Krystal was getting more and more annoyed with the androgynous girl every time she appeared. At first, when she had entered Harvard, she still had some kind of sympathy for her, since she got away with almost every joke she had pulled. And come on, the vodka joke was indeed hilarious. She would've loved to see Mrs. Daniels drunk. But that was basically it. Krystal knew Amber wasn't a dumb person, otherwise she would've never been accepted onto Harvard, and otherwise she wouldn't have gotten away with all those pranks. That's where it stopped, basically. Besides that, she was just a cheeky, annoying, little punk that didn't care for the feelings of others. She didn't study and people said she neither had a job. She was all about the fun and was constantly bothering Krystal for unknown reason. Actually, Krystal hadn't asked her why yet, but she wasn't planning to, since she guessed that Amber just liked to bother her. Whenever she pulled her face or turned around, she could hear that smug chuckling behind her that just infuriated her. Krystal decided to ignore Amber Liu as much as possible. 

At least, she tried to. But she hadn't expected Amber to attend the same party Krystal went to. 
It wasn't some kind of normal student's party, or a birthday party, which Krystal knew were more her style, but only the elite of America attended this party. It was more like a conference, with an after party slash dinner party afterwards. Only the most important business people had gotten an invitation and were allowed to come. Her father, of course, had been invited as the spokesperson of the event. He himself had invested a lot of money into this party, which morely served as an opportunity to get new deals for the company. Jung Internationals could use some new partners, and her father would go over lengths to get them. 
Because her father was one of the main investors, Krystal and her older sister Jessica were invited too. Jessica was already part of her father's company, albeit temporarily. Her sister wanted to persue a career as a singer. Since her father had Krystal, who was very much interested in taking over his position unlike her sister, he supported her decision. Jessica had accepted the job at Jung Internationals to save some money and secure financially herself whilst she was a trainee. And since Krystal was only just starting her study, it would do her father good to at least have Jessica near him. 
The sister's prepared together for the party. It would mostly be boring. They'd have to get through the speeches, and afterwards they had to stay close to father because he wanted them to learn how he made his deals. Krystal already knew; with utter flattery, a lot of compliments and smooth talking. But since Krystal wasn't a strong when it came to talking cheesily, she had to practise a bit too, and it would do her good to see her father in action.
The sisters wore almost identical black dresses. Krystal had chosen a rather short black dress, that ended halfway her upper thighs and hugged her figure perfectly. With her dark brown hair flowing just over her shoulders, and her silver accesoiries, she looked amazing, if she said so herself. Her father had asked her not to wear heels, because she was already quite tall for a girl, but Krystal loved to be taller than those pathetic old erts, and liked to intimidate them with not only her beauty and intelligence, but with her height too. 
Jessica, on the other hand, wore a dress that was a bit looser around the hips. With a single braid running falling over her left shoulder, she looked younger than she actually was. Because of Krystal's mature outfit, she looked older than the average eightteen year old. She didn't mind it though, because she reckoned that no one would take her seriously if she said that she had only turned eightteen a month ago. 

The night was boring, incredibly dull. She had been to conferences a few times before, when she had still been in high school, but at least those were a lot more fun. One time, her father had taken her to a science conference because he was interested into financing some scientists who were working on new products that he'd be able to sell for a lot of money. Krystal had had the time of her life looking at all the different projects and the amazing stuff some people had invented. 
This conference was completely the opposite. The only  bright point during the whole evening had been to see her father speak at the beginning, and the food they that had been served afterwards. When her father had asked if his daughters were enjoying themselves, they snickered. 
"It's boring," Krystal admitted. 
"This is exactly why I don't want to follow you into Jung Internationals, dad," Jessica had added, laughing. Their father had rolled his eyes and sighed. 
"The evening still has to start, girls. When the after party begins we can start our strategy," he said. That had provoked Krystal's interest, and it had stopped her from leaving half way the evening like Jessica had. 
Her father had been right about that after all. As soon as everyone had filled their bellies, music started to play by a live band. The tables were cleared away by the staff, which created a big dance floor. The bar was opened, and for those who were still hungry, there was a small delicacy buffet. Her father waited half an hour before he took Krystal to the first person he had laid his eyes on, one of his potential, still doubtful clients.
Her father put up his brightest smile when he approached the young client, who seemed rather intimidated by the whole event. Logically, he looked like an old teenager wearing a tuxedo, who had only just tippy-toed into the big, frightening business world. She almost felt sorry for him. Krystal immitated her father, albeit a bit more drawn back.
"Mr. Davidson, so glad to see you here!" her father chimed. Mr. Davidson looked up, smiled back. His hurried actions to whipe his mouth, put his drink down and stand up were clear signs that her father was quite intimidating, even when he smiled and talked so open-heartedly. 
"Ah, Mr. Jung. Of course am here, I got your invitation. How could I refuse," Mr. Davidson replied. Krystal chuckled softly. Davidson shot her a gaze, wondering if she understood the unmissable irony in his words. Of course he had had to come, otherwise he would never be able to get a deal with Jung Internationals. He simply didn't had a choice. 
"Have you met my beautiful daughter yet, Eric? My heiress, as so to say."
Her father gave her a nod, and Krystal stepped foreward to shake Mr. Davidson's hand. 
"Krystal Jung. Nice to meet you, sir," she said. Mr. Davidson gave her a reassuring, almost pitiful smile. Perhaps he saw through her mature outfit, recognized how young she still was and felt sorry for her that her father had dragged her into a life of business, money and back stabbing already. Krystal stepped back, and lowered her gaze. 
Her father and Mr. Davidson sat down, and so did she. The two men started to babble and discuss about the party, until the conversation eventually took a turn to the part where her father would strike the deal. Over the course of the conversation, Davidson had gotten more and more nervous around the older CEO, and Krystal couldn't help to notice what a dirty game her father played. He chose Davidson's weakest spot — his sick son — and asked about that. Afterwards, he'd offer the deal, offering Davidson a large ammount of money so he could help his son. Out of desperateness — reminded of the awfulness that awaited for him at home — Davidson had accepted. Krystal had always thought of her father as a good man, and still did so. This was his work, and he was damn well good at it too. People like Mr. Davidson were accepted into the industry to get profited from. Larger fish simply ate smaller fish, that's how it worked.

For the rest of the evening, they replayed the scene with Davidson. They went by several other clients. There was a Mr. Richmond, a Mr. Childs, a Mrs. Karlsson, a Mr. Kennedy, a Mr. Kendrick and a Miss Campbell. Her father had four deals out of the six people he had visited. It had been a good evening.
Eventually, when the evening started to run to it's end, her father seated down by his partner in crime, as so to say. He wasn't the only CEO who had invested a lot in this party, and hadn't been the only shark lurking around. 
"Jacob, so nice to see you again!" Her father howled, as soon as he saw the other man. The two gentlemen greeted each other like old friends. Just like Krystal's father, Jacob was a man of Asian heritage who had moved to America when he was still young. 
"Charlie, you look like you haven't aged for a day!" Jacob laughed. He hit Krystal's father friendly on the arm, laughing loudly. [i]"I'm only joking, my old friend, we both know you look like ."
"Says the guy whose hair starts to grow grey already!" her father answered. Jacob ran with his hand through his hair, as if he only just noticed so. 
"So what? Nowadays it's funky to have gray hair, isn't that true, my dear?" he asked Krystal. She cleared for a moment, not prepared that he'd ask her something, then muttered a soft 'yes'. Ah well, it was 'funky' for younger people to dye their hair grey, not so much for people like Jacob. Krystal's father laughed. He placed his arm around his daughter and pulled him closer. 
"Jacob, I want to introduce you to my daughter, Krystal. You remember her, right?"
Jacob laughed, and took an excessive bow, where his nose almost touched his knees. He came up again, and took Krystal's hand. Carefully, he placed a kiss upon the back of her hand, then let it go again. When he looked back up to her, he grinned broadly. For a moment, Krystal seemed to recognize that wide, cheeky grin, but she couldn't remember whose reminded it her from. It was at the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't remember. 
"Nice to meet you Krystal. When I last saw you, you were only a sweet girl of five, now look at you! You matured well," he said. Krystal smiled shyly, and mumbled a 'thank you'. "I'm Jacob Liu, nice to meet you."
Krystal's smile faded off her face immediately. Liu? She quickly ereased the thought out of her mind. There surely were more Liu's in America right? There was no way that that brat could be related to this fine gentleman. 
"Where is your daughter, by the way? You would bring her too right, Jake?" 
Jacob Liu scratched his chin and shrugged. He frowned.
"Yes, I  brought her, but you know how she is.. She is quite rebellious, and of course she doesn't want to stay with her old man to talk about business. She isn't interested in that at all," he explained. Krystal bit down on her lip and looked to the ground. There were more quite rebellious girls, right? 
"Don't you talk about it. My eldest has literally no interest in Jung Internationals, she'd rather become an idol. These kids nowadays.. Luckily I still have Krystal here," her father said. Both men looked at her, smiling proudly. 
"You're lucky to have a daughter like that. Good grades too, I suppose?"
"The best of her year," her father bragged proudly. She could swear she saw his chest puff out of pride. Krystal laughed sheepishly and placed a strand of hair behind her ear. She knew she was good, but it was awkward when her father started to brag. 
"You should cherish her, Charles. Treat her on a good pair of jewels. I'll pay," Jacob said. Krystal confusedly looked up, widened her eyes, and frowned. 
"Oh no, sir, you really don't have to do that-"
"But I want to. Please, seek out anything you like. Anything for the daughter of a good friend," Mr. Liu said. He winked. Krystal's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. 
"Thank you, sir," she muttered quietly. She was not able to say anything else; completely baffled. Even her father didn't give her jewels for no reason. Jacob Liu smiled reassuringly. Her father had placed his hand upon her shoulders and had given it a pinch. 
"Talking about daugthers, isn't that yours over there? At the bar," her father pointed out, suddenly. Mr. Liu turned around, and even Krystal looked up to see at whom the two men were looking at. She sought and sought, but she couldn't find anyone she knew. Jacob Liu beckoned his daughter. Krystal kept looking for a beautiful woman in an amazing dress, and she reckoned that was why she saw her so late. Only when the she stood next to her father, she noticed that her assumptions had been right from the first moment on. 
Amber Liu wrapped an arm around her father, Jacob, and both father and daughter grinned their cheeky grin as they turned their bodies to Krystal and her father. She felt like throwing up. At least, her face must've been very white. Hoping that Amber wouldn't recognize her, she lowered her gaze, not daring to look at her fellow student. Krystal bit down upon her lip. 
"Amber, nice to see you again!" her father laughed. He held out his hand to shake hers, but Amber gave him a box instead. A little surprised, he gave her a box back.  
"Sure thing, Mr. J!" she laughed. "You've been doing fine?"
Only the sound of her voice was able to piss her off for sure. Krystal crossed her arms in front of her chest, stubbornly not looking at Amber, whom she had seen shooting looks over at her already a couple of times already. Oh, if she recognized her she'd be doomed... She'd never leave her alone then.
"Of course, of course," her father chuckled. "Have you met my daughter yet? Kry-" No, no, no, dad, please, don't-!
"Yes, Krystal Jung. I know her."
. , , . this, me, everything. Please, no. 
Krystal sighed, and ran with her hand through her hair. She lifted her head, and coldly looked over to Amber. The rascal was still grinning broadly. The two men didn't seem to notice that the air between them had changed. Krystal was normally quite drawn back, and people tended to say she had a resting face when she had a neutral expression, but she usually made it a little worse on purpose when Amber was around. Did they really not notice that? 
"Hello, Amber," she said. 
"Oh, you should've said sooner! I didn't know that our daughters were hanging out together!" Mr. Liu cheered. Her father joined him, but Krystal shot him a look not to say anything anymore. 
"We aren't 'hanging out'," she said. "We just share a few classes."
Amber shrugged, and laughed. She shot her a wink, the same one that her father had given her a few moments ago. Krystal suddenly felt very dirty. The wink wasn't satisfying at all. Her affection for Mr. Liu increased immediately, and she suddenly didn't feel bad anymore about choosing expensive jewelry on his costs. He'd be damn sure that she'd choose the most expesive one now, knowing that Amber was his daughter. She still couldn't wrap her head around it that  such a kind of a man could produce such a hell of a daughter? 
"Now, I'm sure you two like to catch up. What if we go get a dance, Krystal, and leave these old men?" Amber said. The short-haired girl stack out her hand towards her. Krystal's head shot up, her eyes widened. Jacob Liu and her father immeidately started to complain that they weren't old, even though both of them had wrinkles all over their face and temples that had turned grey already. 
"Yes, what a good idea!" Her father said. Krystal shot him a warning look. Her father didn't show any signs that he had seen it, and even if he had, he probably agreed with Amber. Men liked to be with men, and they couldn't have clingy daughters around them all the time, especially now that he had shown her all evening how he got his deals. Krystal had learned enough, now it was time for her to leave. Amber was the perfect opportunity to have a private converstaion with his friend. 
Her father smiled at her. Krystal pinched in his hand, hopelessly trying to make him understand that she really didn't want to go, but he didn't react. 
"I think it's a good idea that you go with Amber, honey. Have fun for a while, you have deserved it. We'll leave in an hour."
And with those words, he let Krystal's hand go, wrapped his arm around Jacob instead, and walked with his old best friend over to the bar, leaving the two girls alone. Amber hadn't take her hand back yet, that smug grin still showing on her face, and waited for Krystal to take it. She looked icily over to the other girl, and lifted her head cockily. 
"Let's go then," she mumbled. Krystal walked over to the dance floor. Amber walked after her.
She would be dead before she'd take Amber's hand.