It's been a few days. I stopped counting after the third.
The hospital said it was a level two ankle sprain. A brace. Crutches. One to two weeks. And no school for at least a week.
So I stayed back in the village.
I didn't have the energy to go out and buy a new phone. It doesn't matter anyway. The important people already know what happened. As long as I don't fail my classes, that's enough.
For the lab, I asked the professor to pass a message to Eline. To give her the option to find another partner. It wouldn't be fair for her to carry everything alone for a week.
That's the least I can do.
The school festival is tomorrow. Our band was supposed to join the competition, but because of my injury, I had to sit this one out. So we changed it. I'll do a special performance instead so they can still compete.
Funny. The theme for the competition is heartbreak.
Sigh.. Is the universe laughing at me?
While I was here, resting, I ended up writing something.
A song.
I didn't plan to. It just... came out.
I'll sing it.
All the feelings... all the words I never got to say—I'll pour everything into this one song.
No matter.
This will be the last time.
And then... I'll try to move forward.
...
But I should've known.
It's going to be hard.
Yes... I've been in love before.
But I've never really felt something like this before.
This intense... this deep... steady kind of love.
Well... even now—after not seeing her for more than a week—I never really stopped thinking about her.
I see her everywhere I look.
Even the things I do... they all remind me of her.
I can't even pick up my guitar anymore... or listen to upbeat music.
Because somehow—
it all just brings me back to her.
...
I just know... this is different.
Because somehow... even if I'm not the one she ends up with...
I'm still happy for her.
I'm happy I got to spend time with her.
...
Now that she has someone... I'm sure things will change.
So even if it wasn't that long—
I'll cherish all the moments I had with her.
..And I'll keep cherishing the small... stolen moments I still get with her..
—
It's the day of the music festival.
We're busy. Really busy.
I already stepped down from student council, but in return, they asked me to judge the band competition. They said it would be my final duty as the previous vice president, so I agreed. It works out anyway. The dance competition goes first, then the band competition.
We just finished the dance competition. Of course, we won..
...But.. I hope Luna saw it. She wasn't there... good thing I asked someone to record it for me.
The band competition is almost done too. All the participants have already gone, and we've made our decisions. There are a few special performances left before we announce the winners.
I take a quick bathroom break.
As soon as I step out—
"Eline—you wouldn't believe what we saw," Rin says, rushing toward me.
"Yeah, girl—look." Ivy hands me a phone, still holding onto another girl whose face is flushed with embarrassment.
"Look at this group message," Rin says. "Read it. I can't believe Mira sent this."
omg she's using the keychain
Eline said yes to me
we're officially together now!
For some reason, my eyes go straight to the timestamp.
8:01 AM.
...Wait.
I quickly open the group list and scan the members.
"...Oh my god. Luna is in this group chat."
Then it hits me.
The music club member said she fell right after the first bell which is exactly at 8:00 AM.
My chest tightens. "...No... it can't be."
Rin grabs my arm. "Eline, what?"
"She saw it," I say, my voice shaking. "She saw this and then she fell—Rin, she fell because of me."
"What?" Ivy steps closer. "Eline, calm down—"
"I told you," I continue, the words coming out too fast, "she was crying, her phone broke, she didn't even react—this was right after the bell—she saw it and—"
"Eline." Rin's voice is firmer now. "You need to breathe."
My chest rises and falls too quickly.
"Look at me," she says. "You need to announce the winner."
I close my eyes for a second.
Inhale.
Exhale.
"...Okay."
When I open my eyes again, I'm steady.
Not fine, but steady.
"I'll go back..."
I hand the phone back and turn, already walking toward the judges' table.
As I walk, my tears start to fall. I quickly wipe them away.
I take a seat and do my best to act normal.
By the time I get there, I notice a grand piano placed at the center of the stage.
One of the students steps up to the mic.
"Now we have a very special performance. We saved the best for last. Again, our theme is heartbreak, so we hope this last performance will break everyone's hearts."
He glances toward the crew.
"For this performance, can we dim the lights and have a center spotlight on the grand piano?"
The lights shift.
The stage darkens.
A single spotlight settles at the center, right on the piano.
"Thank you."
He smiles slightly.
"Now, please give it up for... our very own Luna."
The name hits me before I even see her.
From the side of the stage, she steps into the light. Slow. Careful. There's a brace on her ankle, crutches in her hands.
My breath catches.
She makes her way to the piano, each step measured and quiet, then sits. For a moment, she doesn't move. She adjusts slightly on the bench, then slowly places her hands on the keys.
She stays still for a second—
then she starts to play.
A soft, heartfelt melody fills the space, echoing through the silence in a way that makes everything else fade.
And then she begins to sing.
🎵 Verse 1: 🎵
Should I tell you
The feelings I've been hiding?
But how can I...
When you're my friend?
This secret... is my truth
Chorus
My only love
You're the only one in my heart
Please tell me that this love of mine
Is something you long for too
How much longer
Until you hear this, my love?
If only I could be with you
For the rest of my life, my love
Verse 2
The way I look at you has changed
My heart beats differently now
I wish you would realize
It's you... only you
Chorus
My only love
You're the only one in my heart
Please tell me that this love of mine
Is something you long for too
How much longer
Until you hear this, my love?
If only I could be with you
For the rest of my life, my love
Outro
My only love
My only love
🎶
The last note fades. For a second, no one moves.
Then Luna slowly turns toward the front. The lights dim further, leaving only the spotlight on her. She gives a faint smile—small, tired—then bows carefully.
A couple of the band members rush in from the side, gently guiding her as she makes her way off the stage.
And then the entire field explodes.
Applause. Loud. Endless.
"WE LOVE YOU, LUNA!"
"I LOVE YOU, LUNA!"
"LUNA, I'LL BE YOUR BOYFRIEND!"
"...SHE DOESN'T WANT YOU, BRO!"
"YEAH, SIT DOWN!"
Laughter ripples through the crowd, mixing with the cheers.
"That was insane—did you hear that?!"
"That didn't feel like a performance..."
"That felt real."
The applause keeps going, echoing across the open field.
Even the judges glance at each other.
"...Are we allowed to change the results?" one of them mutters.
"Can we add her into the competition?" another says.
"She wasn't even competing," the third replies.
"...Yeah, but she kind of won."
The cheering still hasn't died down, but I can't hear any of it. I'm supposed to announce the results. I know I am. I should. But none of it matters—not the competition, not the crowd, not even this stage. Not when it's her.
My chest tightens. I stand up abruptly. "Hey—I need to go. You announce the winner."
"Hey—wait, Eline—" the president calls after me.
—
"Hey... you good, Luna?" one of the band members asks. "You're leaving now? You got it?"
"Yeah, I got it. Thanks, Z."
I turn slightly—
"Luna!!"
I look back and it's Mira.
"So you show up," she says, crossing her arms. "Do you know what mess you made between me and Eline?"
Something in me snaps.
"Shut the fuck up, Mira. Why are you still pestering me about Eline?!? You already got what you wanted, right? So what else do you want with me?"
—
As I run toward backstage, I hear voices—sharp, tense. I run faster. Then I see them. Mira and Luna.
"You already got what you wanted, right? So what else do you want with me?"
"Luna—"
They both turn. For a second, our eyes meet.
Then she turns away and walks.
"Luna—!"
I run after her. She's moving slower—the crutches—but she doesn't stop.
"Luna, wait—"
"Hey—are you okay? Here, let me help you.."
"Eline, please stop."
"No—why? Please, just let me—"
"...I said stop.."
She turns slightly, her voice breaking. "Please, Eline. I don't want to deal with Mira anymore. Just now she started harassing me again because of you. I don't want to cause any more issues between you two, so please... just leave me alone from now on.."
She turns her back to me.
I step forward and wrap my arms around her from behind.
She stiffens immediately, trying to move away—but I hold her tighter.
—-
"Eline—" I try to move, but she doesn't let go. Her hold tightens.
"No!"
Her voice is right behind me, breaking, uneven.
"Don't... say that! Please.. Luna.."
I can hear it now.
She's crying.
"Because I—" her breath shakes, words catching between sobs, "I want to be with you."
I can feel her holding on tighter.
"And I..." her voice cracks completely, "I love you."
I stop. Everything just... stops.
...She loves me?
My vision blurs, and the tears start falling before I can stop them. Slowly, I turn in her arms, and then I hold onto her. Tight.
"I..." my voice shakes, barely holding together, "...I love you too."