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Mei was a bit more excited to go to school the next morning, as she now had someone to look forward to and make the day better.

Per usual, she went downstairs and found her parents sitting at the table. "Good morning, honey."

"Good morning, Dad."

"Sorry we couldn't see you before school yesterday. How was your first day?" Her mom asked.

"It was good," Mei smiled. "I made a friend named Kino, and my dance teacher already likes me."

Her mother brightened up. "So, it sounds like you had a pretty good day."

She decided to leave out the details about Jaehwa, since it was a ridiculous comment she made anyway.

"We should head to work," her mother started. "But we should be home shortly after you get home from school."

Mei nodded. "Bye. Have a good day."

"You too, honey."

At school, Mei walked up to the large crowd gathered in the hallway to see what was happening. When she saw Minghao hovering over a slightly younger boy, her eyebrows knitted in confusion as she worked her way to them.

"Minghao, leave the boy alone."

He dropped the boy on the ground and turned to face her, a smirk on his face. "Why should I?"

"Because he probably didn't even do anything to you." Mei replied coldly, walking over to the kid and helping him up. "Are you okay?"

He nodded shyly. "Yeah, thank you."

Mei nodded and smiled at him, while Minghao shook his head and walked away. She grabbed the boys wrist and led him through the school.

"What's your name?" Mei asked.

"I'm Renjun," he smiled weakly. "You?"

"I'm Mei."

"Thank you for helping me. No one has ever really stood up to Minghao before."

"It's no problem," she replied. "I used to break up fights a lot so I guess it's second nature."

"You can be classified as a hero?" He laughed.

Mei laughed too, glad to see the boy smiling. "Something like that."

Then she felt a pair of arms sling around her shoulders and hands cover her eyes.

"Let me guess, Kino?"

The hands were removed and Mei turned around to see a pouting Kino. "How'd you know?"

"Because you're the only person at this school that would do that," she told him, then he glanced over at Renjun and back at her. "Oh, this is Renjun, by the way. Renjun this is Kino."

"We know." They said in unison.

Mei pursed her lips. "Okay then."

Kino walked alongside Mei and Renjun. "Now we can be three peas in a pod."

Mei nodded, very dramatically. "Definitely."

"I should get to class," Renjun stated. "I'll see you guys later."

The two of them waved the younger off and the girl noticed all the eyes on her once again. She turned to Kino for an explanation, and he sighed.

"Remember when I told you I was the second best looking guy in school?" He asked, then added. "Not my words, by the way."

"Yeah, why?"

"Renjun's number three."

"I'm friends with two lover boys," Mei swiped her forehead as if she was doing hard work. "Better keep an eye out."

Kino smiled. "Pretty much."

"So, who's number one on the "best looks" scale?" Mei asked.

"Minghao."

She frowned at Kino's response. "He's handsome, but I put you and Renjun above him. Minghao has too much of a bad attitude to be first."

He slung his arm around her shoulders. "Really?"

"Yeah, you guys are great. I mean, I've never hung out with him, obviously, but considering the fact that he was about to beat Renjun up this morning, I think you guys take the cake."

He started to strut. "Wow, I guess I really am hot."

Mei scoffed playfully. "Sure, hotshot."

Lunch finally came around, so Mei headed to her locker. She noticed Minghao standing there, but she pretended not to see him and did her own thing. He watched her the whole time, his eyes unwavering. As soon as her hands were out of her locker, he slammed it shut.

"Minghao, was that necessary?" She sighed.

He stood in front of the girl. "Yeah, you didn't let me finish what I started this morning."

He pushed her up against the lockers at a speed that he should not have been able to accomplish. Then his hand was around Mei's throat, a grip that she couldn't get out of.

His grip tightened and her vision started going dark.

"Minghao, what are you doing!"

He released his grip on her neck and Kino held her up, while Minghao walked away smugly.

"Mei, are you okay?"

"I'm good," she took a moment to breathe. "I think I need some fresh air."

He walked with her to the water fountain and waited as she drank it, rubbing her back while simultaneously wishing he had a water bottle for her instead.

"We can eat in the courtyard today if you want, since you need fresh air." Kino said.

"That sounds great."

The two went outside to the courtyard and sat down under a big tree, and Renjun joined shortly after. The sun was peeking through the branches and made the spot they were sitting at look that much more pretty.

"Woah," Renjun mumbled. "Mei, where did you get that bruise from?"

Mei looked up at him with a confused expression and a tilted head. Kino leaned forward and looked at her neck with a shocked expression.

"He must've had a really tight grip on your neck

"What?" Renjun questioned.

Mei shook her head at the younger. "I was attacked by a wild animal in the hallway."

"He had a tight enough grip around your throat to do that?" Renjun questioned, to which the girl nodded her head. "I don't know what his problem is, but he shouldn't be so rude to you."

Mei was ready to go home, not wanting to deal with anyone's drama any longer. Knowing that Minghao and Jaehwa had something against her frustrated her, but she wasn't going to pay them any mind.

Until Jaehwa pushed her into the frame of the entrance doors, the second injury of the day.

"Oops, didn't see you there." Jaehwa smirked.

"Oh, I'm sure," you bit. "Maybe you'd be able to see if you got your head out of your boyfriends-"

"Mei," Renjun cut the girl off with a look that said "you're welcome" and grabbed her hand. "What was that about?"

"She pushed me into the doorframe, so I had to say something," she shrugged. "Where did you come from?"

He glanced over at her. "I walked out of the other doors. You didn't see me?"

"No," she laughed. "I was very occupied."

He nodded in agreement, then left her side, as the two needed to get home.

When Mei arrived, her parents were already home, and the moment she walked into the door, both of her parents' eyes widened.

"What happened to your neck?" Her mother asked as she walked over to her.

Mei had to come up with something, and fast. "It's makeup. Someone from the theater department needed some practice."

They nodded at their daughter, but they didn't believe her lie.

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