The café buzzed with lively chatter as Zane leaned back in his chair, his crimson jacket slung casually over the seat behind him. His friends filled the table with their usual antics, laughing and tossing jokes back and forth. Zane smirked, throwing in the occasional quip, but his mind was elsewhere.
His life had always been filled with noise—the chaos of his big family, the constant demand to stand out, and his own pursuit of the spotlight. But lately, things felt different. Joining Euphony Trio had thrown him into unfamiliar territory. Collaboration wasn't something he was used to. As a solo artist, he called the shots, controlled the narrative, owned the stage. Now, he had to share it.
"Yo, Zane, you still with us?" one of his friends called, snapping him out of his thoughts.
He blinked and shrugged with a grin. "Yeah, yeah, just thinking about something. What'd I miss?"
"We were just saying," another friend said, "that you've been weirdly quiet lately. What, band life not living up to the hype?"
"Nah, it's cool," Zane replied. "Just different. You know how it is."
"Not really," his friend teased. "You're the only rockstar we know."
Zane chuckled, but the comment hit deeper than he let on. Rockstar. That's what he wanted to be, wasn't it? The one everyone looked at, admired, talked about. And yet, in this group, he was just one piece of the puzzle. Laura's commanding presence, Axel's quiet charisma, Sunny's infectious energy—they all had something unique that pulled people in. He wasn't the center anymore, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.
"I gotta go," Zane said suddenly, pushing his chair back. "Got something to take care of."
"What, band stuff?" another friend asked.
Zane smirked. "Something like that."
He grabbed his jacket, tossed a wave over his shoulder, and stepped out into the brisk evening air. As much as he loved his friends, he needed space to think. The streets were busy, people rushing past in the glow of streetlights, but Zane's thoughts were louder than the city around him.
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As he walked, his mind drifted to Sunny. She was… interesting. Energetic, clumsy, reckless. Not exactly what he'd expect from someone in a band with the likes of Laura and Axel. Yet, there was something about her that captivated him. She had this way of lighting up a room, making people forget their worries. Her smile… it wasn't just cheerful; it was transformative.
And yet, she wasn't untouchable. He'd seen her cracks. The other day in the studio, when she thought no one was watching, she'd looked like the weight of the world was pressing down on her. It wasn't his place to say anything, but it stuck with him. Even someone like her had moments of doubt. It made her seem more… real.
He turned a corner and stopped short. Speak of the devil.
Sunny showed up across the street, surrounded by her friends. She was laughing, her golden hair catching the light as she gestured animatedly. Her energy was as infectious as ever, drawing people in. But Zane noticed something else. Every so often, her smile faltered, just for a second. It was so brief that no one else seemed to catch it, but he did.
Zane lingered by the corner, debating whether to approach. He'd already excused himself from his own group, claiming he had something important to do. But was this it? Did he want to walk into her world, surrounded by her friends, and risk exposing the fact that he'd been watching?
"Nah," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Not my place."
Instead, he leaned against the lamppost, hands tucked into his jacket pockets, and watched from afar. It wasn't creepy, he told himself. He was just… observing. Trying to figure her out. Sunny was like a puzzle, and every time he thought he had her figured out, she surprised him.
After a while, her group started to disperse, and Sunny glanced around as if searching for something. Zane froze, wondering if she'd spotted him, but she turned back to her friends and waved goodbye. As she walked off, alone now, he considered stepping out and saying something.
"Next time," he decided, pushing off the lamppost and heading in the opposite direction. For now, he'd leave her be. There was still time to figure out where he fit into this group, into her world. And maybe, just maybe, he'd find a way to stand out without overshadowing the people who were starting to matter more than he expected.