I didn't imagine anything could be worse than stumbling upon a dead body in the middle of the night, but as I stare at the fireplace from my sprawled-out position on the couch, my conversations with Kang and Sehun have started to cast the situation in an ominous new light. The only thing is, I can't think of a single substantial reason someone would want to frame me for the murder of another student. Unless maybe someone had wanted to kill Taehyung for a long time and I just happened to come along and get into a fight with Jungkook, making me an easy target. Jungkook. I reflexively touch my bruised eye.

Of course, there's always the possibilty that Sehun's in on whatever happened. He did tell me to take that hallway. And if he is, and I give him the personal information he wants, I'll be making it so much worse. This is an absolute nightmare situation.

The door slams and I roll off the couch and into a standing position to find a fuming Sejeong stomping into the room.

"Get ready," she demands. "We're apparently going to the parlor." There is so much frustration in her voice that I know it's the last thing she wants to do.

"I'm ready," I say, watching her with caution. I'm well aware of the signs indicating someone is about to erupt. I've learned that lesson with Jisoo a few too many times.

"Well then, get your damn cloak if you want it," she snarls.

"If you don't want to go to the parlor, we don't have to go. Though I'm guessing Sehun suggested it," I say in my most mellow voice.

Her eyes spark at his name. "Not want to go?" She laughs and it sounds sinister. "I hate that place. You know what else I hate right now?"

She points her delicate finger at me. "You, and my stupid brother. How dare you two drag me into this catastrophe! You know you could die, right? Or he could die? Maybe I'll murder you both myself and save everyone the trouble of a trial!"

I stay perfectly silent and as still as possible.

"It's bad enough I have a twin who begs and borrows trouble every time I turn around. But then I get saddled with a roommate who encourages him! I'm only one person; I can't watch you both at once. And I don't want to. Do you hear me?"

I nod with purpose.

"You both have some nerve." She huffs. "You do realize they held me all afternoon, don't you? Endless hours in a room without windows, only be assaulted with five thousand questions about the two of you. And to be told like a child that if I cover for either of you there will be serious consequences. I had half a mind not to, and to let you both stew in this absolutely abominable disaster you've gotten us all into. But I know Sehun didn't kill him, and as much as I wish I could say otherwise, I know you didn't, either. So there you have it, screwed by my own conscience. And you know what really gets me?"

I shake my head.

"Taehyung was my friend." Her voice softens, and I can tell that she has nearly worn herself out. "And instead of being able to mourn him and process how I feel about all of this, I have to worry about you two idiots." She plops down on the couch.

I carefully sit next to her. Who knew this fiery girl was under all that studious perfectionism? For once she doesn't seem a million miles away behind a wall of ice, but vulnerable. I reach out and touch her hand and am pleasantly surprised when she doesn't pull it away.

Sejeong shakes her head and her eyes glisten silently. "We better get to the parlor. Keep your eyes and ears open and don't walk off with anyone for any reason." She removes her hand from mine, but even tolerating five seconds of friendly gesture is enormous progress in my book.

"I have some questions -"

"Of that I have no doubt," she says, and stands. "But there is no time for them."

(ﾒ￣▽￣)︻┳═一

A guard opens the door for us and Sejeong and I make our way into the parlor. Even though I've decided the kids in this place are seriously questionable and the present circumstances are as bad as they can be, I'd rather be with people than be alone in my room stressing.

The parlor is full, with more than thirty advanced students sprawled out on a rug in front of the fireplace or draped over velvet couches quietly talking. It reminds me of those cocktail parties you see in movies. One person who is noticeably absent is Jungkook. I exhale in relief. Sejeong, however, is stiffer than usual.

Kai, Taemin, and Jennie are playing cards at a round table and take immediate notice of us.

"Well, this night just got better," Taemin says, leaning back in his chair and pushing his hair out of his face.

Jennie lowers her cards. "Not so much better as car-crash fascinating," she says. Even though she uses the word fascinating, her tone suggests that she couldn't be less interested in us. Like she wishes we would just disappear.

"What's the occasion?" Kai smirks at Sejeong. "Did you ladies miss me?"

Jennie frowns at Kai.

Sejeong doesn't spare them a glance. I open my mouth to respond, but she gives me a sharp look and I close it again. I hate that she lets them get away with that BS. Not that we don't have bigger problems right now.

The three of them watch us as we pass their table. Out of the corner of my eye I see Kai and Taemin exchange a few remarks that I can't hear, and they laugh. No wonder Sejeong didn't want to come here.

Sejeong takes a seat at an empty table near a big window that is now completely covered with a curtain.

"Are you sure you don't want me to say something to them?" I ask, keeping my voice quiet and light. I know she doesn't want to be in this parlor or in this situation, and I also know that it's partially my fault that she is. "Because I will. They act just like dumb jocks in a locker room - only not dumb at all and with terrifying skills. But they don't frighten me one bit."

There is a hint of smile on her face. "More like arrogant royals, and they should frighten you."

I pull back to get a better look at her. "Rose called them royals, too. How literal are you being when you say that?"

She sighs, then says in a hushed voice, "Taemin, Kai, and Jennie are all legacies - they're firstborn children of the leaders in their Families and will eventually take over leadership when they get old enough. And Taemin's Gyeonggi-do. Hailing from the most powerful Family in all of Strategia makes him act like a prince who can do no wrong."

I remember Sehun told me that the Seoul-based Strategia were Tigers. And their being the most powerful Family explains some of Taemin's confidence and the way he always seems to be taking up more space than necessary.

"Yeah, but this is a school. How powerful your Family is shouldn't matter, your skill level should."

Sejeong looks at me directly, like I just said something important. "No. It shouldn't matter. And it didn't used to." She hesitates and I can tell that she has more to say. I hold my breath, hoping she won't decide to shut down.

"Jennie and Taemin have been allied for as long as we've been here," she continues. "Kai, however, only started hanging around the two of them this year. It happened a few months after he got close to Jennie."

"Are Jennie and Kai dating?" I ask.

She gives me a curious look. "A lot of people think so. Why do you ask?"

"Just the way she watches him," I say. "And the way Kai always seems like he's trying to win favor with Taemin, almost like someone would try to impress their girlfriend's popular older brother."

"Jennie and Taemin are as close as any two allies can be. So you're not that far off. And Kai is always trying to ingratiate himself, but more importantly, he wants to ingratiate his Family. He tries too hard, if you ask me."

I can hear in Sejeong's voice that there is something she's not saying about the whole situation with Kai, but I'm not sure I should push her, since this is the most open she's been with me yet. She's not gushing or anything; she's mainly telling me things about people she doesn't like, but it's a good start.

I lean back in my chair and attempt to casually take in the room. Only in doing so, I accidentally eye contact with Rose. She's near us on a couch, sitting with Jimin and Lisa. Rose is looking far too pleased with herself, Jimin is doing his best to appear annoyed even though it's obvious he thinks she's amusing, and Lisa is drawing on a sketchpad.

"So . . . Suzy," Rose says, and lengthens the words for dramatic effect. "I heard something very interesting." She's using her American accent tonight, and her eyes sparkle with mischief. She projects he voice so that the people around us can't help but listen. "Can you guess what it is?"

Sejeong tenses next to me.

"No, but I have a feeling there's no way to avoid having you tell me," I say.

She laughs and leans back into the couch, like she feels certain she has everyone's attention and wouldn't want it any other way. "You're fun. I'll give you that. Way better than most of these pompous know-it-alls," she says, and look at a table of fours girls, who avoid eye contact with her. "Now where was I? Oh yes" - she snaps - "what I heard about you." She paused to draw out the reveal. "You, Miss Suzy, were out last night after curfew. Very naughty, if you ask me."

The entire parlor turns to me as if on cue. Shhhiiiiit.

To my utter shock, Sejeong scoffs. "Good one, Rose. Nice presentation. You must be really bored these days."

"Well, now, you're covering for her, Sejeong? How did you ever manage to let someone get on your good side that quickly? You must be slipping."

"Or just desperate to have a friend, since she can't seem to make any that matter," Taemin chimes in, and I see a flash of anger in Sejeong's eyes. Rose's eyes, however, are brightened by this whole exchange. And I have to wonder what he means by matter. All I can think is that it has something to do with the Family alliances Sehun was talking about, but I'm not sure.

"Sejeong's laughing because you're ridiculous, Rose," I say to her, and then turn to Taemin. "And whoa there, Taemin. Let's not talk about desperate unless we also talk about your embarrassing knife skills. Or did you just get into this school because you're firstborn of a leading family?" I'm taking a shot in the dark here, but how dare he come at Sejeong like that?

By the way his eyes narrow, I know I've struck a nerve. But the surprised and tense glances from some of the other Strategia make me think I may have gone too far.

Rose claps and hoots. "This is the best time I've had in months. Look at Taemin's face." She laughs. "Look at Sejeong's."

Sejeong stands up like she's has enough of this whole night, and I get up with her. Whispers vibrate through the room like a swarm of locusts, though I notice Lisa drawing uninterrupted in her sketchpad, like nothing at all is happening.

"But my real question is" - Rose pauses to bite her lip and raise her eyebrows - "who were you meeting? You must have been meeting someone, right? You just got here and haven't had time to learn the guards' schedules."

"Ah, that's a good point, Rose," Kai says, and he puts his cards down, eager to jump in. "Why don't you enlighten us, Suzy?" He steals a glance at Taemin.

I shake my head and smile, like their assumption couldn't be more absurd. I only hope a roomful of deception experts can't tell my actual thoughts are anxiously racing. Even I know that denying something outright makes you look guilty.

"It just strikes me as odd that on the same night Taehyung was killed you were out of your room. Details. Details," Rose sighs.

The room get noticeably quiet at the mention of Taehyung's name, and even Lisa looks up from her sketchpad.

"So many details," I say. "Why, just a few days ago at lunch someone mentioned that yu had lost your knife. Do we know yet how Taehyung died?" I keep my tone causal.

Sejeong shoots me a look that is somewhere between admiration and horror.

"Touche, mon amie. Now you're in the arena," Rose says, switching to a perfect French accent. Then she growls and slashes her fingers at me like she's a cat.

Taemin hasn't taken his eyes off me, and now I stare right back at him. I can feel danger there, only it's not vicious playfulness I get from Rose, but a cold power that is prepared to crush me. I refuse to bend, though. There is nothing I hate more than an idolized bully.

Just then the door to the parlor opens and Sehun walks in with a girl and a big smile.

"Come on," Sejeong mumbles, and I don't miss a beat. I can feel everyone's eyes on us as we walk toward the door.

Sehun opens his mouth to say something, but Sejeong cuts him off. "I don't want to hear it."

Sejeong and I walk right past Sehun, who makes no attempt to follow us. We pass the guard and are most of the way down the hall before Sejeong speaks again.

"He did that on purpose," she says with an edge to her voice.

"Who, Sehun? Do you mean showing up late?"

"The whole thing. Sending us there to see what kind of trouble it would cause, probably knowing that Rose was going to call you out, showing up late with that stupid innocent look on his face. Ugh," she says as we make our way up the stairs.

"So he set us up?" My mind reels at how Sehun could have orchestrated a fight when he wasn't even there. I'm not sure if I'm impressed or disturbed.

"Yes, of course. He put us in the hot seat to see what kind of information he could pick up in the aftermath." By her tone, I can tell Sehun is going to get an earful from his twin tomorrow. She stops in front of our door. "Suzy?"

"Yeah?" I say.

"You did well in there. You held your own and you didn't let them force you into guilt." She opens the door and walks in.

I smile. "Thanks, Sejeong. That means a lot."

"But they also pried information out of you and out of me. And everyone is now wondering if you did kill Taehyung. That wasn't a win by a long shot," she says, and pauses. "Also, if you every again publicly spout a piece of personal information I give you, we're going to have a serious problem."

I lock the door behind me. "What personal information? The firstborn thing? Isn't that something everyone knows?"

She frowns. "Everyone but you, which means the only way you could have found out is if I told you. In their eyes, it means we now have some sort of alliance. You also took a shot at Taemin's ego. There's no way he's not going to retaliate."