Enemies to Lovers

Three days had passed since Da-Eun's encounter with the handsome student. His presence had left an indelible mark, and every now and then, his memory would resurface, capturing her thoughts. Despite extending her stay at the hotel for an additional two days, she hadn't crossed paths with him again.

"Da-Eun!" Min-ji called out, her intention to break through Da-Eun's reverie. Da-Eun, engrossed in her book, had mentally drifted elsewhere.

"We're in the library. No need to shout, Min-ji," Da-Eun muttered, swiftly reaching for another book from her tote bag. A sudden realization struck her—she needed to memorize essential details from chapter ten of her anatomy book.

As Min-ji's gaze darted around the library, her hair dancing in the stillness, she took quick measures to ensure that the stern old librarian wasn't within earshot. She turned her attention back to Da-Eun and playfully chided, "It's your fault, you know. Your mind was wandering somewhere else."

Min-ji settled into the chair beside Da-Eun, both of them engrossed in their respective studies. Words were unnecessary as they immersed themselves in the world of textbooks and notes. For two hours, they remained in the library, focused on their tasks, until it was time to move on to their next class.

Suddenly, a commotion swept through the hallway as some students bolted in the opposite direction. It became evident that a celebrity student had just emerged from a nearby room. Min-ji watched in bewilderment at the fervor with which her peers reacted.

"I'm not entirely sure if I'm too old-fashioned, but I rarely recognize the young celebrities around here. My TV time has dwindled since I dove into studying medicine," Min-ji remarked as they strolled toward their next class.

Min-ji's sentiment resonated with Da-Eun. She nodded in agreement, her thoughts aligning with her friend's perspective. "I'm in the same boat. We're so consumed by our studies that we're practically clueless about the entertainment industry. The only celebrities I can identify are the ones who model for my mom's company," she mused, reminiscing about the striking actresses who often graced her mother's cosmetic line, Lunaria Cosmetics. "They even bring me souvenirs and chocolates, so I'll always remember their faces."

"Oh! So, Song Hye-ki* herself gave you souvenirs? You're incredibly lucky!" Min-ji exclaimed, fully aware of the immense fame and stature that Lunaria Cosmetics had attained. Their inaugural model had been the renowned SHK, who had graced the company's advertisements for nearly seven years. It was evident that Song Hye-ki and Da-Eun's mother shared a close relationship, enough for her to bring back souvenirs.

Lunaria Cosmetics has now reached its milestone of a decade in the industry. Over the past three years, they had refrained from signing a long-term model, patiently awaiting the debut of the next generation of rising idols. Finally, after this hiatus, they secured the services of a new long-term brand ambassador, a member of a rising K-pop girl group.

"Mom has introduced new products targeting the youth market, so she needed a fresh face. I believe the model's name is Kim Ji-a," Da-Eun shared, retrieving her phone to provide Min-ji with more details.

"Oh, she's from that recently famous girl group, right? Didn't they debut just a year ago, and yet she's already become the face of a major cosmetics company?" Min-ji inquired with genuine curiosity. Typically, only the most renowned girl groups secure such significant deals, but Kim Ji-a's group hadn't yet achieved international fame.

"My mom has great foresight for these things. She believes that with Ji-a's looks and talent, her popularity will skyrocket and it'll benefit her company." Da-Eun affirmed. Her mother possessed a keen eye for opportunities and a knack for spotting potential that was often ignored by other cosmetic companies.

As the two friends continued their conversation en route to class, a group of female students had gathered outside the classroom they were headed to. They were all trying to take a glimpse of someone.

"I don't recall having a celebrity classmate," Min-ji mused as she gracefully made her way toward the classroom entrance.

Da-Eun, equally puzzled, followed Min-ji nonchalantly, selecting a seat in the middle row. The last row was their least favorite, mainly because the professor in this particular class possessed a voice that barely reached the back.

As Da-Eun scanned the room, her attention honed in on the source of the commotion, and there he was—the handsome student who had been lingering in her thoughts for the past few days.

"Huh? Since when did he become our classmate? Is he a celebrity? The girls outside are going wild," Da-Eun couldn't resist asking the student seated next to Min-ji. Da-Eun is somewhat of an extrovert and randomly talks to people.

This classmate of hers was puzzled by the sudden interaction. Da-Eun was someone who was popular herself due to her family background, grades, and that pretty face of hers. His face flushed for a moment.

"He doesn't engage much with the girls, but some guys who managed to get a word out of him mentioned he missed the past few classes due to a hospital stay. And no, he's not a celebrity. He's just an ordinary guy, albeit exceptionally good-looking," the classmate explained matter-of-factly.

Da-Eun and Min-ji couldn't help but snort at the last remark. Truth be told, his looks could rival those of idols and actors. He's the type of handsome that you could only encounter once a year.

With one last glance, Da-Eun settled into her seat comfortably, content with the little nugget of information she had managed to glean about her newfound crush.

Due to the new guy's indifferent demeanor, approximately 90% of the female students in the class eagerly awaited the professor's introduction to finally learn his name.

"We have a new student with us today. He was discharged from the hospital just a few days ago, and though he was advised to rest longer, he insisted on returning to school. Please extend a warm welcome to Gong Do-yun and offer any assistance he may need with notes," The professor finally shared the information that had piqued the girls' curiosity.

Some swiftly retrieved their phones, eager to search for him online, while others discreetly jotted his name in the corners of their notebooks, intending to investigate him later.

Da-Eun, on the other hand, committed his name to memory, while Min-ji took the initiative to search for him using her laptop.

Min-ji's eyebrows arched, a subtle surprise lighting up her features. She leaned in closer to Da-Eun and whispered, "Interesting. He's the son of the chairman of Beyond the Beauty. That company happens to be one of your mother's rivals, right?"

Da-Eun was equally taken aback. She hadn't paid much attention to their family business's rivals or related matters, but the coincidence of becoming classmates with a figure from one of their business competitors struck her as rather amusing.

"Hehe, enemies to lovers, perhaps?" Min-ji teased.

Da-Eun couldn't help but smile at Min-ji's playful remark.

-----

*Song Hye-ki - is a parody name for Song Hye-kyo, a famous actress in South Korea.