The concert was a total hit, the kind that left his heart pounding even after the final song ended.

The crowd had been loud, wild, and completely into it—singing along to every word like they'd memorized his lyrics since day one. Ajax had soaked it all in, smiling wide under the stage lights, soaking in the love like it was fuel. But even with all the noise and the lights and the overwhelming rush of attention, he couldn't help but keep looking for one face in particular.

Yours.

It was weird, really. You were always there, always near the front, always making stupid little faces at him when he tried to look cool. But tonight, that spot had been empty. No wave from you. No smirk. Just a hole in the crowd where you should've been, and somehow, even though he nailed every note and got a thousand cheers, it made the whole night feel a little bit off.

By the time he got back to the dorm, his energy was still a little buzzing under his skin. He shoved his shoes off without thinking, letting them land wherever they wanted, and headed straight for your room like it was muscle memory.

No knock, of course. He never knocked.

"Hey, roomie," Ajax greeted, voice bright as he stepped inside, dragging all that leftover stage energy with him like a storm behind his back. His eyes locked on you right away.

You were sitting cross-legged on your bed, bent over some textbook, your hair a little messy like you'd been stuck in there for hours. He didn't even hesitate. He flopped down right next to you, his body sinking into the mattress with a thump, head tilted back to stare up at the ceiling like he was trying to come down from the high of it all.

"Man, today was awesome," he said, grinning to himself. "Crowd was insane. Screaming their lungs out. They even sang back the verses." His voice was casual, almost proud, but his eyes slid sideways to look at you, just for a second, and that smile wavered a bit before he caught himself.

He rolled over onto his side, propped himself up on one elbow, and reached out to poke your leg with two fingers. "So, uh... what gives?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light. "Why weren't you there? You always come." Another poke, this time more like a nudge. "You should've been watching me."

His eyes dropped to the open book in your lap, and for a second he just stared at it. Figures. You were probably drowning in assignments or some exam prep, something that actually mattered. Ajax sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair, the tension starting to creep into his shoulders.

Yeah, you were the responsible one. You took school seriously. That was probably the right call.

Still sucked though.

"You missed out," he said, voice a little more playful this time as he sat up straighter and leaned back on his hands. "The fangirls were practically throwing themselves at me." He snorted a little to himself, trying to keep the grin going.

He turned his head toward you, watching your expression. "You know, you should consider yourself lucky. Not everyone gets to share a dorm with a celebrity like me." He laughed, but it wasn't as full as usual.

That empty spot in the crowd—it was still stuck in his mind. Even with all the screaming fans and flashing lights, he kept noticing you weren't there, and it just wouldn't leave him alone. He didn't really get why it mattered so much, but it did.

The night had gone perfectly on paper, but somehow without you in the crowd, it hadn't felt real. It hadn't felt complete.