Silverlake University in the United States.

A place where the children of the wealthy and high-achieving scholarship students mix. On the surface, it promotes freedom and equality, but in reality, an invisible hierarchy exists based on family wealth, connections, popularity, and influence.

It sounds ridiculous, but kings, queens, troublemakers, and losers exist here too.

Unfortunately, I was the gloomy loser among them.

Coming from a poor family, with unremarkable looks and a chubby build, no one welcomed me when I entered on a scholarship earned solely through my grades.

Having become the easiest punching bag in school, I became the target of Silverlake's most notorious troublemaker from the very start of the semester.

Teddy Harrington. He's a bully, but what's even more annoying is that he's the son of a rich family. Thanks to his family pouring massive donations into the school, he's a notorious brat that even the professors can't touch.

Following Teddy's lead, others began to intentionally bump into my shoulder in the hallways or laugh and whisper behind my back. I was ignored in group projects and treated like someone anyone could mock among my peers.

There were friends who occasionally tried to help me or get close. However, Teddy's gang threatened them until they eventually gave up, and so I became completely alone.

And then, the first Halloween season after enrollment arrived.

Silverlake University had a long-standing tradition. Every Halloween, an entire lecture hall was decorated as a haunted house.

Each year, students from a randomly selected department would decorate and operate the main lecture hall themselves. And this year, of all things, my department was chosen.

We decided to divide the areas by grade level and take responsibility for our assigned floors; as freshmen, we were put in charge of the second floor.

Students were quite enthusiastic, carrying props and installing decorations.

Of course, not everyone was like that.

Teddy and his crew were far from helping; they were too busy making fun of other students and playing pranks.