After every student went back home, the council members entered the council meeting room one by one.
The atmosphere was different tonight.
Quieter. Heavier.
After a few minutes, Eunbyeol entered.
All conversations stopped.
She walked calmly to the head seat and sat down.
"Let's come to the point without wasting time," she said coolly. "Does anyone know why we are gathered here?"
Silence.
"Well," she continued, "it's about Jiwon."
Sungwon, the head of Spades House, leaned back in his chair.
"The girl who defeated Harin… interesting."
Harin scoffed. "She distracted me. That's why."
Eunbyeol looked at her without emotion.
"You still lost."
Harin clenched her jaw.
Jinwoo suddenly spoke. "Can't you guys just leave her alone? Harin was the one who challenged her. If she lost, that's her mistake."
Eunbyeol chuckled sarcastically.
"Stop laughing!" Jinwoo snapped.
Eunbyeol's eyes sharpened slightly. "Let's come to the point. We'll vote."
The room straightened.
"Whoever wants Jiwon to stay in this school will vote in her favor. Whoever doesn't… will vote against her. Clear?"
Jinwoo stood halfway from his seat. "You can't do that. Mom will not allow that, Eunbyeol."
Eunbyeol tilted her head. "Why not? Because she saved your life?"
The room went still.
"If I tell her that no one wants Jiwon in this school… what will she do?"
Jinwoo's fists tightened. "Hell! You can't do this!"
Eunbyeol ignored him. "Let's start voting."
One by one, hands were raised.
The results were written down.
In favor — 8 votes.
Against — 6 votes.
A small smile appeared on Eunbyeol's lips.
"So… all of you want Jiwon to stay."
Jinwoo exhaled. "Thank God."
Harin slammed her hand lightly on the table. "Hell… why is everything always against me?!"
Eunbyeol stood up.
"Meeting dismissed."
Then her gaze shifted.
"Harin. Sora. Stay. I want to talk."
The rest of the council slowly left the room.
The door closed.
Only three people remained in the council room.
Harin.
Sora.
Eunbyeol.
The silence felt heavier now.
Harin was the first to break it.
"You voted for her. Right?"
Eunbyeol didn't hesitate.
"Yes. Of course I did."
Harin's eyes widened. "She will mess up your game. It would've been better if you made her leave the school!"
Eunbyeol slowly stood up from her seat.
"Do you think I'm like you?" she asked quietly.
Harin stiffened.
"Do you think I would lose to her like you did?"
Her heels echoed against the floor as she walked closer.
"No. Not after she rejected my offer."
Sora, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
"Offer?" she asked sharply.
Eunbyeol's lips curved slightly.
"I asked her to join the council."
Silence.
"And she refused."
Harin scoffed. "That says everything! She's going to mess—"
Before she could finish—
Eunbyeol grabbed her jaw tightly.
Harin gasped.
"Don't you dare," Eunbyeol whispered coldly. "I am not going to lose to her."
Sora remained calm, observing.
"If you don't want to make her leave the school… then why did you hold the voting session?"
Eunbyeol finally released Harin.
She walked back to the center of the room.
"I'm not going to lose without playing," she said flatly. "That's boring."
Her eyes darkened.
"She thinks she can live peacefully after rejecting my offer?"
A small, dangerous smile appeared.
"She's dead wrong."
Harin touched her aching jaw.
"I'm going to make her regret it."
Sora said nothing.
"And the voting session?" Eunbyeol continued. "That was for Jinwoo."
Sora's eyes shifted slightly.
"He can't interfere when I'm 'officially' playing."
Her voice dropped.
"I'm going to make her life hell."
Silence filled the room.
Then—
"She will lose."
The tension in the room hadn't faded.
Eunbyeol stood near the window, looking down at the empty school grounds.
Without turning around, she spoke.
"Sora."
Sora lifted her eyes.
"I want you to get closer to Jiwon."
Sora blinked once. "What?"
"You heard me."
A short pause.
"…Okay."
Eunbyeol's lips curved faintly.
"I'm going to play with her. And very soon. So soon… she won't even have time to think."
Sora folded her arms. "Looks like she's getting under your skin."
Eunbyeol's expression darkened.
"Not her."
A beat.
"Jinwoo did."
Harin looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"He's going to try to save her," Eunbyeol said coldly. "After all… he always plays the hero."
Harin frowned. "So how will you stop him? He's the principal's son."
Eunbyeol finally turned around.
Her eyes were calm. Too calm.
"I won't stop him."
Silence.
"I'll make him hate her."
Sora's brows lifted slightly. "That's new."
A slow smile spread across Eunbyeol's face.
"The girl is going to lose everything."
Her voice dropped into something almost cruel.
"Everything."
The room fell silent.
And somewhere in the dark hallway outside…
It felt like a storm was already forming.