TRUST || STRAY KIDS

PART IX - TRUTH

The sun set painted the window on her classroom. The board was still full of words from the last class since the janitor hasn't clean it. They sat across each other, separated by three desks. She called him after their encounter at the convenience store, about meeting with her after his class finished. Luckily, Hanna was called by a professor about something and Min Ho quickly ran away to her major building.

"Is that all?" she raised an eyebrow. To be honest, she didn't want to believe every word he said. Whether it was about her suddenly transferring to his class or something. But he still her teammate, and trust is the base of it all. Min Ho nodded for like the thousandth times. "Well, okay. Fine. Anyway, there's a favor I want to ask you."

"What?" he sighed, already tired from the endless interrogations.

"Can you act? I bet you can since you're a con man using magic as your tool," she shrugged.

"Why so suddenly?"

"To be honest, the day after our first plan happened I met with the others talking about backing up a plan without you in it," she started already earning a cold stare from him. "It was just a back up plan though, since I'm worried you might blabber things to her once you panicked. That was quite a challenge, I must say. Letting you out in the blue while still trying to carry out the plan for the game day. Then, I came up with something."

She talked about her plan to him, explaining every single bit of it. Since he'll get excluded from the meeting, she'll personally briefed him about the meeting the next day or the night after the meeting. Well, most likely the night after the meeting since Hanna might cling to him the very next day. At first, he was speechless about her idea. But he also agreed the point where she said, she doesn't trust Hanna a single bit.

"So, what should I act?" he finally asked.

"Take her side. Eventually, you'll grow close together. If she ever strikes a conversation that will lead you to spilling the plan, told her about the original plan," she replied. "If she ever asks you to go out with her, accept it."

"But you said not to be in a relationship," he argued.

"I did. But this is all fake, well it will be different if you really fall in love with her, though," she shrugged, hopped down from the desk she was sitting on. "However, the boys might be against you for a while."

"What did I get in return? You said it was a favor," he crossed his arms on his chest.

"10 million from the deal," she quickly stated. It took him a while before nodding in agreement.

"There's still something I'm curious. Why me? We didn't start off that good," he asked. "Don't you afraid I might spill the true plan to her?"

"Trusting you is my decision. Proving me right is your choice," she softly smiled while looking to the window, watching the red hue from sun set. Soon after admiring the sun for a short moment, she looked back to where Min Ho sat. Was it the sun that light up her face? She glowed.

It was a gamble for her, actually. Being fed with the mindset of 'trust nobody' really ate her time on doing this secret plan with Min Ho. She might think this is a suicide plan if Min Ho really will spill their plan to her. However, he won't as he also have something he wanted to get from Jackson. For once, she wanted to try how to trust people. For the better good.

Things still going on his mind though. Why would she wanted to go this far, carrying out two plans at the same time? It's amazing how the other still hasn't find out about it. No one really know what going on in her mind. No wonder, Chang Bin sometimes called her as the team mastermind as she usually the only one getting idea outside their expectation and always run smoothly. Maybe that's the reason why Seung Min said she was a Brainiac at their first meeting.

"Why are you doing until this far?" he blabbered. She smirked while walking towards him until their close enough.

"I like to play with people emotions. Because from here," she tapped his chest with her index finger, indicating his heart. His breath hitched the moment she pulled her finger upwards, leaving traces of her skin on his chest towards his head. Her finger softly tapped his forehead exactly two times. "Can affect this." She pulled her hand away before giving him the last smile and patted his shoulder. "I'm counting on you." Just like that, she went to the door, exiting the classroom leaving the dumbfounded Min Ho alone.

It was more like a warning rather than explanation. Her low voice yet sharp really pierced right through him. But. Most of his thought rotated at how her skin felt on his chest. Leaving her warm skin touched him. Though not directly, but it felt like her fingers really can cut through anything. She's literally someone not to mess with.

.

Just like she said, once they saw how Min Ho brought Hanna to Chang Bin's residence, they freaked out. Giving him lots of glares from time to time. She has asked though, numerous times about the plan. Though, not directly. A sugar-coated word that covered up her true intentions. Slowly, he let spill out about their original plan like Y/N used to say. Eventually, she begged him to join their weekly meeting for a few times and he approved it.

"I thought you're asleep. Guess you're not," he smirked after finally able to enter her room. At first he thought she must be really tired, having two meetings on the same day and will give up if the third knock she didn't respond. Turns out, she still lying on her bed while watching drama.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot," she sat up straight looking at Min Ho who sat at the window sitting across her. "Is she asleep?"

"Yup. Just like baby," he added. "So? You're next plan?"

"I heard Chang Bin wanted her to leave, I'll spice up the situation tomorrow," she explained. "It will turn the boys to side with you. You have to talk with Hanna about the team situation, like we're in a fight or something. Hope that she'll bring the news to Jackson and it will let their guard down. Having bad blood in a team while you're on a competition is really uncomfortable. It'll affect the team chemistry."

"Then, what's going to happen to us? The others didn't know anything about this," he sighed, leaning to the window on his back.

"Don't worry, they'll realize it soon once Jackson let his guard down," she smirked. Suddenly, the door knocked. Min Ho alerted and looked at her. She only shook her head before hopping off her bed and went to the door. "Relax. I'm waiting for someone." She opened the door and revealed Chang Bin on the other side. They nodded before entering her room silently. Min Ho looked at them questioningly, thinking he's the only one who knows about her hidden plan.

"Sorry, something came up," Chang Bin excused.

"I bet you're still wondering why this two are here," she tapped the boy's shoulder, emphasizing Chang Bin. "I thought I should let our leader know what's going on. He approved, luckily."

"It was a reckless idea, though," Chang Bin rolled his eyes before tagging the working chair.

"In your case, I need you to do something," she smirked. The nights gone by quickly as they talked about the hidden plan. She explained briefly about the private meeting with Min Ho on the campus so he can understand what she's going to say. She's still not sure about this as she didn't know what kind of tricks Jackson will play. Only hoping all the set-up drama she's done will have any effect on his plan. If her plan works, Min Ho will play a major role. However, once he got caught, it will be the end. Of course, they objected, not going to take any risk. But, it still worth a shot.

"Okay. I'll leave Jackson to you, Chang Bin," she sighed before looking at Min Ho. "Do you bring what I ask you?" He nodded and pulled out a small USB disk to her.

"Let's hope it will go smoothly."