A COUPLE MONTHS LATER (MARCH)

Ever since O.M.G. came to life, Areum and Nabi did everything together. They walked to school together, they ate lunch together - sometimes in the gym but mostly in the cafeteria - and they even studied together, much to Areum’s dislike. 

Turned out their desks in the library were actually next to each other, except Areum’s desk was covered in dust and Nabi’s was piled with books. Areum would usually sleep with Nabi nagging her not to sleep so that she, herself, would not fall asleep too, but the lazy ulzzang would occasionally study when there was a big exam coming up. 

However, there were still aspects that stayed the same. Areum was still the tough ulzzang who would fall asleep in class and curse at teachers, and Nabi was still the hated nerd with her weird hatred toward the sun and her absurd attraction to red and black. 

The queenkas still occasionally picked on Nabi but when Areum found out, she would show them no mercy, and the queenkas, who came home with busted lips and smeared makeup, would back off again. 

Areum was still the rich kid and Nabi was still middle-class, but they would visit each other often. Nabi’s parents treated Areum as if she was their own daughter, and Nabi and Areum would be able to mess around to their heart’s content in Areum’s house since Areum’s parents seemed to never be home. Nabi always thought it was weird but never brought up the topic to Areum. 

The two girls, as of now, were at Areum’s house for a little sleepover when Areum broke the silence. “We should go, it’s almost time.”

Nabi nodded and put away the homework she was working on, pulling her glasses out so she could wipe the nose part. I hate how oily this gets! Nabi grimaced. Then she went to Areum’s room to change into an oversized red t-shirt and black joggers, something she had accustomed herself to doing since O.M.G. was created. When Areum saw Nabi leave the living room, she went in with Nabi and changed into a muscle tank with white gym shorts. 

The two grabbed a pair of running shoes (Areum remembered how much Nabi complained that her pair was not red and black and had cringed at the girl’s high-pitched complaints), slipped them on, headed out, and walked towards the school. 

It was dark, and the streets were empty except for a few cars passing by now and then. Nabi found this whole thing exciting because she got to see the moon shining brightly against the black blur of the night, and the stars were really pretty too! 

Areum, on the other hand, was indifferent to all of this. “It is just a moon, Nabi. There’s nothing special about it!” she had said.

Nabi, naturally, had pouted at her and whined, “It’s the moon! That’s why it’s special!”

Areum’s sighing had signaled the end of that conversation. 

Back to the where they were now, the girls were rounding to the back of the school where there was a ladder hidden in the nearby alley that reached to the second story. 

It made Nabi feel like they were spies, and they were breaking into the school or something. Areum, however, felt apathetic, again, to the whole entire situation as if she had always done this. Actually, she probably has done this before… Nabi thought. 

When Areum knew what Nabi was thinking about, she only smacked that silly girl in the head and reminded her that they were not spies so she should get her head out of the gutter. Nabi puffed out her cheeks and scratched at the spot where Areum smacked her.

The girls set up the ladder and climbed up, starting with Areum. Nabi was sure the guys would be dying to be in her place right now. Hahahahah, for you! she thought as she giggled. Areum looked down at her and lightly kicked at her head, “What kind of thoughts is in your head right now, you weird cat!”

“Nothing! Nothing at all,” Nabi replied as she continued to laugh her off. Another light kick landed on her head.

“Weirdo.”

Nabi kept on laughing and laughing (she remembered to be quiet, of course) even when Areum got to the top and opened the window that they made sure to unlock every time school ended. 

Areum jumped into the hallway first, the sound echoing through the abandoned school. Soon after, Nabi also jumped in and closed the window, adjusting her glasses that almost slipped down her nose thanks to her landing. 

She wanted to do a backflip to make her entrance more flashy and dramatic, but even she knew, surprisingly, that it would end up with her on the ground, her back most likely in pain. It was not a risk she was willing to take. 

Thankfully, Areum didn't find out about her little idea so she didn't get smacked in the head. Thank god! Nabi cheered in her head. Then the girls went up the stairs up to the fourth floor, Nabi gluing herself right beside Areum.

“This is kinda scary.”

“Ya, how many times had we been in here?”

“But it’s still scary! What if a ghost suddenly come out?”

Areum sighed, “This is what happens when you read too many stories, you dumbo!”

“Aw, but stories are good you know?”

“I don’t care. Just leave my arm alone, you clingy cat!” Areum yelled when she tried to pry her poor arm from Nabi’s duck tape-like arms.

“NOOOOOOO! NEEEEVEERRR!” Nabi stuck out her tongue as Areum flipped the other off with her middle finger.

Nabi gasped, dramatically placing a hand on her chest. “You hurt my feelings!”

Areum rolled her eyes, “Right.”

Eventually, they arrived at the abandoned gym with the ulzzang mentally cheering in happiness when the cat-like girl released her iron grip on her arm. Areum pushed open the doors as Nabi flipped on the lights, brightening their makeshift practice room. 

“We’re home!” Nabi yelled out, twirling like a ballerina as the words echoing through the large room. 

Areum laughed at the rapper’s action before she made her way over to where the they hid their practice equipment. There were two black duffel bags under the loose floorboards instead of how Areum would usually just threw everything in. 

Areum pulled out the bags and tossed one to Nabi who easily caught it. As Areum began stretching before they start practice, Nabi pulled out the laptop she kept in her bag. She was always complaining about wanting to have a separate laptop for school so Areum bought her one as a Christmas gift. 

The look on Nabi’s face at that time was hilarious. Her eyes were wide as opened and closed like fish. 

“You should close your mouth before something gets in,” Areum had teased.

“But… but…. This is- this is too much-”

“Just shut up and accept the gift will you?”

“I- I… Thanks Areum!” Nabi had thrown herself onto Areum, thanking her over and over again. It was the first time the singer had ever given someone a present so to see a reaction like that was quite overwhelming actually. In a good way.

Right now, Nabi was pulling up multiple tabs and was beginning to type furiously which Areum wasn’t very shocked to see. Nabi did that every single time they came up here or just anytime she had her laptop out. Areum just assumed it was for schoolwork or something. 

“Nabi, you gotta stretch before we start practicing,” Areum reminded.

“Huh? Oh yea!” 

Nabi put her laptop down as she got up and stretched as well. Areum was done with exercising by then so she was scrolling through the songs on her phone. 

“Hm…. what song should I choose,” she mumbled to herself. “Ah, there we go,” Areum triumphantly said. It was pretty hard to find a song in the millions she had. 

Areum inserted her phone in the dock and after waiting for Nabi to finish with her warm ups, she played the song. Chained Up by VIXX filled the room with music as the girls quickly got into positions. The two girls danced perfectly in sync while hitting every note right. Areum sang Leo’s high note perfectly, after hours of practicing, without any cracks in her voice while Nabi dominated Ravi’s rap. 

It had been hard for Nabi to remember the choreography. She was absentminded, even for these types of things. Sometimes, Areum wondered how she even got good grades when she kept on forgetting these simple dance steps. It was one of the mysteries of Nabi.

That was the same for the raps too. Nabi couldn’t remember the raps, and it took her forever to rap a verse whereas Areum quickly got the lyrics in a snap of a hand. However, Nabi took care of her absent mindedness by practicing over and over again persistently until she got them all right perfectly. 

To be honest, it was endearing to watch her mumble the rap lyrics and listen to the songs over and over again during lunch and breaks. For a loud and enthusiastic girl like Nabi to go quiet and focused was funny. At least for Areum since she never focused much of her time on one thing….well except for eating.

It was the same as of now where Nabi was focused as she bit away at her tongue - she always had a habit of doing that when she was concentrating hard on something. Areum smiled as the two practiced the routine for hours until they decided to take a ten minute break. 

Nabi immediately got back onto her laptop as she wiped away the sweat on her forehead while Areum walked out to find a water fountain to fill their empty bottles with. When Areum came back, Nabi was still in the same position, furiously typing in her laptop. Areum handed Nabi her water bottle which she gratefully took and gulped down half in a matter of seconds. 

Areum leaned against the wall, closing her eyes to catch some rest after the long and tiring practice when she was disturbed by Nabi’s scream. Seriously, for a rapper she has a really high-pitched voice when she screams, Areum thought. 

“What the hell is going on?” Areum asked, obviously annoyed.

“SM Entertainment is holding auditions in Seoul!” Nabi exclaimed.

“Seriously?” Areum said as she moved closer to Nabi to look over at her screen. 

“Yea! I’ve been waiting for this opportunity since we started this group!” 

“Oh that’s why you’re always on the laptop,” Areum realized.

“Yep, and now it paid off!” Nabi said as she held the laptop in front of Areum’s face. 

Areum laughed as she pushed away the laptop. “Ok just one problem,” Areum pointed out. “How the hell are we going to get to Seoul without your parents killing us?” 

“Oh yea...maybe I should’ve thought that through,” Nabi scratched at her head awkwardly. 

The two pondered on the problem. How can I get to Seoul’s audition, and come back without my parents realizing? Nabi thought. “There’s that class trip for next week right?” 

“Yea what about it?” 

“Well why don’t we say we’re going to the trip but go to Seoul instead?” 

“Ok...what about the permission slips? It also says in the site that kids under 18 need to get parental permission.”

“Just leave it to me,” Nabi grinned mischievously.

“Who are you and what have you done to my innocent and weird Nabi?” Areum joked.

“Yah! I can be bad if I want to be,” Nabi pouted.

“Aigoo, of course,” Areum cooed while pinching Nabi’s cheek. 

The girls packed up their things inside their duffle bags, hid them under the floorboards, and headed back to Areum’s home to rest for school the next day. 

THE NEXT DAY

The girls both arrived at school with the same routine as before. People gushing over the ulzzang’s looks and - yes even now - wondering why she hangs with Nabi, but some people can’t help but admit that Nabi was very pretty as well. The two girls exchanged looks, nodded, then separated to complete their own part of the mission. 

Nabi went up to her teacher who entered his class early. “Kim seonsaengnim, do you still have any permissions slips left?”

“Ah yes,” Kim seonsaengnim handed her a paper. “I thought you couldn’t go?”

“Well, my parents changed their minds and said I can go. And thank you, seonsaengnim,” Nabi bowed and walked over to her seat by the window, a mischievous smirk on her lips. 

Meanwhile, Areum went to the principal’s office and entered the room, pulling out her poker face card. “Principal Lee?” 

“Ah yes come in, Areum,” the middle-aged lady replied. 

Areum entered the office of the school’s principal and closed the door. 

“Come and have a seat, dear.”

Areum took a seat and immediately got to the point, “Principal Lee, you know how there’s the school trip to Jeju coming up soon?”

“Yes, are you planning on going with us?”

“I would love to, but as you know my parents are very busy.”

“A-ah yes,” replied the principal, starting to become slightly nervous.

“I would love to go but my parents aren’t able to come back just to sign a paper, and I’m sure they’re too busy to pick up a random call from the school,” Areum reasoned. “So I was wondering if you would sign my slip as the guardian?”

“Areum ssi, you know I would gladly do that for you but I’m not your guardian,” the principal denied. 

“Ah arraso, I guess I’ll tell my parents I can’t go because you refused to sign the paper,” Areum sighed in fake disappointment.

“Oh! Uh, you know what, Areum ssi? I actually can sign it for you,” the principal laughed anxiously, knowing that one word from her own student could get her fired.

She quickly got out the permission slip paper and signed it, ending it with the usual slash. The principal handed it over to Areum. “Here you go.”

“Thank you, Principal Lee,” Areum smiled and bowed, remembering to keep her manners. 

Once Areum walked out of the office, she looked down at her signed paper and scoffed at how easy manipulated her principal was. Money and power is everything these days, she thought. Well, that’s good for me!

“Mission success,” Areum smirked as she sauntered over to her class. 

The hours seemed to tick by very very slowly, every second becoming a minute and every minute becoming an hour. Was it always this long before lunch? Areum thought. Her finger drummed impatiently onto the desk, and the annoyed looks she gained from it was entertaining. 

What are you brats going to do about it? Eh? Areum kept on running her fingertips against the surface and this time, her teacher turned around and squinted his eyes around the classroom.

“Who is making all of that noise?”

Areum acted innocent as she looked anywhere around the room but her teacher. He gave the class one last glance before he returned to the board, fiercely writing something on it.

She chuckled quietly, this was really fun. At least it made time pass faster. With a final and loud knock under her desk , the bell rang. She sprung up from her seat and pulled her backpack with her. Well, bye bye! 

Hurrying down the hallway as much as she could in the crowd of hungry teenagers, she dashed to where she and Nabi had agreed on.

The library came in view and she slowed down to a halt in front of the door. She got out her signed paper and opened it.

The first thing she saw was the unoccupied library - the librarian was there eating her lunch while typing on a computer - with a certain person going through the books on the bookshelves quite happily, her hand grasping tightly onto her backpack’s strap and a paper in her other hand. 

“Ya, Nabi.” She whispered and walked over, waving her hand.

“Ah, Areum.” Nabi turned around, a bright smile on her face. She quickly ran over to the ulzzang.

“Ok, nerd,” Areum teased, “how are we doing this?”

“First off, don’t call me a nerd. I prefer to be called a cat. Second off, just trust me and watch,” Nabi assured. 

Nabi got out two of the permission slips for the audition and cut out the signatures the girls received - Areum’s from the principal and Nabi’s from her parents when they stopped by to drop the girls’ lunches off during break. Then, Nabi glued the signatures onto the paper and put them under the photocopier. When it was done copying, Nabi took out a pen to trace over the signatures to make it seem as if it was written in.

“Ta-da! Like magic!” Nabi proudly announced.

“Wah, Nabi is jjang,” Areum said in awe as she marveled at her paper.

“Hehe, I told you I got a plan!”

“To be honest, I’m surprised. You and plan don’t usually work together.”

Nabi pouted at Areum. “Ya, even I can plan.”

“Oh yeah, you are a nerd after all.”

Nabi ignored her comment while rolling her eyes. Areum’s eyes widen. Nabi… Nabi….she just rolled her eyes. IS THE WORLD GOING TO END? she gasped in her head.  

“What are you thinking, you ulzzang?”

Areum grinned, “Nothing, nothing at all.”

Nabi narrowed her cat-like eyes at the other before shaking her head. “Well…whatever you say. Anyways, Seoul, here we come!” She exclaimed, a smile on her face once again.

“SHHH,” the librarian shushed them, a firm look in her eyes and a finger against her lips. 

Nabi and Areum flinched. “Sorry,” they both whispered.

The librarian nodded their way before pointing out the door. If you're not gonna read, get out, she mouthed out.

Yes, ma’am, the girls mouthed back, already walking out the door.

*Time skip*

After school, the girls met up at Areum’s house again to plan their get-a-way to Seoul. 

“Ok, so how are we gonna get there?” Areum asked.

“Can’t you buy us tickets or something?”

“Nope, my parents keep track of my credit card uses. They’ll end up finding out.”

Nabi sighed in frustration, “Well, are we supposed to walk there or something?”

Areum suddenly got a brilliant idea. “Hold on, I need to do some research.”

Nabi dramatically gasped, “Areum? Doing research?”

“Oh shut up,” Areum complained while throwing a pillow at Nabi’s face. The cat caught it with ease as she pulled it to her chest, already hugging it.

Areum shook her head as she typed away on her laptop when suddenly, her expression brightened. “ASA!”

“What?!” Nabi asked curiously.

“Look! Girl’s Generation is having an outdoor festival here next week!”

“Okay… and how does that help us?” Nabi pointed out.

“You’ll see,” Areum answered with a mysterious wink. 

Nabi groaned, which somehow turned out to be a whine, “That never means good things.”

A/N:  So...I may or may not have forgotten to update last week....