They say the hardest thing about being a spy isn’t that you know things- it’s the fact that you have to act like you don’t. And by the next second I was pulled into mission impossible. Facing Mr. Ahn was hard enough, but the thought about talking to my mom made me want to faint. I knew there was a school for boys. I knew Blackthorne existed. The female version of Arcadia, where they make more Mr. Ahns. And the worst part was, I let one of them stand between me and my mission. One of them had just gotten the best of me.

This cannot be happening, no way, the thought kept repeating through my brain. This cannot be happening.

“Great work, Kai.” Mr. Ahn spoke. The boy who went by Kai shot a wink at me, and I knew this was happening. He distracted me and cost me my mission! I let that boy get the better of me!

It felt like I was about to blackout, I didn’t think I would be able to endure the whole situation if a part of me didn’t find the confidence to speak out. And so I did, I had to prove myself. “Hello, Blackthorne Boy.”

And for a split second, I was winning. Mr. Ahn blinked and Kai’s mouth was slightly opened and for a little bit, I was the one smiling when Mr. Ahn said, “Good work, Ms. Jung.” But that didn’t smile didn’t last for long. My teacher looked over at the boy who had made me look small, “But not good enough.” My face flushed the color of Snow White’s poison apple. I had lost- but this was only the first round.

“So, Kai. Your mission was… what? To keep us from completing our mission?” I asked, amazed by how steady my voice and pulse was. I guess being a spy has its perks.

The boy lifted his eyebrows and stared into my eyes, “Mm, you could say something like that,” He smirked and laughed dryly, “I thought I could at least make you late, but who knew you’d practically invite me there.”

He won. I was sick to my stomach, in front of my teacher, the nine security cameras, and the boy standing in front of me wearing a cocky smile.

I thought the boy was benevolent, wrong. I thought he was cute, totally wrong. But the worst part was that I thought he was flirting, with me. Wrong again.

* * *

After the awkward helicopter ride home, the four of us walked back to our rooms and sat in silence. How awkward you ask? Well let me list them:

In an attempt to draw away attention, Hana and Liz ditched their school uniform for janitor outfits. They ended up being tailed because of that.

Kim and Jade split up, but Kim fell down the metro stairs and ended up needing assistance from Jade.

Victoria and Luna almost made it to the meeting point, but was stopped by “mall security” for stealing. Apparently, one of the boys placed something on their person. Unfair game, I’d have to say.

Sulli almost made it to but had to take a detour because she noticed her tail. She wasn’t able to shake him off in time.

And that was how eight Arcadia Girls were able to make a fool of themselves. It was one thing to find out about a school like yours in a boys version. but it was another to find out they just might be better than you.

The four of us sat in the shower room with the water running, letting the steam fill up the room slowly-as much as the biggest news in the history of Arcadia Academy was spreading throughout the halls. The shower was possibly the only place where overhearing was less likely. At Arcadia, eavesdropping was both an art and a science. We couldn’t take any chances.

“Did you really see some?” Luna asked carefully. We had the water running, but she still whispering, “Do they really exist?”

“Lu, please, they’re not fairies and unicorns.” I answered back.

“Nope, they’re boys and,” Sulli added on, “And they are good.” Enunciating the last part as clearly as possible.

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