Chapter Text
The conference room was louder than Thee expected.
Actors were scattered everywhere, some chatting loudly, some introducing themselves, others scrolling through their phones while waiting for the meeting to officially start. The long table in the middle of the room was almost completely surrounded, while a few people leaned against the walls or sat on the floor.
Thee sat near the back, quietly observing everything.
The meeting had been called right after the official announcement of Duang With You, and both P'Kla and P'James wanted the entire cast present. Most of the actors already knew each other from shooting the pilot episode months earlier, so the atmosphere was relaxed almost chaotic.
At the front of the room, P'James clapped his hands loudly.
“Alright! Everyone, settle down for a second.”
The chatter slowly faded.
“This meeting is mostly for introductions,” he continued. “Some of you already know each other, but we also have new cast members joining the project.”
A few people clapped politely.
Thee leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as the introductions started one by one. Most of the faces were familiar. Some he had worked with before, others he had met during the pilot filming.
But then someone stood up near the middle of the room.
“Hi… I’m Wave.”
Thee looked up.
Wave gave a small polite bow, slightly nervous but smiling. He looked younger than most of the others in the room, with soft features and bright eyes that made him seem almost shy.
“This will be my first project with everyone. Please take care of me.”
Someone near the front cheered lightly.
“Don’t worry, we’re nice!” another actor joked.
Wave laughed softly.
Thee didn’t know why, but his attention stayed on him for a moment longer than necessary.
Then the next introduction started, and the moment passed.
After the meeting ended, the room quickly turned chaotic again.
People moved around to greet each other properly, exchanging phone numbers, talking about rehearsals and filming schedules.
Thee stood up, stretching his arms slightly.
He had just started walking toward the door when he heard someone call out loudly.
“Wave!”
Thee glanced to the side.
Two guys approached Wave almost immediately.
One of them, taller, energetic, threw an arm around Wave’s shoulders.
“There you are,” he said. “You disappeared after the introductions.”
The other one laughed. “We thought you ran away already.”
Wave shook his head quickly. “I was just listening!”
The three of them started talking easily, like they had known each other for years.
Thee watched the interaction briefly before realizing something.
So those are his friends.
Later he would learn their names were North and Tee, and that the three of them were practically inseparable.
But for now, they were just three people laughing near the window.
Thee didn’t think much about it. He left the room soon after.
Over the next few weeks, rehearsals for Duang With You officially began.
The cast spent hours together almost every day, reading scripts, practicing scenes, discussing character dynamics.
Naturally, everyone slowly became more comfortable around each other.
Thee noticed that Wave was always surrounded by people.
Mostly North and Tee, but sometimes others joined too. Wave laughed easily.
He got excited about small things, like getting snacks during breaks or successfully memorizing difficult lines.
And sometimes, when he laughed too hard, he would lean on whoever was standing next to him.
Thee noticed that too. Not that he was paying special attention. Of course not.
The first real conversation between them happened almost accidentally.
It was late afternoon after rehearsals.
The room was quieter than usual since most people had already left.
Wave was sitting on the floor near the couch, scrolling through his phone while eating something from a small snack bag.
Thee walked past him on the way to the exit.
Wave looked up.
“Oh, Phi.”
Thee stopped.
Wave smiled politely. “Good job today.”
Thee blinked.
“…You too.”
A small silence followed.
Wave seemed completely comfortable with it, casually eating another snack while looking back at his phone.
Thee stood there for another second. Then he nodded slightly and left.
That interaction repeated itself many times after that.
Short greetings. Small comments after rehearsals. Nothing special. Nothing memorable.
At least that’s what Thee thought at the time. Because back then, Wave was just a junior colleague.
Someone younger. Someone friendly.
Someone who, One day, without warning, Would become a very serious problem for him.
But that realization wouldn’t come until later. Much later.
For now, everything was still simple.
Just rehearsals. Just casual conversations.
And a boy named Wave who smiled a lot without knowing someone nearby was slowly starting to pay more attention than he probably should.
At first, nothing felt different.
Rehearsals for Duang With You had settled into a routine. The cast arrived in the morning, practiced scenes for hours, took breaks together, complained about difficult lines, and occasionally ordered too much food that everyone shared.
Thee liked the routine.
It meant he didn’t have to think too much.
He simply showed up, did his work, joked around with the others, and went home at the end of the day.
And somewhere in that routine… there was Wave.
Wave who always arrived with North and Tee.
Wave who greeted everyone with a polite bow.
Wave who seemed to get excited about the smallest things.
At the beginning, Thee didn’t pay much attention to it.
He treated Wave the same way he treated the other younger actors.
Friendly.
Relaxed.
A little protective.
Like a little brother.
And for a while, that description worked perfectly.
Until one afternoon.
Rehearsal had ended earlier than expected that day, and the room was unusually relaxed. Several people were still hanging around, sitting on the couches or leaning against the tables while chatting.
Thee was standing near the wall with a bottle of water when he heard laughter.
Wave’s laughter.
It wasn’t loud, but it was bright enough that Thee instinctively turned his head.
Wave was sitting on the floor with North and Tee, looking at something on Tee’s phone.
North suddenly pushed Wave’s shoulder.
“You can’t send that!” he said.
Wave covered his mouth, trying to stop laughing.
“But it’s funny!”
“You’re going to embarrass yourself,” Tee added.
Wave leaned forward slightly, laughing again, his shoulders shaking.
For some reason, Thee kept watching. He didn’t know why.
Maybe because Wave’s laugh was… contagious. Maybe because he looked genuinely happy.
Or maybe because…
Wave suddenly leaned sideways, resting his head briefly against North’s shoulder while laughing.
Thee froze. It was such a small gesture. Completely normal. Completely innocent.
But something inside his chest tightened slightly.
Thee frowned.
‘That’s strange.’
He took another sip of water, forcing himself to look away. There was no reason to stare.
The problem was that after that moment…
Thee started noticing things.
Small things. Things he hadn’t paid attention to before.
Like how Wave always hummed quietly while reading his script.
Or how he had a habit of swinging his legs slightly when sitting on high chairs.
Or how he got incredibly focused during rehearsals, repeating his lines under his breath until he was satisfied.
It was nothing special. Just normal behavior. But for some reason, Thee kept noticing.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Two weeks later, the situation became worse.
It happened during a break.
Several actors had gone out to buy drinks, leaving only a few people in the rehearsal room.
Thee was sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone when Wave suddenly appeared in front of him.
“Phi.”
Thee looked up.
Wave held out a cold drink.
“For you.”
Thee blinked.
“…For me?”
Wave nodded casually. “I bought extra.”
Thee took the drink slowly.
“Thanks.”
Wave smiled.
“No problem.”
Then he turned and walked back toward North and Tee like nothing had happened.
Thee stared at the drink in his hand for a moment. A completely normal gesture. Just kindness.
But his chest felt strangely warm.
And that was…
concerning.
That night, Thee thought about it for the first time. Not seriously. Just briefly.
‘Wave is nice.’
That was the conclusion he reached.
Yes.
That explained everything. Wave was simply a nice junior.
Friendly.
Easy to like.
That was all.
Thee went to sleep feeling completely satisfied with that explanation.
Unfortunately, the next week ruined everything.
It happened during a rehearsal for a scene that required several actors to practice emotional reactions.
Wave wasn’t even part of the scene.
He was sitting nearby watching quietly.
At some point, someone made a terrible acting attempt that caused the entire room to burst into laughter.
Wave laughed too.
But this time, he leaned forward, resting his forehead against the table as he tried to breathe.
His shoulders were shaking.
And for some reason… Thee felt his heart skip.
Not metaphorically. Actually skip. Thee immediately looked away.
‘Okay.’
That was strange.
Very strange.
Later that evening, Thee was sitting alone outside the rehearsal building.
The sky was already getting darker.
He had his phone in his hands, but he wasn’t actually looking at it.
Instead, he was thinking. About Wave. Again. And that realization alone made him sigh deeply.
“This is annoying,” he muttered to himself.
Because the more he thought about it…
The more uncomfortable the truth became.
Wave wasn’t just someone he occasionally noticed anymore.
Wave was someone he looked for automatically when entering a room. Someone he paid attention to during conversations. Someone whose laughter he could recognize immediately.
Thee rubbed his face with both hands.
“…That’s not good.”
Because this wasn’t how he normally behaved.
And it definitely wasn’t how someone behaved toward a little brother. Thee leaned back against the wall, staring up at the darkening sky.
Then he said quietly:
“…He’s adorable.”
The moment the words left his mouth, he froze.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Thee slowly sat up straight.
“…No.”
He shook his head.
“No, no, no.”
That was definitely not a good direction for his thoughts.
Wave was just…
Just…
Thee paused.
He thought about Wave’s laugh.
Wave’s smile.
The way he casually brought him a drink earlier that week.
The way he always looked slightly proud after doing well during rehearsals.
And suddenly the truth became impossible to ignore.
Thee groaned loudly, covering his face with his hands.
“Oh no.”
Because now he understood. Wave was no longer just a junior colleague. And he was definitely not a little brother anymore.
Wave was…
Thee sighed again, exhausted by his own thoughts.
“…a problem.”
A very adorable problem.
And the worst part?
Thee had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to do about it.
By the time Thee decided he needed help, three things were already very clear to him.
First: Wave was dangerously adorable.
Second: ignoring the problem was not working.
And third: if anyone in the entire cast knew how to deal with Wave, it was definitely 'North and Tee'.
Which was exactly why Thee found himself standing awkwardly near the vending machines outside the rehearsal room, staring at the two of them like he had something very serious to say.
North noticed him first.
He nudged Tee with his elbow.
“Look.”
Tee glanced up. “Hm?”
North smirked slightly.
“Thee is staring at us.”
Tee turned his head and made eye contact with Thee.
Thee immediately pretended to look at the vending machine.
Tee burst out laughing.
“Thee,” he called out loudly, “if you want a drink, you can just come here. You don’t have to stare at the machines like they insulted you.”
Thee sighed and walked over.
North crossed his arms, already amused.
“So,” he said casually, “what’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Thee replied quickly.
North raised an eyebrow.
“You came here for nothing?”
“…Yes.”
Tee tilted his head.
“Thee, you’ve been standing there for two full minutes.”
Thee rubbed the back of his neck.
“…I wanted to ask you something.”
North and Tee exchanged a look.
That alone was suspicious enough.
“About what?” North asked.
Thee hesitated. This suddenly felt like a terrible idea.
But he had already come this far.
“…About Wave.”
Silence. Then Tee slowly smiled.
North blinked once.
Then twice.
“Oh,” North said.
“Oh.”
Tee leaned against the vending machine, grinning like he had just been given free entertainment.
“This is interesting.”
Thee frowned. “What?”
North tilted his head slightly, studying him.
“Why are you asking about Wave?”
“No reason,” Thee said immediately.
Both of them stared at him.
Thee sighed.
“…I just want to get closer to him.”
North’s smile grew slowly.
“I see.”
Tee looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh.
“Thee,” he said, “are you aware that you sound extremely suspicious right now?”
“I’m not suspicious.”
“You absolutely are.”
North suddenly straightened up.
“Alright,” he said.
Thee blinked. “Alright what?”
“If you want our help,” North continued calmly, “we need to evaluate the situation first.”
Thee frowned.
“…Evaluate what?”
“You.”
Tee clapped his hands once.
“Yes!”
Thee immediately regretted everything.
“Question one,” North said, holding up a finger.
Thee already looked tired.
“What?”
“What’s Wave’s favorite drink?”
Thee blinked.
“…What?”
“His favorite drink,” North repeated patiently.
“How should I know that?”
Tee gasped dramatically.
“You don’t know?”
Thee crossed his arms defensively.
“I’ve never asked!”
North nodded slowly, as if writing something down in an invisible notebook.
“Concerning.”
Thee frowned. “What do you mean concerning?”
Tee raised a finger.
“My turn.”
Thee sighed.
“Fine.”
“What snacks does Wave like?”
“…Snacks?”
“Yes. Snacks.”
Thee thought.
Then thought again.
“…I’ve seen him eat chips before.”
Tee stared at him.
“Chips.”
“Yes.”
“What kind of chips?”
Thee froze.
“…Chips are chips.”
North sighed deeply.
“Thee.”
“What?”
“You want to get closer to Wave, but you don’t even know what snacks he likes.”
“I just started trying!”
North nodded again, still pretending to take notes in the air.
“Level of knowledge about Wave: extremely poor.”
Thee glared at him.
“This isn’t helpful.”
Tee leaned forward slightly.
“Next question.”
Thee closed his eyes.
“…Go ahead.”
“What makes Wave laugh the most?”
Thee immediately answered.
“Bad jokes.”
Both North and Tee blinked.
“Oh?” North said.
Thee shrugged.
“He laughs a lot during rehearsals when someone messes up.”
North and Tee looked at each other.
Then North nodded slowly.
“Correct.”
Thee straightened slightly.
“See?”
Tee pointed a finger at him.
“Don’t celebrate yet.”
Thee groaned.
“Next question,” North said.
“What animals does Wave like?”
Thee opened his mouth.
Then paused.
Animals?
“…Dogs?”
North tilted his head.
“Are you asking us?”
“…Maybe.”
Tee laughed.
“Wrong.”
Thee sighed.
“Then what?”
North smiled slightly.
“Cats.”
Thee blinked.
“…Cats?”
“Specifically orange cats,” Tee added.
“Why orange?” Thee asked.
“Because he says they look stupid but cute.”
Thee stared at them for a moment.
Then slowly nodded.
“…That actually sounds like something he would say.”
North crossed his arms again.
“Last question.”
Thee looked exhausted.
“What now?”
North leaned slightly closer.
“Why do you want to get closer to Wave?”
Thee froze.
That question had been coming.
He knew it.
And suddenly the entire situation felt much more dangerous.
“…Because we’re coworkers,” Thee said.
North stared at him.
Tee stared at him.
Neither of them looked convinced.
North tilted his head.
“Try again.”
Thee rubbed his face.
“…Because he’s nice.”
Tee raised an eyebrow.
“Still not convincing.”
Thee sighed heavily.
“Because I like talking to him.”
North leaned forward.
“How much?”
Thee hesitated.
“…A normal amount.”
Tee immediately shook his head.
“That’s a lie.”
Thee glared at him.
“How would you know?”
Tee shrugged.
“Because you’ve been watching him during rehearsals.”
Thee froze.
North smiled slowly.
“Yeah,” he said. “You’re not subtle.”
Silence.
Thee looked between them.
“…You noticed?”
“Everyone noticed,” Tee said cheerfully.
Thee buried his face in his hands.
“This is humiliating.”
North laughed.
Then he placed a hand on Thee’s shoulder.
“Relax, Thee.”
Thee looked up.
North smiled.
“If you want help getting closer to Wave…”
He glanced at Tee.
Tee grinned.
“…we can help.”
Thee narrowed his eyes.
“You’re enjoying this too much.”
“Obviously,” Tee said.
North nodded.
“But first,” he added, “we need to fix one major problem.”
Thee frowned.
“What problem?”
North smirked slightly.
“Wave currently thinks you’re a very reliable…”
He paused for dramatic effect.
“…big brother.”
Thee immediately groaned.
Tee burst out laughing.
“Oh this is going to be fun.”
The next morning, Thee regretted everything.
Not because anything had gone wrong.
No.
Worse.
Because nothing had happened yet, and that meant he still had time to think about everything North and Tee had said.
Which, unfortunately, meant he had time to remember:
* Wave likes orange cats
* Wave thinks he is “reliable”
* Wave currently sees him as a ‘big brother figure’
Thee stared at himself in the mirror for a long moment.
“…This is fixable,” he muttered.
A pause.
“…Probably.”
When he arrived at the rehearsal building, North and Tee were already there.
Waiting.
Smiling.
Too ready.
Thee immediately stopped walking.
“No,” he said.
Tee blinked. “No what, Thee?”
“No whatever you’re planning.”
North tilted his head. “We’re not planning anything.”
Tee nodded quickly. “We’re supporting you.”
Thee narrowed his eyes.
“That’s worse.”
They got him anyway.
Of course they did.
Because ten minutes later, Thee was sitting on a couch with a notebook in his hands that Tee had dramatically titled:
“THEE’S LOVE ARC STRATEGY GUIDE”
Thee stared at it.
“…Why is this a document.”
Tee grinned. “Because this is serious.”
North, sitting next to him, looked far too calm.
“Step one,” North said, “stop guessing and start observing.”
Thee frowned. “I observe him.”
Tee immediately shook his head. “No, you stare at him. There’s a difference.”
Thee choked. “I do NOT-”
North raised a finger. “Question. When Wave walks into a room, what do you do?”
Thee opened his mouth.
Closed it.
“…Nothing.”
Tee smiled slowly. “Wrong.”
North nodded. “You look at him immediately.”
Thee went silent.
“…That’s normal.”
“It is not,” they said in unison.
Step one was apparently: “Subtle observation training.”
Which, according to Tee, meant:
“You have to act normal even when he is there.”
Thee frowned. “I act normal.”
North looked at him.
Tee looked at him.
Silence.
Then Tee whispered, “He failed already.”
Thee groaned.
Later that day, they tested him.
Wave arrived at rehearsal slightly late, apologizing softly as he slipped into the room.
“Sorry, P’James!”
The room moved on quickly.
Thee, however, felt his brain short-circuit slightly.
North immediately leaned in.
“Act normal,” he whispered.
“I am normal,” Thee whispered back.
Tee, on the other side, mouthed: *You are not.*
Wave sat down nearby, pulling out his script.
Thee tried to focus on his own.
He really did.
But then…
Wave laughed softly at something Tee said across the room. And Thee’s eyes moved instantly.
North sighed.
Tee smiled.
North whispered, “You looked.”
“I did not.”
“You did.”
Thee slowly put his eyes back on his script.
“…I’m trying.”
Step two of the guide arrived after lunch.
“Conversation practice,” Tee announced proudly.
Thee stared at him. “I talk to him already.”
North nodded. “Yes. Like a distant uncle.”
Thee froze. “What does that mean?”
Tee ignored him completely and stood up.
“Okay. Scenario one: Wave is alone. You need to approach him naturally.”
Thee frowned. “That’s easy.”
North raised an eyebrow.
“Go.”
Wave was, in fact, alone.
Sitting near the window, scrolling his phone, headphones around his neck.
Thee stood up.
This was fine.
Simple.
Normal.
He walked over.
One step.
Two steps.
Wave looked up.
Smiled.
“P’Thee.”
That smile. Thee forgot how legs worked for half a second.
North, across the room, whispered loudly, “NORMAL.”
Thee cleared his throat.
“Hi.”
Silence.
Wave tilted his head slightly. “Did you need something?”
This was where Thee was supposed to be smooth.
Confident.
Natural.
Instead, he said:
“…What do you think about cats?”
Dead silence. From the couch, Tee dropped his head into his hands.
North slowly turned toward him.
Wave blinked.
“…Cats?”
Thee nodded quickly. “Yes.”
“…Why?”
Thee’s brain scrambled. Because I need to impress you. Because North made me realize I know nothing about you. Because I’m losing my mind slightly.
Instead he said:
“Just curious.”
Wave stared at him for a moment.
Then smiled.
“…I like them.”
Thee froze.
North straightened instantly.
Tee whispered, “OH.”
Wave continued, casually:
“Especially orange ones. They look kind of stupid… but cute.”
Thee stopped breathing.
North whispered aggressively, “ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.”
Thee nodded too fast.
“…Do you- do you like snacks?”
Wave laughed softly.
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
Wave thought for a moment.
“Anything sweet. Or salty. Or both.”
Tee whispered, “That’s not helpful at all.”
North ignored him. “KEEP GOING.”
Thee panicked slightly.
“…Do you have a favorite drink?”
Wave blinked. “Tea, I guess.”
Then he added casually, “But I usually just drink whatever North buys me.”
Thee froze.
North froze.
Tee slowly turned his head toward North.
North immediately said, “Don’t look at me.”
Wave smiled again and turned back to his phone.
Thee stood there for a moment too long.
Then quietly walked back to the couch.
Tee looked at him immediately.
“So.”
Thee sat down.
“…I understand nothing about him.”
North nodded. “Correct.”
Thee buried his face in his hands.
“This is harder than work.”
Tee grinned. “Welcome to the Love Arc.”
North leaned back.
“Step two needs improvement.”
Thee looked up.
“…There’s a step three?”
Tee smiled brightly.
“Oh Thee.”
North finished calmly:
“There’s a lot of steps.”
That night, Thee lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
Cats.
Tea.
Orange cats.
Wave laughing.
Wave saying his name.
Wave leaning slightly into conversations like it was nothing.
Thee closed his eyes.
“…This is a problem,” he muttered.
A pause.
Then, quieter:
“…a very cute problem.”
And somewhere between panic and something far worse…
The Love Arc officially began.
Thee didn’t sleep well.
Not because anything dramatic had happened.
But because his brain had decided, without his permission, to replay Wave’s voice saying “orange cats… cute” on a loop for approximately seven hours straight.
At 3:12 AM, Thee sat up in bed and stared into the darkness.
“…This is insane,” he whispered.
Then he lay back down.
And immediately thought about Wave again.
By morning, he had a new problem.
He had to act normal.
Which was, unfortunately, now scientifically proven to be difficult.
When Thee arrived at the rehearsal building, North and Tee were already waiting.
Tee waved. “Thee!”
North nodded. “Thee.”
Thee stopped walking.
“…Why does that feel strange?”
Tee grinned. “Because now we’re serious.”
North added calmly, “You are no longer just a friend in this operation.”
Thee narrowed his eyes. “What operation?”
Tee held up a plastic bag.
Inside were snacks.
A lot of snacks.
“We are entering Phase Two.”
Thee stared at the bag.
“…I don’t like the sound of that.”
According to North, the plan was simple.
“If Wave trusts you more, he’ll open up more.”
Tee added, “And if he opens up more, you’ll finally stop embarrassing yourself.”
Thee sighed. “I don’t embarrass myself.”
Both of them stared at him.
Thee sighed again.
“…Fine.”
Wave arrived twenty minutes later.
Same routine.
Soft footsteps.
Quiet greeting.
“Good morning, everyone.”
Thee looked up immediately.
North whispered without looking at him, “Don’t start.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Thee muttered.
Tee replied, “You already looked at him first. That counts.”
Wave sat down near the window again. This time, Thee had something prepared. A perfectly normal, non-suspicious, completely casual snack.
He stood up.
North immediately grabbed his sleeve.
“Wait.”
Thee froze. “What?”
Tee leaned in. “Don’t walk like you’re going to a battlefield.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Thee exhaled.
“…I’m just giving him food.”
North nodded slowly. “Yes. Like a normal person.”
Tee added, “Try not to look like you’re proposing marriage.”
Thee walked away immediately.
Wave looked up when Thee approached.
“P’Thee?”
Thee paused for half a second at the name.
Still not used to it.
Still not normal.
Still…
Dangerous, somehow.
“…I brought you something,” Thee said.
He placed the bag in front of Wave.
Wave blinked. “For me?”
Thee nodded quickly. “Just snacks. Leftovers.”
That was a lie. North had personally curated the bag like it was a military supply drop.
Wave opened it slightly.
Inside: sweet snacks, salty snacks, and a drink North insisted Wave “sometimes tolerated.”
Wave looked surprised.
“…This is a lot.”
Thee shrugged.
“…I wasn’t sure what you liked.”
A pause.
Wave smiled softly.
“That’s okay. I like everything.”
Thee froze slightly.
North, from across the room, silently mouthed: GOOD RESPONSE.
Tee gave a thumbs up.
Thee felt oddly relieved.
Wave ate one of the snacks.
Then another.
Then glanced up again.
“…You didn’t have to do this, P’Thee.”
Thee immediately replied, too fast:
“I wanted to.”
Silence.
Thee blinked.
Wave blinked.
From the couch, Tee quietly said, “Oh.”
North whispered, “That was dangerous.”
Thee cleared his throat. “I mean, everyone needs snacks.”
Wave laughed softly.
And Thee felt it again.
That small, stupid tightening in his chest.
The rest of the day, Thee tried to focus.
He really did.
But now he had a new problem:
He had given Wave food.
So now Wave occasionally looked at him.
And every time Wave looked at him
Thee noticed. Immediately.
Too immediately.
North noticed first.
Of course he did.
During a break, he leaned over.
“You’re doing it again.”
Thee frowned. “Doing what?”
Tee answered without looking up. “Watching him.”
“I am not.”
North raised an eyebrow.
“Thee.”
Thee sighed. “…I’m observing the environment.”
Tee nodded. “The environment is Wave.”
Thee groaned.
Later, something small happened.
Wave laughed at something Tee said.
Nothing unusual.
Normal rehearsal moment.
But Wave leaned back slightly as he laughed, eyes half-closed, completely relaxed.
And Thee
stared.
Not even consciously.
Just… stopped.
North noticed immediately.
Tee noticed immediately.
Neither of them said anything for a moment.
Then North quietly asked:
“…Thee.”
Thee blinked. “What?”
“…When you look at him like that,” North said slowly, “what are you thinking?”
Thee opened his mouth. Closed it.
Then honestly said:
“…I don’t know.”
That was the first real truth of the day.
That night, the three of them sat outside the rehearsal building again.
The snack strategy had technically worked. Wave had accepted the food. Wave had smiled more.
Wave had even said “thank you” three separate times.
But Thee didn’t feel victorious.
He felt… confused.
Tee leaned back. “So.”
North crossed his arms. “Update.”
Thee stared at the ground.
“…He smiled at me.”
Silence.
Tee blinked. “That’s it?”
Thee nodded slowly.
North studied him.
“And?”
Thee hesitated.
“…It felt… different.”
Tee immediately straightened. “Different how?”
Thee frowned slightly.
“…Like I noticed it too much.”
North went quiet for a second.
Then: “That’s not part of the plan.”
Thee laughed weakly. “What plan?”
Tee didn’t laugh.
North didn’t either.
Because for the first time, this wasn’t funny anymore.
It was starting to feel real.
North stood up first.
“We need more information.”
Tee nodded. “Yes.”
Thee looked up. “About what?”
North looked at him directly.
“About what Wave thinks of you.”
Thee froze.
Tee added, quieter now:
“Because right now… you’re the only one who’s changing.”
Silence.
Thee didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t have one.
Not yet.
And somewhere behind all the teasing, snacks, and chaos…
The Love Arc quietly stopped being a joke.
Just a little.
Thee told himself he would calm down.
That was the plan.
Simple.
Clean.
Very achievable.
He had even said it out loud the night before, lying on his bed like it was a promise to the universe.
“…I will not think about Wave so much tomorrow.”
A pause.
Then quietly:
“…Just normally.”
He lasted approximately four hours.
It wasn’t dramatic.
Nothing obvious happened.
No confessions.
No big scenes.
No life-changing conversations.
It was just… small things.
That was the problem.
Small things were harder to ignore.
Wave arrived at rehearsal slightly earlier than usual.
Thee noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
Wave greeted everyone the same way as always, polite smile, soft voice, quick bow.
But when Wave’s eyes landed on Thee…
He paused.
Just half a second.
Then smiled a little differently.
“P’Thee,” Wave said.
Thee blinked.
“…Morning.”
Wave nodded.
Then, instead of walking away immediately like usual, he lingered for a moment.
“…The snacks yesterday were good,” he added casually.
Thee froze slightly.
“Oh.”
Wave tilted his head. “North picked them?”
Thee hesitated.
“…Yes.”
Wave smiled.
“I thought so.”
And then he left.
Thee stood there for a moment too long.
Behind him, Tee leaned in immediately.
“…Did he just *specifically mention yesterday*?”
North narrowed his eyes. “He did.”
Tee grinned. “That’s new.”
Thee slowly turned his head. “What does that mean?”
North didn’t answer right away.
That was worse.
Later that day, Thee tried to act normal.
Keyword: tried.
Wave was sitting with Tee and North again, laughing softly at something on Tee’s phone.
Thee walked past them.
Just walking.
Normal walking.
Absolutely normal.
Except
Wave looked up.
Not immediately.
Not dramatically.
Just… in time.
Their eyes met for a second.
Wave smiled.
And then…
he followed Thee with his gaze for a moment longer than necessary.
Thee kept walking.
But his brain didn’t.
North noticed first.
Of course.
He always did.
He leaned toward Tee. “Did you see that?”
Tee nodded slowly. “Yeah.”
North frowned slightly. “He looked at Thee first this time.”
Tee smiled faintly.
“…Yeah.”
A pause.
Then Tee added:
“That’s not nothing.”
Thee didn’t notice the conversation.
Because Thee was currently trying very hard not to replay Wave’s expression in his head.
Too late. He already had.
That night, North and Tee found him sitting alone outside again.
This time, he wasn’t on his phone. He was just… thinking.
Which was usually a bad sign.
Tee sat next to him immediately. “What happened?”
Thee didn’t look up.
“…Nothing.”
North sat on the other side. “That’s worse.”
Thee exhaled.
“…He looked at me.”
Silence.
Tee blinked. “He always looks at you.”
Thee shook his head slightly.
“No. I mean—he looked at me.”
North frowned. “Explain.”
Thee hesitated. This was exactly the kind of thing he didn’t know how to explain.
“…Like he noticed me,” Thee said finally.
Tee tilted his head. “He does notice you.”
Thee finally looked up.
“…Not like that.”
Silence again.
North studied him.
Then quietly:
“…What are you afraid of?”
Thee laughed once.
But it wasn’t funny.
“I don’t know.”
That was the truth again.
And it was starting to happen too often.
The next day, something even smaller happened.
Wave brought a drink.
Nothing unusual.
Except this time…
He didn’t just hand it to North or leave it on the table.
He walked directly to Thee.
“P’Thee.”
Thee looked up.
Wave held out the drink.
“I bought extra again.”
A pause.
Then, softer:
“…This one’s yours.”
Thee froze.
Behind him, Tee made a sound like he was trying not to scream. North didn’t move at all.
Just watched.
Carefully.
Thee took the drink.
“…Thanks.”
Wave nodded.
Then hesitated.
Just a second too long.
“…You’ve been helping a lot lately,” Wave added.
Thee blinked. “Helping?”
Wave nodded slightly.
“With snacks. And stuff.”
A small smile.
“I think I’m getting spoiled.”
Thee’s chest tightened again.
Not loudly.
Just enough to notice.
“…It’s nothing,” he said quietly.
Wave smiled.
“That’s what North said too.”
And then he left.
When Wave was gone, Tee immediately leaned forward.
“That’s not normal.”
Thee frowned. “What isn’t?”
Tee looked at North. North looked back. Neither of them smiled now.
North finally said:
“He’s comparing you to us.”
Thee blinked. “Is that bad?”
Tee answered immediately.
“Yes.”
A pause.
Then softer:
“…It means he’s categorizing you.”
Thee frowned. “So?”
North’s voice dropped slightly.
“It means he’s starting to understand where you fit in his life.”
Silence.
That landed differently.
Heavier.
Thee looked down at the drink in his hands.
Wave had said ‘spoiled’.
Wave had smiled.
Wave had noticed.
And Thee…
Thee had no idea what any of it meant.
But his chest felt too tight to ignore it now.
“…I think I made a mistake,” Thee said quietly.
Tee frowned. “What mistake?”
Thee didn’t answer immediately.
Then:
“…I think I started caring too much.”
North didn’t speak for a moment.
Then he said something quieter than usual:
“That already happened before you noticed.”
And somewhere, across the room, Wave laughed again.
And this time-
Thee looked up immediately.
Not because he wanted to.
But because he always did now.
Thee stopped trying to act normal.
Not consciously.
It just… stopped working.
Because now every time he looked at Wave, something in him reacted before he could stop it.
And worse-
Wave was starting to notice.
It happened during rehearsal. A simple blocking exercise. Nothing important.
People were moving around the room, practicing positions, repeating lines, adjusting timing.
Thee was supposed to cross the room, stop near the couch, and deliver a line.
Wave wasn’t in the scene. He was just sitting nearby, watching quietly.
Or at least, he was supposed to just be watching.
Thee walked into position.
Took his mark.
Waited.
Then-
someone bumped into him by accident.
Nothing serious.
Just a small collision.
But enough to throw off his balance slightly.
Thee stepped back instinctively.
And in that half-second–
he almost lost his footing.
He didn’t fall. But he did tilt.
Just slightly. And then–
a hand caught his arm.
Firm.
Quick.
Warm.
Thee froze.
Because Wave had moved.
Fast.
Too fast for someone who was “just watching.”
“P’Thee—are you okay?”
Thee turned his head slowly.
Wave was standing very close.
Hand still on his arm.
Eyes focused.
Not playful.
Not distracted.
Focused.
Thee forgot the line he was supposed to say.
He forgot the room existed for a second.
“I-” Thee started.
Stopped.
“…I’m fine.”
Wave didn’t let go immediately.
Just checked him for a second longer than necessary.
Then nodded.
“…Okay.”
And released him.
Nothing happened.
Technically.
But Thee didn’t hear the rest of the rehearsal properly after that.
Later, North leaned in during a break.
“You went silent.”
Thee blinked. “I was focusing.”
Tee snorted. “You forgot your line.”
Thee frowned. “That happens.”
North tilted his head slightly.
“…Wave held your arm.”
Thee paused.
“…Yes.”
Tee smiled faintly. “And you didn’t move for like three seconds after.”
Thee looked away immediately.
“That’s normal.”
Silence.
North said quietly:
“It wasn’t.”
That day, something shifted.
It wasn’t obvious.
But it was consistent.
Wave started looking at Thee more often.
Not dramatically.
Not in a way anyone else would notice easily.
But Thee noticed.
Always.
During breaks, Wave’s eyes would find him first sometimes.
During rehearsals, Wave would glance over when Thee spoke.
Even when talking to North or Tee-
Wave would occasionally look at Thee mid-sentence, like checking something.
Like confirming something.
Thee didn’t understand it.
And that scared him more than anything else.
It happened after rehearsal. Late afternoon.
People were packing up, the usual chaos of bags, scripts, half-finished drinks.
Thee was standing near the exit when Wave called him.
“P’Thee.”
Thee turned.
Wave walked over.
Stopped just a little too close.
Held out a folded script page.
“You dropped this.”
Thee frowned. “I didn’t—”
Then he saw it.
His notes.
From earlier.
He took it slowly.
“…Thanks.”
Wave nodded.
But didn’t leave.
That was the first problem.
A pause.
Then Wave said, casually:
“…You’ve been quiet today.”
Thee blinked.
“…Have I?”
Wave nodded.
A small smile.
“…A little.”
Thee hesitated.
“…Just tired.”
Wave studied him for a moment.
Longer than necessary.
Then said softly:
“…You don’t usually get quiet.”
That landed differently.
Not loud.
Just precise.
Thee didn’t know what to say. So he said nothing.
Wave didn’t move away yet. Just stayed there.
Like he was waiting for something.
From across the room, Tee whispered:
“…Why is he still there?”
North didn’t answer immediately.
Then:
“…Because Thee isn’t ending the conversation.”
Tee frowned. “Why isn’t he ending it?”
North watched them.
Then quietly:
“Because he doesn’t want to.”
Wave shifted slightly. Like he was about to leave.
But then-
he stopped again.
“…P’Thee.”
Thee looked up instantly.
Too instantly.
Wave noticed that.
A pause.
Then Wave smiled faintly.
“…Never mind.”
And walked away.
Thee stood still.
Long after Wave left.
Tee finally walked over.
“What was that?”
Thee didn’t answer immediately.
Then quietly:
“…I don’t know.”
North joined them.
“…Thee.”
Thee looked up.
North’s expression was different now.
Less teasing.
More careful.
“…You realize he’s starting to come toward you, right?”
Silence.
Thee didn’t respond.
Because the truth was:
He had noticed.
He just didn’t know what to do with it.
That Night Thee lay in bed again.
But this time-
he wasn’t replaying Wave laughing.
Or Wave smiling.
Or Wave saying his name.
He was replaying:
Wave grabbing his arm.
Wave looking at him too long.
Wave not leaving when he should have.
Wave saying “you don’t usually get quiet.”
Thee closed his eyes.
“…This is getting worse,” he whispered.
A pause.
Then, softer:
“…or better.”
And for the first time-
he didn’t know which answer scared him more.
The next day, something strange happened.
Wave arrived early.
Which was unusual.
Very unusual.
Because Wave was not an early person.
North noticed first. He was sitting on the floor with his script when the door opened.
Wave walked in, holding a coffee. North checked the clock. Then looked back at Wave.
“…Did rehearsal time change?”
Wave blinked.
“…No?”
North narrowed his eyes.
Tee looked up from his phone.
“…Why are you here early?”
Wave shrugged casually.
“…I woke up early.”
Silence.
North and Tee slowly turned to look at each other.
Neither of them believed that for even one second.
Ten minutes later, the door opened again.
Thee walked in.
And immediately stopped.
Because Wave was already there.
Thee blinked.
“…You’re early.”
Wave looked up.
For a split second, he looked almost-
caught.
But then he recovered quickly.
“…You’re early too.”
Thee shrugged slightly.
“…I like quiet rooms.”
Wave nodded slowly.
“…Me too.”
Across the room, Tee leaned toward North.
“…He waited.”
North nodded.
“…He definitely waited.”
Thee sat down near the stage and started reviewing his notes. Wave hesitated for a moment.
Then walked over.
And sat down.
Right next to him.
Not across.
Not nearby.
Next.
To.
Him.
Thee glanced sideways.
“…You don’t usually sit here.”
Wave flipped through his script like it was completely normal.
“…Trying something new.”
Thee hummed softly.
“…Okay.”
But inside his brain, alarms were going off.
Wave suddenly pointed at the page.
“…This line.”
Thee leaned closer.
“What about it?”
Wave tapped the sentence.
“…I think the tone should change here.”
Their shoulders brushed.
Neither of them moved away.
Across the room-
Tee slowly lowered his phone.
“…North.”
North didn’t look away.
“…Yes.”
Tee whispered:
“I think we lost control of the experiment.”
North nodded calmly.
“…Completely.”
With a glance they both decided to leave the room.
Wave kept talking about the scene.
But Thee was only half listening.
Because he had noticed something.
Wave wasn’t looking at the script anymore.
He was looking at him.
Thee raised an eyebrow.
“…Why are you staring?”
Wave didn’t look embarrassed. Not even a little.
Instead he said:
“…I’m thinking.”
“…About?”
Wave tilted his head slightly.
“…You.”
Thee’s brain stopped working for two full seconds.
“…About what about me?”
Wave seemed to consider that question carefully.
Then said something that made things ten times worse.
“…I’m trying to figure you out.”
Thee frowned.
“…I’m not complicated.”
Wave smiled faintly.
“…I disagree.”
Thee tried to recover.
“…What exactly are you trying to figure out?”
Wave leaned back slightly. Still watching him.
“…Why you keep helping me.”
Thee sighed softly.
“…We already talked about that.”
Wave shook his head.
“…No.”
A small pause.
Then quietly:
“We didn’t.”
Thee opened his mouth. But before he could answer-
someone else walked into the room.
And loudly announced:
“WHY ARE YOU TWO SITTING SO CLOSE?”
Both of them looked up instantly.
Tee stood there.
Grinning like a menace.
North behind him.
Looking tired already.
They had just returned to the room.
Thee hadn't even noticed when they left.
Wave didn’t move.
Thee didn’t move.
Their shoulders were still touching.
Tee pointed dramatically.
“…Interesting.”
North rubbed his forehead.
“…We should leave.”
Tee nodded.
“…Yes.”
Then he added:
“But also no.”
Thee sighed.
“…What do you want?”
Tee crossed his arms.
“…Nothing.”
A beat. Then he smirked.
“…Just observing.”
Wave looked amused. Thee looked like he wanted to disappear. North finally intervened.
“…Ignore him.”
Then he looked at Wave.
“…We’re starting rehearsal soon.”
Wave nodded. But before standing up-
he leaned slightly closer to Thee.
And whispered quietly enough that only he could hear:
“…You still haven’t answered.”
Then he stood.
And walked away.
Thee sat there.
Completely frozen.
Script still open.
Heart beating faster than it should.
Across the room Tee whispered:
“…He whispered.”
North nodded.
“…He definitely whispered.”
Tee leaned back.
“…This is getting interesting.”
North sighed.
“…This is getting dangerous.”
And for the first time since the Love Arc began Thee started to suspect something.
A small thought.
A ridiculous thought.
But it refused to leave.
What if…
Wave isn’t confused?
The rehearsal room slowly filled over the next twenty minutes. People arriving with bags, scripts, coffee cups, half-awake expressions.
Normal.
Completely normal.
Except for one thing.
Wave kept sitting next to Thee.
Not touching.
Not leaning too close.
Just… staying there.
Like it had always been his seat.
Thee noticed it. Of course he noticed it.
He noticed everything lately.
The distance between their shoulders.
The way Wave occasionally tapped his pen against the script while thinking. The way he leaned slightly forward when he focused. Thee also noticed something else.
Wave seemed… comfortable. Suspiciously comfortable.
As if sitting there next to him was the most natural decision in the world. Which made Thee even more nervous.
Across the room, Tee was suffering. Physically suffering.
He had turned his chair backwards and was gripping the backrest like he was watching the final episode of a drama.
North sat beside him.
Calm.
Too calm.
“You need to relax,” North muttered quietly.
Tee slowly pointed toward the stage.
“I can’t.”
North followed his finger.
Wave and Thee were still sitting side by side.
Wave had leaned slightly closer to check something in Thee’s notes. Again.
North sighed.
“…Okay, maybe I understand.”
But something else caught North’s attention.
The door opened again.
And someone walked in.
Otto.
North immediately straightened.
Not dramatically.
Just a small shift.
A little more attentive.
Like his brain had suddenly become very aware of the room.
Otto was there.
Relaxed posture.
Messy hair like he had run his hands through it too many times.
He carried his script under one arm and greeted a few people casually while walking in. Wave noticed him instantly.
They exchanged a quick nod.
Clearly familiar.
Clearly friends.
Tee noticed North’s reaction immediately.
Of course he did.
Tee noticed everything that could potentially become chaos.
He leaned closer.
“…Oh.”
North didn’t answer.
He was watching Otto walk across the room.
Trying very hard to look like he wasn’t watching Otto walk across the room.
Otto stopped near the stage.
Wave looked up first.
Then Thee.
Otto glanced between them.
Wave sitting next to Thee. Their scripts open.
Their shoulders almost touching. Otto raised an eyebrow.
Not suspicious.
Just… observant.
“Morning,” Otto said casually.
Wave greeted him back.
Thee nodded politely.
Otto’s eyes lingered a second longer on the two of them. Then he smiled slightly. Like he had understood something small.
Something amusing.
But he didn’t say anything.
North had completely stopped listening to the conversation. Because Otto had just sat down.
Two chairs away from him.
Tee turned slowly.
Very slowly.
And looked at North.
Then at Otto.
Then back at North.
His eyes widened.
“Oh,” he whispered.
North immediately knew that tone.
The ‘Tee discovered something’ tone.
Which was always dangerous.
Tee leaned closer.
“…You’re doomed.”
North didn’t look at him.
“…Be quiet.”
Tee was already grinning.
“…You like him.”
North closed his eyes briefly.
That was not a question.
Meanwhile, near the stage, Wave was doing something new.
Something subtle.
Something Thee unfortunately noticed.
Wave had stopped pretending to read the script.
Instead, he was watching Thee write. Thee’s handwriting was neat.
Careful.
Small annotations filling the margins. Wave seemed… fascinated.
Thee felt it.
That feeling of being watched again. He slowly turned his head.
Wave didn’t even try to hide it this time.
Thee frowned slightly.
Wave smiled.
Small.
Calm.
Almost teasing.
Thee looked back at his script.
Trying to ignore the sudden warmth creeping up his neck.
This was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. It was just Wave. Just sitting there. Just looking. But somehow it felt like a spotlight.
Across the room, Otto noticed too. He had been talking with someone else, but his attention drifted briefly toward Wave.
Toward where Wave was sitting. Next to Thee.
Otto tilted his head slightly. Interesting.
Wave usually kept a comfortable distance from people.
Not cold. Just careful. Observant.
But right now?
Wave looked… engaged. More than usual.
Otto smiled faintly to himself.
Then looked away.
Deciding not to interfere.
For now.
Rehearsal started soon after. Everyone moved into position. Lines were practiced.
Scenes repeated. The director corrected posture, tone, timing.
Normal rehearsal chaos.
But small things kept happening. Small, almost invisible things. Wave standing next to Thee during scene changes. Wave quietly checking Thee’s notes again.
Wave occasionally looking at him when he thought Thee wouldn’t notice.
Unfortunately for Wave-
Thee noticed everything.
And unfortunately for Thee-
his brain refused to process it correctly.
Meanwhile, Tee had discovered ‘two different dramas happening in the same room.’ Which was the best day of his life.
Drama number one: Thee and Wave. Obviously.
Drama number two: North and Otto. Which North was pretending did not exist. Very badly.
Tee leaned back in his chair, watching both sides of the room like a proud director of chaos.
He whispered to himself:
“This cast is incredible.”
North heard him.
“…If you say one word to Otto, I will end you.”
Tee nodded politely.
Then whispered:
“Of course.”
A pause.
Then:
“But hypothetically-”
North covered his face.
And near the stage Wave glanced again toward Thee. Not by accident this time. Just to see if he would look back.
He did.
Immediately.
Wave smiled again.
Slightly.
Like someone who had just confirmed a theory. Thee’s heart did something very inconvenient inside his chest.
And somewhere across the room Otto noticed that too.
The rehearsal room had settled into its usual rhythm.
Scripts rustling.
Chairs scraping softly against the floor.
Someone in the back repeatedly forgetting their lines.
Ordinary chaos.
But underneath it, something subtle had changed.
Something only a few people had noticed.
Wave had developed a habit.
A very specific one.
Whenever rehearsal paused: whether for corrections, breaks, or someone missing their cue, Wave’s attention drifted in the same direction.
Toward Thee.
Not in an obvious way.
Not staring.
Just… checking.
Like someone repeatedly glancing at a clock without realizing it.
Thee, unfortunately, had become painfully aware of this habit.
Which meant he had also developed one.
Every time he felt that strange sensation of being watched, he looked up.
And every single time-
Wave was already looking away.
Or pretending to read the script.
Or adjusting his pen.
It was subtle enough to deny.
But frequent enough to be suspicious.
Across the room, Tee was experiencing the best entertainment of his life.
He had stopped pretending to read his script twenty minutes ago.
Now he was simply observing.
First Thee.
Then Wave.
Then North.
North was not observing the stage.
North was observing Otto.
Trying very hard not to.
And failing miserably.
Otto sat two chairs away, leaning back with one leg stretched out, calmly reading his script.
Every now and then he scratched something in the margins or tapped his pen against the page while thinking.
He looked completely relaxed. Which somehow made North even more tense.
Tee leaned closer.
Very slowly.
“…So.”
North didn’t look at him.
“…No.”
Tee smiled.
“I didn’t even say anything.”
“You were about to.”
Tee tilted his head slightly, studying Otto again. Otto had just leaned forward to ask Wave something quietly.
Wave answered. Otto laughed softly. They were clearly comfortable with each other. Friends. Maybe close ones.
Tee’s eyes lit up.
A new idea had just formed.
Which was extremely dangerous.
“…North.”
“No.”
“You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”
“I do.”
Tee turned fully toward him now.
Eyes sparkling with the worst kind of curiosity.
“What if Otto helps?”
North froze.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
He turned his head.
“…Helps with what.”
Tee pointed discreetly toward the stage.
Where Wave was once again sitting beside Thee.
Closer than necessary.
“The Love Arc.”
North stared at him.
Absolutely horrified.
“…You want to involve Otto.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Tee shrugged.
“He’s Wave’s friend.”
North looked ready to pass out.
“That is exactly why we should *not* involve him.”
“But think about it.”
North did not want to think about it.
Not even a little.
Tee leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially.
“If Wave trusts him, he might accidentally reveal things.”
North rubbed his face slowly.
“…This plan is getting worse.”
Tee grinned.
“This plan is evolving.”
Unfortunately for North Otto chose that exact moment to stand up. And walk over. Directly toward them.
North’s brain shut down.
Completely.
Instantly.
Otto stopped beside their chairs.
“Hey.”
His voice was casual, friendly.
North nodded too quickly.
“…Hi.”
Tee looked between them. Then smiled like someone who had just found a new toy.
Otto glanced at their scripts.
“Are you two in the next scene?”
Tee answered immediately.
“Yeah.”
North added, far less smoothly,
“…Yes.”
Otto nodded, then casually sat in the empty chair next to them.
Just like that.
Like it was the most natural decision in the world.
North’s soul left his body.
Tee, on the other hand, looked delighted.
Because now he could observe three different dramas happening at once.
Near the stage, Wave had noticed Otto moving.
His eyes briefly followed him.
Toward North.
Toward Tee.
Then back to Thee.
Thee was still writing notes, Focused, Unaware.
Wave watched him for a moment longer, Then looked away again. But this time Otto noticed.
Otto leaned back slightly in his chair. Quietly watching Wave. Watching Thee. Watching the small, repeated glances between them.
He smiled to himself.
Just a little.
Like someone who had figured out a small secret.
Back at the chairs, Tee had already started phase one of his terrible idea.
He leaned toward Otto.
“So…”
Otto glanced at him.
“Yeah?”
Tee gestured vaguely toward the stage.
“…What do you think about Wave?”
North almost died.
Otto blinked once.
Then chuckled softly.
“That’s a vague question.”
Tee shrugged.
“Humor me.”
Otto looked back toward Wave.
Wave was now quietly discussing a scene with Thee.
Leaning slightly closer so Thee could see the line he was pointing at. Their shoulders brushed again.
Neither of them reacted.
Otto hummed thoughtfully.
“…He’s interesting.”
North prayed Tee would stop talking.
Immediately.
Forever.
But Tee wasn’t finished.
Of course he wasn’t.
“Do you think,” Tee continued carefully, “he likes anyone right now?”
North actually stopped breathing.
Otto looked back at him.
Then slowly turned his gaze toward Wave again.
And then toward Thee.
His smile widened slightly.
Like someone who had just been asked a very entertaining question.
“…Maybe.”
Across the room Wave looked up.
Directly at Thee. Again. And this time Thee looked back immediately. Otto watched the entire exchange.
Quietly.
Thoughtfully.
Then he turned back to Tee.
And said something that made North’s heart stop.
“…Why.”
A pause.
Then:
“Are you investigating him?”
North closed his eyes.
The Love Arc had just become ten times more dangerous.
By the time rehearsal ended that evening, the room felt strangely different.
Not louder.
Not quieter.
Just… heavier.
Like something invisible had settled over the group.
No one had said anything directly, but several people had started noticing the same small details.
And once you noticed them, you couldn’t really unsee them.
The first person who realized that something was ‘actually happening’ was Otto.
He didn’t say it out loud.
Otto wasn’t the type.
He preferred watching things unfold before deciding whether to interfere. But as the rehearsal progressed, he kept catching the same pattern.
Wave drifting closer to Thee. Wave asking questions that didn’t really require answers. Wave leaning over Thee’s script instead of using his own.
Wave watching him.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Otto knew Wave well enough to understand something important. Wave didn’t do things like that accidentally.
Wave was careful with people.
He observed first.
Tested slowly.
Kept a certain emotional distance most of the time.
But today that distance wasn’t really there anymore.
Which meant one thing.
Wave had already decided something.
Across the room, North was experiencing a completely different problem. Because Otto had started talking to them.
Not a lot.
Just small conversations during breaks.
But that was already enough to destroy North’s ability to think normally. Every time Otto leaned over slightly to say something-
North forgot what he had been doing.
Which Tee found extremely entertaining.
Tee had never seen North like this before.
North was usually the calm one.
The rational one.
The person who stopped Tee from making terrible decisions.
But now?
North looked like someone trying to survive a natural disaster.
During the final break of rehearsal, Tee leaned closer and whispered,
“…You’re not even blinking.”
North whispered back,
“…I am blinking.”
“You blinked twice in five minutes.”
“That’s normal.”
“It’s not.”
Unfortunately for North, Otto chose that moment to glance toward them.
Their eyes met.
Just briefly.
But Otto smiled politely.
North’s brain immediately stopped functioning.
Tee watched the entire interaction.
Then leaned back slowly.
“…This is incredible.”
North covered his face.
“…Please stop enjoying this.”
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room Wave had also started noticing something.
Not about Thee.
About Otto.
Otto had been watching him.
Not constantly.
But enough times for Wave to recognize the pattern.
Wave was very good at noticing patterns. And Otto rarely watched people like that without a reason.
Wave tilted his head slightly.
Curious.
Because Otto looked… amused.
Which usually meant Otto had understood something
The problem was…
Wave wasn’t sure what.
Thee, on the other hand, was trying very hard not to think. Which was becoming increasingly difficult.
Because Wave kept standing too close.
Sitting too close.
Talking too close.
And every time it happened-
Thee felt that strange shift in his chest again.
Something warm.
Something dangerous.
Something that made concentrating on rehearsals significantly harder than it should have been.
At one point during rehearsal, their scene required them to stand facing each other.
Close.
Not touching.
Just close enough for the emotional tension of the scene.
The director adjusted their positions.
“Closer.”
They stepped forward.
“Closer.”
Another step.
Now they were standing barely half a meter apart.
Thee could see the small crease near Wave’s eyes again. The one that appeared when Wave focused.
Wave was looking directly at him.
Not acting.
Just looking.
For a moment, Thee forgot the next line.
Which had only happened once before.
For the same reason.
Wave being too close.
Across the room, Tee whispered dramatically,
“…Oh no.”
North didn’t respond.
Because he was too busy realizing something else.
Otto was watching that scene very carefully.
Otto rested his chin on his hand, quietly observing.
Wave and Thee standing close.
The brief hesitation.
The moment of silence.
The way Wave didn’t look away.
Otto’s smile returned.
Small.
Thoughtful.
The director clapped his hands.
“Again.”
They repeated the scene. This time, Thee managed to say the line correctly. But something about the atmosphere had changed. Even the other actors could feel it.
That strange tension that sometimes appears between two people before either of them fully understands why.
Later, when rehearsal finally ended, people started packing their things.
Chairs moved.
Bags zipped.
Someone complained about being hungry.
Normal again.
Or at least it looked normal.
Wave left the stage area last.
As usual.
He preferred leaving when things were quieter.
But when he turned toward the door, he noticed Otto waiting near the exit.
Leaning against the wall.
Like he had been expecting him.
Wave walked over.
“You’re still here?”
Otto shrugged.
“Thought I’d walk with you.”
Wave studied him for a moment.
Then asked casually,
“…Why were you watching earlier?”
Otto raised an eyebrow.
“Watching what?”
“You know what.”
Otto smiled slightly. Which confirmed Wave’s suspicion immediately.
“Relax,” Otto said.
“I was just observing.”
Wave crossed his arms.
“That’s worse.”
Otto laughed softly.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Otto said something that made Wave pause.
“…He seems nice.”
Wave frowned.
“Who.”
Otto didn’t answer immediately. Instead he looked past Wave. Across the room. Where Thee was still packing his bag.
Wave followed his gaze.
Then looked back at Otto.
“…Don’t start.”
Otto lifted his hands in mock surrender.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You implied something.”
“Did I?”
Wave shook his head slightly.
But he didn’t look annoyed.
If anything he looked thoughtful.
Otto looked at Wave and without adding anything else walked away.
Once he was near the chairs Tee started explaining everything to him.
The plan.
The suspicious moments.
Everything.
After a very long thirty minutes…
Tee had just finished explaining the ‘Love Arc plan’ to Otto.
In detail. Every ridiculous step, every accidental strategy. North had attempted to stop him. Several times. He had failed every single time.
Otto listened quietly, arms crossed. expression unreadable. When Tee finished, there was a long pause. North prepared himself for the worst possible reaction.
But Otto didn’t look upset.
Or surprised.
Or confused.
Instead he laughed.
Not loudly.
Just a soft, incredulous laugh.
Like someone who had just heard the most ridiculous story imaginable.
“…You two are unbelievable.”
Tee looked proud.
“Thank you.”
North looked like he wanted to disappear forever.
Otto shook his head, still smiling, then he glanced toward the stage. Where Wave was still talking to Thee.
Standing close.
Closer than before.
Otto studied them for a moment.
Then said quietly,
“…You didn’t start anything.”
Tee blinked.
“What?”
Otto nodded slightly toward them.
Wave had just handed Thee a drink.
Their fingers brushed.
Neither of them moved away immediately.
Otto smiled again.
Slowly.
“…You’re just watching it happen.”
North and Tee both turned toward the stage.
And for the first time they realized Otto might be right.
Because whatever was happening between Thee and Wave now-
It was no longer something they were controlling.
Or guiding.
Or planning.
It had moved past that point.
And somewhere in the middle of that realization Wave looked up.
Directly at Thee.
Again.
But this time he didn’t look away.
And Thee didn’t either.
The Love Arc had officially escaped everyone’s control.
End of Part One.