Day 142: Play Or Real

It was finally the day of the Annual Function. All the participants arrived at school early, full of nerves and excitement. Kiddy and Felia were going over their lines one last time, while Sam and Eric worked on getting the stage ready. Lily and Ammy were fine-tuning their dance steps, and Mando and Rose were discussing the perfect ending pose for their performance.

Soon, the school began to fill with students, parents, and teachers. The pressure started to build. Just then, Eric put up the performance schedule on the notice board. Everyone rushed over to see it. Kiddy pushed through the crowd and returned with the news.

"Our dance is second-last," he told Lily. "And our play… is last."

Sam panicked. "Last?!"

Eric stepped in, saying, "You'll have the most time to prepare—but also the biggest audience and the highest expectations."

Kiddy took a deep breath and nodded, accepting the challenge. "Then we'll just have to make it the best performance of the night."

Kiddy and Felia ran through their script one last time—everything was flawless. Impressed, Sam said, "You two are set. Feel free to look around the stalls. You've earned it." Kiddy nodded, ready for a break, but Felia insisted on practicing more. Not wanting to argue, Kiddy said "Okay" and walked off on his own.

He spotted Ammy resting nearby and asked, "Hey, you free? Wanna check out the stalls?"

Though tired, Ammy smiled and agreed. She turned to Lily, who gave a thumbs-up, and then joined Kiddy.

They wandered through the school fair, the sounds of laughter and music around them. Colorful stalls lined the area, offering snacks, games, and small prizes.

As they passed a ring toss booth, Kiddy said, "Hey, remember when we were in fourth grade and I tripped on stage during that poem recitation?"

Ammy laughed. "Tripped? You launched yourself off the stage. I thought you were trying to fly."

Kiddy laughed. "And you were the one who shouted, 'He broke the floor!' like a commentator!"

"I was concerned!" she said between giggles. "Also, it sounded like a crack!"

They tried the ring toss and missed every single shot. Then came balloon darts—Ammy popped one but won nothing. Kiddy missed entirely.

"Okay," Kiddy said, standing in front of the hammer strength challenge. "Time to redeem myself."

He swung the mallet with all his might. The indicator barely reached halfway.

Ammy tried and did slightly better. "Well," she said, dusting her hands, "at least I'm stronger than you."

They both laughed and walked back to the auditorium, empty-handed but in good spirits.

Inside, Felia was still rehearsing, her voice slightly strained. Ammy looked concerned. "You should rest, or you'll wear out your voice before the real performance."

But Felia shook her head. "I want to give my best—for everyone. We have to win that Best Performance Award."

Kiddy stepped forward, voice calm and steady. "Don't worry, Felia. We'll win. But even the best warriors rest before battle."

His princely tone made Felia blush, and she replied with an awkward, quiet, "Okay…"

Ammy crossed her arms with a playful smirk. "You talk big, Kiddy. But how do you plan to win when I'm your competition?"

Kiddy shot back with his usual confident grin, "Only time will tell."

While Felia finally took a break, Kiddy and Ammy wandered off to grab something to eat. They found a stall selling cold drinks and chips, bought a few, and returned to sit near Felia.

Kiddy popped open a bottle and offered it to her. "Want a sip?"

Felia shook her head. "Thanks, but I don't want to risk roughing up my voice before the performance."

Kiddy shrugged. "Suit yourself. More for me."

As they munched quietly, Mando waved from across the ground. "Ammy! We need to go over one last thing!"

Ammy stood up, brushing crumbs from her hands. "I'll be back in a bit," she said, jogging off toward her team.

Kiddy, never one to sit around for too long, looked at Felia. "Wanna check out some of the performances? Better than just waiting here."

Felia nodded, and they headed toward the auditorium. Inside, the atmosphere was electric. A group was mid-dance, and the crowd was roaring, clapping, and cheering wildly.

They stood at the back, taking in the energy of the room. One performance turned into another, and soon they'd watched three, maybe four in a row—each more entertaining than the last. Through it all, Kiddy and Felia laughed, clapped, and exchanged quiet comments, enjoying the moment more than either expected.

Eventually, they made their way back out, looking for a place to sit and rest before it was their turn. Just as they settled into a couple of chairs, Mando came running.

"Kiddy! Felia! It's time—our performance is starting!"

Kiddy jumped to his feet. "Wait—already?!"

Freaking out just a little, he darted off to find Sam, Eric, and Harry, alerting them like a commander before battle. The boys quickly moved backstage to prepare for the play.

Meanwhile, Kiddy and Felia took a detour—rushing back into the auditorium once more, this time to cheer on Lily, Ammy, Rose and Mando as their team stepped onto the stage.

The real show was just beginning.

Kiddy and Felia stood near the entrance as the lights dimmed and the performance began. The moment the opening beat of the most popular song of the year echoed through the auditorium, excitement burst through the crowd. Cheers erupted, hands clapped in rhythm, and the whole place came alive.

Kiddy quickly pulled out his phone. "They're going all out," he whispered to Felia, eyes wide with admiration.

On stage, the team moved in perfect sync—Lily's elegance leading the group, Mando dancing with surprising confidence, Ammy's charisma lighting up the crowd, and Rose tying everything together with powerful, expressive moves. Every step brought new energy. The audience was fully hooked.

Midway through the routine, Ammy caught sight of Kiddy in the crowd. With a small, teasing smirk, she shot him a "victory" look—as if to say, So, still think you can beat this?

Kiddy didn't flinch. He just smiled back, a soft sparkle in his eyes. There was no trace of rivalry in his expression—only joy. He was genuinely enjoying the show, just like everyone else.

That genuine smile caught Ammy off guard. For a moment, she lost her teasing tone and focused harder, wanting her every move to match the way he looked at her. On the side, Felia noticed Kiddy's expression and smiled quietly to herself.

As the performance neared its end, Rose led the group into a flawless finishing pose, and the audience burst into even louder applause.

Just then, one of Eric's friends appeared beside Kiddy and Felia. "You two are up next—head backstage."

Kiddy locked eyes with Felia. She nodded, a mix of nerves and excitement in her expression. With one final glance at the stage, Kiddy turned and followed her into the wings.

Their moment was next.

As the lights dimmed and the curtains drew back, Harry stepped forward, holding a scroll in one hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, presenting our humble retelling of Cinderella," he announced with a grin. "With our own little twist."

He then introduced the cast: "Playing the prince, we have Kiddy. Cinderella is portrayed by Felia. The fairy godmother, brought to life by Eric's friend Emilia. And I—your narrator."

The play began with Harry narrating the classic tale: Cinderella, a kind-hearted girl living with her cruel stepmother, dreams of attending the grand royal ball. One night, her fairy godmother appears and transforms her rags into a stunning gown. She attends the ball, dances with the prince—but at midnight, flees, leaving behind a glass slipper.

As the scenes unfolded, the auditorium slowly fell into a hush. Something was different. Sam had rewritten parts of the story, adding humor, unexpected dialogue, and clever twists that kept the audience hanging on every word.

Felia and Kiddy were in sync—each line delivered clearly, each emotion landing right. Kiddy was confident yet composed as the prince; Felia brought warmth and vulnerability to Cinderella.

Meanwhile, Lily's team leaned forward in their seats, curious where the altered plot was going.

Then came the final scene—the grand reveal.

The prince knelt before Cinderella. The lights focused on Kiddy's face as he looked up at Felia.

In that moment, Felia saw her reflection in his eyes, and her mind rushed through flashes of memories:

—Kiddy Talking to her while she felt alone

—Him telling her she didn't need to overwork herself.

—Their quiet laughs while watching performances.

—His silly teasing during rehearsal.

—And that one moment where he called her special without even saying it aloud.

Suddenly, the room fell into an odd silence.

Everyone noticed it.

Why the long pause?

Then, at last, Kiddy spoke:

"I finally found you—"

A pause again. Everyone in the auditorium leaned forward.

"Please be my girlfriend."

The crowd went silent for half a heartbeat.

Then chaos.

Students screamed, some gasped, others stood in disbelief. Parents laughed in surprise, teachers exchanged glances, and Lily's team lost their minds. The auditorium filled with cheers and applause. Some started chanting Kiddy's name.

On stage, Felia looked as red as a tomato, barely able to stand from the rush of emotions. She held her hands to her chest, completely flustered. Kiddy stood up, just as red, awkwardly brushing his hair back as they both bowed to the audience together.

They left the stage to thunderous applause, leaving behind a performance no one would ever forget.

Backstage was buzzing like a storm too.

As Kiddy and Felia stepped down the stage, still flushed with adrenaline and embarrassment, they were met with a swarm of reactions.

Sam rushed in first, eyes wide. "BRO. Did you just freestyle a confession?! On stage?!"

Harry grabbed Kiddy's shoulders. "You're a madman! I thought you forgot your line, but that—THAT was legendary!"

Emilia fanned Felia with a piece of paper. "Are you okay?? You look like you're about to faint!"

"I… I think I might…" Felia murmured, her face still crimson.

Sam burst out laughing. "Oh man, Felia's buffering. Someone reboot her."

Even Mando peeked in, holding his phone. "Guys, it's already on the school group chat. People are calling it The Prince Proposal." He showed them the post, and sure enough, a blurry but recognizable screenshot of Kiddy kneeling had already gone viral.

Kiddy scratched the back of his head. "It just... felt like the right moment."

Lily crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow but smiling. "Well, you definitely stole the spotlight. I'm not sure if the judges were rating a play or a love confession anymore."

Suddenly, Kiddy looked around. "Wait… where's Ammy?"

Lily's smile faded just slightly. She looked at the ground for a second before replying. "Her dad called her. Said something urgent came up, so she had to leave early."

Kiddy blinked. "Oh… I see."

He didn't say anything more, but something shifted in his expression. Not regret—just a faint pause. Felia noticed it but didn't say a word.

Sam clapped his hands loudly to break the tension. "Alright, drama squad! Let's not forget—we still have award announcements soon. And whether you win Best Performance or Best Couple," he smirked, "you two might just walk out of here with more than applause."

Everyone laughed, and the group huddled together as the curtain calls began on stage. Despite the buzz, one thought lingered quietly in Kiddy's mind:

What would Ammy have said if she was there to watch it?

Scene shifts to Ammy.

As Ammy reached home with her father, she quickly slipped off her shoes and went to check on her mother. To her relief, the injury was just a mild sprain. But even as she listened to her parents talk, her phone started buzzing non-stop on the table.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Dozens of messages. Group chats. Social media notifications.

Curious, she picked it up—and immediately, her eyes widened.

Pictures, videos, comments… all from the performance.

Specifically—the prince proposal.

Kiddy, in his costume, kneeling. Felia looking like she'd melt. The entire crowd screaming. The caption on one post: "Did Kiddy just propose on stage?!"

Her smile vanished. The phone slid down in her hand.

Her father, noticing the change in her expression, stepped closer. "What's wrong, Ammy?"

"I lost," she whispered.

Her father looked puzzled for a second, then smiled warmly. "It's okay. You did your best, right? There'll be second chances too."

Ammy gave a faint nod, her face blank. "I wish," she murmured softly under her breath.

After a few quiet moments, she looked at him again. "Can you drop me back to school?"

He nodded without asking anything more. She grabbed her bag and walked out with him, a heavy feeling sitting in her chest, her expression unreadable.

Scene shifts back.

The auditorium calmed down as the judges discussed quietly among themselves. One of them glanced at a note in his hand and nodded seriously. The unexpected proposal had stirred quite a reaction, and they were unsure if it was part of the script—or a breach of school rules.

Backstage, Sam and the others were lounging around, joking and laughing—until a student burst in, slightly out of breath.

"Sam! The judges are calling you to the stage!"

The whole group fell silent.

Kiddy's eyes widened. He instantly realized what this was about. The proposal scene… He jumped up, grabbed a copy of the script, and a pen from the side table.

He quickly scribbled an altered version of the final page and ran to Sam.

"Sam," he said urgently, "if they ask you about the ending, show them this. Say the proposal was scripted."

Sam took it, glanced at the paper, then back at Kiddy.

"You sure?"

Kiddy nodded. "I'm not letting you get in trouble because of me."

Sam patted his back. "Relax. I got this."

On stage, the judges sat in a row, eyeing him with curiosity and suspicion.

"You wrote the script for your team's play?" one judge asked.

"Yes," Sam replied confidently.

"There was a… surprise at the end," another judge said, adjusting his glasses. "Was that proposal part of the original story?"

Sam smiled coolly. "Yes, sir. It was meant as a comedic modern twist to the tale. I know the rules."

He held up the revised script. "I even brought a copy, just in case."

The judges took the paper, flipping to the final page. One of them read aloud:

"I finally found you… Please be my girlfriend."He raised an eyebrow but then chuckled. "A bit unorthodox… but scripted nonetheless."

After a few exchanged nods, the lead judge looked up. "You may return backstage. Good work."

Backstage, Sam returned to a worried-looking Kiddy.

"Everything good?" Kiddy asked.

Sam grinned. "Clean as a whistle."

Kiddy looked guilty. "I'm really sorry, Sam…"

But Sam waved him off. "Please. I wouldn't mind getting in trouble for you."

The tension melted into relief—and then came the teasing.

"Romeo returns!" Eric shouted.

"Should we rehearse your wedding next?" Harry chimed in.

Mando laughed. "I'll bring flowers!"

Meanwhile, Lily and Rose had cornered Felia.

"So," Lily said with a smirk, "how many times did your heart skip?"

Rose nudged her. "You turned redder than a tomato."

Felia tried to cover her face, but then looked up—just as Kiddy looked over too.

Their eyes met. They both blushed, but neither looked away.

Instead, they shared a quiet, warm smile. No words needed.

The group was given an hour-long break before the award ceremony. They decided to explore the stalls and games scattered around the school grounds. Laughter echoed through the air as they walked together, chatting, playing, and sharing snacks.

Kiddy and Felia trailed behind the group, walking side by side in silence. Every now and then, their hands would slightly brush, sending a jolt through both of them, but neither said a word.

Sam turned to tease them with a smirk, but suddenly—three hands shot out and stopped him: Lily, Harry, and Eric.

"Okay, okay, I won't do it," Sam whispered, defeated.

Still, the silence between Kiddy and Felia lingered awkwardly until Felia finally spoke.

"…You don't want the answer right away, do you?"

Kiddy, slightly startled, shook his head. "No."

Felia nodded softly. "Oh. Okay, I see."

Before anything more could be said, the familiar school bell rang, signaling the start of the award ceremony. The group started heading down toward the auditorium.

As Kiddy walked, he spotted someone near the school gate—Ammy, talking to her father. Without saying a word, he pointed and ran over to her.

Ammy's father noticed him and chuckled. "Why are you dressed like a king?"

Kiddy rubbed the back of his head. "Uh… long story. We did a Cinderella play for the performance."

Her father smiled, then sighed. "I'm sorry about earlier. I called Ammy urgently because her mother sprained her ankle. But I misheard on the phone—I thought she fell down the stairs. I panicked and called her. When we reached home, we found out she was fine. So I brought her back."

Ammy added with a shake of her head, "You don't need to worry so much."

"Let's go back. The award ceremony must've started," she said, walking with Kiddy.

Then—THUMP—she punched him hard on the head.

"OW! What was that for?!"

"What do you think you were doing, you idiot?" she scolded. "Proposing on stage like that? You wanna get expelled?!"

Kiddy laughed. "I thought you were mad. But… you're still like your old self. Thank goodness."

Ammy raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Before she could finish, Kiddy grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the auditorium.

"Hey! You stupid! Slow down!"

Inside, the ceremony was already underway. The judges announced the results:

"First place—Sam's team for their brilliant adaptation of Cinderella!"

Cheers erupted.

"Second place—Lily's team for their fantastic dance!"

The group stood proudly together, grinning and exchanging high fives. They gathered outside for photos, squeezing into a wide shot with medals and goofy poses, freezing the moment in time.

As the day came to an end, they packed their things and began heading home together. On the walk, everyone continued teasing Kiddy about the proposal.

"Next time, invite us to the wedding too," Eric joked.

"Get me a suit in advance," Mando added.

Kiddy just smiled, enjoying the laughter and warmth of his friends.

As they neared Kiddy's home, one by one the group split off, until only Kiddy and Ammy were left.

They walked in quiet conversation, talking about school, friends, and random silly memories. As they reached the corner where they would part ways, Ammy turned to leave.

But Kiddy called out, "Ammy!"

She paused and turned.

"…Thank you," he said. "For being my best friend."

Ammy blinked in surprise, then smirked. "Calm down, you stupid. I'm not dying."

They both laughed, and with one last smile, they went their separate ways under the fading golden sky.