3 years ago.

Me Li kept staring out of the window. It was Tuesday, which in Me Li’s life meant ‘Betting Day’. This is the day that her locker would be filled with endless amounts of letters. Each letter contained a bet or dares (mostly bets in her case). Everyone in school would use her gift to their own benefit.

This is a previous bet below:

 Stranger #1: I bet that Taemin is single.

 Me Li: I bet that he isn’t single. I bet that he has a girlfriend that he truly loves.

Taemin would later be found in a relationship with her friend (which she didn’t even know at the time.). Since that stranger knew that Me Li was always right, she/he would be disappointed to know that their crush is taken. The funny thing is that Me Li didn’t even know who Taemin was.

She is tired of being labeled as the freak. Even the kid that is mute in her school is more popular than her. That’s a shame. “Aerie! How am I going to climb up the social food chain? I’m at the bottom near that kid who picks his nose and that girl who farts constantly~” she whined, lying her head on the stack of books in front of her. Aerie continued to the face off of her boyfriend. Her hands were gripping the boy’s hair. “God. I know that you would love to be glued to him, but I have an important problem here!” she groaned. Aerie smirked and pushed away from the poor boy. “See you later, honey~” she blew a kiss at him. He blushed and proceeded to leave the library. “Bye Taemin!” Me Li called out to his retreating form. “Now, what is the problem?” Aerie asked. Me Li rolled her eyes. “Well, I wanted you to help me. My problem is that I’m not popular. I would at least appreciate if I was seen as even slightly normal!!” Me Li said.

“I think you’re okay. You don’t seem like a freak to me.” Aerie smiled. “Thanks, but you don’t even attend my high school. Plus you’re my friend; you don’t even see anything wrong with me. I’m being shunned at my school because of my ‘abilities’, which I don’t even have. I just bet on instinct!” Me Li explained. Aerie nodded her head in understanding. She looked like she was thinking hard. “Okay…..this might work…….how about you make a bet that you can’t keep? Then you can prove that you are not some weirdo.” She smiled gleefully. “Okay, I’ll try to make this work. But what will the bet be?” Me Li asked as she lifted her head up from the stack of books. Aerie looked around for a bit before smiling in a certain direction. Me Li eyes followed where Aerie was looking at. “No. No! Oh god no! You have got to be joking Aerie!” Me Li complained. There stood the ugliest guy in school, Kim Myungsoo, sorting books. “Anything involving him isn’t pleasant.” She continued to say. “Me Li. Trust me on this one. Just make an impossible bet on him. You’ll be popular in no time!” Aerie cheered. “Fine….but what bet?” Me Li asked as she stared at Aerie. Aerie sat on the table as she pondered on the question. What bet would be impossible for Me Li to complete? She has basically won every bet there is. Aerie looked over Myungsoo once more. Then a brilliant idea popped up in her head. “Okay, how about you bet that Myungsoo will turn into a mega-hottie in two years’ time? I mean think about it. Myungsoo can’t possibly turn hot in two years. He looks absolutely disgusting. He has crooked teeth, bad breath, horrible fashion sense, acne everywhere, bad hair, he stutters, and he is a nerd. He can’t possibly become hot in two years.” Aerie whispered in Me Li’s ear. Me Li thought hard on her friend’s idea. She would probably feel bad about using Myungsoo like that…, but the temptation of being popular overruled her thinking. “This could actually work…” Me Li thought. “Okay, I’m so in.” Me Li smirked.

“Step 1: Make the bet in the cafeteria. That is where the whole school gathers, so they’ll be able to see the bet take place.

Step 2: You have to appear positively sure that Myungsoo will turn hot, even though we both know that is impossible.

Step 3: When the bet is set, let fate take charge. No interfering with the bet. Well…unless you’re making him look even more horrible.”

Aerie said, as she wrote down each step on a sheet of paper. Me Li quickly studied each step carefully. “The bet starts tomorrow. Deal?” Aerie said. “Deal.” Me Li smirked.

The Next Day: 12:00pm Lunch

“Umm, I’m not too sure about this. Do you actually see how many people are gathered here? This is more than I have ever seen in school!” Me Li said with panic evident in her voice. “That’s because I spread out information saying that I’ll make an ultimate bet against you. The more people the better.” Aerie said eating a strawberry. Me Li looked around at the different people here. They occasionally stole glances at her. Me Li suddenly felt like she was under a spot light. “Relax. Just act natural, okay?” Aerie whispered. “How come you were able to stay here today?” N asked nearby. “I’ve got connections.” Aerie said simply.

Me Li took deep breaths as she looked at the victim. Myungsoo sat in his seat, minding his own business. His seat was far away from her table. He had a horrible reindeer sweater on. It was freezing cold outside, but that wasn’t an excuse for having a terrible sweater on. Me Li looked upon him with disgust. He looked absolutely terrible. It’d take an army to make him look even slightly attractive. His lips were the only thing y on him. His lips were full and pink and looked just plain kissable. They definitely belong on someone hot. “Like Kris.”  Me Li thought. It was a known fact that Me Li has the biggest crush on him. She dreamed about kissing his lips and running her fingers through his blond hair. She would definitely enjoy that. She was positive. “Stop daydreaming about Kris. I don’t even understand why you like that douchebag.” Aerie said, snapping her fingers in Me Li’s face. Me Li came back to reality as she wiped the drool from her lips.

“Come on, Kris is not that bad…” Me Li said feeling a bit embarrassed about being caught. “YES HE IS!” the whole table said in unison. “Dang….okay. Maybe he is bit of a bully. But he has his sweet side. Trust me…” Me Li said. Memories of the times that she secretly saw Kris act kind, flashed in her head. If only other knew how sweet Kris actually is. “Okay, whatever you say. Anyway, when do you want to get started?” Aerie asked staring at Me Li. “Anytime I guess…” Me Li said, playing with her food in front of her. “Fine.” Aerie smirked. Suddenly Aerie climbed on top of their table. “You always think that you’re going to win every bet!!!!! I’ll tell you one thing; you’re going to lose this one!!!!” Aerie yelled at Me Li, attracting everyone’s attention. Aerie gave Me Li a look that said ‘hurry up and join me’. Taking a deep breath, Me Li faked anger. “I bet you I won’t!!! What is the bet?!?! I can win this bet easily!!!!!!” Me Li yelled with annoyance. Everyone’s leaned forward to hear the bet. “I bet that Kim Myungsoo, the guy over there, will be ugly for the rest of his high school years!!!” Aerie said with a grin on her face. Myungsoo grew tense at the amount of eyes that looked his way. He nervously stared at the two girls. Aerie and Me Li felt a bit guilty, yet they had to do this. Me Li ripped her eyes away from Myungsoo’s teary-eyed face. “I bet that he will turn into a mega-hottie!!! In two years to be exact!!!” Me Li yelled back. The people around her stared at Me Li with disbelief. Not in a million years, did they think that Myungsoo would be hot in high school. Or even in life.

“I think she might lose this bet.”

“But she always wins. No matter what.”

“Just look at Myungsoo! There is no way that he’ll ever be even remotely attractive.”

“Myungsoo is ugly. He’ll always be ugly.”

“I think that maybe Me Li’s luck will run out.”

Myungsoo suddenly stood up. He glared at the eyes that followed his every movement. He had never felt so ashamed. Yet, he was happy that at least one person had any confidence in him. Me Li, his crush since elementary school, believed he could look attractive. He was extremely shy, so he never had the opportunity to confess.  Plus he is hideous. A gorgeous girl, like Me Li, would never look twice at him. “Why did she do that? Did she feel pity for me? Or was there something more…? Please God, let it be something more. I want her. I want her more than I want anything else.” Myungsoo mumbled to himself. He stood in the bathroom alone. He studied his features in the mirror. For once, he wished that he was like his parents. His mother was elegantly gorgeous and looked exotic. His father was extremely y and had every girl melting into a puddle. Myungsoo hissed and shoved that thought away.

“Well, lookie lookie here. We have an ugly duckling in our presence.” Kai said from the bathroom’s entrance. Myungsoo mentally rolled his eyes. “Ah! You’re right Kai.  So, why do you look so happy Myungsh*t?” Kris smirked as he slowly walked towards Myungsoo. Myungsoo backed away from him. “It’s n-not very m-mature of you to c-call me such n-names.” Myungsoo stuttered and he mentally cursed himself for it. He wanted to die somewhere. “Wow! You’re such a ! Didn’t know you had queerness in you.” Kris commented as he trapped Myungsoo between the wall and himself. “I-I’m not g-gay.” Myungsoo mumbled. “Oh but you are! I bet you’d like it if I kiss you senselessly against this wall. Right Myungsh*t?” Kris smirked and visually backed away. Myungsoo let out an audible breath. But he soon was doubled over and clutching his stomach. That had punched him hard. “I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction.” Kris said as he began kicking Myungsoo’s frail body. Myungsoo hissed in pain.

“Kris, let’s go. He has had enough.” Kyungsoo said softly. Myungsoo was grateful to Kyungsoo. “You’re always interrupting me like you’re running things around here. Did you forget who I am?!?” Kris yelled at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo slowly walked over to Kris. Their faces were only inches apart. “No. But you’ve forgotten who I am.  Question me like that again, and I’ll bury you.” Kyungsoo said as he began to walk away. Kris gulped nervously. He followed behind Kyungsoo. “This is not over.” Kai said to Myungsoo as he exited the bathroom.

“Of course, it never is.” Myungsoo thought bitterly.