Chpt. 18 Rehersals

I set down my script and sigh in tiredness. We've been practicing until late just about everyday. I haven't been able to get enough sleep for quite a few months. Neither has any other person a part of the play. The director was seriously struct about the play this year, or so I've neard, than any other year. Some people just grow onto it so much that they tend to have the need to perfect it. Krystal groans and continues on with the play, ignorig any possible threats from the director. Which, in surprise, he has been fired from directing the plays.

It's not always the best part in the world, playing the second class character. I sigh, rehersals were running later than usual tonight. A week before perforance, and the director wanted it perfect. I sigh and pick up my dress I was wearing for the musical. Shifting to the side, I bump into Krystal, or what she is, Princess Krytal. She giggles and pats my head.

"You're perfect for the pauper role." She smiles. "Not being mean, but it suits you. Tell me, is you guy coming to see you perform?"

"Huh," I look at her. "I'm not sure. We talked about it, but he's still taking note of it. I'm just afraid I might see someone from Seoul High come and see me perform."

"Aigoo, get your hopes up. I know you'll ignore the fact you're performing for them, but for someone special. Think of it that this is a play for Sehun."

"Heh, a show for him."

"Krystal, you're up!" Director Yang calls out. Krystal nods and runs to her spot on stage. I smile and give her a thumbs up, letting her know to be positive and not worry about other things. I sway and mouth the words of my part. Inhale. And Exhale. I did this until my scene came on. I breathe in deeply and get on stage, the well.

"Madam," Prince Sunggyu says from his lines. "Have you heard of the Silky Lanes Tailor?"

"Oh," I look up from the prop." I work at the Silky Lanes Tailor. Would you like to know where it is?"

"Of course! Who wouldn't! I heard it's a very nice place to get out clothing tailored, customized and so on."

"One of the best! Our silk comes from the finest places in-"

"Cho-Hee!" Bom calls out. She played the manager of the clothing shop. "Where is the water? The horses need them now!"

"I'll be there in a bit, ma'am." I drop the bucket to the well and exchanged it for a partially filled bucket of water. "Follow me, sir."

"No need to call me 'sir.'" Sunggyu chuckles. "Call me Prince KiBum, or Kibum. At your honoary service." I laugh and walk over to the "horses."

"And who you might be?" Bom clears .

"I am... I am Prince Kibum of the-"

"Cut!" Director Yang shouts. "That is... No. Sunggyu, you're supposed to help Hyunjae with the horses!"

"Aish..." Sunggyu scoffs. "Crabby man." I stilfe in giggles from erupting. Sunggyu smiles and looks at Krystal, who was holding in her laughter and immitating the director.

"Bom, you're the manager who doesn't- the manager in the script is supposed to show more affection. Change your character to someone nice and calm. From the scene once more."

We all groan and walk away to our spots. "Do you want practice to go until midnight, I wouldn't mind it to go until three in the morning. I have nothing to do all day."

"I quit!" We hear someone yell. "The only thing you give us is no time to actually learn from our mistakes. But it's just a single mistake. We're practicing all week and no break at all! You need to at least give us some break to learn our lines."

"You are learning your lines!" the director shouts.

"Dara's right!" We hear Krystal call out. "You're not giving us time to actually relax our minds from something else. We're meeting here every night to get this perfect in your eyes. But no matter how many times we get things right, you're shooting at us to get it done once more. We have families that need them by their side."

"You," Director Yang shoots his eyes at Krystal. "You can leave this stage right now. And you don't need to come back."

"Fine, i will."

We all gasp, she was one of the lead roles in the play too. I knew if she left, we'd need to get another person to play her parts. Krystal took off her crown and threw it at the director. He sternly looked at Krystal.

"Come on, if you agree with me, leave this guy alone to do his things." She spits out. "I'm sure there are many of you who want to shoot him in the head to leave him do it himself. I'd rather stay alongside with my family than having him ruin Saturday night game day."

"I'm going with Krystal." Bom takes her manager coat off. "You can go and do this yourself." Everyone began to take off a something that came from their part and throw it onto the floor and walked behing Krystal. I was the only one left on stage in front of Director Yang.

"Don't leave." He mouthed. I looked back at everyone else who took a part away.

"I'm sorry." I drop the bucket. "You're on your own. I guess there won't be a play this year. And i heard about what you did to other actors and actresses before this. No one stays up late just to get it done with. We have families to go to. Let's go home, guys." I turn around and head to the dressing rooms. The others follow and I hear Krystal walk up to me.

"I thought you were going with him." She chuckles. "Scared me half to death."

"What do we do now?" Someone asked. Then, an idea flooded my mind instantly.

"I got it." I face them. "i think this play should be for everyone, than just a love story, why not a children's story? I know we don't have time, but we'll meet up on a regular basis just to get this done with."

"But what kind of fairytales?" Hyunyoung frowns.

"We'll do a kingdom of fairytales. We'll have a king, a queen, a princess, and and prince. Based off fairytales we read. We can have Mother Goose, Tom Thumb, Red Riding Hood, and so on. Come back with ideas tomorrow and we'll get it all down. We basically have everything we need in the back. We just need to put a script together!"

"This is genius! We'll bring in famous stories from the childhood to life! Everyone, get your pens, pencils and other things, we're making a new play."

"This is great..." Bom mumbles. "Now we have to make new brochures, new stage sets and we don't have much time."

"Uh, yes we do." I pull out paper. "We'll write it out, like a child's handwriting, and letting any of our younger siblings or any child-like friends we have to decorate our brochures. They don't have to look so proffessional. This is a show for everyone! And no matter how unproffessional this looks like, we're doing this from our childhood memories. So, what stories do we have?"

"We have Jack and the Giant Bean Stalk." Krystal pulls out a book. "Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, The Frog Prince and Cinderella."

"Good. So we'll be having five groups working on the stories. How are we going to do this? Like reading a story, you act out the story while it's being read. But the actors will be saying the words."

"So you're saying...?"

"There will be narrators, narrating the story. And when the characters talk, the characters will talk. So, split up and let's get this show going."

I grab my clip board and write down what we had. Little Red Riding Hood, a girl and a wolf. (This reminds me of EXO's Wolf a little too much). Each group began practicing, idea making and settings. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

"Hello?" I pick it up.

"Where are you?" I hear Sehun's voice ask. "I've been waiting for you for at least half an hour."

"Wait, what?"

"It's past your curfew after practice..."

"Oh, my lord." I facepalm myself. "We've been so drawn into our play, I forgot about-"

"You forgot...?" He questions. "What are you up to?"

"Directing the play...?"

"I thought you played the-"

"Let me explain. So, the director was giving us a hard time, we revolted and he gave up. We got together and are making a play for the family. Dont worry, we'll be done soon. Very."

"Well, right now, you don't look like it.Standing there, talking on your phone, a hand on your hip and the clipboard."

I stood there in silence for quite a while. How did he know I was in this- wait, was he in here? I turn around on the stage and look at the audience seats. No one there. I look up and see him, sitting up the upper level seats. He waves with a large smile plastered on his face. I wave back to him with a confused, but happy smile. Krystal nudges my side and giggles.

"Go on," she pulls the clipboard away. "I'll take things from here for a bit. Go see him."

"A-alright." I say to her. "I'll be up in a bit, Sehunnie."

"Arasso." He nods and hangs up. I climb down the stairs of the stage and make my way up towards the upper level Sehun was at. I sit in the chair next to him. He smiles brightly, letting the warmth flow around us.

"How's practices?"

"Busy... The current director was fired, we're starting our own plays. I promise we'll be done soon. Very soon."

"Awe, but on one condition. You'll let me kiss you."

"M-mwo?" I turn red.

"Kiss me." He chuckles. "No if, ands, or buts." I sigh, trying not to sound hesitant.

"Can we not do this now?"

"I heard about your new plans, so, if you're playing a part, I want you to practice."

"You cheesy son of a nutcracker. I'll do it later. Right now, we have things to do." I was about to leave when Sehun pulled on my wrist, making me turn back to him. He leaned in and kissed me. Cheering sounds began to erupt the auditorium. I flushed red, and pulled away shyly.

"That's the beginning of our love story." Sehun whispers.