Students buzz with excitement, gossiping about the festival and the ball.)
Student A:
"Did you see Ren dancing with Stella? They looked perfect together!"
Student B:
"Yeah, but I heard she disappeared halfway through the dance…"
(Stella arriving, a little tired but smiling softly. Alex is leaning against the school gate, waiting.)
Alex:
"You're late. Or I'm early."
Stella (teasing):
"Since when do you wait for people?"
Alex (shrugs):
"Since last night, apparently."
(Stella and Alex walk down the hallway together. It's not awkward—it's comfortable now.)
Stella:
"Thanks for dancing. Even if there was no music."
Alex:
"There was enough. You made it feel… real."
(Stella glances at him, surprised. He doesn't look at her, but the corners of his mouth twitch—almost a smile.)
Stella:
"You're different today."
Alex:
"You're just seeing me clearly now."
(Club members are celebrating their win with snacks and laughter.)
Club Leader:
"Thanks to Stella's concept and everyone's work, we crushed it! Let's keep that energy going for the next project!"
Ren (joking):
"Maybe Stella should lead the club permanently."
(Some laugh. Stella laughs too—but her eyes flick briefly toward Alex. He looks down, hiding a reaction.)
Stella:
"I'm not ready to lead. I'm still learning."
(Alex meets her gaze and quietly nods.)
(Stella and Alex sit side by side, sketching. Their sketchbooks are open. It's quiet but not empty.)
Stella:
"You don't talk much. But when you do… it kind of sticks."
Alex:
"Too many words ruin things. You know that—your sketches say more than your speeches."
(They exchange a small glance, the silence between them soft.)
Stella (smiling):
"Fair. But sometimes… silence needs company."
Alex (softly):
"Then I guess I'll stay a while."
(Stella resting her head on Alex's shoulder as they danced. Then back to present: Stella taps her pencil against her sketchbook.)
Stella (thinking):
"Why does it feel like something started that night… something we're still figuring out?"
(Stella flips through her sketchbook. She's redrawn a quiet moment: two silhouettes under the stars.)
[ Stella's Thoughts]
"With Alex… I don't need to explain myself. And maybe that's what makes him hard to forget."
(She smiles, lightly brushing her fingers over the pages)
( Stella gazing at her sketch, and Alex on his rooftop, staring at the same stars, holding a folded piece of paper—a sketch of her from the festival.)
[Alex's Thoughts]
"I never planned to get close. But now that I have… I don't want to step back."