Between the Lights

Chapter 3

The practice room buzzed with the usual sounds of stretching, conversations, and soft laughter, but Seola was quiet, perched on the side, her eyes on the movements of the others.

She was always like this—calm, collected, the observer in the corner. But today, there was an unusual shift in her gaze. It was Vony. Vony, who had been her quiet,

comforting presence in the group, seemed off. A little more withdrawn. A little more distant.

It wasn’t like Vony to be so closed off, and Seola, ever perceptive, couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. But Seola didn’t push. That wasn’t her style.

If Vony wanted to talk, she would. That was how Seola saw it.

"Seola," a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. Natty stood next to her, casually twirling a strand of hair, her eyes following the direction of Seola’s gaze.

"Hey," Seola said softly, her gaze flickering to Natty.

Natty raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been staring at Vony for the past few minutes. What’s up with her?”

Seola gave a small shrug. “I’m just observing.”

“Observing?” Natty scoffed lightly. “Come on, Seola, I know you. If something’s on your mind, you usually say it. What's going on with her?”

Seola hesitated before replying, her voice quieter. “She’s been... different. Distant.”

Natty’s eyes narrowed, and she glanced over at Vony. The younger girl was at the far end of the room, her movements stiff, her usual bubbly energy nowhere to be found. It was unlike

Vony—always the one to make everyone laugh, always so easygoing and full of life.

“Well, she has been acting kinda off lately,” Natty admitted. “You’re right. But I think it’s more than just being tired. Something’s been eating at her for a while. I’ve noticed it too.”

Seola didn’t say anything, but she couldn’t deny the sinking feeling in her stomach. Natty, despite her own bright and energetic nature, could be surprisingly perceptive.

It was true—Vony had been quiet, more withdrawn. And Seola, who usually let things slide, felt this unspoken tension growing between them.

They sat in silence for a while, watching Vony from across the room, before Natty spoke again, a hint of mischief in her voice.

“You know, if anyone's going to get her to open up, it’s not going to be me. You might want to be the one to talk to her.”

Seola turned her gaze toward Natty, slightly surprised by the suggestion. “I’m not exactly the type to push people.”

Natty chuckled softly. “No kidding. You’re always the one observing from the sidelines. But you know, sometimes people need a little nudge. You don’t have to make her talk,

but maybe just... be there? She might open up if you do.”

Seola didn’t respond immediately, her fingers tapping lightly against her leg as she thought. She didn’t like to press people, especially when they weren’t ready to talk. But Natty’s

words lingered in her mind.

The room slowly began to empty as the group finished their practice, most of them chatting amongst themselves, preparing to leave. Seola stood, gathering her jacket and bag,

her eyes once again glancing at Vony, who was now at the door, staring down at her phone, completely disconnected from the rest of the group.

Natty, who had already started walking toward the exit, paused and glanced back at Seola with a knowing look. “You sure you’re not going to talk to her?”

Seola simply nodded, her voice calm. “I’ll be fine.”

But as Seola walked past Vony, she paused for a moment, taking in the sight of the girl so lost in her own world. Seola could feel the tension in the air, but she didn’t force words.

Instead, she leaned against the doorframe, watching Vony in silence.

Vony looked up slowly, her gaze meeting Seola’s. The usual spark wasn’t there, replaced by something quieter, something almost guarded.

“You’re still here?” Vony asked, her voice soft, as though she hadn’t quite expected Seola to linger.

Seola simply nodded. “I’m leaving in a minute.”

Vony gave a small, almost absent smile. “Okay. See you.”

Seola didn’t say anything more, but as she stepped out of the practice room, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Vony was holding something back. She didn’t need to know

the details—she didn’t push for that kind of thing. But somehow, it felt important to let Vony know she was there. Even if she didn’t talk, even if she didn’t ask, Seola knew that

sometimes just being present was enough.

The door clicked shut behind her, and Seola walked into the hallway, the sounds of footsteps and voices fading behind her. Natty’s earlier words echoed in her mind.

Sometimes people just need someone to be there.

Seola wasn’t sure where this path would lead, or if Vony would ever open up. But for now, she could only watch, wait, and see how things unfolded.