It seems like Empire Academy is a haven of good-looking rich kids. Jin Hee thought.

"Who are you?" his voice sounded husky, warm and calm but his expression was cold; not a good combination—it's like you're eating a very warm cupcake then you suddenly drank a very, very, very cold iced tea that will make your teeth ache.

"What?" she uttered as she frowned. She blinked when the lad was still staring at her. "Umm… I…"

"Young master, what's happening?" her eyes landed on the old man behind the stranger. With his appearance, he's in his mid-50s. Wrinkles were visible on his cheeks and on each side of his eyes. His hair was color gray and few strands were color white and by the sight of his, he looks very formal. Jin Hee gasped sharply as her gaze trailed at the huge thing behind them. So, the helicopter landed behind me was really true. I thought it's a UFO. I'm so stupid!

"Nothing, just go," the guy answered at the old man. He looked at Jin Hee before releasing her from his grip. The old man bowed his head and returned to the helicopter while the guy left her without a word.

"He walked away like that? He looks like he's p.i.s.sed at me as if I did something to him. Hey! I didn't do anything wrong! Geez," she clicked her tongue and fixed her twin braids. It got messy because of the wind that the helicopter created earlier. "Geez. Did the wind was aware that it's so hard to fix a messy curly hair?"

Jin Hee's hair is not that curly from roots to tips, per sey. It's like what girl celebrities have when they're in a fancy party—big curls, to be exact. Curls on the tip of her hair. Maybe she can define it as waves on her hair.

"Excuse me, is this yours?" She turned her gaze to the guy who's now behind her. He smiled when her eyes landed on him. He has a jet black hair that matches his not so thick eyebrows. He looks cute with his dimple on his right cheek that is visible when he smiles.

Wait a minute. She paused as she looked intently at him. He looked so familiar—as if I saw him somewhere and I couldn't remember where or when. He looked like a celebrity.

Well, everyone in this school looked like a celebrity except me. She thought once again.

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Her eyes settled on the school brochure that he was holding. She dropped it or it got caught by the wind earlier. Good thing the other papers that she's holding earlier were inside her bag.

She fished out the other papers from her bag (including the school directory and the paper with her name with the room number on it). "Y-Yes, that's mine," she smiled at him and accepted the brochure.

"Are you looking for the Senior High building?" he asked.

"Yes!" she answered right away, quite loud that made her realize that she's embarra.s.sing herself in front of him. "I-I mean, yes. I was searching for that building earlier but I can't find it," she chuckled awkwardly as she scratched her head. I bet, I sounded stupid in front of him.

"Oh, really? Do you want me to escort you there? Actually, I'm going there too," he offered.

"R-Really?" Jin Hee's face lit up after she heard his offer. Gosh, finally! "Is it okay for you to escort me there?"

"It's fine by me than leaving you here alone and clueless. It seems like you just transferred here today that's why you have no idea where to go," he shrugged.

"Ah, yes. I just transferred here today," she smiled at him, thanking G.o.d that she finally found someone to talk to than those weird guys earlier. "Ah, wait a minute, who are you by the way? What's your name? I'm sorry, it's just that my mother told me that I shouldn't talk or hangout with strangers."

He laughed a little then he stretched out his hand. "I'm Tae Yang. Min Tae Yang."

She held his hand gently and they shook hands together. "Jin Hee. Song Jin Hee."

"So, now that you know my name already, you're coming with me, right?" he smiled at her. Talking to him like this made her conclude that he's a nice guy.

"O-Oh, sure," she said, flaunting a shy smile at him.

He hummed and nodded. "Let's go?"

She nodded as a response then they walked together to the Empire Academy-Senior High School Department Building.

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"You know Yoon Baek Hyeon?" he suddenly asked. They're walking on the grandiose hallway of Empire Academy's building. She could see some expensive vases on each side of the building. Those vases include the vases from Roblin Art Pottery, Rookwood Art Pottery and the expensive vase of Qing Dynasty Vase which now costs 18 million dollars. On the walls, she could see some expensive paintings including Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam, Paul Gauigin's Nafea Faa Ipoipo, Jackson Pollock's Number 17A, Pierre-Auguste Renoir's Le Moulin de la Galette, Vincent van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet, The famous The Scream of Edvard Munch and the famous painting of the famous tragedy of William Shakespeare which is the Romeo and Juliet, painted by Ford Madox Brown. The chandeliers were The Solstice Comete and the chandelier that she could see in US Capitol Building—not that she went to US that's why she knew all about it—she usually read home and tourism magazines on her uncle's house during her first week of stay in Seoul that's why she knew all about it. All of the items in this hallway, she bet, cost more than a hundred million dollars. For her, the wealth of Empire Academy is no joke indeed.

"Huh? Who's that?" she asked as she walked with him.

He took a glance at her then he turned his face in front. "That guy you talked to earlier."

"Ah! That guy who came out from that helicopter that suddenly landed on the field? So, his name is Yoon Baek Hyeon," she said as she flicked her index finger when an imaginary light bulb of discovery lighten on her mind.

He chuckled, staring at her expression. How could someone be so adorable even if she acts like a dork? "Yes, him."

Jin Hee scrunched her nose. "No, I don't know him. It's the first time I saw him."

"Wait a minute—what? You don't know him? It's the first time that you saw him?" a confused look was visible on his face.

She slightly scratched her cheek out of confusion and scrunched her nose once again. "Tae Yang-ah, you just repeated and rephrased my statement. Yes, I don't know him."

"Seriously? You don't know him?" now, he's totally shocked, gesturing his hand rapidly. "The whole Seoul and the whole South Korea knows him—even the outside countries know him. You-You don't really know him?"

"Yes. Why? Who is he?" Jin Hee frowned at him.

"You don't know the son of a multi-billionaire business tyc.o.o.n and the great heir of the largest empire of companies in Asia, the Castellon Group of Companies? I thought you know him because you talked to each other earlier like you really knew each other for a long time. It's the first time that I saw Baek Hyeon talked to someone else. He's like the Prince of South Korea—but he's the king of this school anyway," he said that made her frown. "Ah, by the way, what's your social group here in Empire Academy?"

"What—so-social group?" oh, no. Panic and nervousness slowly creeping on her system. No way. He might discover that I'm not what he thought of me! Oh, G.o.d help me!

"Yep. Are you one of the Business heirs, stock heirs, honorable heirs or… you're one of the people in Social Welfare Group—commoner?" he sounded like he was suspicious of her. "But I think it's impossible for you if you're a commoner… right?"

"U-Umm…" she could feel her body tremble because of nervousness when he asked her about this so-called social group in this school. She could feel his stare right now. He looked so calm while she almost bit her tongue and melt on the puddle of nervousness. She felt like she's a suspect of a huge crime and she will be detained for investigation.

Oh, gawd Jin Hee! Think! Think about something!

She cussed mentally as she was thinking for a good answer, a good alibi to his question when she remembered what Mama s.h.i.+n said to her last time.

"You will pretend as a nouveau riche."

Light bulb!

"Hey, Jin Hee-yah?" she felt Tae Yang's hand tapping her shoulder that made her came back to her senses.

"Nouveau riche!" she exclaimed out of panic.

He frowned like she said something weird. "What?"

"I-I… I'm a nouveau riche," she answered, trying to be calm.

A pregnant silence spreads between them for a couple of seconds. When no one dares to break it, Tae Yang broke the silence himself. "I see. I bet your family is so lucky to receive such blessing that you enrolled yourself here."

She chuckled awkwardly at him as she internally sighed. I hope it's not obvious.

Why the heck I should lie my ident.i.ty from a scholars.h.i.+p grantee to a nouveau riche for them? It's not me… and it will never be me.

"Why did you enroll here?" he asked calmly.

Do I really have to answer that question?

She mentally knocked herself. Ugh, of course, Jin Hee. So you can convince him that you're a nouveau riche whatever it's called.

"Err… my mom and dad want me here. They said that this school offers good quality education."

He stared at her silently which she finds awkward. He looked on the empty s.p.a.ce in front of them while walking. "You have no idea about this school."

"What?"

"This school… creates monsters."

Her eyes widened. Monsters? Is he serious? Monsters like those mythical monsters that I usually see in the movies? Vampires? Aliens like in Alien: Covenant? Those monsters that appear in the mist? Ghouls? t.i.tans? Yokai? Oh, gawd, no!

"Not literally monsters. Monsters that only care about themselves selfishly," she frowned at him secretly. Did he just read my mind? "I'm not making this school's reputation bad for you but… as early as possible, you should transfer to the other school."

"Are you kidding me? Why?" Jin Hee couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

"Looks can deceive. Gold can deceive and make you crazy or worst, evil. And so this school. You thought this is heaven but it's not," she can see his mocking smile right now. He, then, patted her head. "You'll know what I mean. Soon."

"Min Tae Yang!!!" she was startled when she heard someone shouted Tae Yang's name. Jin Hee stepped back when a woman in their age walked towards us. She could see in her face the irritation she's feeling.

"Where did you go?! You suddenly left me in the School Student Council Office, you stupid!" she gasped when the woman's gaze settled on her. "And now you brought a woman with you! Do you wanna be like Jeong Suk or you played so hard for your role of being your band's fanservice king?!"

"I'm so sorry about this la.s.s. She's really nosy," Tae Yang whispered at her and smiled. "Chill, Ah Young-ah. She's not my woman and she's not even my fan. She's a transfer student. Cheonhaksaeng. Grade 12. By the way, Jin Hee-yah, this is Kwon Ah Young."

"Umm… h.e.l.lo Miss Kwon. I'm Song Jin Hee. Grade 12. I just transferred here today," Jin Hee finally introduced herself to her.

"Oh," Ah Young looked at her intently for a couple of seconds and she suddenly smiled sweetly. She has a white complexion that matches her curly, black hair. She has bunny-like teeth that make her look cute—one of the best a.s.sets on her appearance, Jin Hee thought. "Oh. Song Jin Hee. Hmm. You're being too formal. You can just call me Ah Young."

Jin Hee slightly ma.s.saged her nape while looking at her. Is she have this sort of bipolar disorder because she suddenly became nice to me?

Or maybe she's just like this to boys who are talking to her since Tae Yang was the one who talked to her earlier. She's a sort of man-hater, I think? She thought.

"By the way, what group are you?" she asked and Jin Hee never failed to notice how she stared at her intently.

"She's a nouveau riche," Tae Yang answered the question for her. "That's what she told me."

"Oh, I see," she nodded like she was convinced to it. "By the way, did she already know the eighteen?"

Jin Hee frowned at her. What's with the number eighteen? Is it some sort of a lucky number? Or… do they think that I'm already eighteen years old? Maybe I should tell them that I am still seventeen.

"No, not yet," Tae Yang slightly shook his head.

Ah Young nodded then she looked at her. "Come with me."

Tae Yang and Jin Hee exchanged looks to each other as the latter tilted his head, signaling her to follow Ah Young. Jin Hee nodded and followed her.

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"Since you're new here in Empire Academy, there are things that you need, you have and you must know about the students and what you have to do here," Ah Young started to talk to her as she opened the door of the School Student Council's office. She gestured Jin Hee to enter the room which she did.

"What about Tae Yang? You don't want him to get inside?" she asked when she noticed that Tae Yang did not follow them.

"That fella is busy about something. There's some stuff he needs to do. And, he's not allowed here when I'm orienting newbies," Ah Young said nonchalantly as she sits on a swivel chair. She, then, faced her laptop and started tapping on the keyboard.

Jin Hee roamed her eyes around the said office. She couldn't imagine that this is the student body officers' office because of its interior design. It looks like a room of a member of the royal family.

Ah Young's table was on the left side, facing an empty table on the right side. Between those tables was a bigger table and behind it were gla.s.s walls where you can see the view of Empire Academy's grounds. Behind the empty tables on the right side were tall bookshelves. The room's color was peach with a touch of beige, cream/crème and gold paint. Jin Hee thought she could only see this kind of interior design on magazines. She couldn't believe in her eyes that she could see this for real.

"Here," her eyes landed on Ah Young as the la.s.s faced the laptop to her. "Read this."

Jin Hee walked towards her table and read the article flashed on the laptop's screen. She let her read the history of Empire Academy, the founder, the school's program, the facilities and all. After reading, she tapped a URL on the Google Chrome's tab and something got Jin Hee's attention.

"This is the Emperor's Crown. This is the underground website of the school. All the secrets, scoops, gossips and news were published here. You'll get published here—to gain popularity… or death threats."

She suddenly looked at Ah Young. "What do you mean?"

"I know that you're not a nouveau riche," Ah Young blurted, looked at her intently. "You just pa.s.sed the scholars.h.i.+p exam of EA."

Jin Hee's eyes widened as the panic and nervousness, once again, crept into her system. How did she know about it? How did she discover me to the fact that we just met earlier? Am I that transparent to her?

"H-How did you know about it?" she stuttered. She could feel the nervousness flowing inside her body.

Ah Young leaned on her swivel chair. "I have my connections too since I am an elite and an officer of the Student Council. I do investigations and such. You see, I am not just a mere secretary of the School Student Council that schedules appointments and writes minutes of meetings. I do investigations and background checking to all the students here especially the neophytes. But don't worry, I will not tell others about your real status. Your secret is safe with me since I am, except the faculty, the only one who can access all private information of every student here in this school and I can only give it out if the school council president, Cheon Ha Neul, said so. Even he, himself doesn't know everything about you so you don't have to worry."

Then, she smiled. "Just continue that. But, be sure no one will ever discover you except me because if you'll not be extra careful with your actions, you're dead."

Jin Hee's lips twitched as she s.h.i.+vered because of her threat. Uncle s.h.i.+n Hyuk is right, I'm not safe here.

"T-Thank you, I'll keep that in mind," she slightly bowed her head to Ah Young.

"No worries. I hate the cunning monsters residing in this school," Ah Young smiled at her as she showed her a list of people. "This one, this is the list of the Top 20 elites that you'll gonna encounter in this school. They can be your allies… or your enemies."

Jin Her gulped when she felt her throat started to dry up because of nervousness. She breathed deeply as she started to look at the list Ah Young showed to her.

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= THE TWENTY ROYAL ELITES =

* Yoon Baek Hyeon – Net Worth: $ 1.9 billion

* Koo Han Sol – Net Worth: $ 20.5 million

* Moon Min Seok – Net Worth: $ 20 million

* Sawada Ryuuji (Transferee) – Net Worth: $ 20 million

* Min Tae Yang – Net Worth: $ 20 million

* Oh Eui Chul – Net Worth: $ 19 million

* Lee Dae Woong – Net Worth: $ 19 million

* Ahn Suk Hwan – Net Worth: $ 18.5 million

* Cheon Ha Neul – Net Worth: $ 18.5 million

* Do Jung Soo – Net Worth: $ 17 million

* Hw.a.n.g Chan Yeol – Net Worth: $ 17 million

* Geum Sang Woo – Net Worth: $ 17 million

* Choi Eun Jae – Net Worth: $ 15 million

* Han Joo Hyuk – Net Worth: $ 15 million

* Ban Ryeo Wook – Net Worth: $ 15 million

* Kang Woo s.h.i.+n – Net Worth: $ 15 million

* Kim Jeong Suk – Net Worth: $ 15 million

* Nam Soo Pyo – Net Worth: $ 15 million

* Kwon Ah Young – Net Worth: $ 10 million

* Hw.a.n.g Chae Ryung – Net Worth: $ 10 million

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"Weomae. I can't believe this," Jin Hee almost jaw dropped because of astonishment after she read the names on the list. Net worth? The net worth of these kids while they're studying here? How did they get this large, very large amount of money? My everyday allowance is just a single penny for them! This is ridiculous! (*in Jeollado dialect, it means "Wow" or "Oh, G.o.d.")

"Since I am one of the Royals within two months, I can protect you and your secret. But then, if you did something that I don't like, I will not gonna think twice but to reveal everything—"

"Promise I will not gonna do anything that you don't like! I can cook for you, I can do the laundry, I can make a coffee for you, I can iron your clothes—"

She laughed. "No, not that. What I mean is, you'll betray me, and make gossips about me, stabbing me on my back— something like that. But don't worry, I'm not that cruel and harsh. Yeah, slight, I guess? Just, you just need to be careful `cause if you'll not gonna be extra careful about what's hidden up your sleeves, I can't protect you using my rank once you spill it yourself. Remember, this is not a school. This is the battlefield of the richest ones, the gorgeous ones, the clever ones and the wicked ones."

She showed another list to her. "These are the eighteen rules in this school's society. We call it as the eighteen laws of the elite and we strictly follow it because we're obliged to do so," she slightly sighed as she continued. "Comprehend it well, sweetie if you don't wanna be the danger's target here."

Jin Hee looked at her then turned her gaze to the list on the laptop's screen.

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= THE LAWS OF THE ELITE =

1. Before you enter the prestigious training ground intended for the elites, you must be rich since birth.

2. Must be one of the three major social cla.s.ses: the business heirs, stock/shareholder heirs and the honorable heirs.

3. The most wealthy or the richest has the control of the ground, ent.i.tled the royal icon.

4. Elites have no time to mess and play around. They are trained in their own businesses.

5. Must obtain 10 million a month or shares in a certain company.

6. Elites don't gain friends. Treat each other as business compet.i.tors and rivals.

7. Maintain your power, knowledge and wealth as an elite.

8. Elites do not trust people but themselves.

9. They must be good at every career their families are setting them to be.

10. Elites are elegant, superior and rich monsters.

11. They only know the values of business and not the values of humanity.

12. Elites consider the business world as a battlefield so they must be prepared with brain, skills and money.

13. Elites can also do politics. Even manipulate the government, the laws, the justice and the economy.

14. Almost the world is controlled by elites.

15. Commoners or the low-cla.s.s group are not allowed to mingle with the elites.

16. Elites must be mature enough, brave, clever and wicked.

17. Elites must be merciless so that they'll not be taken advantage by people.

18. Never fall in love with an elite for you will become his biggest misery.

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Jin Hee walked sluggishly as Ah Young accompanied her in searching for her cla.s.sroom. It was so hard for her to process their so-called 'laws of the elite' and socialization here, such as this so-called hierarchy in their school's population. She could feel herself dying because of stress and depression in the place. This school is ridiculous!

"We've been walking for too long here, searching for your cla.s.sroom but your name is not on the list. Are you sure that you're in 12-7?" she asked as they kept on walking in the lobby.

"That's what was written on this paper," Jin Hee blurted sluggishly as she was trying to hold the wet brochure and the paper where her name and room number was written. It got wet when she helped some random guy who accidentally fell on the ground and after helping him, she got pushed on the fountain by some jocks pa.s.sing by. Good thing she didn't fell on it but her papers fell on the water. Weomae abeoji.

"Give me that," Ah Young pulled the wet paper from her and looked at it intently. The ink's color got scattered and ruined because of water. Talk about a computer inkjet-printed material.

She was walking like a zombie, yawning so loud when Ah Young grabbed her arm and pulled me to somewhere. "Stupid. You're in Room 1."

"Huh? Room 1? But I am in Room 7!" she protested.

"You're so stupid. Where can you find number 1 that is written in number 7? Greek alphabet? You're too young to have blurry eyes," Ah Young nagged at her as the la.s.s kept on pulling her to walk.

"It's your fault! You made me read those huge information about this school and those huge money owned by those rich kids, which includes you by the way!" Jin Hee hissed but Ah Young didn't even throw a glance on her and she just continued pulling her to walk. They made many turns in the lobby before they stopped in front of a blue-colored double door. She noticed that there are only six doors that shared the kind of color when they pa.s.sed. Is this some sort of color-coding?

"Prepare yourself, dear," Jin Hee's eyes settled on Ah Young as she twisted the doork.n.o.bs of the double door.

"W-Why?" she stuttered. Nervousness filled her system again as she started overthinking inside my mind.

She smiled at her. "You'll see."

She slowly opened the door and Jin Hee smelled the filthy rich scent inside that room.

She gasped as her eyes widened when the people inside the room turned their heads and looked at her.

"Welcome to the cla.s.sroom of the elites, nouveau riche."