A huge commotion came up the instant I stepped foot inside the school grounds. It was probably because I was walking with Beast.

Everyone gasped and screamed and looked thunderstruck. I glimpsed Im Raehi and her posse from a distance, and they looked like someone slammed a brick in their face. I ducked my head and tried to run away. Maybe if I was lucky and distanced myself from them, they might think I just went in at the same time as them and we weren't walking together.

My plan was immediately foiled by Kikwang, who although a few centimeters shorter than me had arms like a pro westler's. He grabbed my arm and wrenched me to his side. "Don't be embarassed walking with the almighty Beast." He sad, grinning and winking at me. "Walk loud and proud, honey."

" off." I hissed, trying to pull away. But Kikwang put his arm around my shoulder to keep me beside him. He didn't need to use any extra strength--------I immediately lost all of mine because I got all flustered again. Dammit, I've made physical contact with guys before---just long enough for me to knock them out. So why was I getting all hot and red and embarassed when I get a casual touch like this? It drove me crazy!

Kikwang unfortunately noticed my lack of strength. He smirked. "Hey, guys." He said to the others. "I think I found out the Red Lion's weakness."

They burst out laughing. "Leave me ALONE!!!" I snarled venemously.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS??!!!"

I jumped. Im Raehi and her posse was standing in front of us. She looked furious and upset, as did mostly every other girl in the school.

"Explain yourself, Saja Ringo!" She yelled in rage. "You couldn't have forgotten the rules so easily, have you? We went over them with you yesterday! What are you doing so blantantly ignoring them, and breaking NUMEROUS rules already?!"

"Trust me, Raehi-sshi, I wouldn't be in this position if I had the choice." I said weakly, still uncomfortably aware of Kikwang's arm around my shoulder and wishing he wasn't doing that right now. "And it's honestly NOT what it looks like."

"Oh, really?" Raehi's voice was thick with sarcasm. "Then what DOES it look like, Saja Ringo?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but I really had nothing to say. It wasn't like I could exactly tell Im Raehi that Beast wanted me to be their seventh gang member.

"You are charged with breaking rules #2, 3, 4, 5, and 6!" Raehi shouted. "And this means SEVERE PUNISHMENT!!!"

Okay, she was pissing me off. I fired up right away. "Aren't you breaking your own rules, Raehi?" I snapped. "I thought Rule #3 states that nobody should get in Beat's way and always make a clear path!"

There was a long silence. Finally, Raehi flipped her tea-coloured hair and said snobbily, "Rules can be exceptioned in special circumstances. Now, back to your crime----"

"What crime?" I exploded. "This is so stupid! I thought the rules can also be an exception if Beast was the one to come up to me first! They were the ones who talked to me first, and they were the ones who showed up to walk with me to school! So why are you still blabbing on and on about MY crime?"

There was an even longer silence, broken by Beast's loud bursts of laughter.

Raehi looked taken aback, as did her fellow Beast Fan Club Staff members. "B-Beast?" She asked in a shaky voice. "What is the meaning of this?"

Doojoon chuckled and patted my red head. "Back off, Im Raehi. It's true. We were the ones who approached Ringo first. So, if you follow your own rules, technically Ringo shouldn't have any punishment, right?"

"W-w-well, that's true, but............" Raehi stammered.

Yoseob beamed so sweetly at everyone I nearly got a cavity. "You aren't going to punish our darling beloved Ringo-ah, are you?"

"R-R-R-Ringo-ah?" Girls gasped. "Did you HEAR that?" "Yang Yoseob-sshi called that......that GIRL......Ringo-ah!"

"Now, if you don't mind, we're leaving. With Ringo." Hyunseung said firmly, and with that Beast dragged me away and to their private garden.

Once they were in and securely locked the gate from upset, crazed fangirls, I struggled free and twisted around. "Great. You guys have officially RUINED MY LIFE!!!"

"Huh?" They asked, bewildered.

"What kind of ungrateful person are you, huh?" Junhyung demanded. "We just saved your from those Beast Fan Club Staff girls!"

"IF YOU DIDN'T BOTHER ME FROM THE BEGINNING, THEN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO SAVE MY , NOW WOULD YOU??!!!" I yelled, surprising everyone and myself most of all by feeling angry tears in my eyes. I swiped at them angrily, too upset to care that I was crying for the first time in five years.

"You guys..........are big jerks." I muttered sullenly. "The reason why I gave up fighting was to be normal for once........to live a normal, carefree life without any turmoil or hardship or warfare..........but, thanks to you, probably the whole school hates me now......" I sniffled, and my voice broke. "What was the point for me to go through all this trouble to be normal?!"

Pushing away from them, I unlocked the gate again and walked away. They stared after me, speechless.

"Is it just me, or do I feel like a huge jerk?" Dongwoon burst out.

Doojoon scratched the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. "Maybe it was wrong to bother Ringo about all this.........I mean, she's such a cute, nice girl under all her fire.........."

"It doesn't matter." Hyunseung interrupted.

"Huh?"

Hyunseung turned to gaze at the others coldly. "What are you doing getting all sentimental and sympathetic for one miserable girl, you fools? Don't forget our goal----we want the Red Lion to join our gang. That's the entire reason why we are putting all our time and effort into being around her."

"Yah, what are you saying, Jang Hyunseu----" Yoseob started to say angrily, but Kikwang pushed him back. "You no better than to talk back to Hyunseung." He muttered.

Hyunseung glared at them all, indifferently. "In the world of gangs, things like 'love' and 'kindness' and 'friendship' are superficial nothings. We are only in a gang together because we all have a common goal. Don't do something stupid like making friends or falling for Saja Ringo. She's nothing but the Red Lion----a huge asset to our gang. That's all she is, and nothing more." He turned and walked away. "You fools are still soft."

Yoseob glared at him. "That's putting things too far, Yoon Lead-ah, and you know it!" He burst out when Hyunseung was out of sight. "He crossed the line!"

"I know, I know." Doojoon sighed. "But we have to make allowances for him. Our strategist has had a hard life, he's had more hardships than any of us combined. You know, I think he and Ringo are a lot alike........"

"Huh?" Dongwoon said bluntly. "No they're not. Ringo's a hot chick and Hyunseung's a cold monster."

"Not physical characteristics, you idiot!" Doojoon sighed. "I mean, emotionally.........I bet there was a hidden reason as to why Ringo gave up fighting. Just like Hyunseung.........except Ringo wants to exit this world and Hyunseung just gets more drawn in.........."

"You know, your perceptiveness still amazes me." Junhyung said, scratching his head.

"That's why I'm a leader of a gang and you're nothing but a mere henchman, you knucklehead." Doojoon smirked, knocking Junhyung on his forehead.

"WHO'S A HENCHMAN??!!!"

"Shut up, you two!" Kikwang burst out. "Shouldn't we find a way to make it up to Ringo?"

They nodded. "Let's go find her."