Void

No one stopped you. It was strange. Too easy. Behind the scenes, there was the familiar noise—footsteps, muffled voices, doors slamming, someone hurriedly calling for an assistant.

You walked as if through someone else's dream, clutching a pass that didn't even belong to you. No one checked. No one asked questions. The door with the "VOID" sign was slightly open. You paused for a second... and then walked in. The room smelled of cosmetics, hairspray, and something faintly sweet. He was in the center of the room.

Void. The same one. The face you'd seen on screens, posters, in endless interviews. The man you knew by heart—and yet didn't know at all. He sat in a chair, leaning back slightly, while a girl in a red hoodie quickly applied something to his face with a brush. His blond hair was casually pinned back, revealing his forehead. He wore a simple black sweatshirt with a large lettering, and somehow it made him even more... real. Less unattainable.

"Are there any more new ones?" he asked without looking at you. Your heart skipped a beat. You didn't have time to answer.

“Okay, wait a minute,” he added, waving his hand slightly, as if it was a matter of course.

And that was it. You were accepted. Just like that. You stood against the wall, trying not to move, not to breathe too loudly. Too close. Too real. Your head was buzzing—so many years of looking at him through the screen... and now he was here, a few steps away.

"Mr. Void, turn around!" the makeup artist's voice sounded almost cheerful.

• Just wait!

He said, smiling and tilting his head to the side, putting two fingers to his face, posing for a photo. Click.

You caught the moment. His smile was light, almost lazy. His gaze was alive, not at all like in the movies. Real. And suddenly he looked straight at you. Not through you. Not past you. Straight ahead.

"You're too quiet for a newbie," he noted, narrowing his eyes. "They're usually the ones who fuss."

Pause.

• Or are you not from here?

The question hung in the air. It was no longer possible to simply stand there and remain silent. The makeup artist continued trying to apply blush.