liked to think that he could be called a genius.

✧─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.✦ .* :★. ───✧

He simply liked knowing a lot of stuff about everything he finds interesting.

Hence, it wouldn't come as a surprise that he knows almost everything about a person he cares about, in this case, the subject has the name: Shin Aera.

From trivial but understandable knowledge such as her birthdate, height, weight, favorite color, and favorite food, etc.

To not so much understandable things such as exact measurements, exact skin tone, what makes her happy, and what makes her sad.

To understandably creepy knowledge such as mannerisms, a slight change of facial expressions, and eye movement.

Woo Ju-in simply couldn't help it.

He adored Aera, and he was, therefore, what the recent generation has been calling: a simp.

They had been best friends ever since he could remember, and she was one of his sanctuaries he turned to when things at home got a little too difficult.

He could still vividly remember the day they first met.

There was a new family that moved in beside his and Jiho's house and being the curious kid that he was and the fact that it was hard being inside his own home; he ventured out into their new next-door neighbor.

In his studies forced by his parents, he recognized the new family as the owner of the Shin Corporations, the largest trading company in Korea. He knew all about their history and how they came about; and he also knew that currently, the line of corporations only had one heir: Shin Aera.

Now, Ju-in wasn't a stranger to wealthy kids; in fact, his best friend was also the son of a wealthy family. He knew they could be very bratty and spoiled--as he witnessed in many parties he was forced to attend with Ji-ho, and very rarely will they be decent.

Ju-in squeezed through the little hole that connected both of their gardens together--the hole which he and Ji-ho created in order to escape from their suffocating lives, and very demanding parents. Here, in this empty lot, would they play to their hearts' content--that was until the Shins moved in.

As he crawled through the tiny gap, he saw a scene that surprised him.

He observed a silver-haired girl, who much like Ji-ho, had a nonchalant expression displayed on her face while looking at their garden's grass as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Hello." Ju-in started as he lifted himself up, giving an adorable wave to the 10-year old kid in front of him.

Aera simply gave a nod of acknowledgment and continued to look at the grass within their enormous garden.

"Aren't you going to ask how I got into your home?" Ju-in squatted beside the girl, looking interestingly as he waited for her to answer his question.

Wasn't she surprised that there was a stranger in their garden? Why was she so nonchalant?

Aera shook her head.

"Aren't you just the friends my mom forces me to play with for the company?" She answered with a soft voice.

Ju-in was taken aback. That one question from the girl seemed to tell Ju-in what her whole life was--a life much like his and Ji-ho's, a controlled life.

"You're parents force you to play with others?" Ju-in asked hesitantly.

There was a pregnant silence.

"Don't yours?" Aera looked back at him. Much like Ju-in, Aera had done her research. She knew the street they were moving into, and what kind of families lived there. She knew the Woos and the Euns, and the kind of companies they own. She knew their sole heirs and expected that they had as much burden as she had.

Ju-in simply nodded and vowed then on to include the girl into his circle of friends comprised of Jiho and him--the type of friends who would be each other's sanctuaries whenever they feel pain and hardships, as he knew that they were all on the same boat.

Years have passed and the friendship between the trio continued to grow. Aera would snap both Jiho and Ju-in back to reality every time they were too overwhelmed with situations forced by their families; and in return, Ju-in and Jiho would provide her with head pats and hugs every time her anxiety overflowed.

With years of being together, it has not come as a surprise when Ju-in realized that he adored Aera so much to the point that he took the (minimal) effort to memorize everything about the girl with the silver locks.

Therefore, it definitely came as a shock when his seemingly introverted and anxious friend cheerfully called out an unknown person.

He distinctly remembered who she was acquainted with because of the countless times he begged her to bring him as a date in one and too many parties hosted by their rich families.

There was the blue-haired boy she frequently worked with--one according to her had so many complaints about modeling; and his red-haired friend--which he only knew of because of her stories about his marvelous cooking.

There was also the twins that he remembered she was so fascinated about,

Then the archer guy who she danced with a couple of years back.

That's it.

There was no brown-haired Ham Dan-I on his list.

And for her to act like that, was suspicious.

She only ever acted that way to him and Jiho, and even so, only very rarely as she would only do it when she was happy.

So who was this person,

And why was Aera treating her that way?

Ju-in sighed, brushing the thoughts off for a second as he stared into the silver-haired girl in front of him.

He was happy that she had a friend, maybe she was too shy to tell them?

No that's not it, she was always blunt with people, no matter the weight of her words.

Ju-in stole a glance at the boy beside him;

Understandably, Jiho had the same expression as Ju-in does--failing hard at trying to be nonchalant.

"Ju-in." Jiho called, coldly.

Ju-in hummed, urging the boy to continue; with gazes still stuck at the two girls in front of them.

"Do you..." He knew what his friend was going to ask.

"No."

"Suspicious."

"Yeah."

Ju-in smiled;

✧─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.✦ .* :★. ───✧

Note: Aera from the novel world and Aera from dan-I's world are going to have subtle differences because they both had a different environment that they grew up in.

So if ever there are inconsistencies in her backstories; just know it would be because there are two different aeras in two worlds! :>