Author's note: The texts in center are their thoughts during the conversation.

(At Jiho's house, Jiho's POV)

"Jiho-ah, I'm leaving! I'll get back in 2 hours!" 

"Yes Mom!

"Lock the door, honey!"

*Slam!*

"Yes, she is gone!"

I quickly run upstairs and turn on my computer. Erhh, erhh. Aigoo, this superannuated computer should have been replaced with a new iMac, or whatever new out there. Erhh, erhh. Haizz this is gonna be forever. What should I do now? Beautify myself? Yeah, why not? Gotta be beautiful for him. Let's see...pick lipstick here and there, straighten my messy hair, and...tie this part with a bobby pin. Yeah! You look great, Jiho-ah! Is the computer done? OK. Time to see my bae! Let's see...Is he online? Why isn't he here? I told him to get ready at at this time.

You have 1 notification from WM High School.

ABC: Hello Jiho!

 

Who is that? Adding me to a group chat on the school's system at this time.

And why is the name so irrational?

 

Jiho_Kim970404: Who is this?

ABC: I'm in your class, remember? D-11.

 

In my class? Who can that be? And that username is screwed up!

 

Jiho_Kim970404: What happens to your username?

ABC: I don't understand exercise 3 of session 2 in our

Math textbook. Can you explain it to me?

 

Why does it ask me for such a thing? The whole class knows I hate Math until the last day of my life.

If they want to ask, why not post a public post on the site but privately chat with me?

 

Jiho_Kim970404: But who are you? Suddenly showing

up with a weird name and assume I'm in your class?

ABC: You're mean. I'll ask Binnie!

Jiho_Kim970404: What?

 

Binnie? Bae Yoobin? How does it know I call her Binnie?

 

---

(At Binnie's house, Binnie's POV)

I'm really sleepy now. I wish I could take a little nap. But no! A short nap will only make me even more sleepy when I wake up. I can even sleep straight until tomorrow morning. Urghh, this stack of Math stresses me out so much these days. I wish I didn't become a Mathlete. I thought it was just a competition. But things go further than that. We train crazily, day and night. But teachers don't even check our work. They post the key on the school community site every Tuesday and Friday night. Urghh, it's so late now but I have to look at the key.

You have 1 notification from WM High School.

Yoobin_Bae970909 is added to the conversation.

ABC: Aye~ Binnie!

 

What is this? A group chat? Why this time? 

 

Yoobin_Bae970909: Who are you?

ABC: I'm in your class, D-11. You're a Math genius.

Please help me on this exercise.

Yoobin_Bae970909: Who are you?

 

Is that one of my classmate? Don't they have anybody else to ask?

Urghh, being a Mathlete . But wait, Jiho is up here too?

 

Yoobin_Bae970909: Who is this, Jiho?

Jiho_Kim970404: I don't know! This guy added me.

ABC: Please help me on exercise 3 of session 2

in the textbook!

 

What happened? Jiho does chat with strangers, but it is her who starts a conversation.

And what is with that username? This is the school community site. Names like that are supposed to be deleted already.

And there is no Math today! I'm the only one that is overwhelmed with Math!

 

Yoobin_Bae970909: I'm serious! Who is this?

Mrs. Jung didn't assign us homework at all!

Jiho_Kim970404: Yeah! You're asking the wrong person!

 

So Jiho doesn't know this stranger. Gotta talk to her about this.

Wait, what? Can't start a new conversation?

 

ABC: Aigoo you're so mean Binnie! You want me to have a lower grade than you so you are the best in the class!

 

What? The best?

 

ABC: I'll ask my best friend.

 

So Jiho and I are drawn into this for what? And who is the "best friend"?

 

---

(At Seunghee's house, Seunghee's POV)

The time around a new semester is just so great! Free time and free time! Hah! No homework! What am I doing now? Oh, let's find some deep quotes in Pinterest and throw them on my Twitter. Yep, sounds great! You wanna know who I'm in love with? Read the first word again. Uhm, too obvious. Love can be fake, but hate is real. Uhm, too crushing. So often the truth is told with hate, and the lies are told with love. Yeah, this one is nice enough! Not that muchh touching, but I'm just tired of searching. 

You have 1 notification from WM High School.

Seunghee_Hyun960125 is added to the conversation.

 

A group chat? Yes, I'm on the mood.

 

Seunghee_Hyun960125: Wassup guys?

ABC: Hey ya Seunghee!

ABC: Help me with this math exercise!

 

Who is this weirdo? Who on earth will add you to a group chat just to ask about Math?

Sorry, I'm not that person. Yeah, Binnie is up here, ask her.

Oh wait, there is no Math today and tomorrow! Did Binnie, and Jiho too, realize?

 

Seunghee_Hyun960125: What the heck? There is no Math today!

ABC: Pleaseeee, my best friend! Help me!

 

What? Who is that? Who is my best friend?

 

Yoobin_Bae970909: Get offline, Seunghee! There's some crazy kid up here.

 

Yes, Binnie is totally right. This kid is crazy. Crazy!

Seems like Binnie and Jiho don't even know this kid.

 

Jiho_Kim970404: How come they know our accounts?

Seunghee_Hyun960125: Duh~ The usernames of the school

community system show off our names and birthday. Pabo!

Yoobin_Bae970909: Ugh~ just get offline, y’all!

 

What is happening?

A weirdo showing up saying I'm their best friend and saying stupid things?

 

Seunghee_Hyun960125: This is the last time I ask.

 Who are you? I’m out of this group!

Jiho_Kim970404: Me too!

Yoobin_Bae970909: Hey! I can’t get out!

 

Click, click, click. Why isn't it working? 

 

Jiho_Kim970404: The “Leave conversation” button

is not on!

Seunghee_Hyun960125: Mine doesn’t work as well!

 

The button is not on. OK, try something else.

Try deleting the conversation. 

 

Jiho_Kim970404: Who the hell are you?

Wanna mess up with us?

ABC: Aye~ I told you. I’m Seunghee’s best friend.

Seunghee_Hyun960125: Stop kidding! She’s dead!

 

Are we chatting with a dead person?

 

ABC: And mind your manner, Jiho! Your boyfriend will run away if he knows this!

Yoobin_Bae970909: Guys! Leave asap or else you will get viruses!

Jiho_Kim970404: Are our accounts hacked?

 

She must have been dead! Why? Why is this existing?

Why can't I view her account?

 

ABC: You guys are so impolite! I’m still right here

and you’re invited to this conversation.

Now you’re trying to leave. That’s not fair play!

Seunghee_Hyun960125: Stop it! This is not funny!

 

This kid is transgressing!

 

ABC: Keep your head cool, my friend!

Jiho_Kim970404: What do you want from us?

ABC: I come in peace.

 

This is not peace. Faking a dead person is not peace.

 

ABC: Who wants to have fun?

Yoobin_Bae970909: This is not fun!

 

It's not fun at all!

 

Seunghee_Hyun960125: You must be someone in the school.

Jiho_Kim970404: Let me fix this.

 

---

(At JinE's house, JinE's POV)

Is the beginning of a semester the time for people to post a bunch of crappy confessions on the site? Haiz, I didn't know becoming an administrator included this job: approving posts written on the site. Youngjoon covers the daily posts part, so it's a bit easier for me. But the confession page is on me, and it . Approving love quests and stupid questions for the school community is not a simple job.

You have a text message from Jiho.

 

You have 1 notification from WM High School.

Hyejin_Shin950122 is added to the conversation.

Hyejin_Shin950122: OK, I got this conversation.

But this is not public.

Hyejin_Shin950122: So who added me?

Jiho_Kim970404: We’ve been receiving crazy

messages from this maniac.

Yoobin_Bae970909: JinE unnie! Are you hacked too?

Hyejin_Shin950122: How can you hack an admin’s account

when she can definitely hack yours?

 

Oh, so this is the "weird" thing Jiho said. But nobody can hack this site.

This is just a simple school community system. Who would even mind to hack?

Or...

 

Seunghee_Hyun960125: Hyejin unnie, read this whole conversation!

This neurotic says I’m their best friend and doesn’t let anybody leave! 

 

Hm, let's see. OK, first thing: unapproved username.

Then math homework. Then no homework. Then mean people.

Then dead friend. Then peace. Then fun. Then hacked.

Huh, dead friend of Seunghee?

 

Hyejin_Shin950122: Everybody knows she is dead for ages!

 

So everybody is talking about this. But isn't it too obvious?

What is this hacker trying to bring up?

 

Jiho_Kim970404: But who is this maniac?

ABC: Hey stop it! You guys are too impolite!

ABC: I’m obviously not dead, OK?

 

Let's see you could have done this? Is that Youngjoon?

Yeah, possibly! An admin can definitely do crazy stuff with his position.

 

Hyejin_Shin950122: Are you Youngjoon? Stop it!

ABC: Why would Youngjoon need help from girls? 

From lower-class girls?

 

This is getting weird.

 

Jiho_Kim970404: Who are you? You lunatic!

Yoobin_Bae970909: Your account is not even valid!

Seunghee_Hyun960125: Did anybody block it?

 

Report it. Yeah! The fastest way.

Or...not? Let's give it a try first.

 

Hyejin_Shin950122: I’m trying to report it. If the

Chief Administrator accepts, this account will be

deleted permanently. Other online users are also 

notified about this.

Jiho_Kim970404: Thank God!

 

Hyojung_Choi940728 is added to the conversation.

(To be continued)

---

Author's notes:

1. So how do you think of this beginning? Who is that creepy ABC? Can JinE stop them? Hyojung is added, what about Arin, Mimi and YooA? Please comment your thoughts.

2. What clue can you conclude about their personalities?

3. A transcription of the whole conversation will be at the end of part 1, so you can track it easier.

4. Quote for the chapter: Everyone is a friend, until they prove otherwise. (Unknown)