Thank goodness Zero was a good boy. No barking, no growling. But he was very interested in the grass patches, which hindered Taeyeon’s spy mission. After spending numerous minutes trying to coax Zero away from investigating the world’s greatest mystery of the grass, she gave up and sat beside him as he nosed around happily.

“Do you need help?”

Taeyeon blinked at the sunlight shining into her eyes. It took her a second to register the face smiling at her and when she did, her breath was taken away. Big, round doe eyes, cute nose, smiling lips. A beauty with a kind smile.

“I . . .”

“I haven’t seen you around before. Are you here to look for someone?”

“I . . . my dog.”

“You’re looking for your dog?” The big, round doe eyes moved to Zero who had stopped nosing around the grass and was currently smiling at this woman.

A sense of betrayal struck Taeyeon at that moment. “Zero pulled me in here.” As soon as she said that, Zero turned to her and stared at her as if calling out her lie. “You know how it is with dogs and grass.”

“I do,” the pretty lady replied with a laugh. “I have a dog too. I’m Yoona, a teacher here. I’m afraid I’ll have to you out. We don’t allow strangers to wander around our school for safety reasons.”

Taeyeon stood with a sinking heart. Her mission to spy was about to fail. What was she going to tell Tiffany? “I’m sorry, I’ll leave immediately.”

“I’ll walk with you.”

Taeyeon stood and lengthened Zero’s leash. “Let’s go, Zero.”

Without any warning, Zero dashed off in front of them, going in the opposite direction.

“Not that way . . .” Taeyeon protested while jogging to Zero.

“Your dog is so cute but could you please carry him?” Yoona asked.

“I-I’ll try.” Taeyeon approached Zero but he bolted off again, pulling her along. “Zero, stop.”

Zero ran and ran while Taeyeon chased and chased. He seemed to think it was a game and even put on an extra burst of speed as he ran into a building.

“Zero!”

Zero finally stopped. Taeyeon stopped too, panting, and Yoona caught up a second later.

“W-Where are we?” Taeyeon asked as she picked Zero up.

“This is our sports hall,” Yoona told her. “Our swimming team is practicing right now. They are the reigning champions of GS20.”

“GS20? What’s that?” Taeyeon asked as innocently as she could.

Yoona looked at her with eyes blinking. “GS20? Great Swim 20? Haven’t you heard of it?”

Taeyeon shook her head and asked Zero, “Have you heard of GS20?”

Zero his nose and looked away.

“Zero hasn’t heard of GS20 either.”

“It’s the biggest swim competition in this region. It’s held every year and reported in the news too. Surely you would have heard of it once or twice.”

“I don’t watch the news much. I . . . I only watch Petflix. Zero likes to watch Petflix.”

“I see. Since you have never heard of it before, let me explain it to you better.”

Taeyeon stood and listened and nodded. She knew it all but kept her eyes open, round and innocently wide. Even Zero cooperated and listened quietly.

“So right now, our team is training their physical endurance. That’s why they’re not in the pool.”

“Ah . . . and what are those things around their ankles?” Taeyeon asked.

“Those are weights.”

“They don’t look heavy.”

Yoona chuckled. “They don’t look heavy but after a few rounds of jogging around the pool, the effect will be felt, I assure you.”

“They must be champions if they train so hard for it.”

“They are champions. Our school has won GS20 for the past ten years. No one has beaten us yet.”

“Are you expecting to win again this year?”

Yoona smiled, her eyes b with confidence. “Of course, we will.”

⟶

“So the plan is to spy on So Nyuh High and do whatever they do?” Taeyeon squawked.

Tiffany’s smile bedazzled. “Bingo!”

“I can’t go in again. One of the teachers there will recognise me.”

Tiffany’s smile disappeared. “Who is it? Which teacher?”

“She said her name is Yoona.”

“She? It’s a ‘she’?”

Taeyeon nodded. “She’s pretty too.”

“Is that important?”

“I’m just saying . . .”

“And how did she get to know you?”

Taeyeon told Tiffany the entire story and Tiffany didn’t seem too pleased.

“Since she probably remembers you, it will be too suspicious if you go again.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“In that case, we’ll think of something else. But the weight training you said they are doing sounds like a good idea. We will start that immediately.”

“What’s the next step then?”

Tiffany’s smile made a swift comeback. “The next step will come when the next step comes.”

⟶

“What a load of crap he just dumped.”

Winter scrunched her nose. “At least it doesn’t stink like human poop.”

Ningning pinched her nose. “I smell something bad.”

“Maybe it’s our socks.”

Winter and Ningning turned to Giselle. “It’s not our socks.”

Giselle shrugged. “I’m just saying. That tiny piece of poop can’t be this stinky.”

“It must be powerful poop,” said Ningning. “It’s Poopie’s speciality. He pooped on my hand when I first met him.”

“Is Poopie definitely a boy?” Giselle asked.

“I’m sure,” Ningning replied.

“How do you know though? I don’t see . . . any sign . . .”

“I consulted an expert online.”

“An expert . . . online?”

Ningning nodded. “Google.”

“Ah . . .”

Karina stood up and rapped the table they were sitting around. “I have to go. Maths class is starting soon. What about the rest of you?”

Winter raised her hand and stood as well. “I have Maths class too.”

Karina nodded. “Anybody else?”

Ningning and Giselle shook their heads.

“It’s just you and me then,” Karina said to Winter. “Let’s go.”

Winter stood with a grin. “I’m ready.”

Together, they walked across the square and past the other dormitory wings.

“Why do you stay in the dorms?” Karina asked. “Do you live far away from here?”

Winter nodded. “Pretty far. What about you?”

“I live quite near. Just an hour away by bus.”

“I wish my home were nearer too. Then I can go home every day.”

“You must miss your home a lot.”

Winter nodded. “I miss my mom’s food.”

Karina laughed. “Do you miss your mom too or just her food?”

“Ah, both.”

“If you miss home a lot, you could visit mine and have a home cooked dinner.”

Winter’s chest and shoulders lifted. “Really?”

“Mhm, really.”

“I’ll really ask.”

“I’ll really accept.”

Winter smiled.

Karina smiled back. Then she screamed and dodged behind Winter, hands practically arresting Winter’s shoulders.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“P-Pigeons.”

“Pigeons?”

“I’m afraid of pigeons.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make them go away.” Winter stepped towards the flock of pigeons and waved her arms about. The pigeons gave her a cold stare before casually strolling away. “They’re gone. You’re safe now.”

Karina took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Thank you.”

“You got rid of the creepy crawlies for me. Now I’m chasing the pigeons away for you. One good deed for another.”

“We sound like a good team.”

Winter grinned and put her palm up.

Karina looked at it for a moment before grinning. Then she raised her palm and gave Winter a high five. “I think we’ll be a good team.”

⟶

Winter was working hard on solving a mathematical puzzle when there was an announcement.

“Year 2 Class 1. Student Kim Winter, please report to the office now. Manager Tiffany wants to meet you.”

Her classmates looked at her with questions in their eyes but she simply shrugged and grinned and she excused herself from the class. Being part of the swim team was beginning to seem like a good thing. Not only did she get to leave her classes early, she also got to know Karina, a cool third year student, she thought, while walking down the middle of the corridor.

She was deep in her happy thoughts when a voice came from the side.

“What are you smiling about?”

Winter turned and saw Karina’s smile and couldn’t help smiling too. “I was smiling because being in the swim team means I get permission to skip classes.”

“Is that why?”

“Mhm!”

“Not because you get to see me?” Karina teased with a pout.

“How did you know?” Winter asked, wondering if she had accidentally spoken her thoughts out loud.

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

“You were really thinking that?”

“Y-Yes, I’m happy you’re in the swim team too.”

Karina’s smile was wider than ever. “I’m also happy you’re in the team with me.”

Winter wasn’t sure what to do with herself after hearing that.

“Why are you turning awa--”

Winter turned back around, hands covering her face.

“Why are you covering your face?”

Winter shook her head and waved one hand while covering her face with the other.

Karina giggled suddenly. “Don’t be shy. Just follow me.” With that, she took Winter’s hand and pulled her along.

⟶

Sooyoung heard strange sounds coming from the sports building as she approached the entrance. Instantly on alert, she tiptoed and peered around the side. No one was in sight, but she could hear heavy breathing, panting and grunting.

What in the Kwangya?

“Lift your leg,” went a strained voice.

“Okay,” said another strained voice.

“Higher.”

“But I--”

“Closer.”

“But you--”

“Hurry up. The rest will come soon.”

“The door is wide open.”

Sooyoung followed the panting, the scuffling, the--

“Oh my gosh.”

“Go faster.”

“I can’t take it anymore.”

“Just a little bit more.”

“But--”

“Just--”

“Who’s in there?” Sooyoung yelled as she walked into the locker room. “And what are you doing?”

⟶