❀

Having just finished her choreography class, Chaeyeon found herself looking into the keen eyes of a flawless being.

Those keen eyes were calling for help and from someone who she least expects too. Just standing there with a breeze, heavy with humidity, ruffling her hair, itching to get some things off her chest. Taking it all out on her diary isn’t always helpful lol.

Similarly, the “Dancing Queen” of VIXU knew exactly what the princess needed.

“Hey hey hey⁓ Want an umbrella?”

“Umbrella?” Lia raised her eyebrows, seeing that the weather’s perfectly fine. Perfectly warm and sunny.

“You look so gloomy as if it’s going to rain. An umbrella will do you good.”

She watched as a brief grin appear on Lia’s face, but it wasn’t long until their humble conversation took a pause as if to start anew. That pause was only long enough for Lia to return to her wary state.

“Sometimes it’s better not to talk…”

Every one of her interactions with Ryujin brought mountains of questions. And it was all because she reacted to Ryujin instead of just ignoring her as she did at the start.

“True, it’s tough to hold it back,” was her reply from the top of her head but it was obvious that she only wanted to lift the mood, “Want some help to relieve yourself?”

Lia gave the blonde girl a funny look, “You’re dirty-minded today.”

“What’s so bad about that? Let’s get a room.”

“If you say so.” Having wasted no time, she hooked Chae’s collar, pulling her in.

“O-Oi! Girl, calm down…!” Their lips missed by an inch, “You don’t usually take my jokes this seriously. Yeji would pull an actual light fury on us!”

She released her, “I’m losing patience. If she’s not here, who am I supposed to get my pleasure from then? Plus, your lips look good today. Cherry chapstick?”

Lia’s charms were dangerous, and it was hard to not get hypnotised by them. Chae rolled her eyes, “Ok ok, you got me. No goofing around⁓”

A few seconds later

“It’s better out here anyway to let it all out… although the naughty stuff you were just thinking would have been a more thrilling alternative.”

Chaeyeon laughed with her as they got themselves a shady spot under a beautiful maple tree out in the school garden.

“A girl can dream... So, let’s hear it. I bet it’s Ryujin-related. I’m right, right?”

Lia nodded. Anger shoved aside her guilt, “Nope, I admit defeat. I have no idea what that girl is doing here when we literally have a fashion war going on between us. Getting her to hate me totally failed. Mostly because this is my first time dealing with such a vague person. Now that I think about it, we as daughters of rivalled fathers shouldn't even make contact with each other. All she’s giving me is this happy-go-lucky delulu vibe which makes it so hard to believe that she’s a snitch. What was Yuna thinking?”

“Shhhh breathe,” Chaeyeon chuckled, “One step at a time. What else do you know about her besides possibly ‘being a snitch for her company’?”

Lia grabbed some dead leaves, “Well. From what I’ve seen of that fool’s behaviour, she definitely has a crush on me and that’s so distracting because she’s not supposed to… Anyone can like me but her.” she tossed them aside as if dismissing Ryu’s forbidden love.

“Maybe she likes you so much to see past your mean side—not that you have one of course. Long story short, her being a snitch is definitely an overestimation,” said Chaeyeon breezily.

“Yeah stuff it, I’m done being fake anyway, but I don’t think she’ll be able to handle my more friendly self because she’s so used to me being rough all the time. Still… it doesn’t make sense why she’s been insisting on being MY friend. Like, who wants to be friends with the way I’ve been acting towards her? Only the victim herself…”

“One answer: lovestruck. She doesn’t like the distance you’re trying to create. Anyone would want to get closer to you, nice or not. Once you start treating her with finesse, HAHA she won’t know what hit her!”

Lia shrugged, still wearing that perpetually vigilant look of hers, but Chaeyeon could see exhaustion around the edges.

“Or...  maybe you're the victim, hm? ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’ Sounds familiar doesn't it? Since Ryujin’s madly wanting to be your friend no matter how bad you treat her.”

Lia’s jaw dropped, “This is so bizarre. It feels like we’re doing some undercover detective work. But even so… That could be it! She’s trying to earn my trust! Too bad she’s doing a poor job of it.” Her eyes lit up like a wolf in the dark.

“Hold your horses, Satan,” she said evenly, hands gripping Lia’s wrists. “I only suggested that because… it’s as if you won’t be satisfied unless she is a snitch, the bad guy almost. She could still be that innocent girl who only knows your school reputation.”

Chaeyeon combed through her hair and dropped down onto her back, “Have you ever considered that maybe just asking her would, you know, solve this mess? We don’t even know if Ryujin is aware that you’re from SM yet.”

The younger flicked an ant off her sleeve before answering, “Actually, I wanted to do that but…”

“But?” prompted Chae, eyes sharp.

“Interrogation seemed… too perfect of a solution in the short term. There won’t be any fun? You know me; I like to deal with things that tests my limits, with style. I’m playing it safe.”

Chaeyeon pulled Lia down next to her, almost out of anger.

“That’s already too risky. Julia Choi, you need to cut to the chase. I’ve never seen you this reluctant and confused ever. Here, I’ll talk to her.” she suggested, in that damnably calm voice of hers.

“Calling the shots now, huh? Using my full name…” Lia surrendered, “Fine, you’re my only hope then.”

“You bet I am. Watch me kill two birds with one stone, and more importantly, I don’t want her to mistake you as someone cruel when you’re in fact a lovely soul. I want her to know that perfect ‘you’. Really.”

“And it’s always you coming to save the day,” Lia teased, “I really don’t want any more distractions especially with the Masquerade Ball coming up.”

“Roger that. I’ll clear a path for you to do all your school rep stuff. Anyways, the tea will be spilt. So, lie back and relax.” she winked.

“I will :) Cheers.” Lia did just that as Chaeyeon set off to execute her perfect scenario.

“Thanks for hearing me out.” she thought. She could’ve easily dragged Yuna out to talk but we all know she won’t take the subj