The contract should've made things easier.
But it didn't.
It made everything heavier.
By the next morning, the school wasn't buzzing—it was boiling. Word spread like wildfire: Ha-Rin and Jin Seo-Won had officially signed a full-term Drop agreement. No replacement allowed. No expiration. No negotiation.
"She's locked in."
"Is that even legal?"
"It's him. Of course it's legal."
"His family's going to kill him."
That last whisper echoed longer than the rest.
Because everyone knew one thing:
The Jin Group didn't share.
—
Ha-Rin stood in front of the student board again, scanning the names.
There it was. Official. In gold script.
Permanent Contract – Drop: Kang Ha-Rin
Primary Holder: Jin Seo-Won
Term: Until Graduation
Status: Exclusive
She ran her finger over the lettering.
A symbol of everything she'd gained.
And everything she could still lose.
She felt a presence behind her before he spoke.
"I warned you."
Tae-Hwan's voice was quiet. Not cruel. But not kind either.
She turned slowly.
"You said he ruins the things he cares about," she said. "But maybe... he's trying not to this time."
"Maybe." He stepped beside her. "But you've tied yourself to a family that eats its own."
She flinched. "You've said that before."
"I say it because it's true."
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then placed a small folded envelope in her hand.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Just... read it."
He turned and walked away without another word.
—
She opened it that night.
Inside was an old photo.
Seo-Won. Younger. Maybe fifteen. Standing outside a glass skyscraper. His arm around a girl—elegant, with long dark hair. She was smiling. He wasn't.
On the back, a name:
"Jin Min-Ah."
And one sentence written in neat script:
"The last girl they erased."
—
Ha-Rin didn't sleep.
She couldn't.
By morning, she already knew what she had to do.
She had to ask him.
—
She found him in the music room.
Alone.
Playing piano.
A soft, slow tune that didn't fit him at all.
She stood in the doorway until he noticed.
"You're early," he said without turning.
"I couldn't sleep."
He stopped playing. "He gave you something, didn't he?"
"The letter. The photo. Tae-Hwan gave it to me."
His fingers hovered above the keys.
"She was your sister."
He didn't answer.
"You loved her."
"She was my cousin. My best friend. The only person who understood me."
"What happened?"
His shoulders tensed.
"She fell in love."
Ha-Rin's breath caught. "With who?"
"With the son of a rival company."
"And your family—"
"Buried it."
Silence.
"They sent her abroad for 'education,'" he said bitterly. "Her name was erased from the family registry. She's not allowed to return. Not even for holidays."
Ha-Rin stepped forward slowly.
"And you think they'll do that to you too?"
He looked at her.
Eyes sharp. But the crack was showing.
"They can't erase me. I'm the heir."
"But they can erase me."
"Yes."
She sank into the chair beside him.
"You should've told me."
"I wanted to protect you."
"You keep saying that. But I'm not glass."
He turned to her.
"You're everything fragile and powerful. You're glass made of fire."
Her throat tightened.
"Are they coming?" she asked.
He nodded once. "My father called this morning. He's sending someone to meet you."
"What?"
"This afternoon. 4 PM. At the academy lounge."
Her blood ran cold. "Why?"
"To vet you."
"You mean threaten me."
He didn't deny it.
—
4 PM came fast.
Too fast.
The academy lounge had been polished like a palace. Crystal glasses. Tea brewed in imported china. A leather couch that looked too expensive to sit on.
Ha-Rin stood in the middle, heart pounding.
And then the door opened.
A woman walked in. Mid-40s. Impeccably dressed in a navy power suit. Cold eyes. No smile.
"I'm Director Bae," she said. "Special representative of Jin Group Family Affairs."
Ha-Rin bowed.
The woman didn't return it.
"I'll be brief," Director Bae said, taking a seat and pulling a thin tablet from her bag. "You've signed a full-term contract with Jin Seo-Won."
"Yes."
"Do you understand the implications?"
"Yes."
"You've been seen in photos with him. In intimate positions."
"I didn't ask for them to be taken."
"You didn't stop them either."
Ha-Rin bit her tongue.
"This contract makes you a reflection of the Jin Group," Director Bae continued. "Your past, your actions, your family... all now subject to scrutiny."
"I understand."
"Then tell me." Her eyes narrowed. "Why should we keep you in this position?"
Ha-Rin stared.
Because I love him.
Because he needs me.
Because I won't let you take him.
Instead, she said calmly, "Because I make him human."
Director Bae froze.
"I'm not from your world," Ha-Rin continued. "I don't have a billion-won trust fund or a corporate bloodline. But I have him. And when he's with me, he remembers who he is. Not the heir. Not the weapon. Just Seo-Won."
The woman's lips tightened.
"You're bold."
"I'm right."
A long pause.
Then Director Bae stood.
Without another word, she walked to the door—
Paused—
And said, "Your gloves don't match the uniform. Choose navy next time."
Then she was gone.
—
Seo-Won found her on the rooftop two hours later.
She was sitting in the corner, knees to her chest, shaking.
"You met her," he said quietly.
"I passed."
"You sure?"
"I think so."
He sat beside her.
Pulled her into his arms without asking.
She leaned into him. Let him hold her.
"Tell me it's worth it," she whispered. "All this pain. All this pressure."
He pressed his lips to her temple.
"It's worth it," he said. "If it ends with us."
Her breath caught.
And for a long moment, they didn't speak.
Didn't need to.
Because no matter what war was coming...
They had chosen the battlefield.
Together.
—
End of Chapter 11.
Author's Note:
This chapter changed everything.
The contract wasn't just a signature—it was a declaration.
But every declaration invites enemies.
We finally learn about Jin Min-Ah.
Not a rival. Not a former Drop.
But family.
The one person Seo-Won couldn't protect.
The reason he's so afraid of losing Ha-Rin now.
This chapter hurt to write.
Because it's not just about love anymore.
It's about legacy. And what it costs to stand beside someone powerful.
Let me know:
Could you face a family like his... for someone like him?
See you in Chapter 12. We're just getting started 🔥
— AKByeol
© 2025 AKByeol. All rights reserved.
This story is a work of fiction. No part may be copied, reproduced, reposted, translated, or distributed without permission.