A chorus of "thank you"s and "bye"s fill the auditorium moments after the director for this year's play hits the slate and reminds everyone of their final rehearsal next Friday, soon fading into silence with the shut of the heavy double door. Donghyuck decides to stay behind and help Renjun with the small mess on his table. Yangyang does, too.
"Wait, why are you here again?" Renjun asks him. "You aren't even part of the club nor the play."
"Moral support for Hyuck, of course." Yangyang answers, grinning, and throws an arm around his best friend's shoulder.
"Stop using me as an excuse," Donghyuck rolls his eyes. "He's here for Sunhee, not me."
"Sunhee? But she's taken," Renjun says and Yangyang's smile falls. "You didn't know? Her and Jaein have been dating since, like, a month ago."
"Jaein as in Saeryeon's best friend?" Yangyang asks and Renjun nods in response as he gathers the last few papers on the table. "Damnit. I knew I should've asked her out last year when she seemed interested in me."
"Don't worry, Yang, there are plenty more fish in the sea." Donghyuck says comfortingly but there is a slight teasing lilt in his voice.
"Says the guy who's been crushing on the same girl for so many years now." Renjun says matter-of-factly with a scoff.
Yangyang smirks, "Speaking of Saeryeon─"
"No, I don't like her anymore." Donghyuck interrupts before he can even finish his sentence, seemingly annoyed and done with this topic his two friends have continously been teasing him about since they knew of his crush─well, past crush now.
He flings his backpack over his shoulder and shoves his airpods into his ears, seeing Renjun and Yangyang share a look in the corner of his eye. The trio go their separate ways once Renjun has gathered his stuff. Donghyuck heads towards the parking lot, passing by the bulletin board on his way there. He sees the promotional poster for the play plastered on the center that makes it impossible not to notice it, and a proud smile makes its way onto his face.
His participation in musical plays dates way back to his second year of highschool when he discovered the drama club. Back then and even now, he passes the auditions for the main lead role almost everytime. But acting isn't just something he excells in, it is something he is also passionate about. The moment he found out there was a theatre club on the first day of college, he signed up as soon as his roommate told him where.
Even though his love for acting is immense, he knows that isn't the road he is going to take. It will just stay as a hobby, a talent, and not something he does professionally. Besides, he is just as passionate if not more about his major as he is with acting. Being an architect is his first dream and that is the dream he is going to pruse. He has doubts and second thoughts sometimes, but that is a can of worms he doesn't want to open.
"Hyuck, wait up!"
Having heard his name through the loud music blasting in his ears, he takes one of his airpods out and turns around to see who called him. Saeryeon is heading towards him on her skateboard and he presumes it was her. She is still in her basketball uniform, her gym bag on one shoulder and her school bag on the other, looking like she just got out of practice. The thin layer of sweat coating her forehead supports that theory.
"Heading back to the dorms too?" He asks once she finally catches up and is standing next to him, her skateboard now being held in her arm.
"Yup," she says as they continue walking. "Was hoping to ride with you. Yeonwoo had to borrow my car since his is still getting his fixed, and I'm too lazy to skateboard all the way there."
"Ugh, you're gonna stink up my car and smear your sweat on my leather seats again." He says jokingly, which earns him a light punch on the shoulder. Light is probably the wrong word to use since her punches are just like Jeno's. "You've been hanging out at the court a lot these days, huh?"
"It's our last year and I'm making the most out of it," she smiles bittersweetly. "I'm gonna miss beating Minji in every single one of our one-vs-one games, and especially Jaein's ridiculous victory dances everytime we win."
"You can still play with them after we all graduate, though not as frequently." He says and takes her gym bag off her shoulder, knowing how heavy it is, to carry on his instead.
"We're all going to be busy being adults with responsibilities, and Jaein is planning to work abroad," she says with a sigh and runs her fingers through her dry, knotty hair. "I'm gonna miss her a lot."
"Well, you still have me." He beams and she feigns a gag, laughing when he lets out an offended huff. Their playful banter doesn't seem to end once it starts. He unlocks his car as they get closer and an idea suddenly flickers on an imaginary light bulb above his head. "Hey, wanna drive?"
"You and I both know that's a terrible idea," she glances at the car keys he is dangling in front of her then looks back at him. "The last time I was behind the wheel, we almost died."
He opens the door of the driver's side and shrugs, "It was thrilling."
"You have issues." She lets out a snort and shakes her head as she gets into the passenger's seat, gently tossing her tote bag and skateboard in the back seat beside her gym bag.
He smoothly reverses out of his parking spot and drives out into the road where there is only two other cars aside from his. It is quite a surprise to see the streets of Seoul without traffic. He isn't complaining though; he wishes it is like this everyday although that is impossible.
"How 'bout you though?" She asks suddenly and he hums, confused by what she is questioning him about. "The theatre club, I mean. You're gonna miss it a lot, aren't you?"
"Very much. I'll miss annoying the hell out of Renjun at rehearsals." He says jokingly, trying to make himself laugh about something that will make him cry. He isn't ready to leave acting behind yet, but graduation is nearing and so is his final play. The thought alone makes his heart clench with sadness.
"Poor guy, he even had to room with you," she says with a faux sympathetic tone. "I could never survive that. I wonder how he managed to for a whole year."
"I'm not that bad," he huffs. "You're so mean to me."
She throws her head back as she lets out a laugh, "Just kidding, sunshine, you're a fun person to be with."
"You're never gonna stop calling me that, huh?" He says, referring to the nickname she had created back in highschool. Even though she has been calling him that for so many years now, he still isn't used to it. It makes his heart flutter and he isn't sure whether to like it or not. He did have a tiny crush on her back then, but it is gone now.
"Never in a million years, sunshine."
Surely it is.
