CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

On The Surface

It is red. It is then blue. There is a hint of orange too. All of them – lights are everywhere, mind starts to grow dizzy and swirls.

Her heart beats fast at the commotion in the realm where heat is overwhelmingly high that sweat trickles down her whole body. Her breathing is unstable as she pants from running. She has no idea where she is and panic strikes hard. When there is booming sound coming from above her, her eyes glimpse upwards and all she remembers is her screaming, loud.

“Shin? Shinyoung. Wake up.” The girl feels her body shaken, causing her to return to reality. She curses upon realising whatever occurred to her.

The dream was vivid and surreal. She has no idea what on Earth happened in there but she rather not question it. The remaining fast beating heart is still there as it is beginning to slow down once she catches her friend eyeing on her, genuinely concern of her well-being.

“You were screaming. Was it that bad?” Soonyoung asked softly and has long claim a spot on the edge of her bed. “How long did I pass out?” She returned another question and noticing that she is no longer standing in the backstage hallway. Her memory cannot seem to recall how she got back home after the curtain slid to a close for the second night.

“Long enough. I was very worried when you didn’t appear on stage for the curtain call. By the time I arrived at the girl’s dressing room, they were yelling at me, obviously. But I had good intention.” Shinyoung laughs at that when she sees Soonyoung raises his hand in a surrender manner. Though tired, she manages to find his gesture funny.

“Wonwoo told me that Jen told him she didn’t see you eat anything the whole day. Are you crazy? You even went out with that guy to get those torches which need I remind you that were not even used? You definitely overworked yourself tonight. Myungho managed to hail a taxi for us as soon as he ran from the stage.” He continuously explained and surely enough, there is a smile cracks on her face.

She finds it fascinating to hear that the three boys somewhat united without a fight to make sure she reaches home safely. Warmth spread in her heart before she senses the drowsiness taking over her once again. For once, she feels thankful she has a great bunch of people to claim as friends even though she is sure that is not how they label her in their mind.

“Clear the path guys! Get the Welfare team here! We have an emergency!” The thunderous voice owned by the head Stage Manager burst through out the used-to-be calm Silver Diamond Hall’s backstage area as most of them were simply preparing for the curtain call. Crew members, dance ensembles, and casts were lining up neatly before making way for him and a couple of people. Some were unfortunately pushed when they remained blocking the path.

“Jun, calm down.” Wonwoo stated in the midst of carrying lifeless-looking Scenographer on his arms, increasing his pace towards the first room he could reach – the female’s dressing room. Fortunately, it was empty aside from Jiyeon who immediately bolted into action to help when he entered the room.

“What happened to her?” Jiyeon finally asked, oblivious to the time since she was busy cleaning up the make-up area to join the line for the curtain call. “She fainted. Thank goodness Jun was around to catch her fall.” Wonwoo told and the older female bobs her head. If she actually turned her walkie-talkie on, she would probably hear the buzz.

“Jiyeon, why are you not- wait, is that Shinyoung?” Jennie Kim, a member under Jiyeon’s department popped into the room in a rush only to stop upon the sight of Wonwoo and Jiyeon’s worried gaze and Shinyoung’s immobile body on the couch. “I knew this would happen.”

“What is?” The assistant director questioned out of curiosity. “I didn’t see Shinyoung stop working since morning. I would tell her to stop and take a break but I was busy myself. And we’re not exactly the closest in term of acquaintance. We only shared a class after all so it was-”

“IS SHE ALRIGHT?!”

“Again, Junhui, calm down will you? She might as well wake up from you screaming.” Wonwoo told his friend, growing pissed at the fellow. “Sorry, it’s just that the curtain call is starting and it’s the second night and the team I wanted preferred bowing at the audiences instead of doing anything helpful.” Junhui uttered, very quickly to a point it was hard to understand. It did not help that his Chinese accent stumbled out for a second.

They did not how long they were in the dressing room. Jiyeon kept on fanning Shinyoung and Wonwoo tried to figure out if it was a good idea to send her to the hospital. Junhui was nowhere in the room anymore after the Playwright chased him out for being loud. The only sign given that the curtain call had ended was the piling girls into the cramped room as they screamed and being hushed by Wonwoo.

“I heard from Jennie. She’ll be fine. I’ll bring her home now.” Soonyoung spoke as soon as he appeared in the midst of the girls attempting to find a secondary way to change their clothes with Wonwoo and Soonyoung in their place. “How?”

“I’ll hail a cab.” A new voice joins in and the two tried hard not to smirk at the coincidence happening. Minghao, still clad in his all white costume showed up with his phone in hand. The tangled fabric extensions sewed by Mingyu onto the arms looked similar to his hairdo.

He already saw the incident behold minutes before. When he stood on the top of the scaffolding, waiting for a follow spot to shine on him, Minghao managed to witness Shinyoung on the verge of blacking out. She kept on holding a railing nearby and there was a water bottle in hand before it fell. He could not put his entire focus on the final act when all he thought was her well-being. The worry grew when her name was announced but she was nowhere to be seen.

“Thanks, Myungho.” The Choreographer finally spoke, thanking him in complete sincerity. There was no time to think about their lame rivalry. After all, everyone would be as worried as they did when someone faints from tiredness.

“The kid even swing by actually. He made you your favourite porridge.” Soonyoung shared good-naturedly although he feels a bit jealous at Minghao’s energy level. If it was him, he would just buy take-out in the middle of the night instead of cooking. At least there were some ingredients left. Since Shinyoung loves it, might as well let him make it.

“Why are you guys making it hard for me to choose?” She mumbled when the fellow stumbles out of the room to fetch the meal. It is late, almost three in the morning yet he still stays awake just in case the girl wakes up. She sighs at the thought. Just merely thinking about it makes her brain hurt.

So let’s switch the scene from the female Kwon to the male Kwon where he already scoops the homemade porridge into a small bowl. As the night is transitioning to morning, he figures Shinyoung will not have a decent appetite to eat properly. Though technically speaking, that is the reason why she passed out initially.

Soonyoung lowers both of his hands on the counter before his eyes stick on the clean marble surface. He too sighs, loud and long. The slumped shoulders showcase by the boy does not come from the tiredness of two back to back shows but the drama he get himself into. A question appears.

Is it worth it?

A common question lingers in another male’s mind as he has his eyes on his bright phone screen instead of chasing the needed sleep. His thumb swipes, changing photos to view. All them look different yet similar. The only subject that is common is the girl in the pictures. Aside from the famous Ilsan Lake to the falling cherry blossoms, she remained the same – smiling bright, almost child-like and fascinated by the scenery.

Minghao almost laughs when he comes across a short video. He does not have to hit play to know the content. Instead he recalls them in the back of his mind.

“Myungho, look!” Shinyoung chirped merrily upon sighting a stalk of dandelion in its seed form standing alone in the midst of tall grasses. “What am I supposed to look at?” He jokingly asked her because he already had a comeback in mind if she answered according to the imaginary script he had.

“I don’t know. Anywhere aside from your phone? This is rare so you have to see it.” He was slightly disappointed. He was more than ready to throw a lame pick-up line at that moment but apparently she did not have the same idea as him.

She mentioned Soonyoung back then when she made an attempt to blow the dandelion seeds. Giggling upon remembered the memory she once created with the said male. If it is her brain that is hurting while thinking about the situation they are in, Minghao has his heart pains multiple of times for multiple reasons. Nonetheless, he makes no complain.

By logic, one can see who is winning and losing.

He would place himself on the ultimate losing side. After contemplating about it, Wonwoo guesses that is probably the best sense he ever comes up with. He has to restart the relationship. Minghao starts fresh while Soonyoung? He is the winner here. He is there with Shinyoung through every bad point she had in life.

Well, not all actually.

He missed his chance, the boy pondered. When did she give him the first chance actually? Back in high school? They were not exactly good acquaintances even from that time. They shared the same passion in writing but he was always there to condemn her. That was what they did best – fighting to a point Junhui made sure the two of them never meet up without him being the third person.

“Your brain is so loud. Just go to sleep.” Wonwoo’s eyes widen when he hears Seungcheol’s voice from the same spot they used to lay on the night before. He does not have the energy to find the older fellow though so he tries to force his system to sleep. However, his brain has another fancy idea that carried on and on.

Back at the two Kwon apartment, Shinyoung is sound asleep once again by the time Soonyoung re-enters the bedroom with the dish in hand. He must have delayed a bit too much time for her to stay awake. So he let the bowl sit on her nightstand. It gives freedom for his hands to lift her blanket over her body, making sure if she is planning to sleep the hunger off, at least she sleeps comfortably.

He goes back to his bedroom and as if it senses his entrance, his phone dings. Not once, not twice but thrice which surely catches his attention. Gazing at the screen closer, Soonyoung briefly glances at the name on top of the text conversation before thinking a reply. A soft smile appears on his face. It is interesting to witness.

‘I brought her Myungho’s porridge but the girl’s asleep again. I guess she’s fine. Why are you not sleeping yet? Are you not tired?’

‘I woke up from my cousin’s calling me to ask about her well-being. I hope you don’t mind me asking on his behalf. He can be very persuasive with words.’

Soonyoung becomes triggered when he read the text coming from Jihoon. His head tilts sideways instinctively. An unconscious habit of his whenever something truly confusing pops in mind. Poor Jihoon, he too surely had a rough night so it is already surprising to catch him texting in the middle of the night. But for his cousin to call simply to know his precious friend’s health? That sounds strange.

Perhaps the Jihoon’s cousin he knows is just on the surface. He never dives in deeper to know what kind of relationship she has with the older male. Viewing from this new standpoint, he figures he is just tired and hay-wired to care anything else besides dozing off on his bed.

And that is really what he does.

A particular male clad in black remains silent within the quiet Silver Diamond Hall. With his stature leaning towards the smaller side, it is easy to go unnoticed especially when the boys are in their dreamland far from his spot on the stage. The fellow rolls his eyes in utter annoyance when he sees how neat Taehyung’s team clean the back side of the set they built.

Things are not going according to his plan. He is beyond pissed and underestimated the third generation’s capability. He hates how the production outsmarted him in so many ways throughout the entirety of Night & Rain has run. It seems that they have long calculated the possibilities and learned a lot from their seniors’ past mistakes.

Well, every production has their weakness and he is very determined to attack them with the said disadvantage. That is the plan he has up his sleeves. It shall play according to the fictional schematic when everyone is there. He did not go through the haste in inviting the former directors for nothing after all.

Let the finale be their final.

“Goodbye Rose Quartz and Serenity Production.”

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