Yuna fell from her chair with a loud THUD.
The entire class turned to look at her.
But Yuna didn't even notice.
Her eyes were locked on the new transfer student standing near the door.
No way.
No way.
NO WAY.
Standing there was her middle school friend.
Except now—
She looked ridiculously handsome in the boys' uniform.
Her short hair framed her face perfectly, and the confident smile made her look like a drama male lead.
The classroom suddenly exploded into chaos.
"OH MY GOD HE'S HANDSOME!"
"Can I have your Instagram?!"
"Do you have a girlfriend?!"
"Let's go to karaoke sometime!"
"WHAT IS YOUR NUMBER?!"
Girls were practically surrounding the new student.
Haru blinked in surprise for a moment.
Then she glanced toward Yuna on the floor.
Their eyes met.
For a second Haru almost burst out laughing.
Her shoulders shook slightly.
She quickly covered her mouth, trying to control herself.
Inside her mind she thought,
Yuna's face right now is priceless.
Meanwhile Yuna sat frozen on the floor.
Inside her mind she screamed.
WHY ARE YOU WEARING A BOYS' UNIFORM?!
AND WHY DO YOU LOOK LIKE A MODEL?!
The teacher slammed the desk loudly.
"EVERYONE BE QUIET!"
The class slowly calmed down.
But the girls were still whispering excitedly.
Minji leaned toward Yuna.
"I think… I'm in love."
Yuna slowly turned her head.
"…Who?"
Minji blushed.
"Haru."
Yuna's brain stopped working.
WHAT.
She stared at Minji in disbelief.
WHY ARE YOU BLUSHING?!
THAT IS NOT A BOY!
The teacher looked around the classroom.
"Hmm…"
"No empty seats."
Then he pointed toward the back.
"There's one seat next to Jihun."
"Lee Haru, you can sit there."
Yuna's heart nearly exploded.
She suddenly stood up and shouted,
"NOOOOO!"
The entire class turned to look at her again.
The teacher frowned.
"Miss Seo Yuna."
"Why can't he sit there?"
Yuna froze.
Uh oh.
Before she could say anything—
Haru smirked.
Then Haru said calmly,
"Teacher…"
"I think she wants to sit with Jihun."
The class gasped.
"OHHHHH!"
The teacher looked at Yuna.
"Is that true?"
Yuna's brain short-circuited.
"Huh?!"
"With HIM?!"
She pointed at Jihun dramatically.
"Why would I want to sit with a person like… like…"
She looked at Jihun.
He was staring at her with his usual cold glare.
"…him."
The classroom became awkwardly quiet.
Inside Yuna's mind panic alarms rang.
WAIT.
If Harin sits next to him I am DEAD.
She will definitely expose everything.
So Yuna suddenly shouted again,
"OF COURSE I WANT TO SIT THERE!"
Everyone blinked in confusion.
Yuna spoke dramatically.
"When I first entered this school…"
"I also dreamed about sitting next to Jihun!"
"Please teacher!"
"Let me sit there!"
Minji stared at her in shock.
Haru was clearly trying not to laugh.
The teacher sighed.
"If both of you want that…"
"Then fine. Change seats."
Yuna sat down next to Jihun in disbelief.
Inside her mind she whispered,
What… have I done…
Minji suddenly grabbed her arm.
"Thank you!"
Yuna blinked.
"…Why?"
Minji blushed again.
"You sacrificed yourself."
"So I can sit next to Haru."
Yuna slowly turned to look at her.
Inside her mind she thought,
Wow.
I really look forward to the day you learn the truth.
Your reaction will be legendary.
Meanwhile Haru casually sat in Yuna's old seat.
The moment she sat down, girls immediately gathered around her.
"Do you play sports?"
"Where did you study before?"
"You're really handsome!"
Haru laughed and talked with them easily.
Minji looked like she might faint from happiness.
Meanwhile…
Yuna sat beside Jihun in complete misery.
The classroom suddenly felt very quiet.
Too quiet.
She glanced at him.
Why is this person always so silent?
Trying to break the awkwardness, she said,
"Wow… the weather is really nice today, right?"
Jihun didn't even look at her.
"Can you keep quiet?"
"I'm reading."
Yuna blinked.
"…Okay."
Inside her mind she raged.
HARIN.
I WILL KILL YOU.
She slowly turned around to look at her old seat.
Over there—
The atmosphere was bright and cheerful.
Girls laughing.
Haru chatting confidently.
Minji smiling like she had just won the lottery.
Meanwhile Yuna's side felt like a dark storm cloud.
She narrowed her eyes at Haru.
At that moment Haru noticed her.
Haru smiled and waved at her.
Immediately the girls around Haru screamed.
"AHHH HIS SMILE IS SO CUTE!"
"I WANT HIM TO SMILE AT ME TOO!"
Yuna's eye twitched.
Inside her mind she muttered dangerously.
Just wait until break time.
You're finished, Harin.
The moment the break bell rang—
The classroom exploded into chaos.
Girls rushed toward Haru's desk.
"Where did he go?!"
"He was just here!"
"I wanted his Instagram!"
Minji looked around nervously.
"Haru?!"
But Haru had already disappeared.
Because a few seconds earlier—
Yuna had grabbed Haru by the collar and dragged her out of the classroom.
"HEY—HEY—WAIT!"
Haru whispered while laughing quietly.
"Where are we going?"
But Yuna didn't answer.
She pulled Haru down the hallway like an angry hurricane.
Inside her mind she screamed.
THIS WOMAN IS CRAZY.
WHY DID SHE COME HERE LIKE THIS?!
Finally Yuna stopped in front of a small storage room near the staircase.
She quickly checked the hallway.
No one.
Perfect.
She shoved Haru inside.
Then slammed the door.
SLAM!
The small room was filled with mops, buckets, and dusty boxes.
Yuna turned around dramatically.
Then pointed at her.
"HARIN!"
Harin leaned casually against a shelf.
"Yes?"
Yuna exploded.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Harin blinked innocently.
"What?"
Yuna pointed at her uniform.
"WHY ARE YOU WEARING A BOYS' UNIFORM?!"
Then she pointed at her again.
"And WHY did you introduce yourself as LEE HARU?!"
"You're LEE HARIN!"
Harin shrugged calmly.
"I thought it would be fun."
Yuna stared at her like she had lost her mind.
"FUN?!"
"THE ENTIRE SCHOOL THINKS YOU'RE A BOY!"
Harin smirked.
"Well… I didn't lie."
Yuna's eye twitched.
"YOU DIDN'T CORRECT THEM!"
Harin chuckled.
"They assumed it."
Yuna grabbed her head in frustration.
"I can't believe this…"
Harin leaned closer with a teasing smile.
"You're overreacting."
Yuna pointed toward the classroom direction.
"MINJI SAID SHE LOVES YOU!"
Harin blinked.
"…Already?"
Yuna looked like she might faint.
"HARIN!"
"You've created a disaster!"
Harin tried to hold back her laughter.
"But your face when you fell off the chair…"
She started giggling.
"…was priceless."
Yuna pointed at her angrily.
"YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"
Harin smirked.
"Maybe."
Yuna started pacing around the storage room dramatically.
"Girls are literally hunting you right now!"
Harin shrugged casually.
"That sounds like their problem."
Yuna groaned.
"If they find out you're actually a girl—"
Harin suddenly leaned closer.
"Then what?"
Yuna froze.
"…Chaos."
Harin grinned.
"That sounds fun."
Yuna pointed at her warningly.
"YOU ARE NOT TURNING MY SCHOOL INTO YOUR PLAYGROUND!"
Harin crossed her arms lazily.
"Too late."
Before Yuna could reply—
Footsteps suddenly echoed outside the door.
Girls' voices filled the hallway.
"Where is Haru?"
"He disappeared!"
"We have to find him!"
Yuna froze.
Inside her mind alarms started screaming.
OH NO.
She whispered quickly,
"Don't make a sound."
Harin leaned closer and whispered playfully,
"This is exciting."
Yuna glared at her.
"If they find you here with me…"
"I'm dead."
Harin looked around the storage room.
Then her eyes stopped at the small window behind them.
She smiled.
"I have an idea."
Yuna immediately panicked.
"…Why do I feel scared?"
Harin pointed at the window.
"We escape."
Yuna looked at the tiny window.
"…That's not a window."
"That's a mouse hole."
Harin smirked.
"Trust me."
Yuna grabbed her arm quickly.
"WAIT—"
But Harin had already climbed onto a stack of boxes.
She pushed the small window open.
Cold air rushed inside.
"See?" Harin whispered proudly.
"Escape route."
Yuna stared at the window in disbelief.
"That hole is barely big enough for a cat!"
Harin shrugged.
"Then squeeze."
Before Yuna could protest again, Harin slipped through the window with surprising agility.
A few seconds later her voice came from outside.
"Come on."
Yuna sighed dramatically.
Why is my life like this?
She climbed onto the boxes.
Then awkwardly tried to squeeze through the tiny window.
"OW."
"My elbow—"
"MY HAIR—"
"HARIN THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"
Finally she managed to push herself through.
But the moment she jumped down—
"AAAAH!"
Yuna slipped and fell straight onto the ground.
THUD.
She groaned.
"Ow…"
Harin immediately stepped forward.
Then she extended her hand toward Yuna dramatically.
The sunlight behind her made the moment look strangely heroic.
Like a prince offering his hand to a princess in a romance drama.
Harin smiled charmingly.
"Need help?"
For a second Yuna just stared at her.
Then she realized how ridiculous the situation looked.
Her eye twitched.
"Sorry."
"But I'm fine."
She slapped Harin's hand away and stood up on her own.
"I can stand by myself."
Harin chuckled.
"Still stubborn as always."
Yuna brushed the dust off her clothes.
"Let's just go back before someone—"
Suddenly—
A loud scream echoed across the courtyard.
"THERE HE IS!!"
Both of them froze.
Several girls were standing near the hallway balcony.
Their eyes widened with excitement.
"HARU!"
"WE FOUND HIM!"
Another girl gasped dramatically.
"WAIT!"
"HARU IS WITH A GIRL!"
The girls stared at Yuna like she had committed a crime.
Then chaos erupted.
"YOU CAN'T TAKE HARU FROM US!"
"WHO ARE YOU?!"
"LET GO OF HIM!"
"ARE YOU HIS GIRLFRIEND?!"
Yuna blinked slowly.
Inside her mind she screamed.
WHAT.
WHAT IS HAPPENING.
Harin looked amused.
Meanwhile the group of fangirls started running toward them.
"HARU WAIT!"
"DON'T GO!"
"COME BACK!"
Yuna grabbed Harin's sleeve in panic.
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"
Harin grinned.
"This is hilarious."
Yuna looked like she might cry.
"THEY THINK I STOLE YOU!"
The fangirls were getting closer.
"HARUUUU!"
One girl pointed accusingly at Yuna.
"STAY AWAY FROM HIM!"
Yuna looked at Harin with pure desperation.
"RUN."
Harin smirked.
"Good idea."
And the two of them immediately started running.
Behind them—
A group of angry fangirls chased them across the courtyard.
"HARUUUU WAIT!"
"DON'T RUN!"
"WHO IS THAT GIRL WITH YOU?!"
"STOP RIGHT THERE!"
Yuna ran like her life depended on it.
Inside her mind she was panicking.
THIS IS A NIGHTMARE.
WHY ARE THEY CHASING US LIKE WE STOLE SOMETHING?!
Beside her, Harin looked way too calm.
In fact…
She looked like she was enjoying it.
Harin laughed while running.
"This school is fun."
Yuna glared at her while still sprinting.
"FUN?!"
"WE'RE BEING HUNTED!"
Behind them the fangirls were still chasing.
"HARU DON'T GO WITH HER!"
"COME BACK!"
One girl shouted angrily,
"HEY YOU!"
"Yes you!"
"STOP STEALING OUR HARU!"
Yuna almost tripped.
"I DIDN'T STEAL ANYONE!"
Harin chuckled beside her.
"You kinda did."
Yuna groaned.
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"
They quickly turned a corner near the sports building.
Yuna leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
"Okay…"
"I think we lost them."
Harin peeked around the corner.
The fangirls ran past the hallway in the opposite direction.
"Looks clear."
Yuna sighed in relief.
"Finally…"
She turned to Harin angrily.
"Look what you did!"
Harin raised an eyebrow.
"What did I do?"
"YOU TURNED MY SCHOOL INTO A FAN CLUB!"
Harin crossed her arms proudly.
"Not my fault I'm handsome."
Yuna stared at her in disbelief.
"…Did you just compliment yourself?"
Before Harin could reply—
A calm voice suddenly spoke behind them.
"So…"
Both of them froze.
"Running around the school during break time?"
They slowly turned around.
Standing there was Jihun.
Hands in his pockets.
Eyes slightly narrowed.
And clearly watching the entire scene.
Yuna's soul almost left her body.
Inside her mind she screamed.
WHY IS HE HERE?!
Jihun looked between them.
First at Harin.
Then at Yuna.
Then back at Harin again.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"So you're the new transfer student."
Harin smiled casually.
"Lee Haru."
She extended her hand confidently.
Jihun looked at it for a second.
Then shook it briefly.
"I'm Jihun."
Meanwhile Yuna stood there like a statue.
Inside her mind she was panicking.
PLEASE DON'T SAY ANYTHING STUPID.
PLEASE DON'T EXPOSE YOURSELF.
Harin glanced at Yuna.
Then smirked slightly.
Jihun noticed the look.
His gaze shifted toward Yuna again.
"Why were you two running?"
Yuna immediately spoke too quickly.
"EXERCISE!"
Jihun raised an eyebrow.
"…Exercise."
Harin nodded seriously.
"Very healthy activity."
Jihun stared at both of them silently for a moment.
Then he sighed slightly.
"You're strange."
Yuna felt offended.
"Why me?!"
Jihun ignored her and looked at Harin again.
"Your seat is behind mine."
Harin smiled.
"Nice to meet you, seatmate."
Meanwhile Yuna's brain was melting.
Inside her mind she groaned.
Great.
Now the two most dangerous people in my life know each other.
And somehow…
She had a very bad feeling about this.
The bell rang after break, signaling the return to class.
Yuna and Harin quietly slipped back in, hoping everything had calmed down.
Finally… peace… maybe… Yuna thought, trying to relax.
No sooner had they stepped in than a group of girls immediately surrounded Yuna.
"Wait… who was Haru with just now?!" one squealed.
"Yeah! Are you his girlfriend or something?!" another demanded.
Yuna froze, her brain short-circuiting.
Oh no… the Interrogation Squad is back…
Before she could even open her mouth, Haru stepped in calmly, his presence commanding attention.
"This girl was just showing me around the school," Haru said smoothly, eyes on the nosy girls. "I asked for help because I was kinda lost."
Yuna blinked, stunned. Wait… she actually believes me?!
The girls blinked in surprise, whispering among themselves.
"Really…?" one asked, still skeptical.
"Yes, really!" Yuna nodded frantically, relief flooding her. I can't believe that actually worked… thank you, Haru…
With the situation diffused, Yuna quickly made her way back to her seat beside Jihun, who was already glaring at her from across the classroom.
She sat down, her mind racing:
Okay… everything's fine… I survived the girls… now survive Jihun… easy… right…?
Jihun leaned slightly closer, his dark gaze piercing.
"You remember what we have today?" he asked quietly.
Yuna's thoughts went into overdrive.
Do I remember? Is this about the investigation? Did I forget something important? Oh no… maybe he's going to scold me… maybe we have an extra mission…
"Ohh… yeah… yeah… I remember," she said quickly, a little too loudly.
Jihun gave a slight nod, then leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"We have the investigation."
Yuna flinched slightly.
Ohh no… yes… of course… the library… don't mess this up… breathe…
"Good. Don't forget to come to the library after school," he said calmly, stepping back just slightly.
"Yes, yes! I won't forget!" Yuna replied, nodding frantically.
Inside her head: Okay… survived the nosy girls… survived the confrontation… now survive the library… am I even human anymore?
Meanwhile, Harin smirked beside her, clearly enjoying the chaos and Yuna's mental gymnastics.
Oh, fantastic… even my friend is enjoying my panic… Yuna groaned internally.
From across the room, the nosy girls still threw glances her way, whispering questions and speculations.
Yuna sighed, leaning back in her chair, hoping the rest of the day would be less dramatic—though deep down, she knew that was highly unlikely.