Sure Thing

Past

The digital world is a strange place. One moment you are a group of exhausted trainees practicing until your bones ache in a dusty basement, and the next, you are the face of a national phenomenon. After months of grueling production and sleepless nights in the editing bay, our drama, After the Bell Rings, finally made its debut. We did not expect much given the quiet response to the initial trailers, but the moment the first episode finished airing, the internet exploded.

The After the Bell Rings hashtag hit the number one trending spot on social media within two hours. By the next morning, my phone is a constant vibration of notifications. It is a strange sensation to see my own face reflected back at me in thousands of fan edits. I am used to living in my own quiet world, but now that world is being broadcast to millions.

"People are calling my jawline a national treasure. I always knew the public had excellent taste, but this is a bit much even for me." Abby says while leaning back against the sleek leather sofa in our new lounge. He holds his phone up to show us a fan edit of his character that already has half a million views. His short blonde hair is styled perfectly, and his high cheekbones catch the light as he smirks.

Rie laughs and throws a decorative pillow at him. Her short black hair with its vibrant blue highlights bounces as she moves. She looks radiant, her expressive eyes sparkling with an intensity. "Oh, please. You probably spent all night liking every single one of those posts. But look at this! Aurora, the internet is obsessed with us. Especially you and Abby."

She turns her phone screen toward me, and my heart sinks just a little. The top trending posts are not just about the drama. They are about the ship. Fans have already dubbed us #Abbyora, and the comments are a sea of heart emojis and pleading messages.

"They look so real," I read one comment aloud, my voice trembling slightly. "The way he looks at her in the equipment room scene... there is no way they are just acting. I wish they would date in real life!"

I feel a flush of heat creep up my neck. I glance at Haru, who is sitting on the other side of the room. He is busy checking the laces on his dance sneakers, but I see his jaw tighten ever so slightly. He does not look at the phone. My silver sun bracelet feels heavy on my wrist, a secret weight that reminds me where my heart actually belongs.

The celebratory mood is interrupted when the door swings open. A senior staff member with a clipboard enters the room, looking harried but excited.

"Rie, come with me. The marketing team needs you for a solo variety spot," the staffer says. "The rest of you, stay put. Management has an announcement."

Rie gives us a quick, enthusiastic wave and disappears down the hall. We wait in a tense, expectant silence until Mr. Han enters a few minutes later. He looks at us with a newfound respect.

"The drama response has exceeded all our projections," Mr. Han says, his voice booming. "Because of this, the company has decided to strike while the iron is hot. We are pushing the debut of Nova4ever, forward in exactly seven days."

The next few days are a blur. We are moved from one television station to another, sitting for interviews and doing photoshoots. In the public eye, we are polished and professional. Abby and I have to play into the shipping during interviews, exchanging scripted glances and polite smiles that make the fans scream. It feels like wearing a mask that is starting to itch.

It is during one of these backstage moments at a major talk show that I notice something that shifts my focus. We are in the green room waiting for our segment. I am sitting in the corner with a script, but my eyes wander to the vanity mirrors.

Abby is sitting in a chair, and Rie is standing behind him. Normally, they are like cats and dogs. Abby teases her until she turns red, and Rie kicks him in the shins. But right now, the energy is different. Abby is complaining about his makeup being too heavy, and Rie is leaning down, her face inches from his as she carefully dabs a smudge under his eye.

Abby is not making a joke. He is looking at her with an expression that is uncharacteristically soft. His hand reaches up and briefly steadies her arm, his fingers lingering on her skin longer than necessary. Rie does not pull away. In fact, she leans in closer, her expressive eyes fixed on his. She whispers something that makes Abby let out a quiet, genuine chuckle.

I nudge Haru, who is sitting next to me. "Haru, look," I whisper.

He looks up, follows my gaze, and then looks back at me with a confused expression. "What? They are just being annoying as usual."

"No, look at them," I insist. "Abby is 6'3" and Rie is 5'3", but they look like they are in their own little bubble. They are acting way closer than they used to. Haru, I think they are dating."

Haru scoffs and shakes his head. His practical, logical brain clearly cannot process the idea. "No way. Not those two. They fight all the time. They spend eighty percent of their lives bickering about who gets the last snack in the dressing room. They are basically siblings who hate each other."

"I am telling you, something is different," I say, leaning into him so our shoulders touch. "The way she is fixing his makeup... she usually tells him to do it himself because he is a drama queen. And look at how he is looking at her, Haru."

Haru looks again. This time, he sees Abby tuck a stray strand of Rie’s blue highlighted hair behind her ear. Abby’s touch is incredibly gentle, and Rie offers him a small, shy smile that she never shows the cameras. Haru’s eyebrows shoot up, but he still looks skeptical.

"Maybe they are just tired," Haru says, though his voice lacks conviction. "Everyone is acting weird because of the debut stress."

"I don't think so," I say with a playful grin. "I think love is in the air for everyone. Should we bet about it?"

Haru turns to me, a challenge lighting up his gentle brown eyes. "You want to bet on our best friends' secret love life? That is very reckless of you, Aurora."

"I am an observer of human nature," I say loftily. "I know a romantic spark when I see one. So, 1000 yen says they are dating."

Haru sighs and shakes his head, but he reaches out to shake my hand. His grip is firm and warm. "Fine. 1000 yen. You are going to lose your coffee money, Aurora. They are going to have a screaming match tomorrow and prove me right."

"We will see about that," I say, feeling a surge of idealistic joy.

I look back at the mirror. Rie is laughing at something Abby said, and for a split second, Abby’s hand moves to her waist to steady her. They look perfect together, a whirlwind of energy and wit that hides a deeper connection.

But my smile fades slightly when I see a shadow move in the doorway of the green room. A manager is standing there, watching them with a dark, unreadable expression. The company’s strict no dating policy is a shadow that hangs over all of us. Haru and I are already walking on a tightrope, and if Abby and Rie are truly starting something, we are all in danger.

The staff member calls us to the stage. We stand up and mask our secrets with practiced smiles. As we walk toward the bright lights, I can't help but wonder if the fame we are finally grasping is a ladder or a cage.