The Revel Heart || Ni-ki

19

The gymnasium buzzed with anticipation as students darted around, setting up for Hanam High’s annual charity fundraiser. This year, the school had promised bigger and better things: the venue was beautifully decorated with twinkling fairy lights, colorful banners, and an array of stalls selling food and crafts. The fundraising goal was ambitious, and the student council had pulled out all the stops.

Ni-ki stood at the far end of the gym, arms crossed, observing the chaos. He was in his element when things were organized, when everything ran smoothly according to plan. But today, his usual sense of control seemed out of reach. The rumors about his relationship with Celine, combined with the mounting pressure of being the student council president, made his head feel like it was spinning.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he ignored it, his focus locked on the students scrambling to get everything in place. The event was still two hours away, but there was still so much to do.

A student came over, clipboard in hand, her face a mix of exhaustion and anxiety. “Ni-ki, we still need to finish setting up the stage. Should we start with the seating or—”

“Start with the seating,” Ni-ki cut in, his voice sharp. “The stage can wait. We need to keep things organized.”

The student nodded and hurried off, leaving Ni-ki standing alone in the corner of the gym. He glanced at his phone again, his pulse quickening as he noticed multiple messages from his parents. "How’s the fundraiser going? Have you checked everything? Have you been keeping an eye on Celine?"

His stomach twisted at the mention of her name. Celine had been avoiding him for days , walking away from him whenever he tried to talk to her. He hated that she was so angry with him, but at the same time, he understood why. He had tried to protect both of them, tried to keep their relationship quiet, but in the end, it had all come crashing down.

He couldn’t keep doing this. But how could he fix it when it felt like she was so far away?

Celine was late, but that wasn’t a surprise. She strolled into the gym with her usual nonchalance, eyes scanning the crowded space. She’d been dreading this day ever since she got the news that she’d be forced to help with the event as part of her punishment for all the trouble she’d caused. Missing classes, getting caught in the act of rebellion it all had consequences.

And now, here she was, walking into the very heart of the student council’s pride and joy: the charity fundraiser. The very thing that Ni-ki had put so much effort into.

She spotted him right away, standing in the corner of the gym, his body tense, a look of frustration etched across his face as he barked orders at students running around him. Her heart sank. She hadn’t seen him since their fight, and the sight of him made her chest tighten. He was so... perfect in his element, so composed, while she felt like a mess.

"Why does this feel so impossible?"

She glanced at her phone, noting the countless unread texts from him, but quickly pocketed it. She couldn’t deal with it. Not right now. It would be better to focus on the task at hand, even if she didn’t want to.

She approached a group of students who were setting up a food stall and offered a brief nod before she grabbed a clipboard from one of them. She didn’t really care about the food, but it was something to do to keep her mind occupied.

That’s when she caught sight of him again. Ni-ki, still giving orders, his face a picture of frustration. The crowd seemed to move around him as though they sensed his intensity, his need to control everything.

Voice in her head was soft but heavy with unspoken words.

She turned her back to him, her jaw tight. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t be near him and pretend everything was okay. Not after everything that had happened.