Today was mostly about setting rules and dividing up chores.
We officially kicked off our club activities. There wasn't much to do—just some light guidance and explaining the rules to my relay team. We've decided to hold practice sessions twice a week.
Next came organizing the rules for our class booths. The *sweetheart stand* definitely created the most buzz. Not everyone would automatically be a "sweetheart"—only those whom visitors chose *after* winning three times at any of our booths.
After some discussion, we finalized our booth lineup:
Ball in a Basket, Pop the Balloon, Guess the Song, and Blind Drawing.
We also divided everyone into teams—those responsible for gathering supplies and those in charge of making props.
The day passed in a blur of planning.
The next day was dedicated solely to club activities, since we hadn't received any supplies yet. I gathered the relay team—Tae-il, Yu-jin, Soo-hee, and Joon-seo—and we spent the afternoon running drills and checking our times. I clocked in the fastest, of course, followed by Tae-il, then Joon-seo, yu-jin, and finally soo-hee.
While I was taking a break, Joon-seo approached me, holding out a bottle of water.
"I already have one," I said, nodding toward the bottle beside me.
He hesitated. "Can we talk?"
*What does he want to talk about now? After kissing Min-ah, isn't their relationship official? What more is there to say?*
"Sorry," I replied, avoiding his eyes. "I'm on break right now. If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of the other track and field members."
Before he could respond, I turned my gaze back to the field.
"Eun-ha, I miss y—"
"Someone's taking their role a bit too seriously, huh?" Soo-hee cut in, her voice laced with false cheer.
*Ah, of course. She had to say something.*
I smiled sweetly. "Sorry I had to. Just look at how much you've improved—even if it's only by a few seconds."
She narrowed her eyes. "Are you taking it out on me?"
"What do you mean?" I tilted my head, feigning innocence. "Did you do something for me to take it out on you? Feeling guilty, Soo-hee?"
"Wh-what? No, of course I—"
I cut her off before she could finish. "You don't need to take things so personally. Everyone's working hard here. Can't you do the same for the team? I mean… you were the slowest."
"Y-yeah…" she mumbled, deflated.
I turned away and took a slow sip from my bottle, the taste of quiet satisfaction lingering on my tongue.
I retired early that day, not just from physical exhaustion, but from the emotional battlefield I had quietly endured.
In the hallway, I ran into Nari. She looked energized, her usual spark undimmed even after practice.
"I signed up for the runway, the flash mob, and photography," she said, practically bouncing on her feet.
"You're definitely going to be the star of the show," I replied with a grin.
She giggled. "I hope you come watch me!"
"By the way, have you decided what you're wearing for the runway?" I asked, leaning casually against the wall.
She groaned. "Ugh, can't decide! Hey, wanna go runway shopping this weekend?"
"Stole the words right out of my mouth," I said, smiling.
We exchanged numbers.
Two days passed in a blur. Once the booth supplies arrived, we dove into prep—cutting props, sketching signs, planning layouts. JAF energy was everywhere.
Crouched beside foam boards, I traced booth names while the others painted. For the first time in a while, I felt present—and oddly okay.
As I passed a glue stick to the girl next to me, she glanced over. "You're not like the rumors say."
I raised a brow. "What rumors?"
She hesitated. "That you're cold. Busy with boys. Like you think you're above everyone."
I blinked. "Who would spread something like that?"
She shrugged. "No idea. It's just what people say."
I let out a soft laugh. "That's a lot for one person to be."
"It's fine," I added, reaching for the scissors. "It's easier to believe stories than ask the real person, right?"
She nodded. "I'm glad I got paired with you. You're actually... chill."
I smiled faintly. "Thanks."
But as we returned to painting, her words clung to me.
*Cold. Too busy. Above everyone.*
Not random—crafted.
I pressed the scissors harder than necessary.
*Who would say that? Why?*
I kept smiling, but the question burned quietly.
*Who's trying to rewrite me?
And worse—
Who believes it?*
It was finally the weekend, and I was excited to meet Nari. Though the rumors still lingered in the back of my mind, I hoped today would be a nice escape from that reality.
I reached the meeting point early, the city still sleepy around me. A few minutes later, Nari showed up in a simple white tee, baggy jeans, and a pink crossbody bag, strutting like she owned the sidewalk. Of course, she didn't come alone.
"Hey! You got here early!" she beamed. "By the way, this is Yuna."
She gestured to the tall, slim girl beside her—glasses perched neatly on her nose, dark hair tied into a clean ponytail. In her hand, she held a book, her fingers flipping a page without looking up.
*Yuna's another one of the Strays. Famous for topping the school and ignoring the world while doing it*
"Hello, Yuna. I've heard a lot about you—especially how you keep scoring the top spot," I said.
"Well, someone's famous," Nari teased, gently poking Yuna's arm.
Yuna didn't flinch. "Hi. Nice to meet you," she said calmly, eyes still fixed on the page in front of her.
The mall was buzzing with weekend energy—kids dragging parents, couples holding hands, music floating from every corner. Nari and I walked ahead, already scanning shops, while Yuna trailed behind us with her nose still buried in her book.
"Okay, mission: runway-ready starts *now*," Nari announced, flipping her hair with dramatic flair. "First, outfits. Then, nails."
We stopped by a boutique with mannequins dressed in glitter and pastels. The second we stepped in, Nari darted toward a rack of sequined dresses.
"This one screams *main character energy*," she said, holding up a sparkly silver mini dress to her body. "Try something wild, Eun-ha. No more blending in."
I picked out a sleek black dress with a slit that made me feel braver than I expected. "If I trip in this, you better catch me."
"I'll catch you and spin you," she winked.
Yuna finally looked up from her book. "You're both dramatic."
"You love it," Nari said, tugging her toward the fitting rooms. "Come on, even you can't hide behind chapters today."
We tried on dress after dress, doing our own little catwalks down the narrow fitting room corridor.
Nari did twirls and finger guns. "Tell me I don't look like I just walked out of a K-pop MV."
I laughed, striking a pose in a wine-red bodycon. "This one's giving revenge dress energy."
Yuna, to everyone's surprise, tried on a soft lilac dress and quietly stepped out. She didn't walk—she glided.
"You're not real," Nari whispered, jaw dropping.
Yuna blinked. "It has pockets."
We all screamed.
Eventually, we locked in our final picks. Nari went with a pink bodycon dress with ruffled sleeves, perfect for someone born to be center stage. Yuna chose a black and white A-line dress, classic and effortlessly elegant—just like her. I settled on a burgundy belted cocktail dress, sleek and structured, paired with matching gloves that made me feel like I could silence a room with one look.
After the fashion show of our lives, we headed to a cozy nail salon tucked at the edge of the mall. It smelled of lemon lotion and fresh polish. We each picked our colors—Nari chose hot pink with tiny heart decals, I went for a dusty rose with a hint of shimmer, and Yuna, of course, picked a muted sage green.
As the nail tech worked on my fingers, Nari leaned closer. "I'm glad we're doing this. We needed a glow day."
I looked at our matching smiles reflected in the salon mirror and thought—maybe I really was starting to glow, just a little.