Lucy & Lumi's Sincere Punch!
Lunchtime. While Lee Ho-yeon was deep in a secret rendezvous with Baek Ayoung, Lucy and Lumi grabbed their food from the student cafeteria and sat down at a table.
The steak was perfectly grilled to a golden brown, its mouthwatering aroma tickling Lucy's nose and stirring her appetite. But she couldn't focus on the food. A major problem had cropped up for her right then and there.
"Lumi. This is bad."
"Whyyy?"
Nom. Lumi blinked at her sister, spoon halfway to her mouth, as Lucy's serious expression caught her off guard.
"There are... way too many rivals!"
"Yeah... I guess you're right?"
Lumi instantly grasped what Lucy meant. Lee Ho-yeon. The man both twin sisters loved was just too popular. They wanted to shout from the rooftops that he was dating them, but they held back, worried it might hurt his skyrocketing reputation. Timid Lumi felt the same, and even bold Lucy hated the idea of making Ho-yeon uncomfortable.
But that consideration was over now. Lucy's fists clenched and trembled as she grabbed Lumi's arm and shook it.
"If we don't do something, we'll fade into the background! We can't let that happen...!"
"Ugh, u-um. Lucy, let's eat first and think about it."
"No way. We're running out of time."
In the end, Lumi couldn't resist Lucy's intensity and set her meal aside to brainstorm. Plenty of cadets stole glances at the whispering twins in the corner of the cafeteria, but they ignored them.
"Lumi. What if we just... eliminate the rivals?"
"How?"
"...Physically?"
"Don't say weird stuff like that, Lucy...."
"Sorry."
Lucy dove back into serious thought.
"I thought we were way ahead, but... it doesn't feel like it anymore."
"Da-eun's attitude has been kinda suspicious too, honestly...."
"Right? I thought the same! When did that playboy get so chummy with Da-eun anyway? You were in the same group, Lumi. Did you know?"
Lucy responded with fiery enthusiasm to Lumi's words. What the hell was this flirt up to? They'd both seen Nam Da-eun's expression when she approached him during cooking class. It was the face of a woman head over heels in love.
"No idea. Me, Ho-yeon, Da-eun, and... who was the other one? Anyway, same group."
"Something must've happened then, right?"
"Hmm, no. If anything, Ho-yeon seemed annoyed by Da-eun's solo act."
"Ugh. Back to square one."
As their conversation continued, the twins realized something. The cause didn't matter. What mattered was removing the rivals—or surpassing them.
"Huh? Lucy, look over there...."
"What... oh?"
Their eyes locked onto one spot.
'Steak's pricey. Ho-yeon said spend whatever, but still... cheaper stuff's fine....'
It was Nam Da-eun, casually grabbing lunch without a care. Ho-yeon was busy today, and unlike the academy, her sister Da-hee's affiliated school wasn't on short schedule. Scarlett was often out, and Liliana was streaming. 'Gotta hit the training grounds long today.' With her skills improving fast and drawing attention, she brushed it off. She was only doing it because Ho-yeon told her to. Before heading to train, she stopped at the cafeteria, got her food, and sat alone in a quiet corner to eat.
The twins, spotting her, started whispering again.
"...Lumi. What do we do?"
"What can we do? We haven't even talked to Da-eun."
Lumi was a bit flustered by Lucy's unusual aggression, but Lucy showed no signs of backing down.
"Lumi, that's why now's our chance! If not now, we won't get another shot. ...Let's go!"
"...H-Huh?"
Lucy grabbed her half-cold plate and shot Lumi a "follow me" look.
"L-Lucy, why?"
"Why? We liked him first, so Da-eun's the one in the wrong! She's like a stray cat thief or Arsène Lupin or something!"
"Uh, y-yeah... maybe?"
Lumi mulled it over. ...Yeah, kinda. They'd built their bond with Ho-yeon over time, so they couldn't let some new girls steal the spotlight. That was cheating.
"Lumi. Let's go...!"
"Lucy, but what do we even say?"
"We'll tell her we were first! If you wanna like Ho-yeon, you gotta know that much."
Loving a playboy wasn't easy. You needed resolve like theirs. In the end, Lucy grabbed her food and marched to Da-eun's table, with Lumi trailing cautiously behind.
Clack—thud—
"...?"
Nam Da-eun, pondering her afternoon training, looked up at the two girls suddenly joining her.
"Hey, Da-eun?"
"H-Hi. Da-eun-ssi?"
Lucy and Lumi. Academy heartthrobs she'd never really talked to. And girls very close to Ho-yeon. They were probably here about him.
"Hey?"
But they weren't strangers, and as Ho-yeon's friends, there was no reason to ignore them. Da-eun paused her meal and met their eyes. The twins looked tense, faces stiff.
"Mm. Food's good today, huh?"
"Y-Yeah."
Da-eun stifled a laugh inwardly as Lucy awkwardly kicked off with food talk, like a kid pretending not to care but unable to look away.
'Shouldn't have been so forward in cooking class.'
Too late for regrets... She just had to at the time. Probably rebellion against a week apart. Da-eun shook her head slightly and faced them.
"You came for a reason, right? Go ahead, make it casual."
Da-eun wasn't great at chit-chat or beating around the bush. Straight talk was her best bet. So she "asked" them to get to the point.
"...."
"...."
But Lucy and Lumi took it wrong. Already viewing her as a "thief," they saw it as a taunt. To them, Da-eun looked smug, like "bring it if you can."
Lumi gripped Lucy's hand tight in nerves. Only her big sis to lean on now. Lucy squeezed back. Time for the big sister to step up.
"You. Y-You like Ho-yeon, don't you."
"...."
Da-eun just stared silently, expecting more.
"H-Ho-yeon's mine. Don't even think about touching him...!"
Lips bitten, Lucy glared at the unmoved Da-eun. Beside her, Lumi tugged her hand.
"Lucy... O-Ours...."
"Ah...! He's ours! We've been...!"
We liked him more. We had so much fun together always. Lucy blurted it all out—how close they were, their deep bond.
Da-eun had to hold back a smile. Like a cute holiday cousin throwing a tantrum. She could fire back "I hang with him all the time too," but she just smiled faintly. She loved Ho-yeon, but respected Lucy and Lumi's history with him from before her salvation. She'd devoted her life to him, so no right to cut off prior ties—especially ones she'd seen firsthand at the academy.
So Da-eun waited for Lucy to finish, then spoke slowly.
"Why do you like Ho-yeon?"
"...Huh?"
"...?"
Lucy and Lumi's eyes widened at the question. Of course they loved him, but summing it up? Tough.
"...He saved my life even when I hated him."
"He played with us when we were down."
"Always there..."
"Said he liked both of us."
Thinking of him, they opened up slowly. Verbalizing what closeness hid felt embarrassing. Their faces screamed smitten, and Da-eun nodded.
"Same here. Helped me in our group, handled my personal stuff. Just like your reasons."
Da-eun too. Endless reasons, but similar to theirs.
"But we and Lumi were first...!"
"R-Right."
The twins kept up their adorable whining, but Da-eun eyed Lumi and remembered something.
"True. Lumi."
"Y-Yes?"
"Group project. Sorry about that. Was a rough mental time. Wanted to apologize sooner."
"Oh. N-No, it's fine. I didn't mind. Ho-yeon's okay too...!"
Da-eun was grateful for this sweet girl. She'd been a burden to Ho-yeon and Lumi then, but they let it slide. One more group member? Fuzzy memory.
"Thanks, Lumi. Let's get along. Enjoy your food."
"Y-Yeah.... Huh?"
"You too, Lucy. See you around."
"Wait? Hold on!"
After apologizing to Lumi, Da-eun greeted Lucy, cleared her plate, and left. The twins blinked at her quick exit, then snapped to.
Da-eun was a tough opponent. Plan failed.
"What now, Lucy? Our plan's busted...."
"Tougher than I thought.... Sigh. No choice, Lumi. Plan B it is... Club room, now."
Lucy stood abruptly.
"Lucy, my food...!"
"No time for eating! Hurry."
"O-Okay...."
Lucy and Lumi headed to the club room, plotting how to defeat their strong rivals. All they could do was prepare as best they could.