The stage sunken in the darkness calmed him. He felt like he was in a space where all sound was cut off. The sound of breathing, the sound of his thumping heart, the sound of his clothes rustling all made him feel lax. Solitude, depending on the person, was the best kind of rest.

Eventually, the lights turned on, signifying the start of the play, and once the noise from the audience seats died down, the scattered tension gathered on the stage. The moment the high density of tension turned into just the right amount of pressure, Maru once again confirmed that he was in his best state.

On the stage were his club members. Daemyung at the center was saying his lines without any mistakes, and the club members lying down behind him were acting individually while waiting for their turn.

There were no mistakes, and the momentum was okay as well.

Everything was going well without any problems, but Maru couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

Maybe they shouldn’t have watched after all - he muttered to himself behind the side curtain.

Today was the 2nd day of the southern Gyeonggi preliminaries. Maru hesitated when he saw the list of schools posted outside Anyang Hall. Hwasoo High and Myunghwa High. The two schools in front of Woosung Engineering High were the two schools that pushed Woosung High to 3rd place and went to the finals. Myunghwa High had her, and Hwasoo High had Heewon. Myunghwa High boasted the greatest skills in the Gyeonggi province, and...