Machiavellian | Pyramid Game

Chapter 1

There is a saying that holds true, especially here.

Office changes manners.

Take Yeondo for example. Sociable, high-status, good-looking, and most importantly, high-ranked.

Since the start of this year, she's always been Rank B. Her confidence and popularity knew little bounds.

That was until the last voting result.

She lost one vote and dropped to Rank C. Suddenly, she's a lot meeker. She still has friends and is as sociable as ever, but it isn't the same anymore.

Meanwhile I, on the other hand...

...rose to Rank B, seemingly gaining 3 votes overnight.

Seoyoon leisurely walked through the hallway, whistling a tune with two juice boxes in hand. She had one banana milk and the other, strawberry milk.

Seoyoon stopped by the classroom with a nameplate hanging above, labeled 'BAEKYEON GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL 2-5'. She opened the door and entered.

Immediately, all eyes turned to her for a moment before looking away, disinterested. Seoyoon paid no mind, making her way to her seat.

The class was unusually quiet, everyone was in their proper seats, heads straight ahead. It was indeed a special day today.

"Soyoung." She called out, looking at her seatmate and taking her seat.

"Yes...?" Soyoung said quietly, looking up from her desk with widened eyes. She began fidgeting with her hands, a streak of sweat went down her neck.

Seoyoon smiled.

"I got this for you." Seoyoon placed one of the two juice boxes in her hands down randomly, sliding it near her, "I haven't compensated you appropriately yet, right? I'll pay you back tomorrow, promise."

"Ah... yeah, sure." Soyoung averted her eyes, taking the juice box.

"Can you do the same thing you did for me last time?" Seoyoon asked, quietly watching her fidget and avoid her, "It's not a problem, right?"

"Yes." Soyoung nodded, looking at the juice box in her hands with a frown.

"That's great." Seoyoon said, stabbing the top of her juice box with a straw and sipping her drink.

That's one more vote secured for next voting. Seoyoon narrowed her eyes.

"I don't even like this..." Soyoung muttered quietly under her breath, reading the flavor at the front of the juice box. Then she noticed a small piece of yellow paper sticking out from the bottom.

Seoyoon pretended to not hear that. Instead, she kept her eyes at the front of the class. Their homeroom teacher should be here any moment now. It was likely he got held up by something because she should have been marked tardy by now.

"!!!" Soyoung paled, widening her eyes. She glanced at Seoyoon, who just gave her a smile in response.

At the bottom of her juice box was a sticky note that read: I still have the video.

It was exactly what the note suggested. Blackmail. It worked well last month, so Seoyoon did not see a problem in doing it again.

For a standoffish person such as Seoyoon, how she became Rank B became less confusing when you consider factors other than likability.

With likely only a few minutes to spare before Mr. Lim arrived, Seoyoon's eyes wandered around the classroom without much thought, tapping her desk with a rhythm to it.