Chapter 6

Drystan hummed as he walked down the hallway, he stopped immediately when he saw the lights of the club room turned on. He let out a sigh before muttering a curse under his breath.

"Those guys, I was sure I told them to turn off the lights when they go"

They had been practicing for the upcoming performance during the last day of the festival when Miss Emily had called out Drystan. She had handed him invitations and flyers for upcoming activities. He instructed them before leaving to turn off the lights of the club room when they left.

He swore to scold them when he saw them tomorrow but he froze when he saw that it wasn't the guys who were using the club room this late at night.

Even with her back facing him, Drystan easily knew who was sitting on the small desk set up in the corner of the club room. He took a sharp intake of breath and walked towards her. He saw that Galene hadn't noticed him yet and when he got near her, he finally learned the reason why. 

Galene was wearing earphones, her music so loud it even leaked and Drystan could hear the song that was playing on it. It was one of the songs that they had played on one of their gigs.

Galene finally looked up at Drystan when she noticed the shadow of his engulf the papers she was organizing. She took off one of her earphones.

"Zael? You're still here?"

Drystan's eyebrows knit in the middle.

"And you? With the music booming so loud, why didn't you lock the door? What if some stranger gets inside?"

Galene turned her gaze toward the door and realized that she indeed hadn't locked the door on her way in.

"I forgot, anyway no one comes here at night"

Drystan was furious, he wasn't sure if Galene was overly confident or overly trusting but whatever it was, he was furious at the thought of what might happen if someone else other than him had entered the club room.

"Regardless, why are you here at night anyway? I thought you girls went to buy your clothes for the last day of the festival?"

Galene only shrugged at him before turning off her phone.

"We already did, I just went back to fix some papers"

Drystan took a glance at the schedule that Galene was organizing. The schedule was for the events they'll partake in after the mid-year break. He let out a sigh and sat on the edge of the desk before handing Galene the several invitations that he had gotten from Miss Emily.

Galene stared at it, shocked at the pile of invitations.

"You're kidding? Do I have to remake the schedule? And what's with this crazy amount of invitations"

Drystan couldn't help but take pride in seeing Galene's panicked expression for the first time. A little smile curved on his lips before he took Galene's clipboard.

"Why are you organizing this anyway? It's the festival"

"Well, exams are next week. I don't want work to pile up and I want to just enjoy the festival you know" 

Drystan understood her but that wasn't enough explanation why she was in here so late at night. He looked at Galene one more time before he stood up, hands extending towards Galene, to which she stared.

"What?"

"Let's go home, I'll help you with this first thing in the morning tomorrow"

Galene raised an eyebrow and grinned but still accepted Drystan's extended hand to help her get up from her seat.

"I can't believe you're actually offering some help"

As soon as the warmth of Galene's hand wrapped that of Drystan's, he suddenly didn't want to let go. He wanted to hold it more but refrained from doing so as he was afraid that he'd do more and wouldn't be able to hold back. 

"It's better than letting you sit here all alone in the middle of the night"

He bluntly stated which earned a chuckle from Galene. He stared at her smiling face surprised when she had suddenly turned to meet his gaze, a small grin plastered on her face.

"You do care huh"

On normal occasions, Drystan would have glared at her for teasing him but now everything was different. He felt his heart do a little somersault and that feeling alone made him want to do things to Galene.

The next day Drystan and Galene arrived at the same time. Galene had laid out all the papers they needed while Drystan turned his seat around so that he'd be face to face with Galene.

His heart was still doing that mini somersault whenever he stared at Galene but he reminded himself that he needed to be professional about it. 

"Should we pick the ones with the early dates or the later dates?"

Galene's voice broke Drystan's reverie. She was now holding two invitations seemingly trying to compare them.

"I think we can do one for every one or two weeks at most."

"I think you'll push yourselves to the limit if we do one gig every one week. Twice a month sounds more appealing"

Drystan couldn't take his eyes off of Galene. There is this certain sensation that he gets when he sees Galene focused on her work. Drystan wouldn't admit it aloud but having Galene as a manager made things easier for him and Miss Emily. She was a huge help and she didn't do things half-assed which made him appreciate her more.

Although her questioning Drystan's songs and arguing with him almost every day wasn't very appealing. Not at all. And yet here he found himself slowly drowning in the elegant visage of Galene.

"I think pushing the guys to their limits will help them grow"

He countered to which Galene stared him at. She knitted her eyebrows and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Zael, you do know that the guys including you are students right? You still have to study you know"

Drystan cleared his throat and avoided Galene's gaze. It was normal for him to hear her call him by his second name and yet here he was, obviously pleased about the way his name rolled in her mouth.

"Then let's make it at least three times a month. We can cut the days to fit in three gigs at least"

Galene tapped the end of the pen on her lips thinking about Drystan's proposal, and instantly Drystan's attention shifted to it. 

Staring straight at her red-tinted lips. Galene wasn't the type of person who would normally wear make-up but she was used to applying a light colored lip tint every day. It definitely accentuates her lips more and Drystan couldn't help but stare at it.

His gaze went up to Galene's eyes that he had caught staring at him. His eyes widened when he realized that Galene was staring at him and the horror of having been found out that he was staring at her lips dawned on him.

Galene cleared her throat and placed both of her hands on the desk before leaning closer towards Drystan, a huge grin on her face.

"Zael, why are you staring at my lips?'

Drystan's ears turned a bright shade of red as he tried very hard to conceal the truth.

"You're delusional, I was staring at your pen"

Galene laughed loudly and Drystan amidst his embarrassment couldn't help but stare at her. Happy suits her, he thought.

Galene was about to say something when Serenity entered the classroom greeting the two of them. Drystan let out a breath of relief, Serenity's arrival had saved him somehow.

"We'll have a break after the festival won't we?"

Serenity had asked before placing her bag on her seat.

"Yeah, we'll have a week-long exam after the festival then it's the mid-year break."

Drystan was the one who answered her while arranging some sheets on the desk. He needed to avert Galene's attention somehow.

"We won't have any time to organize this once exams start and well I thought everyone deserved to just have fun on their mid-year break"

Serenity scratched her cheeks before shyly asking.

"Then is it a bad time to ask for a favor?"

Both Galene and Drystan looked at Serenity before glancing at each other.

"Favor from who? Me?"

Galene asked her while pointing at herself. Serenity shook her head before pointing at Drystan which he was surprised at. Serenity never asked him for a favor, no, the girls never asked him for a favor not even once since they had met each other.

"From him, actually"

Drystan and Galene looked at each other before staring at Serenity who breathed out deeply. She explained her plan to the two of them. Drystan and Galene listened intently to her plan and after she had explained everything Galene smiled widely at her while Drystan had a small grin on his face.

Serenity was planning a surprise for Malkiel and it was the best one he had ever heard of. And he was so sure that his friend would've loved it.

"I'd say go for it"

He said shortly, a small smile still on his face. He liked seeing his friends happy the most and he was sure that this would make him the happiest.

"Yeah I bet he'll be surprised, he won't be able to forget about it for years"

"But can it work? I mean Drystan is busy"

Drystan then looked at Galene. She was right they were currently busy and he couldn't just leave all the work to Galene not after he had promised her help.

"You think you can handle everything by yourself until tomorrow?"

Galene just grinned widely before taking the papers off of Drystan's desk.

"Just go already, I didn't become the manager if I couldn't handle all of this"

Serenity stood from her seat and hugged Galene before kissing her cheeks, something Drystan wished he could do. 

"Thank you, you really are the best"

"Alright get going already, and call Koa and Kenzo so they'll know about your plan"

"Got it, thanks, I'll help you when we finish early"

Drystan offered but Galene just waved them off before saying.

"Who do you think I am? I might even be able to finish everything before you finish practicing"

Serenity thought Drystan would be annoyed like how he always is but he just grinned at Galene before turning his attention towards Serenity.

"Come on, I do have one song that I had prepared, you can listen to it and then we'll arrange it to how you want it too"

Serenity's eyes widened with glee, she did have a plan b if ever Drystan didn't agree to it, but on a rare occasion, he actually agreed.

"Really? Thank you!!"

Drystan smiled at her. It seemed like it was only yesterday when he was worried about his best friend having his heart broken. And now, here was the girl in question wanting to surprise him.

"Serenity, do make each other happy will ya?"

Serenity knew exactly what Drystan meant. She nodded happily at him, she had vowed to make Malkiel the happiest man alive. This song would be the proof of it.

Serenity sat right next to Drystan as soon as they reached the club room. He had laid out the music sheets took out his earphones and gave them to Serenity before playing the demo of the song he was saying. Together they worked out what he made, Serenity having written most of the song's lyrics.

Drystan was glad that he was helpful to his friend. Serenity's feelings which she had written in the song were conveyed properly on the last day of the festival. He smiled as he stared at Malkiel smiling happily with his arms around Serenity.

"It worked out well didn't it?"

Drystan shifted his attention to Galene who was standing in front of him now. His chest pounded loudly as he stared at the lass right in front of him. Galene was wearing a light blue yukata patterned with peonies paired with a lavender-colored obi.

He wasn't aware of this when they first met but ever since he saw her earlier, he couldn't help but take notice that Galene was attractive. She was tall but she wasn't slim so everything she wore looked good on her. But today, he finds her exceptionally beautiful.

"Yeah well, it was my song"

Drystan could almost feel himself choking up. Galene just laughed at him and instead of starting a normal argument like how she always does, she just stared ahead where Malkiel and Serenity were.

"Well, I wouldn't lie, your songs are the greatest"

Drystan's attention was all on Galene now, he stared at her. It was the first time he heard her compliment his songs. Most of the time she would either pick on it or ignore it. Although, he did hear one of his songs playing on her earphones the other day.

Galene felt Drystan's gaze on her, she glanced at him and she saw him staring at her.

"What?"

"It's weird, you never complimented my song before"

Galene scratched her nape as she looked away from him. She caught a glimpse of Quincey, Kenzo, and Koa by the food stall not far from them.

"It's a one-time compliment since you guys won and besides it's not like I told you that I hated it."

Drystan felt weird as Galene awkwardly smiled at him. Many people complimented his creations before he got used to it. But with Galene, he felt like he could actually shed tears. It was a different feeling altogether.

Before any more could be said, the night sky exploded into a colorful scenery. Everybody else looked up at the sky to admire the fireworks, everyone except for Drystan.

Drystan's gaze stuck to Galene as he stared at her awe-struck face. The colors of the fireworks illuminate her features more.

And along with the loud sound of the fireworks was his heart beating loudly, maybe even louder than the fireworks.

From then on, he knew he was already messed up. All he could think about then was that the world only consisted of him and her. Thoughts of wanting to touch, hug, and kiss her invaded his mind.

Somehow, by some weird fate, he knew that it wasn't just a simple attraction anymore, no, because he was already in love with Galene.

So in love that he knew there was no way out anymore.