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"Fight not to win, but to avoid losing.
A surefire losing strategy."

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"Mark this is absolutely ridiculous!" Jeno yelled out as he tried to grab onto his cousin's arm, only to be swatted away in pure haste. The look on his cousin's face screamed fear and distress for what was about to come sooner or later.

"Mark, I'm telling you—"

The younger boy was easily cut off when Mark had turned his way, a piercing glare to be sent towards his cousin's way as his tone deepened. "Jeno, when you are at the bottom of the ranking, what would you do?"

"Tell me, my dear cousin. Would you accept it easily? Would you rather face defeat and humiliation than fight for your freedom?" Mark waited for the younger's response but it had seemed like he had gotten him taken aback. He chuckles dryly and took a few steps closer to the younger male. "You see, Jeno, I'm doing whatever it takes to avoid becoming Narae's servant. Certainly it would not look good for us Lee's when one of has become lower than we already should."

"And who's fault is that?"

Both of them craned their heads towards the voice, recognizing none other than their own relative. That cheeky grin, mischievous eyes, it was never not scrutinized by his fellow cousins. He slowly paced around the room, his eyes still locked with his older cousin's. "Well?" He tilted his head expectantly. "Aren't you gonna say anything?"

Mark cleared his throat and fixed his tie. "I am aware of my mistakes and—"

"And it must come to your attention that today is the day you must pay your dues, Mark Lee." The aforementioned boy could only shut his eyes in pique, aware of who the voice belonged to. It's been so long since he heard that voice—well, more like months. A voice so familiar yet unfamiliar to him.

He opened his eyes and glanced at Haechan who merely smirked at him in return, before turning around to face his uninvited visitor. Seeing Narae standing there in all her glory with Renjun beside her holding that ever-so-familiar collar made his stomach drop. There was no fighting for his freedom now. He had run out of time the moment his eyes laid upon the collar.

Renjun made his way towards Mark, stopping a few feet away and then flashing him a smirk. "Here," he threw the collar in the air, "Catch!"

Mark seethed and thanks to his wonderful reflexes, he had caught the collar in no time. However, it nearly stung his eyes to see his name engraved on the collar stating that he was under the rule of no other than a Seo.

Lee "Mark" Minhyung
[ under President Seo Narae ]

"Thought you might needed some practice, after all, you will become a servant starting today." Renjun jested, a sneer laugh to leave his lips quickly.

"Today?!" Jeno shrieked and looked at the older with wide eyes, not expecting that today was the actual due date of Mark's payment. "You told me it was in the next few days! Not today!"

Mark sighed, giving Jeno a pointed look before saying in a more hushed tone. "Look, I didn't want your help—"

"But Mark, this is much more worse! This ruins your whole reputation!"

"Oh let him be, Jeno Lee. It's not like his parents will come and save the day for him just like always. Not anymore— not when they had found out their son's a big ass failure. I'm surprised you still even considered him as a Lee." Haechan derided, adding more fuel to the fire. It wasn't as if he didn't side with his family, but this was something else. He knew something was off between Narae and Mark, something unspoken yet known to those who were observant enough.

Both of them had been always taught what to do and how should they do it. Both of them were said to take the throne, the highest position you could ever have as a student in Ilseong Academy. And though both of them were friends due to coming from families who nearly has the same goals set in life, they still were rivals with each other and had to take the other down in order for them to succeed.

And when Mark had thought Narae had pushed all of those rivalry aside and decided that maybe for once in their whole life, they would finally stop being puppets of their family. But no, he was deceived and was only lead to the biggest heartbreak he could ever get so far.

Haechan was well aware of what had happened before and he knew he needed something to add a little spice to his whole plan in order to succeed in taking the throne. He wanted to know and observe how the president would act upon certain obstacles being hurled in her way. He hoped she didn't mind him beginning it with Mark, well, if he even cared that she minded in the first place.

"It appears all representative Lee's are present." Narae stated, eyes landing on Haechan yet not fully moving to face towards his direction. A mere glance was more than enough and it proved her right. "I see we've finally met, Lee Haechan, is it?"

"Why that is correct!" Haechan beamed and strode over to where she stood. "Happy to know that at least someone in this school knows who I am." He muttered, giving the 'sweetest' smile he could put on towards the girl.

Narae smirked at how she didn't even have to do much for him to be standing right in front of her. "And why wouldn't I know you? You've drawn quite a lot of attention ever since you stepped foot into the academy. Lots of rumors going around; some bad, some good, but is that what really matters?" She tilts her head, her eyes meticulously scanning through his features.

"Of course not. As if I even care about a single word they say about me." He scoffed out but then began to smile again at the president, leaning closer to her so that his mouth was just by her ear and Narae could almost feel his warmth as his breath fanned her ear. "But I am interested in much more things such as... You."

Now, it wasn't everyday you see someone so light on their feet as they make their way towards the President with a smile. It was the exact opposite actually. Most students approaching the President would feel as if their ankles have been chained and with the fear settling in the pits of their stomach, their face would contort unpleasantly as a forced smile tried to mask up all the vulnerability. To other students, facing the President felt like they were being seen naked. It was as if she had seen every part of them that they just wanted to shy away from her strong presence. And yet here was Lee Haechan, easily making his way towards the President with a smile on his face. Renjun almost wanted to applaud him at that moment but could only ridicule the new student's confidence as a mere facade.

Narae fought back the urge to smirk once more, instead she kept a straight face, turning her head ever so slightly that his face was only a few centimeters away from hers. The boy was surprised by her boldness and didn't expect such a move from her. He would be lying if he said he wasn't entranced by the look she had in her eyes. It felt like he was being drawn closer but not physically.

"I'm sure that I am not a mere 'thing' as I am in your eyes, Lee Haechan. I am my own person and you should've known that before you walked into this academy so freely that every action you make has a price. Either it would make you climb up the food chain, or drop at the very bottom of it." Narae said, finally giving him the most sweetest yet tainted smile she could ever give. Now ignoring the presence of the third Lee, she stared coldly at Mark who glared back at her with a threatening gaze. "Well, Mark? Do you have the money or not?"

"I— I... Of course not." He sighed at his defeat, ruffling his hair in annoyance.

"Then go on. Put that collar on and follow us. From now on you'll be serving our President— failure to do so will resort to problems, and more problems will cause you to lose focus on your main goal here," Renjun snapped his fingers in front of Mark's face to shock him a bit. "Which is to get back up the rankings and pay up your debts."

"Oh, and also I hope you're aware that once you're a servant you can't disrespect nor be rude to anyone of higher ranking than you."

"I am more than aware." was what Mark wanted to spat out but he couldn't, not when the designed choker circled around his neck. He sighed and glanced at Jeno who frowned at him, shaking his head in disappointment.

Narae hummed shortly and turned on her heel, not forgetting to glance at the other two Lee's in the room. Just a subtle glance that was sure to create some sort of reaction. "Our job here is done. Please do the favors of relaying the message that Mark here has officially become a servant of a one and only Seo."

Mark gritted his teeth as he followed the two student council members out the door. And just as he expected, everyone's gaze fell on him the moment he walked out with that collar around his neck. It felt humiliating, not just for him, but for his whole family. He knew the prices he had to pay and he knew he needed to act fast or else they'll never leave the bottom—or else the Lee family would decide that he'd no longer be apart of them.

Renjun raised a brow and leaned towards Mark, propping his arm around the older boy's shoulder as he grinned. "Been so long since I've last seen you, pretty sure that was when you gambled every ounce of your money to a match with the council members." He laughs a bit, recalling a few moments from that time. "I remember, weren't you the Vice President before? And then Sungchan won against you— and you got mad after you found out that—"

"Renjun, escort Mark back to the student council room. I have a meeting to attend to." Narae spoke up after checking the time. When they neared the student council room, Yue was there patiently waiting outside though there was a slight distress seen on her face. Yue marched towards the president and said something to her before they both opted to leave as soon as possible.

The blond-haired boy shrugged and tugged the hem of his eyepatch to adjust it a bit. "So, as I was saying—"

"Can we not talk about that? Please?" Mark murmured causing Renjun to halt his steps and words, giving Mark an amused smirk. "Look, I'm not trying to disrespect you or be rude or anything but I just—"

"Maybe I'll keep bringing it up to you on and on because it seems to affect you so much. However, I don't really care much about what you feel, unless it's feelings for the president." Renjun said honestly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "And you know? I had thought before that we could've been best of friends, but then there you went," he then made big gestures with his hands, "out the door."

"Of course," Mark rolled his eyes, "You're still trying to get the president to notice you."

"Why of course. You don't know how much power she holds over this school—"

Mark snorted, "Believe me— I know."

"And to be in that place Sungchan is? Vice President; it's the closest you can ever be with the president. Just imagine!" The blond-haired boy grinned, his tone softening as he didn't want anyone else to hear what he was saying other than Mark. "You have a huge advantage when you're vice president. You can easily sweep the crown off her head!"

"It's not that easy." Mark denied and thought about the time he was the vice president himself. Indeed, the Lee had become vice president the moment he had stepped into the school, however, it was such a shame for his position to be stolen from him. Even if he found it troubling to work beside Seo Narae, acting as a puppet and shadow of her, he still wanted his position to last, and it did not.

"For you," Renjun quipped, "I believe you're too caught up with your past with the president that's why you lost. You began to lose your focus."

"That's not true—" but Mark knew deep inside that it was.

The younger boy waved him off, not believing a word that comes out from Mark mouth. He continued to walk with Mark following him from behind. All Renjun could think about is what happened between the Lee and the Seo.

When they entered the student council room, it wasn't long for the other members to take notice of their presence. It seemed as they were waiting for them too. The moment Mark had stepped his foot into the premises of a high ranking, he felt his heart throb at the fact he was just a mere servant that has come to tend his mistress.

"Oh what do we have here." He felt his stomach churning at the all too familiar voice. He had heard that voice many times, haunting him in his sleep and now he hears it again, this time in broad daylight. "It's so nice to see you again, Lee."

Mark slowly lifts his head up, feigning a smile towards the Vice President in the room. The latter smirks at him, gesturing at his collar, "Lovely collar you got there."

The day wasn't gonna get any better for Mark.

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