The first bell hadn't even rung before chaos erupted at Jungwon High. A rancid stench slithered through the air, the kind that makes your eyes water and your stomach revolt. Students spilled from buses clutching masks, teachers gagged behind folding fans, and somewhere, someone screamed, "It smells like rotten eggs mixed with burnt rubber!"
Seo Hae-won rounded the corner of the courtyard, nose scrunched, and nearly collided with Ji-hoon. He was already mid-stride, eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. A discarded flower crown fell at her feet—its pastel blossoms wilting in the toxic atmosphere.
"Stink bombs," he growled, pulling off his collar to cover his nose. "Mi-ra's doing."
She blinked. "Again? Really?"
"Definitely," he said, scanning the smelly masses. "Her little revenge prank after our cupcake caper. And now everyone's paying the price."
---
Operation: Sniff 'n' Seek
They ducked behind the soda machines against the wall, pulling out gloves and a small toolkit from Ji-hoon's backpack. Students were fumbling with water bottles, trying to rinse masks of the acidic odor. Eun-sae frantically tossed handfuls of dryer sheets into the air, but the clouds of perfumed blossoms only mixed with the stink.
"We need to find the bombs before the whole school evacuates," Ji-hoon said, voice low. He handed Hae-won a miniature infrared scanner—one of his "fun gadgets."
Hae-won clicked it on. The display painted the world in red-to-blue gradients; cool blues meant safe, blazing reds meant hot spots—the stink bombs.
"Follow the red," he whispered.
They slipped through students, scanning under benches, behind trash cans, even inside locker vents. Each alarming beep brought them closer to a small canister disguised as a tea can. Hae-won yanked it out: the top hissed with a plume of sulfurous gas that stung her throat. She nearly dropped it.
Ji-hoon snatched it, twisted it open, and shrugged. "Three-second countdown," he muttered. He fished out the tiny trigger mechanism, yanking it free with a satisfying click. The stench stopped mid-air, and the canister went inert.
"Nice save," she said, heart pounding.
"Two down," he grinned. "One more somewhere around the main entrance."
---
Bomb #3: The Grand Entrance Ambush
They sprinted to the front gate—students huddled in clusters, traffic halted, phone cameras rolling. Under the giant archway spelling "WELCOME TO JUNGWON," a fourth canister glowed ominously red in the infrared scanner.
"Gotcha," Hae-won panted, crawling under a bench like a secret agent. She reached for the canister, but a sleek high-heeled shoe slammed down, pinning it in place.
"Looking for this?" came Min-ji's sweet-as-poison voice. She perched above Hae-won, one eyebrow arched, green eyes gleaming with triumph. "I set that one specially—for our Bloom Couple."
Ji-hoon leapt forward, cracking his knuckles. "Step away, Mi-ra."
She smirked and kicked the canister away—straight toward Hae-won. The canister rolled under a bus, teetered on the edge, then clanged to a stop near the steps. Gas hissed. Students shrieked, scrambling back.
"Time's up," Min-ji cooed. "Enjoy the finale."
She turned to leave, heels clicking, but Ji-hoon moved faster. He dived, snatching the canister mid-roll. It burst in his hand—he yelped, dropped it, but Hae-won was quicker. She grabbed his arm, yanked him behind a statue, and covered his mouth as the gas fanned out in a sulfur cloud.
Coughing, Ji-hoon nodded. "Nice reflexes."
Without missing a beat, Hae-won kicked the canister into a large puddle of rainwater. It fizzed—but didn't explode. She dismantled the top with nimble fingers, prying out the trigger. With a dramatic flourish, she tossed it at Min-ji's feet.
Min-ji sat back, stunned. The crowd parted like a curtain, staring at the dispelled bomb components at her feet.
Ji-hoon stepped out, hand on Hae-won's shoulder. "You better apologize." His voice was quiet, deadly calm.
Min-ji opened her mouth, but no words came. Her cheeks burned brighter than any bomb could. With a frantic gesture, she bent down, scooped up the trigger, and hurled it into the river, then scrambled away—vanishing into the crowd.
---
Triumphant Return
The courtyard crowds parted, cell phones lifted. A wave of applause rippled through the students. Teachers emerged from offices, blinking at the clear air. Even the janitor tossed a broom in the air and cheered.
Hae-won's legs threatened to buckle. Ji-hoon caught her, spinning her into a quick hug. Cameras snapped; the app notifications exploded:
> "BLOOM COUPLE DEFUSES STINK BOMB SAGA!"
Views: 1.1M | Comments: 23.4K
Comments poured in:
"Never underestimate Girl Power!"
"Ji-hoon + Hae-won = dream team"
"Min-ji got BOMBed by her own plan!"
Hae-won laughed as her phone vibrated with cheers and emojis. For the first time, she basked in the spotlight without fear—because today, she'd won with honesty and heart.
---
The After-Action Debrief
Later, in the safety of the rooftop greenhouse—far from prying eyes—Ji-hoon tossed each defused trigger into a metal box labeled "Evidence (Do Not Touch)." Blossoms from an overhanging tree drifted to the ground like congratulatory confetti.
Hae-won flopped onto a crate, grinning. "So… what now, Agent Panda?"
He adjusted his imaginary monocle. "De-brief. Then I believe we owe ourselves a snack—ice cream sundaes, extra strawberries, no stink bombs."
She stood and offered him a hand. "Lead the way."
He kissed her knuckles. "After you, my fearless partner."
They strolled back toward the stairwell hand-in-hand, their steps light, hearts full of adrenaline—and the sweet promise of next week's adventure. Because at Jungwon High, with Mi-ra's pranks and the world's gossip app swirling around them, life was never boring… and they wouldn't have it any other way.