The Revel Heart || Ni-ki

06

The school  event was  quickly approaching, and among all the food stalls, games, and booths, the school had decided to put on a play. The theme was a mix of classic and contemporary, a quirky combination that had left many of the students scratching their heads. Celine, in particular, was thrilled when she was cast as the lead, but the excitement was quickly tempered when Ni-ki was announced as her co-director.

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In the Auditorium, Rehearsal Day 1

Celine stood center stage, her hands on her hips, looking out at the empty seats. She was dressed in her costume—a simple, flowing gown, and she was already imagining the performance in her mind. The play wasn’t going to win any awards, but she was ready to give it her all.

Ni-ki stood off to the side, holding a clipboard and flipping through the script with a critical eye. His expression was calm, but there was an undeniable tension in the air between them, one that had only grown since the announcement.

“You’re late,” Ni-ki said, not looking up from his notes as he adjusted his glasses.

Celine rolled her eyes. “You’re overreacting. We’ve still got an hour until rehearsal starts.”

Ni-ki gave a small huff, clearly unimpressed. “Punctuality is important. You need to set an example.”

Celine stepped down from the stage, walking towards him. “Oh, come on. We’re not running a military base here. We’re just putting on a play.”

“You clearly don’t take this seriously,” he said, finally glancing up at her.

Celine crossed her arms. “I take it seriously enough. I just don’t think we need to act like this is the most important thing in the world.”

“Of course it is important. It’s the school festival. We’ve got to show everyone what we’re capable of.”

Celine smirked. “What you’re capable of. Not everyone needs to be so wound up.”

Ni-ki’s eyes narrowed. “Wound up? I’m simply trying to make sure everything runs smoothly.”

Celine leaned in a bit, her voice lowering. “Sure, but there’s more to it than just getting everything perfect. Sometimes you need to loosen up.”

Ni-ki didn’t respond. Instead, he scribbled something on his clipboard, clearly annoyed. Celine’s smirk faded, her own frustration building.

“Look, we’re here to work together. Let’s just get started, okay?” she suggested, trying to cool the atmosphere.

Ni-ki hesitated, his jaw tightening, but eventually, he nodded.

“Fine,” he said.

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Rehearsal – A Few Days Later

The tension between them was growing with each passing day. Celine could feel it every time Ni-ki gave her another look of disapproval or made a comment about the way she delivered her lines. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about the play she did. But she just didn’t care about it in the same way Ni-ki did.

She was on stage again, preparing for a particularly dramatic scene where her character was supposed to have an emotional breakdown. She had been practicing in front of the mirror for the past hour, trying to get the right mix of vulnerability and intensity, but every time she turned to Ni-ki for feedback, he didn’t seem to have anything encouraging to say.