You walk to the stage, not particularly scared or excited for what's about to happen. Rantaro notices you and runs towards you, arms wide, and envelops you in a tight hug. You can hear his heartbeat, rapid and fast and attribute it to the practice he must have been doing.
You couldn't be more wrong in your assumption, but you don't know that.
Alice waves the two of you over, and you comply, grabbing Rantaro'a hand and pulling him towards where Alice is seated.
"Ah, how lovely!" He says, beaming from ear to ear. "You decided to audition after all!"
"Isn't it great!" Rantaro adds, chiming in. "She'll make a wonderful Juliet, right?"
Alice gazes upon your face, his eyes lovingly caressing every crease and line in it. His gaze is filled with pure wonder and admiration.
"Indeed," he says, sighing. "You'd make a most gorgeous Juliet, cupcake!"
"Oh," you say, clocking your head to the side. "I'm not auditioning for Juliet."
Both males let out a shocked gasp.
"I'm auditioning for Romeo." You say.
"Two can play at that game," Rantaro says, being the first to snap out of his stupor, a playful smirk spreading across his face. "I'll be auditioning for Juliet, then!"
"You know what?" Alice says, tapping his pen against his chin thoughtfully. "With your pretty hair and long eyelashes, this could actually work out!"
Alice climbs onto his chair, and after realising he's still pretty short, climbs onto the desk. He waves a hand gently in the air to draw attention to himself and begins to speak only when all eyes are on him.
"Can all people auditioning for lead roles split up into girls and guys?" He says, poking a finger into his cheek. "Actually, let's just go with bass-tenor and alto-soprano as groups because gender is a social construct!"
The group splits up rather evenly and auditions proceed. You find yourself lounging in a seat by Alice, listening to his soft mumblings about the hopeful actors on stage. He doesn't seem particularly pleased with them, his plump lips turned up in a pout. His pinky finger reaches up to fiddle with his dangling cross earring, twirling it around subconsciously. His other hand lightly holds a pastel pink pen, gently laying it on his slightly parted lips. The pen bounces softly on them, casting a slight shadow, and with a start, you realise he's wearing light pink lip gloss.
"She's not selling it enough," he mumbles, frowning at the stage. "She has to be in love with him, completely obsessed with him!"
You look at the actress, she's delivering her lines decently, but you wouldn't expect much from people auditioning for a school play anyways.
"She's not," you say because you do agree that if this were a real play, no one would be absorbed in the performance. "But it is a school play, after all."
Alice turns to you with fire in his eyes, a burning passion that makes your heart flutter and your pulse stutter. It's uncharacteristic, but it's way better than the one you know.
"That's no excuse," he says, eyes alight.
The intensity of it sends a tingle down your spine straight to your stomach. It's a warm, electric feeling. You like his unrelenting passion, his unwavering ambition.
"That's beautiful." You say, a smile making its way to your face.
Alice's eyes widen, then melt into a wide, beautiful, perfect smile, with almost practised ease. His cheeks are rosy.
"You could just make them say one or two lines," you say gesturing to the failing couple on stage. "Just be honest and send them off."
"I'm not going to be mean!" He says huffing, his cheeks puffing out.
Alice is back to his childishly cute idol self, his cheeks softly dusted with the faintest pink as he pouts like a little kid. Anyone could attest to the fact that he was indeed adorable. However, you did prefer when you could see the ambition burning in his eyes.
"Being mean to people is bad!" He says, turning around to gently tap the point of your nose. "And being bad is a big no-no!"
He winks at you, his one opened pink eye glinting with mischief. You notice his long baby-pink eyelashes are the same colour as his asymmetrical bangs that hang across his face. His grin is infectious, causing the corners of your lips to turn upwards.
"You know what," he says looking straight at you. "This is getting kinda boring. Would you mind going up on stage?"
"Oh, finally," you say. "Time to gets some actual talent in this place."
Alice gives you a thumbs up and a wide grin. He points you in the direction of the stage and waves at you. As you walk up the step of the stage, you see Kaito smile at you and give you a reassuring thumbs-up. A pair of narrow, intense eyes look at you from within the darkness of the wings, but you can tell by the glare that it's Akira.
You step up on stage and see Rantaro standing on the balcony up above. His eyes widen, but he quickly recovers and gives you a cute wink while sticking his tongue out.
You clear your throat and begin. "Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon."
Your eyes glaze over, you lose yourself in lovesick Romeo's emotions.
"It is the east," you say, pointing to the balcony, honeyed voice overflowing with passion. "And Juliet is the sun."
Your eyes are misty, your voice dripping with pure love and devotion. If one didn't know you were acting, one might think you were well and truly in love with Juliet. Your tone is soft, whispered, clearly love-struck.
"Who is already sick and pale with grief," you whisper to the wind, a gentle breeze carrying your words to the balcony. "That thou art far, far more beautiful than she."
You look up at the balcony, where Rantaro stands, the winds waltzing with the strands of his hair. He looks towards the ceiling and speaks in a low, heartbroken voice.
"Romeo, oh, Romeo," he says, a single tear glistening on his cheek. "Wherefore art thou Romeo?"
He reaches out for something he cannot hope to catch, but tries anyway, speaking to gods which do not serve him.
"Deny thy father and refuse thy name!" he says, smiling gently, lovingly before he continues. "Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet!"
"Tis but thy name," Rantaro says, sighing lightly, as to not disturb whatever force that is this night. "Tis but thy name that is my enemy."
"What's in a name," he whispers, holding his hands close to his heart. "That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet."
Rantaro locks eyes with you, and melts into your gazes, smiling brightly, beautifully.
"So Romeo would, if he wear not Romeo called," he says, beaming wide. "Retain that dear, dear perfection."
It's a magical moment. It doesn't feel like a school play, no, it feels like there's only the two of you in a sea of love. It's moving, it's heart-wrenching.
"Cut!" Alice says, standing up on his table. "We have our Romeo and Juliet!"
You and Rantaro look at each other, Rantaro whoops joyfully and jumps down from the balcony without any hesitation to envelop you in a hug. You smile into his shirt.
"Hey, you two lovebirds!" Alice says, waving at the two of you a little too gleefully. "Save it for the play, would you!"
It's a little stronger than one would expect the words to be. Especially from someone as cute, as prim and proper as Alice.
It's a little too...intense.