A/N: In case you forgot: Minjung is Jinah's best friend. Yooni and Jaein are their "archenemies". Enjoy!

The next day was the last bit of the ceremony. This is when you either get chosen as a Prix or dismissed as a dwelling maiden. You wear subtle colors like black, gray, and white for this part of the ceremony, for it was final. It was another short dress that didn’t matter how suggestive it was, which was unfortunate for the girls, especially the ones with innocent minds who have forceful and twisted women as representatives.

          Minjung was fit into a lace white floral dress. Her representative thought that Minjung looked best in delicate pieces. Minjung didn’t mind the laces and girlish clothes they gave her. She liked dressing and prepping up. It was best with Jinah, though. She knew Jinah didn’t enjoy prepping up and that she was still very new at makeup and being a proper lady. That’s why it was fun – Minjung had authority over the all-powerful and strong Jinah, and in a friendly way too. No hard feelings.

          She slipped into her white flats that had a thin ribbon on the top, which was very generously round. Her cheeks were as rosy as Jinah’s, and her blackheads and faint acne was covered up with concealer and foundation. She didn’t eat anything for breakfast. She wasn’t hungry. Instead, in her free ten minutes, she thought about the Basic-class gang that had shown an interest in her. They were really sweet, it was surprising they were a gang at all. They were clearly rookies. But they stayed on Minjung’s mind. She had visited six different gangs in the half-hour they were granted at the meet, and all were Basic Gangs, but that one – Claw – was the gang she liked best.

          She didn’t feel any jealousy towards Jinah and her meet with Wolf. Despite being her best friend and wanting the best for her friend, she still kept her options of superiority open. Just because they, Wolf, talked to her, doesn’t necessarily mean she’s chosen. And Wolf was the only gang that talked to Jinah. If Wolf didn’t choose Jinah, Jinah would be dismissed as a dwelling maid. She outwardly hoped that Jinah got chosen by Wolf but inwardly, she didn’t think it was possible. Wolf was probably playing with Jinah. Poor Jinah… If Jinah gets dismissed today it would be the last time she’d see her. Once candidates were chosen as Prixes, they stuck with the gang. No one came back. No one visited. They were just too busy with the work they had with gangs, and weren’t even allowed to visit for the most.

          Minjung looked at herself in the mirror. She took a deep breath. Basic may the gang be, but she liked the Basic Gang. They were nice, unlike Wolf, which was a gang that sent girls back to dwellings crying. Jinah was strong. She never cried. She wouldn’t ever cry, for it would hurt her pride, but what they said couldn’t have been nice. But still, what did they say? I should ask her later, Minjung thought. I should probably ask Claw if they could choose Jinah too. Minjung didn’t want to part with Jinah, her best friend.

          The Callidum bell rang and the girls hurried out. She saw Jinah’s hair – it was straight today. She ran off to catch up with her friend.

          She tapped Jinah’s shoulder when she found her. “Hi.”

          Jinah, to Minjung’s surprise, wasn’t depressed or upset. Instead, she was smiling. “Hey. You look great! Laces really do fit you.”

          Minjung returned the smile. “Thanks. And, of course, you look awesome too.” Jinah was wearing a loose black dress with medium-thick straps. It was very simple with a bow on the back. But with Jinah’s pretty face, it looked amazing. Her thin chain necklace was unobtrusive and the crystal-embedded ring was on her ring finger. On her ears were crystal earrings. These apparels and accessories didn’t give the usual tough and aggressive demeanor Jinah normally had. Instead, she emitted a fresh and sweet aura. It was a good change.

          Then, Jinah bit her lip, and Minjung knew she was troubled and dreading something. Minjung asked carefully, her voice gentle and quiet, “What’s up?”

          “Are you ready?” Jinah blurted out.

          Minjung blinked at the blunt question. Then she answered, “Yes. Are you?”

          Jinah shrugged. “Not really.” Jinah then saw the pitying look on Minjung’s face, so she quickly added after, “But I don’t really care, honest. Submitting and listening to orders isn’t really my thing. Neither is being toyed around like a rag doll.” Stop. Pitying. Me.

          But the pity look stayed on Minjung’s face and it made Jinah clench her teeth, but she let it go. Minjung didn’t have a bad intent, and she wasn’t pitying her for a spiteful reason. She was simply caring. In another perspective however, Minjung not only felt bad for Jinah’s misfortune, but also guilt. Guilt that she didn’t wish Jinah the full best. Suddenly, what Wolf said to her didn’t matter. Her foolish hidden jealousy was stupid. She felt bad, so bad. Minjung opened her arms and Jinah walked into them, hugging her friend tightly. Minjung was always taller than Jinah. Minjung whispered in her friend’s ear, “I wish you the very best, doll face.”

          “Thanks gal.”

          The two pulled away, looking strangely solemn. Then the bell rang a second time and the girls smiled somewhat awkwardly and went back to their place in line. Then the Announcer talked about how this was the final stage of the ceremony. He also commented on how pretty the girls looked. “Of course, we always have a few exceptions…” he snickered at his own joke and so did some of the gangs, their gaze strangely directed on Intrepidus girls specifically. Their thick, dark eye shadow makes it look like they were punched in the eye. This is where the saying “Use makeup to enhance beauty, not cover it” comes in. Some of them would actually look pretty nice if they didn’t try to stand out so much and be so strong with their makeup. “And now, we will begin choosing. Caritatis, line up in order by rank, not alphabetical! You know the drill!”

          The Caritatis candidates and their representatives shuffled around, rearranging themselves in order. Just a few days ago, all the girls were ranked. Then the Announcer called up the gangs and they came up, also lining up, though in three different lines. There were two Top Gangs, many Middle, and many Basic. In other words, there was no doubt almost all the Caritatis girls would get picked.

          In the meantime, Jinah and Minjung were muttering and chattering nervously. Jaein looked confident but there was no doubt that she was anxious too. Even Jaein knew that it took more than looks and talent to be chosen. You’d have to beat the rest of the candidates, and not just dwelling-mates, but overall candidates with other seventeen- and eighteen-year olds. She may be twenty-eighth in the ranking system, but there were twenty-seven others to beat. No – now she was twenty-ninth, now that Jinah was third. Minjung was in the Top Fifty, but almost everyone’s in Top Fifty, unless you’re really screwed up – heck, even Jinah with six records was in the Top Fifty – but even Minjung had visited more gangs than Jaein have. This scared her a bit. No, not scared. It made her feel apprehensive, unsure. Yooni had an almost perfect body figure. Her legs were longer than Minjung’s, hardly any fat, a small waist with a wide hip, a surprisingly large bust, thigh gap, balanced shoulders, thin arms, slender fingers, the list was endless. Now just hide her face with a mask and bam, complete perfection! Well, not really, Jaein thought. Yooni may be skinny, but her face was hideous and she was academically stupid.

          Caritatis was done and so were Pacem and Verax. In no time, it was Intrepidus. Only four girls got picked, but no one cried, unlike some of the few Pacem girls that got unlucky. In Intrepidus, if you cried, you got kicked out. Crying meant breaking down, which was considered cowardice. Still, the Intrepidus girls had spunk and courage. Some gangs needed a Prix like that.

          “And now, Callidum!”

          The Callidum candidates nervously shuffled about and organized each other by rank silently. Jinah couldn’t help but smirk as she passed Jaein, for she was now higher than her. Jaein glared at her fiercely. Yooni, who didn’t even pay attention to Jinah’s rank-up, scoffed and angrily whispered to a random girl in front of her, demanding why Jinah was ranked higher than her, even higher than Jaein. Minjung gave Jinah an encouraging smile, which Jinah returned. When everyone was in place, Jinah looked around, and when she did, she caught Luhan’s eye. He grinned at her. She half-returned it and looked down. This was so…weird. Unexpected. She never felt this much anxiety at once. Why was she so nervous? Getting dismissed wasn’t so bad. Miss Kim is very happy. The other dwelling maidens would treat her well. But what if you get picked? The voice in her head that always made things complicated asked her. Don’t you know your own pride? You’d rather burn a book than come back from a failed mission.

          The gangs were organized from best-ranked to worst. There was only one Top Gang, many Middle, and two Basic Gangs. So, by rank, Wolf was first to choose.

          Suho was clearly their representative. He stepped up, his posture slack yet attractive, and many girls squealed and held their breaths. Jinah wasn’t breathing either, but it wasn’t because Suho was good-looking. It was the words in his thoughts and throat held that made her so nervous. His voice was a bit hoarse, the way it was when they talked yesterday, “Shin Jinah.”

          Jinah breathed out while others frowned or looked disappointed. A girl can dream, you know? They thought maybe Wolf had looked their way, or maybe even miraculously interested in them. But of course not, one girl, Miyu thought. It’s always her.

          Jinah took one step forward and hesitated. She felt glaring eyes on her. The Announcer tilted his head a bit somewhat mockingly and looked at Jinah with fake innocence. She blinked back at him. “Uh, where do I go?”

          The Announcer, gangs, Minjung, and a few other girls laughed. “Aren’t you a cutie. Go to your home gang now, sweetie.”

          Jinah made her way to Wolf – but then someone objected.

          It was a Middle Gang. They were very conspicuous; bright chains, earrings, colourful hair, punkish clothes. They’d make excellent Intrepidus candidates, if they were female. Their representative stepped up. “We would like to challenge. For Shin Jinah.”

          Suho frowned at the unexpected challenge. He had good resilience though, and he was excellent at improvisation. “We decline.”

          “That’s an invalid statement!” the Announcer said. “You can’t decline an incoming challenge. Sorry Wolf! You guys will have a face-off, right here, right now!” He faced the rest of the crowd. “Gentlemen and ladies! It’s the first challenge since eighteen years! Wolf against Thorn for the Callidum candidate with six records of mischief, cleared down to three, ranked third, Shin – Jin – Ah!” He emphasized each syllable, leaving Jinah completely astounded.

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Mwaha cliffhanger >:D & yaay so more character development for Minjung. Don't hate her either! She's a slightly naive girl that is unable to put her finger down on her emotions. She doesn't like the word "jealous" so she can't really admit it. She's not exactly jealous-jealous, she just doesn't really like the feeling of being overshadowed by Jinah(?) Yeaah. Don't hate her :) Next chapter will have more EXO~~

AND WHERE'S EXO'S WOLF DRAMA VERSION SERIOUSLY I'M DYING NO JOKE !!

@Kpopperbabo: yaay! glad you like her <3 thank you! haha, and yes, I will. I'm thinking of daily updates! The story will be quite long, I think...especially at the pace it's going right now hehe.

@InvalidCake: tysm!! I was kind of worried in case the plot was too intricate or complicated or retarded.. but I'm glad you can understand it, and you like it on top of that! omggg, thanks for the compliment on my writing and idea. It means a lot :')

-Seohee