Many have commented that Rachel Yoo was much like that of a vulture, always eying her prey and getting what she wanted by hunting them.

Contrary to popular belief, however, Rachel believed herself to be much like that of an owl trapped in a cage. Constantly eying her prey and never being able to pursue them—either that, or failing to pursue them.

She actually believed that her sunbae, Lee Hyo-shin was more like a predator than her.

Which is why they were standing together watching Kim Tan and Eun-Sang interact, and eying them like uncatchable prey.

“You must be so pissed.” Hyo-shin commented.

“Very much so.”

“Nice. That’ll be fun to watch.”

He was truly the only one who could stand so casually when Rachel Yoo is pissed off.

They stood in silence as they watched Kim Tan pursue Eun-Sang—to not avail. It reminded her of her own futile attempts at pursuing Kim Tan, ironic how he was the one doing it now—to a girl with far lesser of a status and wealth than him.

“Hey, do you want me to beat him up for you?” Hyo-shin casually offered.

“Oh, don’t worry—I’ll beat him up myself.” Rachel replied, “The exam’s coming soon, aren’t you going to study?”

Hyo-shin thought for a moment that she looked cute, but shook it out of his head. “Yeah, I’m such a bad student.”

“You’ll be healthy, at least.” Rachel comments, a rare attempt at humour.

“Just wait until next year. Your body won’t be the same when you’re eighteen.” He joked.

Rachel smiled. Rachel smiled. Rachel smiled.

“ I won’t give you one, even if you smile.” He pointed out flatly.

“I… smiled?”

“Yeah, sure you did. I think he saw it too.” He pointed his head to the direction of where Kim Tan was.

“Wait there and don’t move.” Kim Tan shouted over, rather flatly.

As he approached, Rachel couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread. She was nervous, yes, and knowing Kim Tan, he would probably ask her to stop bugging him and his little girlfriend.

“If you’re going to tell me for me to stay out of your way, fine.” Rachel began, “But the first mistake that you’ve made is that you thought that I would simply oblige.”

“Rachel, there a many obstacles that our relationship is going to face. Please let me at least get over yours.”

So I’m just an obstacle now, huh?

“The second mistake that you have made is that you thought this wouldn’t hurt for me. You were wrong, again.”

“Rachel—…”

“Fine, I’ll stay out of your way. Just please give me a moment, I think I’ll have to leave now.”

She holds in her tears and turns her back on Kim Tan—no matter how tempting it is to look back, she doesn’t.

All she wanted was to be happy with someone, and was she so foolish to believe that love existed in this cruel world of theirs?

All she wanted—all she wanted was a person she could rely on.

She takes slow strides to the bathroom, ignoring the whispering students behind her, commenting about her red scleras.

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“Ugh! The nerve of Cha Eun-Sang! To kiss Kim Tan sunbae like that, she needs to know her place!” Three girls sashayed past Rachel, Myung-soo and Young-do as they commented on how Eun-sang needs to be disciplined.

Young-do drew a sharp intake of breath and stared into the walls blankly, “I’ll… Be going now.”

“Me too!” Myung-soo follows.

They hurried past Rachel. Rachel, Rachel who was still frozen. Rachel who was still staring at the walls. Rachel who had been foolish enough to believe that Kim Tan would love her back.

Rachel who always played the villain.

She laughs bitterly to herself, feeling her eyes getting wet again. The brunette shook her head as she remembered that crying was a sin—at least to the heirs, anyway.

Do not cry, for your crown will fall.

Feeling like she should end this once and for all, Rachel musters up her courage and saunters to the party room.

“You!” Bo-na shrieked, “Why are you, you of all people here?!”

“I simply thought that this was a nice place to drink some coffee. Don’t bother shooing me away, I’ve already ordered the coffee.” Rachel says nonchalantly, completely devoid of all her emotions stirring inside of her.

Bo-na groans in frustration. Rachel takes pride in her little victory. Bo-na glares. Rachel smirks.

It was not very long after, around twenty seconds or so that Kim Tan spotted her, and strode over her in confident steps for her to talk.

“I’m happy now. Leave me alone.” He demanded, voice confident and arduous, “You can never have my love,” he adds.

“I know, Kim Tan. I have long since given up on my futile attempts at trying to gain your love.” She coldly spoke, “It is the fact that you are happy that really bothers me.”

“Rachel, let’s just reach a compromise, please.”

“Fine. You’ll be with her, I already agreed to that couple of days back, didn’t I? But in turn, I’ll be with someone as well.”

She looks to Hyo-shin chatting politely with Chan-young and thinks that maybe she could be saved, after all.

Click, click, click.

The sound of her three-inch high heels reverberated through the room, and everyone looks at her.

“Sunbae, where were you? I really missed you.” Rachel said, making sure to stare into his eyes.

“You… did?” Hyo-shin’s voice had a playful tone to it, as always. He couldn’t fool her though because she knows what its like to be him.

He couldn’t fool her and she knows that because his eyes were like two pinpricked stars drained of light.

“Sure I did.” She tiptoed and gave him a kiss on the mouth, and stayed in that position for what felt like eternity to them.

Spark. Sparks went flying.

Both of them could see the sparks.

“That wasn’t supposed to mean anything. It was only meant to make Kim Tan jealous.” She said, softly so that only they could hear. “Just so you know, I don’t love you or anything.”

And in the corner of Hyo-shin’s eyes he saw Hyun-joo coming into the party. Great, he smirked.

“Well, I don’t love you or anything, too.” Hyo-shin put Rachel in a lip-lock and sparks went flying again and they could see them even more clearly this time around.