Rina didn't look at her. "Oh?"
Ling glanced out the window. "Just asking."
Rina smiled to herself. "Why?"
Ling scoffed. "Why does it matter? It's mine."
Rina finally looked at her. "You don't care, right?"
Ling snapped back immediately. "I don't."
Rina hummed. "Of course you don't."
Ling leaned forward, irritated. "I just want to win, okay? That's it. She thinks she can keep something of mine and walk away like she proved a point."
Rina raised a brow. "So this is a competition now."
"Yes," Ling said quickly. "Exactly. A challenge."
Rina nodded slowly, exaggeratedly, like she was agreeing with a child. "Mm-hm. A challenge."
Ling frowned. "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"That tone," Ling muttered. "That look. Like you think you know something."
Rina shrugged. "I do."
Ling snapped, "You don't."
Rina chuckled. "Sure I don't."
Ling exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair. "She smirked at me, Rin. Like she'd won."
Rina kept her eyes on the road. "And you hate losing."
"I don't lose," Ling corrected.
"Yet here we are," Rina said lightly.
Ling glared at her. "I said I don't care."
Rina nodded again, even more dramatically. "You don't care so much you're asking me how to get it back."
Ling groaned. "Ughhh! why don't you understand?"
Rina smiled, finally honest. "Oh, I understand perfectly."
Ling shot her a look. "Then stop acting like this is about feelings."
Rina's smile softened. "I didn't say feelings."
Ling went quiet.
Rina continued, gently but pointed, "I said control."
Ling's fingers curled slightly against steering.
"She took something," Rina added. "You want it back because you don't like things being taken from you."
Ling looked away. "Exactly."
Rina nodded. "If that helps you sleep."
Ling muttered, almost petulant, "It will."
Ling turned the wheel smoothly into the mansion gates.
As the car slowed, Rina glanced at her once more. "Just don't forget, Ling."
Ling's voice was sharp. "Forget what?"
Ling parked, engine humming low.
"That challenges don't usually make you this angry." said Rina.
Ling opened the door without answering.
And as she stepped out, jaw tight, pride intact, one thought burned under everything else — unspoken, unwanted, undeniable.
She didn't want to win.
She wanted it back.
Ling walked into the mansion still carrying that restless anger in her shoulders.
Her blazer was half off, steps sharp, controlled the way she walked when she refused to admit anything had touched her.
The living room lights were warm.
Eliza was seated on the couch with her tablet aside, glasses lowered.
Dadi sat cross-legged on the armchair, tea forgotten, eyes sharp as ever.
Both looked up at the same time.
Rina entered behind Ling, closed the door, deliberately slow.
Eliza studied Ling's face for two seconds longer than necessary.
"Rough day?" she asked calmly.
Ling shrugged, already walking past. "Normal."
Dadi snorted. "Normal days don't make your jaw look like it's ready to snap."
Ling stopped. Turned slightly. "I'm fine."
Rina leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a smile playing on her lips.
"So," she said casually, "apparently there's a… jewelry-related war happening at the university."
Ling shot her a glare. "Rina."
Eliza's head lifted instantly. "Jewelry?"
Dadi's eyes lit with interest. "Ah. This is going to be good."
Rina nodded, pretending to think.
"Very serious matter. World-ending, actually. A ring."
Ling snapped, "It's not like that."
Rina tilted her head. "Oh? Because from where I was sitting, it looked like you and Rhea nearly declared a ceasefire agreement over a bent piece of metal."
Eliza's expression sharpened. "Rhea."
Ling exhaled through her nose. "It was nothing."
Dadi leaned forward, amused. "Nothing usually doesn't come home this angry."
Ling folded her arms. "She took something of mine. I want it back."
Rina smiled innocently. "See? Possession issue."
Ling glared. "It's about winning."
Dadi laughed outright. "Of course it is."
Eliza's voice cut through, controlled but cold.
"What exactly was taken?"
Ling hesitated just a fraction too long.
Rina filled in smoothly.
"The navel ring. The one Ling… removed."
Dadi blinked. "Removed."
Rina nodded. "With enthusiasm."
Ling snapped, "I didn't mean to hurt her."
The room went quiet.
Eliza stood up slowly. "What??"
Ling stiffened. "She provoked me."
Rina raised a brow. "She existed. And Ling even asked about how to get ring back."
Ling turned sharply. "You're enjoying this too much."
"I am," Rina agreed. "Because you're arguing like a teenager, not a Kwong."
Dadi smiled softly, eyes never leaving Ling.
"Why does the ring matter?"
Ling answered too fast. "It doesn't."
Eliza stepped closer. "Then why did you ask Rina how to get it back?"
Ling's mouth opened then closed.
Silence.
Rina exaggerated a nod. "She said she wants to win."
Dadi chuckled. "Win what, exactly?"
Ling's voice hardened. "Control."
Eliza studied her daughter carefully.
"And when did you start losing it?"
Ling's fingers curled. "I haven't."
Rina laughed quietly. "You're asking the family for strategies over jewelry. You've lost something."
Ling snapped back, "I haven't lost myself."
Dadi tilted his head. "Then why are you this loud?"
That landed.
Ling looked away, jaw tight. "She thinks she can keep something of mine."
Eliza's tone turned precise, dangerous.
"You don't fight this hard over objects. And ring is hers."
Ling finally exploded, frustration cracking through control.
"Why is everyone making this something else? It's a challenge. She challenged me."
Rina walked closer, voice soft but merciless.
"Then stop sounding like you care."
Ling's breath hitched once.
Dadi smiled sadly. "Ah. There it is."
Eliza stepped back, folding her arms.
"If you want the ring back," she said calmly, "you'll get it."
Ling looked up sharply.
"But," Eliza continued, "don't insult us by pretending this is about victory."
Ling swallowed. "It's not love."
Rina nodded enthusiastically. "Of course not."
Ling groaned. "Ughhh! why don't you understand?"
Dadi stood, walked to her, and gently tapped her forehead with two fingers.
"We understand perfectly."
Rina added lightly, "You just don't like what it says about you."
Ling turned away, shoulders tight, pride still intact but thinner now.
She didn't say another word.
And no one stopped her.
Because everyone in that room already knew the truth Ling refused to name:
She wasn't fighting Rhea.
She was fighting the part of herself that still wanted what she claimed she didn't care about.
——
The locker room was mostly empty.
Metal lockers. The faint smell of disinfectant. Echoing footsteps.
Rhea was at her locker, slow movements, careful still healing, still sore, still refusing to show it.
The door slammed shut behind her.
She didn't turn.
Ling's presence was unmistakable. Controlled steps. Too close. Too quiet.
Ling stopped beside her and tossed something onto the bench.
A small velvet box slid across the cold surface.
"Take it."
Rhea finally turned, eyes flat. "What?"
Ling opened the box with one finger.
A new navel piercing. Perfect. Shiny. Untouched.
"Put it on," Ling said. "And give me the bent one."
Rhea laughed short, bitter. "You're unbelievable."
Ling's jaw tightened. "I'm being reasonable."
Rhea shut her locker with a sharp clang. "You hurt me. You humiliated me. You lied. And now you're bargaining like this is a market deal?"
Ling snapped, "Don't dramatize it."
Rhea scoffed. "Oh, now you decide what hurts?"
Ling leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Just give it to me."
"No."
Ling's eyes darkened. "Rhea."
Rhea crossed her arms. "I don't want a new one. And the bent one is mine."
Ling let out a sharp breath. "It's useless."
"So are half the things you obsess over," Rhea shot back.
Ling's temper cracked. "You're doing this on purpose."
Rhea stepped closer too, chin lifted. "Yes. I am."
Ling stared at her. "Why?"
Rhea's voice dropped, sharp with something raw. "Because you don't get to decide what stays with me."
Ling laughed without humor. "You don't even wear it."
"That's none of your business."
Ling's hand curled at her side. "You kept it to provoke me."
Rhea's eyes flashed. "And you came here to control me."
Silence snapped between them.
Ling closed the box slowly. "I don't want the new one."
Rhea raised a brow. "Then why bring it?"
Ling answered honestly — too honestly. "Because I don't want anyone else touching what I bent."
Rhea's breath stuttered for half a second.
She masked it immediately. "That's twisted."
Ling shrugged. "So are you."
Rhea turned to leave.
Ling reacted without thinking.
She grabbed Rhea's bag strap and yanked it back.
"Don't," Rhea warned.
Ling ignored her, already reaching inside the bag. "I know you keep it—"
Rhea shoved her back hard. "Get your hands off my things!"
Ling grabbed tighter. "You don't get to keep what's mine!"
Rhea's voice broke in anger. "You don't get to rewrite reality!"
The bag slipped. Contents spilled onto the floor.
Lip balm. Phone. Wallet.
And the bent navel ring, wrapped carefully in tissue.
Ling froze.
Her eyes locked onto it.
Rhea moved first, scooping it up, clutching it to her chest like a wound.
"Don't touch it," she said, breathing hard.
Ling stared at her not angry now, not mocking something sharper, uglier.
"You hid it like that?" Ling whispered.
Rhea snapped, "It mattered to me."
Ling stepped forward again. "Give it to me."
Rhea shook her head violently. "No."
Ling's voice hardened. "Rhea, this is getting ridiculous."
Rhea laughed hysterically. "You're the one trying to steal jewelry like a criminal."
Ling reached out again.
Rhea slapped her hand away. "I said no!"
The sound echoed.
Both froze.
Ling's eyes burned. "You're enjoying this."
Rhea's tears finally surfaced angry, humiliated. "I'm surviving you."
Ling clenched her jaw. "You don't get to make me beg."
Rhea lifted her chin. "Then stop asking."
They stood inches apart, both shaking from control slipping.
Finally, Ling stepped back.
She picked up the velvet box and shoved it into her pocket.
"Keep your broken metal," she said coldly. "But don't pretend you won."
Rhea's voice trembled. "I didn't want to."
Ling said, "You always do."
Ling grabbed Rhea's wrist before she could walk two steps.
"Enough."
She pulled her not rough, not gentle toward the wooden bench near the lockers. Rhea resisted at first, then stopped, breathing sharp.
Ling suddenly knelt in front of her.
Not a performance.
Not arrogance.
A raw, impulsive move.
Rhea froze.
Ling opened the velvet box again, hands steady despite everything else shaking.
"You should wear the new one," Ling said quietly. "This one fits. It won't hurt."
Rhea stared down at her the captain, the ruler, the girl who never bends on her knees.
Her fingers curled slowly.
Then she grabbed Ling by the collar and yanked her up.
"Tell me straight," Rhea hissed, eyes burning. "Why do you want it?"
Ling's jaw tightened.
She lied smoothly, practiced. "Because I__ iii _ bent it. So I return something that's usable. Not like this."
Rhea laughed sharp, bitter. "You always this much of an idiot, or is this new?"
Ling swallowed.
Her throat moved visibly.
"You think I'd kneel for metal?" Ling snapped. "Don't flatter yourself."
Rhea's grip tightened. "Then stop acting like it owns you."
Ling's voice dropped. "Just take it."
Rhea's eyes searched her face the lie was there, obvious, clumsy. It made her angrier.
"You're bad at lying," Rhea whispered. "Since when?"
Ling looked away for half a second.
That was all it took.
Rhea moved.
She leaned down fast, furious, reckless and pressed her lips against Ling's.
Not soft.
Not loving.
A collision.