Rich Heart,poor souls

Unintended Words

As the group huddled around their table, Yuu arrived with a smile, her presence instantly brightening the atmosphere. She slid into the seat next to Zyran, who had just finished sharing his ideas for the project.

“Hey, everyone! What did I miss?” Yuu asked, glancing at each of them with genuine curiosity.

“We were just brainstorming some ideas,” Zyran said, gesturing toward his sketches. “I think we should incorporate some interactive elements to engage the audience.”

“Great idea, Zyran!” Yuu replied, her eyes sparkling. “That’ll definitely make our display stand out!”

Amara felt a surge of irritation. “Sure, but does it have to be all about Zyran?” she blurted out before she could stop herself. The words hung heavy in the air, catching everyone off guard.

“What do you mean by that?” Kai asked, his tone sharper than intended as he turned to Amara, his expression a mix of confusion and concern.

“Just that Zyran seems to take over every discussion,” Amara replied, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Maybe we should focus on ideas that involve all of us?”

Zyran’s brow furrowed, hurt flashing across his features. “I was just trying to contribute,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah, but we all want to be involved too,” Amara shot back, a hint of defensiveness creeping into her tone. “It shouldn’t always be about you and your artistic genius.”

The group fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Yuu looked between Amara and Zyran, unsure how to diffuse the situation. Kai clenched his jaw, his earlier annoyance toward Amara resurfacing. “That was uncalled for,” he said firmly.

Amara’s cheeks flushed, realizing she had crossed a line. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she stammered, trying to backtrack. “I just thought—”

“Thought what?” Zyran interjected, his eyes narrowing. “That I should just step aside because you’re feeling insecure?”

The unexpected confrontation left Amara reeling. She hadn’t meant to hurt Zyran; she just wanted Kai’s attention. But now she could see the hurt in Zyran’s eyes and felt a pang of regret.

Guys, let’s just focus on the project,” Yuu suggested, attempting to lighten the mood. “We need everyone’s ideas to make this work, right?”

Amara nodded, her heart racing. “I’m sorry, Zyran. That was really insensitive of me. I know you’re trying your best.”

Kai shifted his gaze between them, his expression softening as he saw the tension dissipate slightly. “We all have our strengths,” he said. “Zyran, your ideas are valuable, but we want to make sure everyone gets a chance to contribute.”

“Exactly,” Yuu added, smiling encouragingly at Zyran. “Let’s hear more ideas from everyone. We can build off what we have.”

Zyran took a deep breath, visibly calming down. “Okay. How about we create an interactive mural that people can add to during the exhibition?” he suggested, the passion returning to his voice.

Amara smiled, relieved that Zyran was willing to move forward. “That sounds awesome! I think we can all pitch in and make it colorful.”

The group began to brainstorm again, the earlier tension fading. Amara couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt, but she was determined to make things right with Zyran. Maybe she would find a way to show him that she wasn’t just about getting Kai’s attention.

As they collaborated, the bond between them seemed to strengthen, reminding Amara that their project was about teamwork, not rivalry.