I Heard You Only See Me as a Friend - Chapter 1

The black luxury car glided smoothly along the road toward Ning City First High School. Ji Wan sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window with a cold expression as he listened to his stepmother give instructions to his younger stepbrother in the back.

“Good luck on your exams. If you rank in the top five hundred for your grade this time, Mom will cook your favorite dishes when you get back.” The beautiful woman held the hand of the teenage boy beside her, patting the back of his hand with a gentle smile. “I’ll also ask your father to take you abroad for a vacation when he’s free.”

“What kind of reward is that? It’s no different from usual,” Ji Ke frowned with dissatisfaction, hugging his mother’s arm and acting spoiled. “A brand I like just released a new line of formal wear, and they’re gorgeous. Mom, I want those!”

The woman indulged him immediately. “Alright, we’ll buy them as long as you make it into the top five hundred.”

Hearing this, the driver couldn’t help but steal a glance at Ji Ke through the rearview mirror.

The Omega, pampered since childhood, had delicate skin and wore high-end designer labels; any single item he wore was worth more than the driver’s monthly salary. Ji Ke wasn’t surprised that his demands were met; after a quick cheer, he went back to playing on his phone.

The driver then peeked at Ji Wan in the passenger seat.

Unlike his designer-clad Omega brother, the Beta sat in a simple white T-shirt. To an outsider, it would be impossible to tell they were brothers based on their attire alone.

Furthermore, unlike Ji Ke—for whom reaching the top five hundred was considered a massive improvement—Ji Wan had always been ranked first in his grade. Yet, his excellence never seemed to earn him any rewards.

But this was considered “normal.” Omegas were meant to be cherished, while Ji Wan was merely a Beta. Even as brothers, they could not be compared—besides, what was the use of being first?

He was neither an Alpha nor an Omega. In the world of ABO, gender determined everything, and Betas were destined for mediocrity.

As the driver’s gaze swept past the rearview mirror, he paused when he saw Ji Wan’s excessively exquisite features. It was a pity for such a stunningly beautiful face to belong to a Beta, he thought silently.

In the backseat, the woman continued her careful instructions to Ji Ke.

“Our Keke is so beautiful and your pheromones smell so lovely. If any Alpha harasses you, call home immediately, alright? Your father and I will send people to handle it. Don’t be afraid.”

Seeing that they were nearly at their destination and the conversation remained entirely focused on Ji Ke, the driver couldn’t resist speaking up. “The Eldest Young Master is also very likely to be targeted by people with ill intentions. It’s better for him to be careful as well.”

The woman’s tone turned impatient. “What nonsense are you talking about? What could possibly happen to a Beta?”

…How could nothing happen?

The driver glanced at Ji Wan out of the corner of his eye. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled spots across the boy’s face. The glowing light blurred at the edges, looking as if God were using the sun to kiss his cheek.

Ji Ke was considered a good-looking Omega, but in front of Ji Wan, he paled in comparison. This was a beauty that could incite crime. Because a Beta could not be marked, from a certain perspective, it might even attract a greater number of villains.

Perhaps sensing the gaze, Ji Wan looked over and gave the driver a slight shake of his head.

The stepmother looked at Ji Wan, adjusting her expression to a gentler tone. “A Beta can’t be marked, and Alphas have no interest in Betas without pheromones. Ji Wan, if you really run into trouble, you should first reflect on whether you did something wrong yourself. Do you understand?”

It was a complete reversal of right and wrong, but Ji Wan had heard it so often over the years that he didn’t even bother to argue. As the car pulled up to the school, he thanked the driver, unbuckled his seatbelt, and stepped out.

The exam they were taking today was a placement test. Ji Wan and Ji Ke were transfer students who had just arrived; the school happened to be holding its monthly exams, so the administration had them participate to determine which classes they would be assigned to.

Ji Wan showed his credentials to the guard and entered the campus. Behind him, he heard his brother scurrying to catch up.

“Why are you walking so fast? Are you trying to leave me behind on purpose?” Ji Ke complained as he jogged to Ji Wan’s side.

Ji Wan said nothing. Ji Ke surveyed the surrounding buildings and students, a shy blush creeping onto his face as if he were thinking of something. Usually, Ji Ke hated talking to Ji Wan, but as the only familiar person in a new school, he had no choice but to vent his desire to talk to him.

“I wonder if I’ll run into him today. I heard he hasn’t had an Omega he likes yet.”

Ji Wan asked, “…Who?”

“Didn’t Mom tell you? The Feng family’s only Alpha son is in this school.” Ji Ke paused, then answered his own question. “Oh, probably because you’re a Beta, so she didn’t mention it.”

The Feng family was one of the top elite families in the country. While the Ji family was wealthy compared to average people, they were nothing compared to the Fengs.

Ji Wan thought to himself that his mother likely didn’t tell him not just because he was a Beta, but because she habitually withheld any good news from him.

“A top-tier Alpha like him… his pheromones alone could make someone’s legs go weak. It’s impossible with a Beta,” Ji Ke stretched. “I heard he’s always ranked first in the grade, but he has a terrible temper and is a very good fighter. You might have been first before, but you definitely won’t beat him.”

Ji Wan acted as if he hadn’t heard. He didn’t continue the topic, instead looking toward a nearby classroom. “I’ve reached my exam hall,” he said calmly.

Ji Wan sat in the hall, writing his exam at a steady pace. The paper was quite difficult. When he turned his paper in early, many students looked up at him in shock.

Accustomed to such gazes, Ji Wan left the room unbothered and headed for the restroom. Since it was still early, he figured no one else would be there and he could have the place to himself…

That thought hadn’t even finished forming when he rounded a corner and collided forcefully with another person.

“Sorry.” Ji Wan rubbed his forehead and stepped back, looking up at the boy he had run into.

The boy was tall with long legs and possessed a rare, striking handsomeness. However, there was a sharp, aggressive aura between his brows that made his good looks feel oppressive rather than inviting. Even the school uniform jacket failed to make him look like a “good student.”

Why is someone else out at this time? Did he finish his exam early too?

Ji Wan and the boy locked eyes, seeing the same confusion in each other’s gaze.

After a moment of silence, they walked toward the restroom one after the other. But when Ji Wan tried to enter, he was blocked.

“Hey.” The boy furrowed his handsome brows, blocking the door with zero gallantry. “The Omega restroom is over there.”

Ji Wan: “…”

It wasn’t the first time he had been mistaken for an Omega, but it was the first time someone had actually stopped him. Usually, Alphas who misunderstood were more than happy to see him “accidentally” enter their restroom.

“I know the Omega restroom is over there,” Ji Wan said helplessly. “But I’m a Beta.”

Surprise flashed in the boy’s eyes. He looked Ji Wan over once more before stepping aside.

Ji Wan went to the furthest stall to relieve himself. Not long after, another boy dressed in black entered, looking like he was about to be “delivered from his suffering.”

The newcomer was startled when he saw the boy in the school jacket. “Brother Feng! You’re here too! Damn, I thought I was the earliest one out.”

“You finished?”

The boy in black looked miserable. “Finished my ass. I didn’t know how to do half the questions. It was annoying to look at, so I just handed it in. I bet if a wild dog used its paws to randomly scratch the answers, it would get a higher score than me!”

Feng Jin replied, “Your self-assessment is as accurate as ever.”

The boy grumbled, “…Screw you. Feng Jin, don’t tell me you actually finished the whole thing.”

Feng Jin nodded. The boy’s expression became even more tragic. “I really hope someone shows up and snatches that number one spot from you, just so you can experience some human suffering.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Feng Jin chuckled, his voice laced with a hint of laziness.

The boy in black thought about it and had a change of heart. “Actually, never mind. If such a person really existed, you’d probably tear them to pieces.”

Feng Jin said coolly, “I’m not that barbaric.”

The boy’s voice jumped an octave. “You aren’t?!”

Standing in the furthest stall, Ji Wan felt something was off. Surname Feng, ranked first in the grade… could this be the one Ji Ke mentioned? The one with the bad temper?

Ji Wan quickly recalled his interaction with Feng Jin. The boy seemed like a normal student—he even seemed quite studious.

Maybe it’s just a rumor, Ji Wan thought. With campus legends like him, if they so much as squash an ant, people start telling stories about how they brutally beat someone half to death.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the restroom door was suddenly kicked open from the outside, slamming against the wall with a loud bang.

Ji Wan turned to see a boy with tanned skin, a buzzcut, and a bandage on his cheek standing at the entrance.

The buzzcut boy sneered. “Feng Jin, I finally caught you while you’re alone.”

The boy in black interrupted, “…Wait a sec. What do you mean ‘alone’? Am I not a person?”

The buzzcut boy ignored him and continued sneering at Feng Jin. “You’ve been the ‘School Boss’ for long enough. Times change; it’s time for someone else to take that spot.”

Feng Jin walked to the sink to wash his hands as if the intruder were made of air.

Thinking Feng Jin was afraid, the buzzcut boy pushed his luck. “I’m still going to hit you, but if you call me ‘Daddy,’ I’ll try not to hit your face.”

Feng Jin turned off the faucet and shook the water from his hands. “I warned you before not to bother me.”

His voice was calm, devoid of anger, as if he were merely making small talk.

“You told me to listen, so I have to? Who the hell do you think you—” Before the buzzcut boy could finish his threat, his breath hitched.

Alpha pheromones flooded the cramped space with overwhelming force. Pheromone suppression between Alphas is the most direct form of dominance; Feng Jin’s pheromones instantly pinned the other two Alphas down.

Ji Wan watched in stunned silence as Feng Jin grabbed the immobilized buzzcut boy and slammed his head against the wall twice. Thud, thud.

“Scram,” Feng Jin said, releasing him and retracting his pheromones. His clothes weren’t even ruffled. “If I see you looking for trouble again, you won’t be walking out.”

Terrified, the buzzcut boy scrambled away on shaky legs. Feng Jin washed his hands again, shoved them into his pockets, and looked grim—clearly less pleased than he had been before.

“Seriously, give us a heads-up before you release your pheromones. Don’t attack your own people…” the boy in black complained from the corner. “At least no one else saw the fight this time, otherwise we’d have to clean up the mess again, wouldn’t we?”

Feng Jin: “…”

Feng Jin shot an unreadable glance toward Ji Wan’s direction.

“Crap, there really is someone else here! I didn’t even notice! Don’t worry, buddy, I’ll handle this! Hey, you over there, you—” The boy in black saw Ji Wan’s face, and his voice immediately softened by an octave. “Were you scared by him?”

Ji Wan: “…”

Ji Wan: “No.”

“Oh, okay, that’s good then,” the boy in black said, relieved.

Feng Jin couldn’t stand to listen anymore and turned to leave. The boy in black looked between Ji Wan and the departing Feng Jin, torn between his bro and the beauty.

“I won’t say anything. Go after him,” Ji Wan offered.

“Ah, classmate, you’re as kind as you are beautiful…” The boy in black made the difficult choice to go comfort his friend. He waved at Ji Wan. “I’ll treat you to barbecue next time!”

When everyone had left, the restroom was finally quiet. Ji Wan washed his hands and pulled out his phone to find messages from his friends at his old school.

[Wan-wan, how are the exams going over there?]

[Whatever, I believe in your strength. You can definitely take their current number-one student and hang him up for a beating!]

Ji Wan: “…”

He didn’t know whose grades would be higher, but if he actually took the first place spot… given how “barbaric” Classmate Feng was, a real-life beating seemed entirely possible.