The backstage of the theater felt like a hidden realm, a secret sanctuary where the outside world melted away, leaving only the soft glow of dim lights and the hushed whispers of the cast and crew. As Songjae poured his heart out, his words echoed off the walls, intertwining with the faint strains of music drifting from the stage.

Lost in the labyrinth of my thoughts, I found myself drifting away from the conversation, my mind wandering down winding paths of its own making. Songjae's voice, though earnest, became a distant murmur in the background as I delved deeper into the recesses of my own musings.

It wasn't until I noticed the nervous tension in Songjae's posture that I snapped back to reality, my attention abruptly yanked back to the present moment. His words hung in the air, laden with unspoken emotion, as if waiting for a response that I was ill-prepared to give.

"Songjae, listen-" I began, but my words faltered, swallowed by the heavy silence that hung between us like a veil.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Songjae cut me off, his voice tinged with resignation. "Forget it. You don't have to say anything," he muttered, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Yeah. I was going to say that I have no clue what to say," I confessed, feeling the weight of the awkwardness settling between us like a thick fog.

"Is that right...." Songjae's voice trailed off, his gaze averted, as if unable to meet my eyes.

"So can you please be a bit more clear? Do you not like him or-" I attempted to break the tension with a question, but before I could finish, Songjae's frustration bubbled to the surface, his words spilling out in a rush of emotion.

"It's not like I don't like that guy. I just don't like your relationship with him," he confessed, his voice tinged with a hint of jealousy.

"Are you....jealous..?" I couldn't help but tease, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of my lips as I watched the color rise in Songjae's cheeks.

"E-eh? N-no-" Songjae stuttered, his embarrassment evident as he stumbled over his words.

"Pfft," I couldn't contain the chuckle that escaped my lips, earning me an indignant glare from Songjae.

"No! I said no!" he protested, his cheeks flushing an even deeper shade of red.

"Songjae is jealous~" I teased, unable to resist poking fun at his expense.

"Jongyun!" he protested, his embarrassment evident as he attempted to maintain his composure.

Peering at his flushed cheeks and the innocence in his eyes, I couldn't help but find his reaction endearing. It was a side of Songjae I had never expected to see, and it stirred something within me, a warmth blooming in the depths of my chest.

I lightly tapped his shoulder, signaling for him to stand up, and as he obediently followed suit, I couldn't help but smile at his adorably bashful demeanor. Together, we made our way out of the backroom and onto the stage, where we resumed our practice with renewed energy, the tension between us dissipating like morning mist beneath the sun's gentle rays.

As the hours slipped by in a blur of dialogue and movement, the lines between reality and fiction blurred, the characters we portrayed becoming extensions of ourselves. Despite my best efforts, I struggled to commit the lines to memory, each word slipping through my fingers like grains of sand, while Songjae seemed to effortlessly retain every nuance, flawlessly delivering each line with conviction and grace.

But amidst the chaos of rehearsals and the uncertainty of our burgeoning friendship, there were moments of respite, small pockets of calm in the storm. We attended our classes and fulfilled our other obligations, the monotony broken only by the occasional thrill of clandestine meetings and stolen glances.

And then, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the day drew to a close, I felt a sense of relief wash over me, a fleeting moment of peace in the midst of chaos.

"Songjae," Yunjin's voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to see her jogging towards us, her face flushed with excitement.

"It's cafe time," she announced, her enthusiasm infectious as she ushered us out of the theater and into the cool evening air.

"You seem to love this job," Songjae remarked, his annoyance evident as Yunjin nudged him forward.

I followed them, snickering under my breath, as we made our way outside the campus gates. Pausing for a moment to take in the fresh air, I announced my intention to head to the library, eager to escape the confines of social interaction for the solitude of books.

"If you insist on being away from us, sure~" Yunjin teased, her playful tone softened by a knowing look.

With a roll of my eyes, I bid my two best friends farewell and set off towards the library, the quiet solitude of its halls calling to me like a siren's song.

The library was a sanctuary of quiet solitude, its shelves lined with rows of books waiting to be explored. As I settled into my familiar routine, the monotony of the job weighed heavily on me, exacerbated by the recent excitement of drama practice and the clandestine nature of our friendship.

Plugging in my earphones in search of some solace, the sudden sound of a notification jolted me from my reverie. It was Songjae.

Opening our chat, I found myself smiling at his messages, his playful emojis a welcome distraction from the mundane tasks at hand. As we exchanged banter, a shrill ring cut through the silence, causing me to jump in surprise.

"Sooyeong?" I exclaimed, startled to see him standing before me, a stack of books cradled in his arms.

"Oh, Jongyun. It's you? Didn't recognize you with that hat pulled all the way down to your face," he quipped, his playful demeanor putting me at ease.

"What are you doing here?" I inquired, adjusting my cap in an attempt to appear more approachable.

"What does one do in the library?" Sooyeong replied with a smirk, placing three books on the counter before me.

As I scanned the books, I couldn't help but marvel at Sooyeong's choice of reading material. His penchant for challenging literature never ceased to impress me, a stark contrast to my own struggles with memorization.

"What are you doing after work?" Sooyeong asked, breaking the silence that had settled between us.

"Today I have a half shift at the convenience store and then home, I guess," I replied, my thoughts already drifting to the upcoming tasks.

"When does your library shift end?" Sooyeong inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"In a while-- oh. Yes, how may I help you?" I interrupted myself as a woman approached the counter, signaling the start of another wave of patrons.

As the evening wore on, the library gradually emptied, the last remaining patrons bidding their farewells as they departed into the night. Turning to see Sooyeong still sitting nearby, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for neglecting our conversation earlier.

With a mischievous grin, I crept up behind him, stifling a laugh as I startled him awake with a playful "boo."

"AH!" Sooyeong exclaimed, his startled shriek echoing through the empty library before he pouted at me in mock annoyance.

I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction, the sound echoing through the quiet space.