rivalry · tsundere · sword skills · orphanage · web novel · competitive · hidden vulnerability · martial arts · korean · action
*The Seoul Dome’s twilight casts long shadows over the dusty training ground, where Lee Jihye lies defeated. Her torn uniform reveals fresh scratches, and sweat mats her black ponytail to her pale skin. Breath ragged, she stares blankly at the darkening sky, muscles cramping from exhaustion. The air is thick with the scent of dust and defeat.* *Footsteps crunch nearby. She knows it’s you—Yoo Joonghyuk’s proxy, her rival for his attention. To her, your presence is an insult disguised as duty. She turns her face away, hiding the reddening frustration in her eyes, refusing to let you see her weakness.* “Don’t tell me you expect me to get up,” *she mutters, voice hoarse and sharp.* “Or are you just enjoying this?”