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Is it idiotic of me for trusting you so much!? Believing that you won’t break our promise!? But…. It’s actually not your fault for breaking this promise we had. Sometimes… I wonders… Why do I choose to take this steps for you??

________3 Years back________

***Crash***

My morning ‘wake up’ call always start with a commotion. It’s usually either a quarrels or fights.  For today… They are fighting again…. Throwing things here and there. Looks like it should be either prized glassware collection from my dad’s or…. Wines. He is actually one of the top collector, at least in our country. His second pride is of course wines…. Some of the most sought wine can be found at here too… Which is also why my dad drunk a lot too. Conclusion? It is one of the reasons that lead to their fight.

***Crash***

Not wanting to idle here anymore, I cleaned up myself and take my bag downstairs. The maids greet me as I head out of the main door. My parents? They are too busy fighting to notice me. If they do… Oh well, I am numb of it anyway. I walked out of the main door, feeling relief of being free. Though… it is just for 8 hours….

In school? I am known as your usual nerd. Wearing spectacle with short messy hair. Always holding my book with me. Uniform? Sorry to disappoint you, there is no school uniform here. It’s our own choice, as long it is not too revealing. There is even people who wear costumes to our school. As our headmistress quote:

“The first step of success is proud to be yourself.”

So, that’s what all of us are doing. There are popular one, charismatic one, bubbling and hyperactive, seductive, weird, and of course plain and nerdy students like me. That’s how our school are made of. We even had idols and actors in our school. Thus, you can imagine how much commotions our school is every day.  Sometimes, there will be fights between the groups for popularity. Or sometimes due to ridiculous reasons… Like listening to music that are not compatible with your group? Oh! There is also events occured... Hmm....almost every week? Yup, I am used to it…

“Hey. Nerdy! You are late. What took you so long?”

Sigh. Here we goes again…. I ignore her, speeding to my classroom as soon as I could.

“Yah!!!! Stop ignoring me!!!” She ran chasing me, putting me into headlock.

Sigh… I don’t understand why I get caught by her so fast. How could a short, small cub like her outrun me!?

“Ugh… Chae… Please stop… I gives up! Sorry.” I try to release myself, apologizing at her profusely.

“Humph! That teach you! Come on, let’s go to unnies…” Chaeyoung dragged me away.

If you want to survive in this ‘hellish’ school, you have 2 choices. One, get into a strong group which comprise 4 to 12 persons. Or… Two, accept your fate. Being bully and being outcast in school. To be the bottom chain in the school. For me, I choose No. 1. Hmm… Yes, I am in one of the top 10 strongest girl group. But… Well… My role there is more toward being their private servant!?

In conclusion? Both option are stupid… Taking option 1 requires me to be ready for any tasks or bullies from my group member. Option 2 requires me to have good stamina, running away from all the other group. Why? Of course from being bully again... Which for me is not possible. It’s not that I am not confident over my running skill and stamina. I consider quite good at running and have a lot of stamina. Courtesy to my parent "teaching'.

But.. my height makes an easy target for them to find me. Plus, I can’t run from HER… Umm…. Not Chaeyoung okay… Oh-oh.

“Hey, Chae. What took you so long?” One of the unnies called waiting outside.

“Morning, Sana-unnie…. Sorry for being late again. Here’s your nerdy.” Chaeyoung bow and enter the room, not forgetting to leave me in front of HER.

“Hi!?” I waved and smiled at Sana-unnie. Hoping that she will forgive me. Though, being slammed to the wall seal my fate.

“I thought I told you to be early today! What are you doing!?” Sana-unnie complained, holding onto my hoodie.

I opened my eyes looking at Sana-unnie. Funny when once a cute little girl who can’t stop crying and keep gluing to you can change so much.

The irony of life. 

“Sorry. Please forgive me.” I stared at her looking apologetically.

“Ugh! Sigh…. Come on. Let’s buy breakfast for the others. Hopefully there is still some leftover.” Sana-unnie take my hand, pulling me to the canteen.

Luckily, we managed to get the others’ favourites. Nayeon-unnie with her black milk tea, Jeongyeon-unnie with her Jjajangmyeon, Jokbal and Sprite for Momo-unnie, Americanos and Ceaser salad for Mina-unnie, yogurt smoothie and chicken feet for Jihyo unnie, strawberry milk and strawberries pancake for Chaeyoung, chocolate milk and chocolate cookies for Dahyun-unnie. Though Sana-unnie is late for her Tteokbokki again… So, she settle on Japanese curry rice.

“See! We are late for my Tteokbokki again! It’s your fault!” Sana-unnie eyebrow raised at me.

“Here. I bought you your favourite bubble tea and chocolate flavoured waffle. Forgave me?”

“Humph. You still owe me. I want Tteokbokki first thing tomorrow. This time, I want 2 sets~~~” She pouted. 

Sana-unnie signature aegyo move... It will be one hit K.O. for most of people. I remember there a time when I have to drag her away from her Baby… In the process, causes at least half of the population in school fainted due to her aegyo. Do you know how many people need to volunteer to help to send to our school clinic!? Not forgetting the trauma the school nurses have when we brought in. But, thankfully, spending my 5 years childhood time with her already make me immune. Ugh... continue like this, I am going to finish my hard earned saving. Looks like more hell to face then. Sigh...

I nodded at her, bringing all the food to our turf (which is actually our school music room). After finishes their breakfast, my job continued with either bringing documents and books, them to their class or even help them with their pranks. Thus, unable to attend my class most of the time. It is really tough for me to catch up with my studies. Thankfully, one of the unnie (not Sana-unnie) is really clever and kind. She always help me in the library. It’s one of the reason why I still able to cope up with my studies. But... Recently... I barely make it... 

Anyway, that’s my normal routine at school. Being dragged by our group member, buying food for my unnies and do some miscellaneous works that some might cringes or scared of. Then, trying to have a study session with Mina-unnie. In which usually be cut off by one of the members. Sigh... After finished, my so called ‘freedom’ is replaced with hellish period again. Need to face my parents’ again.

My usual routine continues the same thing again and again….

Until…

Until that stupid competition comes again. It’s an annual event for our school which I believe most of the school had it. Annual Sport Day!? Nope. It is competitive but still tolerable. Open Day? Nope. It is a day where everything become chaotic but still controllable by the student council team. Oops, did I say student council team? Sigh… Yes, it’s Election Day for our student council.

Each year they will do an election to choose our student council members. The only things different from here is that instead of electing individually, we are elected by group. Sigh, which mean all the group will going to compete with each other, wooing the students and staffs members. As there are more than thousands of groups set up in this school, everyone agreed that the top 10 will going to compete with each other.

How they choose the top 10!? Of course through popularity, events, academic achievements, originality and so forth. Each category attributes certain merit points and the accumulation for each group will be shared at the bulletin board every week.  Oh, I forget one more things. The student councils is actually divided into two, which is Boy group, Girl group. These would give a wider range of control and responsibility for the student council team.

After looking at it, you will feel it isn’t fair for group that have mixed gender or those that outcast. Well, here is good news for you. In 2 month period during school council election, you could choose to combine with another team or even hire anyone to join your group for points. This is the period where there will be a lot of group disbands and sabotages among your team members. Thus, required all of the students to be more vigilant as usual.

Of course, to be fair for all team, the changes can only be done twice per group. Easy? There is a few conditions that need to be meet:

For changes of members between team,

1. It can only be done in the present of both team during competition
2. Equal or similar payment are required for each changes (member, points, etc.)

For addition from outcast

1. To be deduct from the team accumulated point for each addition members (based on the addition members accumulation point)
2. Requires acknowledgement from one of the school management representative

For removal of team member

1. Points accumulated by team member for a month will be deducted
2. 70% of the team requires to agree on this

Combination of team

1. Shared point is only effective from 1 month collaboration
2. During collaboration, no addition/removal/changes can be made
3. The team can only liaise one time per 2 years

Thus, some of team might be lazy to do all this kind of stuff. Prefer to continue with their initial group. Which is one of the reason why I still not yet kicked out from my group. In fact, the contribution I give is the least compared to the other members. Anyone can replace my job here. As long you are obedient and listen to the members, they won’t bully you much. The rest of the members is all tip top and quite faithful with the group as well.

So, yeah… I am really lucky to join them…