Dream University (EXO Fanfic)

Chapter 40 : Reversed Ranks

Platinum Room. Afternoon. Eun Hee's POV.

I stand completely still, watching as Kai's platinum members clear their respective desks, making way for the Gold members who seemed to have been promoted as the new Platinum members. I place a hand on my heart, feeling a bit queasy and quite relieved for some reason. Out of the blue, two big hands take their place on both my shoulders.

I jump a bit out the way, whipping back to find Kyungsoo with Lay at his right side. "Are you okay, Eun Hee? You look really pale, do you want us to escort you to the clinic?" I quickly answer negatively to Kyungsoo's request, etching a smile to signal an OK status from me. Lay huffs a tiny exhale out his nose, digging his hands down his pockets.

"Aigo. Sure is quite surprising today, isn't it?" starts Lay, busily watching the Platinum members move quietly. "I agree. I never would have thought that Jongin of all people would be able to do something so malicious as to cheat.  I thought for once that that guy had some integrity on him, I guess not huh."

"Though, it wonders how the Dean actually knew from a very long time and never told anyone about it. Do you think Jongin bribed him?" "I don't think they'll settle something so foolish, Lay. The dean and Jongin are worse than a cat and dog fighting, there's no way they'd settle anything. Besides, even if they did make some deal with one another, the dean would've done something at the very start to ruin Jongin."

I clench my hands into a fist, remembering the vivid conversation I had with the dean this morning. I turn my back from the both of them, "I-I'll go and use the restroom for a while. Excuse me.." I amble my way out the room, face washed with uncertainty about the whole situation I was in. As soon as I close the door shut behind me, I place all my weight back at the wall in adjacent to the door, soon trying to remember everything there is to remember from this morning.

...

Flashback. Early Morning.

"S-Something to say? T-To me?" The dean nods with great pleasure written on his face. "Yes, Eun Hee. Something very important." I shudder by the deep tone of his voice, skin crawling from the cold eyes he bears. I don't think I could even pull my stare away from his. I clear my throat, finally lowering my head down to see my fingers fiddling nervously with one another.

"As a former Platinum, I'm sure you know how well and superior Jongin is, as well as the platinum members around him, right?" said the dean. I bob my head once, "Y-Yeah. H-He is.. But uhm, is the important thing you're about to tell in relation with Kai's position?"

"I'm glad you catch on so fast, Eun Hee. As expected from a Busan scholar." The dean drops a white pill in his glass, pouring water with only one hand. "You know, for the past days, I have been keeping a keen eye at you, Eun Hee." "M-Me? Did I do something w-wrong?"

The dean plasters a mischievous smirk, "I see you've become quite comfortable with the Platinum and Gold members, hmm? I'm sure you've encountered tons of new trouble around them which you'd rarely experience in the provincial region. My, that must have been a shocker for you, huh." "N-Not at all! Even if they do cause me trouble and new problems, I still find myself having fun since I'm with all of them--!" "But Jongin hates you, does he not?"

In a split second, all the blood in my body falls down to my feet, feeling so pale at his thrown question. "H-How..--" "It's quite obvious, is it not? People around you might not notice it well, but there are some who practically might have saw through it, no?"

"I guess.. B-But, may I ask what exactly are you trying to get here..?" The dean creates a playful laugh, almost as if I have told a joke just now. He ends the laughter, beaming with a devilish smirk. "The reason why I called you here today is because I want to share something confidential that none but Jongin and I know of." My eyes widen in surprise, "W-Why on earth will you tell me something so secretive, Mr. Dean..?"