'I have to do this. I need to do this. This is my punishment for allowing him to do that to that girl! For not saying anything! How can someone be so cruel!?'

"Don't you think you're pushing yourself too hard? You could actually faint, Na-Ri!" She couldn't help the soft smile twitched at the corner of her lips at her friend's words. 'Min-Ji's so cute when she's concerned.'

"No, I'm not pushing myself hard enough, Ji-Ji." She admitted as her doll-like friend helped her out of the water after noticing mixed girl had trouble pulling herself out. Her whole body was sore almost to the point of being numb but she felt somewhat content, her rage had eased into a dull ache from the Cake Incident hours earlier.

Min-Ji titled her head to the side in confusion, "Punishing yourself? Did you do something bad?”

‘Yes, because I could’ve confronted him about his actions. I could’ve lectured all of them about humility and common courtesy. But instead I sneakingly pulled her aside, offer her a bull piece of advice, and left her still covered in cake! I could’ve at least lent her a shirt or something! Coming to this school has turned me into a ing coward.’ She thought dejectively as she rubbed her forehead, the pressure of a headache was beginning to take root due to her thoughts. Na-Ri could feel the formation of tears that gathering at the corners of her eyes, causing them to mist over. She moaned silently in frustration and self-loathing while clenching the towel in anger. ‘Why? Why? Why?! I need to get it together!’  

“Hey.” Na-Ri was brought back to reality when Min-Ji placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You’re feeling better now, yeah?” Her doll-like friend playfully poked her left cheek where she knew a dimple was hiding. Min-Ji could obviously sense her frustration and it touched Na-Ri that she was trying to make her feel better even if the former German resident didn’t know the cause. Na-Ri still kept the pout on her face.

“You didn't prank Ginger again, did you?" The German girl teased with a glint in her eye most likely remembering the impressive show that displayed earlier in the week.

A laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head, "No, I haven't done anything to her...lately. But I feel as though I did something wrong..." She trailed off as her mind replayed the witnessed event revolving around a certain group of four boys. 'Gu Jun-Pyo is the worst out of them, the other three don't seem that bad but they're just as guilty as the company they keep since they did nothing to stop him. The whole thing is frustrating.'

A sweet voice broke her out of her thoughts, "Well.” Na-Ri could tell Min-Ji was getting increasingly worried, “do you feel better?"

"Yes because all the reasons why I still go to this school are right here!" She answered, dramatically waving her hands at their surroundings. 'Well, almost all of them.' She thought as So-Hee came to mind.

Min-Ji's eyes sparkled with amusement, "Really? And what are they?" She inquired playful, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"The swimming pool, the dance studio, the ice-skating ring, the chorus room/recording studio..." Na-Ri purposely left out one more reason and mentally chuckled at her friend's pouting face.

"Oh... Is that all?"

"No, of course not. Oh Min-Ji is my number one reason!" She teased, pinching the girl's reddening cheek as Min-Ji smiled beautifully at her.

"Well, since you're my bestfriend... How about I treat you to ice-cream?"

"Oreo?" Na-Ri questioned with sparkling eyes. 'It's only the best flavor of ice-cream in the world! Well, it's tied with sherbet and strawberry-vanilla.'

Min-Ji nodded in confirmation with her smile still in place, "Oreo."

Roughly half an hour later, Na-Ri was having a delightful time with the only person she could connect with in Shinhwa Academy, as the two teenage girls enjoyed the delicious treats in their hands with bright smiles on their faces.

"Have I ever told you how much of a great friend you are, Ji-Ji?" Na-Ri asked before taking another bite from her cone, "Ooo, this is so good." She said before releasing a moan of pure joy until she allowed a mouse-like squeal to slip from her lips when the cold treat made contact with the tip of her nose.

"I'm surprised your brain hasn't frozen over yet." Min-Ji teased after she finished her small giggling spell. "That was your third cone!"

Dramatically sighing, Na-Ri tsked her, "But I love ice-cream. It's literally the key to my heart. Well, food in general is."

Na-Ri smiled as Min-Ji laughed but it soon faded when the German girl slipped from the brick wall she was walking on and landed on the grass. Unfortunately, her dessert soiled the shoe of the ever so annoying Gu Jun-Pyo. Immediately, a bitter taste entered Na-Ri's mouth at the sight of his expression and from the corner of her eye she could see the remaining members of F4 standing nearby.

Min-Ji scurried onto her feet as soon as she saw him and bowed exceedingly, "S-sunbaenim! I am so sorry, Jun-Pyo sunbaenim." Her doe-eyes were wet with unleashed tears as her small hands clutched the edge of her skirt.

A mocking smile crawled across his face, "Sorry? If apologizing solves everything, why would there be laws and police officers?"

'What's with the sarcasm? She already apologized.'

Min-Ji gasped at his tone before replying, "But it was an accident. I'll buy you the same exact shoes right away!"

Suddenly an emotionless expression crossed his face, "Do you have more money than me?"

She blinked in confusion, "Pardon?"

Na-Ri stared unblinkingly at him for several moments, 'Seriously? Is he ing joking right now?'

Jun-Pyo rolled his eyes, "Even if you had more money, it would be impossible. These shoes were made by a deceased craftsman in Firenze. So, I'll ask you again. How could you possibly buy me the same ones immediately?"

Her face begun to pale as she blurted out another apologize and added those dre