A-RA’s smile widens, sharp and dangerous.
"Innocent," she purrs, "so innocent."

She leans in slightly, voice dropping to a mock-whisper.
"Where do we start? I’m as open as the slit on my red dress..." Her smirk deepens. "...Just hope whatever you find underneath is..." she lowers her voice even more, "...less dangerous."

She leans back again, clearly enjoying how stiff YU-JUN looks, like a statue about to topple.

"Predictable," she says, voice dripping with mock disappointment. "You lot really are predictable. How many lunches are we supposed to share? One? Ten?"

YU-JUN opens his mouth, but before he can find an answer, A-RA abruptly leans forward, hands clasped on the table, eyes bright with mischievous excitement.

"Are dates included too?" she asks, all wide-eyed innocence.

A-RA lowers her voice to a playful whisper, eyes glittering with mischief.
"...I’m free this weekend."

YU-JUN freezes mid-blink, caught between panic and a total system shutdown. He clutches his tray tighter, brain short-circuiting.

Across from him, A-RA casually leans back again, popping a fry into her mouth like nothing happened.

She glances at him sideways, voice dripping with curiosity.
"But... how did you guys decide who to send over?"

YU-JUN mutters under his breath, barely audible.
"We... tossed a coin."

A-RA raises a perfectly unimpressed brow.
"You tossed a coin," she repeats slowly, as if savoring how pathetic it sounds.

She shakes her head with a sigh.
"Then you guys should've sent over the person who got the coin toss right the first time. At least luck would have been on their side, but you?"

 She leans forward slightly, lowering her voice to a mock-conspiratorial tone.
"Remind me never to buy a lottery ticket with you. With this kind of luck, I’d end up owing the lottery money instead of winning it."

YU-JUN lets out a scoff so loud heads turn briefly.

Meanwhile, back at the boys' table, DO-YUN, MIN-JUN, and HA-JOON are locked in intense debate, heads craned to spy on YU-JUN like a bunch of undercover dads at a parent-teacher conference.

At A-RA’s table, she pauses mid-bite, her expression shifting to one of faux disappointment.

"Actually," she says, almost to herself, "I’m more insulted you thought this would be enough."
She sets her fork down dramatically.
"You people didn’t even try an elaborate plan. No fake friendship bracelets? No sob story? Nothing?"

She tilts her head at YU-JUN, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Do I really look that dumb? No. Impossible. It can’t be."

YU-JUN, pinned under her stare, looks like he’s silently pleading for divine intervention.

A-RA smirks, picking her fork back up.
"Are you not going to eat?" she asks sweetly, like this isn't a full-blown interrogation disguised as a lunch.

DO-YUN leans in toward the others, whispering, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Do you think he made progress? That fast?"

MIN-JUN grinning wickedly responds
"Hey, look on the bright side... she hasn't hurled him and his tray across the cafeteria yet. I'd call that progress!"

The boys exchange uneasy glances, their lunches suddenly tasting like cardboard. They chew mechanically, stealing glances at YU-JUN’s table.

HA-JOON lets out a dramatic, suffering sigh.
"...I think we’re all getting indigestion today."

Meanwhile, A-RA continues to munch happily, savoring every bite like she’s at a five-star restaurant rather than casually toying with someone’s soul.

She beams at YU-JUN, voice annoyingly cheerful.
"Maybe I jumped to conclusions too fast... Yes, that must be it."

YU-JUN blinks at her, visibly sweating.

A-RA leans in just slightly, eyes sparkling with fake innocence.
"I’m sure you want me to think this is simple. Lull me into a false sense of security..."
She drops her voice to a whisper, grinning.
"...and then unleash something sinister when I least expect it. Right?"

Before YU-JUN can open his mouth to deny anything—if he even knew what to say—A-RA’s excitement bubbles over.

"I think I’m going to enjoy my lunches so much more now," she says brightly.
"Waiting for the surprise attack... teetering on the edge... Delicious!"

She gestures grandly to his untouched food.
"Please, eat. I don’t want people thinking I’m bullying you. I want you to choose to suffer through this."

YU-JUN, thoroughly defeated, picks at his meal while she watches with the pure, unfiltered joy of a cat playing with a very confused mouse.

Eventually, they both finish in a painfully awkward silence.

YU-JUN hastily grabs his tray, and signals for them to leave the cafeteria.

A-RA doesn’t miss a beat.
She flashes him a wicked grin, her voice dropping to a mischievous purr.
" And miss the show? No… you first.”

She gestures with a lazy flick of her wrist.
" I want you to feel my eyes peeled on your back as you walk away…"

YU-JUN stiffens as he rises up to leave.

"And walk slowly, please," she adds sweetly.
" Let the tension marinate. This...this is going to be our routine from now on."

She lets out a satisfied sigh, like she just booked a vacation to her dream destination.
"And tomorrow," she chirps, "skip your little ten-minute pre-meeting huddle over there."

She points a teasing finger at the boys’ table, where DO-YUN, HA-JOON, and MIN-JUN immediately pretend they weren’t watching.

"No amount of pep talk is going to save you," she continues, voice syrupy smooth.
"Just show up. Bring your A-game. Maybe a stress ball too."

With a final, amused nod, she gestures again for him to move.

YU-JUN practically bolts, tray clutched in his hands, shoulders high with tension as he walks away—very slowly, as instructed—under A-RA’s gleeful, unblinking stare.

Back at their table, the boys look like they've just witnessed a public execution.

At the corner, A-RA leans back in her chair, utterly content, the chaos around her blooming like a well-watered garden.

THAT AFTERNOON BACK AT THE BOYS' OFFICE...

 YU-JUN slumps into his chair like a man carrying invisible battle scars.

The boys are practically vibrating with anticipation.

HA-JOON grinning mischievously is the first one to talk.
"Man, that looked rough..."

YU-JUN responds through gritted teeth
"You guys owe me... for life."

MIN-JUN, spins lazily in his chair, puts on his best innocent face, chips in.
"Nooo... you won that throne fair and square!"
He throws his hands up dramatically.
"We were trying our best, but you just wanted it more, man! And besides, you haven't even brought back any intel yet! For all we know, you were just over there batting your eyelashes and flirting."

YU-JUN stares at him, a mix of betrayal and disbelief and responds.

"She made me before I even sat down.She knew. Immediately."

He rubs his face, utterly drained.
"And she said she's only playing along because she expects something sinister. She said she loves 'creative encounters'—"
He air-quotes bitterly.
"—but we all know we have no plan."

DO-YUN leans back casually in his chair, a thoughtful smirk playing on his lips.Calmly he goes.
"No... that’s actually a good thing."

The boys freeze, all turning to stare at him.

DO-YUN continues to explain with unnerving composure.
"She thinks you're going to retreat now because she called you out.But if you keep showing up... it’ll throw her off balance."

He leans forward, voice low and conspiratorial.
"And when she’s confused... we might finally pry something loose."

A beat.

DO-YUN, without flinching:
"In fact, ask her on a date tomorrow."

The room implodes into chaos.

YU-JUN absolutely horrified responds.
"The adult in the room—the voice of reason!"
He jabs a finger at DO-YUN.
"That's what she called you! Are you listening to yourself right now? Are you unwell?!"

HA-JOON immediately jumps up, dramatically pressing the back of his hand to DO-YUN’s forehead.

YU-JUN finally explodes.

 A DATE?!?! YOU'VE OFFICIALLY LOST IT!"

MIN-JUN trying to stay serious, failing.
"No, no, DO-YUN's right."
He spins in his chair again, this time slower, more thoughtful.
"In the office, she’s guarded. Too smart, too careful. We won’t get anything real out of her in here."

He points a pen at YU-JUN like a sword.
"But if you keep it casual, off the clock... she’ll think it’s part of the whole 'creative encounter' thing she’s imagining.
She won’t refuse."

YU-JUN slumps even further in his chair, staring at the ceiling like it personally betrayed him. Scoffing bitterly, he responds.

"You know, all these problems started when DO-YUN actually believed you could give ideas. Now even he's been infected—gone fully crazy."

He points an accusing finger at MIN-JUN.
"Besides, you should go. You’re the self-proclaimed expert on women around here. Don’t think we’ve forgotten how thrilled you were when we found out our tactical trainer was a woman."

YU-JUN leans back dramatically, ranting like a man wronged by the universe itself.
"Plus She was visibly offended that we sent me instead of you! I feel like she already had this whole scenario mapped out—with you in mind—based on your history and all.
And now I’m stuck here, catching all the wrath that’s been stockpiled on your behalf!"

MIN-JUN shrugs, totally unbothered, even a little smug, Grinning shamelessly, he goes,
"Trust me, man, even I wish I was the one taking her out... but I don’t want to get in the way of fate."

He spins once more in his chair, arms spread dramatically as he continues
"Do you know what the odds of a three-way coin toss are?
If this isn’t destiny, I don’t know what is..."

He places a hand over his heart, mock-serious.
"And who am I to stand in the way of something so... profound?"

He bursts out laughing.

YU-JUN, having lost all patience, lets out an explosion of incoherent rage.

“%#$!! @#$%&! #^&@!!!”

(Cue a flurry of ANGRY BIRD SQUAWKS over the censored curses.)

Finally, YU-JUN lets out a massive sigh and crashes into his seat, his soul visibly leaving his body.