It had been a week since Hannah had started helping the Theater Club, and even she had to admit—things had changed. The rehearsals were no longer chaotic. The once disorderly practices had gradually found their rhythm, and now, Hannah hardly had to step in. She still did from time to time, but it wasn't like before. Her role had shifted from a force of correction to that of a quiet observer.
Now, she sat off to the side, her presence barely acknowledged as the members rehearsed their lines and scenes. Her gaze, however, never wavered, trailing the action like a silent observer. Her eyes flicked between the performers, assessing them one by one—until the scene between Fiyero and Elphaba began.
Hannah's attention sharpened.
Her focus shifted to the girl playing Elphaba. She hadn't noticed her much before—perhaps because the girl had been quiet, like Hannah herself. But there was something in her performance that grabbed Hannah's attention. It wasn't that the movements were wrong. They were fine.
Yet, something the way the girl moved made Hannah uneasy—like watching someone pretend to swim while barely keeping afloat.
"Who's that girl?" Hannah's voice was low, but there was an unmistakable firmness to it.
Naomi, who had been standing beside her with her arms crossed, blinked in surprise at the sudden question.
"Chloe. Why?" Naomi answered, giving Hannah a quick, curious glance.
"Hm. She's good," Hannah murmured, still watching Chloe as the girl danced across the stage. Her words weren't entirely a compliment, but they weren't criticism either.
Naomi raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Oh, really? You're actually complimenting someone?"
Hannah didn't immediately respond. She continued to study Chloe, who seemed to lose herself in the role, yet still couldn't quite escape the visible tension in her face. After a long pause, Hannah spoke again, this time her tone a touch softer, more honest. "But... she still needs practice."
Naomi chuckled, shaking her head. "And here I thought you were finally warming up to everyone."
Hannah raised an eyebrow at her friend, her lips curling into a ghost of a smile. "That was a compliment. She just needs practice. That's all."
"Alright, ma'am~" Naomi teased, nudging her with an elbow. Hannah gave her a playful shove in return before their attention shifted back to the ongoing rehearsal.
---
After some time—
Clap—!
"Okay! That's it for today, everyone~! Go rest and grab a snack!" Naomi's voice rang out, her hands clapping with the finality of someone signaling a game's end. She flashed a bright grin before turning to Hannah. "Let's go. I'm starving."
Hannah gave a subtle nod, rising from her seat, though her pace slowed as they passed by Chloe.
Her eyes lingered on the girl for a brief moment, something unreadable flickering in her expression. It wasn't an overt action, just a quiet pause before she made her decision. Wordlessly, she reached for the water bottle Naomi had been holding.
"Let me take this," Hannah said, her voice low and purposeful.
Naomi blinked, confused. "Huh—?"
Before Naomi could question her, Hannah had already turned, walking purposefully toward Chloe. The girl hadn't noticed her approach, but her friends did. One of them nudged her lightly, and Chloe turned, eyes wide with confusion.
Their curious gazes followed Hannah, a blend of disbelief and excitement.
"Here," Hannah said, her voice softer now as she extended the bottle to Chloe.
Chloe's eyes darted from the bottle to Hannah's face, uncertainty written across her features. The gesture wasn't like Hannah. Her kindness was rarely seen in such obvious actions, and Chloe wasn't sure how to respond.
"You looked a little unwell," Hannah added, her voice barely above a whisper, as if the words were a rare admission of concern.
Chloe blinked, taken aback. Her surprise quickly morphed into quiet gratitude. She hadn't expected anyone to notice, let alone care. But of course—Hannah always noticed.
"Thank you," Chloe said, her voice barely audible as she took the bottle from Hannah's hand.
Hannah gave a small, almost imperceptible nod before turning, moving back toward Naomi without another word. She didn't need to say anything more.
As soon as the distance between them widened, Chloe's friends couldn't hold back anymore. The air around them rippled with excited chatter and giggles. Chloe blinked, startled, but the amusement bubbled up quickly. She couldn't help but let out a quiet, breathy laugh.
---
"Wha—what was that?? Was that… my water?? MY water??" Naomi gasped, leaning in way too close to Hannah, her expression full of exaggerated shock.
Hannah gave her a flat look, an eyebrow raised, before calmly pushing Naomi's head away with one hand.
"Stop overreacting. I'll buy you another."
Naomi pouted, crossing her arms with a mock sulk. Hannah could almost see the wheels turning in her friend's mind. There would be a guilt trip coming, no doubt.
Sighing, Hannah braced herself. "Fine. I'll treat you."
Naomi's entire face lit up. She practically attached herself to Hannah's arm, her voice high-pitched with excitement. "Oh my gosh, really?! You're the best~!"
Hannah stared at her with a deadpan expression, her internal thoughts echoing the same realization over and over:
Did I just get blackmailed by my friend?
---
[School Canteen – Lunchtime]
The cafeteria hummed with the low murmur of voices, trays clinking together, laughter erupting sporadically. The air was thick with the scent of reheated food and the buzz of everyday student life. Hannah and Naomi maneuvered through the line, trays in hand. Naomi, as always, picked her chicken sandwich and juice without hesitation, but Hannah only made her usual choice—a plain rice meal, her eyes scanning the options with the practiced neutrality she wore like armor.
"I swear, if they serve soggy nuggets again..." Naomi muttered under her breath, her brows furrowed in irritation as she glared at her food.
Hannah didn't respond, her eyebrow lifting slightly in silent agreement. For someone who was always so upbeat, Naomi had a surprising seriousness when it came to food.
Once they had their trays, Naomi turned toward the tables. "Where do you wanna—"
"HEY! HANNAH! HANNAH'S FRIEND!"
Naomi froze.
Across the cafeteria, Levi was waving both arms in exaggerated, frantic motions, his voice carrying through the noise as though he were stranded on a deserted island.
Without missing a beat, Hannah calmly lowered her gaze, staring intently at her rice like it was the most important thing in the world.
Naomi's expression twisted in panic, her eyes flicking back and forth between Levi and Hannah. 'What now?' Naomi wondered, her pulse quickening. Would Hannah follow? Would she not? She couldn't quite predict what would happen.
"Hey! Over here!" Levi yelled again, cupping his hands around his mouth, his voice louder this time. "HANNAH, I SAVED YOU A SPOT!"
Hannah didn't flinch. Her gaze didn't waver from her tray, as if the shouts were nothing more than background noise.
Junia leaned forward from the table, waving with a wide grin. "We've got extra seats! Sit with us!"
Naomi let out a nervous laugh, trying to keep her voice light. "Uhm... your friends are really loud today, huh?"
Hannah didn't answer immediately. Then—"Aren't you like that too?" she teased, nudging Naomi with an elbow.
Naomi's eyes went wide. "Are you saying I'm loud?" she asked, her voice a mix of playful offense and amused shock.
At the table, Junia leaned toward Levi, whispering, "She's ignoring you."
Levi raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, before a devilish glint appeared in his eyes. "She thinks she can dodge me? Watch this."
Suddenly, he stood—stood—on his chair, arms raised in a dramatic flourish as if preparing for an announcement.
"YO HANNAH! TABLE OF DESTINY RIGHT HERE!!"
A ripple of laughter spread through the cafeteria as several heads turned. Naomi leaned toward Hannah, whispering urgently. "Okay, okay, maybe let's just sit with them? They're not gonna stop—he's standing, Hannah. Standing."
Hannah's response was flat, though the faintest curve of her lips suggested something was almost amusing. "…I noticed."
Without another word, Naomi began walking toward the table, hands raised in surrender. "Uhm—o-okay, we're coming!"
Hannah followed behind, her movements slow, deliberate, unreadable.
Levi scooted over dramatically, patting the seat beside him. "Right here, royalty. Sit down. Embrace your people."
As they sat down, the atmosphere seemed to freeze for a moment. Naomi felt the awkwardness cling to the air, thick and uncomfortable. Hannah, on the other hand, remained an enigma, focused entirely on her food.
Junia, eager to break the silence, leaned forward with a grin that suggested she'd been waiting for this moment. "I've been wanting to talk to you. Especially after I introduced myself~"
Naomi nearly choked on her drink, her eyes shooting to Hannah. You know this girl too?!
Hannah blinked slowly, taking a sip from her drink as if she were simply acknowledging some mundane fact.
Junia laughed at the stunned silence, her gaze never leaving Hannah. "You're seriously so interesting," she said, her tone light but sincere.
Hannah set down her drink, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What makes you think I'm interesting?"
Junia paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face.
"Is it because I helped your club?" Hannah asked, her voice casual but edged with an underlying question.
The rest of the table, including Naomi and Levi, glanced up, sensing something in the air.
Junia shook her head, a slight frown forming as she searched for an answer. "No, it's not because of that."
"Then... what is it?"
There was a beat of silence before Junia spoke again.
"I don't know! I can't explain it!" she blurted, her voice animated.
Hannah tilted her head, intrigued, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Huh?"
"I mean, my friends in the club said you're blunt, scary, opinionated, sharp, and—" Junia started listing, rattling off every word the drama club had used to describe Hannah.
The table went quiet.
Naomi looked uneasily at Hannah. Levi's face was unreadable.
As always, Hannah's expression remained calm. She was listening. Taking it all in.
Finally, she spoke, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "Those... are pretty common, aren't they?"
"What?" Junia blinked, confused by the response.
"The words they used to describe me," Hannah clarified, her gaze still steady.
Junia hesitated, clearly taken aback.
"But..." Hannah leaned in just slightly, her voice dropping lower. "How would you describe me?"
The rest of the table watched, all ears on what would come next.
Junia's face lit up, a gleam of recognition crossing her features. "Ah! I got it!"
She pointed at Hannah with newfound enthusiasm. "I'd say... you're alluring!"
The word hung in the air like a drop of water about to fall.
Silence followed.
Naomi leaned toward Hannah, her voice almost a whisper. "I think she's just weird..."
Hannah couldn't hold back the small laugh that escaped her lips.
Naomi's face brightened. Levi raised an eyebrow. Harin watched the exchange quietly, observing how easily Junia had fallen into her usual flow around Hannah.
Then, as the moment stretched into awkward tension, Junia suddenly shouted, "Oh! Hannah, look out—!"
Hannah turned instinctively, her heart racing—
A student had tripped, sending their tray flipping through the air. The steaming food rocketed directly at Hannah.
Her breath caught, her eyes shut and—
SPLASH—!
Gasps echoed.
"Are you okay??" Levi's voice rang, genuinely worried.
Hannah blinked.
She hadn't been hit.
Instead, she saw Harin—grimacing—leaning in front of her, hand braced against the table, shielding her.
His hand hovered beside her face.