When Kim Sora walked into the classroom, it was like a movie scene.
Sunlight through the window caught her shiny brown hair just right.
Her Diamond House badge gleamed like a crown.
She smiled sweetly as if nothing had changed in the world — as if it hadn't been months since she last stepped into this class.
Her eyes scanned the room. Then she walked straight to Harin.
"Harin~!" she sang, wrapping her in a tight hug. "You look so pale. Did you miss me too much?"
Harin smiled, relieved. "You're late."
"I'm fashionable," Sora replied. "There's a difference."
They laughed, and for a moment, the class watched the reunion of the Diamond Queens.
But then—
Sora's eyes shifted.
To the back corner of the room.
Where Kim Yerim and Kang Jiwon were sitting.
She walked toward them.
The whole class fell silent.
"Oh~" she said, eyes sparkling. "Why didn't anyone introduce me to these pretty faces?"
Her gaze landed on Jiwon.
"You both are gorgeous. Especially you," she added, smiling directly at her. "I think… I've got some competition now."
Jiwon didn't speak.
But Sora didn't expect her to.
---
Then Harin stepped in again, unable to resist.
She looked at Jiwon with a smirk.
"Oh, Sora," she said, "you know this girl's a little dangerous. She acts quiet, but she plays games like a snake… even used violence—"
She said it louder than needed.
Even used abuse.
Sora blinked.
She turned calmly to Harin, voice still soft.
"Harin."
Harin blinked.
"Be nice," Sora said, her smile not fading. "It's not like you never lost before."
---
DING—DING—DING
The announcement rang across the entire school.
"All students report to the ground immediately! The Popularity Competition is starting!"
Harin flipped her hair and turned to Jiwon.
"Well, Jiwon," she said, leaning close. "No hard feelings, right?"
Then she smiled wickedly.
"But in this school? Popularity comes first, darling."
---
At the School Ground
Every student was gathered under the bright sky.
The energy was tense — excited, anxious, hungry.
A teacher stood at the front with a mic.
"This year's first Popularity Competition," he announced. "As always, each student will get one vote."
"You cannot vote for yourself. And no one — not even your friends — will know who you voted for."
"You're allowed to lie. Betray. Trick."
Murmurs ran through the crowd.
"And…" the teacher smiled darkly, "whoever gets the least votes will be declared the House Pet of their House."
Gasps.
Whispers.
Someone laughed nervously.
Sora just yawned cutely.
---
Voting Begins
Each student stepped into the voting booth, one by one.
Some wrote names out of loyalty.
Some chose strategy.
Some… out of pure fear.
---
Then, the results flashed across the screen.
Rank 1:
Kim Sora — 126 votes
(The crowd screamed. As always.)
Rank 2:
Park Jinwoo — 98 votes
Rank 3:
Miyeon — 84 votes
…
And then.
Last place.
Flashing in red.
Kang Jiwon — 4 votes
The crowd went silent.
Then noise exploded.
"Wait—what?!"
"She only got 4?!"
"No way—"
"She's the House Pet now?!"
---
The teacher took the mic.
"Final result confirmed."
"Kang Jiwon is now the Diamond House Pet."
---
Jiwon didn't flinch.
She didn't cry.
She didn't move.
She just stood there, staring at the screen.
Quiet.
"Four."
She said softly.
"Four people voted for me."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
.....
The next morning, Jiwon walked through the hallway like a ghost.
Unbothered. Silent.
But her eyes? Focused.
Four votes.
She was trapped in her thoughts.
"Jinwoo voted for me," she murmured to herself.
"Of course he did."
He saved her before. He wouldn't betray her. Not like the others.
"That makes one."
She looked up.
Maybe Yerim…?
---
At lunch, she sat beside Yerim, who was already munching on kimbap.
"Hey," Jiwon said quietly.
Yerim looked up.
"Who did you vote for?"
Yerim blinked.
Then smiled. "You. Of course."
"Why?"
"You helped me. You sat with me. You didn't judge me." Yerim popped a piece of rice into her mouth. "And also, Harin annoys me."
Jiwon let out a small exhale. "As I thought."
That made two.
---
The rest of the day, she moved around the school like a shadow.
Not asking loudly. Just… listening.
Whispers in the halls.
Small talk in corners.
Lies in smiles.
Slowly, a pattern emerged.
The people who voted for her?
Weren't from her class.
They didn't even know her.
Just heard about her.
Some were scared of Harin.
Some curious about the new girl.
But all four… random, silent, quiet votes.
No loyalty. No friendship.
Just instinct.
And that was the most dangerous kind.
---
The classroom was silent in the orange glow of evening.
Desks empty. Windows half-open.
Only one girl remained — Kang Jiwon, sitting still, lost in thought.
Then came the soft sound of footsteps.
Graceful. Confident. Familiar.
Kim Sora.
She stopped beside Jiwon with a gentle smile.
"I didn't think you'd become a house pet," Sora said casually. "You didn't deserve it. Honestly… I think you might be my competition."
Jiwon didn't blink.
Didn't flinch.
She slowly looked up at Sora — calm, collected, and unreadable.
And then, she spoke. Soft and deadly.
"You voted for me."
"Am I right, Sora?"
---