“Kyo Jin, honestly, you can still get 100% without doing all this extra detailing,” Aerin murmured. Kyo Jin looked at her then scoffed lightly. 

“Have you not noticed Mrs. Seo’s teaching habits? Unless she knows every little thing is somehow tied to the subject, she will not give 100%. She will give 98 if she knows you put in a really big effort,” she started to explain. “That is why I’m putting in all my effort. Though I can’t say the same for my partner.”

Aerin chuckled. Taemin lifted up his upper lip, making a discontent face. He was not amused. 

“Screw this project! I’m happy with my mark!” he exclaimed. He put his feet on the desk, leaning back on his chair. Mrs. Seo didn’t necessarily care for behaviour and respect 24/7 in class. Maybe because she was a foreigner who married a Korean. As long as their marks reflect their effort and work, she doesn’t really mind. 

The bell rang as soon Kyo Jin finished gluing on the last intricate construction paper fish. She stood up and whooped, happy that she was done her project.

“Whoop dee doo,” Taemin muttered sarcastically. Aerin threatened to punch him for trying to damper her spirits. Taemin instantly flinched. Then her chuckle could be heard. Taemin blew out his cheeks and huffed. 

“Aerin-goon, you’re something else,” he murmured. 

“Taemin-ah, you’re just too easy to pick on!” she chirped with a sudden burst of bubbly behaviour. She did a cute ‘bye’ gesture with her hand then packed her books and left. Taemin only rolled his eyes and followed suit. 

“Aerin!” Changmi yelled out. The taller girl looked up to see one of the few friends she had. They were 4 other girls in all and they were probably about to come in 3...2...1

“Aerin-goon! My shoe is wet!” 

“It was her own fault!”

“I’d blame Kyo Jin for that.”

“Well, if Soo Yunnie wasn’t on a toilet when the lights turned off…”

“See? It wasn’t my fault whatsoever!” Kyo Jin exclaimed. Soo Yun pouted and kicked the black-haired girl’s shin lightly. Minhi covered as she laughed, as if it would stop her. Ji Dae smiled at the other’s actions. Then she looked at Aerin and Changmi who had this completely lost aura about them. 

“Soo Yun fell into the toilet when Kyo Jin turned off the lights in the bathroom. We were trying to get out of class like the smart people we are,” she explained light-heartedly. C

Changmi smiled and giggled. “Why didn’t you guys invite me?” she asked with a slight whine.

“Because you were doing your work, chingu!” Minhi chirped. “I didn’t want to drag you with me to the bathroom. Someone would’ve said something.”

“Like Sehun-sshi?” Changmi replied. Minhi pointed at her and laughed, remembering the moment when she barged into the classroom. The six girls continued with their small chit-chat until a foreign girl, with black hair and bright red eyes approached them. She was wearing a friendly smile but Aerin noticed something odd, along with Kyo Jin. 

“Hello, my name’s Eris… you guys seem like the nicest out of the others so I was wondering if I could hang out with you,” she said as she used hand gestures to explain her situation. Her Korean was faulty in some places. But being a foreigner, it was actually considered quite good. 

But Aerin could tell that the girl had something up her sleeve. Aerin was by far not the nicest-looking person out there. Sure, she was pretty and when she did smile it was nice, but she knew that she had this cold aura that makes it hard for people to approach her. She was amazed by her 5 other friends, and sometimes Taemin, that they were able to approach her willingly. She crossed her arms disapprovingly. 

Soo Yun noticed her the way her ‘umma’ reacted. “W-Well, we’d love to any other day. It’s just that… I have something very emotional going on… and I feel uncomfortable with strangers,” the auburn-haired girl lied smoothly. She even managed to look down and fiddle with her shirt, looking very insecure. This girl had some serious acting skills. She looked shy for once. 

Kyo Jin caught on and nodded vigorously. “Neh, how about tomorrow though? Maybe by then, Soo Yun’s drama would pass over,” she suggested with a warm smile. Eris blinked and nodded.

“Of course. Then I’ll see you girls tomorrow!” the red-eyed girl said. She walked off. Ji Dae noticed how she carried herself. Not at all like a new person. She walked as if she owned the place. How interesting. Most new girls don’t do that unless they have something planned up their sleeve. The girl decided to say nothing about it however. 

“What do you think that’s about?” Minhi asked the others. Changmi shrugged. 

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen her-- Soo Yunnie! Are you okay?!” Changmi shrieked all of a sudden. 

The young girl had begun to hyperventilate. Her eyes were glazed over and glossy. Her skin was turning pale to a sickly pasty green. A trickle of blood escaped her left nostril. The girl was shaking badly. The five girls ran to get her to the office.

They were in a panic. Soo Yun had never done something like this before. This was most definitely not acting. She didn’t have any allergies or health conditions that could make her like this either. 

However, there was one person who didn’t panic. Aerin.

She glared at Eris, who was watching the scene from afar. ‘That woman has something to do with this.’ Her thoughts could’ve sliced someone with how angry she felt. 

‘That’s what you get when you lie to me,’ Eris thought just as icily then chuckled to herself.