Cherishing you ♡ - Kang Daniel

×[¤ Chapter 22 ¤] ×

○ I acted like it wasn't a big deal, when in fact it broke my heart ○

Next day~

"Bravo to myself for coming to school today." Fay mentally cheered for herself with no energy. She had been shuffling around the school like a zombie, totally not grasping what was going on around her.

Risa had called in sick that day, and she was slightly happy about that. There was no way, Fay could even begin to explain why she wasn't talking to Daniel anymore. Besides, she didn't want to make Risa feel bad, because she didn't resent her in any way.

"Fay, lets go to the stage!" Soljin tapped her shoulder slightly, as she walked past Fay.

"Stage?" Fay asked looking at Soljin confused.

"Yeah for the musical we're going to practice today right? It's our class' turn." Soljin raised an eyebrow questioningly, turning around in her step "Everyones there already!"

"Oh crap!" Fay said realizing something, she grabbed Soljin's arm and started running towards the theater.

"What is wrong?!" Soljin yelped surprised, letting herself getting dragged along.

"I'll tell you there," Fay replied, speeding up their pace even more...

*Theater*

"Who still need to come?" Seongwoo inquired, looking around the gathered group.

"Fay, Risa, and Soljin," Dohee answered, counting on her fingers.

"Did you hear anything from her?" Guanlin slightly nudged Daniels' shoulder.

"No," Daniel answered curtly, not even looking at him.

Before Gualin could question his behavior, the door was thrown open and Fay and Soljin rushed in.

"Wow, wow, what's wrong?" Sungwoon asked jumping up alerted.

"Can.....you....please....tell.....me....now?" Soljin panted, as Fay let go of her.

"Double bad news guys." Fay announced looking at everyone "One, Risa's sick at home, two, the number of scenes we can practice without her is barely any."

"Then we need to have a substitute." Minhyun immediately put forward, "Maybe we should've considered that at the beginning, just in case anything happens on the day itself."

"Fay, why don't you do it?" Baekho asked, directing everyone's attention towards her.

"I can't act." Fay immediately protested she didn't even think about the fact that Daniel would be opposite of her, "I really can't. How about Haruka?."

"For me, it would be difficult to memorize the lines now," Haruka said feeling regrettable, that she couldn't help much when they were in a pinch.

3 weeks of practicing had already passed, and the dry-rehearsals were mostly done without Haruka who was in charge of designing. During the times they were rehearsing, she was hunting for materials, and all the other girls already had a role.

"You wrote it Fay, haven't you partly memorized it?" Jisung reasoned a bit.

"I don't have a choice do I?" Fay sighed looking around with a pained expression.

"Nope, you were doomed when you volunteered to write it darling." Daehwi sassy replied, making everyone laugh, and even Fay cracked a smile.

"I suggest, we start with the scenes where we have a lot of people." Jaehwan said flipping through the script "If anyone happened to be sick again, we can at least be reassured that we practiced this."

"You're right let's do that!" Everyone said, and following suit, they started getting ready to practice.

Fay quickly started reading through the first scene with a lot of people, and she hoped she could do this without going under, because of her stage fright...

2 hours later~

Everyone was off stage, sitting in the audience seats or standing behind the curtains backstage.  The only ones on stage were Daniel and Fay who were going to act out an important scene. It was the scene were Belle - Daniel - would find out the girl off the cafe was the beast - Fay - off their school.

Minhyun caught Jinyoung's glance, and the said male dimmed the lights before he gave them an okay sign to start.

Daniel opened an imaginary door and entered the classroom where Fay found refuge in, after getting tormented by the enchantress - Dohee - and the 3 bimbettes - Seohee, Eun Jin, and Hana - who wanted her to stay away from Daniel.

"Is it really you?" Daniel whispered his opening sentence.

Fay looked up startled - with puffy, red, eyes, from her position on the floor. She was hugging her knees to her chest, resting her head on her knees. Her puffy eyes were still from yesterday, so she didn't even have to try to look like she cried.

"What are you doing here?" Fay scrambled up and stumbled back.

"Please don't be afraid, I'm not here to hurt you." Daniel froze in his spot, not wanting to scare her more.

"I trust no one, no more." Fay's voice quivered, but it was still full of venom "No matter what I do, this world will always detest me."

It was painful how true this situation was to their real life, and Daniel questioned whether it was his real feelings coming out, or an act.

"I won't please believe me." Daniel stretched his hand out to her "It's you, isn't it? The girl from the cafe."

"H-How do you know?" Fay's eyes widened in surprise "No one is supposed to know or recognize me."

"Because from the first time I've seen you, you've constantly been on my mind." Daniel took two big strides, and stood in front off her "Won't you tell me more about you? I promise I'll protect you."

Somehow by being with him on stage, the constant bundle of nerves present in her lower stomach started clearing up a bit.

He lifted his hand, and wiped away a stray tear from Fay's cheek, cupping her face in his hands.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Fay's eyes started searching for even one little wavering in him, but his face stayed resolute.

"I don't know if you will ever, or can trust me, but," He grabbed her arm, and yanked her into an embrace. Daniel wrapped his arms around her tightly, whilst burying his face into her shoulder "I'm willing to fight for it."

Fay froze at the contact, and all she could do was just stand there listening to the gasps from the audience seat, as Daniels fast heartbeat resounded against her ear.

She was about to let go when Daniels grip tightened, and he whispered only for her to hear "Please believe me Fayre." in a desperate voice before the claps erupted around them.

Fay jumped back quickly, but she could not avoid the hurt and desperate look on his face, before turning back to their classmates and clapping for them too.

"You two are amazing!" Jisung said wiping away a tear.

"I can't act my ass." Baekho laughed at them, earning an eye roll from Fay.

Daniel followed Fay's example, albeit a bit reluctant and started clapping too.

"Good work everyone!" He said putting up his best smile, with all the emotions whirling around inside him.

"You knew I trusted too many times, so when I showed you that I trusted you, why did you make me regret it." Fay thought walking down the stage after Daniel, quickly glancing at his back "If you really respected me, why did you lie to me?".

As much as she wanted to act unaffected by his words, it hurt more than she wished it would...