Heart whispers || Ni-ki

07

The night after the play felt like a dream for Celine. Everything had come together perfectly the standing ovation, the cheers, and the collective energy that had pulsed through the auditorium. It wasn’t just the performance itself, but the teamwork that had made it such a success. As she sat in her room the next morning, she replayed moments in her mind: the way the lights had shifted during the final act, how everything had gone off without a hitch, and how she’d seen Ni-ki’s tired smile as he helped organize everything backstage.

He was always so composed, so in control—Ni-ki, the student president and director, the one who made sure everything was running smoothly. But there had been something about his demeanor last night that seemed different. He had looked worn, his usual sharp confidence replaced by something quieter. It wasn’t like him to show any sign of weakness, but last night, just for a moment, Celine had caught a glimpse of something beneath his polished exterior.

Her friends Mia, Kyra, and Ava had been ecstatic after the play. They couldn’t stop talking about their favorite moments, their admiration for the cast, and of course, Ni-ki, the mastermind behind it all. But Celine had been preoccupied. The thought of Ni-ki’s strange, distant mood had lingered with her all night.

As the day carried on, she found herself sitting with her friends in the cafeteria, listening to them chat animatedly. The conversation moved from the play to various other school happenings, but Celine’s mind kept drifting back to Ni-ki. She had been meaning to reach out to him, to check on him, but something always held her back he had always kept a certain distance, even as they worked together on the play. She wasn’t sure how to bridge that gap without making things awkward.

It wasn’t until the mention of his name during a conversation that everything started to click.

“I still can’t believe how great everything turned out last night,” Mia said, her eyes wide with excitement. She glanced at Celine, her voice softer. “But did anyone else notice how off Ni-ki seemed? Like, he was fine at first, but then, after the show, he seemed... I don’t know, distant.”

Ava nodded, her expression serious. “Yeah, he looked so drained. I thought he’d be more excited, you know? But it’s like he was just... going through the motions.”

Celine’s pulse quickened at the mention of Ni-ki. She hadn’t realized her friends had noticed too. They were right—he had been distant. He had been so busy running everything during the rehearsal and performance, but afterward, when the chaos of the show was over, he’d seemed strangely subdued, like something was weighing on him.

Kyra’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “I overheard him on the phone with his sister last week. It sounded like he was having a tough time. I think there’s some family stuff going on, maybe? He’s always been so put together, but I think he’s really struggling with all the pressure. You know, his family expects a lot from him. Like, maybe too much.”

Celine frowned, her heart tightening. She had never known much about Ni-ki’s family, but the way Kyra spoke of it made it sound serious. Could that be the reason Ni-ki had seemed so off lately? She could barely wrap her head around it. The Ni-ki she knew was always calm, always composed, but now the thought that he could be struggling under pressure something more personal than just school was hard to ignore.

“I didn’t realize he had it that tough,” Celine murmured, looking down at her tray. The pieces of her observation from last night started falling into place, and suddenly everything made sense.