Among the richest families in the Island nation of Hassano, four families sit at the very top of the social hierarchy.
Affectionately referred to by locals as The Four Dons, each family is renowned for dominating a specific industry and wielding immense influence across the country.
Though all four families stand as equals, the unspoken leaders are the Nicia family as descendants of the original imperial bloodline from centuries ago.
Once a respected military dynasty, the Nicias now dominate tourism and international travel. They own every major airport in Hassano and have successfully expanded their influence worldwide.
The Young family controls the nation's largest entertainment empire.
The Zhang family dominates real estate, owning a prestigious chain of hotels as well as every hospital in the country.
Meanwhile, the Lee family stands at the forefront of innovation through one of the world's most advanced technology companies.
Despite their strict and disciplined public image, the Four Dons are known privately as warm and principled people. Respect, honesty, and fairness are values deeply shared among them. These ideals are the reason there has never been true bad blood between the families, and why the elders remain close friends even after decades.
Their children were raised with those same values. From a young age, they were taught cooperation over competition and were never pressured into politically advantageous marriages. Instead, they grew up together like family.
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The first granddaughter of the Lee bloodline is Dasom Lee.
Dasom grew up in a loving household alongside her brothers, her older brother Mingyu and younger brother Youngbae and their parents, Nina and Jiyong Lee.
Fearless, confident, assertive, and unapologetically herself, Dasom gravitated toward interests often considered masculine; gaming, sports, and computer technology.
She possessed an exceptional talent for programming and quickly became known as a prodigy in the field. Determined to break barriers, Dasom dreamed of becoming the first woman to achieve feats no woman had before. In high school, she also earned recognition as a Taekwondo champion within her age division.
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Dasom grew up alongside three best friends, each from one of the remaining Don families. The four had been inseparable since infancy:
Hee Zhang, Jean Nicia, Asher Young.
Together, they represented the sixteenth generation of the Four Dons.
Aside from Asher, who was two years older, they were all the same age and mostly raised side-by-side to uphold their families' values and responsibilities.
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When it came to dating, Dasom was endlessly pursued. Confessions, gifts, and bouquets from secret admirers followed her everywhere, yet she rejected them all. Deep down, she was a hopeless romantic who longed for a love story like the one her parents shared. Because of that, she never rushed into relationships and the same could be said getting out of relationships.
Jean Nicia was the playboy of the group. Spoiled, mischievous, playful, and dangerously charming, Jean could effortlessly win over almost anyone — male or female. As the youngest grandchild of the Nicia family, he had grown used to getting whatever he wanted.
To outsiders, Jean appeared carefree and harmless, often pretending ignorance after breaking hearts and causing trouble. But those closest to him knew the truth: Jean was incredibly observant, deeply calculating, and never forgot a single detail due to having a phtographic memory. Beneath his flirtatious nature hid someone intensely vengeful.
Part of Jean's charm was the duality of his personality.
He possessed a deep fascination and gift with foreign cultures and languages. Even becoming fluent in Korean, Japanese, Arabic, English, and Spanish in addition to Hassanic.
Jean dreamed of working as a foreign affairs communications officer under Yixing — his cousin and the soon to be Chairman of Nicia & Co.
Like Shiwei (the Lee family business) before him, Jean hoped to expand the Nicia family's influence throughout Europe.
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Hee Zhang, was the social butterfly of the four.
Flamboyant, charismatic, fashionable, and endlessly witty; Hee had been modelling since the age of five. Her artistic genius and eye for design made her a rising star in elite fashion circles, where she earned widespread respect despite her young age.
A famous designer once referred to her in an interview as "Hee the Busy Bee" because of her relentless work ethic. The nickname stuck, and soon everyone of the four dona simply called her "Bee." Though Hee loved fun and excitement, she remained remarkably grounded and hardworking.
Asher Young, the oldest of the group; naturally became their protector. He was the shoulder they cried on, the one who kept them in line — the "father" of the friend group.
Despite being considered one of Hassano's most sought-after pretty boys, Asher remained selective about who he allowed close to him. His quiet, reserved demeanor made him appear cold and untouchable, though in reality he was deeply caring.
For as long as anyone could remember, there had been a different bond between Hee and Asher. They quietly adored one another since Hee was in kindergarten, though they only officially began dating when Hee reached ninth grade and Asher in the 11th grade, there was always an unspoken bond between the two. It was that protective and reserved nature Hee found most charming.
Asher was already a successful music producer and talented singer, often using his platform to spotlight underground artists from his father's label. Growing up as Martin Young's son meant he had been surrounded by Asia and Europe's biggest celebrities his entire life. Though countless girls chased after him, Asher had only ever loved Hee.
Asher fully intended to marry her one day when she was ready and even purchased land with his first big paycheck to eventually build her dream home.
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The Tragedy
Everything changed forever in the Hassano Isles on Dasom's twelfth birthday.
While travelling with their family, the Lees were caught in a devastating plane crash. Dasom and her older brother Mingyu were the sole survivors.
The siblings remained hospitalized for over eight months.
Throughout their recovery, they were watched over constantly by both sides of their family. The tragedy shook all of Hassano Island. Memorial services were held nationwide for the Lee family, and the funeral was broadcast live across the country.
But after the crash, Dasom changed.
She stopped smiling.
Stopped crying.
Stopped reacting altogether.
Her emotional detachment deeply worried their grandparents, who consulted countless doctors in search of answers. Eventually, a world-renowned psychologist from Australia explained that this period would be crucial for the siblings' emotional development and personally offered to help them through their recovery.
By the time Dasom and Mingyu were finally cleared to return home eight months later, they were no longer the same children who had boarded that plane.
Soon after returning home, the family elders gathered for a series of meetings to discuss the siblings' future.
The consensus was clear: Dasom and Mingyu needed to begin rebuilding their lives. Mingyu would start preparing for his future role as the next Chairman of Shiwei, while Dasom would continue her studies abroad.
"Do either of you have anything you'd like to add?" asked their maternal grandparents, Kaarina and Changmin Woo.
"I have something to say," Dasom spoke softly.
The room fell silent.
"I know…" she began quietly.
The adults exchanged confused glances.
"Know what, sweetheart?" Kaarina asked gently.
Dasom's expression trembled.
"I know it wasn't an accident," she whispered. "I know we were targeted. I know it was a hit. I heard all of you discussing it when I first regained consciousness in the hospital."
The words shattered her composure. For the first time in eight months, Dasom broke down sobbing.
The adults sat speechless because none of them could deny it.
Mingyu immediately stood and wrapped his arms tightly around his sister while their grandparents watched in relief. After months of emotional numbness, Dasom had finally allowed herself to feel.
"We still don't know who had the audacity to challenge one of the Dons," Papa Jiyong Senior said firmly. "But believe me when I say we are looking into it."
He looked directly at the siblings.
"For now, leave this to us. Focus on your futures. Your time will come."
The meeting ended on hopeful terms.
It was decided that Dasom would move to Finland with her maternal grandparents, the Woos (Grandma Kaarina & Grandpa Baekhyun) to complete her education abroad.
Meanwhile, Mingyu would remain in Hassano under the guidance of his paternal grandparents as they prepared him to inherit Shiwei.
The moment the meeting ended, Dasom informed her friends about the move. The four quickly gathered on a group FaceTime call and, without hesitation, decided they would move together.
When the elders of the Four Dons met with the Woos to discuss the idea over dinner, the outcome was overwhelmingly positive. Finland offered one of the best education systems in the world, and knowing the Woo family would personally care for the children gave everyone peace of mind.
The decision was unanimous.
All four families agreed.
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Goodbye Hassano, Hello Finland
At the train station, the final goodbyes were bittersweet.
Dasom hugged each of her grandparents and friends' parents tightly, whispering quiet words of gratitude and love. They reminded her to make both herself and her parents proud through her studies.
She saved Mingyu for last.
The moment she embraced him, tears finally welled in her eyes.
Since the accident, the siblings had become inseparable.
"We'll show them they messed with the wrong family," Mingyu whispered quietly into her ear. "We won't waste a single second resenting them. It's strictly business and we'll pay them back in full. With interest."
He gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"Study hard and take care of yourself. I love you, Bunny."
Hearing the nickname again after so long nearly broke her heart.
Their parents used to call her Bunny because, as a baby, her cheeks were always pink like her favourite plush rabbit.
"You already sound like a businessman," Dasom laughed weakly through tears. "I miss you already, Gyu…"
Despite her sadness, a genuine smile finally appeared on her face.
Dasom lifted her pinky toward him.
Mingyu chuckled softly at the childish gesture before linking his pinky with hers, a smirk tugging at his lips.
No words needed to be spoken.
It was a promise.
One day, they would make whoever destroyed their family pay a hundredfold.
After one final embrace, Dasom turned toward the departures gate without hesitation; her friends and grandparents following close behind as they stepped toward an entirely new chapter of their lives.