One month until Cube-ASC................

"Again! From the top!" You yelled, panting as you wiped sweat off of your face.

The juniors all muttered in pain and annoyance, but followed your orders. Nobody talked back to the team captain.

Finally, fifteen minutes later, the juniors finished their karate practice.

"Good job, guys!" You said breathlessly, giving them a thumbs-up. "I think we're going to win this section!"

Chattering happily and waving goodbye to you, they all began to leave the gymnasium.

Miyoung clapped you on the back. "Good job, ~~~~~-ah." She grinned sneakily. "You know, you've been having a lot more energy lately. What gives?"

You grinned back. "Nothing. Just have a sudden burst of fighting spirit, that's all!"

There was really no need to tell her about the hidden message Doojoon wrote to you................

"~~~~~~-ah!" Junhyung called.

Your grin faded and turned into a scowl. "Junhyung." You grunted.

"Aww, don't be like that, baby. You know, since we're dating now........."

"We can't go on a date, Junhyung." You said firmly, happily using your training excuse to get out of going on a date with him. "We still need to train the freshmen in volleyball and basketball. Their form is weak. Not to mention the sophomore swimming team. And the juniors still need to work out their soccer formation. You want to win, don't you?"

He frowned in disappointment. "Fine, fine."

Miyoung snickered and forced it to become a cough.

Kikwang grinned behind Junhyung smugly.

You sat on a bench to drink some water and Miyoung sat down next to you.

"It's about Doojoon, isn't it?" She whispered. You smiled. "Maybe."

"Oooooh!" She giggled.

"By the way, Miyoung......why is such a stupid rule Rule #1? I'm sure there are plenty of more important rules to be #1, but why 'No interaction with the other team'?"

Miyoung frowned. "Well, that didn't used to be the rule. In fact, it only became Rule #1 at the start of this year. Rule #1 used to be something else, but then it changed................."

"It changed? Only this year? Seriously?"

"Yeah. It was really weird, but as usual nobody questioned RACE............."

"And this choosing thing.........did they just choose the leaders at random? Cuz if they did, I have the crappiest luck in the world."

"No, I think they actually choose the leaders at the beginning of the year. They choose the people with the most potential. In the beginning of the year, the leader, the vice-captain, and the third and fourth seats are always chosen, usually by a combined vote of RACE, the student council, and the teachers, and the others are just chosen at random."

"How do you know all this?"

"I've participated in Cube-ASC for two years, I think I would know." Miyoung snorted.

The bell rang.

"Oh, I better go home! I'm exhausted." You said, jumping off the bench and stretching your arms.

You walked away. "See you tomorrow!" You called.

It was after school. There was still some students walking out, or getting things from their lockers.

Suddenly, you saw a figure standing next to your locker. Your heart pounded. Was it Doojoon?"

You got closer and realized it was a girl. Kwon Eunha.

"Hello, Eunha." You said icily, opening your locker.

"Im ~~~~~~." Eunha said tightly, her face showing no emotion. "We need to talk privately."

"I thought you aren't allowed to interact with members of the other team?"

"I asked permission from RACE about this. They gave this one exception. Don't worry, this isn't a friendly little chat -- this is a business talk."

"Fine." You slammed your locker shut and followed her into an empty classroom. You glared at her from behind. 'This one exception'? Oh, please. Who makes the rules? The leader. Who's the leader in RACE? She is. What exception?

Eunha slammed the door closed and turned to face you.

"Do not think I am stupid, ~~~~~."

Huh? You stared at her curiously.

"Did you really take me for a fool? I knew what was going on -- I had my suspicions."

You seriously didn't know what she was talking about. "What's going on, Eunha?"

She stared at you with hard eyes over her glasses. "You really think I didn't know? About you and Doojoon."

You gasped, and your face paled. "Y-you.....w-what are you talking about?"

"Don't take me for a fool, ~~~~~~. I knew you and Doojoon were secretly together against the rules. I never acted on my suspicions, because I didn't have any significant proof. If I had a picture, or a video of such kind, I would have easily punished the both of you for breaking the rule."

You glared at her. "Then why don't you?" You hissed.

"Because from what I can tell, you and Doojoon aren't together anymore, are you?" She said, smirking slightly.

You opened your mouth, then closed it, unable to find a retort for that.

"This is just a warning. You shouldn't go to Doojoon anymore. He'll just push you away in the end. Don't bother trying to interact with him. I'll punish you both without a second's thought. A single LOOK at each other, and I will punish you for breaking the rule."

She was about to walk out of the classroom when you gasped out loud.

Memories of what Miyoung had just told you bubbled to the surface of your mind.

"............It only became Rule #1 at the start of this year. Rule #1 used to be something else, but then it changed................." 

".......No, I think they actually choose the leaders at the beginning of the year........."

".......In the beginning of the year, the leader, the vice-captain, and the third and fourth seats are always chosen, usually by a combined vote of RACE, the student council, and the teachers......" ...............d.

"It was all you." You gasped, your heart pounding in your chest as you realized the truth behind everything. "You did everything, everything in your power, to split me and Doojoon apart........."

Eunha turned towards you, surprise and......fear?........etched all over her face.

She made sure that when they chose the leaders, you wouldn't be on the same team as Doojoon.........

She used her power in RACE to make sure she was the vice-captain on Doojoon's team................

Once that was fixed, she changed Rule #1 so it was forbidden to interact with the other team's members.

"You...................you're in love with Doojoon.........aren't you?"