Love Maze (Fangirl Series #1)

Chapter Nine

The day for our last rehearsal came, and Kenzo might be right on calling me zombie because I felt like one today. It was my fault. I should have slept early last night but I got too invested with the K-drama Rina recommended. Sinabi ko sa sarili ko na isang episode na lang tapos ay matutulog na ako, but I didn't stop watching until almost five a.m. I had three hours of sleep yet it wasn't enough because sleep paralysis was acting up like a bitch.

Mali na nagpuyat ako ngayon lalo na't huling practice na at bukas na ang kompetisyon.

Dumating ako sa Solaris kasabay si Hana pero naghiwalay din kami kaagad dahil ibang studio room ulit ang gagamitin ng grupo nila. They used the dance studio on the lower floor.

Pagpasok ko sa studio ay halos lahat ng kagrupo ko ay nandoon na. Zoe was already there and testing the speakers. I noticed that all the wall-mirrors were covered. When I asked Zoe he told me it was needed because when we perform on stage there would be no mirrors. We couldn't always rely on the mirrors all the time. It would give us false sense of mastery. And true enough, because our first try practicing without the mirror messed us all up. We were so disconnected to each other.

We kept bumping to each other. Meanwhile, it was probably because of my lack of sense of direction or lack of sleep but I always got the position wrong. It was frustrating. Buti na lang hindi lang ako ang nagkakamali.

Umupo ako sa gilid matapos kami bigyan ni Zoe ng short break. Other members were dancing to Twice's new song. My eyes were on them but my mind was somewhere else. Allysa sat on my right side while Cassia on the other side. They were talking while I was on their middle. I felt their hands brushing my hair while they were gossiping and it felt good. I closed my eyes while listening to them but not understanding anything.

Halos malapit na ako makatulog pero muling nagising nang tawagin ni Zoe ang atensyon namin.

"Okay! Time to practice again." Anunsyo niya. Tumayo na kami at pumwesto.

I got confused when my groupmates started laughing while looking at me.

"Bakit?" Tanong ko.

"Ang cute!" One of them giggled then she took out her phone. "'Wag ka gagalaw pipicturan kita."

"'Nak, tayo ka diyan picturan kita." Sabi pa ng isa na hawak ang vlogging camera. "Smile ka naman 'nak."

And the good girl that I was, I obeyed them. I was still confused but too tired to complain.

Hiniram ko ang phone ni Belle na katabi ko at katatapos lang ako picturan. Ginamit ko ang camera ng phone niya bilang salamin. Nagulat ako nang makita ang buhok ko na naka-pigtails tapos hindi pa pantay.

Akmang tatanggalin ko iyon nang pigilan ako ni Allysa. "'Wag. Ang cute kaya."

Hindi nila ako pinayagan alisin iyon kaya buong practice namin ay ganoon ang buhok ko. When we had another short break I went outside because I needed silence. Sobrang taas ng energy nila at hindi ko kayang pantayan. Pumunta ako sa pantry para kumuha ng kape sa bending machine.

I was on the way to lounging area when the door of the other studio opened. Si Kenzo ang lumabas doon.

The first thing I noticed was his new hair color. Silver hair was gone and now replaced by raven-black. It was also more shorter this time. If I wasn't mistaken, his new hairstyle was called two-block haircut. He became more annoyingly handsome.

His eyes went to me.

"Kamukha mo yung. . ." He pursed his lips to held back a laugh. "Yung shitzu namin." Patuloy niya habang nakatingin sa buhok kong naka-pigtail na nakalimutan kong tanggalin.