The Porsche Panamera sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic, encased in a quiet bubble of leather and expensive climate control.
Jin-woo sat in the passenger seat, wearing the beige uniform of Somyung High School. It felt itchy and cheap compared to the Italian suits he had worn over the weekend.
Lee Ji-eun was driving. She was back in "Empress Mode," wearing a sharp grey blazer and a Bluetooth earpiece, already listening to the morning market reports.
She glanced over at him at a red light.
"Your collar is twisted," she said, reaching over to fix it before he could protest. Her cool fingers brushed his neck. "You look tired. Did you stay up late tracking the overseas markets?"
"I was studying for a history exam," Jin-woo lied. He had actually been researching Swiss medical contract law until 3 AM.
"Liar," she murmured, smoothing the lapel of his cheap blazer with a strange look in her eyes—half boss, half protective older sister. "Drop me a pin when you get out of class. I'll pick you up."
"No," Jin-woo said instantly. "Stop here."
They were two blocks away from the school gates, near a busy intersection.
"Here? Why? It's freezing outside, and your coat is thin."
"Because if you pull up to the front gate in a 200 million won car, people will ask questions," Jin-woo said, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Kang Jin-woo is a charity scholarship student. He takes the bus."
Ji-eun sighed, pulling over to the curb. "Fine. But take the umbrella in the back. It looks like rain."
"Yes, Director," he smirked.
He opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk.
It was bad timing.
Just as he closed the heavy door of the Porsche, a group of three girls in Somyung uniforms turned the corner. They were the "Gossip Queens" of Year 2, led by Kim Hye-jin, the daughter of a department store magnate.
They froze.
Their eyes went from Jin-woo—the quiet, poor kid who ate convenience store gimbap for lunch—to the gleaming black Porsche Panamera. Then, the passenger window rolled down.
A stunningly beautiful woman in a power suit leaned across. "Jin-ah, don't forget to eat lunch. Text me if you need anything."
Jin-woo gave a stiff nod and quickly walked away, pulling his backpack tight.
Behind him, the whispers started immediately. It was like lighting a match in a room full of gasoline.
"Did you see that?" "Was that Kang Jin-woo?" "Who was that woman? She looked rich. Like, really rich." "Maybe she's his... sponsor?"
Jin-woo heard them, but he didn't look back. The seed was planted.
[ 8:20 AM - Somyung High School, Classroom 2-3 ]
The classroom smelled of chalk dust and teenage anxiety.
Somyung High was an elite private school. Half the students were children of politicians or Chaebol executives; the other half were brilliant scholarship kids fighting for a ticket out of poverty.
Jin-woo was supposed to be the latter.
He walked to his desk in the back corner near the window—the designated spot for loners in every anime and drama. He sat down, pulling out a worn textbook.
"Jin-woo-ya! Good morning!"
A bright, booming voice cut through the morning chatter.
Park Min-ho. The Class President. The golden boy.
Min-ho walked over, flashing a blindingly white smile. He was tall, athletic, and wore his uniform like a tailored suit. In Jin-woo's past life, Min-ho had been his "best friend." The friend who borrowed his notes, stole his business ideas after graduation, and then bankrupted Jin-woo's first company for sport.
"You look pale today, buddy," Min-ho said loudly, clapping Jin-woo on the shoulder hard enough to sting. "Are you eating enough? My mom packed extra premium beef galbi today. Do you want some? You look like you need the protein."
It was the kind of loud charity designed to humiliate. It screamed, Look how generous I am to the poor kid.
The rest of the class glanced over, snickering quietly.
Jin-woo looked up. He gave a small, practiced, timid smile. "I'm fine, Min-ho. Thank you."
[ TRUTH EYE: ACTIVATED ]
A red aura shimmered around Min-ho.
[ Target: Park Min-ho ] [ Role: The Traitor / Fake Friend ] [ Hidden Trait: Sociopath / Intense Jealousy ] [ Current Financial Status: High Anxiety. (Family business is dependent on a pending contract). ]
Jin-woo's internal smile grew colder. Anxiety, huh?
"Suit yourself," Min-ho shrugged, leaning against the desk ahead of Jin-woo's. He turned to his other rich friends, making sure Jin-woo could hear.
"Man, my dad is so stressed," Min-ho bragged loudly. "His company, Park Logistics, is finalizing a massive deal today. We're going to be the exclusive transport partner for the new Green Line subway project."
Jin-woo stopped turning the page of his book.
"Really?" another rich kid asked. "That's huge. Isn't Myung-il Construction handling that?"
"Yeah," Min-ho grinned. "Chairman Choi is signing the sub-contract with my dad this afternoon. Once that hits, we're buying a new villa in Hannam-dong. No more living in this 'cramped' Gangnam apartment."
Jin-woo understood immediately.
Min-ho's father was a sub-contractor for Chairman Choi. They were part of the same food chain. Chairman Choi was desperate for the Green Line project to save his company, so he was lining up his logistics partners early.
Min-ho turned back to Jin-woo, a condescending smirk on his face.
"Hey, Jin-woo. Since my dad is getting this huge contract, we're going to need extra hands in the warehouse moving boxes. It's minimum wage, but it's hard work. Maybe I can get you a weekend job? You need money for your sister's hospital bills, right?"
The classroom went quiet. It was a low blow. Using his sick sister to establish dominance.
In his past life, Jin-woo had gratefully accepted the job, thanking Min-ho for his "kindness," only to be overworked and underpaid.
This time, Jin-woo just smiled. It was a gentle, harmless smile.
"That's very kind of you, Min-ho," Jin-woo said softly. "But I think I'll be busy this weekend."
"Doing what? Studying?" Min-ho laughed. "Grades don't pay bills, buddy."
"True," Jin-woo agreed.
He slid his hand under his desk. He pulled out his phone, ensuring the screen was hidden.
He opened his chat with Ji-eun.
[ To: Director Lee ] [ Check the vendor list for the Green Line project. If a company called 'Park Logistics' is on there for Chairman Choi's bid... blacklist them immediately. Find a different trucking company by noon. ]
He hit send.
He put the phone away and looked back up at Min-ho, who was still grinning, basking in his own supposed generosity.
Enjoy the villa in Hannam-dong, Jin-woo thought. It's the last dream you'll ever have.
[ 12:30 PM - Lunch Break ]
The cafeteria was loud. Jin-woo sat alone at a corner table, eating a cheap curry bun.
Across the room, Min-ho was holding court at the popular table, laughing loudly.
Suddenly, Min-ho's phone buzzed on the table.
He picked it up, still smiling. "Probably my dad telling me he bought the new car already."
He unlocked the phone. He read the text.
His smile didn't just fade; it shattered. His face went chalk-white.
"What's wrong?" his friend asked.
"My dad..." Min-ho whispered, his voice cracking. "He said... he said the contract was cancelled. The City Planning office rejected Park Logistics as a vendor. They... they blacklisted us."
Jin-woo took a bite of his curry bun. It tasted terrible, but today, it felt like the finest meal in Seoul.
In the distance, near the door, he saw Hye-jin, the gossip girl from the morning, whispering excitedly to her friends while pointing in his direction. The rumor about the "Porsche Lady" was spreading fast.
The war had begun on two fronts. And Jin-woo was winning both.