𝖱𝖾𝖻𝖾𝗅 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍, 𝖣𝗂𝖺𝗆𝗈𝗇𝖽 𝖲𝗈𝗎𝗅

ᶜʰᵃᵖᵗᵉʳ ¹²: ᵀʰᵉ ᴾʳᵒᵐ ᴬⁿⁿᵒᵘⁿᶜᵉᵐᵉⁿᵗ

The bustling cafeteria fell silent as Jeongin approached the microphone, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Alright, everyone! It's time for the prom date announcements! Get ready for some exciting news!"

The room erupted into cheers, anticipation hanging thick in the air. Jeongin looked out over the crowd and cleared his throat. "And first up, I have a very special announcement! Irene, would you do me the honor of going to prom with me?"

Gasps filled the room, and Irene's cheeks flushed bright red. Laughter and applause erupted as students teased her and cheered. But among the noise, Yeji and Karina exchanged knowing glances, their plotting far from over.

"Looks like Jeongin's got a crush," Karina said with a smirk. "This is going to be fun."

Heeseung and Jay were nearby, their expressions shifting from surprise to concern. "We can't let them control the narrative," Jay muttered, a sense of urgency creeping into his voice.

"Let's make a plan," Heeseung replied, determination etched on his face.

Yuna and Ningning were standing by, listening intently. They shared a glance, their hearts heavy with the knowledge of the games being played. "I can't believe they're doing this," Ningning whispered, her brow furrowing. "It's just... so cruel."

"We need to tell Wonyoung and Irene," Yuna decided, her resolve strengthening. "They shouldn't have to deal with this."

Moments later, Yuna and Ningning found Wonyoung and Irene, who were still processing Jeongin's announcement. "Did you guys hear what just happened?" Yuna blurted out, her eyes wide.

"Yeah, we did," Wonyoung said, forcing a smile. "It's just prom, right? No big deal."

"But it's not just any prom! It's special," Ningning replied, glancing nervously at Irene. "Yeji and Karina are planning to use it against you two."

Irene felt a pang of hurt. "I know it's all fake, but it still stings."

Wonyoung placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You and I both deserve to be asked genuinely, Irene. We're going to find boys who appreciate us for who we are."

Just then, Jeongin's voice echoed through the speaker again, announcing, "And we have another special request! Hyunjin is asking Wonyoung to prom!"

Wonyoung's eyes widened, and she beamed as cheers erupted around her. Yeji and Karina overheard and turned, grinning slyly.

"Looks like Wonyoung is winning," Yeji said, her voice dripping with sweetness.

Heeseung and Jay exchanged glances, knowing they had to maintain their façade. "We'll handle this," Heeseung whispered to Jay, determination in his eyes.

Later, as the cheerleaders prepared for practice, Ningning shyly approached Yuna. "I wish Sunghoon would ask me," she admitted, her cheeks flushing.

"Just go for it! You never know," Yuna encouraged her.

On the pitch, Jake had set up a small speaker and was holding a bouquet of flowers, heart racing with excitement. "Hey, Yuna! Can I have everyone's attention?" he called out, his voice nervous but confident.

The girls looked on in anticipation as Jake took a deep breath. "Yuna, will you go to prom with me?"

A chorus of "Awwws" filled the air as Yuna's face turned crimson. The other girls erupted into cheers, while the boys teased Jake. "Simp!" they called out, laughter echoing around them.

"Hey, at least I'm not afraid to ask!" Jake shot back playfully, then turned to Heeseung, Jay, and Sunghoon. "What about you guys? Are you lovers or what?"

Laughter erupted again, but the teasing put Heeseung and Jay on edge. Just then, Yeji and Karina, now in their cheer outfits, strutted onto the field.

"Look who it is, the lovebirds!" Yeji called out, eyeing Wonyoung and Irene with a smirk. "Hope you're not too jealous of us with your boys."

"Yeah, don't cry when they realize who the real catch is," Karina added, winking.

The atmosphere grew tense. Wonyoung, feeling defensive, shot a glance at Yeji and lunged at her, leading to a sudden, chaotic scuffle. "You think you can just come here and make us feel bad?"

Heeseung quickly stepped in, trying to play mediator while appearing supportive. "Come on, Wonyoung, let's keep this civilized!"

But the scene had spiraled, and Jay found himself on Yeji's side, trying to defuse the situation. "This isn't helping," he called out, watching Wonyoung's anger rise.

Amidst the chaos, Heeseung turned to Irene, his voice strained. "What did you start? You need to make this believable!"

Irene felt a surge of hurt. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen! I know it's fake, but it still feels real!"

The tension hung heavy in the air, and as the fight between Wonyoung and Yeji escalated, everyone found themselves caught in a whirlwind of emotions—hurt, jealousy, and insecurity.

With prom looming closer, the stakes had never been higher, and amidst the chaos, real feelings were beginning to surface, complicating the already tangled web of relationships.