“The students have left. Why are we still here?” Sooyoung asked.

Taeyeon couldn’t agree more, but she restrained from nodding.

“We need to come up with a plan for the team,” Tiffany replied.

Taeyeon’s jaw dropped. “You don’t have a plan?”

Tiffany smiled. “I don’t have a plan, but I have you.”

Taeyeon was close to fainting from embarrassment, but Tiffany continued.

“And you,” she added, eyes on Sooyoung, then Yuri. “And you. The sports teacher. You can teach them how to swim, right?”

Yuri stood taller and nodded. “I can teach them how to swim. I have a scuba diver certificate.”

Taeyeon stared at her. “A scuba diver certificate? Not a swim teacher certificate?”

“I never said I had a swim teacher certificate.”

“Aren’t you a sports teacher?”

“I’m a sports teacher, not a swim teacher.”

Tiffany waggled her hands between them. “Stop. It doesn’t matter. Yuri, do you know how to swim?”

Yuri nodded. “I’m good at swimming.”

“Then you can be the swim teacher.”

“I guess I could . . .”

“And you,” Tiffany continued, turning to Sooyoung, “what are you good at?”

“Talking?”

“Motivation coach.”

Sooyoung beamed. “That I can do.”

“Taeyeon, what about you?”

Taeyeon stared at Tiffany. How could she get out of this? “I’m not good at swimming. I’m not good at talking either. I should go back to teaching art.”

“But I need you here. You’re my hero.” Tiffany smiled again. “There’s no hurry. We’ll find something for you. Everything will work out well eventually.”

Taeyeon sighed in her heart. “What about the plan you were talking about?”

“Yes, the plan. We need to make one to win GS20.”

“Well, we can start by registering Kwangya as a participant.”

Tiffany smiled and clapped her hands. “See? I need you on the team.”

“But that’s a basic step requirement . . .”

“And the most important one. Nothing begins if we don’t register Kwangya.”

“How about a swimming lesson schedule?” Yuri suggested. “The team will need to be excused from classes to take swimming lessons with me.”

“Great idea, Yuri,” Tiffany gushed as her smile grew brighter by the second.

“And I’ll do some research about competition strategies. Get the team mentally prepared for the tough competition.”

“You’re all the best.” Tiffany beamed as she took Taeyeon’s hands and raised them. “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going!”

⟶

“What kind of lizard is Poopie?” Winter asked Ningning as they walked together.

Ningning shook her head. “I don’t know yet.”

“Can he live without his tail?” Giselle asked.

“I hope so.”

Ningning looked worried so Winter threw an arm around her shoulder and patted it. “Don’t worry. We’ll help you.”

“I think you should hide Poopie in case someone sees him,” said Karina.

Winter nodded immediately. “Karina is right. Hide him in your pocket, Ningning. They won’t let us keep him if they find out.”

“Will they chase me out of the dorm if I keep Poopie in there?” Ningning asked.

“Not if they don’t find out,” Winter replied quickly.

“Are the rest of you staying in the dorms too?” asked Karina.

Winter and Giselle nodded. “We’re roommates,” said Giselle.

“Why don’t we bring Poopie to my home then?” Karina suggested. “My home is not far from school.”

Ningning shook her head. “I want to take care of Poopie.”

“Let’s go to Ningning’s room before a teacher asks what we’re doing here,” said Giselle.

The rest agreed with that and they all scurried off furtively.

⟶

“What do you think Poopie likes to eat?” Winter asked the others as she offered her finger tip to Poopie. Poopie looked at her finger but showed no interest.

“Let’s find out,” said Karina.

“Search it up,” said Giselle.

Ningning put Poopie in the biggest box she had and switched her laptop on. Moments later, they perused the internet in search of important information.

“Does this look like Poopie?” Giselle asked, holding up her phone’s screen.”

“It doesn’t have nice eyelashes like Poopie does,” Karina replied.

“Oh, eyelashes!” Winter exclaimed.

“What, what?” The others crowded around to look.

“I searched ‘eyelash gecko’. Look.”

“Woah, it looks like Poopie’s cousin,” said Giselle.

They stared at the image search results. It seemed to be right.

“Crested gecko? Poopie is a crested gecko?” Ningning asked Poopie. Poopie stared at her and its eye. “Is that a yes? That’s a yes, right?”

“Yes, Poopie is a crested gecko,” Winter replied. “They are nocturnal so feed them in the evening. Babies eat daily. Adults eat three times a week. They eat insects.” Winter shuddered at the thought of creepy crawlies. “And boost its vitamin and mineral intake. They eat fruits too! Wow, they like bananas, peaches. Me too!”

“Winter, focus on food for Poopie, not food for you,” Giselle said with a laugh.

“It also needs a shallow dish of water.”

“I know where we can get a shallow dish,” Giselle remarked.

Winter grinned. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Let’s get it.”

Winter nodded.

Karina frowned. “Are you planning to sneak one out of the lab?”

“Uh huh. Do you want to come with us?” Winter asked.

“I don’t think we should take it from the lab.”

“We’re only borrowing it for a while,” Winter replied. “We’ll return it eventually.”

“Eventually . . .”

“So Giselle, Karina and I will get a shallow dish for Poopie. Ningning, wait here, okay?”

Ningning nodded. “I’ll give it a piece of banana while waiting for you.”

Winter rubbed her hands with glee. “Let’s go!”

⟶

“You need me to do what?” Taeyeon was in disbelief.

“You’re our strongest fighter, Taeyeon,” said Tiffany. “You’ll pass off as a student easily.”

“But spying on others is unethical.”

“Ethical, schmethical.” Tiffany smiled brighter than ever. “Everybody does it!”

“Just because everybody does it, doesn’t mean we should do it too.”

“I’ve been thinking, Taeyeon. We need to scout out our competition and compare notes. To know our enemy, is to defeat our enemy.”

“This is a bad idea.”

Tiffany pouted. “Do you really think so?”

Taeyeon’s heart melted when Tiffany pouted and she sighed. “I guess . . . if you really want me to do it . . .”

“Yes, I need you, Taeyeon. You’re my strongest fighter.”

“I’m not your strongest fighter, Tiffany. But I’ll try.”

Tiffany’s smile was back, bright as ever. “Great!”

⟶

Back in her campus apartment, Taeyeon paced the length of her living space. “What should I do now, Zero?”

Zero stood on his hind legs and tapped her legs, asking to be carried. With her thoughts still on the mission impossible that Tiffany assigned, Taeyeon picked Zero up and petted him.

“Zero, what is wrong with me? Why can’t I say no to Tiffany?”

Zero his nose.

“I’m in trouble because I can’t say no to Tiffany. I need to practice saying no to Tiffany instead of getting caught up in all her plans and schemes. I’m an art teacher, Zero. I’m supposed to teach art. I’m not supposed to be in charge of the swim team or going to GS20. I’m not supposed to be a spy. I don’t even know how to be a spy.”

Taeyeon sat on her couch and bit her lip. She had to tell Tiffany she couldn’t do it. She had to. Or fail trying. The thought of Tiffany pouting sank her heart, however. Maybe fail trying wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

With a great big sigh, Taeyeon went to her wardrobe and tried to pick out clothes for her spy mission. How could she get into So Nyuh High without anyone noticing her? Maybe if she tried to blend in with the shadows . . .

⟶

“Karina, you’re the tallest. You’ll go in with me. Giselle, keep watch,” Winter whispered as they observed their surroundings in the Science wing.

“The coast is clear. Go,” Giselle gave the signal.

Winter and Karina pink-panthered their way into the laboratory nearest to them and entered furtively. Once inside, they headed to the chemistry cupboards.

“You check the left. I’ll check the right,” said Winter.

For a few moments, only sounds of cupboard doors creaking open and close were heard. Then Karina exclaimed, “Found them!”

Winter scooted over to her. “Should we take one or two?”

“Just one. Got it. Let’s go.”

Just then, the lights flickered on. In sheer panic, Winter dropped onto the floor behind the table and dragged Karina down with her. With a finger on her lips, Winter signalled Karina to be quiet. Karina nodded and huddled close. Their breaths and heartbeats sounded too loud. Winter stared at Karina who stared back at her. They blinked, breathed and held hands, hoping for the person to leave quickly. Then, there was a voice.

“Winter? Karina?”

Winter and Karina’s eyes widened at the same time, but Winter was first to stand.

“Giselle, what are you doing here?” She hissed.

“I didn’t see anyone after switching on the lights so I came in to look.”

“Why would you switch the lights on?” Winter was about to flip a table. “Switch them off. We got the dish. Let’s go.”

“Oh, okay.”

The lights went out again, and Winter grabbed Karina’s hand, pulling her out together. Back in the hallway, Winter, Karina and Giselle looked at the dish in Karina’s hand.

“My pocket isn’t big enough,” said Karina.

“Stuff it under your vest,” Giselle suggested.

Winter took it and stuffed it under her vest instead. “Let’s get out of here.”

And off they scuttled like hamsters.

⟶

Taeyeon closed her eyes and wished to be away from this place and free from her mission. But the gates of So Nyuh High were still looming over her when she opened her eyes.

“Zero, do you agree that becoming a spy is the worst idea ever?”

Zero looked at her with doggy eyes for a moment before turning away.

“Guess it’s just you and me now. You and me, against the whole world.”

Zero wriggled in her arms.

“You want to get down and walk, don’t you?” Taeyeon bent to set Zero on the ground. She held his leash while patting her skirt down. “At least someone is happy about being here,” she said to Zero. “Fine. Let’s go in and see what we can spy.”

⟶