I side-stepped oncoming students, fast-walking to the assigned classroom through the corridor. It wasn't like I had a test to take or anything, but I still found myself reviewing the information from the email Yohan had forwarded. 

Each team gets a color...Each team will be assigned a staff supervisor...The supervisor will document your achievements and failures...Team rankings will be released at the end of each semester...Rankings will be determined by admin through supervisor notes...I wonder if it's easy to bribe supervisors?

The phone in my hands lit up after being given a cursory glance, the time briefly flashing. I blinked. 

What weird lighting.

The sun was shining on the other side of the building, leaving this side illuminated only by the weak corridor lights. Everything was still visible, but colors seemed to blend together in a static, blocky mess, forcing me to exert some effort to see clearly. 

I finally reached the end of the corridor, reading the placard on the door before opening it. I squinted. 

I guess Annex 3 doesn't care about electricity costs. 

My eyes were assaulted by a shining lobby-like scene - a completely empty lobby-like scene devoid of any signs of life. A map was placed along one of the walls. 

I didn't bother to repress my sigh, hearing it echo as I inwardly prayed that I didn't get lost.

***

I double-checked the room number before entering, opening the door slowly and only half peeking in to make sure I was in the right place. 

Honestly, if I hadn't peripherally seen the familiar gleam of silver, I think I would've turned and left immediately - and it wasn't even because of the villainess sitting cross-legged. 

"Why're you here?"

My face stiffened at the sight of glasses and parted hair, unable to answer the loud question right away. 

Bai Yul wore a muted polka-dot tie, his mouth slightly parted and his brows raised as he leaned against the back of his chair. Then, he jerked forward, a hand reaching out to point at me. 

"Are you here to beg? To beg to be on a team?" He glanced around the room before meeting my eyes again, spreading his arms, "It's too bad for you though - we already have the maximum amount of members! You can beg all you want but we still can't take you! So...," his shoulders dropped, his hands twisting to execute a shooing motion. He gave a wide, toothy smile.

I didn't like that smile. 

"No, I'm not here to beg." I stepped into the room, shooting glances at the masked man. Yohan, though, didn't even look up from whatever he was doing, his pen scribbling against the paper in front of him. 

No help from the eccentric, of course.

My last drop of expectation evaporated as I looked back at Bai Yul. "I'm on this team, actually. I was invited to join last week." 

The door softly shut behind me as I finally released it, slowly approaching the glass table in the middle of the office-like room. 

"What?" The guy's eyes widened, although his conman smile didn't change as he whipped his head towards Yohan, "Is that true?" 

Love interest #2 didn't respond immediately, seconds passing before he finally stopped writing. His reaction was short.

He straightened his posture, glanced at Bai Yul, and uttered a single syllable: "Yes."

The man then promptly returned to his task. 

My unhappiness was marginally alievieted. 

I guess his personality is good for more than just frustrating me.

Bai Yul motionlessly watched Yohan for a couple of moments, although the masked eccentric  either didn't notice or didn't care. The conman's visage shifted, his grin disappearing and his features relaxing into neutrality. His lips pursed, and then he nodded, glancing down and swiveling his chair towards me. 

He made a few shaky motions towards the empty chairs, although the movements quickly turned into a conceding wave before stopping. 

I glanced around the rectangular table. Yohan sat alone at the head, the left side occupied by an empty chair and Bai Yul. The table's right side only seated the villainess herself; there was no empty chair next to her. 

I didn't hesitate to take the last option: the seat right in front of me, one directly across from Yohan. Sitting next to Bai Yul was garbage, but it was garbage wrapped in a shiny bag compared to my alternatives. 

My eyes swept past everyone seated at the table, landing on the black-haired girl typing away on her phone. I swallowed once, then opened my mouth-

"Is that everyone?" A clack rang out as the villainess spoke, setting her phone down on the table.

I choked back the greeting stuck in my throat, my hands clutching the briefcase in my lap as I struggled not to cough. 

"About that," croaking words broke through the air, the unfamiliar voice bewildering me, "There should be another one."

My stare snapped forward, glancing past Yohan and towards the circle of couches at the end of the room. Short gray hairs stuck upward, hardly peaking up above a couch cushion. 

Love interest #2 showed a palpable reaction this time, his head raising and his torso twisting towards the couch as he spoke. 

"You are mistaken. I didn't invite anyone else."

"I'm not mistaken." 

"What?"

I couldn't see his face, but the edge in Yohan's words was nearly tangible. The mystery person didn't answer. Yohan shuffled, continuing. 

"You are the supervisor, but if they're not suitable-,"

"I don't like it either, but I had to fulfill a favor. And they're suitable." 

The interruption sounded casual, but it held a tinge of finality. 

Silence permeated the room.

The atmosphere was thick. I couldn't help but lower my gaze, looking through the glass table at the ground below. 

Those heels are impressive. I wonder how fast she walks in them. 

The masked man seemed to shift, and eventually the sound of graphite against paper filled the air again. 

They have to be...6 inches? Maybe 7? Wow, villainess - you're hardcore. 

Boisterous laughter and muffled exchanges could be heard from just outside the door, and when the entrance clicked open, a guy's voice shouting out a farewell, a relieved breath I didn't know I was holding escaped me. 

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Yohan's hand resting on the table clenched into a fist, his sentence electric with displeasure. 

That breath didn't take long to swoop right back into me. 

A/N: comment! I see you there, not commentin.  ◙‿◙