"Look who it is—the school forum's favorite bad girl."
Yun-ji didn't even turn around as Lim In-Su caught up to her, leaning lazily against the locker next to hers while casually flipping a metallic blue USB drive between his fingers.
"Do you ever stop talking, In-Su?" she asked, shutting her locker with a swift click without slowing her rhythm. "Or do you just like hearing your own voice?"
In-Su scoffed, falling into step beside her down the crowded corridor. "Hey, I'm trying to do you a massive favor here. I noticed the trashy forum posts about you and Wang Da floating around this morning. It took my guy all of two minutes to trace the anonymous IP. Shocker—it was sent right from Mi-Cha's phone, right after she spent twenty minutes whispering in the corner with your 'loving' sister, Bora."
Yun-ji paused in her tracks, turning to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "And what did you do about it?"
"Wiped the entire thread, blocked her IP from the school network, and dumped the full log right here," In-Su smirked, slapping the USB drive into her palm. "I even threw in a little extra bonus. Wang Da's family might have tried to quietly pull her out of school and ship her abroad to cover up that hotel disaster, but people talk. I managed to get ahold of the actual security logs from the hotel manager's office from that night."
Yun-ji examined the sleek drive in her hand, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes. "Why help me out, In-Su? We're hardly friends."
"Because watching you destroy them face-to-face is way more fun than reading petty internet drama," In-Su grinned, throwing his hands in his pockets as he leaned close. "Consider us even for yesterday. We're practically best friends now."
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Yun-ji murmured, pocketing the drive. "Hanging out with me is dangerous."
"Good thing I like trouble," he winked, stepping back into the flow of students.
Yun-ji didn't waste a second. Instead of heading to her first period class, she walked straight to the administrative wing, her footsteps ringing clear and firm against the polished floors. She didn't bother knocking long before stepping straight into the Principal's office.
Principal Park, a man who prided himself on maintaining the prestigious reputation of the school above all else, looked up from his desk with a furrowed brow. "Choi Yun-ji? What is the meaning of this? You should be in class."
"I would be, Sir, if I wasn't currently being targeted by malicious cyberbullying on the school's official server," Yun-ji said coolly, placing the USB drive directly onto his mahogany desk. "And if the school wasn't actively harboring students who leak slanderous stories to protect criminal acts."
Principal Park's face darkened. "Mind your tone, young lady. What are you talking about?"
"Plug in the drive," Yun-ji replied, her posture unyielding. "You'll find the complete IP trace proving that Mi-Cha posted illegal, defaming rumors about me using school Wi-Fi. But more importantly, you'll find the raw hotel security footage from two nights ago. The footage that shows Wang Da actively attempting to drug and trap a student, only to end up caught in her own mess before her family hastily tried to buy her a ticket out of the country to escape charges."
Principal Park's hands trembled slightly as he plugged the drive into his computer. As the files opened, showing indisputable server logs paired with crystal-clear footage and timestamped text messages between Mi-Cha and Wang Da, his face went from annoyed to deathly pale.
If this leaked to the press, the school's reputation would be completely destroyed.
"Get Mi-Cha into this office. NOW," Principal Park barked into his intercom, his voice shaking with absolute rage.
Ten minutes later, Mi-Cha walked into the principal's office, carrying a smug grin on her face—assuming she was being called to discuss her upcoming event committee tasks. But the moment she saw Yun-ji standing calmly near the window, and Principal Park glaring at her like he wanted to tear her apart, her smile evaporated.
"P-Principal Park? Is something wrong?" Mi-Cha stammered, her voice dropping all its bravado.
"Is something wrong?!" Principal Park slammed his hand on the desk, making Mi-Cha jump out of her skin. "You dared to use the school's private network to orchestrate a slander campaign against your classmate! Do you have any idea what you've done?!"
"I—I don't know what you mean! I didn't do anything!" Mi-Cha panicked, casting a desperate glance at Yun-ji.
"Do not lie to me!" Principal Park turned his computer monitor around, displaying her phone's unique MAC address linked directly to the forum posts, alongside the full log of her messages orchestrating the rumor spread. "You have violated every code of conduct this institution stands for. You are hereby suspended indefinitely, effective immediately! Furthermore, this file is being forwarded directly to the school board and your parents!"
Mi-Cha's eyes went wide as tears of terror spilled over her cheeks. "No! Please! It wasn't just me! Bora told me—"
"Leave my office!" Principal Park shouted, refusing to hear another word.
Mi-Cha burst into frantic sobs, practically stumbling out the door as the harsh reality of her ruined reputation crushed her. Yun-ji watched her leave without an ounce of pity in her heart. Bora had used Mi-Cha as a weapon, and now Mi-Cha was taking the full hit while Bora stood by completely helpless.
"As for Wang Da..." Yun-ji said softly, turning back to the principal. "It seems her family's attempts to cover up her sudden 'transfer' won't work anymore."
By lunchtime, the entire school was in absolute chaos.
Not only had the forum posts accusing Yun-ji been wiped, but an official administrative broadcast had been issued announcing Mi-Cha's suspension for severe cyber-harassment. Even worse for the conspirators, news outlets outside the school had somehow picked up the story. Headline alerts flashed across every student's phone: Billionaire Heiress Wang Da Involved in Hotel Scandal Prior to Sudden Flight Abroad.
The cover-up had completely blown up in their faces. Wang Da's name was thoroughly dragged through the dirt, her family's corporate stock taking an immediate nose-dive as the truth of the scandal flooded the internet.
Choi Bora sat at her usual cafeteria table, her face completely drained of color as she stared at her phone screen. Her hands shook uncontrollably. Mi-Cha was gone, Wang Da was ruined, and Yun-ji was walking through the cafeteria completely untamed, her head held high.
Yun-ji caught Bora's terrified gaze from across the room and offered a cold, mocking smile.
Lim In-Su slid into the seat beside Yun-ji, taking a bite of his apple while watching the drama unfold with an amused grin. "Now that was a masterclass," he chuckled. "Bora looks like she's about to pass out."
"She brought this on herself," Yun-ji said quietly, her eyes calm and sharp. "And it's only the beginning."