A True LOVE [ Yandere-kun X Male Rivals ]

[27] Practice Makes Perfect

"Romeo, oh, Romeo."

"Again."

"Romeo...oh, Romeo."

"Again."

There hadn't been a day when Ayato felt a stronger urge to strangle Kizano than today.

Kizano's firm voice struck a nerve with Ayato, causing his body to tense up. He bit back a sigh and repeated the line several times until it was perfect. But no matter how often he recited it, Kizano forced him to start from the beginning.

Ayato spoke too fast, too strong, or too lacklustre. Nothing was going right.

When Kizano cut him off for the umpteenth time, Ayato let a sigh slip. He met Kizano's soft eyes, realising his mistake. 

Ayato didn't mean to yawn.

Kizano cleared his throat, "Maybe we should take a break. We've been practising for an hour now."

Had it only been one hour? It felt like an eternity had passed since he entered the drama club room. Ayato nodded, forcing back a retort. He wasn't going to let his chance at a break slip now.

Sitting on a chair, sipping water from one of the bottles, Ayato watched Kizano pace around. Kizano's brows furrowed as his eyes flickered over the pages, focusing on the content. He pressed a pen against his lips, and for a moment, Ayato wondered if he wouldn't accidentally stuff it into his throat with the force of his grip.

Ayato debated whether to speak up. He tried to give Kizano the space to come and talk to him about his worries, but so far, all Kizano did was show and never tell.

Might as well take the first step.

"Are you doing okay with the writing?" Ayato asked carefully, trying to meet Kizano's gaze.

Kizano stared at the papers, "Yes... No... I don't know." He sighed dramatically, his shoulders slumping. "I have been working on this play for days, perfecting and editing it for weeks, and now...it reads like garbage to me."

Garbage? 

Ayato raised an eyebrow, "Maybe you're being too hard on yourself. You've written many successful plays before. You just need to find your inspiration again."

"I suppose so. It is an everyday spectacle for a genius to suffer creatively," Kizano grumbled as he scratched his head with the pen. Ayato decided not to comment on his fuzzy hair. The guy was more fixated on looks than anything, but he seemed too stressed to care about that now. "I wonder what I'm missing. Something doesn't feel right..."

Ayato paused to gather his thoughts. Usually, he offered to be the voice of reason or reassurance, but now he was at a blank. Creativity wasn't his field, let alone drama acting, until today.

His mind wandered to a specific moment: the lunch with Taro and Osano.

"The play's about love, right?" Ayato began as he caught Kizano's eyes for the first time since they practised. He continued, "I could be speaking nonsense, but wouldn't it feel more authentic to have been in love before you write a play about it?"

Kizano tilted his head, "What are you trying to say?"

Ayato sighed, "Kizano, have you ever been in love?"

"W-what?" If tomatoes were walking around the school, Kizano could pass off as one right now. "I...uh...why do you ask?" He stammered, searching for his lost composure.

Ayato deadpanned, "Why do you think?"

"Ah, right, the play..." Kizano hit his chest as he cleared his throat. "Well...I suppose I've had my share of lovers."