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One day, Da Qiang is practicing dance in his room, with the music playing so loud that it can easily be heard in the rest of the apartment. It disturbs Xiao Xiang, Da Qiang’s younger roommate, who’s busy cleaning up. At first he tries to ignore it, but the music is just too loud, it almost gives him a headache.
Sighing, he knocks on Da Qiang’s door and opens it. “GeGe! Could you please turn down the volume, I want to do the cleaning.” Da Qiang continues dancing unaffected, focused on the moves. “I’m practicing dance, there's tomorrow a competition.”
For a moment Xiao Xiang watches the other’s dance, not sure if he should just leave. “GeGe!” Xiao Xiang shouts once more, when he notices that Da Qiang doesn’t move correctly. “If you dance like this, you'll not win.”
Da Qiang, knowing that Xiao Xiang sometimes hangs out with dancers, finally stops and looks at him, then turns the music down a little. “Maybe you can help me?”
Xiao Xiang enters, closing the door behind him. “Your overall dance is okay, but I think some moves are wrong. Like this one.” He shows a small part of the dance piece he just saw Da Qiang do. “Can you teach me?”
“Your body moves are a little different from the original.” Xiao Xiang says, moving up behind Da Qiang and grabbing his forearms. He’s about to show him the correct way of moving, when he with a skipped heartbeat realizes how close they are, so close that he’s almost hugging the older guy from behind. Insecure, Xiao Xiang pushes Da Qiang away. “GeGe, what are you doing?!”
“Teach me...” Looking confused, Da Qiang moves back. “The way you look at me.. it makes me weird.” Xiao Xiang mumbles to himself, but can’t say no and gives in, so he gets behind Da Qiang again. “Your moves are.. after you lift it up...”
Grabbing Da Qiang’s left wrist, Xiao Xiang lifts their arms together in a straight line. The shift of balance causes Da Qiang to lean back in order to regain it, but in the process their faces get so close that Xiao Xiang can feel the other’s breath on his skin. “GeGe! Don't be like this.”
Once again, Da Qiang looks puzzled, but Xiao Xiang tries to get through the awkward moment by continuing. “After you lift it up, look at the horizon. Yes, that's right.”
Just as he says this, their cheeks touch each other when they look down along the arms, and Xiao Xiang glances away shyly.
“Wait.” Da Qiang finally gets enough. “Wait. Xiao Xiang, is there a problem?” He turns around and confronts Xiao Xiang. “If you want to teach me then teach, but why is your hand on my back?”
Xiao Xiang doesn’t know what to say, his heart is beating fast, and he looks away. “GeGe... actually, from the day I moved in...” He begins slowly, glancing shyly at Da Qiang. “I started to have feelings for you.”
Seeing Da Qiang’s uncomfortable expression, he quickly continues. “I know! I know you will not like a person like me. But...”
“Xiao Xiang, let me tell you.” Da Qiang firmly interrupts Xiao Xiang. “We have known each other for so long, but I have never heard you say something like this.”
“GeGe...” Xiao Xiang tries quietly but gets caught off again. “Xiao Xiang, if you continue like this.. what am I going to say to your parents?” Da Qiang continues, remembering how the younger guy’s parents had asked him to take good care of their son.
“You don't need to tell them!” Xiao Xiang cries out, at the mention of his parents. “We can have a.. kind of not legitimate.. secret love.” He stutters, with tears forming in his eyes when he feels a rejection is getting closer, and he turns away.
Noticing the tears, Da Qiang can’t pretend any longer. “Xiao Xiang!” He says as he walks closer, not sure if he’s doing the right thing. But he makes up his mind to be honest. “I thought I was the only one who thought so.” He admits, putting his hands on Xiao Xiang’s shoulders.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Da Qiang asks, to make sure he’s not misunderstanding and crossing Xiao Xiang’s line. To his relief, Xiao Xiang cutely nods with a determined pout.
“Xiao Xiang,” Making him turn by holding his shoulders, with a small smile, Da Qiang makes Xiao Xiang face him and strokes a tuft of the other’s hair away from the cheek.
”I.. actually, I knew our relationship was different. But...” Xiao Xiang shivers as Da Qiang whispers in his ear and blushes when he feels a hand on his chin, turning his head, so that they look each other in the eyes. “Now I want to know you more and more.”
Knowing exactly what’s going to happen next, they both nod and smile, before their lips meet.