Singto's POV

(The day before the first round of SOTUS auditions)

Me and Mike, my hazing junior of whom I have plans to make the Head Hazer next year, were preparing the speeches for tomorrow's ECON fair, while the others were busily helping out with decorations just outside the class.

Since I would be gone after the opening ceremony tomorrow, I asked Mike to be prepared to deliver the vote of thanks, so that he could gain some experience on stage.

"I can't wait to show off to my friends phi, hehe", Mike had a silly smile on his face.

"Don't start daydreaming. Focus"

However, I couldn't help but picture the face of a familiar beauty at the mention of his friends.

"Too bad they won't wait till the end..."

My ears perked up at that.

"Why? Don't your friends plan on staying with you?"

I poked my chances at prying some information out of that loose mouth.

It was a well known fact that Mike's gang of best friends included two, the campus playboy and Krist.

My body felt like a strung bow, while I intently listened for him to mention that particular name I wanted to hear.

"Huh! Them?! Those two nutters?! They'd wait for a chance to get rid of me..."

All of a sudden I had this sudden urge to send the boy flying across the room. I turned towards him with the rough sheets rolled up in a bundle, intent on giving him a lesson on loyalty and friends, when he out of nowhere,

"...and anyways, Kit has to go for auditions tomorrow. Hmm... I'd excuse just him honestl-"

And that was all that registered in my brain, cz there was a loud ringing in my ears blaring over the surrounding noises.

".. and somehow-

"Auditions?"

Could it be... No way... That's impossible...?

"Huh? Sorry Phi?"

"You mentioned about an audition"

I was trying my best to remain calm.

"Oh right. Kit- I mean my friend, Krist, has an audition on that day so he obviously can't stay-"

"What audition?"

Mike was looking quite perplexed.

"Some drama audition... Like I was sayi-"

"What drama?"

I could literally FEEL the drumming of my heart. The flow of blood through my ears and into my head. The anticipation was killing me inside.

"I heard it's something about the SOTUS sys-"

The sheets of paper in my hand scattered on the floor and I fell straight on to the chair that I was standing next to. It felt weak in my bones, as if they were unhinged.

"Phi! Are you alright?! What happened?!"

I badly needed some time to collect my thoughts and emotions.

"Mike could you go and help Frank with the tree deco"

"But Phi-"

"Now! ...Truly I'm fine. Just go and give them a hand...please"

I could see Mike wavering, but then he finally stood up with a torn expression and walked towards the door.

"Okay phi..."

And he left, leaving me alone in the huge lecture hall, which seemed to be echoing only certain parts of the previous conversation.

As soon as Mike left through the doors, I felt my whole body sagging forward. I placed my head down on both my palms and heaved a huge sigh.

He plans on coming for the auditions?!? Oh my god... How did he even get to know about it? Does he know that I'm coming too?

And among these thoughts, another terrifying thought occurred to me all of a sudden.

It's a drama with boys' love...so what if... what if the two of us get selected for the main characters...?

With that thought, my whole body went rigid, beads of cold sweat gliding down my cheek.. But this thought was forcefully dismissed before it could even take seed.

The chances of that happening? None.

Wait...so the drama for which Krist was called for and about which Mike went boasting around was SOTUS?! Ugh! I should've figured it out sooner!

Being inside the classroom felt too suffocating, so I walked outside to get some fresh air.

As soon as I stepped out, the whole hazing team stood up and started approaching me with worried expressions. However, I sternly waved my hand and made them sit and get back to work. Unnecessary nagging was the last thing I needed right now.

I walked up to the balcony and took in a large lungfull of air, that held the fresh smell of Lavender of early spring.

The tinkling sound of a laughter suddenly invaded my senses, and my eyes immediately landed on the source of that sound.

In the garden overlooking the second floor of the building where I was, I spotted two hazers, seated on the ground and preparing bamboo shoots and coconut leaves, probably for decorations.

One was an extremely good-looking guy with striking features and a well-proportioned body, that even the average hazing uniform looked stylish on him. And next to him was Krist.

He had his head thrown back, laughing with abandon, his soft hair swaying lazily in the light breeze and his face basking in rays of evening sunlight. There was a warm glow around him, that it seemed like he was on a stage with the spotlight shining brightly over him.

A smile crept up my face unwittingly. I was mesmerised by the sight in front of me, that I didn't notice the presence of another beside me, looking over the same scene.

"The one next to him is the campus playboy, Sarut", I heard Frank's voice next to me.

"Oh", I replied absentmindedly, without breaking my gaze away.

Their laughter died out after a few minutes and they continued with their work through a small chatter.

"Mike said you looked ill a while ago? What is it?"

Mike you little snitch!

"Nothing", I offhandedly replied, still unwilling to spare any attention to the unwanted company.

After a few more moments of extended silence, I heard a deep sigh and the sound of retracting footsteps.

However, just when I thought I was finally free, I heard a clear, "Either you confess to him or give it up altogether. What's this nonsense, just like a highschool girl?"

The words hit me like a hammer, hard on the head, that I sharply turned towards the voice with a glare, to see the figure long gone, mingled with the others.

I turned back to Krist.

Exactly though...

What do I feel for Krist? Why does my heart skip a beat whenever I see him? Why do my eyes always search for him in the crowd? Why does the mere mention of his name get me excited?

This doesn't feel like a simple crush... So what are these feelings? What do you call them?

Perhaps...

Perhaps... love?

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*P. S. - The original storyline would resume after this extra chapter from where we left*

*I guess the timeline is quite a mess with this addition... Should I rearrange the chapters chronologically?*

Thank you for all my readers!!!❤️