The next morning I woke up with a sore throat, watery eyes, and a fever.

I dragged myself to the kitchen table, where mom had breakfast ready. I poured myself a glass of orange juice. It hurt to shallow, but I managed to gulped in down.

"You look terrible." mom said. "You must be coming down with something." She picked up the phone.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Calling the absence line, of course. You can't go to school like that." she said.

"No, no, no!" I said. I would be crucified if I didn't go to school. Everyone would assume I had slunk off to my wounds.

"I mean, I'm fine, mom. And I have a test today that I don't want to miss." I lied.

Mom put down the phone but she didn't look convinced. "Mihyo," she hesitated, but then continued. "Is everything okay? I haven't seen Minwoo around here in a few days."

"Mom, everything is fine. I see him everyday in school. And we have rehearsels." All of which was true. I did see Minwoo; I just left out the part where he was 'rehearsing' with someone else.

I would have to tell my mom that Minwoo and I broke up. Eventually. But I needed time this morning to get ready and if I told her the truth, I'd never make it in time.

Post-breakup wardrobe was crucial. I couldn't look like a trollop or a nun. No black, despite its slimming effects, or people would say I was in mourning.

"Finish your breakfast." mom said. "And take some daytime cold medicine."

Thinking about the breakup had made me lose my appetite, but I managed to force down a few more  spoonfuls of oatmeals, which seemed to satisfy her.

Since we only wear uniforms on Monday, I went upstairs and dug out my favorite skinny-jeans and turquoise top. The perfect looking-good-but-not-trying-too-hard outfit. I used about a bucket of concealer and a little bit of blush to put some color on my pale cheeks. Even my hair cooperated.

So I went to school confident that I look my best.

I ran into Eunrim outside before first bell. My prediction was correct. Rumors abounded.

"I just heard." she said. "I can't believe it." she dabbed at her eyes.

"Are you crying?" I asked.

"It's just so sad. You and Minwoo were the perfect couple. I would die if Kwangmin ever cheated on me." she said.

I raised my eyebrow, but she looked away. I wasn't going to be the one to tell her - that Kwangmin is a playboy- something she probably, deep down, already knew.

"It'll be okay. Thanks for your concern."

"But who are we going to double now? I told Minwoo that there was no way I would associate with that, that homewrecker!"

The fact that Minwoo and I were not married apparently escaped Eunrim's notice. But still, I was touched that she was on my side.

"Thanks Eunrim." I said.

There was a moment of gloomy silence and then she brightened. "Look at this." she crowed. She ped her hoodie and pointed to her chest. I stared at her, not getting it. Was she showing off a recent job? A new tattoo? No, it was her T-shirt she was proudly displaying.

"Don't you love it?" she asked.

It read TEAM MIHYO in big, bold letters.

"All girls are wearing them. You know, to show support after Minwoo dumped you, his two-years girlfriend, to go out with that Kim Soori."

I suppressed a groan. I know, Eunrim meant well, but the T-shirts would just call more attention to the breakup.

"Thank you, Eunrim." I managed to reply, "But I'm fine, really."

She looked at me sympathetically but didn't outright call me a liar, which I supposed was something.

Still, I wasn't surprised when I saw her at lunch with her hoodie firmly zipped over her T-shirts, which made sense given that she was sitting with Kwangmin,Minwoo and Soori.

I think I would have been able to ignore it if Soori and Minwoo had kept their relationship low profile, but for the rest of the week they seemed to be determined to rub it in my face. They even did an interview for the school paper, for god's sake. And because the editor was a total ert, there was a huge photo of Minwoo and Soori. Soori, of course, looked totally amazing.

Suddenly, Kim Soori was all rolled up in one glamorous package. I couldn't compete her.

I admitted my feelings to Haemi, "Soori makes me feel like a total dilettante. There's nothing I can do to knock off her patch."

"She only has one thing you don't." Hyemi admitted.

I sighed. "I know. That perfect face and body."

"No, silly. A boyfriend. Soori has a boyfriend and you don't. That's all."

Haemi was kind enough not to add that Soori had my boyfriend.

"You're right." I said. "Couples rule this place. I just need a boyfriend to get back on top. Someone who makes Minwoo look like yesterday's news. Besides, a boyfriend would be nice. I'm getting a little sick of fending off Yong Junhyung."

It was true. For some reason, my stock had lowered and cretins like Junhyung actually thought thay had a chance with me.

There had been a time when I had plenty of options, even after I had started dating Minwoo exclusively. But I had never even looked at anyone else. Something I was bitterly regretting, since he hadn't granted me the same courtesy.

That was no excuse for Dongwoon's face popping into my mind. He was the only guy whose number I had, and that was juat to schedule extra rehearsels.

I was  really off my game if the only guy's number programmed into my cell was my best friend's brother. How pathetic was that? Turned out it was the tip of the humiliation iceberg.

After school, Haemi and I saw Kim Dasom wearing a TEAM SOORI T-shirt. I looked at Haemi.

"She always hated you." she explained.

"What did I ever do to her?"

"Are you serious?" Haemi asked. "Don't you remember seventh grade? She had that mad crush on Yang Yoseob and he asked you to the dance instead of her."

"That's not my fault." I said. "He's the one who wanted to go with me."

I was happy to notice that there was only sprinkling of TEAM SOORI tees, compared to a solid showing of TEAM MIHYO. Still, Soori needed to be put in her place and I had the perfect idea how.

"Haemi, do me a favor." I said. It wasn't a question.

"What are you up to, Mihyo?

"Never mind. Just wait and see."