The atmosphere inside Kirin Arts High's administrative conference room was... kinda heavy.
At the head of the long oval table sat Chairman Yoo Jae-man—the head of Kirin's Board of Directors and Yoo Chae-rin's father— flanked by Principal Han and two senior school psychologists. Positioned along the left side of the table were key faculty members, while Mr. Lee, Mrs. Lee, and Ha-neul sat across from them.
The evaluation was thorough.
The committee peppered Mr. and Mrs. Lee with precise questions regarding their household security, private medical support, and cultural adaptability, ensuring that the host environment met Kirin's standards for an international student(even if the student himself wasn't of the best choices for Kirin).
Ha-neul barely spoke throughout the entire hour.
She sat with her hands neatly folded in her lap, occasionally exchanging quiet, knowing glances with Mrs. Smith. The notoriously strict math teacher sat among the faculty panel, her expression softened only when her eyes settled on Ha-neul. Ha-neul secretly believed that Mrs. Smith had agreed to continue teaching their class for another year purely because Ha-neul was in it—a thought that brought a tiny flick of satisfaction to her quiet frame.
At least the girl wanted to believe in it.
Standing near the secondary exit doors, holding a binder alongside the head of the Disciplinary Committee, was Park Jun-seo. As Student Council President, his presence was required to oversee the student-side integration protocols.
When the formal questioning finally concluded with Chairman Yoo's satisfied nod, Ha-neul stood up and casually strolled out into the familiar marble corridor.
She let out a quiet breath. The interrogation had been formal and slightly tense, but it was nowhere near as nerve-wracking as her soloist piano performances or her first statewide Math Olympiad.
As she walked down the hallway, she noticed Jun-seo exiting through the committee doors at the far end of the corridor. A pair of senior music teachers were chatting animatedly with him; Jun-seo and the accompanying Student Council officers bowed with crisp, effortless politeness before the faculty walked off.
The moment the teachers turned the corner, Jun-seo caught sight of Ha-neul standing down the hall.
His dark eyes instantly brightened.
Ha-neul felt a warm swell in her chest, though she fought to suppress her smile as her childhood best friend approached.
She subtly adjusted a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear and adopted her most unbothered, haughty posture.
"Hello, Ha-neul-ah," Jun-seo greeted, stopping in front of her. "You must feel nervous."
Ha-neul tilted her chin up, giving him a flat, indifferent look.
"Nervous? Please. I couldn't care less about an administrative meeting."
Jun-seo let out a low, amused chuckle, shaking his head gently.
"Some things really never change with you, do they?"
In truth, as the days until Oleksandr's arrival ticked away, Ha-neul was feeling a completely chaotic storm of emotions. What was she even supposed to call this newcomer? A brother? A host brother? A housemate?
Yet, beneath her anxiety and worry, her parents looked lighter than they had in years. The house felt brighter and livelier. The house felt alive again, free of old shadows. If this strange exchange student brought that back, it was worth it.
Seeing her parents feel young and energized again made the strange exchange program feel like a quiet blessing.
Before Ha-neul could respond to Jun-seo, footsteps echoed down the marble floor as Mr. and Mrs. Lee emerged from the conference room.
"Ah, Jun-seo-ya!" Mr. Lee called out warmly, stepping over.
Jun-seo immediately bowed sharply.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Lee. Good afternoon, Mrs. Lee."
Mr. Lee clapped a friendly hand on Jun-seo's shoulder, asking after his mother and grandmother with genuine care.
Jun-seo answered each question with his usual polite, composed grace.
Mrs. Lee smiled warmly at the Student Council President.
"Jun-seo-ya, once Oleksandr arrives at school next month, please make sure to look after him a little, okay? He won't know anyone."
Ha-neul's head snapped toward her mother in immediate exasperation.
"Omma!" she hissed, tugging on her coat sleeve. "Don't bother Jun-seo with our house business! He has enough work!"
Mrs. Lee burst into a soft laugh, waving a dismissive hand.
"Okay, okay! Goodness, you two... Are you going anywhere now? Jun-seo-ya, would you like to join our family for dinner tonight?"
Ha-neul stopped fidgeting, her eyes turning toward Jun-seo as she waited for his answer.
Declining an invitation from Mrs. Lee was practically impossible, but Jun-seo had zero desire to refuse anyway. His schedule for the evening was completely clear, he was genuinely hungry, and it had been far too long since he had sat down for a meal with the Lee family.
More than anything, he simply enjoyed being around Ha-neul and her family.
"I would be honored, Mrs. Lee," Jun-seo said with a polite bow. "Thank you very much."
Meanwhile, lurking ten meters down the corridor behind a decorative marble pillar, Kang Min-ah was in absolute, unadulterated paradise.
She held her camera close to her chest, her fingers rapidly tapping the shutter as she captured continuous, crystal-clear candid shots of legendary national news anchor Lee Eun-seok standing in the hallway.
Min-ah's eyes practically turned into twin twinkling stars as she reviewed the preview screen.
'Coming to the club room on a Friday afternoon was officially the greatest choice I have ever made in my entire life!'
Min-ah giggled silently into her sleeve, ducking back behind the pillar before anyone noticed her lens.