Son Seungwan smiles as she reaches the end of her speech, satisfied with how she delivered it to a crowded cafeteria. Not that anyone was paying that much of attention just as she would expect because they were hungry, but hey, it was worth it.

“With those platforms, I really believe that I am ready for this position if elected. I really want to become a responsible council member for all of you this year. I’m really looking forward for your support.”

Kang Seulgi stands on a small apple crate as she enthusiastically holds the banner over the girl’s head, “SEUNGWAN for Vice-President” in bold, blue letters, with a picture of a squirrel balancing books on the top of its head. Seulgi was proud of that, hand-drawn and painted herself.

Seohyun stepped down from the position a week ago, and it was the actual Student Council president Kim Taeyeon who urged Seungwan to run because she was fitting for the role. Smart, diligent, and genuinely friendly, just how everyone likes their officers to be.

“Thank you, again! and please vote for me!” Seungwan bows one more time, beaming. She was about to hit the triangle she was holding when a noise interrupts.

Sophomore Kim Yerim runs around the cafeteria screaming while blaring air horns on both of her hands, causing everyone to cover their ears with their hands. Shortly following after her is the person Seungwan thoroughly disliked. Her beaming smile falls into an unreadable expression.

Track and Field varsity Park Sooyoung walks in smugly, arms in mid-air as to announce her welcome. She looks unbothered by the noise Yeri just made.

“EVERYONE BE QUIET!” Yeri says to an already-quiet cafeteria. “Park Sooyoung has something to say.”

Even in her confident stance, Seungwan can see a hint of nervousness from the taller girl. She folds her hand together, placing them in front of her stomach, she musters a small smile before bowing slightly. “Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Park Sooyoung…and I just want to you all to know that…I’m…” she puts her hands behind her back instead, “I’m running as your Student Council Vice-President this academic year. Thank you.”

What is happening to the world?

//

“HEY! Seungwan! Wait!” Sooyoung calls out as soon as all of them are out of the cafeteria. Seungwan’s steps were quicker than everyone else and even with her short legs; Seulgi having a hard time keeping up because she was still carrying the banner and the apple crate.

Even if it’s already halfway into the day, Seungwan’s uniform still looks like it’s freshly pressed; a big red ribbon tying her hair into a neat half-pony. Quite different from Sooyoung’s crumpled collar and rolled sleeves.

“What was that about, JOY?!” the shorter girl hisses, making the other flinch with the nickname. Seungwan refuses to call her by her real name because that would mean she recognizes her as an acquaintance, and that’s not even on the list of things she wants to happen.

“Did you do that—just, just to spite me?! I can’t believe you!” she pushes her back in annoyance.

“What? No!” Sooyoung defends, “I actually want to do this! I think it’d be great! No one from the varsity teams ever runs for student council so, it would be different. And I really want to do well…”

Even though she was obviously advantageous in height, there was still something about Seungwan that makes the other girl feel like she’d get hit if she ends up saying the wrong thing.

She expects more though. More words to come out from the straight-A student that would make her change her mind about her big announcement a while ago. She’s expecting it to be an attack on how she’s not capable enough, or how she’s not smart enough…

But Seungwan only sighs before demanding a “Seul, let’s go” and walking away from her in her polished shoes. Not even a glare.

She watches as she takes the apple crate from her friend to carry it herself.

“Well, she definitely noticed you, unnie.” Yeri says as she pats the athlete’s shoulder.

//

Joohyun laughs when she sees her in the next period obviously bothered. Her nose is buried on a book but she’s not reading – only staring at it with a scowl on her face.

She slides to the seat next to her friend and snaps her fingers, which doesn’t do much. The other was still fixated on the same page she was stuck on.

“So,” Joohyun starts, not caring if Seungwan was even listening. “I’ve heard lovergirl’s onto you.”

This shakes the genius out of her trance; snapping her head way to fast at Joohyun’s direction to object. She closes her book and slouches back to her armchair with a sigh. “She’s just being annoying, I guess.”

“Why do we hate her again?”

“WE don’t.” The girl objects a little too fast as she sits up and gets closer to Joohyun’s face. “We just don’t like how she’s always messing with me like it’s a bet between her…peers.” She wasn’t in the same class as hers, thank Heavens.

Joohyun begs to differ. “She’s not messing with you. She’s trying to get to know more about you. What if she just really wants to be friends with you? Have you ever thought about that?”

“I don’t know, Joohyun.” The other girl takes a deep sigh before changing the subject. “By the way, don’t forget Seulgi still needs that Trigonometry lessons from you later.” She says as she opens her notebook on a blank page. Her friend does the same.

“I think you’re being worried for nothing.” Joohyun says as a matter of fact.

She doesn’t want to think about that. She has more pressing matters to think about: such as her flute recital practice and an unfinished book report.

Thankfully, the discussions on Sonnet 43 was there to distract her from everything.

//

She has arrived a little too early for the assembly – the chairs were already set up in the court, but it was still empty, student-wise. Seungwan decides to take her seat on the edge of the stage, taking something out of her backpack.

She playfully taps the old tin can of wafer sticks with her thumbs, as makes popping sounds to the beat. The can contains suggestions, problems, questions of students from the little grassroots research she has conducted herself while campaigning. It wasn’