She felt sick. All these squeaky cute voices right by her ear, disturbing her so dearly treasured silence and for what sake? For the sake of slimy little es to sneak up to the most intelligent guy in this class, in hopes he'd help them with their project. Jieun would do it like she always did it. Alone. Whoever wanted to cash the additional grade for that was left for them to battle out among themselves. a round of cards or rock, paper, scissors would solve the matter like it always did. At least so she thought. "Oh right! Before I start the class, I have yet to mention that the grade will depend on both parties of the team. You will get an individual grade each that will match up to your team grade. So be wise about your selection. 

Jieun paled. Was Miss Kang for real. "B-but Miss Kang!" Rising from her chair, she quickly hurried after her teacher, for once displaying her juvenile side by letting her bottom lip jut forward. No one else would be seeing that sight if not for her homeroom teacher. "I can't possibly risk getting anything less than a full 100 score... The people in this class are too stupid to-" "Not all of them my dear." Her gaze drifted to the still surrounded Yongguk, leaving Jieun to let her eyes follow, only to snap her head back around. "Oh~ nono. He hates me. I'm pretty sure he does." "Give him a chance, Jieun. Not everyone is evil. Especially not Yongguk." She hated it. How her teacher always tended to speak in riddles got Jieun just rubbed up the wrong way. Deciding that today was time for some self study, she rushed back to her seat, glaring daggers into the girl that had dared to place her filthy half on her chair. "Get your dirty out of my seat." She hissed through gritted teeth, watching as the girl jumped up with a squeal. The mafia heir was two steps away from actually punching her in the face simply by how annoyed she was about this task but she knew better.

Instead she snarled again, packing her things together and rushing out of the room without another moment of hesitation. "Jieun wait! Jieun I won the game! I'm sure if we work together, we can-" " OFF!" She yelled, actually yelled, watching as the guy cowered away from her. Arms raising, he trembled slightly, leaving Jieun to realize just how scared people actually were of her. Almost as if she were a monster. 

An unbearable sadness flickered beyond the stoic mask she usually wore, out of all people her gaze catching onto Yongguk's before she stumbled backwards out of the room and ran up to the roof.

She wouldn't cry. She'd not dare cry. Not as long as she was in the building, as long as people could pick up on puffy eyes once she stepped out of her safe haven again. Eyes closing, she let her head tip back against the railing, wondering what on earth she was to do now with this tricky situation. Listen to the advice of her teacher like she always did? Or remain stubborn and drill that guy until he'd get her a full 100 points score? Both options didn't seem to pleasant, especially since she didn't want to be seen any worse than she already was. People might think she had forgotten how to feel ever since the death of her mother but she hadn't. She was still a human. A very broken and lonely one. "Song Jieun!"

"But I won't move away from you."

Her eyes opened, head tilting to spot the male in question coming towards her. The guy that had shaken up her dull and colourless world and so easily turned everything upside down, she wanted him dead for it. Jieun had taken long, long moments and convincing herself and practice to be able to drain all colour from this city. How dare he destroy her hard efforts simply with a gaze, with a call of her name? Even though she had told her teacher she was convinced Bang Yongguk hated her, now she was starting to believe it was the other way round.

Yet she said nothing, tired eyes staring up into his determinate ones, facing her with a bravery she hadn't seen in such a long time. "My father is... was... Bang Ilsoo. He was made responsible for the corruption in your mother's case. I swear, he had nothing to do with it, Jieun." An emotion she had seen in his eyes ever since became clearer to her now. It hadn't been hatred no, it had been anger at the misunderstanding surrounding them, at how she triggered things he tried to keep bottled up under his calm surface. Sitting up straight, she continued to listen, a blink of her eyes the only indication she was listening. "He was murdered during a simple patrol. No one can tell me it was a tragic every day happening. They needed a culprit and my father happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I will find these bastards and wash his name clean!"

And for the first time in ages, Jieun felt something in her chest move. Familiarity to what connected them, that they shared a goal in common. "I understand." Was all she said however, despite the urge to reveal her own story to him, how she herself strove to become a woman of justice in favour to not let any cases such as this one ever happen again. "And why are you telling me all this?" "Be my partner." "W-what?!" Losing her composure for only a second, the project had become such a secondary thing to her that it took her a moment to understand what he meant. "We both need these 100 points. None of these es in that class can match up to our brains. Please. Let's be rational and work together."

His sincerity let her lower her gaze, an amused grin curling over her lips. Not only had he turned her world colourful again, now he was beginning to melt away the barricades of ice she had sculptured around her heart. "Quite cocky, aren't you?" "I have high goals. I can't allow myself any doubt. What about yourself ms. eternal number one?" The smile easily away from her features, her mask fell back into place, her palm raising in an offer for him to settle the deal. "You got yourself a deal, Bang Yongguk. Don't dare hold me back." A slap of their open palms colliding together echoed across the rooftop, both of them left to smile at one another with a cocky grin. "I was about to tell you that." 

A/N: Finally an update!!! I'm so sorry for the long wait guys ; o ; I swear I'll try to update earlier from now on again but for now~ I hope you enjoyed this update =) things will be turning interesting from here hoho~