Leo found himself sitting in the music room, a makeshift rehearsal space repurposed for the drama club's use. The sunlight poured through the slanted windows, casting golden shadows on the hardwood floors. He sat by the piano, not playing, just resting his fingers on the keys like they might ground him.
"You okay?" Yuki's voice came from behind.
He looked up. She was holding two bentos—again.
"I figured you'd skip lunch to rehearse," she said with a grin, sitting beside him.
Leo blinked. "You brought me food… again?"
"I'm training you to depend on me," she said, mock serious. "Once you're addicted to my teriyaki chicken, you'll never escape."
Leo chuckled. "Is that your grand plan?"
Yuki leaned back against the piano. "No. But it's a nice bonus."
They sat in silence, eating together, letting the occasional notes from a distant violin practice seep through the walls. The warmth in the room wasn't just from the sun.
---
Rehearsals were intense.
Their play, The Silent Snowfall, told the story of two students during wartime who pretended to be lovers for a school production—only to find the line between acting and feeling began to blur.
Every rehearsal was another layer peeled away. Leo found himself slipping into the role easily… too easily.
"You're too good at that look," Yuki muttered one day after a particularly charged scene.
"What look?"
"The one that says 'I'd give up the world for you.' It's dangerous."
Leo blinked. "I'm just following the script."
Yuki looked away. "Sure you are."
---
The new transfer student's name was Ami Fujimoto.
She had a quiet elegance to her—always polite, always composed. She didn't join the drama club immediately, but she began attending rehearsals as an observer.
"I just like watching good stories," she told Rin, who allowed it with a raised brow.
But it soon became clear she wasn't just watching.
Ami often stayed after to ask Leo about his lines. She'd wait near his locker and walk with him to the clubroom. She even brought him a rare script copy from a previous national winner, saying it might inspire him.
Yuki noticed.
So did Hana.
So did Rin.
And Leo?
Leo was oblivious.
---
One afternoon, Leo was practicing alone. The scene was heavy—his character was supposed to cry. He wasn't quite there yet.
Ami stood at the edge of the room.
"Your voice falters," she said softly.
Leo looked up. "It's… hard to force that kind of emotion."
"Don't force it," she said, stepping closer. "Feel it."
He looked at her.
"Can I show you something?" Ami asked.
Leo nodded.
She stepped into the scene with him, taking Yuki's place for a moment. Her delivery was calm but piercing. She didn't cry—but she made him feel like crying.
When the scene ended, Leo stood still, stunned.
"…Wow."
Ami bowed slightly. "You feel it now?"
Leo nodded slowly. "Yeah."
From the hallway, unseen, Yuki stood frozen.
She had come to call Leo for dinner.
But now, she wasn't so sure she should.
---
That night, Leo walked back to the dorms alone. He replayed the rehearsal over and over in his head.
Kai caught up to him mid-walk.
"You're in deep," Kai said.
Leo frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You've got three girls watching you like it's a chessboard. And you just let a queen walk right into the game."
Leo groaned. "It's not like that. Ami's just… helpful."
"Sure," Kai said. "And Yuki's smile when she gives you lunch is just 'friendly.'"
Leo sighed. "I'm trying not to mess anything up."
Kai shrugged. "Good luck with that."