A part of the school looked completely different, the west wings has been blocked off with yellow tapes and metal barriers, security guards lined the entire environment, arms folded like they were guarding a national treasure.
Cameras, lights, cables filled the entire space, students crowded the other side of the barriers anways, curious, whispering, pointing, trying to catch glimpses of the Q4. Phones were out, rumors were flying in the air.
"Q4 are filming in the old auditorium".
"They are hot".
" Q4 I love you".
Most female students refused to attend classes, all stood by the entrances, crowding the entire location.
"Strictly no entry!" one of the guards barked for the hundredth time.
Naturally, Lydia tried to enter anyway.
"I'm not 'entry,' I'm emotionally involved," she argued, attempting to duck under the tape.
Mishell grabbed the back of her shirt and yanked her back effortlessly. "You're also about to be escorted out."
"I am part of the student commitees so we should be given access".
" Lydia you literally dragged us out of our rooms just to embarass us". Mishell responded, slightely irritated.
Corelia stood beside them, calm as ever, watching the chaos with quiet focus.
But she wasn't really looking at the crew.
She was listening, there was something off about this place.
"…You feel it too, don't you?" she murmured.
Mishell's expression tightened slightly. "Yeah."
It was faint—but there. A presence, not strong enough to reveal itself, but strong enough to whisper danger.
"Of cause you can feel something, It's the wonderful aura of Q4". Lydia said trying to take in a deep breath smiling.
"She has the survival instincts of a fart". Mishell said to Corelia.
Before Lydia could respond
"Ladies!"
They all turned around to see Mr Lee striding toward them, smiling like he'd just discovered gold. Perfectly styled hair. Designer suit. Energy of a man who hadn't heard the word "no" in years.
"I've been looking for you!" He said.
Mishell blinked slowly. "That's… concerning."
Corelia smiled politely but wondering why he needed to find them.
Lydia gasped. "You are Mr Lee, Q4's Manager!.
Mr Lee nodded feeling relieved finally someone recognizes him.
"Relax," Mr. Lee laughed. "You're not in trouble. I actually came to invite you."
Mishell narrowed her eyes. "Invite us… where?"
He gestured dramatically behind him—to the restricted set.
"To watch the Q4 shoot. Up close."
Lydia froze. Then grabbed Corelia's arm with terrifying intensity.
"Don't react. Don't react. Don't react—"
"You are the one reacting". Corelia
"I'm reacting," She whispered loudly.
Mishell didn't move. "Why?"
Mr. Lee shrugged, casual. "Let's call it… fan appreciation."
"We're not fans," Mishell said immediately.
"Yet," he corrected with a grin.
Corelia tilted her head slightly. "You're offering this to us… specifically?"
"Something like that," He said smoothly.
Mishell didn't trust it, not even a little.
"We'll pass". She said bluntly.
"What do you mean 'We' ?". Lydia cuts in sharply.
"Ohhh here comes the betrayal". Mishell replied, crossing her arms.
"No I am not betraying you ladies but saying no to this offer is wrong, this handsome gentleman is politely giving us an opportunity of a life time". Lydia said convincingly.
"For you Lydia, not us". Corelia corrected.
"Come on, why are you both so hard". Lydia said almost crying.
"We....." Corelia paused, she felt the presence again, stronger this time so did Mishell.
"Give me a minute" She said to them, pulling Mishell aside
"We should go".
"Cause of the feeling?" Mishell asked.
"Yes it's coming from there". Corelia pointed.
"Well you are right but I honestly don't want to see them". Mishell groaned.
"Just for the mission, we find out what it is and leave". Corelia insisted.
"Fine..." Mishell said, turning back towards Lydia and Mr Lee. "My dear Lydia I am truly inspired by your words, you are right let's go".
Lydia squeaked and jumped excitedly, " Wait really?".
Mishell nodded, smiling so fake everyone noticed except Lyida who was too excited to see it. Mr Lee signaled to the security to let them in and he did immediately.
The moment they stepped past the restricted line, everything changed.
Crew members rushed around with clipboards. Stylists chased after people with powder brushes. Cameras rolled.
Someone yelled about lighting. Assistants shouted instructions and at the center of it all—The Q4.
Jeremy was seen nodding his head to a beat like he was composing a lyrics.
Foxy was half asleep in a chair while someone fixed his hair.
Vic sat with a script in his lap, pretending not to care about anything.
And Jax—
Jax was in the middle of joking with one of the camera operators when he looked up.
"This is surprising" He said as soon as he sighted them.
Jeremy followed his gaze.
"Look who we have here, our very own anti-fan". He said jokily.
Foxy immediately opened his eyes and Vic didn't even look up at first. "What now—" .He looked and stopped. "Oh..."
Across the set, Lydia waved like her life depended on it.
"Hi I'm a huge fan".
Mishell covered her face in embarrassment . "I regret everything already."
Corelia just stood there, composed, like this was all perfectly normal.
"We split up once we get close".
Mishell nodded in agreement.
Jax walked toward them first, confused but curious.
"How did you ladies get past securities?" He asked.
"Previledge of being pretty." Lydia said proudly.
"That's cute," Jeremy muttered.
Lydia looked like she might actually explode.
"How did you really get pass securities? Jump over the fence again?". Jax asked again.
" I would only do that when it's important". Mishell responded bluntly.
"It's you again". He rolled his eyes.
"Trust me I am not excited either". Mishell replied with a straight face.
"Okay...okay your manager brought us in". Lydia quickly cuts in trying to ease the tension building up between this two.
Foxy crossed his arms. "Since when does Mr. Lee invite random people?"
"We got lucky I guess, It's truly an honor to talk to the great Q4" Lydia said.
"Atleast one of you is normal". Jax Whispered.
"Nice to meet you...." Jeremy said, trying to get her name.
"Lydia". She responded so fast, she was grinning so hard her chin should be hurting by now.
"Lydia..." Vic repeated politely. "And Corelia right...".
Corelia looked up at the sound of her name, slightly surprised. She hadn't expected him to call her name. Vic stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, like he wasn't entirely sure why he'd walked over in the first place.
"How are you feeling?" He asked. His tone was casual—but there was something softer underneath it that almost sounded like concern.
Corelia blinked. "Okay… I guess," she said.
There was a brief pause.
Not awkward exactly… just unfinished.
Lydia, who had been lurking like an overly invested stage manager, slowly slid into place beside Corelia. Then—Elbowed her.
Corelia barely reacted, just glanced at her from the corner of her eye. Lydia leaned closer, whispering urgently out of the side of her mouth:
"Thank him for helping you."
Corelia frowned slightly. "But you and Mishell helped me. Not him."
Lydia stared at her like she had just failed a very simple exam.
"He carried you," she mouthed aggressively.
Corelia paused, still processing. Then she looked back at Vic.
Vic, unfortunately, was still standing there as if he was waiting for her to say more. Now mildly suspicious.
"…Carried me?" Corelia repeated slowly, like she was confirming a historical fact.
Lydia closed her eyes briefly.
"Yes," Lydia whispered. "With his arms. Very romantic. Say thank you."
Corelia turned back to him fully now.
"Thank you," she said.
There was a small pause before she added, very honestly: "For carrying me."
Vic blinked. "Oh. Uh—yeah. It was nothing."
There was another pause. Lydia leaned back, watching like a proud director.
Nailed it.
Corelia tilted her head slightly. "Was I heavy?"
Lydia almost choked, she shook her head immediately.
Vic froze. "Wh—no," he said quickly. "No, you were fine."
Corelia nodded once, satisfied. "Good."
The silence between them was so deafening, Lydia's smile slowly started to fade.
Why is it still going? Why are they still talking? Abort. ABORT.
She thought.
Vic shifted slightly, glancing away for a second before looking back at her.
"You should probably… rest more," he said.
"I am resting," Corelia replied calmly.
"Right. Yeah. I can see that."
Lydia grabbed Corelia's arm.
"Okay! That's enough social interaction !" she announced.
Before any of them could day anything Mr. Lee showed up clapping his hands together. "I thought you boys could use some company."
"We absolutely could" Jeremy said.
Jax's attention slid toward Mishell. She looked exactly as unimpressed as always. Her arms are crossed and her expression was flat like she'd rather be anywhere else.
"Well you brought the wrong team" He said, pointing at Mishell.
"You make it sound like I had a choice." Mishell replied.
"Ouch." Jax pressed a hand to his chest. "And here I thought you missed me."
"I did," Mishell said dryly. "Then I remembered you talk."
Jeremy snorted, the drama had just began. Foxy looked like he was holding it in not to laugh.
Jax stared at her.
"You know," He said, "most people are nicer when they're secretly obsessed with me."
Mishell looked him up and down.
"That must be difficult for you, living in that fantasy."
Jeremy made a loud choking noise, Vic looked like he was actually enjoying the clash between this two
"You are losing." Foxy said out loud.
"I'm not losing," Jax replied quickly.
"You absolutely are," Foxy added.
Jax stepped closer to Mishell to intimidate her but to his surprise she didn't move.
"You always this rude?" He asked.
"Only when someone deserves it."
"And what did I do?"
"Nothing, you just have this annoying face."
Jeremy bent over laughing.
"Damn he hates it when his look is affected," he gasped. "No one's ever spoken to him like this."
"I don't like you" Jax said.
"Do I look like I care? I'm glad you don't" Mishell shot back.
"What's up with them?" Lydia whispered beside Corelia.
"I don't know". Corelia responded
"I am likable, you are just weird, rude and really annoying." Jax said, he was getting really pissed forgetting the fact he was a celebrity. For God knows what, she has a way of always getting on his nerves.
"You're loud."
"Loud?? Wh...what?.. Most people find that charming."
"Pretty annoying."
Jax ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.
"야, 진짜 (fuck)…" He muttered under his breath.
Jeremy straightened immediately. "Ohhh he switched languages. It's serious."
"What did he say?" Lydia whispered.
"Nothing you should repeat in public," Foxy said, grinning.
Mishell tilted her head slightly.
"Did you just insult me in another language?".
Jax pointed at her. "I didn't insult you. I expressed… frustration."
"Oh really? You just said fuck" Mishell
Jax blinked, the kind you do when confused. Then stared at her like she'd just broken a rule he didn't know existed.
"뭐야… 너 한국어 알아?" (What the hell… you understand Korean?)
Jeremy straightened so fast he almost pulled something. "Wait—what?"
Foxy turned fully now. "Oh this just got interesting."
Lydia grabbed Corelia's arm. "Why does this feel like a plot twist??"
Corelia, calm as ever, just watched. Their powers gave them the ability to be able to understand any language it wasn't that hard, but to humans it might look impossible.
Mishell didn't react immediately, she just stared at Jax. Slow, unimpressed then responded.
"I understand," she said flatly.
Jax's expression shifted from shock… to suspicion.
"…Since when?"
Mishell crossed her arms again.
"Long enough to know you weren't saying anything nice."
Jeremy wheezed. "Oh wow, she won."
"I'm not finished," Jax snapped, but there was no real heat in it anymore—just disbelief.
He looked at her again, studying her this time.
"Of course you do," he muttered. "Of course you understand Korean. Why wouldn't you?"
Mishell gave a small shrug.
"Maybe don't talk behind people's backs in languages you assume they don't know."
Foxy let out a low whistle. "That's embarrassing."
The fun didn't last long enough, a strong feeling hit Mishell and she turned quickly towards the stage that was being set up. She was so certain she saw something up there but to the mere human eyes there was nothing.
"There's something there". She whispered so low, only Corelia could hear her.
" I felt it too". Corelia responded.