long, still staring at the card like it might disappear.
He tapped the glass counter lightly with his knuckle.
The sharp sound snapped her back to reality.
"I-I'm so sorry, sir!" she said quickly, bowing.
She handed the card back with both hands, her movements suddenly much more careful.
She turned away and began preparing the bracelet, placing it into a delicate, velvet-lined box sleek, elegant, unmistakably expensive.
The platinum chain rested perfectly inside, the diamonds catching the light even under the glass.
She closed the lid gently and tied a thin ribbon around it, then placed it into a branded shopping bag.
"Thank you for your purchase," she said, bowing once more. "I hope the recipient cherishes it."
Seojin accepted the bag, his expression softening as affection filled his eyes.
He was already imagining Seolhyo wearing it
"I hope she likes it…"
Stepping back outside into the cool evening air, he let out a quiet laugh to himself, unable to stop the smile tugging at his lips.