The morning sun shone gently over Haneul Academy, casting golden light on the rooftops and schoolyard. A soft breeze moved through the trees, making cherry blossom petals fall like pink snow. It was peaceful… almost too peaceful.

Students were arriving for the day. Laughter filled the air, along with the sound of shoes on pavement and classroom windows opening. Everything seemed normal.

But today… someone new had arrived.

No one knew.

No announcement was made.

No one was waiting.

A quiet black car stopped in front of the school gate. It didn’t make a sound—just stood there, still like a shadow. Then the back door opened.

Out stepped a girl.

She wore the school uniform perfectly. Her black hair was neatly brushed, and her round glasses covered most of her face. Her eyes looked down, avoiding everyone. Her hands clutched her schoolbag tightly.

Her name was Kim Sojin.

She stood at the gate for a moment, as if thinking whether to walk in or run away.

She took a deep breath… and stepped inside.

No one noticed her.

Just another quiet girl, lost in the crowd.

But something was strange about her.

The wind seemed to change when she walked by.

The sunlight felt… colder.

Inside her heart, Sojin was scared.

But deep, deep inside, something was sleeping.

Something powerful.

Something that didn’t want to stay hidden forever.

And far away, on the school rooftop, a tall boy stood with his hands in his pockets. He looked down at the students below… and saw her.

Even though she hadn’t said a word, something about her caught his eye.

He didn’t know her name.

No one did.

But he felt it.

> “Who’s that girl…?”

The story of Kim Sojin had just begun.

The classroom of 2-B was noisy as always. Students were chatting loudly, throwing paper balls, and gossiping about idols and games. No one noticed when the door opened.

A teacher stepped in.

> “Settle down, everyone.”

The noise lowered a little—but not much.

The teacher sighed, then continued.

> “We have a new student joining us today. Her name is Kim Sojin. She just transferred here. I hope you all treat her kindly.”

He turned toward the door.

> “You may come in.”

Sojin stepped in slowly.

Her shoes made soft sounds on the floor. Her head was low, her glasses shining under the classroom light. Her heart was beating fast. She could feel their eyes—cold, uninterested, judging.

Nobody clapped.

Nobody smiled.

Some students looked at their phones. Others yawned.

To them, she was just another boring, quiet girl.

> “Introduce yourself,” the teacher said gently.

Sojin nodded slowly.

> “I-I’m… Kim Sojin…” she said in a whisper.

“I hope we can… get along…”

Silence.

A few students giggled.

> “What did she say?” someone whispered.

“She’s like a mouse!” another joked.

The teacher sighed again and pointed to an empty seat near the back.

> “You may sit next to Minji.”

Sojin nodded and quietly walked toward her seat.

But as she passed one of the desks, something happened.

A girl sitting nearby, with dyed brown hair and chewing gum—Lee Minji, the class’s troublemaker—stuck out her leg with a sly smirk.

Sojin didn’t see it.

Her foot caught—

Her balance broke—

And she fell, hard, onto the floor.

Her bag hit the ground. Her glasses slipped down her nose. The classroom went silent for a second… and then—

Everyone laughed.

> “Hahaha! Did you see that?”

“She tripped like a cartoon character!”

“What a loser!”

Sojin sat on the floor, frozen. Her face burned red. Her fingers shook as she picked up her bag. She didn’t say a word.

The teacher looked angry but said nothing. Even he seemed tired of this class.

Sojin got up slowly, quietly fixed her glasses, and went to her seat.

She didn’t look at anyone.

No one helped her.

No one cared.

But behind those glasses… a tiny spark lit up inside her.

Something not so quiet.

The rest of the class passed like a bad dream.

Sojin sat quietly at her desk, her eyes fixed on her notebook, but she wasn’t writing. Her hands trembled slightly. She could still hear the laughter from earlier. The moment she tripped… the way everyone stared… the way no one cared.

Her chest felt tight.

She wasn’t angry.

She was just scared.

Too scared to speak.

Too scared to cry.

When the lunch bell rang, the classroom burst into noise again. Everyone rushed out—laughing, chatting, and heading toward the cafeteria.

Sojin stood up slowly.

She didn’t look at anyone.

She just followed the crowd.

The cafeteria was filled with voices and the smell of hot food. Sojin quietly stepped into the lunch line. She was standing behind a girl who was talking to her friend. Sojin waited patiently—quiet, small, unnoticed.

Suddenly—bam!

Someone pushed her hard from behind.

> “Move!” a rude voice said.

It was Minji, again.

Sojin stumbled to the side and dropped her tray with a loud clatter. Some rice spilled on the floor. A few students turned and laughed.

Minji smirked.

> “Oops~ Didn’t see you there, ghost girl.”

Sojin’s lips parted, but no words came out.

She looked down, her hands shaking.

She didn’t say anything.

Not because she didn’t want to…

But because she couldn’t.

Her throat felt blocked. Her heart was racing.

Then—

> “That’s enough.”

A new voice spoke. Calm, clear, and kind.

Sojin turned slowly.

Standing beside her was a girl with a gentle smile and warm eyes. Her hair was tied back neatly, and she looked friendly—even peaceful.

> “You okay?” the girl asked Sojin softly.

Sojin nodded slightly, not speaking.

The girl bent down and picked up Sojin’s tray.

> “Here. Let’s go get lunch together. I’ll stand with you.”

Sojin blinked in surprise. No one had ever said something like that to her at school. She followed the girl silently, feeling something warm in her chest.

As they waited again in line, the girl turned to her.

> “I’m Eun-kyung. I sit near the window in your class.”

Sojin looked at her nervously and whispered:

> “I’m… Sojin.”

Eun-kyung gave her a kind smile.

> “I know. I wanted to say sorry earlier. I saw you fall… but I didn’t help. I should have. I’m really sorry.”

Sojin’s eyes widened. No one had said sorry to her before. She shook her head quickly.

> “N-No… it’s okay. It wasn’t your fault…”

Eun-kyung noticed her voice was soft and shy—but full of kindness.

> “You’re really sweet,” she said with a smile. “Let’s eat lunch together, okay? You’re not alone now.”

Sojin couldn’t help it. For the first time that day… she smiled, just a little.

And somewhere inside her heart, the fear became just a little lighter.

After finishing lunch, Sojin and Eun-kyung walked together in the warm afternoon sun. The soft breeze tickled their faces, and the cherry blossom petals danced in the air.

> “This school… it’s kind of big,” Sojin said quietly.

> “Yeah,” Eun-kyung replied with a smile. “And full of loud people.”

Sojin giggled softly. It felt strange… laughing after everything.

> “I’m glad you’re talking more,” Eun-kyung said. “You’re actually really cute when you smile.”

Sojin blushed and quickly looked away.

> “I-I’m not cute…”

> “Yes, you are,” Eun-kyung teased.

They passed the playground, where a group of boys were loudly kicking around a football.

> “Careful, they’re wild,” Eun-kyung warned with a grin.

But it was too late.

WHAM!

A football flew through the air like a missile—straight toward Sojin’s head!

BONK!

It hit her square on the back of the head—not hard enough to injure her, but enough to make her stumble like a sleepy penguin.

> “Aaah—!” Sojin yelped as she lost balance and spun in a slow circle before landing on the grass with a soft thud.

Her glasses stayed on, slightly tilted—but her expression was frozen in shock. Like a confused cartoon character.

Eun-kyung gasped.

> “Oh my gosh, Sojin!! Are you okay?!”

Sojin sat up slowly, holding the back of her head.

> “I-I think I saw five birds and one… banana…”

Eun-kyung couldn’t help it—she burst out laughing.

> “You’re not dying—you’re just dizzy!”

Sojin looked dazed but tried to act calm.

> “I-I’m fine. I’m totally… normal… tree…”

> “She’s talking to trees now.”

Just then, footsteps approached. A tall boy in a neat uniform bent down in front of Sojin.

He had calm, thoughtful eyes, perfect hair, and a quiet, cool aura.

It was Eun-woo—the school’s top student and the boy every girl secretly liked.

> “I’m really sorry,” he said gently. “That ball wasn’t meant to hit anyone.”

Sojin blinked. She knew he was handsome, but from this close, he looked like a movie star.

She tried to speak.

> “I-It’s o-okay, I didn’t… d-die…”

Eun-woo looked confused, then chuckled softly.

> “That’s… good. I guess.”

He turned to Eun-kyung.

> “She should drink water and rest. Do you want help getting her to the nurse?”

> “I got her,” Eun-kyung smiled. “She just needs to reset her brain.”

Sojin stood up slowly, still dizzy.

Eun-woo gave a small polite bow.

> “I’ll be careful next time. Sorry again.”

And just like that, he walked away… cool and calm like a drama hero.

Sojin stared after him.

> “He’s… nice…”

> “And you just embarrassed yourself in front of the smartest guy in school,” Eun-kyung teased.

Sojin blushed bright red.

> “Noooooooo…”

After the football incident, Sojin rested in the nurse’s room for a while. Eun-kyung sat beside her, gently rubbing Sojin’s back.

> “You okay now?” she asked.

Sojin gave a small nod.

> “Yeah… Just embarrassed…”

> “Don’t be. You fell like a cartoon, it was kind of funny.”

Sojin tried not to smile. But her cheeks puffed slightly like a pufferfish.

They both giggled.

The school bell rang for the last period. Students rushed into classrooms—but Sojin stayed back for a few more minutes. Eun-kyung left to get her notebooks.

Sojin sat alone, looking out of the nurse’s window.

Suddenly…

DING… DING… DING…

She heard it.

A faint bell ringing. Not the school bell. A softer, older sound. Like a temple bell echoing in the distance.

Sojin looked around.

> “...Did someone ring a bell?”

But the nurse wasn’t there. No one was around. The school hallway was silent.

She stood up and opened the door—no sound. No bell. No echo.

Sojin’s fingers lightly touched her temple.

> “Am I… hearing things?”

She walked back to class quietly. Her legs still felt light, like floating.

In the classroom, the teacher continued the lesson. Sojin took her seat in the back. Minji, the mean girl from earlier, was whispering something to her friends.

But Sojin ignored her. She just stared at her notebook.

Then… her pen started moving on its own.

Just for a second. A small twitch. Then still.

> “Did I… imagine that?”

She looked around. No one noticed.

Just then, a voice spoke beside her.

> “Are you okay now?”

It was Eun-woo.

He had changed seats—he was now sitting diagonally in front of her.

Sojin blinked, surprised.

> “Y-Yes… I’m fine…”

Eun-woo looked at her for a second. His eyes were gentle, but focused.

> “That’s good. But… did you hear something weird before coming here?”

Sojin froze.

> “H-Hear… what?”

Eun-woo leaned in slightly, whispering.

> “A bell. A soft one. Not the school bell.”

Sojin’s heart skipped.

> “Y-You heard it too…?”

Their eyes met.

Something unspoken passed between them.

Eun-woo gave a small smile.

> “Interesting.”

The teacher called his name, and he turned back like nothing happened.

But Sojin sat still, staring at her notebook.

The pen hadn’t moved again. The bell had stopped.

But something had changed.

She just didn’t know what yet.

The next day, the weather was bright again. Soft wind, clear sky.

Sojin sat at her desk quietly, pretending to read her book—but her eyes kept glancing forward.

She could feel it.

Someone was looking at her.

She slowly looked up from her book…

Eun-woo.

He was sitting in his usual place—calm, focused—but for a moment, his eyes were on her.

Sojin panicked inside.

> “W-Why is he looking at me?! Did I do something weird?! Is my hair messy? Oh no… what if there's rice on my face from yesterday?!”

She quickly touched her cheeks.

Just then, their eyes met.

Sojin froze.

Eun-woo blinked… then looked away like nothing happened.

Sojin ducked her head behind her book like a turtle going into its shell.

> “I-I’m invisible. I’m a ghost. I do not exist…”

From beside her, Eun-kyung leaned over and whispered with a grin:

> “He was totally looking at you.”

Sojin shook her head furiously.

> “N-No! He was probably looking at the… wall!”

Eun-kyung giggled.

> “Sure. The wall with glasses and a pink notebook?”

Sojin turned even redder.

Her hands gripped her book tighter.

> “I’m never looking up again…”

Right after the class settled down, a school staff member entered the room.

> “Attention, students. Two periods are off today. Some teachers are stuck in traffic and will arrive late.”

The classroom immediately exploded with whispers and excitement.

> “Yesss!”

“Free time!”

“Let’s go to the ground!”

“I’m gonna sleep in my seat…”

Eun-kyung looked at Sojin with a smile.

> “Wanna go outside?”

Sojin nodded softly.

> “Okay… but I don’t play sports.”

> “No problem. We’ll just walk and talk.”

☀️ Outside, the playground was full of cheerful noise. Some students sat under trees, others ran around. The sun was warm, and the wind playful.

Sojin and Eun-kyung walked along the edge of the field. Sojin was starting to enjoy it — even the sound of laughter didn’t feel scary now.

Suddenly…

VROOM!

A loud engine roared from the front gate of the school.

All heads turned.

From the school entrance, a black motorcycle rolled in smoothly, like a scene from a movie.

The rider wore the school blazer over a casual white shirt, half-buttoned. His black hair was messy but stylish. A silver chain glinted under his collar.

The boys stopped talking.

The girls stared with wide eyes.

> “Wait… who is that?”

“Is that… Joon-woo?!”

“OMG! He came on a bike again!”

“Look at that entrance! Is this a school or a drama?!”

The bike came to a stop near the parking line. The rider kicked the stand, removed his helmet—

And yes, it was Joon-woo.

Tall, lean, sharp eyes.

He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the crowd — like he didn’t care at all.

Sojin, watching from a distance, blinked in surprise.

> “Who… is he?”

Eun-kyung crossed her arms.

> “That’s Joon-woo. He’s… kind of a legend here. Strong, cool, and never follows rules.”

> “He’s… a student?”

> “Somehow, yeah. But also like a gangster from a K-drama.”

Sojin stared at him. For a second, Joon-woo’s eyes swept over the crowd…

And stopped.

Right on her.

Just for a second.

Sojin looked away immediately, heart skipping.

> “W-Why is he looking at me…?!”

Eun-kyung raised an eyebrow.

> “Wow. First Eun-woo. Now Joon-woo? What are you, a magnet?”

Sojin shook her head quickly.

> “No! N-No magnet! I’m… I’m just a tiny mouse!”

Eun-kyung laughed.

> “Well, Miss Mouse, I think the wolves just noticed you.”

Joon-woo stood beside his parked bike, casually removing his helmet. His sharp eyes scanned the school ground — calm, bored, confident.

Every girl watched him like he was the lead actor in a drama.

Whispers echoed across the students.

> “He’s so cool…”

“Did you see how he came in?”

“I want to talk to him once…”

But one person didn’t stare.

In fact, one girl turned her face away on purpose.

Kim Sojin.

Joon-woo noticed it instantly.

His eyebrow lifted slightly.

> “Huh…? She looked away?”

He stared at her more carefully.

A shy girl. Small frame. Glasses. Sitting beside her friend. Not dressed flashy, not showing off — she was the only one not reacting to him.

> “Every girl in this school stares at me like I’m a star… but this girl? She ignored me?”

A smirk slowly formed on his lips.

> “Interesting…”

Without warning, he walked toward them.

Sojin saw him approaching and panicked inside.

> “H-He’s coming here… no no no—!”

Her heart pounded like crazy. She quickly stood up—

And ran away behind the big tree nearby, almost tripping over her own feet.

> “W-Why am I running?!”

Eun-kyung blinked.

> “Yah! Sojin?! Where are you going?!”

Joon-woo stopped mid-step, confused but amused.

He chuckled under his breath.

> “She ran away from me…? Is she scared of me or just playing hard to get?”

Behind them, a group of girls watched everything.

Their expressions changed.

Jealousy.

> “Who is that girl…?”

“Did she really just run when Joon-woo came?”

“She’s acting innocent to get his attention.”

“Ugh. So annoying.”

Minji stayed quiet. Her eyes followed Sojin carefully.

She didn’t speak, but her smile was fake.

In her mind—

> “You think you’re special because two boys looked at you? Let’s see how long that lasts.”

Meanwhile, Eun-kyung ran to Sojin, who was hiding behind the tree like a scared kitten.

> “What was that?! You ran like he was a ghost!”

> “I-I got nervous! He was coming… straight to me…”

Eun-kyung laughed.

> “Girl, relax! It’s just Joon-woo!”

> “Just Joon-woo?! He looked like a gangster! A handsome one!”

Eun-kyung shook her head with a big smile.

> “You’re amazing. First you make the class topper notice you… now the school’s coolest boy wants to talk. And you? You run!”

Sojin blushed hard.

> “I didn’t mean to! My legs moved on their own!”

They both burst into quiet laughter.

But deep in the crowd, Joon-woo stood with his hands in his pockets, watching from far.

> “Kim Sojin, huh? You’re not like the others…”

His smirk returned — calm and dangerous.

> “Let’s see what makes you run next time.”

After the playground drama, Sojin and Eun-kyung sat under a tree, drinking water and talking quietly.

Suddenly, Sojin stood up nervously.

> “Uhm… I-I need to go to the restroom…”

Eun-kyung nodded.

> “Want me to come with you?”

Sojin smiled a little.

> “It’s okay… I’ll be quick.”

But as Sojin walked alone down the empty hallway… her steps slowed.

The silence made her heart race. Her hands clutched her skirt tightly.

> “Why… did I come alone? I hate quiet places…”

She opened the restroom door slowly — it creaked.

No one was inside.

> “No one here… good.”

She stepped in, but the silence felt too heavy. The flickering tube light above buzzed softly.

Sojin bit her lip.

> “I-I should’ve asked Eun-kyung to come with me…”

Just as she turned to leave and go call her—

Footsteps.

Multiple.

From behind the door, voices echoed.

And then — Minji entered, followed by three other girls.

They blocked the exit.

Minji leaned against the sink, smiling coldly.

> “Wow… what a surprise. The ‘shy new girl’ is here all alone.”

Sojin’s heart froze.

She looked around — no escape.

The lights flickered again.

Her hands trembled slightly, but she stayed silent, her back straight.

Minji stepped closer, smirking.

> “You made quite the scene today… Everyone’s talking about you, Sojin.”

Sojin didn’t reply. Her breath was shaky, but she stood still.

> “Don’t cry… don’t cry… just breathe…”

Minji tilted her head.

> “Scared already?”

And just then—

CRACK.

The lights above flickered once more… and the mirror on the wall showed something strange:

For a split second — Sojin’s reflection was not scared.

It was calm. Powerful.

And smiling.

But only for a second.

Minji didn’t see it.

But Sojin did.

She stared at the mirror, eyes wide.

> “W-What… was that?”

Darkness passed over her pupils for a brief moment—

And then, just like that, the lights stabilized.

Minji was still talking. The girls still stood there.

But Sojin’s breath was now calm.

Her hands weren’t shaking anymore.

Something had changed.

Even if she didn’t understand it yet.

Minji stepped forward, ready to say something cruel.

But before a single word left her mouth—

“AAAAHHHHHHH!!”

Sojin screamed.

Not a normal scream.

A high-pitched, panicked, pure terror-type scream — like a squirrel saw a ghost wearing sunglasses.

She turned around and RAN like her life depended on it.

> “She’s running?!”

“From where?! From what?!”

Even the other girls were confused.

Minji blinked, annoyed.

> “Go after her!”

And the chase began.

Sojin ran through the empty corridor, arms flailing, nearly bumping into a mop bucket. Her hair flew behind her, her glasses sliding down her nose.

The other girls chased her, yelling.

> “STOP RUNNING!”

“You’re so weird!”

“We just wanted to talk!”

Spoiler alert: They did not want to talk.

🎭 Cut to: The School Playground

The whole ground was full of students enjoying free period.

Eun-woo was under a tree reading.

Joon-woo leaned against a wall, earphones in.

Eun-kyung was buying juice.

Suddenly—

> “AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!”

Everyone turned their heads.

From the building came a dramatic scene:

Sojin — full speed, terrified face, messy hair — RAN out like a character escaping a haunted house.

Behind her: Minji and her crew, still chasing.

> “Hey, isn’t that the new girl?”

“Why is she running like a cartoon character?”

“She always looks scared…”

“Is she being chased?!”

“Wait, is this PE class or drama class?”

Eun-kyung dropped her juice.

> “SOJIN?!”

Sojin kept running until — BAM!

Minji caught up and grabbed her wrist.

She spun Sojin around in front of everyone.

> “You think you can embarrass me like this?” Minji hissed.

Sojin’s eyes filled with panic.

> “I-I’m sorry! I-I’m really sorry! I don’t know why, but I’m sorry!”

> “What are you sorry for?” Minji mocked. “Breathing?”

Everyone watched. No one moved.

Then — SLAP!

Minji slapped Sojin across the cheek.

Her glasses flew off.

The world paused.

The glasses landed on the grass with a soft thud.

Sojin… slowly looked up.

Something changed.

Her trembling stopped. Her eyes, once wide with fear, were now sharp. Her breath evened. Her posture straightened.

A silence fell.

And then—

> “Enough.”

Her voice was louder. Stronger. Confident.

Everyone froze.

Eun-woo looked up from his book.

Joon-woo took out one earphone, eyebrows raised.

Eun-kyung gasped.

> “Wait… that’s Sojin?”

Sojin looked straight at Minji.

> “Touch me again. I dare you.”

BOOM.

Like a switch flipped — the whole playground exploded in whispers.

> “She can TALK?!”

“She has a voice?!”

“She’s not crying?!”

“What happened?!”

Minji took a step back.

> “W-What’s with your tone?”

Sojin stepped forward.

> “Oh, I’m sorry. Was I supposed to cry again? Oops. Not today.”

One of Minji’s girls whispered:

> “Umm… she’s kinda scary now.”

Another one:

> “Where did this Sojin come from?! This isn’t the same girl…”

Minji frowned and shouted,

> “Stop pretending you’re someone else!”

Sojin smirked.

> “I’m not pretending. You just never bothered to see who I really am.”

Joon-woo from a distance:

> “Huh... Now that’s interesting.”

Eun-woo stood frozen, his book hanging from his hand.

Eun-kyung almost dropped her juice again.

The whole school was frozen.

Sojin stood there, powerful and fearless — like a different person.

Minji didn’t dare move.

Then suddenly — a familiar voice rushed in.

> “Sojin!! Are you okay?!”

Eun-kyung ran over, holding her glasses like a treasure.

> “You dropped these! Here!”

Sojin slowly took them. She looked at them for a second, confused.

Then… she put the glasses on.

.

.

3... 2... 1... SYSTEM: SHY MODE ACTIVATED.

Sojin blinked. Her body stiffened. Her confident face melted into panic again.

> “A-AAHHHH!! I-I’m so sorry!!! Minji-sunbae, I-I didn’t mean to say that!! Please don’t slap me again!!”

She immediately bowed 90 degrees, flailing her arms like a penguin.

Everyone watching: 😐 “Huh?”

Minji: 😳 “W-What the heck just happened?”

One student whispered:

> “Did she… transform back?”

Another whispered:

> “Is it the glasses?! Is it like a superhero movie?!”

Sojin kept bowing again and again.

> “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to glare! I—I was scared! I didn’t mean to be rude! Please forgive me, okay?”

She looked like a cartoon character who pressed the wrong button.

Minji just stood there, confused.

Even Joon-woo was stunned.

> “Wait… is she… the same girl from 10 seconds ago?”

Eun-woo whispered under his breath:

> “...interesting.”

Meanwhile, Eun-kyung scratched her head.

> “Girl, what just happened? You were like… badass a second ago!”

Sojin clutched her glasses and whispered to Eun-kyung:

> “W-What do you mean? D-Did I do something strange?”

Eun-kyung looked at her like a mom watching her baby do karate in sleep.

> “Yah... remind me to record you next time.”

Everyone was now completely confused.

And Minji? She stepped back slowly and whispered to her friends:

> “Okay. That girl is either crazy… or cursed.”

The bell rang.

Everyone started walking back — whispering, gossiping, giggling.

But deep inside… no one could forget what they just saw.

And Sojin?

She nervously clutched her glasses and said:

> “I… I don’t even remember what I said…”

Eun-kyung smirked.

> “Let’s just say… you have a second personality, and she’s awesome.”

Sojin blushed.

> “W-What?! No way…”

.

.

But Joon-woo, from the hallway, smiled.

> “Kim Sojin… you’re full of surprises.”