“Are there any extra credits for the next test?”   Yunho looked up in surprise, not expecting this kind of conversation with a student first thing in the morning. He felt bad crushing their dreams when he rejected the offer to lead show choir club last week, but it seemed one student was back on track.   “Hyunmi, the test is next week after club day. Why would you need extra credit if you’re gonna ace the test anyway?” Yunho asked, trying to see her logic. He knew she was one of the top ranked students, and an extra credit would not make a difference in her grade.   “Please, I just really need those extra marks,” Hyunmi begged without giving too much details. She couldn’t possibly say she was having a battle with Nam Woohyun, and that their grade would affect the future of Crescendity.   “Sorry, Hyunmi, but I have no plans of giving out extra credits. It shall mark the end of the Summer semester. I’m sure everyone will do extremely well,” Yunho said kindly, thinking he was encouraging her.   “That’s the problem, he would too.” Hyunmi sighed without elaborating her words. No matter how hard she tried, Woohyun would always be better.   With a heavy heart, she excused herself from Yunho, also bowing to Leeteuk who had been watching, and walked outside the teacher’s office. How else could she win the challenge now?   “Well,” a familiar voice greeted when she stepped outside, “You weren’t trying to cheat off our challenge, were you?”   Hyunmi looked up to see Woohyun leaning against the wall, smirking at her as if he predicted her forthcoming loss. She gasped, completely scandalized at his accusations. “I do not cheat, ever.”   “That would be reassuring in a relationship,” he spoke with a grin, pushing himself away from the wall.   She was at a loss at his sudden statement, wondering how they had jumped from one topic to another. She did not even know whether the correlation was supposed to be funny or lame. “Either way, I will have you join the choir. Just wait,” she uttered, rechallenging him again.   Woohyun watched her turn around, and pursed his lips together, briefly thinking about her words. “Other show choir clubs have musical prodigies like Jin Seollin,” he suddenly uttered, stopping her in her track. “What makes you think you will stand a chance at winning?”   She gasped, realizing Woohyun had more than basic knowledge regarding the show choir world. Maybe he was interested after all and needed an extra push to join. She turned around to face him, smiled, and answered his question.   “Because soon, I’ll have you.”   Woohyun raised his eyebrows with interest.   “I mean, we. The collective group. Not just me. We’ll have you,” Hyunmi quickly corrected herself, wetting her lips for her wrong word choices once again, and smiled sheepishly.   “I think you’re placing too much faith in me,” Woohyun said, scoffing with some hidden emotion she couldn’t read.   He was the number one student in the entire musical department. There was no reason for her not to trust in his ability. Other groups may have a musical prodigy, but they’ll have a musical genius. And a part of her hated how much she envied and admired him at the same time. He was the key to success.   “Because you’re worth it.”     Some of the students gathered in the living room lounge of the dormitories, the only place where male and females were allowed to be together after school hours according to the rules.   “Do we have any new students joining us?” Maerin asked, looking at her circle of friends who were her seniors, considering they joined the club a week before her.   “I think we’re the last ones to join,” Taemin said, his voice so soft she didn’t know whether he was whispering or only talking to her. His breath tickled her cheek and made her giggle.   “So you’re joining?” She asked, staring at him hopefully.   “I’ll join as long as you’re there,” Taemin said, smiling to her like a sweet cinnamon roll. Subtly, in a way no one would ever notice, he grazed his fingers over Maerin’s hand. No one saw, cause Maerin did her best to suppress a smile.   “Aw, now that is sweet. A guy following you just to be in the same club? How adorable,” Yerin uttered, shaking her head like an old lady watching two youngsters in love.   “Uhm Yerin, that’s exactly what Chanyeol did as well,” Mira reminded her friend.   “Yes! Remember how he joined photography club and dance club just because of you?” Heejin added on, chuckling to herself at the memories of it. Yerin had been so devastated, but Chanyeol looked like he was in cloud nine. Nothing could beat his expression of joy whenever he was with Yerin.   “No, that is not sweet. That is stalking! I’m just glad he doesn’t know I’m in this club. So no one is allowed to tell him,” Yerin warned, pointing at her friends threateningly.   Their attention broke when they heard voices approaching the living room, seeing no other than Hyunmi talking to Chanyeol, their height difference evident despite the heels she wore.   “So yeah, Yerin is part of the show choir club now, and we need more guys,” Hyunmi was saying.   “Say no more, I’m in!” Chanyeol volunteered himself, and the two shook hands on the deal.   Yerin’s jaw fell open, completely betrayed by her very own friend. After she had warned everyone not to tell the idiot about her involvement, she forgot to pass on the message to the main threat in charge of recruiting people here and there.   “You promised this club would be a Chanyeol free zone!” Yerin exclaimed, as if her entire world had fallen apart. She dismissed Chanyeol’s sad puppy look after hearing her words.   “Did I?” Hyunmi blinked. No one knew whether she played dumb or had truly forgotten her promise in between her endless bribes. “I said it would have free food.”   “Right.” Yerin folded her arms, puffing her cheeks in protest. As long as she got free food, she supposed it was fine to endure the presence of the tall idiot. Even if he sat down beside her, and obnoxiously began to laugh for no reason.   “Seems we’ll always be together,” Chanyeol declared, playfully rocking his body to nudge the side of her arms.   “Now, that is sweet,” the others cooed, using Yerin’s earlier words against herself. They laughed as Yerin only grunted in annoyance.   They continued discussing what they could do for club day. Jaehwan was back in his room practicing Skyfall on his guitar. Hyunmi was busy preparing for the upcoming music composition exam, playing her guitar for an audience of one, Kibum. Though he said everything sounded horrible, she had learned to ignore him. Besides, Woohyun was a close friend of Kibum, so she hoped to get some information out of him.   “I’m not sure I’m actually ready for a solo showcase,” Mira uttered. “Am I allowed to not participate?”   “I really wanna join, but there are so many homework at the moment. What if I’ll end up fainting on stage? Then you would all have to drag me off stage. I should start my diet,” Heejin’s words would always start with one thought and end with another. She hummed to herself, trying to find a way to find a solution.   “I would carry you, but I don’t want Yerin to get jealous,” Chanyeol said, smiling at his ‘girlfriend’ beside him.   “No, I am 100% sure I won’t get jealous. Do whatever you want,” Yerin said, flattening her eyes.   “Really? Alright then Heejin, I’ve been working out at the gym, so I can carry you. Don’t diet, you look good already,” Chanyeol said, holding his thumb up.   “Aw, thank you,” Heejin smiled at him, though she kept watching Yerin’s expression for any signs of objection.   Yerin sighed, shaking her head. What kind of guy would claim to be someone’s ‘boyfriend’ yet openly call other girls good looking? Heejin and Chanyeol were cute together, and she would definitely approve of them. Things would’ve been much easier if he had a crush on Heejin instead.   Speaking about boyfriends, she suddenly remembered something else. “Mira, whatever happened to you and Mark? You never explained.”   They don’t know how or where, but suddenly, Hyunmi and Kibum were back in the circle, as if they had a radar for drama and gossips.   “Please, I’ve been dying to know,” Kibum said, rolling his eyes fabulously.   “Well, we broke up. What else is there to know?” Mira asked, chuckling nervously at their attention.   “Why? How? Tell us what happened?” Seulyi asked dramatically, as if she was the one affected by the breakup instead.   “We have been fighting a lot lately. Things weren’t working out. In the end, we decided we couldn’t do it anymore,” Mira said, shrugging casually like it was a normal thing in the world.   “That’s so sad,” Heejin commented, almost in tears herself.   “Don’t tell me you broke up in the plane. Cause that would be a hell of an awkward flight.” Kibum gasped.   “No, we talked it out the day before the flight. He probably didn’t get a refund for the ticket though,” Mira explained, acting way too casual for their taste. She even added a small chuckle to prove she was alright.   “But a fight between a couple is natural, I heard. Not that I would know since I’ve never been in a relationship,” Maerin said, slightly peeking at Taemin to watch his reaction. He did not seem to note her words and was focused on Mira, like everyone else was. “Besides, look at Hyunmi and Kibum! They fight all the time.”   “Hey, I do not love her in that way,” Kibum immediately said, pushing his friend aside, laughing as she fell against the floor.   “The feeling is mutual,” Hyunmi muttered, glaring at him.   “It’s really alright, guys. Mark and I ended on good terms,” Mira repeated, forcing her lips to curl into a convincing smile.   They did not have to know all the details. She couldn’t give them the full truth without awakening their murderous side to kill Mark. As sweet as they seemed, they were pretty savage when angered. She did not need any more drama after what she had been through with Mark.   “It seems you still love him. Just have makeup with him, and everything will be fine,” Seulyi gave her piece of advice, shocking everyone with her bluntness.   “What kind of advice is that? Where did you learn that from?” Maerin asked, laughing at her friend’s absurd words.   “From my own brain. You should all be thankful for my wisdom,” Seulyi said cockily, triggering the others to laugh.   Mira laughed along, feeling the corner of her lips stiffen in place. Despite being with her loved