“Baekhyun-ah!”

Baekhyun turned around at the sound of familiar voice to find Yixing jogging down the hallway towards him. He took the last gulp from the soda can he was holding before throwing it into the trash can nearby, just as Yixing came up to him.

“What’s up, hyung?”

“Not much. I was just hoping we could talk”, Yixing looped an arm around Baekhyun’s neck and they both started walking towards the auditorium. It was their mid-day break from classes and the Spring Week preparations were at their peak.

“Is everything okay?”, Baekhyun asked seeing Yixing’s thoughtful face.

“Yeah, except you know…”

“I so miss Kyungsoo now”, Baekhyun sighed wistfully. “How is it that there are not even two people in the whole damn school fit to play Lysander and Hermia?”

“That. And some aren’t willing to play”

“Who? Give me their names, I’ll talk to them myself”

Yixing gave him a bland look. “You think I haven’t tried that already? Some of them just have other commitments you know”

They both got quiet for a moment before Yixing broke the silence again. “I did have another idea though…”

Baekhyun turned to him hopefully. “What is it?”

“I was hoping that maybe – “, Yixing rubbed the back of his head, before finally making eye contact. “You could play Lysander”

“What?”, Baekhyun was dumbfounded.

“Look, you know how things are Baekhyun!”

“No but….“

“If I remember correctly, you told me that you did theatre once. ‘Singing in the Rain’ was it? This is a musical too, you’ll do great!”

“But that was ages ago!”, Baekhyun protested.

Yixing looked at him, and Baekhyun saw the desperation in the elder’s eyes. “Does it matter, really?” Baekhyun did not know what to say. It was true he had stage acting experience, but that did not mean he was willing to do it again. He’d left that a long time ago. Thinking hard, they both walked slowly towards their destination

“What about Hermia?”, He asked after awhile.

“There is someone Yoona and I have thought of requesting for that too”

“Oh?”

“Taeyeon”

Baekhyun blanched, making Yixing halt along with him again, meters away from the auditorium doors. “I can’t hyung”

“You can’t what?”, Yixing folded his arms over his chest, looking at him in challenge.

Baekhyun did not know what to say that wouldn’t sound weird. I cannot act in a play because the woman I am in love with is playing in it too?

“Are you saying you can’t play the role because of Taeyeon? Did something happen between you two?”

“What? No”, Baekhyun reddened for some reason.

“Then how come she’s the reason that you won’t act in the play?”

“She isn’t!”, He said in defiance.

“Oh no?”, Yixing pretended to believe him. “I will see you at the practice tomorrow then!”

“But hyung – “

“See you at 3:00!”, Yixing went off without hearing him, waving two fingers.

Baekhyun sighed. This is not good. He had to find a good excuse before the practice started or….

His heart jumped at the thought of what acting in the play would mean, spending more time with her, having to interact with her and it was a love story too –

Oh no. He had to do something. Surely there was someone else who would take the role right?

_

Apparently not, because despite having bunked classes to ask people around, there had been no luck. Even the people he called his closest friends had refused.

“I have my hands and mind full with the singing competitions can’t you see?”, The tall giant actually had the nerve to make him feel guilty about it. Baekhyun knew for a fact that the singing auditions were over, and Chanyeol had nothing more to do before the actual competitions next week, and the timings of the play in question and the competitions were well apart on different days.

“Me too! I’m coaching with Luna”, His other friend with Cheshire cat smirk was just as shameless. Baekhyun had to scoff at their sorry excuses. For some reason he felt like everybody was rejecting his pleas on purpose. Did Yixing hyung pull something again?

“And what’s your excuse for not playing Lysander huh?”, Jongdae had challenged him, clearly not happy at his excuses being looked down on.

“I’m the president! I have far more work to do!”, He replied with more conviction than he was feeling.

“Oh, and we’re the free ones huh?”, Chanyeol asked sarcastically. “Go waste somebody else’s time!”

“Fine!”

Baekhyun didn’t know why he’d even bothered. Oh, D.O. He really did miss his actor friend now. Deciding that he would just put up some phenomenally bad acting to convince the others that he was a very bad choice, Baekhyun walked towards the side of the auditorium where plays were being practiced.

He smiled artificially as he caught sight of everyone there, including Taeyeon whose eyes widened upon spotting him. Yoona, who was directing along with Lay, probably saw the surprise on her friend’s countenance as well because they both talked in hushed whispers, some whisper yells from Taeyeon, as Baekhyun took his seat on the bench across from them, pretending he hadn’t noticed anything.

His gaze flitted over the participants and over to the next bench where Suzy and Junho, who were playing Juliet and Romeo in the other play, were seated. He smiled as his gaze met Suzy’s, and she politely smiled back. The day after Kyungsoo’s wedding, Suzy had come to him to apologize for her behavior back at the trip. She had realized that it was her mistake, and since Baekhyun had already been soft knowing the fact that she’d told Taeyeon, he’d wasted no time in brushing it all off.

He glanced at Taeyeon. There were more pressing matters at the time for him to worry about though. Like (not) acting nicely.

_

Uh, oh.

Soon as Taeyeon spotted Baekhyun with the script she knew something was wrong. And her suspicions were proved right in less than a minute: The guy was here to practice as Lysander. She couldn’t believe Yoona hadn’t told her.

“And you would have done what, if I had? Ditched the practice?”, Yoona retorted in whispers, clearly not getting the hang of the situation. Taeyeon barely kept her cool.

“And besides it’s only a few days before the main performance, can’t you just be professional and deal with it?”

Anger simmered in Taeyeon at her friend’s reprimanding remark. “If there’s one thing I am, it’s professional and you know it!”

“Prove it then”, Yoona shrugged and turned away. And she would. She would prove it alright.

She turned to face Baekhyun as Yixing called out directions, and she realized it was…..

Perfect.

There was no better way of getting him to talk to her, with the way he’d been avoiding her. This was a God-gifted opportunity.

She would probably have to see to it that they got some alone time to practice though, it would only work then. And she would get all the answers she needed. She smiled darkly at the prospect.

This is perfect.

_

Hermia (Taeyeon) (looks at Lysander with concerned eyes):”Is this right, Lysander? Us running away?”

Baekhyun got ready to do the worst he could on his part.

Lysander (Baekhyun): “Why yes dear Hermia, of course it is!”

There was a murmur of suppressed laughter at the comical way he’d read his lines, ignoring the stage directions that told him to be serious. He looked towards Yixing, who was frowning, but he looked away before the elder could reprimand him. Taeyeon’s jaw clenched in response to his non-challance, but she bit back whatever rebuke was lingering on her tongue and got back to saying her lines.  Oh how he wished she wouldn’t act out her part so sincerely and make it easier for him to act badly.

Hermia: “I’m tired, Lysander. let’s rest. Who knows what journey we have ahead of us tomorrow?”

(After they settle down under the trees, Hermia looks up at the sky showing through a gap in the forest canopy)

Hermia: “So bright they are! (she looks at Lysander) Don’t you agree?”

Baekhyun’s breath caught in his throat at the earnest expression she gave him. One that spoke of a time when they actually would have looked at the stars together.

The lines came out right of their own accord.

Lysander: “Not brighter than your eyes, my love.”

There was silence. And then Taeyeon smiled. Was it written in the stage directions? He didn’t know. A part of him would later blame it all on that smile. But a greater part knew it would have turned out just the same regardless.

Hermia (she tries to make fun of the situation, but fails): “Either you’re delusional or you love me a lot”

Baekhyun didn’t even have to try this time.

Lysander: “I do. From one universe to the next.”

He saw it in her eyes. The slight incredulity at first, which then got replaced with something more.

A reflected emotion. A reciprocation.

Hermia: “As do I”

“Cut!”, Yixing’s voice cut through the air, breaking Baekhyun out of his reverie. “That was good!”

Baekhyun sighed. What had he done? He shook his head to break out of whatever fiction his head had gotten him submerged in and looked towards Taeyeon, hoping to find a similar dilemma written across her features, but only found her smiling softly at the praises, clearly unaffected by what had just happened.

This play was going to be his undoing.