THE NEXT DAY, Rachel, Isa, Yuki, and Hwamin stood outside the cheerleading office, along with several other girls. There was a mix of nervousness and anticipation. It was hard to believe that this was the moment they had been waiting for.

The girls chatted quietly among themselves, trying to distract themselves from the uneasiness. Isa leaned in. "Can you imagine? Us, the new power team of the cheer squad."

Yuki laughed, giving Isa an exaggerated eye roll. "You're already acting like we made it. We still need the results, you know."

Hwamin added with a grin, "True. But we've got this. we worked hard during that audition and slayed." Rachel nodded.

The door to the office opened, and the coach appeared with a stack of papers in her hand. She didn't say much as she walked toward the bulletin board, pinning the list to the wall with swift movements.

The girls crowded around, and Rachel's heart skipped a beat. She stepped closer to the list, her fingers trembling slightly as she skimmed the names. Isa's voice rang out first, full of excitement. "Oh my gosh, we made it!"

The squeals of the other girls echoed in the hallway as they read the names and confirmed their spots on the team. Rachel's breath caught in her throat as she scanned the list one more time.

Her name was there.

Isa, Yuki, Hwamin, and Rachel all cheered and hugged, the excitement bursting through them.

"Told you that you'd make it!" Rachel held onto Hwamin as they jumped.

As the excitement from the list settled, Rachel noticed a few girls hanging back, their smiles fading as they realized they hadn't made it onto the team. A couple of them wiped away tears, clearly disappointed.

Rachel couldn't help but feel for them; it was hard to see others upset, especially after they'd all worked so hard.

However, the mood quickly shifted back to excitement when Hwamin, her eyes sparkling with energy, broke the silence. "We should go out and celebrate! We made it!"

Everyone immediately agreed, their earlier nerves replaced with wide smiles and laughter. Isa, ever the planner, chimed in with a grin, "How about a hot pot place? All-you-can-eat sounds perfect right now."

Yuki's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Yes! That sounds amazing," she said, her excitement bubbling over.

But just as they were about to head out, Rachel's face suddenly fell. "Wait! I left my lunch bag in my locker."

Hwamin chuckled, giving Rachel an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, we'll wait for you. Take your time."

Rachel grinned in relief, "Thanks! I'll be quick."

She quickly climbed the stairs to the school's upper level, her sneakers echoing against the walls as she moved with purpose. She reached her locker, unlocking it swiftly and grabbing her lunch bag, her mind still racing with thoughts of the cheer team and the celebration ahead.

But as she turned to leave, she froze.

Jake was standing there, leaning casually against the wall nearby, his basketball attire making him look even more intimidating. The boys' basketball team was in the middle of their second day of tryouts, but he didn't seem in any rush to join them.

Rachel felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. She tried to ignore him, focusing on the floor ahead as she made a move to walk past him, but before she could get far, his voice stopped her.

"We need to talk."

Rachel's heart skipped a beat, and she paused only for a moment. "No, we don't." Her voice came out a little harsher than she intended, but she wasn't about to give in.

She tried to side-step him, but he moved with her, blocking her path effortlessly.

"Jake. Stop—"

Before she could react further, he moved quickly, his body pressing closer to her. The next thing she knew, she was pinned against the lockers. Both of his arms stretched out on either side of her, completely blocking any escape.

Rachel's breath hitched in surprise, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn't expected him to be so... forceful.

He was so close. Too close.

Her eyes met his, but instead of the soft, pleading gaze she remembered, there was only coldness.

"Jake," she breathed out. "What are you doing?"

He didn't answer immediately, his gaze softening for just a second before it hardened again. He seemed to be struggling with his own emotions. "You can't just walk away from me, Minirae."

She swallowed, trying to keep her composure, but his presence was overwhelming. "Let me go."

He hesitated, his face inches from hers.

"I have so many questions," Jake finally said, his voice tight with frustration. "You've changed so much—your name, your attitude, your hair..." He gestured vaguely, as if he couldn't quite grasp all of it. "What happened to you? Who are you?"

Rachel didn't answer immediately.

Jake ran his hands through his hair as if trying to calm himself. "It's like I'm looking at a completely different person," he muttered.

His eyes were searching hers, but finding no trace of the girl he used to know. Everything he once admired about her was gone.

"You left me with nothing. No reason, no text, no calls no goodbye," he continued.

The next words that come out of her are harsh, even harsher than yesterday's. "You're mad because the girl you thought you knew doesn't exist anymore. I'm not the same, and I don't have time to be who you want me to be."

He froze, stunned into silence. The hurt in his eyes was visible, his jaw clenching tightly as if her words had hit him harder than anything else.

He took a step back, eyes never leaving hers. "You know, I loved your name. I thought it was accurate back then. I used to see stars—the galaxies—in your eyes. Now... you're just like everyone else."

The finality of his words took its place, and Rachel felt a pang of something she couldn't quite identify. But before she could process it, Jake turned sharply and walked away, his back to her as he disappeared down the hallway.

She just watched him leave, her heart heavy with something she couldn't quite name.