The Revel Heart || Ni-ki

05

The new school event was only two weeks away, and the pressure was mounting. Every student had been assigned a role, from setting up stalls to planning the entertainment. Ni-ki and Celine were working on the same committee for the event she manage to convince him for days, the one responsible for organizing the food stalls, and though they were not exactly friends, the circumstances had forced them to work closely together.

---

In the Planning Room

Ni-ki sat across from Celine, his laptop open in front of him. He was meticulously typing out a schedule, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Okay, so we need to finalize the menu today," Ni-ki said, adjusting his glasses. "I've already emailed the suppliers for the ingredients, and the volunteers are ready for set-up. We can't afford any delays."

Celine, sprawled out on the chair next to him, kicked her feet up on the table, a grin playing on her lips.

"Chill, Ni-ki. It's a school event, not a military operation. We've got plenty of time."

Ni-ki's eyes narrowed. "You're not taking this seriously."

"I am," Celine said, sitting up. "Just because I'm not stressing over every little detail doesn't mean I'm not serious about it. Relax a bit."

She looked at him. Really looked at him. His eyes were locked on his screen, his jaw clenched. It was the same way he always acted: calm on the surface, but every little thing seemed to get under his skin. It was exhausting to be around, but... also kind of impressive.

Celine sighed, running a hand through her hair. "You know, we could just... I don't know... wing it a little?"

"Wing it?" Ni-ki's tone was flat. "That's not how we're going to pull this off."

"Why not?" Celine leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. "Isn't that what makes it fun? The chaos?"

Ni-ki's fingers stilled on the keyboard. "I don't think chaos is fun."

"Well, maybe you should try it sometime," she muttered under her breath, but he caught it anyway.

He raised an eyebrow, finally looking up from his laptop, his expression unreadable. "You don't know anything about me, Celine."

For a moment, their eyes locked, and Celine felt a rush of something unfamiliar—something sharp, like a spark that threatened to ignite. She quickly looked away, shifting in her seat.

"Whatever," she said, trying to shrug it off. "Let's just get the work done, okay?"

---

Later, at the Food Stall Planning Meeting

Celine leaned back in her chair, staring at the plans Ni-ki had drawn up on the whiteboard. The list of food items, shifts for volunteers, and logistical notes were all neat and color-coded. Everything had its place—everything except Celine.

"Okay, so I was thinking we could add some spicy fries to the menu," Celine suggested, trying to stir things up a little. "You know, give people something to talk about."

Ni-ki immediately shook his head. "That's not going to work. We already have the snacks planned out, and spicy fries are too risky."