“A $200,000 premium on your high school education and this is the best that you two can show for it?!” The school principal pounds his fists on the table.

 

He points at Amber and scowls, “Your name may be plastered on the front of this building but maybe the least you can do is show some respect by graduating this year.”

 

“And you!” He shifts to Mino, “First day back and you’re already causing problems. I let you back into this school, you better believe I can kick you out!”

 

Amber and Mino held their head down in contempt. Amber has somewhat regained her composure but she is fighting every fiber in her being to not let feelings escalate given that a trigger is standing no more than two feet from her.

 

Meanwhile the principal lets out a long sigh, calming himself first before finally taking a seat. In quieter, yet similar stern tone, he delivers a verdict, “Mino, you will go to the nurse’s office and go straight back to class. This is a hard warning. If I see or even so much as hear the slightest of misdemeanors, there will be no third chances for you.” He pauses and turns to Amber, “And you, you’re suspended for a week. Your parents have been informed but since they are away on a business trip, we received word that Jessica Jung will be coming here in their place.” Amber budges and almost attempts to protest. The principal cuts her off, “You’re suspended for a week, Amber, and this is me being gracious.”

 

After getting dismissed by the principal, the two students head out into the hallway where Kai and Joohyuk lingered waiting for Amber.

 

“Only one week of suspension for this.” Mino scoffs as he pats two fingers on his bruised lip. He scoffs, “Don’t worry. I’m just getting started.”

 

Amber halts her steps and marches to face Mino once again but was immediately held back by Joohyuk and Kai.

 

Joohyuk steps in front of Amber, “He is not worth it. Let’s just go.”

 

“So you two are still following her around?” Mino switches his targets to Joohyuk and Kai. “I mean...doesn’t it get exhausting? You still follow her like her little es.”

 

“Yah!” This time Kai erupts while holding Amber back. “And you’re still an !”

 

Mino retorts, “At least I’m not someone else’s .”

 

Amber tries to break free, angered by his comments.

 

“Yah!” A sharp voice came from the hallway. They look towards its direction and find Jessica accompanied by Yuri approaching them with intensity. “Elite students from esteemed families with a golden spoon shoved up their mouths yet they act like a bunch of gangsters! How pathetic!”

 

Jessica stops in front of Mino and points at the end of the hallway, “You get your back to class or I will end you myself.” She inches closes and in a frightening voice that the others could barely make out, she whispers, “This is not a warning. This is a threat. Or did you suddenly forget why you were even allowed to come back here in the first place?”

 

For the first time in this whole episodic ordeal, a real grim and concern shows apparent in Mino’s face. He is silenced and does not retort back. Instead, he begrudgingly trudges the direction that Jessica has pointed to.

 

Jessica then faces Amber and her friends. “Kai. Joohyuk. You may go. Yuri, Donghae, and I will take care of Amber.”

 

They obediently follow Jessica as they pat their friend on the back in concession.

 

Amber now has her head hanging low. The guilt and the shame are finally settling. She cannot even muster the courage to look up at Jessica in the face. The two sunbaes felt sympathy. Yes, they were disappointed but they can sense the genuine regret in Amber.

 

Not sparing truth, Jessica inches closer to Amber. With a stern, yet caring tone, she says, “Your actions have weight, Amber. You have the most to lose out of everyone. You have to learn to control it if not for anyone but yourself.”

 

---

 

Her phone buzzes and vibrates against her wooden bedside table. She’s been stuck in the same posture and position for the past three days, only getting up when she was forced to eat and coerced by Yuri to talk to her therapists. But with eyes wide open, in mental exhaustion, she glances at her phone on the table with apathetic inaction.

 

Five minutes later, two knocks on the door averts her attention. Same posture. Same position.

 

A faint voice can be heard through the door, “Young miss. You have a guest.”

 

Amber doesn’t bother to answer. Clearly, she’s not in the mood. She hasn’t been in the mood for the past three days to be exact.

 

A moment later, two knocks again. This time a different voice, catches her attention.

 

“Amber…”

 

Krystal?

 

Amber sits up.

 

“I’ll wait in your study.”

 

It took Amber approximately fifteen minutes to wash her face, brush her teeth, and somewhat look presentable. She has yet to show her face to anyone else outside of Yuri who has made it a part of her routine to check up on her every night, filling in the role of her uncle and aunt who are still away on a business trip.

 

Maybe it was the shame, perhaps it’s the embarrassment. It could have been the anger. It might possibly very well be the guilt. Perhaps it was the combination of these things that has kept Amber in her guarded shell, MIA, and detached from everyone. It’s a bad habit. In fact, she’s aware of her flawed coping mechanism but that’s how she’s always learned to deal.  Alone.

 

Amber approaches the door to her study, which is cracked open. She finds her. Krystal.

 

Thinking in retrospect, in the midst of her inconsolable fit of rage, the very second she returned to herself, she remembers that there was one face that she somehow managed to brand in her memory. It was the look of fright painted on Krystal’s face.  Because of this, she felt in many ways apologetic to Krystal.

 

She slowly enters the study, finds Krystal typing away on her laptop, looking chic and casual, her transcendent beauty radiating just enough against the light to galvanize a thrill in Amber’s chest even if it was just for a moment.

 

Krystal looks up from her computer and flashes her a smile. Nervous, that is, yet still a genuine relief to see Amber.

 

Amber tries to get a read on Krystal, though she unknowingly doesn’t realize that she’s been standing and staring.

 

Krystal looks away, awkward, and unsure how to dissipate the delicate atmosphere in the room. She has questions, that’s for sure. But with Amber, she has learned, it’s about timing.  And that timing is not right now.

 

Krystal clears and pushes a notebook towards Amber. “I took notes for you, although I’m just going to assume that you probably don’t need them. But just in case…you can copy mine.”

 

Of course she doesn’t need them. She appreciated the gesture as simple as it was.

 

Amber moves to sit across from Krystal, takes the leather notebook, skimming through the pages, though really just stealing glances at the person in front of her. They work for the next hour in silence, Amber pretending to study the notes while Krystal pretending not to notice Amber eyes on her.

 

Minutes in, Krystal finally breaks the silence, “2 to 1.”

 

Amber closes the notebook, looks up, trying to decipher what Krystal just told her.

 

“We won 2 to 1. It was a close one too.”

 

Disappointed she was not able to be there to play next to her best friend, she was still relieved in hearing that the team was going to the finals.

 

“That’s great. Joohyuk always delivers.”

 

“Yeah he did. But I think he did miss you out there.”

 

Amber just nodded in response. Not being the type to really put weight in other’s opinion towards her, for once she’s struggling to push the thoughts of Krystal and how the recent episode would change the dynamic of their growing friendship. She wondered whether Krystal would begin to look at her differently—worse—would feel afraid of her. So she musters the courage to look Krystal in the eyes.

 

“I...uhh...about what happened,” Amber struggles to get her words out.

 

Krystal interjects, “I’m not asking. And you don’t have to tell me. Not if you’re not ready.”

 

Amber recognizes the honesty and kindness in Krystal’s countenance, actually allowing her to find more momentum and courage. She opens up, “I lost it and I’m not proud of it. Regardless of any circumstances, how I reacted was not me—isn’t me. At least...not anymore.”

 

In firm sincerity, Krystal responds, “I believe you.”

 

The three words tugged at Amber’s heart with a force far beyond probably what Krystal even intended. For a moment it was like the wind got knocked out of her and she struggled to even keep her composure.

 

Krystal musters her own courage and reaches her hands for Amber’s causing the latter to fix her gaze towards the other. As Amber looks at Krystal, she discovers something new. The ethereal beauty was not just a physical attraction for Amber. As she’s looking at her, for the first time she discovering a fierce desire within herself to dive into the depths of those eyes. There was something about Krystal’s eyes that doesn’t just tug on random strings in her heart. There was something about Krystal’s eyes that tugged at the best parts of her soul, drawing it out, giving it the strength it needs to overcome the worst parts of her.

 

So in the same fashion that is starting to seem natural, she’s able to return the same honesty and same authenticity, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to see that.”

 

“I know.” Krystal squeezes her hands. “And I’m still not afraid of you.”

 

---

 

It’s Friday and everyone sitting in their last period classes seem to have already checked out for the weekend.

 

It has been a long week for Krystal and company. It helped that school work picked up again and everyone seem to have adjusted all energy and focus into studying. It was a good kind of distraction for Krystal, given the frenzied start of the week.

 

Having heard that her sister was present at the aftermath of the fight, she practically begged and annoyed her to give her a little more insight on the whole Amber-Mino situation. Jessica, however, kept stern and strict as a wall with her routine answer, “Krystal, it’s not something you need to know or worry about. Amber will be fine. She’ll work through this.”

 

There were a lot questions unanswered and blanks left unfilled. Hence, there has been a constant worry that hung over her subconscious that has kept her preoccupied in deep thought. For example, right now, there’s about an hour left in the last period but she is struggling to keep her mind focused on the subject on the board. She gets up from her seat and excuses herself to the restroom to get some air.

 

She takes her time strolling down the hallway and naturally finds her steps leading her to the library, into the private corner that is remarkably vacant. She takes a seat—her seat and actually starts to move and fidget trying to discover what Amber found so comfortable about this area.

 

She curiously assembles the seats next to each other to form the infamous makeshift bed she always finds Amber sleeping on and even tries laying down on it.

 

I mean...I guess it’s comfortable. Krystal mumbles in her thoughts.

 

After a few minutes of trying to not think about Amber in a space where every inch reminds her of Amber, she hears a chuckle.

 

Smiling as he puts his schoolbag down, Joohyuk shakes his head at Krystal, “What are you doing?”

 

Krystal gets up right away, embarrassed, trying to play it as natural as she can.

 

“Umm... I’m just...uhhh...you know. Just taking a break.”

 

Joohyuk chuckles as he takes the seat across from her, “It’s okay, I can keep secrets. I won’t tell her you were napping on her favorite spot.”

 

“I wasn’t napping,” Krystal awkwardly answers.

 

“I’m serious. It’s really okay. If you want, I can move somewhere else if I disturbed you,” Joohyuk continued to tease.

 

The JL Academy social code finally dawns on Krystal. This corner was exclusively for the Top Elites and it would be such a culture infraction of the worst kind to make Joohyuk do that. Krystal already has an unwanted reputation in the school among hoobaes for getting so much attention from the Top Elites that she doesn’t want to give another reason to stir the rumor mill. So she stands up from the seat and starts excusing herself.

 

“No, I’m sorry Joohyuk. I really didn’t mean to invade this space.”

 

Joohyuk extends his hands forward, urging her to sit back down, and assures her, “I’m kidding. Please sit down. Besides...I could probably use a friend.”

 

Krystal cautiously follows Joohyuk as she eyes him graciously. She takes a seat—again her seat—and finally settles down.

 

“You don’t have class right now?” Joohyuk asks.

 

“I do...I just needed a break.”

 

“So you came all the way over...here.” Joohyuk smirks as though implying something.

 

“Well...I figured since Amber is so obsessed with this spot and finds it the best place to go when she skips classes, I thought I’d come check it out and try it out myself.”

 

Joohyuk picks up on it and capitalizes, “So you were thinking about Amber?”

 

“Wait what?! No! I mean. Yes. But no! I mean—only because she comes here to skip all the time but wait—it’s not like that!”

 

Joohyuk grins and giggles by himself, “Look, I told you I’m good at keeping secrets. Don’t worry. I promise I won’t tell her.”

 

Krystal finally starts to sense the cheeky intention in Joohyuk’s comments. So she starts to play it cool, “Of course I was thinking about her. Like you probably were too as her friend who is worried about her.”

 

Joohyuk leans back on his chair, “Are you sure it’s just because you’re just a friend who’s worried?”

 

Slightly taken aback by the blunt question, Krystal clears his throat, “And a class partner who is worried about her grades.”

 

“Yeah, but you don’t need to hang out all the way over here if you were just worried about your grades.”

 

Krystal catches the probing tone in his voice and realizes the nature of it implication. She shrinks back in nonresponse to give him less of a chance to take her words into question. Joohyuk, on the other hand, has read Krystal’s body language and pedals backwards. He is keenly aware of his best friend's subtle but very selective affinity for Krystal. He has also caught on to the secret smile that Krystal wears whenever Amber is in the room. But...at the end of the day, he knows these two will have to work it out in their own and in their own time. And somehow, he has this gut feeling that perhaps the timing is not quite there yet.

 

Flashing his handsome smile, he pivots, “I’m just teasing.”

 

Joohyuk turns his attention to the books in front of him and while he turns the pages, he adds, “To be honest, I’m just worried about her too. It’s been a long time since I’ve since this kind of episode from Amber.”

 

He looks up at Krystal, “Look, I still don’t exactly know why you seem to be so special to Amber. And honestly, I don’t really mean to pry either. But I guess I should say thank you...for caring about her.”

 

Krystal absorbs the sincerity in Joohyuk as he continues.

 

“This may be hard to believe but between the four of us, Amber is actually the rock in our friendship—the friend that we depend on more than even our own families. It may look like it’s the other way around here in school and it’s true—we do protect her to some minor extent—but she shields us in ways most people don’t even know. And somehow...for reasons I am still trying to figure out myself...she chose you.”

 

Joohyuk lets out a smile, while Krystal found herself unable to really respond to this sudden revelation. He continues, “I saw you. When I came to drop by to check in on her, I didn’t mean to but I saw you in her study. And like I said, I may not understand her reason but I’m just glad that she let her guard down for once and she chose to lean on you. For that, I am grateful, Krystal.”

 

--

It was a little bit past 10 at night and Irene lay comfortably on her bed staring at her phone for the past thirty minutes. There were unread texts and missed calls from her two friends but none from the person she wishes she could talk to the most.

 

She contemplates initiating the first contact but for the past thirty minutes—more like the past five days—she’s met with the hesitation. I need to know how she is. But maybe I should just give her some space. She probably doesn’t want to talk to me either.

 

She shifts and shuffles underneath her blanket as she plays a debate in her mind for the 156^th time.

 

Suddenly, she hears a rustling on her porch, followed by knock on her window, jolting her out bed. She is surprised but not alarmed because there’s really only one person who has ever done this. She slides her curtain to find a shivering tomboy in nothing but a sweatshirt and a backpack. She immediately opens her window to let her in.

 

“Holy crap Amber! What are you doing? It’s almost below freezing out there. I have a front door you know. You can just knock.” She reaches for one of her blankets and wraps it around the shivering girl in front of her.

 

“When it’s this late, I don't really want to wake up anyone else so I have always preferred the window entrance,” Amber jokes.

 

After a quiet moment passed, an uncertain heaviness fills the room. Irene struggles to look at Amber in the eyes while Amber finds the right words to say. So instead, Amber sighs, reaches for Irene, then softly wraps her arms around Irene’s body in an embrace.

 

Irene fights to keep her emotions at bay, but the light on her back and the warmth of Amber’s embrace easily melts her defenses. On the other hand, Amber is overcome with grief and guilt. A scary thought dominated her mind in the last week and that is the fear that she has once again may have failed to protect her best friend.

 

In a plaintive whisper, Amber confesses, “I’m sorry. I should have known. This is my fault.”

 

“Stop,” Irene shakes her as she pulls away from the hug and dabs the edge of her sleeve on her cheeks. “It’s not your fault. I should have told you. I should be the one saying sorry.”

 

Amber cups her face to capture her eyes, “No. None of this is on you, okay? It’s my fault. I...I failed—”

 

“Stop saying that. It wasn’t your fault then, it isn’t your fault now.”

 

Irene’s reassurance doesn’t take away the guilt but she chooses not to fight it. So instead, she nods her head in agreement laced with regret. She takes Irene’s hands as she hangs her head and in worry, she asks, “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

 

Irene lifts Amber’s head up as she attempts a smile while shaking her head. “I’m okay, I promise.”

 

Amber senses a relief and nods her head again. “I’ll fix this. I’ll make sure he doesn’t come near you.”
 

Irene squeezes her hands, “No. There is nothing to fix. There is nothing you need to do. Amber, I won’t be able to forgive myself if something happens to you. I certainly won’t let you go through this again. I know you want to protect me but that’s exactly why he wants to hurt you.”

 

This time, Irene cups Amber’s face begging, “Can you please do something for me? Can you please not involve yourself in this? Can you please just stay away from him?”

 

“I can’t just sit back, watch, and do nothing. Not again—”

 

Irene begs, “But I also can’t just sit back and watch you ruin your future over this.”

 

---

 

[Flashback]

 

Mino harshly pulls Amber from behind, shoving her against the lockers in confrontation, “This is your family’s fault! It’s your uncle who deserves to be thrown in prison and not my father!”

 

Amber, also thrown into confusion by this morning’s headlines, shoves Mino away in defense. The passing students now have stopped their tracks to form a circle around them while Joohyuk stays in the space between Mino and Amber.

 

Seething with anger, Mino vents, “JL Group is using my father as a scapegoat to cover up for people like your uncle and you know it too!”

 

The accusations were reaching a limit for Amber. She may not fully understand the depth of the scandal but it was hard for her to believe that someone like her uncle was behind the corporate scandal that was exposed in the news this morning. All the evidence pointed at Mino’s father, the JL Group’s CFO, and a handful of other executives who was secretly involved in a financial statement manipulation and dispensing assets into a political slush fund that has deeply damaged the company’s reputation.

 

“Your family thinks that just because you have all the money and power in the world that you can throw away people at your disposal!”

 

Amber fights back and delivers spite, “The evidence points at one thing Mino.” Amber points at Mino as she walks closer, “It’s your father...It’s your father who is the crook, not my uncle. So then tell me? Why should I listen to the words and allegations of the son of crook?”

 

She inches close to his face with a quiet and subtle viciousness, “And I'm warning you. Don’t you ever talk about my family like that ever again.”

 

Joohyuk was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Mino is their friend. He is a dear friend the four of them grew up with and now he feels he needs to make a choice between the two.

 

As Amber walked away, in tears and in brewing hatred taking root, Mino threatens, “You’ll pay for this. I’m going to make sure of that.”

 

[End of flashback.]

 

---

 

The front door of the foyer opens as the returning JL Group Chairman and Chairwoman enters in immediate search for their daughter. Surprise marks their faces as they meet Amber at first sight who is sitting at the bottom of the staircase nervously awaiting their return.

 

She stands up and sparing the greetings, she went straight to the point, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

The maids grab their jackets and quickly clears the room where a heated family discussion is about to take place. “Amber, it’s not that we intended to hide this from you but—”

 

“I get that you don’t have to explain every decision you make but a warning would have been nice,” Amber demanded in frustration.

 

Aunt Michelle interject in the conversation, “Amber, we trusted that you could handle it.”

 

A slight guilt enters Amber’s emotions though anger, at least this time controlled, was more of the driving factor, “And I apologize for losing control. I do. I am sorry for letting my anger get the best of me and doing what I did in school. But I don’t agree with this. You said that you would make sure that—”

 

“Amber,” Uncle James approaches the aggravated teenager and places his hands on her shoulders, “Believe it or not, I’m trying to do what is best to protect you, to protect this family.”

 

Utterly confused, Amber backpedals and pushes her uncle’s hands away, “What is best for this family?! No. I don’t get it. This family—this company is the reason why this is happening.” Amber, with a heavy guilt in her chest, reopens an old wound, “Uncle, Mino tried to hurt Irene. He tried to my best friend and you let him come back?! Why?! Because it’s best for this family?!”

 

Aunt Michelle attempts next walking closer to Amber, “Calm down Amber.”

 

Uncle James keeps an austere bravado. There are secrets—secrets that uncle James and aunt Michelle have kept in a tight lock that serves to ultimately protect Amber. This was one of them. It was their duty, or so they have resolved in believing, to shield her from the harsh truth about some of JL Group’s skeletons.

 

Using his best diplomatic position to bring the most sense to the confused teenager’s anger, “You may not understand but you will just have to trust me.”

 

“I can’t trust what I don’t understand,” Amber pins her conviction on her uncle. “He wants to hurt us. He wants to hurt me. That is actually the part I can handle. But he wants to hurt me by hurting my friends—that part, I can’t. And I get it—you’re trying to protect me. But know as much as you want to protect me, I want to do everything I could to protect Irene. So please, I am begging you, uncle. Please undo this. Send him back to Germany.”

 

Uncle James sympathizes with the sincerity in Amber’s eyes. But deals have been made and agreements have been struck...all to keep secrets in staying as secrets. If he could, he would do as Amber says, undo the situation that is now transpiring. But there are larger things at stake. There are deeper situations uncle James is trying to avoid all for the sake of the young woman in front of him.

 

Uncle James heaves a deep sigh and maintains his posture and poise, “Believe me if there was another way, I would have jump at the first sign of opportunity knowing your sense of loyalty and care for your friends for I know my decision directly involves you and them. However, there is no discussion to be made. I am aware of the situation with Mino but I stand by my decision with full intent in prioritizing first and foremost yours, this family's and also the company's protection. And don’t for one second think otherwise.”

 

Uncle James inches closer to Amber’s face, “You ask to understand that which you don’t about my decision as your father, as your uncle, as an advisor, and as the Chairman of JL Group so that what? I can earn your trust? Well Amber, I pose you with the same dilemma I have concerning entrusting you with the truth when you have yet to prove you can handle and control your own emotions.”

 

With that uncle James walks away from the teenager. The sight of uncle James’ firmness and uninhibited delivery of blunt truth with Amber was a definite first leaving her and his wife speechless.

 

Uncle James reached the top of the stairs and delivers the final blow. This time his voice is calmer, gentler, yet maintains its sterness, “I don’t trust you’d understand not with your tendency to self-destruct so I’m actually trying to do you a favor by mitigating the situation on your behalf. With that I close my case and ask one thing of you—handle it. Handle yourself in school first...Then maybe we can talk.”

 

---

 

It was a fine Monday winter morning, brisk and cold without a spot of gray clouds in the blue sky. The sun shone through the curtains reflecting a glare on the mirror on Amber’s face as she neatly buttons up the shirt of her uniform. In this quiet start of the week, her thoughts filled the soundless void.

 

A knock on the door breaks the contemplative silence. The door creaks open followed by a familiar voice.

 

“If you’re not ready to go back, I can recommend an extended leave to your uncle and I’m sure he won’t totally be opposed to it.”

 

Without turning to look in the direction of voice, Amber walks towards her desk to gather her things in her schoolbag.

 

Amber retorts, “I was suspended from school, Yul. I wasn’t on leave for vacation.”

 

Yuri takes a seat on the edge of the bed as she watches the teenager.

 

Since Amber has refused to meet any of her therapists during what she has called her one-week exile, Yuri has taken the liberty to be the one to check on her in the mornings per uncle James’ and aunt Michelle’s request.

 

Amber’s reclusive routine this past week provided Yuri with the difficulty in accessing her thoughts and emotions. Instead she had to be patient by keeping conversations light. Yuri didn’t get through to her much but at least Amber was not completely resistant.

 

Yuri adds, this time with seriousness, “As a friend...you know I just worry.”

 

Amber faces Yuri as she slings the schoolbag over her shoulder. She offers a reserved smile in acknowledgement, “I appreciate that Yul.”

 

Amber heaves a sigh and assures Yuri, “I’ll handle it.”

 

Amber makes her way downstairs and was asked if she was going to have breakfast. She declines respectfully and heads straight outside to a car waiting for her along with Chief Donghae.

 

As she is escorted to school, the silence once again returns accompanied by the loud voice of her own thoughts. What felt like a blink of an eye, Amber finds herself in front of JL Academy. She takes a long look at the students making their way inside of the school and continues to let her thoughts dominate.

 

Donghae notices the uncharacteristic hesitation in Amber and ventures to ask, “Amber-ssi, are you okay? Is there anything you would like me to do to help?”

 

Once again, she takes a deep breath before answering, “I’m good chief. I’ll see you later this afternoon.”

 

Meanwhile inside the Senior Wing, Irene and Kai can be found huddled by Joohyuk’s locker as they waited for the arrival of their friend. The halls buzzed with intrigue as they were expecting Amber’s return and the possible drama that could once again erupt with her appearance.

 

Krystal, on the other hand, watched from a distance with her friends. Her last interaction with Amber were a few days ago in person and haven’t heard from her since, even though she has left a few unanswered text messages to ask her how she was doing.

 

Over the past week, she’s heard various versions of the history between Amber and Mino. Of course, the stories had inconsistencies with each other that she has resolved to accept the stories with a grain of salt. The general narrative, however, was that Mino use to be part of the Top Elite. He was close to the four friends but unlike the four, Mino had a strong aura that made many classmates afraid of him. Mino has always been the one who has sometimes taken things too far when it came to his position as a superior Top Elite. In some instances, he has bullied few students who have allegedly disrespected him or the Top Elite.

 

The other four never directly took part in Mino’s antics yet they didn’t deem it necessary to intervene either for Mino only acted when he was given reason to. Plus, they excused it as part of the student life. Their reasoning was that Mino was not really a bully. He just enforced the rules and social codes of the school. In addition, Mino was smart. He was loyal to his friends. Amber and Mino were especially close because of JL Group and his family’s relationship with hers. So their friendship was held at more importance to Amber than sometimes Mino’s unorthodox and questionable exercise of power towards others.

 

From the rumors, Krystal has also gathered that the fallout in Amber and Mino's friendship was already sparked long before the corporate scandal. The fracture was inflicted internally. It all started when Mino began to develop feelings for Irene. There are versions of this bit of the story that Krystal thought was muddied by exaggeration but she has surmised that the rift in friendship began because of Irene’s rejection of Mino and Irene’s closeness with Amber. Ultimately, what broke the camel’s back that led to the tragic fallout was the corporate scandal that essentially tore Mino’s family and livelihood apart. Mino simply blamed Amber for all of it.

 

“Only Monday and it’s shaping up to be a pretty interesting school week, don’t you think?” Key asserts.

 

“As much as I am all about the drama that is happening in this school, I just hope it’s not a repeat of last week for Amber’s sake,” Sulli remarks.

 

Meanwhile across the room, Joohyuk starts to move. He sees Mino at the end of the hallway and decides to take preventative measures. He closes his lockers and nods at his friends, “We better get to class.”

 

Both Kai and Irene check the direction of Joohyuk’s nod, drawing the entire hallway’s attention at the person in question. Kai also shifts in defense mode while Irene senses the nervousness she has been working so hard to keep suppressed while in school for the last week.

 

Mino has his focus on one person. He’s looking directly at Irene as he takes longer strides towards them.

 

As the three friends turn the other way to exit the hallway, they are halted by the person who was standing not too far from them. It was Amber who had her eyes focused at Mino.

 

Joohyuk immediately pivots in front of Amber’s line of sight, “Hey bro, let’s go. Let’s just get to class, okay?”

 

Joohyuk tugs on Ambers arm but she doesn’t budge.

 

Kai makes another attempt, “Am, come on. It’s not worth it.”

 

No response.

 

“Yah!” A loud provocation came from Mino. He was at least ten feet away.

 

Irene is now pulling on Amber’s hand. “Amber, please. Let’s just go!”

 

Amber whispers while gently prying Irene’s fingers off, “No.”

 

Amber walks to meet Mino face to face. Everyone present at the scene were at the edge of their seat, just waiting for something big to go down.

 

In a cold but low timbre, Amber speaks first, “Leave.”

 

Mino smirks as he puts both hands in pockets. “And what if I don’t want to?”

 

“Leave,” Amber responds.

 

Mino breaks out in sinister chuckle as he takes out one hand of pocket and slightly pushes Amber on the shoulder to taunt her.

 

“No and I don't think I need to listen to you.”

 

Amber clenches both fists and jaws—handling it­—using every fiber in her being to stop herself from bursting. She recollects her posture and stands firm in front of him. Unbeknownst to her, Krystal was right there in front of the action, watching every move and every word Amber was saying.

 

“Leave,” Amber says one more time. Not a word more.

 

“Or what?” Mino pushes again, this time with a little bit more force causing Amber to take a step backwards. Mino’s aggression begins to surface as he gets right up close to Amber’s face. “What are you gonna do this time? Cry to your uncle like a baby and have him deal with your problems for you? Go ahead! I dare you!”

 

“Yah!” Krystal suddenly erupts. She couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn't risk letting Amber lose it. She sees Amber struggling and barely keeping it together so something in her jumped impulsively to step in.

 

Amber was so shocked by Krystal’s sudden intervention that her mind went blank—momentarily clear of all the rage that was brewing and reaching its limit. In midst of the tumultuous anger that she was experiencing, there was that again—that ing ethereal beauty—that provided the much-needed distraction to divert her attention.

 

Krystal stomps towards Amber and shouts, “Stop! You’re acting stupid!”

 

Amber registered the insult but no words could form in because her mind was still stuck at Error: ing Ethereal Beauty.

 

Krystal yanks Amber closely behind her but still next to her like a mother would to a rebellious five-year-old. Mino, on the other hand, was confused and surprised and was also left speechless.

 

Krystal glares at Mino and sends him a condescending message as she scoffs, “And you—this is so pathetic I can’t even get myself to watch you act like an .” She scoffs once more, “Look, I don’t even know you but clearly you need to get over yourself!”

 

Krystal walks away, yanking Amber’s arm who is being dragged from behind while the entire hallway had their jaws drop.

 

Krystal led Amber out of the school building and towards the soccer field and finally stops. She turns to look at the confounded tomboy who was massaging her wrist because Krystal was gripping her too tight.

 

Amber finally collects herself and is now responding to Krystal insult, “Yah! What the hell—“”

 

“Yah?!” Krystal threatens with her hands on her waist. Amber briefly senses a tinge of fear crawl down her spine. She was rendered speechless once again.

 

“Yah Amber Liu! You’re really asking for it!” Krystal starts to shuffle, stretches her neck from side to side, as she began to loosen her arms. She forms her arms in fist in front of her as though she was ready to box Amber herself.

 

A small smile starts to creep. There was something about Krystal’s fighting posture that she thought was eccentrically cute. Everything about it has completely altered her mood.

 

“You want to fight so bad, go ahead! Let’s fight! Right here! Come on!” Krystal starts to taunt.

 

Trying to hold in a smile, Amber carefully asks, “What are you doing?”

 

Krystal lightly jabs Amber’s side, “Fight me! You’re so eager to pick a fight in there so I’ve taken it outside! Let's go you little brat, fight me!” Krystal jabs at Amber’s arm. That one had a little bit more punch to it leaving Amber a lasting sting on her arm.

 

“Yah! That actually hurt!” Amber takes a step back grabbing her arm in complaint.

 

“Come on tough guy! Fight me!” Krystal attempts a jab again but misses as Amber dodges.

 

“I’m not gonna fight you!”

 

“Why not?! You were so all about it a minute ago!” Krystal throws a jab as Amber dodges it again, this time grabbing Krystal’s arm around her while Amber takes her own arm to lock Krystal’s other arm in front of her. Amber uses her strength as she locks Krystal’s arms, basically engulfing her body from behind to restrict her movements.

 

Krystal realizes their position and immediately blushes. At the same time, Amber finally let’s a smirk break.

 

They stood frozen like that, both letting the moment linger, unsure and unwilling to let it pass simply to catch and seize even the smallest memory of each other's touch from it. In those few seconds, Amber feels something strongly...that damn itch, nagging at her senses as she has her head nestled into the crook of Krystal’s neck, as the sweet smell of Krystal’s hair invades every nook and cranny of her memory, as she begins to match the cadence of Krystal’s breathing, as she allows this fleeting thought of maybe to finally take root.

 

Krystal felt the same overwhelming thoughts and feelings to flood her system. Unable to control her heart beat from increasing its speed and volume, she breaks the silence and clears .

 

“Ahem.”

 

Amber doesn’t loosen her grip. Instead, she exhales softly and whispers, “Are you done?”

 

Krystal nervously clears once more and timidly answers, “Yes.”

 

Amber slowly releases her hold as Krystal collects herself, fixing her clothes, recalibrating her composure before turning back to face Amber.

 

Not saving the sass, Krystal probes, “Are you done?”

 

Amber recognizes the sincerity and care in Krystal’s eyes. Krystal has hurled insults, was basically forceful in her actions back inside the school, and even tried to instigate a fight. Yet Amber saw it in her eyes. The genuine care and affection laced in this breathtaking form called Krystal Jung.

 

Guilt begins to finally settle. “I’m sorr—"

 

“Uh uh! I don’t want to hear it!” Krystal shoves her hand over Amber’s mouth.

 

With her hand still on Amber’s face, Krystal waves a finger and starts, “I don’t want you to say you’re sorry. I just want you to graduate.”

 

Krystal, not moving her hand, let’s out a nervous chuckle and jokingly adds, “You know...since it’s hard enough to not have a partner for a week, you getting expelled in school is not going to be good for my grades overall.”

 

Amber couldn’t contain the smile and Krystal realizes her hand over Amber’s lips and instinctively pulls her hand away while taking a step back.

 

Amber just smiles in response as she stares pensively at Krystal without saying a word. This time her intentions are clear and she wasn’t even trying to pretend to hide that she was staring. Krystal, on the other hand, fidgets nervously as she meets Amber’s intense gaze but she forces herself to not look away. Instead she attempts to reach for answers on questions that has plagued her in the last few weeks. Even with all the drama, she still wondered if maybe Amber saw perhaps even just a fraction of how she sees Amber.

 

For a moment she does discover that genuine affinity. She is almost positive that she is more than just a partner for a project or classmate at school. Krystal knew Amber genuinely valued her as a friend. The fact that she could be in her honest space like this says a lot about that friendship. And for a moment, even for just a second, she sees the longing in Amber’s eyes. And that longing captured this moment in plain view. It is that moment that is difficult to describe in words. That moment that is absolutely impossible to misread. That moment filled with a special glint in someone’s eyes that says more about their heart than a mere three-word sentence could ever convey. Krystal’s not blind nor is she stupid. She sees that Amber is drawn to her just as much as she is drawn to Amber.

 

But Krystal comes to this epiphany as she’s staring at Amber from only two feet away. The fact that it is impossible to misread or misinterpret is also the very reason why there’s a shroud of inevitable doubt. The fact that they both recognize this nagging something but neither one is able to take a literal and metaphorical step forward is enough evidence to conclude that the reasons to hesitate far outweighs the reasons to admit and concede to the moment. Of course, Krystal is not blind nor stupid. Neither is Amber.

 

So here they were. The right place, with the right person, at the wrong time.

 

Krystal finally looks away as she begins to pedal backwards. She clears the awkward air, let’s out a small chuckle and suggests, “We should get to class.”

 

She heads towards the building. Only a few seconds did she realize that she was walking alone without Amber. So she turns her head back and finds Amber at the same spot.

 

She stops her tracks realizing that Amber has not move from where they stood.

 

With hands out, shrugging her shoulder at Amber’s stubborn display, Krystal prodded, “What are you doing? Let’s go!”

 

Amber flashes Krystal a smile as she extends one hand out. Krystal just stares at it puzzled by its meaning.

 

This entire time, Amber sensed every second Krystal was calculating her feelings. Amber is also not blind nor stupid to be completely unaware of Krystal’s actions towards her and its meaning. She also knows that she would be treading on unsafe waters here by entertaining all of these thoughts and feelings.

 

But for once, maybe for this girl, maybe even if it’s just for a fleeting moment, maybe she’ll throw caution to the wind and let her heart win this time.

 

Amber, still with her hand out, asserts, “You dragged me out here like this, it’s only right you drag me back in the same way.”

 

Her heart flutters as she smiles at Amber’s gesture.

 

Amber smirks and continues the act, “It’s the only way I’ll go back in there.”

 

There is a lingering hesitation in Krystal. However, she too resolves in just taking one single moment at the time.

 

“Okay...if you say so.” She walks back to Amber and playfully takes Amber by the wrist instead of taking her hand. After all, that is how Krystal dragged her out of the hallway.

 

Amber chuckles as she allows her to be dragged by Krystal once again. But that damn itch...it burned and she’s not letting this moment pass without acting on it.

 

As Krystal led in front while gripping her wrist, Amber turns the tables on Krystal. She suddenly takes that hand and firmly clasps it with hers, smiling as she takes Krystal by surprise.

 

Amber grins, “I think I like this better.”

 

---

 

Author's Note:

Hi fam! So....#1 I'm sorry for being MIA. You can go to my wall for the list of excuses why I've been gone lol. Anyways, I realize the story is at a point where momentum is kicking into full gear. I mean there's so much character development and plot constellations I want to unfold and unpack that it's probably best if I keep up with its pace as the writer and not leave you hanging--I don't know--like almost two years lol. All I can assure you right now is I am starting to write more.

So to Y&F -- Kryber is catching some tailwind! Yay! BUT there's also some headwind up ahead! Let me know your thoughts and predictions!

Z