After a while...
They all we're on the Cafe L'Amour, and it was louder than usual.
Not chaotic—just alive. Scripts scattered across tables. Highlighters uncapped. Half-finished drinks sweating onto wooden surfaces. The festival committee had taken over the back section like it was a battlefield headquarters.
Nana stood near the counter, clapping her hands,"Okay! Quiet down! We're finalizing the casting tonight!" Groans. Nervous laughter, than someone dropped a pen.
Senkai sat near the far end of the long table, posture straight, expression unreadable. He hadn't planned to care. And definitely hadn't planned to audition seriously. But somehow he did, and now—He waited.
Across from him, Yui bounced her leg anxiously. "If I get tree number three again, I'm quitting," she whispered dramatically. "You were being a convincing tree," He replied dryly making fun of her acting, as she kicked him under the table. Ouch!
Nana cleared her throat and held up the printed sheet. "For the historical drama The 'Crimson Oath'…" The room quieted instantly. "For the Second female lead—Senna—"
A pause for suspense.
Than "Yuigahama Yui, female lead." She froze for a moment, Then—"WHAT?!" The café erupted into applause and teasing whistles. Yui covered her mouth, eyes wide. Senkai allowed himself a small smile.
Than Nana continued, "For the male lead—Ron Takahashi…" A longer pause this time. For the second lead. "…Yoshimura Senkai ." Silence, Half a second. Then the noise exploded. "NO WAY—" THE QUIET GUY?! "Newbie, the Freshman, huh?"
Yui grabbed his arm so hard that it almost hurt. "YOU'RE THE OTHER THE LEAD?!" We'll be acting together..
He'd blinked once."…You're joking." right? Nana shook her head, grinning. "Highest audition score, and the best chemistry read, don't look so betrayed."
The murmurs spread across the room. And he already felt it, The shift in the air, eyes turning, whispers forming, and the unwanted spotlight. His fingers tightened slightly around the script in his lap.
Across the café, near the doorway—Later, as the meeting wrapped up— Reze approached the table. "Make sure the rehearsals don't overlap with the club activities, she said calmly. I don't want complaints later."
"Of course, "Reze, Nana replied politely.
Too politely. He closed the script and stood, than said, "We'll manage somehow don't worry."
Reze's gaze flicked briefly between him and Senna. "Good," she said. Then she walked away.
Senna she watched her go, then quietly asked, "Does she always… feel like that or something happened? she whispered to herself. "Like what?" He asked. "Like she's ten steps ahead of everyone," She replied.
He didn't answer. Cuz he knew because she always was somewhere.
———
"After everyone had left—"
Nana remained seated alone, lights dimmed. Staff wiped down counters. Soft music played in the background, she opened her tablet again, not the script, a different folder, photos, old festival records. Archived performance footages, than a one specific document.
Amano Reze — Former Lead Actress.
The Multiple awards, standing ovations, and the Multiple headlines.
Nana her fingers tightened slightly around the device."Perfect director, perfect President and the perfect senior," she murmured quietly, then she opened another tab.
Festival Committee Override Authority, as the head coordinator, Nana held the final say over a stage direction, promotional focus, and a press coverage. She didn't need to remove Reze. "No, that would be obvious, but she just needed to redirect the spotlight. Away from her.
And the best way... For what it was?
Than she looked at another pic of the current group photo of the Club, especially toward the Senkai and Senna.
Build the new stars, than dim the old one. And when the applause shifts— So does the power.
She smiled faintly to herself. "Let's see how long you will shine, "Nana whispered under her breath.
And Inside the café door, unnoticed—
Reze stood still quietly, She hadn't left, but she had returned for her forgotten file, and she had heard enough. Not everything. But enough. Her expression didn't change, but her eyes darkened slightly, "So that's how it is Nana, She said.
Quiet wars were her specialty.
And Nana had just declared one, Without even realizing it— But little did she knew, She wasn't the only one who knew how to plot behind someone's back. "That day..."
Reze didn't confront her. She never did things that directly. Instead, she walked past Nana as if nothing had happened, "don't stay too late, she said calmly, picking up the file she'd forgotten. You'll need your energy."
Nana looked up, smiling politely. "Of course, Reze thanks." Their eyes met, Polite, Sharp, Measured, Two blades testing edge against each other.
Then she left.
And some storms just wait silently until they emerge...
———
"At the airport, Uk England."
He sat at the lobby, scrolling through his phone. Message from Oven— You are coming back?
•••
Hm.. It's the last year of the college, He replied.
•••
Sheliy: I thought you gonna complete your course in the Uk.
•••
He replied: I just thought all the friends are in Japan, it's useless graduating here without getting to seeing all thier faces.
•••
"Sounds like a excuse to me, Sheliy replied.
•••
Adam Suddenly in the chat: shuh... Even if it is we should pretend sheliy, you know,
•••
Ken messaged: quiet, and cold. He ditched her, before leaving do you really think he going back because of her...
•••
A different pop up came in his phone—Message from Nana: "Unusual, He thought than switched the chat. "Hey lemon it's been a while, so how are you, how's England?"
•••
He replied: Unlike you. Nana, messaging me first?"
•••
Just thought I should tell you as a good friend, Nana messaged, do you know that Reze is dating someone these days.
"Seriously."
•••
"Silence for a moment like the world stopped moving."
The voice of someone heals cracking against the floor, Two coffee's in the hand coming closer she said. "Here coffee, Lemon?"
He looked up, "Huh..." The time started moving again. "They are about to be done with the fueling of the jet. she said, we can leave in a while."
"Good, he said. Taking the coffee.
Than typed. "So what? She can date whoever she want. He replied to her than closed the screen of his phone.
She looked over at his troubled face, "You don't seem much excited to go back to Japan?" He said, I'm not, It's just some unfinished things are there."
"Unfinished things. Huh..."
"Anyway Light. what about you, you don't seem excited or interested either. He said, You are going to meet your fiance after all, least show some excitement. And usually you are pretty hyped up for other things. But not for your fiancé."
"All the man's are same, she said, possesive throughwards their things, people's, family's, and busy in thier own self constructed world. "They lie next second, like a honey dripping from thier mouths."
"Ouch. He said. Putting one hand at his chest, "Don't tell me that I look same in your eyes".
"What do you think? She shot back, and don't know, maybe it's just Japan, tokyo. It just hold some precious and wild memories... Of a past."
He hummed. Hm... "So, I been wanting ask for a while, why did you choose you fiance than...?When you believe all man's are lying scumbags."
"Hm... Cuz he is rude."
"What?" He said?
"Hm.. He is fucking rude, and honest just like me, she replied, do you even know what happened on our first date..."
———
"France, Paris..."
In a French restaurant.
Dain Damsguard, he did not like being set up.
Half Danish. Half Japanese. Raised on a quiet expectations and colder standards. He valued precision — in language, in posture, in people. "I remember, So when I walked in exactly on the time," he noticed.
Black coat. Straight spine. Blonde hair falling in a smooth line down her back, No nervous smile or apologetic energy. She stopped at his table. "You're Dain."
"Now, now, not a question. He said, his pale eyes lifted to meet hers. You're the Light Miyazono."
she noded. "Yes," she replied quick. "You're three minutes late," He said. "But I am on time, her tone wasn't defensive, But It was factual. You are just early."
He gestured to the seat with his hand. "Sit." And she did, calm, and controlled, with no wasted movement. Dain studied her openly. "Your name means brightness. But you don't seem that very bright."
She replied. "I am not required to glow for you." A clean cut, sharp as it can be. His jaw shifted slightly. "Hm... You are always this stiff?"
She said, "I just don't bend for the strangers. He noded. "Sounds pretty exhausting," She short back. "So does pretending to be impressive."
A Silence, the kind that measures but he smiled.
Than leaned forward, his voice lowering slightly. "You know most girls try to impress me," He said. "But I'm not the one competing," she replied. "You're that confident." He said.
"I'm selective, I believe." She replied. His eyes narrowed just a fraction of bit. "About what?" She short back. "Where I invest my time." And damn that one landed.
Dain let out a short breath that almost resembled a laugh. "You think you're better than me?" She held his gaze steadily, "No. I just think you are trying very hard to prove something."
There it was, the first real flicker in his expression. "And what do you think I'm trying proving?" he asked quietly. "That you don't want to be here, she said.
Another silence. But not hostile. Just sharp.
He leaned back slowly. "You don't get scare easily do you?" she replied. "You just don't intimidate enough effectively, I believe." For the first time in a while—He smiled. "I kinda like that. Not something warm, But genuine. You're different, miss Miyazono."
"I'm just consistent. He asked, "And what's your verdict?" Light folded her hands neatly on the table. "You're rude," She said. "That's nothing new, he said, and?"
She tilted her head slightly, "but not that boring, maybe good enough to spend a life with?"
Something shifted in his eyes.
Because that — Was the first compliment either of them had given to eachother in the all evening.
———
"Present:
That all. Lemon said?"
"That's it," she replied taking a sip from her coffee. Just as bodyguard in black suit came and said. "Miss, Sir, the jet is ready to go."
"Let's go, she said. Already leaving...
He got up as he followed behind her. "Hey, tell me more about of that disastrous blind date...?"
———
"Back at Japan."
Rehearsals began three days later, and it went worse than anyone had expected, "From the top," Nana called again, Senkai he stood at the center stage. Dozens of eyes onto him, Stage lights glaring down like the interrogation lamps. His throat felt dry, "I was never meant to—His voice cracked.
A few whispers echoed in the auditorium, Heat rushed to his face, He tried again, But this time the line came out flat. Mechanical, empty just like back than, Nana tapped her pen, Projection, Senkai and breathe," she said.
He nodded stiffly, But the more he tried, the more aware he had became of every shifting seat, every stare, every silent judgment hanging in the air. By the time Nana finally called. "break, let's take a break than try again," she said.
The relief felt like a oxygen to me.
He stepped off the stage quickly, jaw tight. "Hey, Senna said gently, it's just the nerves. You'll get used to it." He replied. "Thanks, not meeting her eyes.
From the aisle, Reze watched him. Not the performance.
But Him.
The way his shoulders stiffened under attention, way his hands got clenched when the room got too quiet. When the crowd focused, he shrank.
"Interesting," she mumbled to herself.
She approached him during the break, holding two bottles of the water, "You're terrible", she said plainly, handing him one over.
He looked at her with a deadpan look. "Thanks."
"You're not bad at emotion, she continued. I once acted with you so I know that, but you're bad at being watched." He didn't deny it, and the silence confirmed it enough.
She leaned against the wall beside him. "You lock yourself up as the moment and the spotlight hits you." He exhaled slowly, "I just don't like crowds.
"And the crowds don't like you either, right?" she shot back coolly. Then, after a pause, she said, "They can smell the fear around you, you know." And that kinda annoyed him. "Then just replace me if they want," He said.
She tilted her head. "Running already? Huh?" He clicked his tongue. "Fine, than I'll teach you," she straightened.
He blinked then looked up at her, "What?" He said. "Acting, Control, the Presence, than she looked at him sideways and asked. But If only you want." He said, quickly. "Do it, I mean, I do want it, if you may please senpai."
That made her smile. Hooked, she thought. "Meet me tonight, she said, at eight." He asked, "But where?" She didn't answer him directly, instead. "You'll see..."
And Her intentions weren't that simple. It wasn't just about helping him. Cuz If he improved—If he commanded the stage— Nana's carefully planned narrative would shift.
The spotlight would bend, and Reze she had always known how to bend the light.
———
"After the rehearsal."
He was walking back home. Although I messed up fully in the acting Reze, he thought, Reze did say we could meet up more often… Hm... What did she meant by that. It would be okay to call her in the future right?
"Huh," Senkai narrow his eyes a bit enough to confirm. Isn't that's Senna, what is she holding was that, she eating a ice cream? "Hey are you going home?" He said.
Before she had said anything? He added. "Don't get me wrong, he continued. I wasn't following you or anything, we just ran into each other by the coincidence."
"Sure..." Than a awkward silence lingered for a moment, than she said. "Erm... I'm sorry about before, I guess I was just a little bit sensitive earlier, she bow her head a bit, I'm sor, sorry."
He looked at her in a surprise. "When for what?"
Than remembers the welcome party. "Ah... He thought, It seems like she is trying to draw a line between us or what. "It's alright, he said, we all were drunk anyway that night anyway."
"Well... okay than, she said, I'll be leaving for the home than." Ah... He said, "Yes sure... Get home safely." He looked at her from the behind disappearing into the crowd.
"So much ice cream for the desert he muttered. But why do I keep seeing her alone all the time, plus even though I am the one who's a introvert, she keeps a distance from everybody in the club too doesn't she?"
Hanabi pop's out of nowhere and say's you are talking about? Senna. He jumped back. "You scared the shit out of me!" She said. "Eh? Did I really surprised you?"
"Where are you going? Senpai, He said. "Me, I'm just going on a great adventure to buy the chocolate milk... Wait, hey did you forget my name that you are calling me senpai?"
"I know it I know! He said, it's Hanamoto haneda san, right. She shot back. "And fucking who the hell is that? My name is not haneda, it is Hanabi you fool! Ha–na–bi the fireworks, that's me.
she sighed. Than in low voice she muttered to herself, "Nobody cares for me." she sobs...
Than she looked at him. "Are you interested in Senna?" He said quick. No, but well... "I did just thought, that it would be nice to be friends with her, since we are the same age?"
"Wow... Hanabi said, You really are the first guy, who just wants to be friends with her in a whole freshman year do you know that?" He frowned. "Why only me?"
"Because others just want to date her—because of her pretty face or beauty or whatever," she said. "I mean, she is the most beautiful girl in our first year, after all. And about that… maybe it would be better for you not to get close with senna for the time being…"
"Heck senkai said, but is it okay for you speak like that about your Junior's?" She shouted in her defense! "No, no I didn't mean it like that!"
He said. "I am disappointed in you miss fireworks. She said. "No hold on, hold on, I don't know if should I tell you, but. Ah... Well it should be alright, I think."
"If it's something like that. He said, "in that case don't tell me..."
But Nana senpai, is the one who brought you into the club so I don't think it matters?" She said. "Well, Senna is upset with the Reze senpai how do I say this... I think something happened between them, but I don't know what."
"Hey, don't you think you are making up stuff a bit too much? He said. You are not drunk in the morning aren't you."
Hanabi said. "Ah.. It's true!! Darn it, looking at your silly face. It makes me want to punch you in that face..! Anyway, I don't care anymore it's your problem if you've believe it or not I'm leaving..."
He shouted from behind. "Be careful on you way, see ya... later Hanabi senpai—"
"Just call me by my first name. "We are not that apart in age," she said while leaving...
"That's right, she paused for moment and than turned around. I heard Mami had a bad opinion of you, she said, but Reze senpai forced her to let you in?" If you ask me I was a bit surprised to hear that, because she doesn't usually do that, she just rejects the applitanint's she don't like."
"Is that why Mami senpai hates me?" He said. "I don't think it's like that, she said. "Anyway bye.." She waved her hand while leaving.
Hm... Senkai thought, "I wonder why is Senna mad at the Reze though?"
———
To be continue...
———