Ha-neul peered nervously at the cue sheet backstage. Her hands were so sweaty that the proposal card threatened to dissolve in her grip.
“Hey, did you actually prepare your line?” Su-jin whispered, mischief sparkling in her eyes.
Ha-neul only nodded, heart pounding wildly. Everything felt like a dizzying carousel.
Across the stage, Tae-oh was talking with the manager. Their eyes met. Tae-oh flashed that annoyingly familiar grin.
Ha-neul’s heart did a very unnecessary somersault. As she stepped up, a strange déjà vu washed over her—fragments from a life she couldn’t quite name.
Her hands shook. Spotlights landed on Ha-neul and Tae-oh, bright as a confession.
“Ha-neul, are you ready?” the MC called out.
She glanced at Tae-oh, hoping for a lifeline.
He winked, voice low. “No pressure. Whether you do it or I do it… someone’s heart’s gonna race.”
Laughter burst from the audience. Ha-neul’s face burned hotter than the lights.
Su-jin shot hearts from the front row. Wooseok and Ji-min were grinning like proud parents.
Ha-neul gripped the card, stepped forward, and faced Tae-oh. The crowd hushed.
Tae-oh spoke first. “You know, whenever we’re on stage together, I get this weird feeling. Like… were we something in a past life?”
The crowd tittered. Ha-neul tried to play it cool. “Well, in this life… let’s just be good colleagues, okay? No misunderstandings.”
Tae-oh arched an eyebrow. A beat passed, then he smirked. “Just once—let me misunderstand a little.”
Ha-neul spun away, completely flustered as the cheers got even louder.
Suddenly, the manager signaled from backstage. Both of them had to move to center stage, proposal lines unfinished.
Ha-neul thought, “Is this how all fake proposals go?”
The audience held their breath. Standing center stage, Ha-neul and Tae-oh stared at each other, tension sparkling. Suddenly, the lights changed—something unexpected was about to happen.