MIN JAEYOUNG。

"can you believe it?! my sister and i got invited to the grand ball next month at the palace!!" my friend, miyeon said as she bragged about her invitation to the whole class. i chuckled watching her, "i think that's enough, miyeon." i told her and made her sit back.

she grinned at me, "i hope you and mrs. kang get invited too! so that we could party together." i shook my head, "i wish but i'm not into parties. mrs kang would be definitely going, she cooks for the palace." i told her. she gasped, "that's so cool!"

"i miss seulhyo though– ever since she was sent to work at the palace we never get to see her so often." miyeon pouted. "you know, you're pretty lucky that you are rich– you get to live the fancy life!" i exclaimed.

miyeon shook her head, "it wouldn't be as fun if you weren't there though."

i rolled my eyes, "i'm fine. i still wish to find my real family."

"i told you! me and my family will help you find your family." she said and patted my back.

"anyways, look who's coming." i whispered as miyeon started to look around. she clenched her fist at the sight of her. "jihye? she still thinks she's a royal princess. just because her father is the leader of the mountain clan doesn't mean she gets control over us." miyeon spat. "okay calm down, miyeon. let her be? she's not doing harm yet anyways." i told her.

miyeon pouted, "alright then, jae."

"oh look– well if it isn't the adopted one with the rich kid." jihye smiled at us as she noticed out presence. "oh, good morning to you too." i mumbled.

"i heard what miyeon has been bragging about, how about you? got something to brag?" jihye raised a brow at me. i furrowed my brows, "bragging isn't something i'd like to do."

"ahh, still pure and innocent i see." jihye chuckled before leaving us alone.

"how dare she call you adopted one!" miyeon exclaimed. i gave her a small pat, "hey, it's alright. it's true anyways." i shrug. she shook her head, "i promise you, jaeyoung. we'll find your family."

hours of school passed as it was dismissal time. i walked out the gates, a milk carton in hand. miyeon bought it for me. sadly, miyeon couldn't hangout with me for today so i'm going home alone. as i was passing by, i accidentally bumped into someone and by someone, i meant jihye.

she let out an exaggerated gasp as she looked at me with a small glare, "how dare you pour milk on my uniform! i get it you're jealous of my classy new outfits, but you didn't have to spill drinks on me!" she let out. i bowed and was about to wipe it off when she suddenly slapped me.

my lips parted a bit as my head sharply turned right because of the impact of her palm. "hey!" i looked up to see jihye fearing over a man in front of me. "how could you do that to your fellow schoolmate?" the man hollered.

the man was wearing a fancy suit, beside him was a boy who seemed to be staring at me with a worried look. he had black hair that was slightly parted at the middle. he wasn't too tall but he wasn't too short either.

"w-who are you? didn't you see what she did to me?! i could report you to the mountain clan head for disrupting me!" jihye shouted back. the man could only chuckle at his words, "who am i? i work for the palace young lady— i'm a bodyguard and it would've been nice if you leave this lady alone." the man said and referred to me.

jihye gave me a small glare before going inside her car as her butler drove off. the man turned to me with a worried look plastered on his face. he scanned my face and must've noticed a little scratch that jihye left. "you should've fought back, miss." the man told me.

i shook my head, "i can't. if i do– i'd get in trouble with her dad." i confessed. i've tried going up against jihye but i didn't want to get involved with the mountain clans at all.

"aish that kid uses her own father to scare away anyone." the man hissed. "i'm joshua." he smiled.

"why did you help me?" i asked him.

"it was the right thing to do and i was ordered to stop mrs. yoon jihye." joshua told me. "ordered?" i tilted my head as he scooted away a bit and behind him was the boy. he gave me an awkward look before bowing, "um.. hi? i'm chenle– you just really caught my attention. we were heading towards a flower shop nearby and we saw you in such situation so i told joshua-hyung to help you.." he mumbled as he fiddled with his fingers.

"no need to be shy, mr. zhong. anyways– may we know your name young lady?" joshua asked me.

"oh, my name is jaeyoung." i gave him a soft smile which he gladly returned.

joshua was about to speak when chenle grabbed his arm and pulled him down, whispering something onto his ear. joshua let out a chuckle before nodding. "ah! lady jaeyoung, would you like to join us for today?" joshua asked me.

i furrowed my brows, slightly confused, "u-uh what?"

"um, would you want to maybe eat with us at the cafe after we buy flowers? i'd also like to treat your scratch, m-miss." chenle said.

"you can just call me jaeyoung– it's alright." i told him. his shy look then turned into a grin, "okay! let's get going!" chenle cheered and headed towards a black fancy car. my jaw instantly dropped, "what the.. who are they? and why do they look so fancy."

"let's go, jaeyoung-ssi." joshua chuckled and lead me to the car.

we spent the rest of the day, they bought flowers for some occasion they said and we ended it by eating at a local cafe. "wah! i never knew local food tastes so delicious!" chenle exclaimed which made me laugh a bit.

"hyung! you should bring me out more often! i want to explore the place more. it's so boring back at the pa—"

chenle was caught off when joshua nudged him as i waited for him to finish his sentence. i raised both of my brows, still waiting. the two made eye contact before chenle's cheeks turned slightly pink as he looked back to me. "i mean, it's so boring back at the pavilion." he muttered.

"you guys have a pavilion?" i was shocked. only rich ones in our town have those. chenle nodded as he desperately stared at joshua. joshua nodded, "yes! chenle's parents loves the pavilion as well as chenle himself—he enjoys his time spending it at the pavilion that's why."

"ah, are you guys.. somehow.. wealthy?" i asked.

as you can notice, i'm not really rich. me the bakers at mrs kang's bakery including mrs kang herself are just average people and i'm contented with what i have.

joshua shrugged, "hmm, i have no idea on how to answer that question but it's up to you." joshua gave me a small smile.

"you should call us whenever you get in trouble with that jihye girl again." chenle chuckled.

the two brought me to the bakery that's when chenle raised a brow. "you live here?"

i shook my head, "i just sometimes work here– the owner of this place takes care of me." i told them.

chenle nodded, "ahhh."

"you're relatives with mrs kang?" joshua looked at me, wide eyed.

i shook my head, "not like that."

"mrs kang? you mean the mrs kang who delivers and bakes us those delicious treats?!" chenle excitingly said while jumping up and down as he looked at joshua. joshua nodded, "that's mrs kang indeed."

"i really love her cooking! say hi for me." chenle said. "me too!" joshua also said.

i nodded and waved goodbye to them. "i'll see you guys soon!"

i watch as joshua drove off and i went back inside the bakery. i saw mrs kang wiping the tables, i came towards her and told her i would do it. "you're finally here! where have you been?" hyori asked me. "i just hangout with my new friends!" i told them.

mrs kang raised a brow, "you're not sick aren't you? how come i've never heard of these 'new friends' of yours."

i chuckled, "i just met them today! they helped me from jihye."

"geez, jihye again. that kid never leaves you alone huh?" hyori scoffed, she then notices the bandage on my cheek, "did she do that?"

i sadly nod, "you know i couldn't fight back, she always used her father against me."

"don't worry, jaeyoung. karma will do it's work for you." hyori winked at me.

"okay, okay enough chit chat and we should clean everything up and close up fast okay?"

"okay!" me and the rest said at the same time before we all go back to cleaning the bakery.

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