The second whistle sounded sharper than the first.
Like the Headmaster had gotten impatient with how happy people looked.
"Round two," his voice boomed through the speakers. "Health track versus business."
Business majors in red bands erupted like they had been waiting for this exact moment. They moved as a group, clustered tight, already chanting their major's name like a sports team. Someone had brought a portable speaker and started blasting a hype song that did not match the vibe of water balloons at all.
Health track gathered in white, looser, louder, messier.
JP bounced on his toes. "This one is personal."
HS stared at him. "Why is everything personal."
TZ grinned. "Because business people talk too much."
NS scanned the business line. "They are not here to win. They are here to create scenes."
Andrew opened his black notebook again like a coach about to call plays. "They will target June and Kitty. Their strategy is not water, it's rumor."
XH felt his jaw tighten.
He glanced toward Kitty and June.
They stood slightly behind the front line with the girls, towels tucked, weapons loaded, eyes sharp. Kitty's expression was calm, but her gaze was focused like she had already predicted the worst. June looked confident, but XH could tell she was in that competitive mode where pride became armor.
Cherry leaned toward June and muttered something that made June's lips curve in a small, dangerous smile.
NC stood between them and the crowd, posture relaxed, like a big sister who could step in and stop chaos with one look.
Jihye waved at the boys, then mimed a tiny boxing stance like, let's go.
Anna looked like she wanted to have fun but didn't want to become someone's story.
XH stepped closer to Kitty and June, not touching, but close enough to be part of the circle.
Kitty noticed, eyes flicking to him for half a second.
June noticed too.
Neither said anything.
But the air changed slightly, like an unspoken agreement had been acknowledged.
Across the courtyard, the business majors started shouting.
Shinso was with them, hair white, grin wide, acting like he was about to perform on stage instead of throw water.
He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Health track, you ready to lose."
JP yelled back instantly, "Business, you ready to get washed."
The crowd laughed.
Thoon, HTN, and SRM stood near the business group, not officially business majors, but watching like they had claimed front row seats. Their eyes were not on the match.
Their eyes were on Kitty and June.
SRM leaned toward Thoon and spoke loudly enough to carry. "I want to see if that shy kiss girl can even aim."
Kitty's fingers tightened around her water gun.
June's head turned slowly, eyes narrowing.
Kitty did not react outwardly. That was Kitty's special skill. She could take a hit without bleeding in public.
But June was not built the same way.
June lifted her chin slightly, voice calm and sharp. "I want to see if you can talk without sounding desperate."
The crowd made that collective sound, half gasp, half laugh.
Thoon smirked. "Desperate. Me. Please. I'm just amused."
HTN added, smiling sweetly, "June, you keep guarding him like he's already yours."
June's smile was polite and lethal. "And you keep circling like you're hungry."
SRM laughed, leaning forward. "Hungry is normal. You two are the ones starving. Eight months and still no official status. That's embarrassing."
June's jaw tightened.
Kitty finally spoke, voice soft but clean. "Embarrassing is thinking flirting is a skill when it's just noise."
SRM blinked, then scoffed. "Girl, you really need lessons."
Kitty's eyes stayed calm. "I don't make moves. I attract."
The same line as yesterday, but now it hit harder because there were more people listening.
June's eyes flicked toward Kitty.
For a moment, June looked almost surprised, then something like respect slid into her expression.
Thoon rolled her eyes dramatically. "Attracting doesn't keep a man. I can make guys wrap around my fingers in one week."
HTN smiled wider. "Three days for me. Both of those boys, easy."
June's voice snapped, sharper now. "Well I'm not a slut like you, so I don't behave like that."
The courtyard erupted.
Some students screamed. Some laughed. Some covered their mouths like they had just witnessed a scandal on live TV.
Thoon's face flushed instantly. HTN's smile cracked.
SRM's eyes narrowed, but she still tried to play it off with a laugh. "Oh, moral queen."
Cherry muttered under her breath, amused, "Finally."
NC sighed like she had seen enough of this in life. "Girls, breathe."
But the damage was done.
The tension had been poured into the air like gasoline.
The Headmaster, standing on the stage, looked delighted.
He lifted the microphone. "Okay. Okay. Very lively."
THKM leaned closer to Lola, whispering with a tired smile. Lola's expression was controlled, but even she looked like she was thinking, these kids are insane.
The Headmaster raised a hand. "Round two begins. Try to keep your words less violent than your water."
The whistle blew.
And business charged like they wanted to turn drama into points.
Water hit XH's shoulder instantly, cold and hard.
JP screamed like a warrior and sprinted forward.
TZ chased someone immediately.
HS threw a balloon and looked shocked when it actually hit.
NS moved with calm precision, stepping in front of Kitty and June like he had already decided he would be the wall today.
Business majors played dirty in the way that was still technically legal. They didn't aim to soak the strongest players. They aimed to isolate people. They aimed to separate the circle. They aimed to create moments that looked suspicious from far away.
Two business guys tried to flank Kitty.
XH saw it and moved without thinking.
He stepped closer to Kitty's side, water gun raised.
Kitty glanced at him.
XH didn't speak.
He just stayed there.
One of the business guys smirked. "Oh, protecting the queen."
Kitty's voice was calm. "He's protecting himself. I bite."
Then she fired, soaking the guy's chest.
The guy yelped, surprised.
The crowd laughed.
But June saw XH's body shift toward Kitty.
It was subtle.
But June noticed everything when it mattered.
June's pride tightened inside her like a knot.
She hated that she cared.
She hated that she wanted to be the one he instinctively moved toward.
June grabbed a bucket and charged forward, not at business, but toward the center where the crowd was thickest.
She threw water into the air like a declaration.
Students screamed and scattered.
June's laughter broke out, bright and sharp, like she was trying to burn the tension away.
XH heard it.
He turned.
June's eyes met his from across the chaos.
Her expression softened for half a second, like she was asking without words, are you watching me too.
XH nodded slightly.
June's lips curved.
Then someone from business tried to dump a full bucket on June from behind.
Kitty saw it first.
Kitty moved fast.
She sprinted, grabbed June's elbow, and yanked her sideways just in time.
Water crashed onto the ground where June had been standing.
June stumbled, then looked at Kitty, stunned.
Kitty's voice was quick. "Pay attention."
June blinked, then laughed. "You saved me."
Kitty shrugged like it was nothing. "I'm not letting them make you look stupid."
June's smile softened, unexpectedly warm. "Thanks."
For a second, it looked like the two girls were not enemies.
It looked like they were teammates.
That sight made something twist inside XH.
Because it was beautiful.
And it was terrifying.
The match grew wilder.
Business tried to bait arguments.
One guy yelled, "Which one is he choosing."
JP screamed back, "Shut up and throw water."
TZ yelled, "Stop narrating."
HS whispered, "Please don't turn this into a public confession."
NS stayed silent, eyes sharp.
Andrew stood off to the side, jotting notes like he was analyzing enemy patterns.
The crowd cheered at every dramatic moment like they were watching a live show.
Then, in the middle of the chaos, Shinso appeared.
He moved through the business group like he was performing, hair white, grin wide, water gun in each hand like twin pistols.
He aimed at Kitty.
Kitty dodged easily.
Shinso laughed and called out, "Kitty, if you join business major, I'll buy you a new iPhone."
Kitty's eyes narrowed. "I already have the newest one."
The crowd laughed.
Shinso turned toward June. "June, if you join me, I'll take you abroad."
June smiled politely. "I can go abroad without you."
Cherry snorted loudly.
Shinso's grin widened anyway. "Then join me for dinner after the festival."
June's gaze hardened. "No."
Shinso kept talking like he was invincible. "Why not. I'm handsome."
TZ yelled, "You're loud."
JP screamed, "Go dye your hair another color."
Shinso ignored them and stepped closer to Kitty again, voice playful. "Kitty, you like quiet guys. I can be quiet."
Kitty stared at him. "Try."
Shinso blinked.
Kitty fired a full pump of water right into his chest.
Shinso gasped, shocked.
Kitty stepped forward, voice calm, eyes cold. "Better."
The crowd roared.
XH almost smiled, then caught June watching him.
June's eyes narrowed slightly like she had seen the smile.
Kitty noticed too.
Kitty didn't react outwardly, but her fingers tightened on her water gun again.
The match ended with health track winning, but barely.
The Headmaster announced the score with dramatic excitement like it was a championship.
"Health track wins again," he shouted. "Still undefeated today."
Cheers.
Business booed, but mostly laughed because they had gotten what they wanted, which was attention.
Students began refilling water again.
Phones came out.
People started posting clips instantly.
XH could already imagine captions.
He hated that his life could become someone's entertainment.
During break time, the couple photo contest booth got even more crowded.
A student council member held up a sign that said, "Tag your favorite couple."
People screamed again.
XH felt his stomach sink.
Kitty walked up to him while he was refilling his water gun near the side fountain.
Her voice was soft. "You okay."
XH nodded. "Yeah."
Kitty studied his face. "You're lying."
XH exhaled. "I'm just… aware."
Kitty's expression softened. "Me too."
Then Kitty said quietly, "June saved me too. She fired at the guy who tried to flank me earlier."
XH blinked. "I didn't see."
Kitty's eyes flicked away. "Of course."
XH's throat tightened. "Kitty."
Kitty looked back at him, calm but vulnerable beneath it. "Don't do that face. I'm not accusing you. I'm telling you she's not your enemy."
XH swallowed. "Neither are you."
Kitty's lips pressed together. "Then act like it."
Before he could answer, June approached.
Her hair was damp, cheeks flushed from exertion, eyes bright.
She looked at Kitty first. "You okay."
Kitty nodded once. "I'm fine."
June's gaze slid to XH. "You okay."
XH nodded. "I'm fine."
June tilted her head slightly. "You're lying."
Kitty's eyes flicked to June.
June's eyes flicked to Kitty.
For a moment, the two girls shared an expression that was almost identical.
Like they were reading the same book.
Then June spoke, quieter now. "Round three is engineering."
Kitty's posture tightened slightly.
XH felt his body go tense.
Engineering was not just another match.
Engineering was KM.
Engineering was the major that loved to test boundaries.
Engineering was the crowd favorite for violence.
The Headmaster's voice boomed again.
"Next round," he announced with glee. "Health track versus engineering."
The entire courtyard erupted.
Engineering majors in dark blue raised buckets and shouted like they were going to war.
KM stepped forward, smirk sharp, eyes locked on Kitty first, then June, then XH like he was counting targets.
Shinso cheered loudly beside him, enjoying the chaos.
Thoon, HTN, and SRM moved forward too, taking positions like they were queens about to watch gladiators fight.
June's jaw tightened.
Kitty's expression went calm again, which was her version of dangerous.
NS stepped closer, voice low to XH. "Stay near us."
JP cracked his neck. "Time to end their confidence."
TZ grinned. "Time to splash their ego."
HS whispered, "I'm going to die."
Andrew flipped his notebook open. "Engineering strategy is brute force. Our strategy is unity."
The girls gathered behind health track again.
Kitty leaned toward June slightly, voice low. "Don't let them bait you."
June's eyes stayed sharp. "Don't let them bait you either."
Kitty's lips curved faintly. "I don't get baited."
June smirked. "You do. You just pretend you don't."
Kitty's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't deny it.
Then, unexpectedly, June added in a quieter tone, almost for Kitty alone, "Thanks for earlier."
Kitty blinked.
June continued, voice soft for the first time today. "You didn't have to pull me."
Kitty's gaze softened slightly. "You didn't have to fire at the guy behind me."
June's lips pressed together. "I know."
They stood side by side again.
Not friends.
Not enemies.
Two girls who understood the same battlefield.
XH watched them and felt something heavy in his chest.
Not the tightness this time.
Something else.
Something like grief.
Because he knew the festival was pulling them toward a moment he could not avoid anymore.
The Headmaster raised his whistle.
Engineering and health track faced each other.
KM lifted his bucket with a grin.
June lifted her water gun, eyes bright.
Kitty lifted hers too, calm and steady.
XH tightened his grip, jaw clenched.
The whistle blew.
And the real fight began.