“It happens every year, and every beginning of the school year. Students love it.” Chaerin continued as she and Ahyoung walked towards their building.

“Must it be two days of just club recruitment?”

“It usually is two days.”

“It’s a pain that attendance is being checked.” Ahyoung grumbled, there was a school event the following week and she had assumed that since clubs weren’t really required meant she didn’t have to go to school.

“It’s actually not that bad, I promise.” Chaerin chuckled and hooked arms with the girl.

“There will be games, and some movie viewings. Also, there’s this practice done by the students as well.”

“A practice not to participate in anything?” Ahyoung said hopefully, Chaerin chuckled before continuing.

“A friendly basketball games between the high school students. Anyone can join.”

“You think that would entice me? Do I look like an athlete?” Ahyoung sighed, Chaerin was about to speak when she saw Kevin and Chanhee just steps behind them.

“Well, the varsity team will be playing. Let’s just cheer for Juyeon, not that he needs more girls to scream his name or anything.”

Ahyoung grew amused and then she looked at Chaerin.

“Juyeon is kind of your Younghoon, huh?” She blurted out, Chaerin tilted her head at him.

“What?”

“I mean~” Ahyoung gasped as what seem like an unending flow of blue liquid drenched her friend, she pulled back and saw the three girls standing behind Chaerin.

“You’re really doing everything just to get close to Hyunjae, huh?” The girl said as she tossed the empty bottle away, she brushed her skirt done and met Ahyoung’s gaze. All the students froze and started to stare at them.

“Even it up with this .” She spat, her tone venomous. Her two friends chuckled behind her and crossed their arms.

Chaerin stood still, the blue liquid had drenched her from head to toe, Ahyoung’s jaw grew taut and she faced the three.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

“What are we doing? We’re teaching you a lesson, junior. Stay away from Hyunjae and Younghoon.”

“Oh, so this one of those things. Wow, what a cliché.” Ahyoung let out an unamused sigh.

Kevin grabbed Chanhee’s arm as he watched in shock, the other male chewed on his lower lip.

“What do they want with Chaerin now? Didn’t they give her enough trouble last year?” Chanhee mumbled, remembering how their friend was bullied because of her friendship with Juyeon.

“We should~” Kevin stopped when Ahyoung moved forward.

“Excuse me? What did you say?” The senior, Goeun faced Ahyoung angrily.

“You want to torment her because of a guy. You’re calling me a because of a guy. Or guys. Did I hear it right? Hyunjae and Younghoon, correct?” Ahyoung asked, the three girls paused, not expecting this reaction from her.

“Stay away from them, or the next thing you’ll be showering in won’t just be Gatorade.”

“Oh, but I don’t like this flavor. I prefer grape, can you take note of that…sunbae?” Ahyoung said, Kevin and Chanhee were impressed. Even the other students were.

Goeun and her posse grew quiet, and then Ahyoung stepped forward to meet her eyes.

“Grape. I prefer grape, .” She said in a steely voice, Goeun didn’t reply, but she was glaring at him. Ahyoung exhaled, she turned away from the three and removed her coat, she draped it across Chaerin’s chest. Kevin and Chanhee moved forward to pull their shocked friend, but before Ahyoung could join them, Goeun yanked her by the arm.

“You think you’re all that, huh? Just because the senior boys are salivating over you?”

“Not really. I never saw them salivate, but,” Ahyoung shook her arm off, Kevin paused and glanced over his shoulder. He watched as Ahyoung approached a student who was eating some ice cream.

“I’ll pay for it later.” Ahyoung quickly said as she took the cone from the girl, and she wordlessly walked to Goeun and pressed it against the girl’s shirt.

The crowd gasped.

And then Ahyoung smiled, as she proceeded to drag the cone down to her skirt, smearing all the chocolatey goodness from Goeun’s collar to her skirt.

“I hope you’re not lactose intolerant, sunbae.” She chuckled as she tossed the cone away and hopped after her friends.

Juyeon puffed his cheeks as he leaned into his chair, he looked around him, confused. The classroom was almost empty, except for his two classmates who had just arrived.

“Where are they?” He mumbled, and then he heard the two students with him started laughing.

“Juyeon-ah,” One turned to him, he nodded at him.

“Did you see? The video’s all over the net. Ahyoung’s really something.”

Juyeon tilted his head, he took out his phone just as the classroom doors opened and students started to pile in. It grew loud in seconds, as everyone was talking excitedly.

Juyeon opened the first video that appeared and he paused. Chaerin was standing around the crowd, drenched in some sort of blue liquid.

“Gatorade,” Juyeon was about to stand when Ahyoung appeared in the frame, she was standing up against Goeun and her two other friends.

“Did you see? I love the new girl!”

“I heard Goeun sunbae ran away in tears!”

“It’s what she deserves.”

Juyeon’s brows went up as the camera focused on Ahyoung smearing Goeun’s clothes with ice cream like it was war paint. He halted when Chanhee plopped down beside him, his eyes went to Chaerin who carefully sat down, her clothes were dry now, but the stain was there.

“Hey, are you okay?” Juyeon nudged her, the girl gave him a small smile and nodded back.

“It’s nothing, I just~”

The room grew silent as Ahyoung walked in class, she was casually chatting with Kevin as they made their way to their seats. Juyeon saw how Chaerin frowned briefly but she looked away.

Ahyoung sat down and she turned to look at Chaerin, Juyeon was about to speak but the girl spoke first.

“I’m sorry about that Chaerin-ah. I…couldn’t help myself.” She said, the guys paused, Chanhee was stunned.

“W—Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault.”

“Still, I think I may have created a bigger mess. But that girl is one big ~”

“Words.” Chanhee murmured, Ahyoung pressed her lips together, her forehead creased as she looked at Chaerin’s stained uniform.

“You, are you okay?” Juyeon cleared his throat.

Ahyoung shrugged in reply, but she checked her watch. And then she slowly stood up, Kevin looked at her.

“Where are you off to?”

“I owe someone ice cream, remember?” Ahyoung smiled at him, Chaerin blinked at the girl.

“Ahyoung-ah, that can wait.” Chanhee urged her to sit, Juyeon leaned back on his seat. Chaerin was staring at the girl and she started to smile.

“I’ll be back.” She said before slipping out of the room.

But she never did come back for the rest of the morning, Juyeon made a mental note to check the school’s back fence at a later time.

Jacob watched as his friend put his spoon down for the fourth time and looked around the cafeteria again.

“She’s not replying to my texts.” Hyunjae murmured, Younghoon placed his phone on the table before speaking.

“She probably left campus.”

“That’s twice this week. Her first week here.” Hyunjae grumbled, Jacob grinned, usually out of the three of them, the ace of the swim team was the troublemaker. And he never really gave a damn, he simply just had fun. Seeing him all in knots and worried over his sister was new to him.

“Do you want me to call her?” Younghoon offered as he finished his meal, Hyunjae made a face at him.

“She won’t take my calls, what’s the point? She’ll probably reappear when she wants to. I don’t know what to do with her.” Hyunjae sighed as he leaned on the table, he saw the girl from the other day step in hall. She was with a couple of male students.

“Don’t.” Jacob said before his friend could stand, Younghoon looked up and followed their gazes.

“She probably knows where Ahyoung headed off to, I think she’s made friends.” Hyunjae spoke, Jacob sighed at him.

“Remember what happened earlier?” Jacob said, Younghoon paused, confused.

“What happened?” Younghoon asked, Hyunjae shook his head and continued eating.

“Right, I don’t think you heard. You were at a meeting, right? Well,” Jacob pursed his lips, he watched as Chaerin and her friends sat down, there were still dark blue streaks on the girl’s shirt.

“Goeun and her friends were at it again. The video’s been taken down, but everybody saw it already. She attacked her, that girl Ahyoung seems to have made friends with.”

Younghoon followed his gaze, the said girl was already eating with her friends. He remembered her, she was the one who pointed him to Ahyoung’s seat when he had to get her things from class. Because Ahyoung, the sweetheart, cut class.

“She poured Gatorade over that junior, and well, Ahyoung stepped in. Or stepped up, she taught Goeun a….lesson of some sort.” Jacob continued, being careful with his words. Younghoon looked around and spotted Goeun at her usual table with her friends, she may have covered up with a sweater, but there signs of brown stains on her skirt and ankle socks.

“So, people see Ahyoung as some sort of role model now, she stood up to them. Kind of. I hope it doesn’t get her in trouble though.” Jacob continued, Younghoon’s forehead crumpled in reply.

“Goeun finally got a taste of her own medicine.” Hyunjae pointed out, sour.

“Hey, you should be worried. Those girls..can be harsh.”

“You’ve met my sister. They’re the ones who should be careful.” Hyunjae murmured, Younghoon dialed Ahyoung’s number, the other two grew tense as it rang.

“Oppa,” She finally answered.

“Where are you?”

“I was out shopping. Why?” Ahyoung sounded pissed, Younghoon let out a small smile.

“Please come back to campus, it looks like it might rain.”

“I already am on my way back.” She muttered.

“Ahyoung-ah, please.” Younghoon said, Hyunjae grinned at his friend. Younghoon knew Ahyoung too well.

Jacob paused, his brows going up.

“Am I on loud speaker?”

“Yes.”

“Is my brother with you?”

“Jacob too.” Younghoon patiently said.

“Oh, hey Baecob. Anyway, oppa, you should talk to that ugly Regina George and her two minions.”

Jacob smiled and actually waved at the phone.

“I will.” Hyunjae replied with a smile.

“Ahyoung-ah.” Younghoon softly spoke, the girl sighed, she ended the call. But moments later, his phone pinged. Younghoon opened the messaged, Ahyoung had sent him her Google Maps location, she was just two blocks away from school.

“She listens to you.” Jacob said with a grin.

“A bit.”

Juyeon stretched his arms as he stepped out of the faculty office, his homeroom teacher had called him to look over his schedule. Since the basketball season was about to start, athlete students were usually asked regarding their games and practices.

He went down the steps and made his way across the courtyard, and to the school’s end of the property. He checked the time on his phone, lunch hour was about to end. He was about to leave when he saw two figures standing by the wall.

He paused, realizing it was Ahyoung and Hongjoong.

“I’m a junior too. I don’t know if you remember me, but I was with Juyeon the other day.” Hongjoong said in a pleasant tone, he already had his phone out.

Juyeon grinned to himself, he didn’t know that his friend’s crush on the new girl was this serious.

“Ah, really? Then, hi.” Ahyoung said, she was holding onto a white paper bag.

“Are you busy? Have you had lunch?” Hongjoong pressed, Juyeon looked at Ahyoung again, her lips were pressed into a thin line. It looked like she was annoyed, or she simply wanted to leave.

“I don’t usually eat lunch. And, I have to get to class.” She said as she tried to sidestep him, but Hongjoong followed her.

“Oh, I can walk you.” He offered as he tried to take the bag from her, but Ahyoung shook her head.

“No, it’s fine. I can walk there myself.”

“Don’t be like this, new student. Let me show you around and show you the shortcuts as well, I’m pretty good at directions too!”

Juyeon could sense the girl’s discomfort, and judging by what she did to Goeun earlier this morning, maybe she’s not the one with the best temper too. Hongjoong might get hurt if he presses her more.

“Hongjoong-ah,” He spoke up, the two paused and turned to him. Hongjoong grinned as he walked towards them.

“The coach was looking for us, let’s go.” Juyeon said as he glanced over his shoulder, pointing towards another building.

“Really? Then I have to go, maybe next time then, Ahyoung-ah.” Hongjoong said to the girl before heading off, Juyeon heard the girl exhale.

He was about to turn away when he looked at her again.

“Thanks.” She mouthed , Juyeon was about to reply but Hongjoong was already calling for him.

Juyeon gave her a nod, he noticed that the girl’s shirt cuffs were stained with blue.

“It got to you too.” He said as he approached her, Ahyoung followed his gaze and she shook her head.

“I’ll live.” She replied as she transferred the bag to her other hand.

“But, Juyeon-ah,”

Juyeon met her gaze again, her cheeks were in a shade of light pink. He paused, realizing that she must be cold since she left her blazer with Chaerin earlier.

“Han Goeun. And two friends.”

“Yes?”

“The two friends, what are their names?” Ahyoung asked, Juyeon paused, noticing that look in her eyes.

“I’m not going to tell you.”

“Why?” She frowned at him, Juyeon broke into a smile and just gestured for her to go.

“I’ll see you at class, Ahyoung.”

“But~”

“Go. You should grab something to eat.” Juyeon said to her before turning away, he heard Ahyoung sputter in English before disappearing through the gardens.

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