"What has gotten into you?" Soomi jerked her arm back as soon as they were off campus.

 

"I am miserable and they shall share in my wretchedness."

 

She sighed. "You haven't been yourself since we got transferred to Jungsang."

 

"None of us have." Jinri growled lowly and did a quick visual sweep over her shoulder. Hajin and Kyungjong's heads bobbed in the distance. She groaned.

 

"Soomi wait up!" Kyungjong waved before he and his companion took off to catch up with the girls.

 

"I didn't say we were leaving first for a reason or anything." Jinri muttered sarcastically to herself while Soomi turned to wait for them.

 

"You girls walk fast." Hajin panted as he slowed down next to Jinri. Jinri coughed and continued walking.

 

Kyungjong nudged Soomi. "Do you even know where you're going?"

 

"No." She realized and stopped in her tracks. Hajin rolled his eyes.

 

"You're lucky you girls are pretty or else we might not help you."

 

Jinri put her hand up in front of his chest to stop him. "I think we'll manage." She smirked and grabbed Soomi's hand, pulling her away from the pair of boys. The smaller girl glanced at her phone.

 

"The other's have left already but from the other side of the school and will meet us there, wherever there is."

 

Jinri bit her lip and look around.

 

"Done being stubborn yet?" Hajin rested his chin on her shoulder. She flinched and pushed him away. "I guess not."

 

He grabbed her wrist, detaching her from Soomi and twisting her around. She watched her friend fall behind with Kyungjong as they both waved at her.

 

"Traitor." She spat.

 

"Girls don't turn me down." Hajin said flatly. "So I have a question for you, Kim Jinri. Are you-"

 

He paused to choose the proper words.

 

"Interested in girls?"

 

She threw her head back in laughter. "I'm completely disinterested in everyone equally."

 

"Even me?" Hajin asked, guiding her in the direction of their destination. Jinri noticed the sign over a slightly run-down building that read "pool hall".

 

"Especially you." Hajin nodded at her response before she took off for the building, watching as she disappeared inside.

 

"Friendly reminder that I hate you." Jinri said as she burst through the door. Minkyung and Heijung were seated indian style on a worn sofa, watching Do-il and Hyunsoo play pool. Jihyuk leaned against an empty table while Haerim was sprawled out on another. "Also, you're a and that's my shirt."

 

"No it isn't." The leader sassed.

 

"Yes it is!" The two girls across the room said tonelessly, watching the game in front of them intently.

 

"Well then you shouldn't have left it at my place." Haerim frowned and flung her arm over her face to cover her eyes. Jinri ignored her and dropped her school bag on the floor, smoothing down her uniform skirt and curling up next to Haerim on the pool table.

 

She peeked out from under her arm at her bassist. "Rough day?"

 

"People are irritating." Jinri nodded and buried her face in Haerim's side. She patted her head until the door swung open. "The cavalry has arrived."

 

Soomi stepped inside, landing on her toes and looking around. Minkyung waved her over to sit between her and Heijung, to which she obliged. Jinri held her breath as Hajin and Kyungjong walked past, sighing as they joined Do-il and Hyunsoo in their game.

 

"Poor kid." Haerim pouted. Jinri jabbed her in the ribcage with her finger. "Anyway-"

 

The leader rolled off the table and clapped for attention. "You're all here for a reason. That reason being I called you here."

 

"Thanks, by the way," Kyungjong his hand in the air. "Jihyuk hasn't let is skip in weeks."

 

Heijung snorted. "Weeks."

 

Haerim continued. "We've had a rough past few days. Someone ratted us out at Ground Zero and Yangpa is gone. We have almost nothing left."

 

"Everyone knew us at Yangpa. It was like we were queens." Minkyung said softly. "Now we're nobody."

 

"We'll get our status back." Haerim looked at her pointedly. "Until then, we'll be working with Eye Candy to build ourselves back up."

 

Jinri shot up into sitting position. Hyunsoo's eyes flashed toward Jihyuk, who only nodded in agreement.

 

"So everyone get friendly because you'll be seeing a lot of each other." She said finally, looking around at each of the people in the room.

 

Hyunsoo pulled Jihyuk aside. "When did we agree to this?"

 

"I did the other day." His dark eyes his closest friend. "I have a lot to make up for."

 

"Then you do it and don't drag the rest of us down with you." Hyunsoo hissed.

 

"Do-il already agreed to help out. Judging by how close Kyungjong has gotten with Soomi, he's fine with it. Haerim thinks Jinri will warm up to Hajin in time. The only one with the problem, Hyunsoo, is you."

 

"At least you can recognize that I have a problem." He rolled his eyes.

 

"Minkyung intimidates you, doesn't she?" Jihyuk chuckled.

 

"Intimidates me? Have you seen her?" Hyunsoo's head snapped to the girl. She was leaning over Soomi's shoulder, laughing while Heijung said something that must have been a joke. She smiled honestly at everything. "She unnerves me."

 

"Pretty girls tend to do that." Eye Candy's leader said, clapping a hand on his back.

 

"What about Haerim? Does she intimidate you?"

 

"Haerim doesn't intimidate me." Jihyuk lowered his voice. "She scares the living daylights out of me."