Trivial Rival (Lookism Zack)

01: Enemy's enemy

Iseul was aware that between the three of them - Zack, Johan, and herself, her chances of being picked by Mira were slim to none. Unless, of course, Mira happens to be romantically attracted to the same gender, specifically to Iseul. If such a scenario were to take place, it's possible that Iseul may have a chance with the brunette.

Although, it was no doubt that being a boy would have meant that Iseul was Mira's obvious choice. She is the kind of person that every girl would want, and she was confident in her ability to treat her fellow females better than males could. However, she prefers being a girl and refuses to let that put her at a disadvantage. Iseul was not willing to compromise her gender identity, instead choosing to focus on winning Mira's heart by expressing her unique qualities. She believed that her chance with Mira was still there and was determined to make the brunette her own.

On top of Johan's sudden disappearance, which made only one candidate left, Iseul found it amusing to mock and make fun of her remaining competitor because they consistently did things that were in complete deviation from what Mira liked.

"Hey Lee, are you okay? Because I am."

"Fuck off."

His retort didn't faze her even one bit. A grin made its way on the female's face and it even seemed to irritate Zack more than anything else.

"You annoy me even without doing anything."

"Thanks! That was exactly what I was aiming for." the blonde replied, her grin unflattering which only served to irritate the boxer even more, causing him to let out a weary groan.

She was highly entertained by how the two of them are frequently engaged in squabbles when they were younger, usually over toys, and that they continued the same pattern of behavior as they grew up, only this time, the subject of dispute happens to be Mira, their mutual childhood friend.

Iseul had long acknowledged that her own preferences were quite similar to Zack's - be it toys, cartoons, foods, or other objects, but she was taken aback when she discovered that their shared appreciation extended to their attraction towards girls as well.

Iseul, during her childhood, always thought that her dislike of Zack was solely based on his attempts to divert Mira's attention from her to him. She assumed her annoyance towards him was a byproduct of her closer friendship with the brunette and that she was merely annoyed by the boxer's interference during their "girls' time".

As she matured, Iseul realized that her feelings for the brunette were more than just platonic. Iseul began to notice subtle aspects of her, such as the way her brown hair beamed in the day's rays or how her smile could illuminate even the darkest of rooms.

But instead of keeping her feelings bottled up inside and pretending that everything was just as it had always been, she wasted no seconds and made a move. Zack was already way ahead of her at the beginning and she wouldn't hesitate to catch up and resort to desperate measures.

Iseul's teasing grin transformed into a genuine one as she shifted her position on the clinic's bed, situated beside Zack, who was lying down on his own bed. The male glanced at her, only to be met with the blonde's pair of eyes, which were already focused on him.

"W-what? Why are you looking at me like that? What's with the smile?" her smile was so authentic that Zack found himself being uneasy.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"I appreciate it. You've been an incredible idiot, and I'll make sure not to mess up my upcoming date with Mira, contrary to what you did to yours a few days ago."

Her smile and tone were full of mockery, she stood up and sent the male a finger gun before going straight out the door.

"Y-YOU-!"

The boxer was left feeling frustrated, letting a pillow fly through the air in hopes of landing a hit, only for it to collide with the door with a deafening thud. He let out a frustrated groan and ruffled his hair in annoyance, only to freeze when he make out the sticky residue of his hair gel on his palm.

"Shit- my hair!"

____________________

"You're Daniel Park, am I right?"

"Y-yes.."

Daniel shifted uncomfortably in his chair, fiddling with his navy blue necktie and occasionally stealing a glance at the blonde that towered over his sitting form that made her appear to be more intimidating than she already was. He didn't have the slightest clue who she was or why she was there, but her leadership presence exudes an aura of command that made him feel even more anxious than he already was.

'Why is he sweaty as fuck?' Iseul squinted her eyes at him before extending a hand.

"I'm Iseul Kang, nice to meet you."

"Oh, yes.. Nice to meet you too." Daniel accepted her hand and shook it.

Iseul's goal in interacting with Daniel was to befriend him. After all, she had a motto that she lived by: Befriend your enemy's enemy.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." her eyes remained locked with his as she continued to shake his hand.

"What?"

"Be my friend, Daniel Park."

The transferee's eyes lit up at the promise of new friendship, and his other hand eagerly clasped hers. His blush was evident, showing his excitement and happiness at finding someone to confide in. With a big grin slapped on his face, he agreed to without hesitation.

"Okay! We're friends!"

He smiled brightly, enough to lit up the whole room and turn Iseul blind. The blonde hates to admit it but she knows what Zack is capable of and hearing that he lost in merely one punch, she assumes that his opponent must be insanely insane - worst than Zack is. Facing Daniel made her figure out the whole situation even without anyone telling her about it. She ruffled Daniel's hair in both awe and adoration.

'How dare that bastard pick a fight with a total sunshine.'

She smiled at Daniel, repeatedly ruffling his hair as the male looked up at her from his seat like a puppy staring delightfully at its owner. Iseul was too immersed in her plan of befriending the transferee that she forgot that Mira Kim belongs to the same department and didn't acknowledge the said female when she entered the classroom.

And so, she also failed to notice the brunette's facial expression turning into a frown as she observe the pair's interaction.