Aya had never intended it.   It was his extremely gregarious character, the lively atmosphere he always wrapped himself with that somehow extended towards her; the way he never seemed to run out of witty, comic remarks to either or comfort her; the way he didn’t seem bothered by her pretenses, and the way he didn’t seem to always want to pry answers out of her.   At first it was just refreshing, a respite from the somber norm that surrounded her life. In her home, her parents rarely relaxed. Even the way they smiled and held conversations felt practiced. Pleasant but somehow fettered. Cordial but always on guard. In school, her teachers expected a little bit more from the first class. And with her also being a council member, the burden on her shoulders grew even heavier. In her relationship with Sehun, well… like he’d said, he had always been like that: cold and spiteful. She liked being with him, but lately, she couldn’t help wishing that the boy would offer her more than just the usual silence.   She had thought everything normal. She accepted it. The thirst for her passion remained, but she had accepted everything else—her family, her school, her boyfriend.   “You know what my birthday wish is?”   Aya had flinched in surprise one afternoon during rehearsals. “Today is your birthday?”   “No, but if it was,” he had flashed her the cutest eye-smile she had ever witnessed from the male population, “I would wish that you laughed more.”   And indeed it had made her laugh.   “Ah, it’s not even my birthday but my wish came true. Aren’t I too good?”   Conversations like those, from being a refreshing respite, slowly became a pressing need. It was like working in a dark room, where her eyes had fully adjusted to the darkness, that even when she knew something was missing, she decided to contend with it. Until some ray of light managed to pass through, and brightened the room just a little. And the light relaxed her eyes, and made her see things a little more clearly, and offered her some warmth.   But then the light grew brighter, and for the first time in her life she could finally see the mess she had created around her; things disarrayed and toppled over perhaps from all her fumbling in the darkness. And when the light wasn’t there, the darkness would embrace her once more, and she would panic, and she would wish for the sun, for her own personal sun.   And that was what Byun Baekhyun had become to her: a personal sun, a source of warmth and light and laughter and all things pleasant and genuine and free. In him she found happiness and release. And though she may never tell him that, she would hold on to him, as a friend she could not live without.   A friend and nothing more. That was what she convinced herself.   Until one afternoon in the middle of rehearsals, she had found herself silently freaking out at the director’s sudden request. I want to see the end, Miss Teri had said. Just a quick rundown of it, from Baekhyun’s solo up until the end. And she had not been able to hide the panic in her eyes, not even when Solenn had glared at her with apparent disgust. And Baekhyun, oh mischief incarnate Byun Baekhyun, he hadn’t even so much as flinched, raising only a thumb up and adjusting his lapel microphone, as he dived into the first verse of his solo.   If you smile at me like that It’s hard for me to not feel anything I’ve already had several cups of coffee, baby But why do I still feel like I’m in a dream?   He had a voice to die for, that much was already a given. But hearing him transform the lyrics into something more, bring them to life, and offer them to her—even when it was all just an act—it had been too much for Aya to bear.   She was sitting on a mounted prop, which was supposed to resemble a boulder once it was finished. And Baekhyun was swaying along the entire expanse of the stage, occasionally throwing glances at her while hitting each note with beautiful precision. Flirting was definitely an effortless feat for the boy. Aya knew this. She understood his inclinations, and how there were no strings attached. What she could not understand was why her heart seemed to flutter at his singing and acting. Was she too much into her character? Was she only overthinking their connection?   You’re unfair Are you being selfish? Your eyes, your nose, your lips Are they still going to be pretty? No matter how much I look?   During these lines, he actually had the nerve to kneel before her and caress one of her eyelids, the tip of her nose, and then her lower lip—like it was the most natural thing in the world!   She had nearly swatted his hand away when somewhere from among the audience, the director’s hoot resonated. And she remembered. They were acting. Just acting. No need to seem so affected, especially not when during this part of the story, Aya’s character had already started to fall for Baekhyun.   Baekhyun’s character—she corrected in her head. Her character had started to fall for Baekhyun's character. The distinction made a huge difference.   Baekhyun was still gazing lovingly at her when he suddenly stopped singing and scratched his head. He sighed and faced the audience.   “I think it’d really be nicer if I had backup vocals for the chorus.”   A little disappointed, Miss Teri stood and waved for the production team to gather around. She didn’t like that the momentum had been interrupted, but she also thought Baekhyu