Chapter 2: Scene Partners

“Some lines are rehearsed. But the ones that hurt? They’re always improvised.”

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📍Scene: Rehearsal Hall – Day 2

Wooden floors creak under nervous footsteps. The cast huddles near the stage. A name list taped on the wall.

Raeon walks in late. Again.

Disheveled uniform, eyes puffy, script stuffed in his bag.

> Eun Jisoo (Club President):

“Raeon, you're playing the Prince. As expected.”

“Ghost is being played by…” (pauses)

“…Haneul Seo.”

A stunned silence.

People look around like it’s a joke.

> “He doesn’t act.”

“He just writes.”

“Are they serious?”

Raeon:

> “…I don’t care if he doesn’t act. As long as he’s honest.”

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🎬 Scene: Blocking the Scene

A dim rehearsal lamp shines on the two boys.

> Eun Jisoo:

“Let’s do Act II, Scene Four. The Ghost confronts the Prince for the first time.”

Raeon steps into the circle of light. Haneul stays in shadow.

> Raeon (reading):

“Why do you follow me? Who are you?”

Haneul (softly, unscripted):

“I’m the part of you that never wanted to be seen.”

Everyone freezes.

That’s not in the script. Not his script.

Raeon’s breath catches.

> Raeon:

“Did you rewrite that line?”

Haneul (smirking faintly):

“No. It rewrote itself.”

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🔥 Scene: The Almost-Touch

They rehearse the next part.

The Ghost reaches toward the Prince’s face.

Haneul lifts his hand, slow, almost unsure.

His fingertips hover just over Raeon’s cheek.

Not touching.

Not yet.

> Haneul (soft):

“You wear a crown, but your eyes are empty.”

Raeon (whispers):

“You’re the first one who’s ever said that.”

The room holds its breath.

> “Touch him,” someone whispers.

“Why does it feel like they’re not acting?”

Haneul drops his hand. Walks offstage.

Raeon just stands there. Still burning.

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🥀 Scene: Hallway After Rehearsal

Raeon corners Haneul near the locker area.

A mix of anger and something else swirling in his chest.

> Raeon:

“Why did you stop?”

Haneul:

“Because if I touched you, I’d forget this was a performance.”

Raeon:

“…Then maybe I want it to not be one.”

> Beat.

Haneul (quiet):

> “You’re confusing gratitude for connection, Raeon.”

“Don’t fall for someone just because they see the parts of you that others don’t.”

> Raeon:

“…But what if that’s exactly why I am?”

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💢 Scene: Jealousy Sparks

From across the hallway, Minjo Ahn (Raeon’s oldest friend and former stage partner) watches the two.

He clenches his jaw.

Shuts his locker hard.

> Minjo (to himself):

“You never looked at me like that. Not even once.”

He walks off. But not before scribbling something into his copy of the script.

A new line. A twisted one.

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📜 Final Scene: Script Page Left in Raeon’s Bag

Later that night, Raeon finds a single folded page slipped inside his rehearsal script.

It reads:

> Ghost:

“The prince wore a smile they all believed… until the writer touched his story and every lie fell apart.”

> Written beneath in Haneul’s neat handwriting:

“Tomorrow. Scene Five. Don’t hold back.”

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🩰 End of Chapter 2

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