School & New Life

Ayana had never imagined her life would change so quickly. After moving to South Korea with her family, everything felt unfamiliar—the language, the streets, and especially her new school, Seoyeon High School.On her first day, Ayana walked through the school gates with her head down. She wasn’t the type to start conversations, and making friends had never been easy for her. As she entered Class 3-2, every student turned to look at her. The room became quiet.“Please introduce yourself,” said the teacher with a warm smile.Ayana took a deep breath. “Hello. My name is Ayana. I recently moved here with my family. Nice to meet you.”A few students smiled politely, but others whispered to each other. Kang Seohee, the leader of the most popular girls in class, crossed her arms and watched silently. Beside her sat Min Jiwoo and Yoon Serin, who seemed curious about the new student.After the introduction, Ayana quietly took her seat.That was when she noticed Cha Junwoo.Everyone knew who he was. He was handsome, intelligent, and the most popular student in school. Girls constantly tried to get his attention, but Junwoo never seemed interested in anyone.For a brief moment, their eyes met.Neither of them said a word.Junwoo looked away first.As the days passed, Ayana kept mostly to herself. Some students stared at her in the hallways, while others avoided her completely. Seohee eventually approached her and gave her a warning.“Stay away from Junwoo,” she said coldly.Ayana didn’t understand why. She barely knew him.Meanwhile, Junwoo found himself noticing her more and more. The quiet girl who never tried to impress anyone was different from everyone else.Not long after, Ayana met Kim Haeun, a kind and shy girl who often sat alone during lunch. The two quickly discovered they had a lot in common. For the first time since arriving in Korea, Ayana felt a little less lonely.