𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ↬ 𝘹𝘪𝘢𝘰.

𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚.

↬ 𝓅𝓇𝑜𝓁𝑜𝑔𝓊𝑒 ↫

It starts off slow and deep before progressing into a much more complex and gorgeous melody, filled with twists and turns. It gets faster, and your hands are doing the work all on their own. You can almost feel the world turning blue, but your eyes are closed so you have no idea what's going on. Maybe you should learn to be alert so you know when to stop. Soon enough, you realize you've been playing alone for the past two minutes. When this realization hits you, you immediately open your eyes and stand up, abruptly stopping your piece on a high key. You look to your temporary group-mates and see them all staring at you with annoyance. Your gaze drifts from them to the audience in the small café.

"I-I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention!" You squeak before grabbing your sheet music and trying to rush out. However, you drop a few of your papers, so your exit is delayed as you stop to pick them up. "Good night, everyone!"

You can feel the red on your face, and your heart is pounding against your chest, "Oh my god, that was so embarrassing... I need to stop doing that! Focus, Y/n, focus!"

You notice you've been crumpling your sheets and gasp before trying to smooth them out, even though there's no hard surface behind them. The sky is dark, but there are barely any stars because of all the lights in the city. You sigh, disappointed by this fact, before continuing onward in the direction of your home. Your shoes click against the pavement each time you step, and you decide to turn it into its own melody.

Two, two, pause. One, one, two, pause. Three!

A childish smile displays itself on your face while you step on the sidewalk, earning strange glances from the few pedestrians you walk by. You don't take note of them, but you wouldn't care anyway.

Eventually, you make it home without getting hit by a bus, thankfully. The usual happens. Unlock the door, step inside, take your shoes off, close and re-lock the door, put your sheet music on the coffee table, plop down on the couch. Normal routine.

Oh, but we can't forget about Kit.

"Kit, cuddle with me," you sigh dramatically, holding your hand off the couch to urge your little kitten to come over. The cat stays in place.

"Traitor," you glare at him while he stares at you with wide eyes.

You gasp, almost inhaling your lung, when you realize something. 

"I forgot to check the time for the 4NEMO concert tomorrow!"

>──────☾⛧☽──────<

Bright lights, cameras, a gigantic theater, performers, music, and of course, sweaty young men after a hard day of work.

"Did we seriously have to run through the entire show? We're gonna be tired out tomorrow," Venti sighs.

"Unless you want a stage light to land on your head, you should stop complaining," Xiao rolls his eyes, opening his plastic water bottle and taking a sip, feeling the liquid refresh him as it coolly rushes down his throat.

"I'm starting to think you want him to get hit by a light," Kazuha says with a small chuckle.

"No, of course not," Xiao replies sarcastically.

"You're scary," Venti mutters, causing a small smirk to grow on Xiao's face.

Jean approaches them with a stack of papers in her hand, "Are you all ready for the show tomorrow?"

All four boys nod and she keeps speaking, "Good. I'm sure you'll all do great... But we should get back to the hotel, you need rest. This is the final show of the tour, so make it count."

"Jean, why do you make us run through the entire show every day before the actual concerts?" Venti whines.

"To make sure that everything will be perfect, including your performances. It tattoos every movement into your brains."

"Practice didn't do that enough already!?"

"We also need to make sure everything works properly."

"So a stage light doesn't fall on top of you," Xiao adds.

"What is with you and wanting me dead!?"

"What do you mean? I'm just warning you."

Venti sends Xiao a glare and the golden-eyed boy shrugs in reply. He glances over to the dim stage and imagines what it'll feel like in the final show. He pictures it to be relieving, and he'll finally get a few days of rest after working non-stop for so long. 

"The limo is outside, let's get going," Jean states.

"I'll take the bus," Xiao decides.

"I don't see why you like taking the bus so much," Aether mentions.

"I just don't like limos."

"Suit yourself, I guess."

When Xiao gets on the bus, he's quick to notice that not many people are there. That can easily be explained by the fact that it's 9 pm. Xiao sits down and gazes out the window as the vehicle begins moving. As he's observing the outside world, he spots a girl skipping along the sidewalk as if she's dancing. He absentmindedly smiles as he turns his head to keep watching her while the bus drives past her. He's almost tempted to tell the driver to stop, but he says nothing. Still, Xiao has to admire her ability to lose herself in her own little world.

Suddenly, a younger teen girl taps on his shoulder and places herself in the seat beside him.

"Can I help you...?" Xiao says.

"Um, you're Xiao, right? From 4NEMO?"

"...Yeah," he nods, suppressing a sigh.

"Could I maybe... get a picture with you?" She requests, gripping onto the bottom of her light jacket tightly.

"Of course."

He hates saying that.