Chapter Text
As the corps de ballet stretched back stage, Daehwi snuck up to the curtains, peaking out to find familiar faces in the crowd. His father showed him fists of goodluck from the front row and Daehwi smiled assuredly to the people seated next to him. Ms. Jung made sure Daehwi understood what she mouthed to him.
“Show ‘em who's boss.” She had said and Daehwi continued to let his eyes wander.
Everyone was there. The directors took their seats in the front followed by junior dancers and families. Daehwi scanned the well lit auditorium, heart ready to leap from his chest. It quickly sank when he realized he was pulling at straws.
What did he think? That Woojin would be there in the crowd? That he would cheer the loudest at his solo stage? Daehwi was delusional and he drew the curtains in place again before walking back.
“What’s wrong, princess?” Somi asked when he joined her on the barre. “You seem...”
Somi searched for a word,
“...Disappointed?”
“I'm fine.” There was no bite in his words and it bothered the back up dancer.
“No you're not.” Somi scoffed, turning to face him, hands on her hips.
“Why do you care?” He asked, voice soft and almost uncertain.
“Because if you don't do well, we’ll end up looking bad.” she replied.
“You don't look good to begin with. Your shoulders are too high,” Daehwi said, using two fingers to lower her shoulder. “Your elbows stick out,” he slapped them in, “and when you dance,” Daehwi said, doing a twirl, letting his arms fold and unfold against him. “You're as stiff as a board.”
“Are you done?” Somi snorted. “Good distraction.Doesn't change the fact that you've been out of it.” She raised her hands to her hips again, vibrant lips pulled into a satisfied smirk.
Before Daehwi could retort, the slate was clapped and the dancers were rushed to the stage. He took his position behind the formation, ready to reveal himself as the music began.
“Good job everyone!” The director clapped his hands. “The last act still remains,”
He walked over to the star of the show, grabbing him by the shoulders.
“Raw emotion, Daehwi.” he instructed. “I know you can do this.”
The corps cheered him on, clapping him on the back and clearing the way for him to walk out onto the stage.
The lights were off, not a single ray chancing its way in. Daehwi stood on uncertain legs. He had practiced this a thousand times. He was ready but something was missing. The director said he was perfect, the corps agreed and so did the board but Daehwi knew something was still missing from his dance. He needed to find out before the lights switched on.
He was too late. The curtains pulled back and bright white flooded in, momentarily blinding him. As his eyes adjusted to the light, Daehwi saw him. There he was, standing by the door at the top of the stairs. Woojin was there and suddenly, Daehwi felt complete again.
“What is he doing?” The director panicked, seeing his main dancer stand still in the middle of the stage as the music played on.
He didn't have to do much, though because Daehwi moved. He walked to the edge of the stage and then staggered back, face changing with the count of the beat.
“What is he doing?” The director shrieked this time, pulling at his hair as Daehwi danced to a choreography he knew not of.
It was chaos. The stage twirled along with his feet and the hardwood seemed to be ice, the dancer gliding over it with incredible sophistication. Daehwi knew what he was doing, he knew why he was doing it. Daehwi knew, he finally knew what had been missing.
The main character, the star, the lead role of the play was happy. He was supposed to dance with glee and song. He was happy to be reunited with the love of his life up in heaven and so he danced with rejoice and contentment.
For the past few days, Daehwi felt nothing but resentment. Resentment towards Woojin, resentment towards the world and resentment towards himself. He felt empty and broken. He felt alone and that hindered his creativity. It came in between him and his dance. Daehwi was sad.
At that moment, however, with the weight of hatred off his heart, Daehwi felt free. Right then, with Woojin watching him, knowing that Woojin came to see him dance, Daehwi felt content. He felt at ease. Daehwi felt at home.
He took one final leap, ending with his arms up to the sky. The applause came late. It started slow and unsure before growing into hoots and cheers. People stood from their seats and Daehwi panicked, he couldn't see Woojin anymore. He took a rushed bow, ignoring the roses that fell at his feet as he ran back stage.
He had to find Woojin before he disappeared, had to tell him what he felt before he left him again. Daehwi needed to see him. He had too. In his rush to go find the boy, Daehwi ran into someone, hitting his head against something hard.
“I'm sorry.” He quickly apologized and was about to run off when he stopped. Daehwi raised his eyes to meet warm caramel ones looking right back at him.
It was dumb, Woojin thought as he packed his bag. This was the dumbest thing he had ever done. He threw a couple of shirts in. He was crazy, socks. Waste of time and money, jeans.
“Stop questioning it.” Youngming tried to ease him, swinging his legs back and forth from his place on top of Woojin's desk. “Just go.”
And so he did. He ran to the train station, managing to buy the last ticket for the 3 O'clock train to Seoul. Arriving at the station, Woojin tried to hail a cab but after missing three times in a row, he shouldered his bag and ran.
6:30 PM. The show started at 5. Woojin was late, Woojin was very late and the security guard was not helping.
“This is an invitations only event, sir.” He argued and Woojin shifted from one foot to another.
“Mister please,” He pleaded, “I need to go through. Please.”
The guard tried to stop him from running past him but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Mr. Park led his son to the auditorium.
“You're just in time.” He whispered before leaving him standing there by the door and walking back to his seat.
Daehwi was beautiful. Woojin had known it all along that the boy was prettier than any boy should normally be but when he danced, Daehwi was beautiful. He was ethereal and majestic, prancing and twirling around stage. So free. So happy. Woojin watched as the dance came to an end and as soon as the audience stood for the standing ovation, Woojin lept out the door, running back stage to find him.
Woojin had to find Daehwi. He wanted to find him and tell him he was sorry. Woojin needed to find Daehwi and tell him how he felt. He had to make sure Daehwi would make him stay. And before he knew it, the boy himself was running into him.
Dark ruby eyes met shiny brown ones. The corps stopped mid appaluse as they watched the scene unfold in front of them. Jeon Somi found Jeon Woong's eye in the crowd and they both shared a knowing smile.
“You came.” Daehwi rasped, chest heaving.
Woojin watched his eyelashes kiss his cheeks before returning.
“Why did you come?” Daehwi faked ignorance.
Woojin saw the way his eyes glanced at him before averting. He smiled.
“Are you going to say something?” Daehwi asked, voice heavy with impatience.
He scoffed when Woojin only stared back at him.
“I thought so. I have somewhere to be. Move.” Daehwi walked past him, trying not to let his disappointment show.
He had taken only a few steps before he felt a warm hand encircle his wrist, pulling him back and twirling him around before another hand cupped his cheek.
“I love you.” Daehwi heard the words whispered to him before soft, warm lips engulfed his own in a deep kiss.
Woojin moved slowly, delicately as if Daehwi was made of glass. He calculated each move before making it as he held onto Daehwi's nape, pulling him closer by the waist and keeping him still against his chest. The kiss ended before it began and Daehwi mentally whined at the loss of contact. He held onto Woojin's shirt, not letting him move away.
“I won't let you go again.” He said. “I'm not that stupid.”
Before connecting their lips again, ignoring the perverted hoots echoing around them.
It was a hassle having feelings, Daehwi thought as he sat in front of his makeup mirror. He used a wipe to remove the eyeliner from his right eye, rubbing absent mindedly as his mind wandered to tingling in his lips.
He was alone in his private room back stage and the tranquil silence around him helped him wrap his head around the current mess he was in. Woojin had said something to him before kissing him and Daehwi was 100% sure he had heard him wrong. Just thinking about the kiss made blood rush to his face, painting them pink.
Somi would have a field day ridiculing him after this, he thought. Daehwi shouldn't have let Woojin kiss him in front of everyone. He shouldn't have let Woojin kiss him at all. The first time it had happened, Daehwi had been too dumb struck to respond. It was embarrassing to think that this time he had kissed Woojin back, more so, initiated a follow up kiss.
The older boy had said something about waiting for him outside the building, Daehwi hadn't really heard him. Once finished with his face, Daehwi pulled on his shoes and left the room with his bag over his shoulder.
Woojin shifted from foot to foot, standing under the streetlight, he watched the main door of the Wester Foundation building. Daehwi strutted out a good fifteen minutes later and Woojin felt a lump in his throat.
He had said three very risky words to the boy out of complete and utter impulse and now he was having trouble breathing every time he saw Daehwi. The boy in his thoughts saw him, changing his course and walking towards him. Daehwi made sure to keep his eyes on Woojin as he approached him and Woojin mimicked, too captivated to look away.
Without a word, once the boy reached him, they began to walk together. The glistening blades of grass under their feet scrunched pleasantly as the boys strolled on it, eyes scanning the sky above them and basking in each others company.
“Woojin...” Daehwi broke the silence, keeping his voice low so as to not shatter the emotions in the air. The older boy hummed in reply, a small smile playing on his lips. “Didn't you say the sky is clearer in Busan?”
Woojin hummed, again. “I would love to see the stars there.” Daehwi said in mild daze and Woojin turned his face towards him, slowing down his pace and then stopping.
“You could...” he said,
“How?” Daehwi asked, stopping as well and turning towards him.
“Come home with me.”
“Where is that boy?” Mr. Lee tapped his foot in the ground, glancing at his wrist watch. “We have to get home.”
Ms. Jung and Mrs. Lee had left before hand to go prepare the house for the surprise party they had planned for Daehwi and Mr. Lee was left incharge of getting the cheif guest home in time.
“I will go look for him, sir.” Mr. Park bowed before leaving to go find the young master.
He found him behind the building in the garden, standing with his son. Mr. Park huffed a breath of relief and began to walk towards them, close enough to hear their conversations but still unseen thanks to the poor lighting.
“Come home with me,” Woojin said and his father stopped in his tracks, curious as to what they were talking about.
“I wish I could.” Daehwi sighed, resuming to walk, halting when Woojin grabbed ahold of his wrist and walked over to him.
“Why can't you?” He asked, moving closer and Mr. Park found the close proximity and the intimacy of his son's actions quite strange.
“Because...” Daehwi turned his eyes up to meet Woojin's and the secretary found his heartbeat rising as he watched on from the shadows. “I have a life here, Woojin. I can't afford to leave everything behind and go with you.”
“Not even for a few days?” Woojin asked, “Maybe just the weekend.”
Mr. Park saw Daehwi trap his bottom lip between his teeth.
“I want you to meet my mom,” Woojin continued, “and my friends and my sister. I want to show you my favourite ice cream shop and my old school. I want to show you my world, Lee Daehwi. Is that too much to ask?”
Daehwi's eyes smiled up at him.
“I want to see your world, too.” He said, taking the single step separaring them, towards Woojin and locking his arms behind his neck.
It can't be, Mr. Park thought, fists tightening as he saw Woojin bring his hands up to grip and Daehwi's hips. He was bolted to the ground, unable to move. He heard footsteps behind him and then they stopped.
“What are you doing here? Where's Daehwi?” Mr. Lee asked, placing a hand in his shoulder. Unable to speak, Mr. Park motioned with his head towards the boys standing under the moonlight, bodies mingled together as they stared into each others eyes.
The fathers could only watch as Daehwi rose himself to the tips of his toes, reaching Woojin's height before cautiously connecting their lips together. They stayed like that for a while before pulling away. Mr. Lee felt light headed and Mr. Park was in no positon to help his boss stand upright. The horror on their faces did enough to describe what went on in their heads.
The ride back home seemed tense. Woojin sat in the back with Daehwi and the silence was almost deafening. When they reached home, both his father and Daehwi's seemed unbothered by the exploding party poppers and showers of confetti. The small congratulatory party concluded with the boys, Ms. Jung and Daehwi's mom finishing the cake while the men of the house claimed exhaustion and left for bed.
It was strange to see his father tired, Woojin had never seen the man so out of it. He sat with his hand linked with Daehwi's under the table as the women chatted on about the play. It was starting to become clearer, his role in Daehwi's life and Woojin wondered where else the path could take him.