A quiet corner of the library, tucked away from the busy main study areas. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting a warm glow over the small circular table where Ara, Ningning, Giselle, and Chenle sat. Ara's planner lay open, pages filled with color-coded notes. Ningning leaned back in her chair, flipping through her notebook idly. Giselle sorted through papers with precision, and Chenle twirled a pen between his fingers, his usual playful demeanor replaced by an unusual seriousness.
Breaking the silence, Chenle leaned forward slightly. "Okay, I don't want to sound paranoid, but something's definitely off."
Ningning raised an eyebrow, setting her notebook down. "Off how?"
Chenle frowned, tapping the table lightly with his pen. "It's Karina and Danny. Did you notice how little they did? They didn't even pretend to take the project seriously."
Giselle nodded, her tone sharp. "Of course I noticed. Karina was her usual self... snarky and unhelpful. And Danny... don't even get me started."
Ningning smirked faintly. "You mean his endless attempts to flirt?"
Giselle snorted. "Exactly. But it's more than that. They didn't even complain when we gave them research. Usually, Karina would've made a big deal."
Ara glanced up from her planner, her voice quiet but thoughtful. "I thought so too. It felt like... they were waiting for something."
Chenle nodded, pointing at her. "Exactly. Danny agreed way too quickly. He hates doing research, probably as much as I hate sociology."
Ningning leaned over to nudge Chenle playfully. "We know, Chenle. You're allergic to textbooks."
Chenle grinned faintly, but his expression soon turned serious again. "Yeah, but that's not the point. Something feels wrong. What if they're planning to mess things up for us?"
Giselle exhaled sharply. "That wouldn't surprise me. Karina's been bitter since day one, and Danny... well, he's just Danny." Her voice was firm, laced with irritation.
Ningning crossed her arms, skeptical. "Okay, let's say you're right. What can we even do about it?"
Ara hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice soft but resolute. "We stick to the plan. If we keep everything organized, they won't have much room to sabotage anything."
Chenle tilted his head, giving her a small grin. "Good thing we've got you, then. Planner queen and all."
A faint blush crept onto Ara's cheeks, but she only shook her head, smiling slightly. "It's not just me. We all need to stay on top of things."
Giselle snapped her notebook shut, her tone decisive. "Ara's right. If they're going to try something, we just have to outwork them."
Ningning leaned back, arms still crossed. "And if Danny flirts with me one more time, I'm throwing a book at his head."
Chenle chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Make sure I'm there to see it."
Ara smiled softly, feeling the tension in the room ease just a little. "Thanks, guys. For having my back."
Giselle offered a warm smile. "Always."
Ningning grinned, nudging Ara playfully. "We've got this. They won't know what hit them."
The group bent over their notebooks again, papers and pens moving in coordinated motion. Ara carefully wrote down each research topic and divided the tasks clearly. Giselle created a neat checklist with deadlines, while Ningning suggested creative ideas for slides and visuals. Chenle contributed too, offering ideas for diagrams and examples, even if he did complain about how much effort it required.
Danny and Karina were noticeably quiet, huddled at the other end of the table, occasionally glancing over. Ara felt a small knot in her stomach but focused on her work, letting the planning give her confidence. She reminded herself that with Ningning and Giselle keeping the group on track, and Chenle's occasional but helpful input, they could handle anything Karina or Danny threw at them.
The sunlight shifted across the table, highlighting the small victories as the group finished assigning research sections. Ara checked off each completed task in her planner, feeling a faint sense of control in the chaos. Ningning added quick sketches and bullet points for the presentation, while Giselle labeled each section clearly. Chenle leaned back, pretending to yawn, but even he scribbled down a few final notes, showing he was paying attention more than he wanted to admit.
Ara looked around the table, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I think... we can do this."
Ningning nudged her again. "Of course we can. We just have to stay focused and stick together. Karina and Danny don't stand a chance if we work like this."
Giselle smiled warmly. "Exactly. As long as we communicate and stay organized, we'll be fine."
Chenle twirled his pen one last time. "Planner queen, team leader, and all. We're unstoppable."
The group laughed quietly, the moment lightening the tension in the room. Beneath the laughter, though, a strong determination remained. Whatever challenges lay ahead with Karina and Danny, Ara knew they could face it together.
With renewed focus, they returned to their work, pens scratching, pages flipping, ideas flowing, and a sense of teamwork growing stronger with every passing minute.
