As Rachel looked at Mizuki and Seoul who were running towards her, she spotted a nearby bench and sat on it. The two girls caught up, and sat on either side of Rachel, trying to regain their breath. Rachel waited patiently, and she began to twiddle her thumbs as Mizuki straightened up and looked at her.

“Rachel,” Mizuki tapped her shoulder.
“Yes?” Rachel asked, looking at her friend.
“You need to work on your anger skills.”
“What are you talking about!?” Rachel became flustered, shaking her head.
“We know you well enough that you can’t stay mad! Those few minutes of ‘not yelling’ consisted of you forgiving him!” Seoul crossed her arms.
Rachel poked out her tongue. “Yeah yeah,” she mumbled.
Mizuki ‘tsk’ed, and pulled Rachel up from the bench. “You know what you should do Rachel? We need to go to your place.”

Rachel looked at them with an oblivious expression. “Why on earth do you want to go to my place?”
Seoul grinned as she caught on. “Cause we have something to tell you!”

Mizuki nodded in agreement, and Rachel shrugged, not really caring. After all, today would have to be one of the worst days ever. It was close to the time she found out her dad was kidnapped. As she started to move her feet in the direction of her house, Mizuki and Seoul followed quietly, knowing Rachel was having a ‘moment’. As they all continued to walk, Rachel started to let her mind drift.

Honestly, then only thing she could think of was ways to kill Ginger. She didn’t care if she went to jail for it and she was sure that Mizuki and Seoul wouldn’t mind either.

Changjo would though.

Of course he would care. Ginger was his friend. Not just any friend, his closest friend. Closer than what Rachel was. She wanted to die at that fact. Either way, Rachel’s actions affected her, Changjo and Ginger.

The same would go for Changjo and Ginger themselves.

To put it simply, it was just one mothering big love triangle. None of them knew that of course.

WHY ON EARTH DO WE ALL HAVE TO BE CONNECTED DAMMIT!!!??? Rachel thought with a pout. Seoul frowned at her facial expression, and hit her lightly.
“Yah, you alright there?” Seoul asked.
Rachel quickly smiled. “I'm fine!”
Mizuki and Seoul exchanged a glance. “Araso.” Seoul replied.

***

They turned a corner and towards Rachel’s house, where she opened the gate and they walked up the front steps. Lilliana was in the garden.
“Umma! Annyong!” Rachel called, continuing to walk up the stairs.
Lilliana looked up from her weeding, and smiled. “Hello! There’s food in the fridge if you guys are hungry,” and she went back to her work.

Seoul opened the door, and they all walked inside, while Rachel headed for the fridge. “Huh, I wonder how Umma knew we were coming?” she mumbled to herself. As she opened the fridge, a plate of Kimchi Fried Rice was on the shelf. Rachel could see the steam trapped beneath the cling wrap, and Rachel took the large plate out of the fridge.
“Wahh! It’s still hot!” Rachel set the plate on the table as she recoiled her hand from the heat of the plate.
“Oh wow, your Umma cooked!?” Seoul pulled back the cling wrap, and the three sighed from the amazing smell of the food.

A few minutes later when they ate their fill, the girls sat on the couch.
“So we came up with a plan while you were ‘arguing’ with Changjo,” Seoul said, using her hands as inverted commas when she said ‘arguing’.
“Plan?” Rachel replied.
“We decided that me and Seoul will become friends with Ginger to get in her head. Then we’ll play pranks on her until she realises that we really don’t like her much at all.” Mizuki nodded proudly.
“What about Teen Top?” Rachel asked.
“What about them?” Seoul replied.

“Do you think, that maybe, they don’t like her too?” Rachel looked at the ground of her living room, and smiled slightly.
“We’ll have to wait until Monday. We can ask them later?” Mizuki replied.
“Then, because we’re playing pranks on Ginger, Changjo will pay more attention to you like he should be. I swear, that girl looks like she just appeared to get Changjo and leave.” Seoul said.
“Maybe that’s what she wants to do?” Rachel asked again. She felt like a child, asking all these questions.

“Probably.” Mizuki replied with a shrug.

***

The girls walked through the gates of the school, impassive expressions on their faces. Except for Rachel, who was uneasy as soon as she got out of the house.

Changjo, Niel and Ginger were standing not far from the gates, talking quite heatedly. As the girls walked closer, they could start to hear the dialogue.

“Ginger, I don’t know why you had to say that.” Changjo said, running a hand through his hair.
Ginger scoffed, and flicked her hair. “I didn’t know I was going to hurt his feelings!” she replied with distaste.
“Look, if you’re going to be mean to our members, you might as well not come to the dorm at all.” Niel looked at Ginger with an angered expression.
“He’s just a baby then if he got upset.” Ginger replied smoothly.
“DON’T SPEAK OF MY HYUNG THAT WAY.” Changjo yelled, his hands fists on his sides.

Rachel watched as Changjo looked like he was about to hit her. To be honest, she wasn’t going to complain, but before he could raise his hand, she quickly walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Yah, Jonghyun. What’s the problem?” Rachel asked.
Mizuki and Seoul walked up, both of them nodding to each other. Niel raised an eyebrow, curious.

Ginger stared at Rachel, annoyed that she was touching Changjo.
“No one should touch him but me.” Ginger thought to herself.
“N…Nothing. I’ll tell you later.” Changjo mumbled.
Rachel looked at Ginger, their eyes meeting.

“, I hope you die.” Rachel thought.
“Wait till I take the one thing you cant live without.” Ginger thought in return.

Niel became worried with the tense atmosphere that was brewing.

He was also confused with the contact Rachel had with Changjo.

“Look, I think we need to get to class,” Niel looked at the girls, and they all looked at Rachel, who was still having a glaring contest with Ginger.
“What?” Rachel asked Ginger, her jaw tight.
“Nothing. Why are you glaring at me like that?” Ginger replied.
“I dunno. Why am I?” Rachel said, crossing her arms.

Changjo held Rachel’s shoulders, and leaned down to whisper in her ear, pulling away when he finished speaking.
“Jagiya. Stop frowning. You’ll age faster. I’ll tell you what happened at lunch. Araso?”

Reluctantly, Rachel obliged and walked away with Seoul, Mizuki and Niel.

***

As they all walked up the stairs and towards their classrooms, Niel pulled Rachel away for a moment.
“I never got the chance to say hello to you,” he said, with a smile.
Rachel smiled back. “Sorry, got caught up with Ginger.” formed into a scowl as she finished her sentence.
“It doesn’t matter. I wanted to ask you a question anyway,” Niel started to slowly walk towards the classroom again, Rachel following quietly.
“Yeah?” she asked.
“You’re not talking to me as much as you used to. It’s like...Changjo is your boyfriend instead of me.”

Rachel felt her heart stop beating as Niel spoke the one sentence she was afraid of. She knew she had to tell him the truth at some point, but either way, Niel would be devastated.

And Rachel wasn't sure if he would forgive her.

At all.