Days flew by. After countless meetings and follow-ups with vendors, Lyra could finally breathe a little easier. The past few weeks had felt like a marathon with no finish line, but now, things were starting to fall into place.
That afternoon, she sat in the committee's workspace — a modest room, but comfortable enough, with long tables cluttered with laptops, scattered documents, and half-empty coffee cups. She was typing something on her laptop, checking off vendors who had confirmed their participation one by one.
Beside her, Adam was absorbed in his phone, frowning occasionally before tapping the screen faster, making sure all the sponsor tech needs were aligned with the timeline. Across from them, Mei scrolled through Nova Fest's social media accounts, a satisfied look on her face.
"Whoa, our engagement numbers just shot up," Mei said, nudging Lyra's arm lightly. "Looks like the media team's doing a great job."
Lyra glanced at Mei's screen and nodded. The sharp spike in the stats brought some much-needed reassurance. "That's good. At least we won't have to worry about promotion."
"Oh, it's more than good. This is thanks to our hard work," a voice chimed in from behind them.
Robin strolled over, laptop in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He pulled out a chair and sat down with practiced ease.
Mei chuckled, raising an eyebrow at him. "Oh? So you're finally admitting your own effort?"
He shrugged casually and took a sip of his coffee. "Facts are facts."
Then he turned to Lyra, who was still typing. "How's the vendor situation? Everything locked in?"
She tapped a few final keys and exhaled. "All set. They've confirmed, just waiting on installation details."
"Perfect," Robin said, leaning back in his chair with a more relaxed expression. "Now we can focus on the next phase."
Adam chimed in without looking up from his screen. "Yeah, some teams have already started drafting the rehearsal schedule. We'll need to make sure stage and lighting are properly coordinated across divisions."
"I also got an update from the décor team," Mei added. "They said the final layout's approved, and setup will start next week."
Lyra nodded, typing a note before saying, "Alright, then let's start working on a more detailed schedule."
Robin watched her for a moment, then leaned back again. "You look way more relaxed now."
She shot him a quick glance and let out a quiet scoff. "Of course. Compared to last week, things feel lighter."
A faint smile tugged at Robin's lips — rare, but unmistakable. "That's a relief."
Mei, who had been watching them with amused eyes, turned to Adam and whispered, "They're finally talking without snapping at each other."
Adam chuckled but kept his eyes on his phone.
Lyra, who caught the whisper, pretended not to notice — though she did see the hint of a smile on Robin's face from the corner of her eye.
The event was getting closer, but for the first time, she actually felt confident about the progress they'd made.
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The committee room was as busy as ever. Everyone was locked into their tasks.
Adam's fingers danced over his phone screen, eyes narrowing as he double-checked sponsor details to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. Across from him, Mei calmly arranged Nova Fest's social media schedule, her gaze steady on her laptop.
Meanwhile, Lyra scrutinized the event timeline on her screen, tweaking sections here and there. That familiar furrow in her brow showed she was deep in thought.
In the middle of the hustle, Robin suddenly appeared, phone in hand, ready to capture the behind-the-scenes grind. As media division lead, snapping candid shots was part of his routine — a way to highlight their hard work without making a fuss.
But spotting Lyra buried in her work, a mischievous smile spread across his face. Raising his phone, he angled the camera and started recording with a playful tone.
"Come on, just a quick clip of you working. Everyone else has been featured on the festival's socials — you can't hide forever."
Lyra spun around, startled, eyes wide before narrowing into a glare. "No way!"
Robin raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "So you're going stealth mode now? Everyone's had their turn — the person in charge can't be the one hiding."
She scoffed and reached out to block his phone. "Delete it."
He stepped back just enough to keep filming. "Too late. Already got it. This is golden — 'Behind the Scenes: Sponsor Lead Avoiding the Spotlight.'"
Mei chuckled from her seat. "I'm backing Robin on this. It's for the team."
Lyra shot Mei a look that said "How could you Mei?!"
Robin grinned, enjoying the moment. "This isn't about me — it's about keeping things transparent."
Lyra sighed, then smirked. "Fine. But I'm filming you next, with the caption: 'Media Head: Chief Annoyer of the Committee.'"
Robin pretended to think it over, then dramatically lowered his phone."Deal. No one goes on camera today."
Lyra smiled victoriously as Mei and Adam exchanged amused glances.
Adam shook his head, laughing."You two are like kids."
Robin and Lyra just exchanged a knowing look, silently agreeing.
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"Finally, you're making time for us," Suzie teased, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. Her pastel blouse softened the mood as she looked at Lyra. "I miss our shopping trips. Even on weekends, you're always disappearing."
"That's true. You often let yourself get hungry, right?" Arlo added casually, taking a sip of his iced coffee.
Lyra shrugged lightly. "Sorry, I've just been too busy."
Walter chuckled. "I'm pretty sure if Arlo didn't send you those messages, you wouldn't notice you were starving until five in the afternoon."
Lyra just laughed softly, saying nothing. She knew well enough that if not for their invitations—or more accurately, their insistence—she'd probably still be buried in work. Honestly, it had been ages since they all hung out like this.
Yet something tugged quietly at her heart. Even as she tried to push it aside, a faint sting came from seeing Walter and Suzie sitting side by side, like any other couple.
Maybe that feeling was fading now. Or maybe her mind was just too occupied lately to care.
Suzie leaned in, resting her chin on her hand, eyes curious. "So, how do you feel now that most of the work is behind you?"
She let out a long sigh. "Relieved. But there's still a lot to do before the big day."
Arlo nodded knowingly. "At least you've passed the toughest part."
"Hopefully," she murmured, stirring her drink.
Walter glanced between them with a grin. "Look at this. You guys usually bicker nonstop, but today you're all peaceful."
"Maybe it's the hunger talking?" Suzie giggled.
Arlo shot a glance at Lyra. "Or maybe she's too hungry to argue with me."
Lyra exhaled quietly. "Could be."
Their conversation flowed easily, sprinkled with quiet laughter and light teasing. This was why Lyra could never truly dislike her friends—even Suzie. After all, it wasn't anyone's fault that Walter and Suzie loved each other. From the start, she'd only ever been a background player in their story.
At least, for now, they weren't putting on any cheesy romantic scenes right in front of her. That was enough.
But instead of dwelling on it, one thing demanded her attention more: the festival, fast approaching.
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As the afternoon waned, golden sunlight peeked through the meeting room's window. Lyra, Adam, and Mei were still knee-deep in sponsor lists and promotional materials Robin and his team had put together.
Adam's laptop sat open in front of them, displaying digital brochure and poster designs. He tapped the screen with a furrowed brow. "Lyra, I think something's missing here."
Mei leaned in from beside him, scanning the screen. "Yeah, you're right. One of the sponsors doesn't show up on either the brochure or the digital posters."
Lyra, who'd been casually listening, suddenly straightened. "What? Seriously?"
Adam nodded. "Check the sponsor list you gave Robin. Maybe someone got left out."
Her heart skipped. She quickly pulled up the document she'd sent Robin days ago. Her eyes widened as she spotted the mistake — sure enough, one sponsor had been left off the list.
"Oh no..." Lyra covered her face with one hand, frustrated. "I forgot to include them in the original file. That's why Robin didn't add them to the promo materials."
Mei let out a quiet chuckle, her expression part sympathy, part amused by the unfolding drama. "This is bad. They're a pretty big sponsor, right? If their name isn't on the promos... they'll be furious."
Adam gave Lyra's shoulder a reassuring pat. "You better tell Robin before this goes live on social."
Lyra sighed deeply, already imagining Robin's annoyed look—and probably some signature sarcastic comment. "Yeah, I'm telling him now." She pushed herself up from the chair, bracing for the little chaos she'd just caused.
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Her steps felt heavier than usual as she approached a desk tucked in the corner. There, Robin sat, eyes glued to his laptop screen, fingers flying over the keyboard. His face wore that familiar focused look — completely locked in, no distractions, especially not bad news.
But Lyra had no choice.
She gently tapped the desk. "Robin…" Her voice wavered a bit.
He glanced up briefly but stayed focused. "Yeah? What now?"
Lyra bit her lip, trying to find the right words that wouldn't make him blow up on the spot."I just realized… uh… the sponsor list I gave you wasn't complete…"
Robin stopped typing. "What?" His eyes narrowed, suspicious.
She swallowed hard, feeling small under his gaze, as if she'd just confessed to burning all the promo materials.
"There was one sponsor missing. They should've been on all the promo designs, but since I forgot to include them in the list I gave you… well, they're not there."
Robin said nothing for a moment. He stared at her, then sighed deeply and rubbed his face with both hands.
"Seriously?! I've almost finished editing everything, Lyra!" he finally snapped, frustration clear in his voice.
She closed her eyes briefly, guilt washing over her. "I know, I know… sorry!" she hurried to add. "But we have to fix it before anything goes live. Otherwise, it'll be a huge problem."
Robin pressed his temples. "Ugh… so I have to add their name and logo to every single design all over again?"
Lyra nodded, feeling worse with every passing second. "Yeah…"
He scoffed, clearly holding back his frustration. "Why are you only realizing this now?"
"I just double-checked today," Lyra replied, sounding desperate. "It was a total accident. I'll help however I can."
Robin looked at her with a deadpan expression, like he doubted anything she could do would make this any easier besides letting him handle it solo. Still, he let out a long breath and reopened the design files.
"Geez," he said, resigned. "This is gonna take a while. I'll have to redo everything."
Lyra settled into the chair across from him, ready to keep him company through the late hours. "I'll stay until you finish, if that helps me feel less guilty."
Robin looked up, one eyebrow raised. "You're okay with pulling an all-nighter?"
Lyra sighed. "I have no choice…"
Robin snorted, then leaned back in his chair with a lazy expression and said nothing more. He started typing again, occasionally muttering under his breath about how annoying she was.
And just like that, their long night began.
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The clock in the corner of the laptop screen showed 9 PM. The once lively workspace had quieted down, leaving just Robin and Lyra. The lights were still bright, but the vibe had mellowed—only the sound of typing and the occasional shuffle of papers broke the silence.
Robin was still glued to his laptop, finishing up the design revisions with occasional sighs. Across from him, Lyra sat checking the sponsor list again, making sure nothing was missed this time.
They'd been working like this for quite a while. A cold cup of coffee on the table and their dark circles told the story—they'd been here way longer than they planned.
He finally leaned back in chair, stretching his arms. "Ugh… it's late."
Lyra glanced at her phone's clock and sighed. "Didn't expect it to take this long…"
Robin looked up at her properly for the first time. The laptop light cast soft shadows on her tired eyes. Despite clearly being worn out, she stayed focused, hands busy scanning the documents.
After a moment of silence, he spoke without thinking much, "Wanna grab something to eat?"
Lyra looked up, surprised. "Huh?"
"I said, wanna eat first? I can order something."
She eyed him suspiciously. "You're not mad anymore?"
He scoffed, glancing back at his laptop still filled with files needing fixes. "Still mad, yeah." Then softer, "But you look stressed enough. If we get hungry, we won't get any work done either."
Lyra paused, then nodded slowly. "Alright… sure."
Robin smiled faintly and pulled out his phone. "Okay, I'll order. You pay."
Lyra grumbled, "Typical you."
He chuckled, the smile now genuine. "Consider it payback for making me work twice as hard."
Lyra let out a long breath but couldn't hide a small smile. Somehow, despite the exhaustion, the mood between them wasn't as bad as she expected.
Robin started scrolling through the menu, while Lyra closed her laptop for a moment, stretching her stiff back. When she looked back at him, Robin was still busy choosing, his brow furrowed like he was solving a serious problem.
For a moment, she just watched.
Yeah, Robin could be annoying— a little perfectionist and easily frustrated. But beneath that, he was responsible and, even if rarely shown, kind of caring.
Suddenly, Robin caught her staring. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Lyra jumped and quickly looked away. "Nothing, just… hurry up and order, I'm starving."
Robin chuckled quietly and went back to his phone.
At first, she'd been annoyed, but now she realized working with Robin wasn't so bad after all. Maybe… she was even starting to enjoy their little back-and-forth.
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A few minutes later, the food order was finally confirmed. Robin set his phone down on the table and stretched his shoulders. "Looks like it'll be about half an hour."
Lyra nodded, staring at her still-lit laptop screen. Hunger was creeping in, but so was the drowsiness. She rested her head on folded arms, letting out a long sigh. "So exhausting…"
Robin glanced her way, then leaned back with his hands behind his head. "Act all eager to stay late, now you're giving up?"
She snorted quietly but didn't lift her head. "Not giving up, just recharging a bit."
Robin chuckled. "Recharging? What, are you a phone or something?"
Silence fell for a moment. The room was still bright, but without the others around, it felt quieter—almost like their own little world.
Robin watched Lyra's steady breathing as she stayed laid out on the table. "If you're that tired, just take a quick nap. I'll wake you when the food gets here."
Lyra lifted her head slightly, eyes half-open. "Really? You won't prank me or anything?"
"Do I look like a kid? Just sleep. If you pass out, it'll be way worse for me." Robin replied.
She blinked a few times, then gave in, closing her eyes again. "Just five minutes…"
Robin studied her relaxed face. For someone usually so active and full of energy, seeing her this still was weird—but kinda interesting, too.
Somehow, he let the silence stretch out longer than he probably should have.
"Hey."
"Hmm?" Lyra's sleepy voice.
"If this kind of mess happens again tomorrow, don't wait till the last minute to tell me."
Lyra cracked one eye open, pursing her lips. "I didn't mean to, okay? Besides, I was the most stressed out earlier."
Robin chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah, yeah. But seriously, tell me earlier next time. I can help figure stuff out before we have to pull another late night."
Lyra was quiet a moment, then looked at him directly. "You're not mad anymore, right?"
He met her gaze and sighed. "Can't stay mad long, it just tires me out."
She smiled softly. "Thanks for helping with the revisions."
Robin shrugged, pretending to be indifferent. "It's kinda my job." After a pause, he added quieter, "And… you've been trying your best too."
Lyra was a little surprised by how genuine he sounded this time.
Before things got too serious, Robin suddenly stood up. "I'm gonna grab some water. Want one?"
Lyra smiled. "Yeah, but only if it tastes like something."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "This is a meeting room, not a café."
"Well, maybe there's juice in the fridge."
Robin scoffed but finally got up, muttering, "You're such a pain…"
Lyra chuckled softly, leaning back in her chair.
A few minutes later, Robin returned with two bottles—one water, one iced tea. Without a word, he handed the tea to Lyra and sat back down.
She looked at him, surprised. "Wait, you actually found one?"
He shrugged. "You asked for it, so I got it. Simple."
Lyra took the drink, her confused expression shifting into a smile. "Thought you'd let me go thirsty."
Robin snorted. "If you actually faint, that'd be on me."
She smiled wider, popped the cap, and took a sip.
Meanwhile, Robin stared back at his laptop, but his face looked more relaxed this time. No matter how annoying the day had been, he couldn't deny that tonight… wasn't so bad after all.
And maybe, just maybe, he didn't mind pulling late nights with her again sometime.
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*** TO BE CONTINUE ***