Jihyo took  a seat as she watched Mr. Park allow awkward silence set in.

Her gaze never left his charcoal suit, fearing to make eye contact. She was scared to break beneath a strikingly vindictive stare. She looked away the moment he leaned back in his seat, breathing deeply as he did.

“Park Jihyo.”

His deep voice sent shivers of fear down her spine.

“Y-yes, sir.”

Another moment of silence.

“I hear that you’ve been acting out of the ordinary,” he said simply. “One might even say you’ve been acting… naughty.”

Jihyo gulped, her face glowing red as she recalled both punching Sana and kissing Momo. That’s two of the seven deadly sins right there. The girl could sigh.

“Yes… sir.”

Jihyo caught her breath when the principal reached for something. It was only a stack of papers right in front of him as he gave a onceover before placing them down. He sighed again before standing and heading to a window.

“I am at a crossroads, dear student.” He stood facing the window, his hands behind his straight and disciplined back. “You see, there are so many factors tied around this particular incident.”

He raised his right hand up to eye level and looked at the blood-red leather strap of his watch.

“On one hand, you’re a star student,” he said with a hint of a disappointment before looking out the window. “Near perfect scores, president of a club for casual singers, if I’m not mistaken, and treasurer for the student council.”

Jihyo gulped. Are her titles going to be revoked?

“On the other hand.” The principal raised his left and looked down to it before making a fist. “Your friend, Minatozaki Sana isn’t a star student. Far from it, but she’s given the status because her family give hefty donations and are well connected with the board. I was hoping your good influence would rub off on her. I guess even you have your limit.”

Jihyo wasn’t able to move fast enough as his strong gaze landed on hers.

“I would love to give you a free pass, but I don’t think that’s good for the school.” He placed his hands to his back once more. “Then again, it’s an injustice for you to be expelled because you did something that I’m sure a lot of other students, to my chagrin, enjoyed seeing you do simply because this school would lose its prestigious status, wealth, and funding to give you the best tools possible for your careers, as simple as they may be.”

He returned to his desk and sat down, his elbows on his the mahogany surface as he rested his chin on his hands.

“Help me here, Ms. Park.” Jihyo blinked at the principal’s request as he fidgeted with his watch. “What should I do?”

“E-Excuse me?” She wasn’t sure if she heard this correctly, or even if she was experiencing this correctly. “You want me to decide my punishment?”

“Well, actions have repercussions,” the principal stated. “And I can’t just let you walk without the bosses chewing my head over this.”

“Sir, I was just expecting two weeks of suspension,” Jihyo explained. “Hell, a month of suspensions and having to take care of Sana for the rest of her-!”

“How about ten days of suspension and a pseudo restraining order between you and Ms. Minatozaki?”

“Woah…”

Jihyo leaned back as the young-looking old man smiled at her relief.

“I take it we are in agreement,” the principal said as he pulled out a post-it note to write something. “Tell Ms. Hirai outside to send this to Ms. Wang to get your suspension notice out of the way.”

He smoothly took out the sheet and gave it to Jihyo before standing to her to the door.

“Th-thank you, Mr. Park!” Though her heart was heavy with guilt as she imagined her mother yelling at her as soon as she gets home, her eyes were teary with excitement. “I didn’t expect to-”

“Don’t think it hasn’t crossed my mind,” the principal said sternly as he held onto the door knob. “I can still take away your executive privileges, but I assume you a need bit more work outside assignments while you're away.”

Before he opened the door he tutted at the girl’s smile.

“Now, now Ms. Park,” he chastised quietly before opening the door. “Look sad so the board thinks I’m still necessarily heartless. Oh, and give your family my best regards.”

And out goes a sad-looking Park Jihyo as she faced her first suspension from JYP International School.