Arzen stared at his phone, his eyes glued to the screen. The rumor about some other scriptwriter threw him off. He clicked on Yuna’s profile on QChat, fingers tapping faster than he could think.

【Arzen】Hey, I heard something weird. Someone said there’s another writer doing our script? What’s going on?

【Yuna】Who told you that?

【Arzen】A friend mentioned it.

Arzen leaned back, his thoughts tangled as he watched the screen, waiting for more.

【Yuna】Let’s talk about it tomorrow in person. Don’t stress over it. We’ll sort this out.

Arzen sighed, deciding to wait until tomorrow to get the full story. He switched over to the group chat【Room Number 13】.

【Arzen】I don’t know why there’s a rumor about another writer, but I’m going to the drama club tomorrow to find out.

Hanjun’s reply came almost instantly.

【Hanjun】Want me to come over and smack some sense into these drama kids? 😎

【Elden】Whoaa.. Easy there, Jun. Let’s not go full action movies… yet. 😂

【Yuriel】LOL. Hanjun would just trip over his own feet before he could hit anyone.

【Hanjun】Very funny, Yuriel. Though I am not one to dirty my own hands.

【Yuriel】Ok. Now that’s more like Jun.

Arzen smiled slightly at the banter, his mood lifting a bit.

【Arzen】Don’t worry, I got this. 

【Hanjun】But I’ve been practicing my dramatic entrances! You sure you don’t need a backup?

【Elden】Yeah, right. Your “surprise entrance” would end with you tangled in the curtains. Classic.

【Yuriel】We’ll be waiting for your report, Zenzen. We’ll keep Hanjun from bringing his smoke machine.

【Hanjun】Jokes aside, I won’t be at the dorm tonight. Got some issues at the new project to handle.

【Yuriel】I’ll be out too, meeting my big brother. He’s in town just for tonight.

【Elden】Football practice ran late, so I’ll be back really late. Don’t wait for me.

【Hanjun】So it looks like you’re on your own tonight, Zenzen. Don’t get into too much trouble without us!

【Yuriel】Yeah, try not to burn the place down. We’ll all be back tomorrow.

Arzen laughed under his breath, closing his phone and tossing it on his desk. He tried to relax, though his mind kept circling back to the drama club and whatever was brewing there.

The next morning, Arzen woke up early, still buzzing with questions. He dragged himself through his routine, splashing cold water on his face and staring into the mirror.

Arzen walked through the school corridors, his mind still tangled with thoughts of the drama club rumor. As he approached his classroom, he cursed silently upon spotting Carsel standing by the door, papers and a pen in hand.

Carsel blocked the entrance, looking up as Arzen approached. He held out a form.

“Everyone needs to fill out this form before going into class. The homeroom teacher asked me to do it."

Carsel’s posture was casual, but his eyes tracked Arzen’s every move, noting the hesitation that flickered across his face. Carsel’s grip on the pen tightened just a bit, his thoughts clouded with curiosity.

Arzen froze for a second, his expression flickering between annoyance and nervousness.

'Why does it have to be him? He isn’t even the class president.'

Arzen looked at the paper handed to him, his eyes scanning the text. It was a survey form to get feedback on where to go for the end-of-year class party and what activities to do. He took the form and pen, his fingers trembling slightly.

Arzen filled out the form quickly, choosing a random place based on this world's Arzen’s memories.

"Here."

Arzen handed back the form and pen, barely glancing up.

Carsel took the form and the pen, gazing at the form for a while. He then tilted his head slightly, causing his wavy black hair to sway a little, his gaze lingering on Arzen for a moment.

"Thanks."

Carsel’s tone was neutral, but his curiosity lingered. He watched Arzen slip past him without a word, almost like he was trying to vanish into thin air. Carsel stood there for a moment, watching Arzen go, his brow furrowing slightly.

Meanwhile Arzen took his seat in a hurry and tried to focus on the day ahead, pushing the unsettling thoughts aside.

The day crawled by painfully slow. Arzen’s gaze kept flicking to the clock, every tick echoing in his head. He was itching to head straight to the drama club and clear this mess up.

After a long time, the bell for the last class rang. He stayed in his seat, waiting until Carsel and Raizel left.

Finally, the last bell rang. He packed up, watching Carsel and Raizel leave before making his move. He was almost out the door when he collided with someone.

‘SH*T.’*

Raizel barely glanced at him, his expression indifferent.

"Sorry, I was in a hurry. I thought I left something."

Arzen's heart stopped again when he heard the words `left something’. 

Arzen’s eyes darted to Raizel’s wrist, a habit he couldn’t shake, then quickly glanced away. Raizel noticed, his brow furrowing slightly as he glanced down at his own wrist, then back at Arzen.

"Are you okay?"

Raizel’s voice was devoid of emotion, but there was a flicker of genuine curiosity behind the question. Arzen’s response was a stammered mess, his gaze flickering everywhere but at Raizel.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

Raizel studied him for a moment, puzzled by the odd interaction.

"Alright."

Raizel’s eyes narrowed, tracking every twitch of Arzen’s movements. He watched as Arzen bolted, practically sprinting down the hallway. Raizel stood there for a moment, puzzled by the entire exchange. Raizel wasn’t close with anyone nor did he want to be, but he still remembered the names of his classmates out of proper etiquette.

'Arzen, right? He sits behind me. Why was he looking at my wrist?'

Raizel glanced at his wrist again, confused, before shaking his head slightly and heading back to the classroom. The strange encounter with Arzen lingered in his mind for a moment, a small puzzle that didn’t quite fit, but he shrugged it off, figuring it wasn’t worth the trouble to think too much about it, focusing instead on what he had come back for.

Meanwhile, Arzen sped down the hallway, his steps hurried and uneven. He gripped his bag so tightly his knuckles turned white, the encounter with Raizel replaying over and over.

‘Of all people, why did I have to run into him? The protagonist, no less!’

Arzen leaned against the wall at the end of the hall, his breath coming out in shaky bursts. He rubbed his temples, trying to steady his racing heart.

‘Calm down. It was just a small interaction. No need to panic.’

Arzen straightened up and squared his shoulders.

‘It already happened. No need to worry. As long as I play my minuscule role perfectly at ‘that incident’, it should be fine.’

Arzen adjusted his bag and started walking towards the drama club, his pace steady and determined. The familiar sound of students chatting and lockers closing around him became a comforting background noise, helping him regain his focus.

‘Just stick to the plan. Avoid any unnecessary interactions. Keep a low profile.’

Arriving at the drama club room, Arzen paused at the door, taking a deep breath. He pushed it open and stepped inside, scanning the room quickly. Only Yuna, Lia, and Noine were there, their expressions a mix of unease and anticipation.

Yuna greeted him with a strained smile, gesturing toward an empty chair. Arzen’s gaze lingered on her, trying to read whatever it was she wasn’t saying.

Arzen sat down, his posture stiff, eyes narrowing as he glanced between the trio.

"What the heck is that rumor?"

The sharpness in his voice sliced through the silence, making Yuna’s shoulders jerk slightly. Lia exchanged a quick, nervous glance with Noine, who merely pressed his lips together, his gaze steady but distant. Arzen’s fingers drummed a steady rhythm on the table, each tap louder than the last, growing more insistent as the seconds stretched.

"Just explain. Don’t waste any more time."

Yuna clasped her hands tightly, her knuckles turning white as she sucked in a deep breath. Her eyes darted sideways, flickering with a mix of guilt and unease as she tried to collect her thoughts. 

“A while ago, I asked some club members to reach out to people about writing the script.”

Yuna’s words came out shaky, barely holding their ground.

Lia twisted a loose strand of hair around her finger, eyes fixed downward as if the simple motion would keep her grounded. Noine leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, gaze glued to the table like he was counting the scratches on its surface.

Yuna spoke again.

"Only one person said they could get their cousin to write it. At the time, I shared the idea for the play with them. But since their cousin was working on another big project, they weren’t sure when they could start."

"And?"

Arzen’s jaw tightened, leaning forward, his posture demanding an answer. Yuna’s eyes flickered between Lia and Noine, her discomfort almost palpable as she fidgeted in her seat.

"I didn’t expect much from that. That’s why I put the job listing on the school board. Since no contract was made, I assumed it would be fine to hire someone else."

Arzen’s fist clenched against the table, his knuckles whitening with the pressure. Yuna’s continued hesitance only tightened his grip.

“Turns out that cousin is Mona Arkstar. She’s already started on the script, and though it’s not finished, some members caught wind of it.”

"So, what’s your plan?"

Yuna’s throat bobbed visibly as she swallowed, glancing at Lia and Noine for support that didn’t seem to come.

"Since we don’t have a contract with Mona, I... I believe we should use your script. I’ve been working on it with you, giving feedback and direction."

"But?"

Yuna’s fingers twitched as she glanced at Lia and Noine, her unease clear in the slight tremble of her hands. Lia bit her lip, avoiding Arzen’s piercing gaze, her shoulders hunched as if she wished to disappear. Noine sat up straighter, his posture stiffening, still watching Arzen with a thoughtful intensity that suggested he was weighing every word.

Yuna’s voice barely broke the silence, each word hesitant.

“Some members want Mona’s script. They believe her name will draw more attention, especially since she’s becoming popular.”

Noine shifted his weight, leaning forward, the light catching in his red hair. He adjusted his collar, the gesture crisp and deliberate, as if bracing himself for an important point.

“Objectively, promoting a script by Mona Arkstar, the writer behind ‘The Truth Untold,’ gives us an edge. Even Roel Arth, only agreed to sing the theme song after reading the completed script.”

Noine leaned back, crossing his arms with a practiced ease, his eyes not leaving Arzen’s face. His voice remained matter-of-fact, devoid of any sympathy.

“The contract doesn’t bind us to your script. Legally, we’re within our rights.”

Arzen’s jaw clenched tighter, his teeth grinding together, frustration evident in the rigidity of his posture. All those hours spent writing, revising, and perfecting now felt like they were being swept aside.

‘Unbelievable. After all my hard work, they want to ditch my script just like that?’

Arzen’s movements were sharp and tense as he leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. His voice cut through the room, edged with restrained fury as he confronted the trio.

"I’ve been working nonstop, every day, to finish the script. Now you want to throw it away just like that?"

Yuna and Lia glanced at each other, their expressions tight and uneasy. Lia’s fingers twitched nervously at her side before she reached out, her touch feather-light as if afraid Arzen might snap. She placed a hesitant hand on his, her grip barely there.

“Please, Arzen, try to understand. It’s not that we don’t appreciate your effort.”

Yuna nodded along, her eyes wide with pleading. She attempted to meet Arzen’s gaze, but his stare was locked on the table, fingers drumming a frantic, erratic rhythm that grew faster with each beat, the tension palpable.

"Noine is just looking at this objectively. Seeing the bigger picture. Your script can still be used for other regular plays the drama club often holds."

Yuna tried to sound convincing, but even to her own ears, the words felt hollow.

Arzen pulled his arm away from Lia’s hand abruptly, his movements rigid and charged with anger. His eyes flicked up to meet theirs, cold and unyielding, and Yuna’s heart sank as she caught the storm brewing behind them. The silence stretched between them, heavy and stifling, each second more uncomfortable than the last.

"I want to see Mona’s script."