'What the hell was that?' Yunho growled and Raina hung her head low. 'Sorry.' 

'Sorry? You're lucky you passed, the judges had seen you practicing so they knew you're actually good…' 

Raina bit her lip, nodding as her teacher ranted on. Beside her, Lay stood with his head hanging low in shame as if it was his fault she'd messed everything up. 

'Now practice hard, okay? Kikwang's going to rest, no dancing for at least a month so Lay will be your partner in this. Okay?'

She nodded again and barely stayed to hear him give the final instructions, asking Lay if he was okay being forced to perform like that, rushing out the moment he gave leave. She wanted to cry, not because she'd messed up her showcase and everything she'd worked so hard for but because… 

Stupid Tao, she thought, angrily rubbing her eyes so they'd stop tearing up. So he hadn't noticed how she'd dressed up, or complimented her dancing or even bothered to stay. Big deal, it wasn’t like she cared or anything. 

Still, she moped her way back to class, throwing her heels off the moment she got the chance. Stupid heels, making her feet ache. Tch, she didn't even know why she'd bothered.

'What happened to you up there?' Kai asked, sliding into his seat as they gathered in the café. Raina shook her head noncommittally while Sehun snorted. 'I'm awesome, that's what happened.' 

He'd gotten second position and hadn't stopped gloating since the result had been announced because Raina and Kai were always the ones competing for top spots.

She couldn’t even find it in herself to snap at him for being cocky, too depressed. 

A feeling only made worse by Mei glaring at her like she'd offended her on a personal level. 

'I guess that's what you get for not caring…' she muttered scathingly, making Raina bristle in her seat. Not care? She'd messed up because she cared too damn much. 

'Don't be mean,' Kai defended her, 'she cares about her dance a lot. She's always practicing.' 

'Just shut up, okay?' Mei told him, before leaving the table with a loud 'TAO!' 

Raina's head snapped up, eyes immediately seeking him before she deflated. What was the point, wasn’t like he cared. 

Tao and Mei slipped into a different table and Kai looked torn between comforting her and going after Mei. She nodded her head to show she understood and buried her head between her arms, turning it so she could catch Tao's side profile. 

Everything seemed to slow down, so much so that she could see the wind as it played with each strand of his hair and sounds faded into the background, everything else falling away until all she could see was him. She felt like one of those anime characters who just wanted 'senpai' to notice them. A heartfelt sigh escaped her lips as a couple tears slipped loose.

Idiot, she sniffed, stupid idiot jerk…

'Ya, what's with the waterworks?' Sehun, loud and cocky as ever, poked her head with his spoon. 

She buried her head in her arms, mumbling, 'None of your business.'

'Suit yourself,' he shrugged, slurping loudly on his bubble tea, 'But he's looking at you.' 

Raina's neck cricked ominously as she whipped her head around, ponytail catching in one of the protruding nails in the wooden table, pulling at her hair painfully. 

'Ow,' she pouted, tears too close to the surface to not fall. 'You're mean.' 

'And you're stupid, so we're even.' He leaned back, stretching his legs out. 'Why don't you talk to him if you miss him so much?' 

She couldn't tell if he was being sincere or just wanted to wallow in her misery. From Tiffany, she knew that Sehun could actually be pretty nice but he was also kind of evil, not to mention her prime rival both in her dance and in her affections for Lay… which she'd given up because of Tao and did that jerk even care? 

'He can't read your mind, y'know?' Sehun continued, sounding nonchalant but his eyes were serious. 'Tell him if you feel so strongly.'

She made a face. If it were that easy, she would've done it already, wouldn't she? 

He arched a brow. 'What's so difficult about opening your mouth and, you know, talking?'

'He's too handsome…' she muttered, stabbing her fries half-heartedly, 'and I really, really like him.'

'So?' 

Tch, didn't he get it? That was her weakness, literally leaving her tongue tied. 

'I think that's kind of cute.' Baekhyun's voice floated to them before slipped into the chair beside Sehun, smiling charmingly. 'So, did you talk to him yet?'

She shook her head, not questioning how everyone seemed to know about her dilemma. Unlike Sehun, she wasn't known for her poker face.  

'You'll get there,' he nodded confidently, picking her fries and popping them in his mouth. 

'Yup, you'll get there.' Chen agreed, slipping beside Baekhyun and swiping a couple of fries himself. 'We'll help you.' 

'Ooh, I like that!' Baekhyun turned to him, excited. 'We can help them both!' 

'I know!' 

They cackled and the sound made Raina shiver. Somehow, it didn't sound reassuring at all. 

'They mean well but be careful,' Chanyeol's deep voice whispered, making her jerk around. 

'Why?' she asked, hoping her heart would settle down. Too many hot people were around her and it was beginning to take its toll. 

'They can be a little… extreme.' He nodded, rubbing his wrist. Raina caught sight of the charred edge of his denim's sleeve. 

'O-okay.' 

'So you'll do as we say?' Chen asked, grabbing her hands excitedly. 

'Let her go, ,' Baekhyun pushed him off, taking hold of her hands and smiling charmingly at her instead. 'So… you will do as we say, won't you?'

Raina's head felt like it was on fire, she was blushing so furiously and of course, her tongue was refusing to cooperate. She nodded mutely instead.  

'Okay, then, let's get cracking!'

That unglued her tongue. 'What, you mean now?' She asked, frankly surprised. 

'Of course, not a minute to waste!' 

Before she could blink, she was being dragged out of her seat and forcefully dragged out of the café. Chanyeol shook his head sympathetically, following resignedly after her. 

'Just… be careful.' He repeated.  
……………………………….

'Purrfect!' 

Chen purred as Raina stumbled out, once again adorned in heels and wearing clothes she wouldn't normally be caught dead in. in fact, she wasn't sure if she should be wearing them even now, fashion advice notwithstanding. 

'R-really?'

They'd spent the past hour in the girls' gym changing room. How Chen, Baekhyun, Chanyeol and for some unfathomable reason, Sehun – why wasn't he with Tiffany? – had managed to sneak inside was beyond her; how they'd secured enough clothes to run a small boutique in that same time, when Tao was obviously not involved… she frankly didn't want to know.  

'Of course, it's amazing!' Baekhyun reassured her. 

They'd had a field day, making her change so many times her head was still spinning and after the first fifteen minutes, she'd stopped thinking how weird their advice was – polka dots and leopard print? It seemed kind of odd but then again, she wasn't the fashion expert here so she was going to trust them. 

Sehun took one look at her and doubled over, laughing so hard tears slipped out of his eyes. 

'What?' She whined, not liking it one bit. 'Whaaat?'

'Don't listen to him, you look stunning!' Baekhyun reassured her, turning her this way and that, before clucking his tongue and rearranging the feathers in her hair.

'Tao will have to be blind not to notice you.' 

'Oh, he'll notice, alright!' Sehun gasped, earning a jab in his side. 

'Be nice!' Chen chided, picking up the fedora he'd donned to complete his 'aesthetic sophistry' look and jamming it back on his head before turning to scan Raina critically. 

'Hmm…' his eyes landed on her feet, lighting up. 'Oh, you wore them!'

He sounded surprised and relieved which made her even more uncomfortable than she already was. She glanced around the room, catching Chanyeol's eye and silently raising her eyebrow. He shrugged, looking about as confident as she felt.  

Well, at least there was one person in the same condition as her. They'd forced him to go through pretty much the same thing, except his look was 'bad boy' because now he was sporting a fake tattoo on his bicep and an unnecessary number of chains in his belt hoops, the jacket slung over one shoulder and the slouch that made him look more awkward than anything, large hands into his pockets and obviously resisting the urge to kick his sandaled feet. 

Baekhyun rubbed his hands excitedly. 'Alright! Now, we just need to lure the targets and launch our attack – project Fashion Attack is officially starting!'

'Aren't you the gang leader?' Sehun asked, not sounding really curious, 'Why're you launching fashion attacks?'

'Shut up,' Chen advised him, pushing a beanie over his head, 'and follow the leader.' 

'Yes, this is important – think of all the violence we can avoid if we succeed like this, winning a fight without even lifting a finger. Slaying them with our iness!'

Sehun shrugged, looking bored. 'It's not like you fight anyway.'

'Because I'm too y for it.' Baekhyun told him, 'My looks are enough to intimidate the enemy…'

'What enemy?' Sehun muttered but didn't say anything else, leaning against the wall and smirking evilly every time he met Raina's eyes. 

They told her to wait in the gym and when Chen would knock on the door, she was to come out like she was walking on the ramp – 'Practice, so you don't fall', he'd said when she'd stumbled – and Chanyeol was to just slouch and look bad because bad was the new good and good was the new y. 

The first sign that things weren't going as planned was when Tao choked on his tongue, literally, at the sight of her… and not in a good way. 

The second, of course, was Mei's reaction. 

'NO!' 

She looked horrified, eyes wide as she took stock of her attire before striding towards her, shaking her head vehemently. 'No, no, no!'

She whipped out her cellphone, tapping it rapidly before putting a hand on Raina's shoulder to spin her around and force-marched her back to the changing room, locking them inside. 

'Raina…' she whined, looking absolutely wrecked, 'why?' 

'Uh…' She had no idea what to say, which wasn't surprising given that she had no idea what Mei was talking about. 

'Why would you do this to yourself?' she snapped, looking frankly pissed. 'What happened to your dress from this morning?'

'Um… they told me to change…' Mei was shaking her head before she was done. 

'No, you don't change when they…' she jabbed her finger towards the door, 'tell you to. Where's your common sense? Socks with sandals? Really?'

Raina literally had no idea what to say – Chen had assured her that fashion was incomplete without character-printed socks, preferably pink, and a permed mid-part which was chic and all the rage these days. 

Thankfully – or maybe not so – she was saved from the necessity by the sharp rap on the door. Mei cracked it open and then sighed in relief, widening it to let Tiffany slip inside. 'Thank goodness you came…'

'I hurried over as soon as I got your message,' Tiffany panted, 'What happen- holy crap!' she exclaimed, eyes landing on Raina. 

If a hole would open up right now, Raina would probably jump into it and never emerge. Since that wasn't happening, she just hung her head and listened to her friends criticize her dress up. Was it her fault she was a terrible dresser? Or that Baekhyun and Chen were so drastic?

Mei shook her head sympathetically. 'That, I can understand but you have to stop them, even if they mean well.' 

'What were you trying to do, anyway?' Tiffany asked, curious. 

Raina blushed and Mei remembered she was actually mad at the girl for making Tao cry. It made her snap. 

'Get attention, I suppose…' She sniffed, looking away, 'Lay's, perhaps?' 

Raina glanced up in surprise, 'No, of course not!'

It was the others' turn to be surprised. 'What, so you mean…?' Tiffany stared at her, bug-eyed. 

Raina nodded, flinching at the sudden squeals the duo let out. 'Omg, so you've finally accepted it! When??? Why didn't you tell me?'

'Uh… soon as I woke up, to be honest.' She confessed, feeling like a great burden was lifted off her chest. 'I…'

'You didn't check on Tao,' Mei narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She was still team Tao but maybe there had been a misunderstanding. 

'I did,' Raina frowned, staring at the floor, 'but I couldn't… talk to him.'

'Why?'

'….' Raina looked like she was biting her tongue before she mumbled, 'he's too handsome.'  

Oh. Mei understood and wished she could bash her head – or Raina's – somewhere. Really, this was the reason?

'You're an idiot.' She told her, not unkindly. 

Raina pouted as Tiffany laughed before turning serious. 'That's nice and all but honestly, what are you going to do about that?' 

That being the golden bra Chen had 'considerately' sewn over her small top. And the neon green g -string that was peeking through her pants for the 'subtly' y touch. 

'I can take it off?' she asked, hands moving to the hem. 

'But what'll you wear?' 

'Um…' 

And then, it clicked. Mei snapped her fingers, 'I've got it!' 

'What?' Tiffany rose a brow and Mei giggled, leaning over to whisper in her ear. Raina felt uncomfortable because that's exactly how Baekhyun and Chen had been

communicating. Tiffany clapped her hands, nodding vehemently. 'Genius!' 

Mei smirked, 'I know.' 

Raina gulped, trying to prepare herself for the worst. 
…………………………

A/N

So... I felt like I hadn't written something along those lines since the earlier parts of You who came from the Stars, so we'll be having the Beagle line and the ever-formidable Mei-Tiff duo trying to set Tao and Raina and Chanyeol and Nara up XD this will be a LOT of crack, mixed with action so I hope you guys will have fun. Drop a comment and let me know what you guys think :)