# REALITY QUEST — THE NEW STUDENT
### Location: Classroom | First Day | Sung Ilhwan's Arrival

The classroom was alive with its usual noise.

Conversations overlapped from one side of the room to the other. A few students were laughing near the back, some were leaning over their desks to talk with their friends, and others were busy with their phones, barely paying attention to anything happening around them.

Among the students were several familiar faces—people who were accustomed to standing out, people who had their own reputations, and people who were rarely unaware of what happened around them.

Dowan Ha sat among the students, looking relatively relaxed. Nearby, Jihan Yoo was occupied with his own thoughts, while several other familiar faces continued their conversations. Siyeon glanced down at her desk, occasionally listening to the chatter around her. Arin Ju and the others were similarly caught up in the ordinary atmosphere of the classroom.

A few seats away, Sehun Kang was talking with another student, while Sehee Shin and Minhye Choi were paying attention to the conversation taking place nearby. Yena Kim had settled into her seat, and Eunseong Han remained relatively quiet.

Nobody had a particular reason to expect anything unusual.

Then—

The classroom door opened.

The sound was ordinary enough, but the movement near the entrance caught the attention of the students sitting closest to it.

Sung Ilhwan had arrived.

He was the unfamiliar face in a classroom full of people who already knew one another, and his appearance gradually drew attention from different corners of the room.

At first, only a handful of students noticed.

Then more eyes began turning toward the entrance.

The conversations didn't stop all at once. Instead, they became interrupted in little ways: someone paused while speaking, another student turned around in their seat, and someone else quietly nudged their friend to look.

"Who's that?"

"Is he new?"

"I've never seen him here before."

A student near the front briefly looked Ilhwan over before returning their attention to their desk. Another leaned sideways to get a better view, only to find that their friend was already watching the newcomer.

Within seconds, several students had become curious.

But the most noticeable reactions came from the people who were accustomed to observing everyone else.

---

### DOWAN HA

Dowan's attention shifted toward the entrance when he noticed the sudden change in the room's atmosphere.

He had been sitting quietly, only half-listening to the surrounding conversations, but the whispers were enough to make him look up.

His gaze settled on Ilhwan.

For a moment, Dowan simply observed him without saying anything.

He didn't immediately assume that the newcomer was dangerous, important, or connected to anyone in the classroom. He had learned that appearances alone rarely told the whole story.

Still, he couldn't help noticing how many people had turned to look.

Everyone's curious about the new guy.

Dowan leaned back slightly in his chair, continuing to watch from a distance.

He wasn't interested enough to approach Ilhwan immediately, but he was curious about what kind of person would be joining their class.

When another student beside him whispered a question about the newcomer, Dowan gave a small shrug.

"Probably a transfer student."

His attention eventually moved away for a moment, but he remained aware of Ilhwan's presence.

---

### JIHAN YOO

Jihan noticed the commotion a little later.

Initially, he paid little attention to the whispers. Students were always finding something new to discuss, and a new face wasn't particularly unusual.

However, when he noticed several people looking toward the same entrance, he turned his head.

His expression remained neutral.

He observed Ilhwan quietly, taking in the unfamiliar face without making any obvious effort to hide his curiosity.

Unlike some of the other students, Jihan didn't immediately join the gossip.

Instead, he watched the reactions of the people around him.

Some seemed merely curious. Others appeared to be examining Ilhwan more carefully, as though they were already trying to decide what sort of person he might be.

Jihan found that more interesting than the arrival itself.

They haven't even spoken to him, and they're already trying to figure him out.

He rested an arm on his desk and returned his gaze to Ilhwan briefly.

For now, he had no reason to form an opinion.

He would wait and see.

---

### SIYEON

Siyeon noticed that the classroom had become slightly quieter.

She lifted her gaze from her desk and followed the attention of the students around her.

Her eyes landed on Ilhwan.

She watched him for a few seconds, her expression composed. She was curious about the unfamiliar student, but she didn't feel the need to announce that curiosity to everyone nearby.

When a student beside her leaned over to whisper, she listened briefly before looking back toward the entrance.

"He's probably new," the other student murmured.

Siyeon offered a small nod.

She didn't continue the conversation, choosing instead to observe the classroom's reaction.

Some students were being discreet. Others weren't even trying to hide their interest.

Siyeon found herself wondering how long the attention would last.

Once the teacher began the lesson, most people would probably return to their usual routines.

For now, however, Ilhwan had become the center of a small, unspoken commotion.

---

### ARIN JU

Arin turned toward the entrance after noticing the students around her beginning to whisper.

She looked at Ilhwan, then briefly glanced at the people watching him.

Her reaction was one of curiosity rather than immediate judgment.

A new student meant a new personality entering a classroom where everyone already had their own habits, friendships, and opinions.

Arin wondered whether Ilhwan would be quiet, outgoing, troublesome, or simply uninterested in the attention he was receiving.

She didn't know.

And because she didn't know, she refrained from jumping to conclusions.

She leaned slightly toward the person sitting beside her.

"Do you know who he is?"

The answer was a shake of the head.

Arin looked back toward Ilhwan.

"Thought so."

She settled into her seat again, although her attention occasionally returned to the newcomer.

---

### SEHUN KANG

Sehun's conversation came to an abrupt pause when he realized that the person he was speaking with had stopped listening.

He followed the other student's gaze.

Ilhwan stood near the entrance, unfamiliar to the people in the room.

Sehun studied him for a moment.

He wasn't particularly impressed by the fact that someone new had arrived. Students transferred between schools and classes all the time.

But he did notice how quickly the whispers had spread.

He folded his arms and leaned back.

"What's everyone staring at?"

His classmate gave him a look.

"He's new."

"So?"

Sehun shrugged as though that explained everything.

Despite his dismissive response, he gave Ilhwan another glance before returning to his conversation.

He wasn't going to make an effort to approach someone simply because the rest of the classroom was curious.

If the newcomer turned out to be interesting, he would find out eventually.

Until then, he had better things to do.

---

### SEHEE SHIN

Sehee had noticed the whispers almost immediately.

Rather than turning around at once, she listened to the conversation taking place nearby.

"New student."

"Apparently."

"Wonder where he transferred from."

The questions continued for a few seconds before Sehee finally glanced toward the entrance.

She observed Ilhwan, then looked at the students reacting to him.

A few were openly staring. Others were pretending to focus on their desks while repeatedly glancing up.

Sehee found their behavior mildly amusing.

The newcomer hadn't done anything, yet everyone seemed determined to make their own assumptions.

She rested her chin against her hand.

People really do get curious over anything.

Nevertheless, she continued observing for another moment before returning her attention to the classroom.

She wasn't going to be the first person to start a conversation merely because everyone else was interested.

---

### MINHYE CHOI

Minhye noticed Ilhwan when a student in the row ahead turned around to get a better look.

She followed the movement with her eyes and discovered the reason for the distraction.

A new face.

Minhye looked toward the entrance, her curiosity apparent in the way she briefly studied him.

She didn't whisper anything immediately. Instead, she watched as the other students tried to work out who he was.

Eventually, she leaned toward a nearby classmate.

"Have you heard anything about a transfer student?"

"No."

"Neither have I."

Minhye glanced toward Ilhwan again.

That was all the information she had, and she wasn't going to pretend otherwise.

She sat back, allowing her attention to drift toward the conversation around her.

Even so, the arrival remained interesting enough that she occasionally looked up to see what happened next.

---

### YENA KIM

Yena noticed the newcomer when a few students near the entrance began talking in hushed voices.

She turned to look.

Her eyes settled on Ilhwan, and she briefly examined his appearance before looking around the room.

The reactions were mixed.

Some students were fascinated. Others barely cared. A few seemed determined to keep watching until they learned something about him.

Yena tilted her head slightly.

So that's the new student.

She didn't have a reason to approach him, nor did she know enough to decide whether she liked him.

For the moment, she was content to observe.

When a friend whispered another speculative comment, Yena listened without adding much of her own.

After all, there wasn't much to say about someone whose name most of the classroom didn't even know yet.

---

### EUNSEONG HAN

Eunseong had been quiet before Ilhwan arrived, and the newcomer didn't immediately change that.

He lifted his eyes when the classroom's attention shifted.

His gaze briefly settled on Ilhwan before moving toward the students whispering nearby.

Eunseong was more interested in observing the situation than participating in it.

He noticed who was staring openly, who was trying to appear indifferent, and who had already returned to their usual activities.

He didn't say anything.

After a moment, he looked back down at his desk.

The arrival of a new student was something he could acknowledge without making it the most important event of the day.

Still, he retained a passing awareness of the unfamiliar presence at the entrance.

---

# THE BULLY COUNCIL'S REACTION

The reactions from the rest of the classroom were relatively ordinary.

The Bully Council, however, had its own reasons for paying attention to unfamiliar people.

Their members were accustomed to reputations, hierarchies, and the unspoken rules that governed how students interacted with one another.

They didn't necessarily react like ordinary classmates.

When Sung Ilhwan entered, the council-connected students began noticing the same thing as everyone else—but their observations were more deliberate.

They didn't know who he was.

They hadn't heard his story.

And they had no reliable reason to assume anything about him.

That uncertainty itself was enough to draw their attention.

---

### MINYUL CHEON

Minyul noticed the change in the classroom without immediately turning toward the entrance.

He had been occupied with his own thoughts, but the murmurs around him gradually became difficult to ignore.

He lifted his gaze.

His eyes settled on Ilhwan.

Unlike the students who were whispering excitedly, Minyul didn't seem particularly surprised.

He observed the newcomer with a calm, measured expression.

An unfamiliar face.

That was the only conclusion he could reasonably reach.

He didn't immediately signal to anyone, nor did he make a point of attracting attention to himself.

Instead, he quietly watched the classroom's response.

He noticed that some students seemed more interested than others, and he took note of the fact that the newcomer had already become a subject of conversation without saying a word.

Minyul eventually leaned back in his chair.

He wasn't going to make a decision about Ilhwan based on a first impression alone.

But he wasn't going to ignore an unfamiliar person simply because everyone else might eventually lose interest, either.

For the moment, he continued observing.

---

### SEONJAE CHOI

Seonjae noticed Ilhwan almost immediately.

His attention shifted toward the entrance, and he studied the newcomer with a sharper expression than most of his classmates.

He didn't join the whispers.

He didn't ask anyone for information.

He simply watched.

The students around him continued talking, but Seonjae appeared less interested in their speculation than in the person who had caused it.

He observed Ilhwan for several seconds, then briefly glanced toward the others.

Everyone's making assumptions already.

He found that unsurprising.

Students often decided what they thought about someone long before they had any real reason to do so.

Seonjae wasn't interested in following the crowd's judgment.

If Ilhwan was merely an ordinary transfer student, that would become clear in time.

If there was something more to him, that would become clear as well.

Until then, Seonjae kept his thoughts to himself.

---

### CHEONGWUL KIM

Cheongwul noticed that the classroom's attention had shifted before he even looked toward the entrance.

He glanced up, saw Ilhwan, and remained quiet.

He wasn't the sort of person who needed to comment on every unfamiliar face that appeared in his surroundings.

Instead, he observed the situation as a whole.

A handful of students were whispering. A few others were watching from their seats. Most of the classroom seemed to be waiting for something to happen, even though nothing had happened yet.

Cheongwul found that behavior worth noting.

He looked back at Ilhwan.

There was no obvious reason to suspect the newcomer of anything, but there was equally little reason to make assumptions about him.

He rested his hand against his desk and allowed the moment to pass without comment.

Still, he remained aware of the newcomer while the surrounding conversations continued.

---

### SEONGHYEON JI

Seonghyeon was among the students who preferred to watch before speaking.

When Ilhwan arrived, he noticed the slight interruption in the room's routine.

He turned his attention toward the entrance and observed the unfamiliar student.

His expression remained difficult to read.

Unlike some of the other students, he didn't appear particularly eager to discover Ilhwan's background immediately.

He simply took note of the fact that someone new had entered their environment.

After a brief glance around the room, he noticed that the attention was not evenly distributed.

Some people were genuinely curious.

Others were merely following the reactions of their friends.

And a few seemed to be observing Ilhwan because they didn't want to be the only ones who hadn't noticed him.

Seonghyeon quietly returned his gaze to the newcomer.

He would wait until there was something worth paying attention to.

Until then, there was no reason to turn a simple arrival into an event.

---

### CHEOL GONG

Cheol noticed the new student while looking across the classroom.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, not out of immediate hostility but out of curiosity.

He didn't recognize Ilhwan.

That was enough to make him look twice.

A few students nearby were discussing the newcomer's arrival, but Cheol didn't bother asking them what they knew.

Judging by their conversation, they didn't know much more than he did.

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"Transfer student, huh?"

The person sitting beside him nodded.

Cheol looked toward Ilhwan again.

He wasn't about to decide what he thought of the newcomer without knowing anything about him.

Nevertheless, he made a mental note of the unfamiliar face before turning his attention back to the classroom.

---

### WOOJU SHIN

Wooju's attention was drawn toward the entrance by the whispers spreading across the room.

He looked up and noticed Ilhwan.

His expression changed only slightly.

He wasn't particularly concerned about the newcomer, but he was curious enough to watch for a moment.

He observed the other students' reactions, noticing how quickly a few people had begun discussing Ilhwan despite having no information about him.

Wooju gave a quiet, almost amused exhale.

They don't even know his name yet.

He returned his attention to his own desk.

However, when the classroom became noisy again, he glanced toward the entrance once more.

He wasn't trying to make contact.

He was simply keeping track of what was happening around him.

---

### MUN SEONG

Mun Seong noticed the newcomer after a student near the back of the classroom turned around.

He followed the student's gaze and found Ilhwan standing near the entrance.

For a moment, Mun Seong observed him in silence.

He wasn't particularly interested in the gossip, but he was aware of the attention the newcomer had attracted.

Some students were whispering.

Others were watching openly.

A few had already lost interest.

Mun Seong's expression remained neutral.

He had no information about Ilhwan's background, and he wasn't going to invent a story merely to satisfy his curiosity.

He shifted in his seat, looked toward the front of the classroom, and waited for the teacher to arrive.

Even so, he retained a passing awareness of Ilhwan's presence.

---

# THE CLASSROOM AS A WHOLE

By now, Sung Ilhwan had attracted the attention of a surprising number of people.

Dowan Ha had noticed him but remained cautious about forming an opinion.

Jihan Yoo had paid more attention to the reactions of the class than to the gossip itself.

Siyeon and Arin Ju were curious about the unfamiliar student, while Sehun Kang had shown only passing interest.

Sehee Shin, Minhye Choi, and Yena Kim had each observed him quietly.

Eunseong Han had acknowledged his arrival without making a fuss.

The Bully Council members had also taken note of the newcomer, each keeping their own thoughts to themselves.

Minyul Cheon remained composed.

Seonjae Choi watched with a more assessing expression.

Cheongwul Kim and Seonghyeon Ji preferred to observe without making assumptions.

Cheol Gong, Wooju Shin, and Mun Seong had noticed Ilhwan, but none of them had any concrete information about him.

Around them, the rest of the class slowly began returning to its ordinary routine.

The whispers became quieter.

A few students turned back toward their desks.

Someone laughed at a joke from the other side of the room, and another student began tapping a pen against a notebook.

Yet Ilhwan's arrival hadn't gone entirely unnoticed.

Several students still glanced toward him from time to time, while others exchanged quiet looks whenever his name—or the question of who he was—came up.

The council members remained among those who had noticed him, but none had approached him.

There was no confrontation.

No immediate challenge.

No sudden declaration of interest.

Only a room full of people, each forming their own first impression of a student they had never met before.

And none of them yet knew what Sung Ilhwan would be like.

For now, he was simply the new student.