After the dinner with the Chairman, the power dynamic at Seoul Star Academy shifted. Hana was no longer just the "Baddie"—she was a girl with a protector. But as the school prepared for the Annual Athletics Championship, a new tension bubbled under the surface.
Jace wasn't finished. He had been humiliated in the cafeteria, and his family’s business was under threat from Hana’s father. He decided to play his final card.
The Midnight Practice
Hana found Min-ho in the darkened gym, late at night, shooting free throws with mechanical precision. He didn't miss. Not once.
"You're overworking yourself," Hana said, leaning against the doorframe. "It's just a school sports day, Min-ho. You don't have to win every single event to prove a point to Jace."
Min-ho stopped, the ball spinning on his finger. He looked at her, his usual warmth replaced by a haunting intensity. "It's not about the trophies, Hana. It's about finishing what we started ten years ago."
Hana blinked. "Ten years ago? What are you talking about?"
Min-ho walked over, his sneakers squeaking on the polished wood. He pulled a small, frayed piece of paper from his gym bag. It was a drawing—much cruder than Hana’s current work—of a girl standing under a willow tree, crying.
"Gyeonggi Elementary," Min-ho whispered. "The transfer girl who got bullied because her mom was a famous actress and everyone called her a 'brat.' There was one boy who used to leave Band-Aids and chocolate on her desk."
Hana’s breath hitched. She remembered that boy. She had called him "Pest" and told him to go away, even though his kindness was the only thing that kept her from breaking. "You... you were the 'Pest'?"
"I recognized your drawing style the moment I saw your sketchbook," Min-ho smiled sadly. "You’ve always drawn cats the same way. I didn't come to Seoul Star Academy by accident, Hana. I came because I saw your name on the enrollment list. I spent years becoming the 'perfect guy' just so I’d finally be someone you wouldn't send away."
The "Baddie" felt a tear finally escape. She wasn't the Ice Queen. She was just a girl who had finally been found.
The Final Showdown: The Relay Race
The next day, the entire school gathered for the 4x400m relay. The air was thick with heat and rivalry. Jace was the anchor for Class A; Min-ho was the anchor for Class B.
Before the race, Jace leaned over to Min-ho at the starting line. "I know your secret, 'Pest.' I know you're just a stalker who followed her here. After I win this, I’m telling the whole school you’ve been obsessed with her since you were seven."
Min-ho didn't flinch. He looked toward the stands, where Hana was standing. She wasn't wearing her sunglasses. She was wearing Min-ho’s spare jersey over her uniform, holding a sign that simply said: "RUN, PEST."
When the baton hit Min-ho’s hand, he wasn't a student anymore. He was a lightning bolt.
Jace had a ten-meter lead, but Min-ho’s pace was v \= d/t taken to a superhuman extreme. In the final fifty meters, the crowd went silent. Min-ho didn't just pass Jace; he blew past him so fast that Jace stumbled, tripping over his own feet and sliding face-first into the dirt.
The Victory
Min-ho didn't stop at the finish line. He ran straight to the stands, jumped the railing, and pulled Hana into a kiss that was broadcast on the giant stadium screen for everyone to see.
The "School Crush" and the "School Baddie" were no longer separate entities. They were the new royalty.
Jace lay in the dirt, ignored and defeated, while the school erupted in cheers. The "Ice Queen" was laughing—really laughing—and for the first time, she didn't care who saw it.
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