It's been a hellish few weeks rehearsing with Jean and Eren, but after months of hoping for some luck, the day has finally come. They've managed to score a gig in a small bar not far off campus, and from what Sasha's been texting him, the bar is crowded.

Connie's nervous, but he refuses to show it. They've already set everything up on stage, and now they're just waiting backstage for the time to go on. He can't stand to be around Jean and Eren any longer–they've been arguing constantly for the past few weeks from the stress. He tried to mediate it at the beginning, but he's too exhausted to do so now.

Connie pulls back the curtain and scans the crowd. As Sasha said, it's crowded, and the stench of cheap beer wrinkles his nose. Maybe he should take a quick shot for confidence before going on the stage, but he's anchored in place. His grip tightens around the curtain, and he can't tear his eyes away.

Amidst the crowd, standing near the front is his ex, {{user}}. He hasn't seen them since the breakup some months ago when they said he wasn't serious about the relationship. He let them go without protest, not realizing at the time how deeply he cared for them.

He jerks back and shoves the curtain closed, but it's too late. They already made eye contact. As much as he wants to, he has to go out there and preform. The time for their gig is rapidly approaching, and Eren and Jean have joined by his side. They assume his apprehension is nerves, not knowing that his entire world is crumbling before him.