“We’re not actually going to lie to your sister. It’s more like you’re just going to… stand in for her while you girls are both doing your grandfather’s condition.”

Darie felt a muscle in her eye twitch as she watched her father tapping his foot on the floor while they were seated at the living room. Her father had asked her for a word when she got home after school and Darie had wondered why her father is looking a little grim when he ushered her inside. Now she knew.

“Awww dad,” Darie said with a grimace. “You know Sandie’s going to literally kill me when she finds out. Like… downright murder that’s gonna happen right under your nose.”

Her dad sighed. “I know your sister’s really difficult but your sister had always supported the society and she would know this would be for the good of it.”

“If you really think Sandie’s gonna see the rightness in this arrangement, how come you don’t want to tell her?”

“And ruin the engagement even before it happened?” Her dad shook his head. “No. This is important. Our clans need to be united and not just through a flimsy agreement between the leaders but a tight bond that no one can break. Marriage. Sandie would know that it is the right thing to do if and when she succeeded my position. And since we are keeping up with the charade of you being Sandie, then… I don’t see any problem why you won’t be able to do this as Sandie.”

“The only problem is the real Sandie won’t ever agree to this. Dad, have you had any idea how much she hates this GD guy?”

“It’s just an emotion that she gew up with around GD. It’s nothing but a childish peeve.”

Childish Peeve? Hmmm. Well, Darie did really look at it as childish but doing it against her sister’s back? Her irritation at her sister does not go that far.

Yet.

“Dad—“

“It’s not really a formal engagement,” her dad interrupted. “Just a formal meeting between the two families.”

“That’s the same, Dad,” Darie said wryly.

Her dad waved his hand in dismissal. “No. Engagements requires rings and promises and dowries. This is just talk. And think of it this way. Sandie would do this no matter how much she hates it because she would know I’m doing this for the good of the Tigers Clan. We’re not tricking your sister, Darie. You are just standing in for a moment that is bound to be inevitable in the future.”

Darie let out a heavy breath not knowing how to respond to her dad.

“Please baby,” her dad said with a pouty face that made Darie grimace. “This has already been cancelled far too many times and if I cancel again, this would be an insult to the Dragons and we can’t have our two families warring with each other over something trivial.”

Darie sighed again. Well, it’s just gonna be talk anyway. Sandie oughta know she did put up a fight. Even if it wasn’t much. “Alright. I’ll do it. But this is just talk, dad. Promise me! I don’t want to participate in something like an engagement with someone I don’t even know even if I’m just standing in for Sandie.”

Her father looked pleased as he nodded. “I promise, baby. Just talk. Just meet and greet. And you know your mother’s gonna kill me eventually anyway so I might as well take the most of it.” He grinned.

Darie rolled her eyes as she stood up to change but her dad’s next words stopped her.

“We’ll be leaving at eight.”

Darie gawked at her dad. “Wh…. This talk is tonight?”

Her father stood up too. “Of course. I thought you overheard my conversation with Kwon yesterday?”

Oh right. She completely forgot about that as she had never thought she would be the one to be subjected to this. She hasn’t even had time to think of any excuses to give or even what to tell GD because he is sure he’s going to vent on her again. As if she wanted this. Ah crap. She knew GD won’t like this too.

Great.

Now she will be on Sandie and GD’s murder list.

Her dad left her in the living room after ruffling her head affectionately, his phone already in his ear and Darie just sighed before trodding towards the stairs to go up to her room. A week hasn’t been over yet and she feels like she’s already lived a lifetime as Sandie.

She glanced at the wall clock of her room and saw that it was already close to 6:30 in the evening. She plopped down on her bed dropping her bag on the floor. Well, it might be a good thing too. At least she would have enough time to talk to GD about their supposed agreement. She took out the phone he gave her late afternoon when he walked up to her during a break period.

“Keep this,” GD said practically shoving the phone in her hand.

“What’s this?”

“For communication,” GD said gave a glance at CL who was looking back and forth between then.

“I have my own phone,” Darie said trying to give it back but GD just crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a wry look.

“Why are you so stupid?” He muttered.

Of course being called stupid on someone as smart as she is is an insult. Especially when it comes from someone like this guy. “Excuse me?” She lifted one of her eyebrows at him and standing to her full height. “For someone who thinks Pedantic has something to do with pendants and jewelries, I feel that you calling me stupid is the highest insult anyone can ever give me.” She had almost laughed out loud when GD, being the arrogant, idiotic, gangster-wannabe in class made a comment about pendants in reference with their History Teacher’s definition of a Pedantic essay that he was reading out to them.

“Yeah, me and the rest of the class would be giving you the highest insult of all,” GD had responded haughtily. “Who cares about that? This is for your brilliant offer that you made me at lunch.”

Darie’s frown increased. “Offer?”

GD sighed heavily and loudly. “Do you have a short term memory loss?” He tsked before starting to leave. “Keep it and you’ll see what I’m talking about, loser. And cancel whatever meetings your dad sets up.”

“What?” Darie was glaring at his back and CL was looking back and forth at them in total confusion.

It was during her ride back home when she received a message from that phone and realized instantly that it was a Spy Phone when she read the contained message.

Will give updates later on Sandie Park.

Now she understood what GD said about the offer she made and one that is agreeing. She looked at the message on the phone again. Whoever GD is using as an intel at SM High must’ve had a lot of connections to be able to even enter the school grounds. Or it could’ve been a student.

Whereas, that means the twins had failed their grandfather’s condition and the will has already gone down the drain but of course, neither of them is gonna admit it.

Unless they get called out for it.

With proofs.

Until then Darie won’t ever admit it’s her fault just as much as Sandie won’t.

May the best twin win.

Her dad told her it’s just like a Meet And Greet but Darie could hear her dad and GD’s parents discussing about Engagement Plans. Jesus christ, they weren’t even out of high school yet and her dad is already planning Sandie’s wedding. Thank god, she’s not Sandie. Darie snuck a glance at GD who was sitting across from her and she grimaced inwardly. If looks could kill, she would probably be dead by the deathly glares he’s relentlessly giving her, his mouth turned downwards while the tick in his jaw is becoming more and more pronounced with each information being said in the private room of the restaurant they were in.

Darie just rolled her eyes at GD which made his face turn darker. As if she wanted this. He knew she’s not Sandie who can pull a tantrum and yell at their dad or storm out of here, manners be damned. And why can’t he protest this arrangement?

She was startled a little in her seat when she felt her phone vibrate inside her pocket. She excused herself politely and went out of the stuffy room. The rush of the cold air outside hit her face but she felt like sweating a little. This was the one she had been waiting for all evening. The phone that she put in her pocket is the Spy Phone and she had been anxiously waiting for it to buzz to give her updates on what her twin is up to. She didn’t know if she should read it or wait until she gets home when she is no longer on the 5th floor of a building.

But before she could even open the message, GD grabbed her arm and and turned her to face him. Darie scowled at his dark expression.

“I thought I told you to cancel this?” GD shot at her.

Darie brushed his hand off her arm and glared back at him. “It’s not like I had a choice. My dad told me it’s just some talk. What am I supposed to do?”

“Use your brain, idiot,” GD said. “You weren’t the smart twin for nothing.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not smart when it comes to lying. If I was even half as good as Sandie in that department, you wouldn’t have found out about our little switch. And we would still be both in this situation, regardless.”

“What happened to that offer you told me at lunch in school? The one where you told me you would do anything I ask if I tell you what your twin is doing?”

Darie held up her index finger near his face. “For the record, you didn’t told me anything about what Sandie is doing.” GD opened his mouth to respond to that but Darie went on. “And I have just received a message tonight at this very moment in exactly 5 minutes ago from the Spy phone you gave me that I was about to read before you barged in here and rant like an old lady. So technically, it’s not my responsibility to cancel this wedding plan and meeting the in-laws because the deal just started not earlier than 5 minutes ago.”

GD, who still had his mouth open, was glaring at her in disbelief. His mouth was moving but no words were coming out. Of course he wouldn’t be able to rebutt her perfect reasoning. Darie flipped her hair from her shoulder haughtily and turned her back on GD to read whatever bomb the Spy is gonna drop on her.

There are only two paragraphs on the message but it made her turn cold.

This is what I have only gathered today: She volunteered to be Donghae Lee’s Math Tutor.

She got called to the Principal’s office because she was accused of dumping a bucket of green slime on the director’s daughter’s head, Jessica Jung, this morning. I wasn’t able to know if she was found guilty but Jessica Jung has already raised the case with her mother.

She read it three times before it finally sunk in. “Oh my god.” This is complete utter horror for her! She spun around and faced GD who was still glaring at her but she ignored it. “I got called to the Principal’s office!”

GD’s glaring face transformed into confusion then just as fast, he smirked at the look of supreme distress on Darie’s face. “Sounds like Sandie to me. I would guess the principal’s office is gonna be her room everytime she go to school and the principal and your mom is gonna be the best of friends.”

“This is not funny!” Darie snapped wiping the smirk off GD’s face in surprise at her angry outburst. Oh, so she was seriously pissed off at the thought that she got called to the principal’s office.

Darie wants to cry in anger, fury. She even felt herself shaking. “I never get called to the Principal’s office. Never! I am a model student. I am the vice president! I elicit peace in school! I don’t start troubles or fights! I have a clean record! Cases like this is gonna be on my school record!” She wailed as she turned towards the balcony and put a foot on top of the rails. “Tutoring Donghae?!” Is her sister for real? She screamed as she hoisted herself on the balcony banister.

GD finally realizing what she is doing grabbed her arm and hastily pulled her down. She didn’t put up a fight. “What the do you think you’re doing?!”

“I hate Sandie! I hate my sister!!” She had her palms in a fist and shaking it in front of her as she continued to rant. “How can she do this to me?! I told her to keep my image clean! I told her not to do anything! A case? A case against me? And I have no doubt and perfectly sure and absolutely definite that she really did everything that she was accused of but I will be the one suffer for it!” She grabbed the front of GD’s shirt who seems to be backing away at the sudden crazed look on her face. “Do you understand what I’m going through right now?!”

“No,” he just answered trying to remove her hands off his shirt but she unconsciously pushed him and fixed him with determined gleam on her fanatical eyes.

“I’m gonna get back at her for this,” she said resolutely. “I’ll pay her ten times fold. I’ll do anything you ask. Make me whatever you want and make sure it’s something humiliating that’ll mark Sandie Park’s legendary rule in your school. Am I clear?”

GD rolled his tongue inside his cheek as he studied Darie’s stormy face as he contemplated how he can use the twin’s fight to his full advantage. He finally smirked. “Now that we have finally come to this mutual understanding, I want you to go in there and cancel the engagement. Make some excuses. Whatever works but make sure that you make it a point that Sandie Park is the one who doesn’t want this and leave me out it. Do it now.”

Darie nodded her head at him but she paused for a fraction of a second narrowing her eyes at him.

“What?” GD said questioningly at the unfathomable expression that came on Darie’s face.

Darie didn’t answer but marched past him to go inside their private room. GD followed fighing the urge to smile. At least if this engagement would be cancelled, his dad wouldn’t lay the blame on him. Their engagement might be delayed until after college but at least, he would still have a lot of time before he can condition his stomach of the thought of exchanging vows with someone as volatile as him with a volcanic temper.

GD sat across from where he had sat on earlier. Across from him is Darie looking so stiff, her face still looking stormy while her eyes practically drilled a hole on a spot she was looking at. No doubt still ruminating on different ways to get back at Sandie.

Minutes of chatter passed and Darie still hasn’t spoken her protest on this arragement and he cleared his throat loudly to get her attention. Her eyes went to his and he made a small motion of his head towards the parents who’s having a little too much fun getting into their children’s business.

“Excuse me. I have something to say,” Darie started in a clear voice putting the parents’ chatter to a stop. They all looked at her and GD reached out for a glass of water to hide the eagerness from appearing on his face. He’s seconds to being free of this stupidity. At least for now. He’s pretty sure his dad and Mr. Park would still find ways to get him and Sandie tie the knot for the good of their organization.

Darie looked at GD’s parents and her dad with the latter looking at her with a crease on his forehead. “I just want to tell you that’s it is an honor to be marrying your son for the good of the uh… society. Merging our families together with a bond that is stronger than friendship. I know we are all here to discuss our engagement and you’re looking at pursuing that event to be formal and official after graduation but I think that it’s best to discard such formalities.” She smiled brightly. “So why don’t we go ahead with the wedding after graduation instead?”

The water that GD is drinking sprayed out of his mouth splashing Darie on the face who didn’t even flinch. She just calmly took a napkin and wiped her face.

“You what?!!” GD practically yelled amidst the stunned looks on the parent’s faces over Darie’s sudden proclamation.

Sandie was greeted by her mom’s scolding at breakfast just when she woke up in a really great mood. She was all ready to go to school but her mom, as usual, stopped her from darting out of the house.

“You had a case against you in school?” Her mom asked in disbelief as soon as she finished the last step of the stairs.

Oh brother. Her mom wasn’t home when she got home from school yesterday so obviously, this morning would be the time when she would use all of Sandie’s time preaching about Darie’s record that she ruined.