Sakura grabs her pillow and throws it straight at the wall. She just had the dream. “Argh!!!” Sakura groans.

Sakura turns to the clock on her bedside. There’s still time before she needs to get up for school. But the feeling of frustration causes her to jump out ahead of time. “I need to bathe. Otherwise I will never get this feeling off.” I need to stop thinking about her and my unfinished business.

She moves to get her towel when she hears noises coming from outside her door. Sakura looks outside the window. Too early for a commotion. I wonder what’s going on. Her curiosity can be entertained for a bit before she bathes.

Sakura opens the door and the first person she sees is

Kwon Eunbi.

With her back still drenched in sweat, Sakura stands with the door open revealing the dreaded person on the other side. Eunbi is now looking back at the shellshocked Sakura but this time not in gym gear like in her dream, but in the tight fitting white shirt with blank pants. However nothing can stop Eunbi’s best asset as the buttons on the shirt look as though they can break apart at any moment.

“Morning.” Eunbi nods politely. Sakura has been staring back at her like a deer caught in the headlights and Eunbi does the logical thing to greet her.

Sakura doesn’t respond but continues to have her eyes drift around. Her brain is fumbled with inappropriate thoughts now which is most likely aided by the dream she had.

Of course the quick witted agent is conscious of Sakura’s stare. What the hell is she looking at?! Eunbi is angry at Sakura’s actions; being a girl does not excuse her from looking at someone inappropriately like that. She crosses her arms in front of her to show her displeasure. “Sakura?” Eunbi clears loudly.

Sakura snaps out of it and looks up at the voice. Eunbi’s facial expression clearly shows she is unhappy but the younger girl does not register that she was the one who caused it. Her fumbled thoughts are not making her think logically. Strangely, it is only now that Sakura notices Yujin standing beside Eunbi. Was she here the whole time?

“Unnie are you alright?” The youngest of the three is concerned for her dazed looking principal. The sweat seen on Sakura’s forehead does not make Yujin feel any more comfortable about Sakura’s condition.

“Oh Yujin you are here too.”

Yujin looks at her senior for assistance. Eunbi gives her the equally confused look at Sakura’s behaviour.

“Yeah unnie… Eunbi unnie and I was just discussing about the gala dinner. Are… you sure you are alright?”

Sakura nods absentmindedly. “I am going to bathe.” She randomly declares before closing the door quickly.

With the door suddenly shut in their faces, the agents are even more confused at Sakura’s behaviour this morning.

“I am not the only one who thinks she is weird right? Do you think she is okay?”

“You should watch after her today. Something seems off.” Eunbi instructs Yujin before locking the iPad screen she has in her hand. “I should leave you to it. I will discuss more about the plan during the meeting.” Eunbi smiles before she heads off.

As she heads back to her office, Eunbi keeps thinking about Sakura’s odd gazes just now. Why was she looking at me like that? With no answer, she can only rub her forehead in annoyance.

Sakura enters the bathroom feeling as flustered than ever. The mere confusion about what she dreamt about and meeting the very person she fantasized. What the hell is going on with you brain?

“Stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about it Sakura. Stop thinking about it.” She says it like a mantra.

--

“You look much better than this morning, unnie.” Yujin asks Sakura as they make their way to the limousine.

Thankfully for Sakura, her mind was back to normal after the cold bath as she readies herself for school.

Yujin opens the car door for Sakura and Sakura hops onto the usual spot in the back seat. Minjoo’s limousine is nowhere to be seen, probably because Sakura’s whole morning fiasco ate up more time than she intended. Yujin hops onto the front seat beside Lighting who is driving this morning. As they make their way, Yujin turns behind to look at her principal.

“Unnie do you have any plans after school?”

Sakura ponders. She has never been someone who goes out and she hasn’t really made any close friends yet to hang out. She shakes her head.

“Okay because if you aren’t going out, then we will schedule our agent meeting in the afternoon. It’s for the preparations of the gala dinner. Since it’s the mansion, a base agent can watch over you.”

“Yeah go ahead.”

Yujin smiles and proceeds to make the necessary arrangements with her colleagues.

Meanwhile, Sakura sighs at the thought of the gala dinner. Her mother told her she had to attend it no matter what; it will be the perfect event to make their first official appearance as a whole Kim Family, perfect because it is a Kim Corp celebration. She dreads events like this, especially one where she needs to dress up. Knowing the scale of things done here, she fears what is to come. What is she going to wear? How is she going to pass time? There will be so many strangers but zero things to do. She doubts she can stick to her mother; the older woman will have to tend to many small talks as the partner of the CEO. Moreover she keeps hearing talks about Eunbi being the agent leading the entire operation, I wonder if I have to listen to her then? Even though I got her out of my team but it’s the event she is in charge of security wise. Meaning I can’t be free to do and go where I want if it’s ‘dangerous’. How does Minjoo do this?

Sakura’s eyes light up. That’s the one person she can count on to save her from a possible horrible event. The time at the shopping mall gives Sakura some hope on building a good relationship with her stepsister. Therefore, the younger girl can not only teach her the tricks of living such a life, she can also be a companion to Sakura in this lonely world. Since Minjoo approached me the other time, it’s my turn.

Sakura waited till recess time because that’s when all students will be released out of their classroom. She spent her whole time in class thinking about how to approach Minjoo. Even though the girl is younger than her, Minjoo’s presence is intimidating. Everyday Sakura feels like she is intruding on her space, and I actually am. She breathes out when she sees Minjoo sitting by a bench with a blonde girl. Sakura sees her hanging out with Minjoo very often.

As Sakura approaches Minjoo, Yujin and Lighting stops before they get too close to give the girls their privacy. They acknowledge Chaewon and Yena, both likewise giving their principal some space.

Minjoo is engrossed in a conversation with Hitomi when she feels a presence behind her. Hitomi indicates with her eyes to look behind and Minjoo does so. Her eyes instinctively widens when she sees Sakura standing before her. “Hi.” Minjoo greets politely even amidst the surprise.

“Hi. Minjoo.” Sakura awkwardly says before she looks at Hitomi and nods.

Sensing the awkwardness, Hitomi decides to lead conversation. “My name is Hitomi. Nice to meet you. I am Japanese too.” She says the last sentence in their native language, hoping to help Sakura ease up.

The girl visibly does so as she replies huskily in her native language. “I was guessing if you are. You look like a Japanese!”

Hitomi covers and chuckles brightly. “Japanese do have a certain look right?” Her eyes dart over to her best friend. Hitomi wants to help bring her best friend closer to her new step-sister. “Minjoo speaks Japanese rather well too.”

Sakura looks expectantly at Minjoo. “I didn’t know that. I guess we can communicate in Japanese too.” She is evidently less awkward now compared to earlier. Her confidence is growing speaking in the language she is familiar with.

As Sakura’s body language shows she has relaxed herself, Minjoo responds likewise. “I guess we can.” Minjoo smiles, this time naturally.

Sakura decides to move on to what she planned earlier. She switches back to Korean since she was crafting her words throughout class just now. “I heard the agents have a meeting later this afternoon. Erm, would you like to hang out then since we have to stay at the mansion?”

Sakura waits expectantly for Minjoo’s answer but only silence can be felt between them. Minjoo is speechless at the sudden invitation. She did not think that her helping Sakura in the shopping mall would lead to this. Minjoo doesn’t know how to feel about this; while she did initiate the other time, she still hasn’t found a reason to be the biggest fan of the girl either.

Feeling as if it is going downhill, Sakura desperately slides in an excuse. “My mother told me I have to go to gala dinner thing. A-and I don’t have much idea of what to wear in such events and was hoping you could maybe show me some examples?” She finishes off question-like, putting not too much pressure in this situation but obviously she is in too deep to escape now.

Hitomi’s eyes dart between Sakura and Minjoo. She is trying to read the situation. Hitomi hears a lot from Minjoo