Dong Woon’s POV

“Maknae, we’re going out for groceries. Do you want anything?”

“Sushi!”

“We’re buying groceries.” Jun Hyung hyung deadpans.

“Fine. Nothing hyungs.”

Then they all head out the door, leaving me home alone (apart from a sleeping beauty upstairs named Jang Hyung Seung). It’s fine though. I want to stay home to finish my homework though. Well, not really homework. It’s for a presentation tomorrow. I’m collecting and filtering information on Se Jong the Great, specifically his achievements.

I actually only have to do research on his Foreign Policy, the shortest part in the presentation. After all that “sabotage” the widely-loved Yang Yu Rin, other students don’t trust me anymore. They think I’m just a lazy bum who doesn’t care that much about studying. The only thing that keeps me in school is my father’s reputation. That’s why the others in my presentation group gave me that part, they said “You only have to copy it down from some site, like Wikipedia. It’s not that hard.”

Like I’ll do that.

For the past week, I’ve been doing researches on all of Se Jong the Great’s biggest achievements, in every aspect of life. I even found out some interesting facts about him. All of this work will sure get our group some extra points, and will show others I’m very much capable.

Tonight is the last night before my group’s meeting in the study room. We’re going over all the research of each member and create a complete paper. Some I think I’m pulling an all-nighter tonight. It’s not that I work at the last minute. I’m just completing all the final details and checking if I’m forgetting something in my word file, and maybe redo the layout for easier reading.

I know, I know, this is not good for my health but I have to do this. This is for my grades, for good knowledge among students and for my group mates’ trusts.

After all, hard work pays off.

----------

“Look at him. I bet he went out partying late last night.”

“Of course. What else would he be doing? That’s technically all trouble makers like him do.”

I hear murmuring around me. I slowly open my eyes and blink a few times so my vision becomes less blurry.

Wait, what!? Oh shoot, I sleep in class! I knew sleeping late last night might bite me back.

“Are you awake yet Dong Woon ssi?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I stay up late for my research last night.”

“Sure~” The patronizing tone is clear to me. He doesn’t trust me. None of them look like they do. Except Yang Yu Rin, who is sitting right beside me. She looks like she’s avoiding my gaze. How fake!

“Dong Woon ssi, we are going to the study hall right now. Please bring your work with you to share it with the group.”

“Oh, oh yes. Please go ahead. I’ll catch up with you soon.” I say, as I quickly put all my stuff in my bag and take out my laptop from the desk. I store the research in here.

I soon catch up with other students and walk with my group to the study hall. We found a part and sit down. Each of us soon take out our work, some in laptops like me, some in papers.

I turn the laptop on and go to “Se Jong the Great” folder.

Wait…

Wait…

Where is it? Where is the folder!?

No, I remember saving it in here, in the “School” folder. How can it be? Where is it? Where is all my work?

I frantically search around again. Nothing.

I open the search utility and search the whole pc for the folder. Nothing.

“Dong Woon ssi, can we have your part?”

“Uh… I… Uhm, there is something wrong with my laptop you see… I… I remember I save it all but…”

“Dong Woon ssi… Have you actually done any work at all?” He calmly asks me, while others look at me with disappointed eyes.

“Yes, I have! I swear I did finish it last night!”

None of them say anything. I get tenser and tenser by every second.

“Uhm… excuse me, Dong Woon ssi?” I turn around. Yang. Yu. Rin

“I forgot to say that I found this in your seat. This must be yours.” This isn’t mine. I don’t have a USB like this.

“Thank you Yu Rin ssi.” I grit my teeth. I must be polite in front of these people. Of course I feel guilty for breaking her legs yesterday, but what she did to me, to hyungs is enough to erase that guilt.

“You probably store your file in there Dong Woon ssi.”

“I… I don’t… You’re probably right.” I know I didn’t. But I’m opening it to see what is in here. What could she possibly do?

Wait, there it is. The folder. I double-click it, but the only thing left is a word file which is considerably lighter than what I had. What?

Oh no. Oh no. Oh she did NOT. The only thing in the file is a short paragraph of the Foreign Policy, exactly what I’m supposed to do. She even erased all the extra notes I added.

“Well, I guess you did after all.” No. No. This is not all. No. No.

I clinch my fists. Yang Yu Rin!

Your POV

He’s sleeping? Must have studied up last night.

Easier for me.

He brought his laptop to class today, so he must have stored his research in here. I know what today is ok? Every group is meeting in the study hall to gather all the research of each group’s member.

The teacher isn’t here yet, and not many students have come in the classroom. I take out a USB I prepared and get to work.

I sneak my hands under his desk and take his laptop. Where would he store it though? I guess I have to search the whole thing for it. Let’s see… Maybe I should search the content. Se… Jong…

…

Oh, quickly quickly!

Yes, at last here it is. I open up the folder named “Se Jong the Great”. There is a word file in here, and some pictures and videos. He’s too careful. But not careful enough to create a password for his laptop.

I move the whole folder to the USB and delete everything except the word file. I open the file… Maybe I should leave him his part only…

What is it though?

Oh, he did highlight it. This should be easy. I delete everything but that part, then removing some small words between the lines. That might be something extra.

----------

I go back to my group. Actually, I stroll back. Still on wheelchair remember?

“What was it?” A group member asks me curiously.

“Nothing. I just give Dong Woon ssi back what he dropped.”

“Oh, how nice of you, actually care about that big, mean bully.”

“It’s fine. I just give him back his USB, a right thing to do.” I politely say. Of course. “Nice” is what I’m aiming at. I have to create a good impression of me, in contrast to BEAST’s dying one. It’s good for my plan.

I take a glimpse of Dong Woon’s face. He looks furious. I actually can feel his suppressing rage from way over here. Good.

I haven’t seen him this mad since I made him repeat a year.

That day was the final exam day. Math.

***Flashback***

“Excuse me… Could you help me for a while?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“These girls here need that book.” The temporary librarian says, pointing at the book on the shelf. “It’s a bit too high for me, and I don’t know where Yoo seonsaengnim put the ladder. Would you mind?”

“Oh sure, of course.”

What good luck! I was passing by the library when I saw Dong Woon come in here (Such a nerd). Now this.

The book actually looks like 20 cm taller than Dong Woon. He stretches his body trying to reach the book. But that isn’t what I focus on. I eye his bag on a nearby chair. Some books on the table, right in front of that chair. Must be his. There are other school stuffs too.

I quickly walk towards it, at the same time trying to be natural, like nothing is strange about it. Also, nobody actually cares. They’re all immersed in something else.

I take out a small piece of paper from my pocket. It’s the some complex formulas of his grade which I copied down. I was finding a way to sneak this in his stuff, but this is a golden opportunity. I carefully, slowly open a small, seemingly less used pocket than others and put the paper in, then close it.

Satisfied with my work, I take out all of my notebooks and some pens on the table, like I’m studying here.

Nobody suspects a thing.

The plan is perfect. Nobody actually check their pencil case. They think they know it so well.

But the supervisor in the exam room definitely will. The school trusts their students enough to allow them to bring pencil cases to the test, but not enough to skip checking them. And cheating in school is one of the worst offenses ever. A student won’t be expelled if they do it ONE time, but whatever they’re taking will be graded zero.

Just hope the supervisor is careful enough to check the side pockets.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m just thinking about this cute cat video I saw the other day.”

“Ooh~ really. What is it? Is it that good?”

“Uhm… It’s about a kitty that… played the piano.”

“Oh, you mean THAT video. Yeah, it’s extremely cute. Insanely cute.” I laugh along with her. To be honest, I really don’t watch things on the Internet that much. I was just making things up. Can’t believe that actually exists. Maybe I should start catching up things on the net.

But anyway, I was smiling (I hope I was smiling. If I smirked or anything else, it would be creepy) because the roaring success I get from it. I was blurry on the details, but the school board did have a “cheating list”, on Dong Woon’s name was on it. After two weeks, as I came back to school, I found him in my new class. It was clear. He had a zero on the final exam, which means however high his grades were, he must repeat a year. Coincidently, he also had a seat right next to me (It was amusing when he actually greeted me. He didn’t know I was target BEAST yet).

Of course I know I’m spending way too much effort on destroying BEAST. But it’s worth it.

After all, hard work pays off.