The Valedictorian's Blueprint

Series: Sterling Hearts

Elara, a driven pre-med student, lives by her color-coded planner, her entire future mapped out. Her singular goal: to graduate as Yale's valedictorian. The only person standing in her way is Liam, a laid-back, infuriatingly brilliant history major who seems to effortlessly charm professors and ace exams. Their rivalry ignites in a heated seminar debate and escalates into a full-blown academic war, with Sterling Memorial Library as their battleground. They sabotage each other's study spots and engage in witty battles of intellect across campus. However, during a grueling, caffeine-fueled all-nighter for finals, they see beyond the competition, sharing fears and dreams over cheap coffee. A late-night walk through the eerily quiet Cross Campus reveals a shared vulnerability. As they navigate demanding coursework, the allure of secret societies, and the pressure of their own ambitions, they discover their intellectual sparring has become a form of intimacy. Elara and Liam must confront whether their greatest rival might also be their greatest love, challenging everything they thought they knew about winning.

Creator: 박영철

Published: 2026-05-04T04:56:27

Frame 1: A detailed, color-coded planner is open. A hand belonging to Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara holds a fine-tip pen, hovering over a meticulously scheduled entry. The handwriting is precise.

Frame 2: Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara stands in the center of a room, adjusting the crisp collar of a shirt. The reflection of Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara in a mirror shows a focused and serious expression.

Frame 3: Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara sits at a desk, books and a laptop arranged in a perfect grid. Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara looks intently at the laptop screen, one hand on the keyboard.

Frame 4: Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara walks with purpose across a university quad. Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara carries a stack of books securely against her chest. Other students are blurred in the background.

Frame 5: Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara sits in the front row of a large lecture hall. Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara writes notes rapidly in a notebook, gaze fixed forward. No other faces are clear.

Frame 6: Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara sits alone at a large wooden table in a library. Visual age: in her early 20s; Visual anchor: a pair of thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses; Appearance: Elara has a petite, slender build and carries herself with intense focus. Her dark brown hair is almost always pulled back into a neat, severe ponytail. She has sharp facial features and observant brown eyes, often framed by her thin, minimalist gold-wire glasses. Her wardrobe is practical and preppy, consisting of crisp, tailored clothing that reflects her organized and no-nonsense approach t, Elara is surrounded by towering stacks of books, completely engrossed in reading one.

Sterling Hearts — Ep.1: The Valedictorian's Blueprint

Published 5/4/26, 4:56:27 AM · 👁 8 · ❤️ 0 · Shares 0

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Elara
Raised by parents who are both successful doctors, Elara has been under immense pressure to excel academically her entire life. For her, success is not just a goal but a requirement to validate her self-worth. This has fostered a single-minded obsession with becoming Yale's valedictorian. The rivalry with Liam is deeply personal, as he represents a challenge to the one area of her life she believes she must dominate to be successful.
Liam
Liam grew up in a family of academics who valued knowledge and passion over grades and rankings. He pursues a history major simply because he loves the subject. His natural intelligence has always allowed him to excel with relative ease, putting him in direct competition with Elara without him initially realizing the depth of her drive. He sees their rivalry as an engaging game, only later discovering the profound connection and shared pressures that lie beneath their academic battles.