This chapter is dedicated to @chan22 for being so random and making a poster of this fic out of the blue (poster above)! You know how touched I was. Thank you! :)) <3

Journey 27

On February 14, 1989, SM Academy was founded.

After 24 years, 10 months and 12 days, SMA will be celebrating it's 25th anniversary. It was one of the mostly-sought after occasions on the school because it usually brings out the best of its students during that time. Students who have passion in arts, music, books and sports were free to join on different events that they want for one awesome whole week.

And two of those passion-driven students were Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

They were in front of the human-sized bulletin board wherein numerous posters of different events and competitions were pasted on its wooden surface. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo roamed their heads round and round, pondering on different events that they were interested in.

"Kyungsoo! Where do you want to join? I'm thinking of beatbox or rapping competition but I think I'll ." Chanyeol said uncertainly.

Kyungsoo placed a finger under his chin and did not respond quickly. He further searched the widely-spread leaflets on the board until his eyes landed on a white piece of paper that made his eyes sparkle.

"Aha! I want this!" he pointed on a musical play with the title "Peter Pan".
"What are you looking at?" Jinri interrupted, her head popping suddenly between Kyungsoo and Chanyeol. Her eyes followed Kyungsoo's finger and saw the theater play leaflet. Knowing Kyungsoo very much, Jinri nodded her head in approval. "Hmm. Not bad." she commented.
"Do you want to join too?" Kyungsoo offered. "I already have my eyes set on a role I want."
"Maybe I'll give it a try." Jinri smiled. "What role do you want anyways?"
"It's a secret." Kyungsoo grinned.

Luna and Amber joined the party. They both gave a friendly wave on Kyungsoo which the latter returned enthusiastically.

"Were you able to pick your events?" Amber asked them.

Jinri and Kyungsoo nodded while Chanyeol shook his head.

"I think I'll go with rapping competition." Amber pondered after studying all leaflets.
"Mine will be singing." Luna informed although it was not a surprise for anyone anyways.
"Then I think I'll go with the musical play too. As long as Jinri's there." Chanyeol grinned.
"You're cousin's really attached to you, isn't he Jinri?" Luna beamed innocently.

Their party was added. Luhan and Jongin appeared on either side of Chanyeol and pondered over the leaflets too.

"This foundation week seems fun. Let's join Kai!"
"No." Kai answered shortly and walked away.
"Talent-less?" Luhan smirked.

Jongin heard Luhan's taunting and stopped on his tracks. He slowly turned to Luhan with fierce eyes and glared at him.

"What if I'm not?"
"What if you are?" Luhan taunted more.

Jongin growled and paced back towards his friends. He snatched a random leaflet on the bulletin board and slapped it on Luhan's chest.

"See you there." Jongin said and walked away for real.

Luhan laughed amusedly and looked down the leaflet which Jongin picked, his eyes bulging in surprise.

"Kai doesn't know how to dance. Right?"

* * *

On Friday that week, Jinri, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol entered the auditorium for their Peter Pan play audition. The theater hall was half-filled by the expectants who were buzzing noisily while Mrs. Barrie, the play's director, was busy organizing her papers. The three of them settled on the furthermost seats and waited for the audition to start.

"Ehem, ehem." Mrs. Barrie coughed in front of the microphone. She stood alone on the stage and faced her students whose faces were masked in the shadows. She was s stern-looking woman with big, square eyeglasses and black, thick frame. Her loud and solid voice made the busy chatter of students fade, and it was even quieter when she glowered on them. "Let us start our audition with Ms. Krystal Jung."

The requirement for the students was to recite a line from the Peter Pan play and reenact it in front of everyone. The spotlight will be theirs for one minute, and if that student passed , then he'll have that spotlight for a whole one hour on the real performance.

Krystal smiled on Mrs. Barrie and gracefully placed herself on stage. Her bubbly face was slowly replaced by a morose expression, her eyes tearing up as well.

"But I was never to see Peter Pan again. Now I tell his story to my children and they will tell it on their children and so it will go on. For all children will grow up... except for one."

An applause followed Krystal's sentence. Slowly, the number of participants faded, until Jinri, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were the only ones left.

"Choi Jinri." Mrs. Barrie called.

Jinri stood on the stage. The spotlight blinded her for a while. She can't clearly see the faces of the audience which for a reason calmed her because she won't see their reactions. Hoping for the best, Jinri started.

"You won't forget to come for me, Peter? Please, please don't forget."

As Jinri said those lines, Chanyeol smiled. It would be awesome if he will be Peter Pan and Jinri was Wendy, and they will create their own love story on their musical play. Mrs. Barrie's voice broke his reverie. She called Kyungsoo to come forward. Jinri replaced Kyungsoo on his seat and Chanyeol did a thumbs up to her.

"I hope you'll get the part." he whispered. *And me too*

Kyungsoo stood valiantly on stage. Then he bowed his head, put something around his eyes and faced the audience again with an eye patch clung on his left eye.

"Arr!" he shouted out loud. Everyone waited for Kyungsoo to continue but a lingering silence followed his one-second line. To their uttermost surprise, Kyungsoo bowed his head and left the stage.

Laughter rang inside the theater hall as well as the student's standing ovation and jeers for Kyungsoo. On the other hand, Jinri kept herself from laughing along with the audience while Chanyeol did not think twice of cracking a large guffaw.

"Ha-ha-ha!" Chanyeol laughed continuously.

When Kyungsoo sat beside Jinri, he beamed.

"I think I'll get the part." he told them.
"Park Chanyeol."

Chanyeol stood up and relaxed his tensed shoulders. He stood under the spotlight's glare and composed his face. He thought of Jinri and Joonmyeon, and how the two couple worked their ways again. And how it feels to be in Joonmyeon's place.

"Wendy... think of a  place where you can always call a dream. There I will love you forever." he sighed sadly.

* * *

In the end, Chanyeol secured Peter Pan's part, Kyungsoo as Captain Hook, Krystal as Wendy and Jinri as Tinkerbell.

The four main characters were rehearsing on the stage after the audition results. Jinri sulkily flipped the pages of her script and read her lines without really memorizing it. Her mind just kept on slipping and flying, away from the reality that she was not able to get Wendy's part. A part of her was bitter because it was Krystal on the spotlight rather than her, and a part of her was guilty because she was feeling bitter from it.

"Okay Scene XVI, Captain Hook and Wendy's part. Kyungsoo and Krystal - on stage please." Mrs. Barrie ordered.

Krystal and Kyungsoo faced each other with their scripts on their hands.

"Pay attention everyone. I want all casts to be aware on the flow."

Jinri searched Scene XVI on her script and followed Kyungsoo and Krystal's lines.

"My parents want me to grow up." Krystal told Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo waved an impatient hand on Krystal and contorted his face with disgust.

"Growing up is such a barbarous business, full of inconvenience... and pimples."

There was a chuckle from the casts and the two characters continued throwing lines at each other.

"Very good Krystal and Kyungsoo!" Mrs. Barrie praised after Kyungsoo and Krystal finished Scene XVI. "Next scene!"

Chanyeol replaced Kyungsoo's place while Kyungsoo moved behind him. Krystal gave Chanyeol a small smile which he returned, and they waited for Mrs. Barrie's signal for them to start their lines.

"Start." Mrs. Barrie said.
"Peter, I should like to give you a kiss." Krystal blushed instantly. 

Chanyeol looked down to hide his own blush. He read his script which indicates, '[Holds out his hand to Wendy]'. And so Chanyeol holds out his hand.

"Don't you know what a kiss is?" Krystal asked. Her heart beats faster whenever she says the word 'kiss'. In fact, she'd like to give it to him right there and then.
"I shall know when you give me one." Chanyeol answered. "Let's live in Neverland forever"*
"Peter... I'm sorry, but I must grow up." Krystal said. *Damn it. Just let me give him a kiss!*

Then she looked on her script and her heart fluttered. It says, '[Goes to Peter Pan and gives him a kiss. Captain Hook will stop her]'

Krystal took a step forward towards Chanyeol. Kyungsoo held her arm and she turned to look at him.

"It's just a thimble." Krystal excused, showing Kyungsoo a red thimble.
"By all means my beauty, give Peter Pan your precious thimble." Kyungsoo replied.

Jinri watched Krystal walked closer to Chanyeol, her eyes evident that she'll give him a kiss. Her heart seemed to have stopped beating because she can't hardly breathe while she watched Krystal and Chanyeol's scene with no air around her. Krystal stopped in front of Chanyeol. Even at a distance Jinri can hear their nervous heartbeats. Krystal tiptoed to reach Chanyeol's lips. Chanyeol cast a wary eye on Jinri and their eyes met for a second.

"Focus Chanyeol!" Mrs. Barrie snapped.

Chanyeol looked back to Krystal and lowered his head. Krystal placed her arms around Chanyeol's neck and leaned in closer. Jinri gripped her script tighter. She just can't breathe. She can't.

Then the bell rang out of nowhere, making everyone jumped back in alarm. It was clear that everyone inside the theater hall was watching Chanyeol and Krystal's scene thoroughly, because everyone seems surprised that they were still in a rehearsal. Jinri sighed in relief. When she looked down on her hands, she was surprised to see that her script were already shredded into pieces.

"Let's continue our rehearsals tomorrow! You can go now." Mrs. Barrie announced. She organized her papers again and stopped. "Oh! And by the way - Chanyeol, Krystal. We won't be rehearsing your kiss during practice times anymore. I'd like you two to wok on your scene so you'll have your first kiss on our real performance, okay?"

Jinri doesn't know if she was happy by that or not. With or without kiss rehearsals, Chanyeol and Krystal will still kiss each other on their performance.

Kyungsoo sat beside Jinri and looked at her torn script.

"What did you do to your script?" he inquired.
"It's -"
"See you tomorrow Channie!" Krystal waved happily to Chanyeol. Involuntarily, Jinri's eyebrows twitched.

Kyungsoo studied Jinri's face and smirked.

"Come on Jinri. Let's grab some lunch." he pulled Jinri upwards and dragged her outside the theater hall. They were walking for only a few steps when someone called Kyungsoo out. It was Luna.
"Hi Kyungsoo!" Luna greeted breathlessly.
"Hello Luna." Kyungsoo beamed.
"I was wondering... well, do you want to be my duet for the singing competition?" Luna asked shyly, bowing her head at the same time.

Jinri studied Kyungsoo's face and smirked.

"I'll leave you two together." she grinned and walked towards the cafeteria alone.

* * *

It seems that SMA instructors know how to heat things up in their school. With the outgrowing popularity of the transferees Luhan and Chanyeol; SMA's top students Kyungsoo and Joonmyeon; and even Jongin's distant self, the teachers mandated these five boys to form a special performance for their foundation week to add excitement on the girls' hormones.

Jongin was the most hesitant of them all, but the rest of the boys accepted it nonetheless. With the combined taunts of Luhan and persuasion from Chanyeol, Jongin finally agreed.

So on one Thursday morning - ten days before their foundation week - the five boys decided to have their first official rehearsal on the theater hall.

Jinri, Luna and Amber were the only people inside other than the five boys. They were seated comfortably on the front row seats while they watched Luhan preparing the piano, Chanyeol toning his guitar's chords, Joonmyeon preparing the microphones, Jongin silently standing on one corner and Kyungsoo testing his voice.

Soon, the number of spectators inside the hall grew. From groups of twos and threes it became a bunch of seven, eight, nine people in a group, a whole class, the faculty members and even the janitors and janitress.

Jongin eyed the jam-packed theater hall with an annoyed look.

"I thought we're just going to rehearse in front of these three?" he pointed at Jinri, Amber and Luna.

Luhan watched their audience with an amused expression.

"Then I guess we just have to rehearse in front of the whole school then." he beamed.

Joonmyeon made a thumbs up for everyone. The five boys settled themselves on their respective places. Luhan counted to three before he started playing the keyboard. The girls instantly gasped in awe.

[Now playing: Baby Don't Cry by EXO]

"Deoneun mangseoriji ma jebal nae simjangeul geodueo ga; Geurae nalkaroulsurok joha dalbit jochado nuneul gameun bam" Kyungsoo started singing. His old, quirky self was lost after he sang the first lyrics of the song.

"Na anin dareun namjayeotdamyeon huigeuk anui han gujeorieotdeoramyeon; Neoui geu saranggwa bakkun sangcheo modu taewobeoryeo" Joonmyeon followed. Girls squealed when he started singing which Jinri ignored.

"Baby dont cry tonight eodumi geochigo namyeon; Baby dont cry tonight eobseotdeon iri doel geoya; Mulgeopumi doeneun geoseun nega aniya kkeutnae mollaya haetdeon; So baby dont cry cry nae sarangi neol jikil teni" Everyone sang.

"I'm really starting to set my eyes on weird Kyungsoo." one of the girls nearby said loudly. Luna and Amber's eyes flashed red.
"He's yours girl. I want Luhan." her friend said, admiring Luhan as he played the piano.
"Joonmyeon marry me!!" Another fangirl screamed out loud. People who knew Jinri looked at her instantly. Jinri remained a poker face. She was used on those kinds of reactions anyways.

But what caught Jinri's attention was Krystal's brightened expression. Her eyes lit up as she stared at only one person. Jinri followed her gaze and it landed on Chanyeol. On that exact moment, Chanyeol started to rap.

"Eodukeomkeomhan gotongui geuneul wi ibyeorui munteoge naega muchamhi; Neomeojyeodo geumajeodo neol wihaeseoramyeon gamdanghal teni; Uh, daesin nareul julge birok nal moreuneun neoege; Don't cry, tteugeoun nunmulbodan chadichan useumeul boyeojwo baby,"

Jinri's heart dropped from hearing Chanyeol's deep, manly, and y voice. It makes her think of a y man ily inviting her to bed. His deep grunts and low raps were like her ear s, and it was not only her who feels that way.

"Oh I think I just let my undies fall!" she heard a side comment from nearby.

"Don't cry." Chanyeol whispered. Jinri felt herself getting elated from his voice. "Baby." Chanyeol whispered more. Oh God this feeling is crazy!

Throughout the performance, Jinri's eyes were only set on Chanyeol's.

And throughout that performance, Joonmyeon's eyes were only set on Jinri's.

I hope you guys imagined Chanyeol's rap while you read this fic. Kkk.
And I do not own any lines from their scripts. Source: IMDB.com

The one with a red asterisk means I rephrased the line and compressed it on another line.