The gym was buzzing with excitement, and Nakano was already thinking about the Basketball Invitationals coming up in 3 weeks. Between basketball practice and the play rehearsals, Nakano felt stretched thin, but he wasn’t going to let it show.

He walked into the theater room, spotting Mizuki in the corner, nervously flipping through the script. It was the first official rehearsal, and the director, Ms. Sato, and assistant director, Nakajima, were already reviewing the play's layout with the rest of the cast. Ms. Sato was the Arts teacher. She was placed in charge of the play after hearing that the play was given a BL twist. She is a big fan of everything BL.

"Alright, Nakano, Mizuki," Ms. Sato called, looking at the two of them. "I want to see the chemistry between you guys."

Nakano exchanged a glance with Mizuki, who immediately looked away, cheeks faintly flushed. They both stood in the middle of the stage, scripts in hand.

"We’ll start with a simple scene first, just to warm up," Ms. Sato said, but her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Actually, let’s break the ice with something a bit more fun. The kiss scene."

Both Nakano and Mizuki froze. Mizuki swallowed hard, his grip tightening on his script, while Nakano felt his heart skip a beat. This was the first day, and they were starting with that scene?

Ms. Sato waved it off like it was no big deal. “We’ll get the awkwardness out of the way early. Go back there—” she gestured to the backstage area, “—and practice the lines by yourselves while I work with the rest of the cast. When you’re ready, we’ll have you do it in front of everyone.”

Nakano exchanged another look with Mizuki. They were both stunned but couldn’t exactly say no. Silently, they made their way to the back of the theater room, behind the heavy curtains.

In the small backstage space, the dim lighting cast long shadows across the floor, and the air felt thick with tension. Nakano sat down first on one of the props—a worn-out wooden box—while Mizuki nervously perched on a folding chair beside him. The sound of their breathing seemed louder than anything else, and neither of them could look each other in the eye.

"We, uh, should start with the lines," Mizuki mumbled, staring down at his script.

Nakano nodded, trying to act cool. "Yeah, let’s do that."

They began to read through the lines, but it felt like they were just going through the motions. Nakano couldn’t help but notice how close they were sitting, and every now and then, his eyes flickered to Mizuki, catching the faint blush on his cheeks.

After a few minutes, they reached that part of the script—the kiss.

Mizuki cleared his throat, eyes fixed on the page. “I’m... I’m supposed to kiss you now, right?” His voice trembled slightly, and Nakano felt his pulse quicken.

“Uh, yeah.” Nakano rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a sudden wave of nervousness. “You know... as the Princess, you kiss the Frog Prince to break the spell.”

Mizuki nodded, but he wasn’t looking at the script anymore. His eyes were now locked onto Nakano’s, and for a brief moment, the tension between them grew heavier. Nakano could feel the weight of Mizuki’s gaze—those wide, nervous eyes—and the air felt thicker than before.

The script was forgotten as Mizuki leaned in ever so slightly, his face inching closer to Nakano’s. His movements were slow, hesitant, but the intention was clear—he was about to act out the kiss.

Nakano’s heart raced. He could feel the warmth from Mizuki’s breath as they inched closer, and his stomach twisted into nervous knots. His hands, which had been resting by his sides, curled into fists as he tried to stay composed. But the truth was, he was just as nervous as Mizuki—maybe more.

Closer. Closer.

Mizuki’s lips were just a few inches away now, and Nakano could almost feel the brush of them. His mind was spinning. This wasn’t just acting anymore—it felt too real.

Suddenly, Nakano jerked back. “I—I can’t,” he muttered, his face heating up. He stood up abruptly, putting some space between them.

Mizuki blinked, startled, and immediately blushed a deep crimson. He looked down at his hands, embarrassed and unsure of what to say. “Sorry,” he whispered.

Nakano shook his head, flustered, trying to calm his racing heart. “No, no... It’s not your fault. I just... wasn’t ready, I guess.”

They stood there in awkward silence for a moment, the atmosphere between them thick with unspoken feelings. Nakano could feel the heat creeping up his neck, and when he glanced back at Mizuki, he saw the same red tint on his cheeks.

Neither of them said anything, but there was an understanding between them—this wasn’t just about the play. There was something more, something neither of them was ready to confront yet.

Nakano cleared his throat, trying to break the tension. “Let’s... let’s try again later,” he said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. Mizuki nodded, still too flustered to speak, and they both silently agreed to leave it for now.

They walked back to the main stage, both of them blushing, both of them pretending it was nothing.

Back in the main rehearsal room, Ms. Sato glanced at the two of them as they returned. “So, how’d it go?”

Nakano and Mizuki exchanged a quick, awkward glance. “We, uh... we’ll need a bit more time,” Nakano admitted, trying to sound casual.

Ms. Sato chuckled. “Well, don’t take too long. We’ve got to get that kiss perfect before the big performance.”

Nakano felt his cheeks burn again as he sat back down. Mizuki was still blushing too, stealing nervous glances in Nakano’s direction.

Neither of them could focus on the rest of the rehearsal. All they could think about was that almost-kiss, and the strange, fluttering feelings it left behind.