SOMEHOW, IT'S HIM.

THE WORLD THEY DID NOT BELONG TO.

(SAKURA MIYAZU HOTEL — JAPAN)

The glass walls of the hotel suite reflected Tokyo's night lights like a silent ocean.

Raymond Rees sat across from a stack of files.

Unbothered.

Unmoved.

Until—

"What?"

His voice dropped instantly.

Mr. Petra stood respectfully beside the table.

"Yes, sir. He personally got them admitted."

Raymond's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Without my approval?"

"Yes."

A pause.

Then—

"…who are they?"

Mr. Petra placed two photos on the table.

One girl.

Then another.

"After investigation… they're from the lower districts. No influence. No background."

Raymond picked up the photos slowly.

His gaze sharpened.

"So Darwin Shepherd is personally bending rules… for them?"

"Yes, sir. Especially the first girl."

Raymond studied the image of René a little longer than necessary.

"Interesting."

A faint smirk formed.

"Darwin… is getting emotional over strangers?"

Mr. Petra hesitated.

"I believe he's attached to her."

Raymond tilted his head slightly.

"Attached?"

"Yes. Based on his behavior at the concert."

Silence.

Then Raymond chuckled softly.

Not warm.

Not kind.

Just amused.

"So he found someone he likes… from a crowd?"

He leaned back.

"Not bad."

But his eyes stayed sharp.

Dangerously sharp.

*

(SHEPHERD VILLA — NIGHT)

The dinner table was quiet.

Too quiet.

Mrs. Shepherd finally broke the silence.

"Why did you do it?"

Darwin didn't look up.

"I wanted to."

"That's not an answer."

He dropped his fork gently.

"It is to me."

A pause.

Mrs. Shepherd sighed.

"Darwin… you should've told Raymond. He's going to be furious."

At that, Darwin finally looked up.

"Raymond is always furious."

Silence fell again.

Mrs. Shepherd softened her voice.

"I just don't want conflict between you two—"

"Mom."

His tone changed.

Sharpened.

"Stop."

She froze slightly.

Darwin pushed his chair back and stood.

"I'm done."

And he walked away.

No explanation.

No hesitation.

Only silence left behind.

*

(THE GHETTO — RENÉ & ANNA)

René stared into her cup, still trying to process everything.

"I still don't understand it…"

Anna leaned on the counter, smiling.

"What's there to understand?"

"Darwin Shepherd just… got me into an elite school."

Anna's eyes sparkled.

"Or maybe he liked your grand entrance."

René froze.

"…what?"

Anna laughed softly.

"You did fall on his stage in front of forty thousand people."

René immediately looked away.

"Stop it…"

But her cheeks were already warm.

Anna leaned closer.

"I think he noticed you."

That sentence hit differently.

René's heartbeat shifted.

"…noticed me?"

"Yes."

Anna shrugged.

"Some people don't take long to decide what they want."

René stared at her reflection in the glass.

Me?

She wasn't used to being "chosen."

Not like this.

Not from a world like his.

Outside, the bar buzzed with noise.

But inside her chest—

Something unfamiliar had started growing.

Hope.

And fear.

*

(SAKURA MIYAZU HOTEL — LATER THAT NIGHT)

Raymond signed the last document in silence.

The room was calm again.

Controlled.

Until—

BANG.

The door opened forcefully.

Jacinta walked in.

Confident.

Breathing fast.

Raymond didn't even look up.

"Leave," he said instantly.

"I followed you to Japan."

Silence.

His eyes slowly lifted.

"…why?"

"Because I can't stay away from you."

The air in the room tightened.

"You should have stayed away," Raymond replied coldly.

"This isn't a game, Jacinta."

Her voice cracked slightly.

"I don't care if it's a game or not. I need you."

A pause.

Raymond stood.

Slow.

Controlled.

"You don't need me."

He grabbed his coat.

"You want me."

That hit her.

Hard.

Tears formed instantly.

"I'm not leaving until you talk to me properly."

Raymond walked past her.

"Raymond!"

She turned sharply.

But he didn't stop.

Didn't look back.

The door closed behind him softly.

Too softly.

And Jacinta stood there—

Still.

Broken.

Realizing something terrifying.

She might never be enough for him.

*

(STARS HIGH SCHOOL — MORNING)

The gates of STARS HIGH loomed like something out of a different universe.

Glass. Marble. Silence that didn't belong to the streets René knew.

Luxury cars rolled in one after another.

Students stepped out laughing, perfectly dressed, perfectly relaxed—like the world had always belonged to them.

René and Anna stood still at the entrance.

Carrying backpacks.

Arriving by bus.

Wrong world.

Anna exhaled slowly. "I already feel poor standing here."

René adjusted her bag straps tighter.

"…same."

They walked in.

And immediately felt it.

Eyes.

Whispers.

Judgment without words.

*

(COURTYARD)

"DARWIN IS HERE!"

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

Like a switch had been flipped.

Students began running toward the entrance.

Phones raised.

Excitement exploding everywhere.

René and Anna were swept forward in the crowd before they could move away.

"Wait—!" Anna grabbed René's arm.

Too late.

A black car stopped at the center of the courtyard.

Silence fell for half a second.

Then—

The door opened.

Darwin Shepherd stepped out.

And everything exploded again.

"DARWIN!!!"

He smiled calmly, waving at students like this chaos was normal.

But then—

His eyes shifted.

And landed on her.

René froze.

For a second… the noise disappeared.

Only him.

Darwin smiled slightly wider.

René immediately looked away, heart suddenly too loud in her chest.

Anna leaned in.

"…he saw you."

"Stop talking," René whispered quickly.

But she was already blushing.

*

(COURTYARD — MOMENTS LATER)

Darwin walked through the crowd, greeting students.

Then he stopped in front of them.

"René, right?"

Her breath caught.

"…yes."

His smile softened.

"How's your first day?"

"It's… overwhelming."

Anna quickly jumped in.

"It's like walking inside a different planet."

Darwin chuckled.

"You'll get used to it."

Around them, whispers started forming.

"Why is he talking to them?"

"She's the concert girl…"

"He got her admitted, didn't he?"

"Without approval…"

The voices grew louder.

Darwin didn't seem to notice.

Or care.

A staff member approached.

"Mr. Shepherd, the chairwoman is waiting."

He nodded.

Then looked back at René.

"See you later."

And walked away.

Anna grabbed René's arm immediately.

"I told you."

"…told me what?"

"He likes you."

René pulled her arm away, but her face betrayed her.

"Stop it."

But her heart didn't listen.

*

(CLASSROOM — FIRST PERIOD)

The room went silent the moment they entered.

Every head turned.

Eyes scanned them like they didn't belong.

The teacher raised a brow.

"And you are?"

"I'm René. This is Anna."

Whispers spread instantly.

"Isn't she the concert girl?"

"How did she get into STARS?"

"So it's true…"

The teacher sighed.

"Sit down."

They hurried to empty seats.

Still being watched.

Still being talked about.

René lowered her head slightly.

First day.

And already… a story she didn't ask for.

*

(THE GHETTO — LATER)

"Ahhh!"

René collapsed onto her bed.

Granny Lily smiled from the doorway.

"How was school?"

"…stressful."

"That bad?"

"It's beautiful… too beautiful."

She stared at the ceiling.

"Everyone there feels like they were born inside wealth."

Granny Lily chuckled softly.

"You'll adapt."

René wasn't sure she wanted to.

*

(STARS HIGH — ADMIN OFFICE)

"Boss, I'm back."

Mr. Petra bowed slightly.

Raymond didn't look up.

"Report."

Silence.

Then—

"Confirmed. Darwin Shepherd is interested in the girl."

That made Raymond pause.

Slowly… he leaned back.

A faint smile formed.

Not warm.

Not friendly.

Dangerous.

"Oh?"

Mr. Petra continued carefully.

"He seems attached to her."

Raymond's eyes sharpened.

"Attached…"

He repeated the word like tasting it.

Then—

"Interesting."

A longer pause.

Then his smile deepened.

"Keep watching her."

"Yes, boss."

Mr. Petra left.

The door closed.

Silence filled the room.

Raymond stood and walked toward the glass window overlooking the city.

"Darwin… and René…"

A quiet laugh escaped him.

Cold.

Controlled.

Almost amused.

"If he cares about her…"

His eyes darkened slightly.

"…then she becomes useful."

A pause.

Then the real thought surfaced.

Slow.

Sharp.

Final.

"Maybe I don't need to fight Darwin directly…"

He smiled.

"…when I can use what he likes instead."