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“Sometimes you just have to throw on a crown and remind them who they’re dealing with.”

— Marilyn Monroe

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“They did WHAT?”

Sakura cringed, reflexively leaning back when her roommate, Yena, shouted a few feet away from her.

Although far enough from her personal space, Sakura ear rang from the volume of the blonde’s shout. Others even looked back at them in confusion and wonder and Sakura had to bow apologetically to them before focusing back on Yena.

“I got hit, but its fine! I’m not that badly hurt.” Sakura waved a hand dismissively, hoping to just push back with her encounter with her university bullies into the depths of memories she should and would forget.

Eyes wide but brows furrowed and mouth slightly agape; Yena’s expression was a mix of worry, irritation and incredulity. Her response had not only garnered Yena’s displeasure but as well as Hyewon’s.

“Kkura, even though they didn’t hurt you badly, you’re still hurt. You should take care of yourself properly.” Hyewon frowned at her while she worked on Sakura’s reddened swollen cheek, gently using a cold water bottle to ease the stinging sensation.

Sakura noticed that the other girl omitted her usual cutesy and affectionate use of ‘-chan’ and her voice void of its usual cheerfulness, replaced by what Sakura feels might be frustration.

On Hyewon’s part, had she known earlier before they went to the cafeteria, she would’ve opted to bring Sakura to the clinic, even by means of force, but it was only until approximately half an hour when she noticed that the side of Sakura’s face was turning red compared to the other side.

Sakura never mentioned it, or rather, she forgot about it based on how she was acting.

Sakura looked away, embarrassed and ashamed for worrying both Yena and Hyewon.

“I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t mean to forget. My mind was just on the exam…”

Hyewon kept shut, refraining from letting a sigh from escaping her lips.

“I swear unnie, sometimes you’re too serious with your studies when you shouldn’t be. You should put more care in yourself.” Yena huffed and pouted, arms crossed to show her displeasure. Sakura smiled gently at her, one pretty eyebrow raised at the blonde’s statement.

“If you can put more thought on your math class as well, why not?” Sakura jested, earning a protest from Yena and a light slap on her arm and was about to strike again when she caught sight of Hyewon raising an eyebrow at her. Unfortunately for Yena, Sakura couldn’t see Hyewon’s warning gaze.

“G-Geez unnie, you didn’t have to turn the topic to me…” Yena dropped her hand and steered clear, as naturally as possible.

“I’m glad that someone was kind enough to step in between you and them at least.” Hyewon kept Sakura’s face in place, one tender hand cradling Sakura’s other cheek while her other hand worked on the older girl’s cheek.

“Same. She’s really kind and confident. I would’ve buckled already if I were her when she stood up against them.” Sakura said in a self-deprecating way and laughed a little afterward.

“I don’t think I’ve seen her around here or have heard her name before either. She’s really pretty, absolutely gorgeous! She would totally stand out and be the hot gossip here.”

“Seriously? Maybe she’s a new student or transferee. Is she younger than you unnie?” Yena scouted her chair closer to Sakura, listening intently as if this new topic was like a gossip hot out of the oven.

“No, she’s a senior and is older than me.”

“Did you get her name then? I could always ask help from Yuri to help me look for her. Yuri gets along really well with her seniors in the music club, so it might be an easy hunt!” Yena excitedly asked, hoping to get more info about Sakura’s mysterious saviour.

Hyewon nodded in agreement, also curious, albeit only a little.

“She said her name was Kwon Eunbi…Does it ring any familiarity?”

“Hmm…Kwon Eunbi, Kwon…? Nope. But I’ll ask Yuri later, maybe we might come up with some info later after class.”

“Okay, if you do get any information, let me know.”

“If you’re thinking of making it up to her, maybe you can give her a present to further make up for ruining her top. Like a cake or something?” Hyewon grinned cheekily at Sakura when the other girl flushed pink in embarrassment, groaning as she remembered that little event.

“Kang-chan~ I know that, you didn’t need to say it outloud…” Sakura groaned, covering her face with both her palm while Yena snickered beside her.

Hyewon pulled back, placing the bottle water on the table near they already cleared and stacked used plates. She shrugged, still cheekily grinning at her cute flustered Literature classmate.

“Well, I’d appreciate it if I were her.”

“Because you like cake, Kang-chan! Of course you would.” Sakura whined, knowing full well that Hyewon would take any gift so long as it was food or something she’d be really interested in. For all the kindness Eunbi had shown to Sakura, she doubts that a cake would make up to her blouse, which seemingly looked like one of GUCCI’s silk button-down shirt that was worth a whopping $1,200 that she remembered seeing in one of those magazines Yena left lying around on their dorm room.

Seeing Sakura’s discomfort, Hyewon pats the other girl’s shoulder before drawing her near a loose embrace.

“Don’t worry, if someone as cute as Kkura-ya tried to make it up to me I think that would be the cherry on the icing of my day.”

Sakura stared at Hyewon, sputtering with her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red at her Literature classmate and friend’s compliment. Yena merely grinned at the scene, but decided not to egg on the interaction, not wanting Sakura to get revenge at her when they get back their dorm room.

“Yeah, unnie, don’t sweat it too much. From what you’ve told us, your saviour seems like a really kind person. She already said it wasn’t your fault right? Then you should take her words for it.”

“Rather, I think this sunbaenim would take offense if you blame yourself for something you can’t help… Now I’m actually curious who she really is, she seems like someone who’s too good for this world.” Yena rubbed her chin; her lips puckered out like that made her look more like a duck and to Sakura’s amusement, Hyewon reached out and pinched them together, laughing when Yena furrowed at her.

Yena tried to verbally protest, but Hyewon held her lips together a little longer, muffling a bit of the noises and the blonde ended up flapping her arms, showing her displeasure.

Sakura laughed at her Literature classmate’s and roommate’s interaction, heart a little lighter from the building guilt and worry. She’s glad they are getting along well the more they meet up together.

She decided to break the two apart after Yena decided to get back at Hyewon by pinching her cheeks, telling both the two to sit down and keep their hands to themselves while she instructed Yena to pull out her books so she can start teaching her for her math exam later.

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The next day, when both Sakura and Yena came to the campus early in the morning for their morning classes, they felt a different energy through the hallway. Several students were there lingering in the hallways, some in small groups and a few typing away on their phones, liking chatting to someone.

There’s this energy that certainly feels different compared from before and both Sakura and Yena wondered why, not knowing what to put name to this new atmosphere.

Just when both were about to head to the southeast campus hallway, they spotted Hyewon alone near the water fountain. She was leaning on the wall, looking quite bored and impassive while wearing her headphones.

When Hyewon looked up and met Yena’s and Sakura’s gazes she immediately perked up and gave a tiny smile at the two, slipping off her headphones and went to the two girls, waving at them.

“Good morning Kkura-chan, Yena.”

“You’re early today Kang-chan, I thought your first class starts at noon?” Sakura asked.

“Yeah, it does start at noon, but I wanted to come in early to see you both.”

“You could’ve called us Hyewon unnie, we would’ve came in early if you told us you missed us.” Yena said cheekily grinning as she poked the other girl’s forearm.

“Yeah, I’ll remember that next time.” Hyewon laughed as she patted the blonde’s head, ruffling her hair along the way while Yena whined and tried to stop Hyewon from messing up with her hair in an unsuccessful attempt.

Sakura giggled at the two and shook her head. Her days with both this two have always been peaceful, fun and warm. Even with her bullies still on the loose and some problems here and there as Sakura continued to face her new reality after transferring to Korea to study arts on her own free will, she found herself loving the way her life is right now.

It feels right, more colourful, less dull and cold. She hopes it stays like this longer.

“Yah! Kang Hyewon, even if you’re older than me don’t do that!” Yena gasped as she finally retracted herself away from Hyewon’s grasp, pouting angrily at her as she kept the other girl an arm away from herself.

“Sorry ducky, but you look quite charming like that.” Hyewon mischievously smiled as she gestured at Yena’s disastrously dishevelled hair in a jesting manner.

Sakura laughed loudly at Yena, breaking away from her musing.

“Yeah, it does suit you.” Sakura teased, pinching Yena’s puffed cheeks which the younger girl swatted away defiantly.

The blonde huffed at her two unnies for making fun of her and tried to swiftly fix her hair up.

“By the way Kang-chan, do you know what’s going on? We’re kind of in the blank here; everyone seems to be talking about something before we came in.”

“About that…the public relations officers from the student council went around earlier announcing a general assembly at the gymnasium.”

“What? A general assembly? Isn’t it already a week late for that?” Yena frowned. Hyewon nodded in agreement, she then gestured the two to come closer, as if she wanted to keep the next few things she says a secret.

“Apparently they’ll be announcing some really important stuff and rules.” Hyewon shrugged, as if it wasn’t really important, “I heard some rumours in passing that they’ll probably announce something like an officer getting replaced.”

“Eh? Why? Isn’t it too late for that?” Sakura asked.

Hyewon looked around if anyone was passing near them, when she found no one, she looked back at the two and answered in a soft whisper that only the two of them could hear.

“Incompetency maybe? But the board members of the school were the ones who chose this person to replace the current officer so maybe this person is highly capable.”

“Sounds to me that this person is too capable, we all know this university’s board members aren’t for jokes. They could just buy our lives if they want to.” Yena joked in a hushed voice, although her joke wasn’t far from truth. They really could buy anyone’s life especially when those people earn millions and millions in just a month compared to normal workers.

The two older girls averted their eyes and solemnly nodded. There was nothing to deny in that fact. If the rumours are true, then whoever they are and whichever position they take up might determine a part of how the university’s system will be.

And if what Hyewon said is true that this person had been handpicked by the university board members then they were definitely something to be respected and feared.

Suddenly they heard static, followed by a chime signalling what seemed like a public announcement through the speakers placed strategically on the hallway ceilings. All the noise, chattering and movements in the hallway paused to a halt as everyone was called forth to assemble in the gymnasium in thirty minutes.

When the announcements end and the line cuts off, little by little noises fill back the hallway, but rather than the mixed feeling of curiosity and wonder that the atmosphere carried earlier, everyone was nervous and anxious.

Sakura gulped, finding herself feeling scared and worried, something in gut feeli