Ningning stood at the front of the classroom, her hands clasped tightly. Even though she was usually calm and supportive, leading a big group made her stomach twist with nerves.
"Alright," she began softly, "we need to start planning the festival layout." Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
Immediately, the room erupted into chatter. Students talked over each other, debating food stalls, game booths, and stage setups. Ningning felt overwhelmed.
Across the room, Ara caught her eye and smiled encouragingly.
Ningning took a deep breath.
"Excuse me!" Her voice rang out, stronger this time. Conversations quieted, and all eyes turned to her.
"Let's approach this step by step," she said, straightening her shoulders. "We'll break into smaller groups and handle different parts of the festival."
As students began organizing themselves, Ningning felt a small spark of confidence. Maybe she could do this after all.
At a corner table, Ara hunched over her sketchpad, pencil hovering uncertainly above the blank page. Chenle leaned over her shoulder, his presence both comforting and nerve-wracking.
"What if we used a nature theme?" Chenle suggested gently.
Ara nodded slowly. Inspiration struck. Her pencil moved smoothly, sketching vines wrapping around archways and fairy lights hanging from trees.
They worked in quiet, shoulders occasionally brushing, sending a small shiver through Ara.
After a while, Chenle leaned in to study their progress. "This looks amazing," he whispered.
Ara blushed, but for once, she didn't doubt herself. Maybe she really could create something special.
Renjun watched the organized chaos, sighing heavily. Some students were clearly off-task, chatting instead of working.
Beside him, Giselle crossed her arms. "How do we keep everyone in line?"
Renjun smirked. "We could always threaten them with extra homework."
Giselle snorted. "That's evil."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Renjun said with a playful grin.
Together, the two moved through the crowd, redirecting students to their tasks with a mix of authority and humor.
As Renjun worked, his eyes found Ara. Even in the middle of all the noise, the weight of their unspoken truth lingered.
Finally, the planning was done.
The school grounds would soon be transformed into a whimsical wonderland. Ara, Chenle, and Jaemin's designs included twinkling fairy lights, handmade decorations lining the paths, and each booth feeling like stepping into a new world.
Ningning, now radiating confidence, directed volunteers with ease, solving last-minute problems without hesitation.
Jisung and Jeno moved efficiently through the crowd, making sure everyone understood their assignments.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the grounds, the friends gathered near the central fountain, taking it all in.
"We did it, even though we still have more to prepare," Ara whispered, her eyes shining with pride.
Chenle, standing beside her, gently squeezed her hand. The warmth of the gesture brought a quiet reassurance.
Their journey to make the festival a success would be full of surprises, struggles, and secrets. But in that moment, none of that mattered.
Because they had each other.
And that was enough.
