Subconsciously his hands tightened around the bouquet. Jongin didn’t actually know what to say. Would an excuse be more for him or Namjoo? It was suddenly strange.

His mouth opened. Nothing came out.

A knock on the doorway made them turn. The vice president of the drama club looked back at them.

“Something wrong?” Hayoung asked. She glanced at the flowers in his hands. Something in her expression flickered. Jongin wasn’t sure how to decipher it.

“Oh…uh…do you know who’s been in here?” Jongin perked up.

“Why?” she wondered.

“No one should have entered the dressing room during the musical.” Jongin gruffly stated.

“Nothing.” Namjoo snatched the roses out of his hand and awkwardly grinned at Hayoung. “It’s nothing.” Her tone pitched like a woman soothing a wounded child, “Do you need something?”

“No. Just the halls are emptying and everyone’s leaving. Wanted to make sure everyone is cleared out before lockup.” Hayoung explained. That again. Something in her eyes flittering.

When she finally left Jongin turned to Namjoo. “What was that about?”

“You were making it awkward.” Namjoo spat. Picking up the flowers on her vanity table she sniffed them.

“You’re actually taking them?” he worried. “It could be someone trying to hurt you.”

“Maybe I just have a fan.” She shrugged brushing past.

He wasn’t so sure about that. Picking up his pace he followed her out, but they ran into Hayoung loitering in the hallway.

“Hey,” she started, “are you two doing anything later?”

“No. I don’t think so.” It was Namjoo. She glanced up at him for confirmation.

Jongin shrugged. “We were just going back to the dorm to relax.”

“I forgot to mention earlier, there’s a Chicken Road festival later. Want to go?” Hayoung asked. “There’s beer, lots of chicken, and performances.” Her eyes wavered on him before she switched attention to Namjoo. “It’d be nice to do something since you’re not performing tomorrow, right?” She added for extra measure, “It’ll be fun. Promise.”

♠♠♠♠♠

She’s coming. Sehun grinned at the text. Pressing the side button to turn his phone off he exhaled his excitement. The sound on the other side of the makeshift platform was overwhelming. His guts forgot their hunger when his anticipation eased at the text.

Namjoo was coming. She was going to see him perform on stage. Would she think he was cool? Would she applaud for him? What was she think of him? Handsome? Neat? Talented?

Tonight, he was going to introduce himself to her. He was going to do it tonight after the club performance.

He hoped she had received his bouquet well. He had snuck in just as the dressing room cleared to leave the flowers on her desk. Had she brightened at the sight of them? Would she put them in her dorm room and think of the giver whenever she saw the flowers?

“I’m so nervous.” Joonsuh, the newest member of their dance club, rubbed his sweaty hands together.

Sehun ignored him. If he empathized, he’d end up being a nervous wreck himself. Today he would not risk that.

“All right?” The president of the dance club lightly hit his arm.

“Yea, I’m fine.” Sehun answered. His eyes darted over to the restaurant next to them. The back door was securely locked tonight. The front door was open for business on the opposite side anyway.

“Hey, so I was thinking,” Sehun began, “I know we’re a pretty small club, so there’s no trip planned. But since there’s not a lot of us, what if we collected enough funds to go somewhere?”

Heojin crossed his arms. “What do you propose?”

“Well,” he weakly said without a hint of confidence, “what if we go on a trip with the drama club?”

The frown on the president’s face deepened. Sehun wanted to shrink and hide. Not sure what he just did by bringing up a forbidden proposition.

“That’s never been done before,” Heojin said. “The point of a club trip is to strengthen the relationship between club members. We have nothing to do with their club.”

“But,” Sehun pushed, “what if we just share a trip, but also do our own thing? We can share expenses and that will also lessen their load. That’s an advantage, right?”

Heojin rubbed his chin. “I’m not sure. I’ll have to talk to their club president.”

“I’m actually close to their club president,” Sehun eagerly added. “I can bring it up to her.”

He rubbed his knuckles anxiously. Damn him and his mouth. He should have stopped it from running. What had he been thinking?

Chewing his lip, he turned away from the five other members of the club. One more glance at the time said they were going to perform soon. He hoped Hayoung was keeping her end of the bargain. Namjoo was supposed to be near the front so he could see her and she could see him.

Adrenaline rushed through him when the MC shouted their group name. Applause welcomed them as they climbed onto the stage. Heart pumping Sehun got into position. Scanning the hundred heads and bodies crammed together into the crowd he sought for his person of interest. Faces he didn’t recognize stared in return. Everyone waiting, anticipating what this group had in store for tonight.

Sehun continued searching desperately. Hoping, praying he would be able to see Namjoo as he’d seen her on stage just hours before. Prettily on stage. Performing beautifully as Juliet. But of course, she wasn’t going to be his Juliet. Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lovers and that wasn’t something he aimed for with her.

Music started booming. The noise pumped through his blood, accelerating his heartbeat. Boom. Boom. Boom. Sehun’s eyes continued swimming amongst the crowd, struggling not to let disappointment flood him.

She wasn’t here. She wasn’t going to see him at his best.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

His body jerked automatically to the music shattering through the night sky, instinctively responding to memory movements. When he slid up front for his part that was when he finally saw her. Up front like promised.

At the very front row.

Namjoo staring up at the stage. She had changed from her costume into jeans and a normal t-shirt. Becoming just a regular student of the night like every other single person out there. But to him she stood out the most.

That was his crush.

Grinning like an idiot now he inhaled, wholesomely feeling the music flood his system with power. More effort went into his movements and the next moment he was sky high, experiencing a rush like never before.

He was doing this. He was really the best of the best.

When the three minutes ended, he left the stage heavily panting and sweating like a pig. Yet he was more energetic than ever. Ditching the group immediately he left with a wave when Heojin suggested drinks and chicken to end the night. Running around the makeshift stage Sehun shoved his way through the crowd hoping to catch Namjoo before the night ended. He didn’t want her to leave yet. Voices traveled through his eyes. Distinct conversations of men and women he couldn’t be bothered with.

“Hey, good job! You were awesome!” Someone called out. Sehun lifted an arm up to acknowledge the compliment without turning to find who it was.

“Excuse me. Excuse me.” He pushed his way through, trying to stand on tiptoes to peer over every head blocking his view. Damn he hated this. He came across beer breaths. The scent of fried chicken. More fried chicken. The stench of sweat and tobacco.

Sehun hurriedly slid past a couple food testing at a vendor stall. Several steps past and he halted. A brush of wind burst the moment he swerved around. A smile trickled across his lips and he backtracked. At first, slowly. Deeply feeling the music in the distance drum in sync with the pounding of his heart.

Patiently closing the distance to lengthen the suspense, he eased his breathing. Then he stopped just beside her. Namjoo eating fried chicken bits from a small oval paper plate. The grill in front of her was steaming hot with kabobs. The chef on the other side in a stained red apron was too occupied to notice him. Next to Namjoo the couple he’d seen earlier cared even less.

Sehun’s insides quivered. Now was it.

“Hi.” He greeted.

Biting down on a chicken bit, Namjoo blinked. First lifting her head before turning to him. Everything inside him burst from happiness. From just seeing her up front and personal again. The way her hair slithered over her shoulder to her back was even pretty. The small of her ears was even enamoring.

“Oh, hi.” She said.

The quiet that came next was earth shattering. Sehun had to think quick. “Um…so, earlier, what did you think?”

Namjoo blinked and kind of cocked her head confused. “About what?”

Embarrassment fluttered through him. Sehun pointed out his outfit. “I was in the performance just now. I saw you. Up front, I mean, not that I was really looking. I just saw you.”

He added an awkward laugh and reminded himself rambling made him look really bad.

“Oh…yes, I remember. Mystiq, right?”

“You remember?” he almost breathed a laugh, pumped up he had stayed on her mind.

“You guys were pretty cool up there.” Namjoo commented.

“Thanks.” He touched the back of his head shy. “You were pretty good, too.” She blinked appearing lost. “I mean,” he clarified, “I saw your musical. It was pretty neat.”

“Oh, that? That was nothing.”

“No, really. I honestly think no one could have played Juliet better.” Her smile just about killed him.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“I’m uh…Sehun.” He introduced.

“I’m Namjoo. It’s nice to meet you.”

“I…I already know.” He stammered, flushing with immense heat.

Her sweet smile made him melt next. “That’s right. You’ve probably already seen it on the poster.”

Sehun bit his lip in an attempt to stop from smiling harder than necessary. Of course. He knew much about her from his friend already, but he couldn’t let it on. No way would he let Namjoo think he was a creep.

“I’ve seen it around campus.” He told. “So, you’re in the theatre department?”

“Yes, it’s my major.”

“I’m in dance.” he offered the information in case she wouldn’t ask. “Then it’s kind of the same. We’re in performance.”

Namjoo nodded uncertainly. “Sure. I suppose.”

“Next week,” he quickly added in case he was losing her interest, “you’re performing again?”

“I’m scheduled for Saturday.”

“I’ll come see you.” Sehun hurriedly said.

“I thought you just saw it today.” Namjoo said.

“Well…tickets are still selling,” he pointed out, “and,” he blushed, “I’ll bring you flowers again.”

“What?” Namjoo sounded entirely caught off guard.

This time Sehun couldn’t look at her. Completely bashful his eyes flew to his feet. How was she looking at him? Was she surprised? Oh God, he was going to explode from anticipation.

“What’s going on?” A voice interrupted. Sehun lifted his head up in time to see Namjoo’s friend walking past, his eyes curiously combing over him. To Namjoo, “Who is he?”

The fleeting excitement he’d just felt shriveled to nothing inside him. Sehun opened his mouth to say something, anything.

There was nothing.

“Want to go? It’s getting late.” Her friend said. “Thanks, Hayoung. See you Monday.”

“Oh…uh…yea.” Her tone dropped as the two passed.

Sehun pivoted desperately to catch a reaction from Namjoo. There wasn’t much but a last passing glance before she and her fellow friend disappeared into the thick crowd.

She wasn’t even excited or taken aback at all that the flowers she’d found on her vanity in the dressing room was from him.

Just nothing.

That was it.

She just walked away.

Sehun stared hopelessly after them. Part of him debating to go after them even when he knew it was pointless. He was really such a .

♠♠♠♠♠

“Who was that?” Jongin asked as they squeezed their way through the populated street.

Namjoo shrugged. “I don’t know. I just met him. What took you so long?”

He handed her the chicken burger. The foil it was wrapped in was hot to the touch. “The line was super long. No wonder Hayoung recommended it.”

Unwrapping the burger Namjoo took a big bite and moaned satisfied. “It’s good!”

“That better be worth my ten bucks.” Jongin muttered opening his burger and took a bite.

“Want to go to the convenience store?” Namjoo asked.

“Now?” Jongin glanced at his watch. “It’s late. What do you need that can’t wait till tomorrow?”

“A vase.”

“A vase?” he repeated appalled.

“I need another one.” Namjoo rewrapped the burger and hurried forward.

Sighing, Jongin jogged after her. In the end, Namjoo found a plastic bottle. Good enough. She would just have to make do with it. By the time they returned to the dorm it was near eleven. The festival had died out despite the few drunk students loitering the trashed street. The public servants would have a field day cleaning up tomorrow.

Parting from Jongin, Namjoo headed straight for her room. A double bed suite, but her roommate hadn’t returned after the first semester so she was on her own. She had stacked up her textbooks and snacks on the roommate’s now abandoned desk. The other was her personal, which consisted of not much but a laptop and a cup of pens.

Shoving aside the stack of books to make room, Namjoo set down the bottle she’d just bought and dug out a vase from the bottom of her closet. Heading back out she went in the direction of the women’s restroom, rinsed the vase, and filled it with water. On her way back she heard overzealous heehawing belonging to some male classmates. The con about a co-ed dorm was some guys never knew when to shut up.

Their voices silenced when she shut the door to her room. Returning to the desk she poured some water into the plastic bottle from the convenience store. Picking up the bouquets she’d left on the bed, she worked on transferring them from one to the other. Jongin’s smaller bouquet would go in the bottle. Sehun’s bigger flowers in the bigger vase.

Once the task was completed, she stepped back to observe her work. The difference in size was too obvious. From thicker to thin. And honestly, she didn’t really have anything to say.

Truthfully, she’d been stunned to discover the flowers on her vanity. A trick from Jongin she had assumed until he proved her wrong. Turned out she didn’t even know the giver.

Namjoo replayed Sehun approaching her. Some male student trying to hit it up with her was what she’d first thought. She’d talk with him and then excuse herself had been her plan. Her future was set and predestined from years past, Namjoo was determined not to lose focus and detour. Not now.

Turning away from the flowers on the desk, Namjoo grabbed a towel, a change of clothes, and left to take a shower. Tomorrow she would sleep in, rest, and study some more. Quizzes were spread throughout the week for her. She shouldn’t be taking it easy.

Namjoo spent the following week attending classes, going to the library, and typing up essays. Rehearsals were no longer required now that the official musicals were already playing, giving Namjoo the extra time to concentrate on homework.

That weekend Namjoo took the stage again. The musical went smoothly as expected. Compared to her castmates Namjoo did not feel a hint of exhaustion from standing on stage for a whole three hours. Also, she was not like them. Her upbringing wasn’t what anyone would call normal. Not with celebrity parents.

Though her parents pushed her to exceed all their expectations, they also protected her from being hounded by the media. Her face had never been revealed to the public as a youth. They had lived very private lives. Her parents would go out for work, she would attend the very private school she’d been sent to including ballet lessons, dance, and singing lessons every other day of the week. Namjoo did not have playmates or playdates. She was always somewhere else doing something that would benefit her in the future when she embarked on her career.

She had worked everyday to fulfill her parents’ wishes, so she couldn’t even relate to the next door dormmate who was depressed from failing an exam.

When she reached the dressing room no flowers waited for her on the vanity. Unfazed, Namjoo packed up her belongings. Today she would just go back to the dorm and rest for the evening. Jongin was overdue at the library for his study group, so she would not be seeing a hair of him.

“Good job today. Get some rest.” A castmate called out.

Namjoo smiled and waved goodbye on her way out. Groups of threes and fours hurried along, excitedly debating over what restaurant to visit. Several yards ahead the double doors to the theatre were propped open. The guests that had come to watch the musical had emptied the theatre. The professor and director were still in the doorway chatting with some people Namjoo did not recognize.

Namjoo lowered her head to nod as she brushed past and turned the corner. Her feet fell in step with the other as she halted. The figure leaning against the wall shifted to face her. The sound of plastic slightly rustling hit her ears.

Namjoo stared back at Oh Sehun and the bouquet against his chest.

“Hi.”

***This story reeks of another story