The room held its breath.
"Jinwoo," Eunbyeol repeated calmly.
"Do you trust Jiwon?"
Every eye turned toward him.
Jiwon didn't look at him.
She stared straight ahead.
Jinwoo's fingers rested loosely on his knees.
He didn't rush.
He didn't look shaken.
But something in his jaw tightened.
A second passed.
Two.
Eunbyeol's smile barely moved.
"Well?"
Jinwoo finally lifted his eyes.
"I do."
The words were steady.
Clear.
No hesitation in tone.
A ripple moved through the circle.
One point was marked under his name.
Eunbyeol tilted her head slightly.
"Interesting."
She glanced briefly at Jiwon.
Jiwon's expression didn't change.
But her chest felt tight.
Because she heard the word.
But she remembered the staircase.
"I believe what I see."
Maybe I was wrong about you.
Maybe you enjoy attention.
Trust?
Was that trust?
Or was it pride?
Eunbyeol leaned back.
"Good," she said softly. "Honesty suits you."
Jinwoo's eyes shifted briefly toward Jiwon.
She didn't look at him.
And somehow-
That felt worse than if she had.
Eunbyeol picked up the next card.
The faintest smile played on her lips.
Because this-
This was exactly the kind of tension she wanted.
Words saying one thing.
Silence saying another.
The game had officially begun.
Eunbyeol picked up the next card.
Her fingers unfolded it slowly.
Her eyes scanned the words.
A faint pause.
"Sora."
The room shifted.
Sora didn't flinch.
She simply straightened slightly in her chair.
Eunbyeol read the question aloud.
"Have you ever pretended to be close to someone... for someone else's benefit?"
The air tightened.
Harin's eyes flickered toward Sora.
Sungwon leaned back, watching carefully.
Jiwon's gaze slowly turned toward her.
Sora's face remained calm.
Too calm.
"One point for truth," Eunbyeol reminded softly.
"And deduction for lies."
Silence stretched.
Sora folded her hands on the table.
"Yes."
A small murmur moved through the circle.
Eunbyeol's smile deepened slightly.
"Care to elaborate?"
Sora tilted her head.
"You didn't say we had to explain."
Eunbyeol's eyes sharpened.
"No. I didn't."
A point was added under Sora's name.
Jiwon watched her carefully.
Because the answer was simple.
Too simple.
Yes.
But for whom?
For when?
For now?
Jinwoo's eyes narrowed slightly.
He understood the implication.
But nothing was confirmed.
Eunbyeol leaned back in her chair.
"How honest of you."
Sora didn't respond.
But for the first time-
There was a crack.
Tiny.
But visible.
And Jiwon noticed.Eunbyeol unfolds the card.
Her eyes lift slowly.
"Jiwon."
The room goes still.
She reads:
"If you were given the authority to eliminate one person from this council right now... who would you remove?"
Not class.
Not room.
Council.
Silence fell instantly.
All eyes turned to Jiwon.
She didn't look surprised.
She didn't look nervous.
She looked... calm.
Too calm.
Her gaze slowly moved around the circle.
Harin.
Sora.
Sungwon.
And then-
It stopped.
On Jinwoo.
He met her eyes.
For the first time since the staircase.
Eunbyeol noticed.
Of course she did.
"Well?" Eunbyeol prompted softly.
Jiwon didn't hesitate.
"Jinwoo."
The word dropped like glass shattering.
The entire room froze.
Harin blinked.
Sungwon straightened slightly.
Sora's expression flickered.
Eunbyeol's smile deepened - but only slightly.
Jinwoo didn't move.
He just stared at her.
"Interesting," Eunbyeol murmured.
"Care to explain?"
Jiwon finally looked away from Jinwoo.
"No."
The refusal was calm.
Controlled.
A quiet storm.
The room buzzed softly.
"No explanation?" Eunbyeol pressed lightly.
Jiwon didn't look at anyone else.
"It's my choice."
One point was marked under her name.
Truth accepted.
But the damage?
That wasn't measurable on the board.
Jinwoo's fingers curled slightly against his knee.
Not from anger.
From realization.
Because yesterday-
He doubted her publicly.
Today-
She removed him publicly.
No shouting.
No drama.
Just equal distance.
Across the circle-
Eunbyeol smiled.
Not because Jiwon chose Jinwoo.
But because the fracture was now visible to everyone.
And visible cracks are easier to break.
Eunbyeol didn't waste time.
She picked up the next card slowly.
Almost thoughtfully.
Unfolded it.
A faint pause.
Her eyes lifted.
"Jinwoo."
The room was already tense.
Now it tightened.
She read clearly:
"If Jiwon were the one at risk of expulsion right now... would you sacrifice your position to save her?"
Silence crashed over the circle.
Harin inhaled sharply.
Sora's eyes flickered.
Sungwon leaned back, watching with interest.
Jiwon didn't move.
She didn't look at him.
But her fingers tightened slightly against her chair.
Jinwoo stared at the table for a second.
Then slowly lifted his head.
This wasn't about trust anymore.
This was about priority.
Power.
Choice.
Eunbyeol's voice was soft.
"Truth earns you a point."
"Lie... and you lose one."
"And remember," she added lightly, "silence ends the game."
All eyes were on him.The room waited.
Even Eunbyeol held her breath just slightly.
The silence stretched thin.
Jinwoo lifted his head.
He didn't look at Eunbyeol.
He didn't look at the others.
He looked at Jiwon.
For the first time since she said his name.
Their eyes met.
His voice was calm.
Steady.
"No."
The word landed harder than shouting ever could.
A ripple moved through the circle.
Harin blinked.
Sungwon's smirk faded slightly.
Sora looked between them carefully.
Eunbyeol's lips curved almost invisibly.
"A clear answer," she said smoothly.
One point added under Jinwoo's name.
Truth confirmed.
No lie detected.
But the air felt heavier.
Jiwon didn't react.
Not outwardly.
She didn't flinch.
Didn't frown.
Didn't blink longer than necessary.
She simply broke eye contact first.
And looked forward.
That hurt more than if she had looked angry.
Jinwoo noticed.
Of course he did.
Because he didn't say "no" out of hatred.
He said it out of something colder.
Pride.
Principle.
Or maybe-
Because he believed she wouldn't save him either.
Across the circle, Eunbyeol leaned back in her chair.
Soft clap.
"Interesting."
The crack between them wasn't hidden anymore.
It was public.