First Council

"I swear this can't be a coincidence," I whispered beside Jimin.

"What? You think he's giving us this pop quiz because he has been assigned as the advisor for Eclipse Garden?" Jimin whispered back, her eyes on Professor Zhang, our Night Folk History professor who, for some reason, gave us a surprise quiz on "People who tried to unify the Night Folk and why they failed," — and it's a freaking essay for the gods' sake!

"Yeah! We never tackled this topic — it's not even in the syllabus. If this was a Sociology class, I'll believe it, but History —"

"It is History, Seren," Jimin chuckled quietly as she returns to her paper. I tried to peek but she playfully covered hers, much to my chagrin.

I grimaced. I looked at the row in front and below us — to the werebeast huntresses. Yeji was deep in thought as she stared at her paper while spinning her pen. Chaeryoung was writing diligently, almost like Jimin. And Ryujin — well, she's my spirit animal right now, no pun intended. The huntress was just spinning on her seat while balancing her pen between her lips and her nose. I glanced over and snickered to see her paper completely blank.

"Five minutes!" Professor Zhang announced, causing a cacophony of groans from the entire class. Appropriate reaction, I thought. Only nerds like Jimin or people with diligent personalities like Chaeryoung won't be fazed with something like this. Yeji and I joined the groaning — while Ryujin couldn't even care less.

I stared at my paper. Only two paragraphs written — the obligatory opening where I gave a shallow introduction that there are a few people who tried unifying Night Folk, and the second was me trying to give an example but ended up nearly writing myself.

"How do I write? What the fuck do I write?!" I murmured to myself. "I don't even know people who count in this category."

"Except yourself?" Jimin giggled.

I gave Jimin a pointed glare.

She giggled again, the sound mockingly playful but also deeply affectionate. "Awfully self-aware of you, Seren Vale," she quipped.

"Very funny, Yu Jimin."

"Thank you," she gave a warm smile — warmer than usual, which sent chills down my spine.

"You're awfully cheerful today. What's up?"

Jimin set her pen down, stretched her shoulders high on her head. Her sweater rode up her torso, exposing a sliver of smooth and soft white flesh that naturally drew my gaze.

She giggled again, "You're ogling, Seren. Don't you have an essay to finish?" She relaxed on her seat, apparently done with her paper.

"I'm way too distracted to think about that," I replied, my gaze moving upwards to her chest that her sweater hugged tightly.

"Clearly," she scoffed playfully, puffing her chest out slightly just to tease me a little more.

"Anyway," she smirked, her eyes focused on Professor Zhang who was fiddling with the white glove on his right hand while his eyes scanned the lecture hall, "I talked with Minjeong."

My eyes widened.

My heartbeat rose.

My hand clenched tightly around the pen I can feel it bending under my grip.

Chaeryoung paused writing.

Yeji tilted an ear towards our direction.

Ryujin stopped spinning entirely.