The classroom was still frozen—
After that moment.
---
Serin had just returned to her seat—
Calm.
Smiling.
---
But Kyungmin—
Was done running.
---
He took a deep breath—
Turned toward her—
---
And said coldly,
---
"…I have a girlfriend now."
---
Silence.
---
Absolute silence.
---
Then—
Explosion.
---
"…WHAT??!"
"…KYUNGMIN HAS A GIRLFRIEND??!"
"…NO WAY—"
---
Girls stood up from their seats.
---
"…PRINCE WHY??!"
"…WHAT ABOUT US—?!"
"…YOU BETRAYED US—!"
---
Kyungmin flinched slightly.
---
Inside his mind—
---
"…Ah…"
"…This is it…"
---
A dramatic pause.
---
"…My prince image…"
"…It's over…"
---
He imagined slow-motion petals falling—
His "fanclub" crying—
---
"…Rest in peace… my popularity…"
---
Back to reality—
---
The noise didn't stop.
---
Meanwhile—
Serin stayed completely calm.
---
She folded her arms—
Leaning slightly back in her chair—
Eyes fixed on him.
---
Then she spoke—
Quietly.
---
"…Is it that girl from yesterday?"
---
A pause.
---
"…Behind the school building?"
---
The class went even more silent.
---
"…WAIT—THERE WAS A GIRL??"
"…WHAT IS GOING ON—"
---
Kyungmin didn't react much.
---
He looked at her—
Expression cold again.
---
"…Why should I tell you?"
---
A pause.
---
Then—
He turned.
---
Walked straight to his seat—
And sat down.
---
Ignoring everything.
---
The class erupted again.
---
"…WHO IS SHE??!"
"…WE NEED ANSWERS—"
---
Kyungmin rested his chin on his hand—
Trying to look unbothered.
---
But inside—
---
"…Harin…"
"…You better save me…"
---
Across the room—
---
Serin watched him.
---
Her expression unreadable.
---
Then—
A small smile appeared.
---
"…So it's her."
---
She leaned back—
Eyes still on him.
---
"…This just got interesting."
---
And Kyungmin—
Without realizing—
---
Had just declared war—
In front of the entire class.
In another classroom—
---
Yuna, Harin, Minji, and Jihun were seated—
Trying to focus—
But failing.
---
Jihun leaned slightly toward Yuna—
Low voice.
---
"…Do you think he's okay?"
---
Yuna didn't even look up from her notebook.
---
"…Who knows…"
---
A pause.
---
"…What's going on in his class right now."
---
Minji whispered dramatically,
"…Either he survived…"
---
"…Or he's already dead."
---
Harin smirked,
"…Most likely second."
---
Just then—
---
BANG!
---
The classroom door suddenly opened.
---
A boy came running inside—
Breathing heavily—
Clearly excited.
---
"…HEY—!"
---
Everyone turned.
---
"…You all know Choi from Elite 7, right??"
---
The class immediately reacted.
---
"…Of course!"
"…Prince Kyungmin??"
---
The boy grinned.
---
"…I just heard something CRAZY from his class!"
---
Minji leaned forward.
"…Spill."
---
The boy said loudly—
---
"…HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND NOW!"
---
Silence.
---
Then chaos.
---
"…WHAT—?!"
"…YOU'RE LYING—"
"…THIS CAN'T BE TRUE—"
---
Girls started panicking.
---
"…OUR PRINCE WOULD NEVER—"
"…WHO IS SHE—?!"
---
Harin—
Who was casually sitting—
Suddenly almost slipped from her chair.
---
"…WHAT—?!"
---
Yuna quickly grabbed her arm.
---
"…Careful."
---
Minji looked at Harin suspiciously.
---
"…Why are YOU reacting like that?"
---
Harin straightened up quickly.
---
"…I—uh—"
---
"…Because it's shocking?"
---
Minji narrowed her eyes.
---
"…Hmm…"
---
Meanwhile—
The girls in class were almost crying.
---
"…THIS IS FAKE NEWS—"
"…WE DON'T BELIEVE IT—"
---
The boy raised his hands.
---
"…It's true!"
---
"…He said it himself in class!"
---
The entire room exploded again.
---
Jihun sighed—
Rubbing his forehead.
---
"…That idiot…"
---
Yuna looked slightly amused.
---
"…He really said it?"
---
Minji whispered dramatically,
"…This is no longer a plan…"
---
"…This is a public announcement…"
---
Harin covered her face slightly—
Muttering under her breath—
---
"…He's going to get me killed…"
---
Yuna smirked.
---
"…Too late."
---
Jihun leaned back in his chair—
Thinking.
---
"…Now everyone will try to find out who she is."
---
Minji added,
"…Including the entire fanclub…"
---
A pause.
---
All eyes slowly turned toward—
---
Harin.
---
Harin froze.
---
"…Why are you all looking at me like that?"
---
Yuna smiled calmly.
---
"…Because…"
---
A pause.
---
"…You're the 'girlfriend.'"
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
Harin dropped her head on the desk.
---
"…I regret helping him…"
Behind the school building—
Their usual secret spot—
---
Kyungmin stood in front of them—
Head slightly lowered.
---
"…I'm sorry…"
---
Harin crossed her arms—
Clearly annoyed.
---
"…Sorry??"
---
Minji added dramatically,
"…SORRY?? That's all??"
---
Yuna stepped forward—
Calm, but serious.
---
"…Why did you say you have a girlfriend…"
---
A pause.
---
"…In front of the whole class?"
---
Jihun sighed,
"…That was not the plan."
---
Minji nodded quickly,
"…Exactly!"
---
"…We had a SECRET plan!"
---
Harin continued—
Pointing at Kyungmin.
---
"…We were supposed to act when Serin is around—"
---
"…Strategically!"
---
Minji added,
"…And mostly AFTER SCHOOL!"
---
Yuna finished calmly,
"…Not inside school."
---
Silence.
---
Kyungmin scratched the back of his neck—
Awkward.
---
"…She cornered me…"
---
A pause.
---
"…What was I supposed to do?"
---
Harin raised an eyebrow.
---
"…NOT announce it to the entire school?"
---
Minji clapped lightly.
"…Exactly."
---
Kyungmin groaned.
---
"…You don't understand…"
---
"…She was too close…"
---
"…And she said—"
---
He stopped.
---
Yuna narrowed her eyes.
---
"…What did she say?"
---
Kyungmin looked away.
---
"…Nothing…"
---
Jihun smirked slightly.
---
"…She threatened you, didn't she?"
---
Kyungmin stayed silent.
---
Which was already an answer.
---
Minji leaned closer,
"…Ohhhh this is getting spicy…"
---
Harin sighed,
"…Still, you messed up."
---
Kyungmin quickly bowed slightly,
"…I know…"
---
"…But now we have no choice."
---
A pause.
---
"…We have to continue the act."
---
All of them went quiet.
---
Yuna crossed her arms—
Thinking.
---
"…He's right."
---
Everyone looked at her.
---
"…Now that the whole school knows…"
---
"…If we don't show the 'girlfriend'…"
---
Jihun completed,
"…Serin will suspect immediately."
---
Minji added,
"…And then we are finished."
---
Harin clicked her tongue—
Clearly irritated—
But also thinking.
---
"…So now I have to act in front of the whole school?"
---
Kyungmin nodded slowly.
---
"…Please…"
---
A pause.
---
"…Just for some time."
---
Harin looked at him—
Then sighed.
---
"…You owe me."
---
Kyungmin immediately replied,
"…Anything."
---
Minji smirked,
"…Careful what you promise…"
---
Yuna smiled slightly.
---
"…Then it's decided."
---
A pause.
---
"…From now on—"
---
She looked at both of them.
---
"…You two are officially a couple."
---
Silence.
---
Kyungmin gulped.
---
Harin rolled her eyes.
---
"…Fake couple."
---
Jihun added calmly,
"…But it has to look real."
---
Minji grinned,
"…Very real."
---
Kyungmin and Harin both froze for a second.
---
"…Wait—what does 'very real' mean??"
---
Minji's smile widened.
---
"…You'll find out."
---
At that moment—
None of them realized—
---
From a distance—
---
Someone was watching them.
---
And this time—
---
They had heard everything.