Chapter Sixteen: Anger Is Just

The chill of autumn gradually overshadowed the last warmth of summer. On early autumn mornings, everyone listened to the teacher’s lecture with sleepy eyes, but there were always two exceptions: Yoon Chan-young, who consistently held the top spot in the year, and Rachel Liu, who occasionally surged up to second place.

Choi Young-do rested his chin in his hand, his gaze wandering over Rachel Liu. Indeed, he was curious—what exactly had happened to cause the postponement of the marriage between his father and Esther? Not only was it postponed, Esther hadn’t even given a definite answer, as if she were negotiating some contract.

“We’ll see if the timing is right,” Esther had told his father over the phone, leaving the man in a foul mood for days. Just thinking about it was amusing.

Rachel Liu was well aware of Choi Young-do’s gaze; it even made her feel a hint of pride. She turned and flashed him a provocative smile.

See? I told you I’d handle it.

Choi Young-do: “…” He inexplicably understood her meaning, feeling oddly as if he’d been looked down upon.

Kim Tan’s seat wasn’t far from Choi Young-do, so he naturally noticed their exchange. His eyes inevitably swept over Rachel Liu. She was still the proud and icy princess. Even though he and Cha Eun-sang had become the center of the school’s biggest scandal, it seemed to have nothing to do with her. They passed each other as strangers. Kim Tan actually wanted to talk to Rachel Liu, but she never gave him the chance.

His greatest worry, however, was Cha Eun-sang.

She had been acting strangely lately, no longer seen at home, no longer waiting for him after class, always leaving quickly, and coming to school the next day looking drained.

He asked, but she said nothing.

When the bell rang, Rachel Liu closed her book. She was a little hungry and planned to buy something at the school store. Just as she stepped out of the classroom, she ran into Cha Eun-sang. The two stopped abruptly at the doorway, and the whole class fell silent.

Rachel Liu wasn’t unaware of the wild rumors about Cha Eun-sang and Kim Tan circulating throughout the school. Comparing herself to Cha Eun-sang, she seemed, in the eyes of others, a pitiful joke. Yet those waiting to see her embarrassed were destined to be disappointed.

When hatred had replaced most of the feelings she once held, her resentment found a perfect outlet. In retrospect, the pain caused purely by emotion seemed almost trivial.

She was still Rachel Liu; nothing could change her.

“Move,” she said coldly to Cha Eun-sang.

Cha Eun-sang didn’t budge, but Kim Tan came out, pulling her aside, apparently wanting to say something. Rachel Liu merely glanced at him with indifference and walked away.

Lee Bo-na hurried after her.

“Rachel, Rachel~”

Though they weren’t exactly close, their relationship had gradually improved, and they now counted as allies.

“?” Rachel stopped, waiting for Bo-na to catch up.

“Come here!” Bo-na whisked her away to the flowerbed in front of the school building. The flowers had wilted, leaves a mix of red and yellow, sunlight spilling through the branches, creating a beauty distinct from summer.

From another perspective, things always looked different.

The weather was like this, so were the environment and people’s hearts.

“You know about Cha Eun-sang, right?” Lee Bo-na was troubled by the matter. “After her training, she’ll officially join A.N.Jell.”

“So?” Rachel Liu asked, puzzled.

At the window, Choi Young-do and Yoon Chan-young watched them.

Yoon Chan-young said, “I feel like Bo-na has been stolen by Rachel Liu.”

Choi Young-do: “…”

“She keeps mentioning Rachel Liu lately…”

“You’re really quite resentful,” Choi Young-do murmured, quietly stepping away.

“So, she won’t be coming back to Empire High,” Lee Bo-na said. “Her contract is signed. To keep her identity secret, she’s chosen to leave Empire High. The company will place her in another school.”

After all, everyone at Empire High had seen and knew her. If she stayed, it would be too risky.

Lee Bo-na grinned, “Finally, she’s leaving. I’m so happy.”

Rachel Liu shrugged. “Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me. Whether she’s here or not is irrelevant.”

Her life was unusually calm now. That night, after returning from the hotel, she told Esther about Kim Won’s suggestion to break off the engagement. Esther was a smart woman and sensed something was off, so she’d hired investigators. As for Rachel…

Well, it was the eleventh day of dating Kim Won, and nothing seemed amiss.

Lee Bo-na pouted, “I thought we were allies, but you don’t even care.”

Rachel Liu looked up and spotted Kim Tan and Cha Eun-sang on the balcony. Neither looked happy. She smiled faintly.

“By the way, there’s something else!” Lee Bo-na said. “This afternoon, A.N.Jell is holding a press conference to introduce ‘Go Mi-nam.’ There’s a party tonight. Let’s go together!”

…Was she really invited?

Rachel Liu, who had been excluded from every gathering since elementary school, was surprised and a bit at a loss.

“Of course it’s you! We’re allies—even if you don’t care about Cha Eun-sang anymore, you should at least enjoy the excitement.”

Bo-na winked, her smile bright. “It’s settled then~”

Lee Bo-na dashed upstairs, while Rachel Liu bought some bread and sat alone in her previous spot.

She took out her phone and found an unread message.

—From Kim Won: Let’s have dinner together this afternoon. I’ll pick you up at six.

Just reading the message conjured up his image. She replied with a joyful smile.

“You look beautiful when you smile.”

A voice came from nearby. She turned to see Senior Lee Hyo-shin.

“Do I?”

“You probably haven’t noticed it yourself,” Lee Hyo-shin said, sitting beside her as they watched the pair on the rooftop. “That’s why it’s a genuine smile.”

Rachel Liu didn’t answer, unsure what he meant.

He soon asked, “What do you think?”

He nodded toward Kim Tan and Cha Eun-sang.

…Why did everyone always ask her this, as if she were some tragic, abandoned woman?

“My opinion? It’s all so pretentious.”

She picked up her bread and returned to the classroom.

But just because she didn’t go looking for trouble didn’t mean trouble wouldn’t find her.

“I’m leaving today,” Cha Eun-sang said, catching Rachel Liu on the stairs. There was a hint of apology in her voice.

Was this an explanation, or an apology? Rachel Liu sneered and tried to walk past her, but Cha Eun-sang continued, “I won’t be coming to Empire High anymore. Kim Tan and I…”

“No need to tell me,” Rachel Liu cut her off. “Let me guess what you’re about to say. Because you’re joining some famous group (Bo-na said the company kept it secret, so you won’t say the name), you have better options, more ways to make money, maybe even become famous with endless cash, so you’re leaving contentedly, right?”

“No, it’s not like that!” Cha Eun-sang protested, flustered.

But to Rachel Liu, the words rang hollow. They were rivals; she wouldn’t offer Eun-sang any excuses.

“There’s something I’ve wanted to say for a long time.” Normally she wouldn’t provoke others, but since Cha Eun-sang had sought her out, she would speak her mind. “If you could save up for round-trip airfare and accommodation in the US, how could you not afford tuition at a regular public high school? Why did you come to Empire High—do you take us for fools? Your mother, after all, is a special servant for the Kim family with a decent salary. By ordinary standards, you’re middle class, Cha Eun-sang.”

Her words were sharp and true.

“In America, I made it clear I was Kim Tan’s fiancée, but you still didn’t leave him. Kim Tan drove a sports car to your school, causing a stir—did you think I didn’t know? Was it really just tuition that brought you to Empire High? Ask yourself—was it vanity?”

“That’s enough.”

Kim Tan interrupted, his face dark, perhaps knowing about Cha Eun-sang’s decision.

“I always thought you were calm and mature. I never expected you to say such things.” He shielded Cha Eun-sang, his eyes full of disapproval.

Rachel Liu laughed. She couldn’t even be bothered to respond.

“Ah… Then I wish you lifelong happiness together.”

She shrugged, unconcerned, and walked past them. After she left, Choi Young-do, Myung-soo, and Bo-na emerged from the stairwell corner.

“She’s truly the queen I once admired—so cool!”

That afternoon, after class, Rachel Liu hurried toward the exit. Cha Eun-sang was absent, likely already transformed into ‘Go Mi-nam’ and wouldn’t appear as a girl before them again.

Kim Tan spent the entire afternoon in a gloomy mood. When leaving school, he was just ahead of her.

She spotted Kim Won’s sapphire Maserati at the same time Kim Tan did.

Then he watched as Rachel Liu naturally opened the passenger door, chatting intimately with Kim Won. The car disappeared from his sight, but Kim Tan’s brow never relaxed.

What exactly was his brother doing?

Rachel Liu and Kim Won went to an eco-hotel. After a casual meal, she went for a swim. Soon Lee Bo-na called, telling her to wait at the company in Cheongdam-dong with her friends.

“What’s going on?” Rachel Liu asked, emerging from the pool as Kim Won handed her a towel. After arranging the meeting time with Bo-na, she told Kim Won about the party that evening.

“A celebrity gathering like that,” Kim Won, ever the upright businessman and investor in entertainment projects, knew such places could be chaotic—though this included some of his own bias—so he frowned, a little disapproving.

Rachel Liu dried her hair and sat on a lounge chair, her eyes tired and closed. “It’s fine. It’s rare for someone to invite me.”

With her eyes shut, her emotions were unreadable. Kim Won sighed, “Alright, I’ll pick you up later.”

Seeing her damp hair, Kim Won lay down nearby and picked up the hair dryer, gently drying her hair. The warm breeze lulled Rachel Liu into drowsiness.

Since she said the meeting wasn’t until eight, Kim Won didn’t disturb her, calling the hotel manager to book a private space.

Rachel Liu slept contentedly while Kim Won read beside her.

This scene was witnessed clearly by Kim Tan, who had been following them.

–

Rachel Liu was awakened by Kim Won. She opened her eyes, momentarily confused by the face so close to hers.

“Won,” she murmured.

At least she didn’t get the name wrong.

Still sleepy, her voice carried a hint of coyness. Kim Won smiled, “It’s time. I’ll take you over.”

After dropping her off, Kim Won told her to call him later, then drove away. Rachel Liu waited less than ten minutes before Lee Bo-na and another girl came out.

The girl wore sunglasses and a hat, making her features impossible to discern. Rachel Liu wasn’t a fan, so she didn’t recognize her. Once they were in the van, Rachel Liu finally saw her face.

Not especially beautiful, but undeniably cute, with a slightly round face and not as thin as other celebrities.

“This is Uhey, my friend.” Uhey looked delighted, warmly hugging Bo-na’s arm. Bo-na introduced them, and Uhey greeted Rachel Liu.

“We’re destined, you know—we both have the surname Liu and English names~”

“That’s true,” Rachel Liu replied with a gentle smile. Both Uhey and Bo-na were naturally sociable, so Rachel Liu’s fear of awkward silences didn’t materialize. By the time the party started, the three were already familiar with each other.

Uhey said excitedly, “I watched this afternoon’s press conference. The new member, Go Mi-nam, seems pretty good. I wonder what she’s really like. I’ll have to check her out tonight.” Though she said this, it was clear she was more interested in someone else.

Bo-na and Rachel Liu exchanged smiles.

They, too, were eager to see Go Mi-nam’s performance.