The soft hum of notifications echoed in Aetherâs quiet dorm room as his phone lit up repeatedly. He sat cross-legged on his bed, one arm resting on his knee while the other scrolled through the group chat.
[Group Chat: chaotic circle of friends]
Kazuha: So⦠Ayaka, Amber, and Lumine have been gone for hours. Are they planning a grand entrance or something?
Albedo: They mentioned shopping earlier. Perhaps they're still deciding on accessories.
Aether: Accessories donât take THAT long, though.
Scaramouche: Or maybe they got lost in a shoe store. Typical.
Kazuha: Scaramouche, do you even know anything about shopping?
Scaramouche: No, because Iâm not insane enough to spend hours picking between nearly identical items.
Aether chuckled, shaking his head at their banter.
The group chat continued to buzz as Albedo tried to reason with Scaramoucheâs lack of shopping patience, while Kazuha occasionally added poetic commentary about how "time flows differently when girls shop."
Just then, Aetherâs phone vibrated with a new messageâthis time, privately from Lumine.
Lumine: Weâre back at Ayakaâs dorm! Donât tell the others.
Aether: Why the secrecy?
Lumine: The dresses are here. We canât risk anyone sneaking a peek before the big night.
Aether smirked.
Aether: Got it. Your secretâs safe with me.
Meanwhile, in Ayakaâs dorm, the three girls were carefully hanging up their dresses in her closet, ensuring not a single crease ruined the delicate fabric.
âI swear, if one of them tries to peekâ¦â Amber muttered, arms crossed.
Ayaka laughed softly. âDonât worry, Amber. The closet is locked, and only I have the key.â
Lumine let out a small sigh of relief, sitting on Ayakaâs bed. âOne thingâs certainâthe boys have zero patience.â
Back in the group chat, the boys were growing restless.
Scaramouche: Alright, Iâm calling it. They got distracted and forgot about us.
Kazuha: Patience, Scaramouche. Itâs a virtue.
Albedo: The event isnât for a few days. Weâll see them tomorrow at school.
Aether: Exactly. Letâs not overthink it.
Scaramoucheâs reply came almost instantly.
Scaramouche: Whatever. Iâm going offline.
Aether laughed to himself, tossing his phone onto the bed. The quiet of his dorm returned as he leaned back, staring at the ceiling. The buzz of anticipation for the prom was starting to settle in everyoneâs minds.
In Ayakaâs dorm, Lumine glanced out the window at the darkening sky. The excitement was undeniable, but there was also something elseâsomething softer, something⦠expectant.
The night of the prom couldnât come fast enough.