3rd Death - Plan

Several months ago...

'My name is Eunhee Ha.'

'And... I'm in love with a boy.'

Eunhee thought to herself as she walked next to Jiho; with Daniel to Jiho's other side.

"A new year... I wonder what's gonna happen..!" Jiho mused aloud with a smile.

"Dumbass. What else is gonna happen? They're going to work us to death yet once more..." Daniel replied with a sigh.

"Now, now... It ain't so bad! We're gonna have new courses opened up for us, which will give us better chances to get into a good university... And don't forget the club activities!" Jiho confidently said with a smile.

After sneaking another look at Jiho, she mused, 'That boy is so kind, understanding, positive... And he constantly makes sure to raise everyone around him up... And... I can be as I am around him. And... I feel like I don't have to grow up with him. He's just so... Pure. So adorable.'

"Besides, we're all together. Isn't that what matters?" He added as he patted Daniel's broad back.

"..." Daniel sighed again, "What am I gonna do with you...? Well... I suppose not everything's terrible if you say it like that..." He admitted as the trio continued walking.

'I decided,' She thought.

'I'm going to be his wife.' She turned around and looked ahead as they walked. '... When I'll figure out the right time to confess.' She reasoned, blushing at the thought.

'But when I finally do...' She started daydreaming, 'We'll be doing romantic walks all the time... Cuddle for hours, and have all night talks...' A fuzzy feeling welled up in her stomach as she imagined herself in those scenarios with Jiho. 'And.. We'll still have fun like we always do. We'll never change. A relationship out of a fairytale... Haah, I can't wait~~!' She thought in bliss...

... Unaware that Daniel also looked in her direction.

'Damn...'

'Eunhee's gotten so sexy.' He thought.

'Tsk...' Daniel's lip twitched in annoyance, 'Why him?!' He thought, looking at Jiho's scrawny self, and his naive nature; comparing it to his own. 'What's he got that I don't?!'

'... Why am I getting myself worked up? Eunhee's not that cute. Well, not cuter than most girls I've dated. Some really were top class models-level... So... Why does that bother me so much that they like each other!?'

From a distant corner, a certain figure with a baseball bat prepared to strike.

'Well, well, well... Another NTR bastard about to strike. And this time it's the muscular, bolder best friend... Ohhhh boy, this is going to be good...!!!' He thought, a manic expression on his face as he was about to emerge and beat him to the next world...

... Only to feel a sudden shift in fate's wheels.

'... What, again? Seriously?' He thought, looking up to the heavens, 'This is like, the SECOND time it happens!! You want to tell me there are zombies now!?' He thought, sighing in exasperation as he turned around and left.

'Oh well,' He thought, glancing at Jiho as he and his 'friends' gotten farther away. '... If he plays it right, he's gonna be strong enough to deal with it himself.' He mused as he disappeared from sight.

----------------------------

'We're going to be in the same class...!' Eunhee thought as she looked at the classroom division board.

"Oh, Eunhee," Daniel let out as he casually approached Eunhee near the board.

"Daniel!" Eunhee exclaimed as she turned around, unaware she was glowing in his eyes with her smile, "Look! We're all in the same class!" She said as she eagerly pointed at the board.

"Say, Eunhee..." Daniel murmured, a hint of reluctance in his tone.

'Damn it, I just feel frustrated every time I look at her, because I know she and Jiho will end up together... Why...!?' 

"Daniel...? Is everything alright?" She said, noticing his unreadable expression as he failed to say anything.

'I know. I got it. She has gotten cuter for sure, and she's gotten sexy... But more than anything, she's a good person that I am actually bonded to. That's why I'm like this... And, I know that Jiho can't protect her. He'll just fold when anyone decides to hit on her and threaten him a little.'

"Ah..." He stuttered momentarily, "N-no, I just had a rough break up..." He said as he scratched his head as he looked down.

"Oh... That sounds terrible..!" She said, clasping her hands together as she looked at him with concern.

"F-forget about that!" He said dismissively, raising his head once more "You like Jiho, don't you?"

"W-What...!" She gasped as she looked away, blush filling her face, "N-no... I don't know... What you're... Saying..." She murmured as she held her arm bashfully.

'God... Damn it....' He thought, gritting his teeth, 'FUCK..!! Why do you like her too!?'

It was then that Daniel recalled of how Jiho confessed to him that he liked Eunhee, but does not know how to go about it. He told him that he had liked her for a few years now, even back at Middleschool.

However, unbeknownst to Jiho, Daniel also developed his feelings, albeit more recently. When Eunhee's physical allure began to soar.

"Daniel."

"I... I'm into Eunhee... W-... What should I do?" He murmured.

"What should you do...? Hm... Wait a while." He hesitantly said while showing a contemplative gaze.

"Wait...?" Jiho murmured skeptically as he looked at Daniel.

"Look, you can confess if you want; but honestly, I wouldn't rush it if I were you," Daniel said, leaning back with a casual shrug, unable to meet Jiho's earnest gaze. "Y-you know how she is—confessing out of the blue might just make things awkward. Maybe give it a little time. We can figure out the best way to approach it together. What do you think?"

"Ah... Alright. You're so reliable, Daniel. Thank you! I wouldn't know what to do without you!" Jiho said with a warm smile.

=====================

'Yeah.' Daniel thought as he looked down, 'He's just too naive and pure to protect her and make sure she's safe and having fun.' He reasoned.

"Either way," Daniel let out, getting Eunhee's attention back ot him, "It's kind of obvious, you don't have to hide it."

"It's obvious... You say...?" She murmured reluctantly, still intensely blushing as she looked back at him.

"Yeah. But... I'm not sure if you should set your expectations high..." He admitted.

"Huh...?" She let out, her attention fully on him in curiosity.

"I mean, I know Jiho the best. He never told me something about that... And I don't think I've seen him look at you the way you look at him..." He said confidently, feigning sympathy.

"O-oh... I-.... I see..." She muttered, her voice trailing off as she looked down, appearing downtrodden.

"But..." Daniel said out loud, "I have a plan where you can get him to like you, Eunhee."

"R-really?" Eunhee's voice wavered slightly, a mix of hope and doubt flickering in her eyes as she looked up at him.

"Yeah," Daniel said, his smile reassuring. "Why don't we grab a coffee after school? We can talk more about it then."

"... Talk...? Talk about How..."

"How to make Jiho fall for you." He firmly affirmed.

"Al.." She swallowed, "Alright. I... Let's do it!" She resolved.

"Great. Meet me after school, and we'll get you two lovebirds together." He confidently stated.

As Daniel turned to leave, Eunhee instinctively reached out and caught his hand. She hesitated, her fingers trembling slightly against his, and for a moment, she didn't say anything.

"Daniel, you're the best," she finally managed, but her voice was softer, almost uncertain. "I... I don't know how to thank you."

'Damn... She really is cute...' He thought as he looked at her trembling face.

"Don't worry about it..." He let out as Jiho came to the two.

"What's up, you two?" He cheerfully called. It was then that Eunhee swiftly broke off holding his hand and stepped back before Jiho noticed.

Daniel clicked his tongue quietly as she broke off the hand holding, as he too turned to Jiho.

"What's up, man?" He said.

"Jiho! We're in the same class!" Eunhee said as he ran over to him, "Isn't that great!?" She expressed.

"It.. It really is!" Jiho said with a smile as she got near him.

'Tsk... She's too scared to even hold his hand... So, she doesn't even see me as a potential boyfriend, is that it?' He thought, clenching his fist in silence as he saw the two interact.

'Well, I'm going to change that,' He thought, looking at Eunhee.

'... As for you...' He then glanced at Jiho, 'I'm sorry. You're still my buddy... But I ain't handing her over to you. No matter what. She'll be my woman. Consider this as payment for protecting you all this time... I mean, I gotta have something for myself, right? You think I don't get tired every now and then? I need some form of reward... Don't I...? And besides... This... I'm doing you a favor. You cannot protect her, Jiho.' Daniel repeated in his mind. 

'As much as I love you... You're not worthy of her.' He resolved, although his heart wasn't as set as he had hoped it would, feeling a subtle twitch of discomfort.

'Quiet down,' Daniel thought to himself, 'It literally can't be any other reason other than Jiho unable to protect her... And me wanting her as a woman for life.'

"Daniel?" Jiho murmured as he looked at him, pulling him out of his trance.

"What are you doing?" He asked, "Let's go!" He called invitingly as he reached out his hand to him.

Daniel could only sigh, "... Psche, I ain't your girlfriend, get your hand off me..." He murmured resignedly as he gently pushed his hand away as he walked up to the two.

As the day went on, Eunhee found it harder to concentrate. Every time she saw Jiho, she felt the familiar warmth and affection, but now there was something else—a nagging doubt, a flicker of disappointment. And when she thought of Daniel's words of how Jiho never thought about her in that manner, she couldn't help but feel immensely frustrated.

'... Daniel is really knowledgeable, considering he's been in many relationships, huh...'

She wondered as she looked at Jiho.

'It's a good thing I turned to him for help!' She thought, looking forward to meet Daniel at their promised place to formulate a plan, unbeknownst to Jiho.