Chapter Text
1 THE LEGEND COMES HOMES
It's 4:06 pm. Baekhyun stares at the clock hanging over the media station in the corner of the room. He's trained not to visibly notice when class is running late. They all are. But they all dare a glance at the clock longingly, side-eyeing their teacher-director as the woman pushes all the dancers in her charge.
"Again!" she yells. "Just because it's late doesn't mean you can let your guard down! I want it full out. Now. What if this was a performance?! You're going to give it your less than best because it's late in the day and you're. tired?! One more time with the music. Or 10 more times until you all get it right! If you're lucky!" Dr. Jung* is harsh, but she has an otherwise sweet voice. The rage is only an illusion to bring out their best, and the company dancers know that. It's why they allow the petite 29 year old woman to abuse them day after day.
The stereo skips to the beginning, and a dozen dancers swell with the music, a blur of arms and legs in a mass Baekhyun fondly calls ordered chaos. He's well trained in ballet (what professional dancer isn't at some point in his life) but that systematic albeit beautiful form of dance has never been his love. It's in a room like this, heavy beats and thundering, sweeping almost non-rhythms that Baekhyun feels alive. Modern dance in all its raw glory. Only in moments like this can Baekhyun let go of his stress, and feeling the music, let his emotions pour out.
Sweat clings to his body. The warmth of the room produced by hours of hard working dancers leaves a cloying odor. Someone else might find it distasteful, but to Baekhyun it's the scent of home. The dance room has always been his home.
"Kill me now." His friend and fellow dancer Tao flops onto the floor where Baekhyun lays already in a heap. It's 4:23 pm. Earlier than yesterday at least. "No wait don’t do that yet. I need food first."
"You always need food. Where does it even go?" Tao is tall and thin as a toothpick, and still manages to pack more muscle than Baekhyun will ever have. He's muscular too, of course, but it's of a leaner, softer variety. Baekhyun likes to think he looks delicate. It's a cloak masking a deeper kind of strength, and all be wary if they try to mess with him. His old friend Chanyeol knows that better than most. Wiry frames dare not mess with the compact strength of the professional dancer.
“Casting parts go up in two hours. If you’re that desperate for food we should go now so we can be back in time.”
“Like it will even matter,” Tao grumbles. He rolls dramatically onto his side, one leg kicked out and his arms spewed on either side of his body. “We’ll still be in the Core,” he says to the ceiling. “That bastard Suho will probably get one solo to lord it over us. And the current principals will still be the starring leads.”
Life of a junior apprentice - lowest of the low in a professional company.
Baekhyun wouldn’t trade it for the world though. He’d quit college only two years in when he got his acceptance letter to the West River Contemporary dance troop. Once upon a time he was that small college town’s best dancer. Now he’s sweating it out at the bottom of the barrel, back in the big city, but the dream is that much closer.
“So what? I have an invested interest in which principal gets which part.” The two peel themselves off the floor and head down the hallway while Baekhyun grins to himself. It isn’t exactly true, but Baekhyun loves seeing the two principals squabble back and forth over roles and stage time, throwing insults and the occasional punch, only to have one pass out drunk at the end of the day, while the other carries him home.
“You’re sick, Baek.”
The whole company knows of the apparent bromance between its two male principals. Luhan and Minseok had been at it for years with their deadly serious career rivalry. Yet they remain best friends.
“The only reason Luhan doesn’t throw Minseok off a cliff and take his spotlight is because Minnie’s the only one dumb enough to carry Luhan’s drunk ass home. I tell you they’re fu—“
“I’m just saying I admire their… friendship,” says Baekhyun, his singsong tone hurriedly covering up Tao’s [possibly true] assumptions. It is admirable though, he thinks, no matter what their relationship. But it’s something to give him pause about his own life. Will he and Tao be that way one day? Right now they are peons in the wings, but when it starts getting harder down the road, will they still be able to smile and carry on, friends forever? Audition season in the company is hell on earth. Will Baekhyun be promoted someday without Tao? Will Tao without Baekhyun?
“I need carbs. I need meat.” Tao has only one important train of thought right now. “And none of that disgusting street vender crap,” he waves his arms in the direction of the nearest street-facing window. “This part of town sucks with the street food.”
“Quit your whining. I’m oh so sorry we’re not near your precious Chinatown.”
Tao snivels in complaint and Baekhyun copies it back twice as dramatically. With one arm slung around the taller’s shoulders, Baekhyun drags Tao down the hall. It’s cooler on this side of the building. More offices and fewer practice rooms. More trees shading the eaves on east side of the facility. Baekhyun halts to get a look at the still empty bulletin board atop of the staircase heading down. He knows it’s likely they’ll still only get Core, but you never know… Miracles could happen, right? Hell, he didn’t even need a real miracle. Just a little bit of grace. It wasn’t just his imagination that Professor Jung had praised him two days in a row, was it? She’d also praised Suho, but that was almost certainly because the jerk had a way of sweet talking the ladies. Baekhyun can sweet talk them too. He just, decides not to. Something about professional ethics, see? Nodding to himself, his imagination rioting with dreams of a solo stage (even 30 seconds would be enough!) he almost misses the shadowy figure slinking up in the dim lighting of the stairwell.
Tao and Baekhyun exchange knowing looks, and as if on cue they freeze on the steps and look back, just as the young man disappears down the hallway above them.
Tao’s mouth drops open, then closes. “Was that—?”
“Kai?”
“God, I haven’t seen him in…”
“Two years?”
“Something like that, yeah.”
“He’s like a ghost come back.”
“I thought he never comes here anymore.”
“That’s what I hear. That’s what I see anyways!”
“That’s what we don’t see anyways.”
“That’s who we don’t see anyways.”
“Whatever.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
“Shut up. I’m still freakin’ hungry.”
“Then shut up and let’s go eat already.”
The chill, fall weather wind slaps at the boys as soon as they hit the door. Tao shivers in his short sleeves but still strides powerfully out into the wind. Baekhyun however freezes, literally. His clothes are still damp from the day’s sweat and it’s only going to get worse he knows.
“Hold up a sec. I forgot my hoodie.”
“You’re a wuss, Baek. And I’m not waiting for you.”
“Then let’s meet at the deli. Order me something fir—“
“I don’t want to eat at the deli. I want Thai food.”
“I thought you wanted meat and carbs?! Whatever. Just get me something to eat and I’ll be right there.” He anticipates Tao’s next complaint, “Just order me anything, Tao! Something hot at least!”
“Spicy hot or hot hot?”
Baekhyun doesn’t bother answering. He’s already running back up the stairs, hopping an extra step at the top and sprinting back into the practice room. In the cubby holes by the old upright and dusty piano is his gray hoodie. Relief soaks into his body instantly. He’s still kind of freezing underneath but at least his arms and neck are now covered. He’s ready to deal with the weather again. And Tao.
His trek back down the hallway is less rushed this time. The building’s mostly cleared out now except for… Kai. Baekhyun gawks as the boy sneaks into one of the usually unoccupied practice rooms. It’s a smaller room with bad lighting, but there’s still a window opening on the upper part of the door and Baekhyun can’t resist it. He waits 20 seconds, 30 seconds, and when he’s sure no one else is going to come down the hallway, he steals a peak through the window.
Kai is a legend. A master of dance, and no dancer in the whole state region (and some nationally) could grow up not knowing his name. He’d won basically every competition there was to win between the ages of 7 and 16. His juniors were in awe of him, his peers were jealous; his seniors lived in fear of their being overtaken by the boy, and soon.
Baekhyun had seen him dance only once, when he was 15 and Kai 14. They were competing for once in the same division. He wanted to dislike the boy before he’d even seen him, just because of the buzz surrounding the legendary son of an already legendary dancer mother. ‘You won’t win against him,’ his teachers said, ‘but try your best anyway.’ Baekhyun and his friends snuck into the balcony for the boy’s group performance, just to get a feel for his competition. He remembers thinking the group was good, but can’t remember a single other person. Kai was good. Better than good. He was mesmerizing. He was the very definition of charisma plus artistry that every dancer strived to be. Baekhyun felt sick, thinking about competing against that in a solo category. He blames that feeling for his less than stellar performance hours later. Kai won of course. Baekhyun came in third.
Of course this is all ancient history now. Their circles never collided again in the years that followed, though Kai’s reputation did not cease to shine through. Even now, pictures of the boy or article clips denoting his wins and performances lay encased in glass notice boards across the facility. His trophies line some of the office walls. Half of the plaques in the entryway belong to him and him alone.
Kai’s presence is all over the building, all throughout the company.
When Baekhyun was seventeen and seriously deciding whether or not to go for dance as a career, he applied to dozens of dance schools, companies and colleges all over the east coast. Maybe it was Kai’s reputation that influenced him just a teensy little bit to apply at West River Contemporary. The company’s pre-professional program was already phenomenal, and their professional company just beginning to make waves in the community.
He made it onto the waiting list, and for two years attended college in hopes of finally getting in, returning to audition every season. It wasn’t like he wanted to see Kai again, to dance with him, or to compete with him. He just wanted to dance with the best, and West River had the best.
Except when he got here, there was no Kai.
Rumors abounded. ‘He’s gone pro.’ ‘He was invited to study in Europe.’ ‘He gave up dance.’ ‘He’s studying engineering in California.’ ‘He and his mom got into a fight.’ ‘He changed his name and went to Russia.’ ‘I think he said he wanted to be an astronaut.’
Baekhyun shrugged off all rumors and put the boy out of his mind, mostly. Kai was nowhere to be seen, but Baekhyun now danced for the boy’s mom’s company. Part 1 of dream stage complete, and a guy’s just got to focus on his career.
Not now though. Not this exact moment. Not when the mysterious Kai has returned and right this moment he’s inside this dance practice room which Baekhyun just has to see!
He looks in.
There’s no music playing, only one overhead light, and Kai is standing in the middle of the room staring at his reflection. He’s not dancing at all. Just standing there. Baekhyun’s forehead crinkles in confusion. His body sways accidentally and his knee knocks against the door. Kai’s head looks up and through the mirror his eyes make contact with Baekhyun’s. The offender ducks and sprints down the stairs. He’s suddenly hungry for Thai food. He needs it right now.
2 THE NAMES IN BOLD
A crowd already gathers around the bulletin board when Baekhyun and Tao get back from dinner. It's 7:26 pm, growing dark outside, and the hopes and dreams of the next season's performers rest on a little slip of paper yet to appear. Baekhyun doesn't try to push past the mass of his fellow dancers. He'll let Tao do that. The taller man's head can easily see over half the people standing around. He leans back against the opposing wall instead, arms entwined around his backpack which rests, backwards, on his flat stomach.
Just one little solo, he pleads internally. That's all I want.
The parts they earn today are the result of 2 months hard work and a slow evaluation process. No win or lose one-time audition cuts it anymore, not when you're already in the company. This will be Baekhyun's second season, but first winter season, performing with the crew and he already knew the choreographers had a killer stage in preparation. He may have chatted up some of the people who work one on one with the directors. Actually he makes it his business to know everything he can. There's no use dancing blindly if you don't know what they'll be looking for in the future.
"Hiya, Baek," comes a misleadingly chipper voice.
Baekhyun groans. The last person he wants to see right now is here. Great.
"Suho."
He deigns to incline his head in greeting. Baekhyun will not allow himself to be outwardly impolite, but he's always made it clear from his tone that befriending the 21 year old dancer was never in his intentions. He doesn't care if Suho's older. That kid is smarmy, egotistical, a loud mouth, and for some reason decided Baekhyun was his rival when Baekhyun first arrived. He supposes that should be a compliment to his talent. Suho was a whole year older and joined the company a year in advance. It doesn't make him feel any better though. Sure Baekhyun knows more than just a streak of ambition, but fighting over roles with Suho seems unnecessary, especially in this stage of their careers. It's too exhausting anyways. He needs to be putting his energy into becoming a better and stronger dancer, not bothering to listen to Suho's jibes.
"Fun evening. Hey do you think you're name will be up there more than once? I mean, like, in bold maybe?"
Bold means a solo. Last season, other than the principals, only 4 members of the Core were granted special stages within the main body of the production. The other 30 or so members are left to blend in with the rest. They disappear off the stage first, and return only for the first round of bows and applause.
A bold-lined soloist can mean other things too: a part in an ensemble with the principals, a slightly larger picture in the bulletin, name recognition.
"Why are you asking me? Here comes the list now."
Krystal, office secretary and pre-professional division teacher, glides down the hallway, a precious folder encased in her arms.
"I bet you can't wait to see the list. Oh wait, there's probably no point," Suho smirks. His hand comes down in a heavy slap against Baekhyun's right shoulder and he laughs. "I'm just kidding, Baek. I'm positive you'll get a nice role. In the wings."
Baekhyun wonders how such a nice looking, fresh-faced boy, can have a heart as rancid as his.
He makes no attempt to move nearer to the board, where Krystal is pinning the sheet in place. He closes his eyes, and the scene dissipates. He remembers the first time he ever stood on stage. Was he 6 or 7 years old? There was a black sea of faces but no stage fright; an annoying, childish song. Back then, all the little ones were made to tap dance for their first recital; a brilliant idea, putting fifteen first-graders in metal bottomed shoes.
Baekhyun thinks he kicked a little girl once in that class. She laughed at him; told him dancing was for girls. Baekhyun maybe agreed with her but he wasn’t going to admit it out loud. It’s not really kicking if he accidentally failed at a cartwheel in tap shoes, is it? His teacher made him sit in the corner for the rest of class and he wasn’t allowed to wear his shoes for another week. He should thank that teacher. It was then that Baekhyun learned how the dance floor feels when barefoot. The direct touch of skin to floor, there is nothing like it. It’s personal, sensual. His six-year old self didn’t know the word then. He’d come to learn it later, to recognize the passion he had for floor and the stage.
He hated that first recital. His feet yearned to touch that black-matted stage, to mold his toes to the floor, and how dare these strangely fitted, box-like shoes keep him from it. Being in the spotlight was nice of course. He got the loudest applause for being the cutest little boy out there, the only little boy out there. When the music ended and his class started to exit to stage left, he held up the line, ripped off his shoes and gingerly started to walk. There, there was the feel he was waiting for. The audience roared in the kind of laughter that sounds like applause, and he felt like he’d done something great.
“Baekhyun! Baek!” Tao calls him out of his revelry. “Baek, you did it! Your name’s in bold!”
“What?!”
“You heard me! Your name’s in bold. You’re one of two male soloists! Baek you’re awesome! I mean, Suho got the other part, but you’re going to be better of course. Wow man, that’s so cool!”
Baekhyun lazily shoves Tao aside and marches up to the board. A few of the other dancers congratulate him; some even seem sincere. His eyes scour the board and there, below the list of principals and above the list of Core dancers, is his name (and Suho’s) and two other girls. It’s really there. Those 30 seconds of time under the spotlight are really going to be his.
Tao bear hugs him from behind, and gently taps his fist under Baekhyun’s jaw, which is hanging open. He needs a moment of silence. He needs some time to process. He needs to text his mom and call his sister. He needs to go out and party. Maybe he can locate Minseok and Luhan on his way out and they can all hook up later this evening. Speaking of the principals, he double checks their various assignments. Minseok got the slightly better role. That means Luhan will be inconsolable, at least for today. Tao giggles, and Baekhyun knows he’s thinking the same thing.
The rest of the list isn’t anything too unique. The roles are assigned based on which choreographer they’ll be working with, and their allotted hours for the group rehearsals. A few of the dancers behind him sniff sadly, and he knows it’s because their names aren’t even on the Core. Every time there are a few cuts. Those members have the option of leaving, or staying around to shadow the rest of season’s rehearsals.
It’s not a problem Baekhyun has to worry about anymore. The results finally sink it. He’s a soloist. That means he’ll work twice as hard and love every minute of it. A smile forms slowly, then blossoms. Tao begins to pull at his arm, and Baekhyun looks back one last time in the greatest state of happiness he’s been in all year long.
Interesting, he thinks. He doesn’t know why but he almost assumed Kai’s name would be on that list there somewhere.
It isn’t.
“Congratulations, Baekhyun. I know you’ll be good for these parts and I expect to see much improvement over this year. Now head on out of here. I assume there will be some celebrations planned. Don’t get too wasted. Practice starts tomorrow at 7:00 am.”
“Tomorrow? At 7:00?” Baekhyun echoes Mrs. Kim’s pronouncement. “I thought—I thought we all begin Monday morning?”
“That’s when official rehearsals start. But it’s customary for soloists to get started the day before and work with the choreographers one on one.” She smiles. "Welcome to the bold line.” Baekhyun knows the woman isn’t evil, but right this moment he’s not so sure.
“Yes, ma’am.”
He’s standing in her office now, a third story room with inward facing windows and the lovely view of another building across the way. Down below is a tiny little courtyard, framed only by the extra space between the block-set buildings.
Kim Tae Hee is an imposing, gorgeous woman. Her legacy in the dance world is decades long and streams across continents, from the country of her birth, South Korea, through Europe where she achieved her fame, and finally to New York where she settled down and took over this company. She was a ballerina of the highest caliber, but thanks to the influence of her son, she grew a fondness for managing the more modern of dance arts. West River Contemporary (renamed only 8 years ago) is a product of this.
They don’t look like each other, Baekhyun thinks. Not the eyes, not the nose. The lips though. I can see the resemblance in the lips.
“Baekhyun, have you met my son Kai?”
What?
“Huh?”
She’s looking behind him now. Kai stands in the doorway. He didn’t hear the door, didn’t hear Kai come in.
"Kai," she repeats. "I'm sure you know the name."
Baekhyun hesitates to agree, even though he knows that legendary name. Of course he knows that name, that face, that body. Why though, is the boy staring him down like he was chopped liver and the most distasteful thing imaginable?
"Yes... Uhm. Hi." Really, Baekhyun, that's the best you can do?
"Hello." He really doesn't look like he wants to be here right now. The call of mother, though. She beckons and he obeys.
"Kai's just home from Texas." Mrs. Kim seems more than used to her son's apparently customary distemper. She ignores his every scowl, and Baekhyun's confusion as well. "The south must agree with you, baby. You look so handsomely tanned." The boy glares like his mother just pulled out the baby pictures. "Aren't you two around the same age? Kai you must look in on some of Baekhyun's practices. I think your styles are complementary. It'll do you both good."
It's Kai's turn to stammer. "What?! Mom--"
"Shush, Kai. Figure out some times with Baekhyun here. I need to go and find the girls now. Bye, sweetie." She pecks him on the cheek embarrassingly and slides gracefully out the door. Baekhyun's not sure what happens next. Did she just suggest (nay, demand) they practice together? Kai and Baekhyun? He thinks back to the casting list that so obviously does not include Kai's name on it, anywhere. It hasn't been there for two years. Was Kai dancing with another company all this time, perhaps in Texas? If so, why is he back here and why isn't he dancing now?
There's a moment of silence as the two dancers stand awkwardly surveying the other. Kai is the first to break it, somehow stealing back some confidence into his person.
"Baekhyun... Byun Baekhyun, am I right?"
"Uh, yeah. You know who I am?"
"Sure." Kai's responses are casual, impartial. "I've seen you dance a couple times. Yesterday I did for a little while. You've gotten better since the last time I saw you."
"You've seen me before?"
"Been a few years. Four years, five years maybe?" He sits down slouching a little in his mom's vacated rolling chair, a little grin appearing on his face. "That competition upstate. Yeah, I was warned I might have some competition then from you. But then, you... croaked. Pressure get to you, or something?"
Baekhyun doesn't know how to respond. His mouth falls open a little, and his stomach churns. When was the last time he ate? Oh yeah, about an hour ago and that Thai food isn't settling properly. Something isn't settling properly. Here he is, meeting one of his biggest role models (this is the first time he even admits such a thing), and the guy actually knows who he is, remembers who he is. Except, what is this? He decides to call bullshit.
"Right. Like anyone ever told you you could be beaten."
To Kai it's like a stab in the heart. His breath hitches and his eyes search out Baekhyun's, accusingly. Something in Baekhyun crumples. Okay, maybe that was too harsh? He didn't expect a reaction like that. Maybe it's not just him who lets the pressure get to himself.
Kai's breath falls back to normal, and the passive face returns, plastering on that fake little grin which Baekhyun now recognizes as a brash expression of condescension.
"Look, mom wanted me to watch you dance. 7:00 am work with you? I hear that's when the soloists get started." He postively spits out the last sentence, his voice teasing out the sylables of the word soloist.
"Sure, if you can get up that early." Baekhyun can be nasty back. He doesn't know why Kai brings out this side of him. I didn't croak back then! Maybe he did though? The [possible] reason is sitting in front of him now, however much he wants to deny it. How is Baekhyun supposed to remain calm in a situation like this?
Kai looks to be contemplating whether or not to continue their little row. Decency takes over. "7:00 am?" He sighs. "Guess I'll need an extra coffee... See you in the practice room, then." He stands up and kindly motions for Baekhyun to exit the room first.
"O-okay. See you."
Baekhyun hesitates no longer and steps into the hallway, hoisting his backpack over one shoulder. He notices that Kai doesn't follow him yet. Turning around, his curiosity gets the better of him. "What have you been doing in--?"
But the look on Kai's face drains away the last words he means to ask. --in Texas? Were you dancing all this time? Why hasn't anyone seen you? Heard from you? Why are you here but still not dancing? Why are you waking up so early in the morning to come and watch me dance? How come... you know me?
"Goodnight," is all he says instead.
"Night." Kai closes the door behind him as Baekhyun walks off, his head shaking a bit wondering still about whatever just happened. He forgets though when he sees the party waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Tao and Minseok and Luhan and a gang of others beckon for their celebratory dinner and fun night out. Baekhyun hasn't even texted his mom or sister yet. Oh well. He's a soloist now, and from the looks of it the boys managed to exclude Suho from the planned events.
Most excellent!
Except he hasn't exactly forgotten the boy shut away in the office upstairs. Not quite.
3 PHONE CALLS AND STARVING CHILDREN
Kai leaves the building long after everyone’s gone. The sky’s gone black and after turning the first corner at the end of the block, only a few street lamps light up the road and the sidewalk home. His tiny hole of an apartment is only 5 blocks away from the studio. It’s an easy walk, even in the dark. Kai likes the darkness more these days. It’s better than the bright lights he grew up under, those blinding spotlights he no longer misses.
Who is he kidding? Of course he misses the spotlights.
Kai thrived on the stage, the heat from the mega wat lamps, the roar from the rafters above. They fueled his smile and put fire in his bones. He feels butterfly rush of his stomach muscles just remembering how it feels to stand in front of an audience of hundreds. Someday he would make that an audience of thousands. So he once thought.
Kai fiddles with his keys at the doorway to his mercifully first floor room. No menacing stairs to climb. Unfortunately though the windows face the street and with the curtains open there is no privacy if any passers-by care to look in. The keys slip out of his fingers and clatter onto the ground. The light’s on inside, but he can’t see his roommate anywhere. Unless the boy’s in the bathroom or playing hide-and-seek under the window sill, it doesn’t look like he’s home. That means he's in luck.
He shoves the door open with a twist of the right key and a hard kick of the foot. Timing is important here. The door bangs open with a sound more audible than if you’d just slammed it closed. Kai misses the spacious single-person apartment he had back in Texas. This lousy excuse for a room rents out at twice the price, and that’s not including the other half of Kyungsoo’s contribution.
A small pile of mail lies on a table beside the door. Most of the junk mail distributors haven’t caught up on his address change yet. That’ll change soon, he knows. With a groan he lunges onto his bed in the corner, the sheets unmade from the night before, and lets his shoe-clad feet hang over the edge. Half a minute later the shoes go flying, and he inches the socks off one at a time with his toes.
Now he can relax.
There’s a blessed silence, strangely unmarred by street noises or the thumping of his upstairs neighbors’ feet. But it doesn’t last for long. Kai’s cell may have been silenced, but the buzzing noise of an incoming call echoes twice as loudly in the stillness of the room.
“Hey.”
Kai doesn’t feel like talking right now, but he kind of owes Sehun for not personally telling his former best friend about his return to the city.
“I heard you were back.”
“Yeah.”
“How long now?”
Kai hums, as if in deep thought. He lays back on his head pillow, phone hand up to his ear with his right elbow splayed out flat on the pillow. “Two weeks?”
There’s a brief silence, followed by a single curse word on the other end of the line. “Well then, welcome home. Thanks for telling me.”
“No problem, buddy.”
Sehun curses again, then with a frustrated sigh continues as if nothing is changed. “You and me, some of the old gang… how about drinks next Friday?”
“That’s a week away.”
“Okay, then let’s meet up Monday for lunch. But still drinks next Friday.”
“I shouldn’t right now.”
“Huh? Ohh. Oh, right. Well, we’ll figure out something then.”
“Yeah…”
Kai raises his legs up until his toes block the light from the harsh overhead lamp. With his toes spread wide, the plain old ceiling fixture transforms into rays of light.Like the sun, he thinks, but not as bright. Not as powerful as a spotlight either.
“Hey, Kai?”
“Hmm.”
“How’re you doing?”
“I’m fine, Sehun.” He drops his legs down with a bounce.
“Sure you are. How’s your mom? I haven’t been over there in a couple weeks.”
“She says hi, what do you think? You probably know more about what she’s been up to than I do. Why bother asking me?”
“Because you’re such a model for mother-son relationships,” Sehun scoffs. “She’s been lonely, you know.”
“Like I can fix that now. Anyways, she had you. You’ve always been like a second son.”
“And you’ve always been a stuck-up pain in the ass.”
“And proud of it.”
“You’re so full of crap.”
The two share a small chuckle. Kai knows that Sehun’s been missing him, and the truth is Kai missed Sehun too. They were best friends since middle school, dance pals and partners in mayhem. There isn’t a single thing Sehun doesn’t know about Kai, but it bothers Kai now that there seems to be more and more things that Kai doesn’t know back. Not because Sehun never told him, but because Kai never asked. He’s cut himself off from too many things these last few years. His best friend is one of them.
“You know you can fix that now,” Sehun continues quietly. It’s almost as if they aren’t still speaking on the phone. Kai swears Sehun is sitting in the room with him now, just like old times.
“Fix what?”
“You and your mom. Us. Your life back here?”
Kai’s tongue won’t form a response. The world seems to be choking him, and all the stress and pain he’s allowed to bury deep inside himself threatens to come loose, like vomit making its escape.
His eyes burn a little. “Yeah, I’ll try.”
“Good.”
Another pause. “Hey do you know a Byun Baekhyun?” Kai asks.
“Yeah. He just got promoted to soloist, right?”
“You do hear news fast.”
“Boa may or may not have mentioned it when she may or may not have called to tell me she saw you slinking around the studio earlier.”
“Geez, I’m can’t even cough around here and the whole world’s reporting it.”
“As I told you, welcome home. What about this Baekhyun though?”
“I’m supposed to observe him practicing tomorrow. Mom’s orders.” The last words come out bitterly.
“He’s good.”
“And?”
“Not as good as you were.”
“Not as good as I was, Sehun?” Kai’s tone glitters, but it’s still evident he’s a little taken aback by that remark.
“Not as good as you could be right now if you tried, Kai. Why is she making you shadow Baekhyun though?”
“She says our styles are ‘complementary’.”
“I guess that could be true. He’s got a load of potential. Makes me a little bit jealous, personally. Just be careful though. I think he’s got a foot fetish.”
Kai snorts loudly into the receiver.
“I’ll count myself warned. Hey I should hang up. If I don’t fall asleep soon I’ll probably get woken up when Kyungsoo gets in. Kid’s so irritating, honestly.”
“You’re rooming with Kyungsoo?”
“Yeah. Why? Does he have a foot fetish too?”
Sehun laughs. “I’m just saying…”
“You’re not saying jack, Sehun. Yeah I know he’s weird, but at least he’s not a complete stranger. He’s tidy too.”
“Like you actually care about tidiness.”
“Hey, I do! Especially when it’s other peoples’ crap.”
“Only when it’s other peoples’ crap. You don’t do a single thing to keep your own stuff organized. Whatever. Goodnight. Food on Monday. Text me a place.”
“Gotcha. ‘Night.”
It's barely 10:00 pm and Kai swears it's 4 in the morning by the way his body refuses to budge from the bed. He should put on some different clothes, brush his teeth, or drink some water to temper his aching muscles. He knew he lost some of that muscle tone from being out of practice, but he didn't consider how inflexible he'd become. He's going to pay for this tomorrow morning when he wakes up. His body's going to cringe and groan like an old man's and there's nothing he can do to prevent it for now. Except sleep. He pulls himself out of the bed just far enough to hit the light switch, then lays down pulling the comforter completely over his head.
It’s 10 o’clock in another part of town, and the night is still young. Baekhyun doesn’t know how it’s possible but they’ve managed to squeeze at least a dozen people into a tiny little noraebang and the theme of the night is Kpop. It’s hardly Baekhyun’s favorite kind of music. ‘Just because half of us are of Korean origin doesn’t mean we all like Kpop!’ he ranted to Tao when they first got there. Luhan’s not Korean though, and he loves the stuff. And since Luhan’s the most depressed, they let him pick the evening's entertainment. Actually, even when he’s not depressed he ends up picking the place. The last time it was a sports club and they got thrown out when Luhan insisted on picking a soccer-inspired fight with a man who only liked American football. Luhan was so drunk Baekhyun’s pretty sure he never realized he was comparing apples to oranges.
Speaking of the drunk, Luhan’s not doing so well tonight either.
“Hey, Baek!! Baek! Come over here for a sec!”
Baekhyun’s already sitting right next to his caller, their knees touching in the small space of the leather couch. He groans, but truly he’s enjoying the night, the group’s choice in music aside.
“What!” he yells extra loud, just to see Luhan’s reaction.
“Yeeeesh, not so loud Baek!” Luhan covers his ears protectively. “Hey, come here.” He motions like he wants to whisper something, for Baekhyun’s ears only. “See that boy over there.” Baekhyun looks. Minseok’s sitting on the other side of the room, clapping his hands and cheering for the trio of dancers currently singing in the most embarrassing of ways. His hair looks matted on one side, standing up in tufts on the other, a testament to the two rivals’ earlier scuffle. “I want you to trip him up tomorrow. Then they’ll give me his role, and the balance of the world will be set right, and there’ll be no more starving people in China. Because I, Luhan, will feed them all. With my salary increase.”
“I’ll try my best! For, you know, the starving children.”
“I knew I could count on you, Baekkie!”
“Anytime.”
Baekhyun takes a swig from the nearest soju bottle and grimaces. He’ll never like the taste. He’s also a bit of a lightweight, but so far no one in the group besides Tao has figured that out. Baekhyun does a good job disguising this fact by alternating water and soju, and thank God they both have the same clear color. He doesn’t want to think about the last time he ended up totally wasted. There most definitely won’t be a repeat of that incident, because Tao doesn’t need any more pictures for blackmail material.
The music changes and a chorus of cheers erupt from the other side of the room, and from Luhan. It’s Girls’ Generation “Hoot” and Baekhyun knows what’ll happen next. He settles in for the show as his seatmate hops into action, demanding a mic. Several of the dancers shuffle around as one of their female principals also springs to life. Min sways on her feet, the effects of alcohol having already taken a toll on her sense of gravity, but there’s no holding her back.
Baekhyun relaxes back, his hands clasped behind his head and waits as the intro passes and the performers proceed to embarrass themselves, to the rest of the crowd’s immense enjoyment. There’s nothing in the world quite like drunk singer Luhan with his backup dancer Min. The two are boisterous on a normal day, but put them together for karaoke and the effects of their merriment could probably energize a small town for weeks.
“Hey Luhan, why are you a dancer again?” somebody yells out.
“Should’ve been a singer! I heard SM was holding trial auditions for their upcoming girl group!”
Luhan scoffs but doesn’t miss a beat.
Minseok's laughing outrageously from his seat, but mostly because of the ‘arrow shots’ Min’s shooting him with her aggressive dance cover.
“Non yokshi trouble trouble trouble…” sings Luhan, blissfully unaware.
Baekhyun and Tao are just waiting for him to notice, wide grins set on their faces, and Tao pulls out his phone, recording setting ready. Min does this every time to upset the overly touchy Chinese dancer.
“-ttaereul noryosseo noneun shoo shoo shoo naneun hoo hoo—YA! MIN WHAT ARE YOU--? QUIT THAT!”
The music plays on without its singer, and Min collapses to floor in a riot of tears and laughter while Luhan fake pummels her on the head.
"What do you think you are now, 2-Min??" Luhan screeches.
Minseok protests, one hand shaking before Luhan, the other holding his own chest as loud sobs wrack through his body.
"What a night," Baekhyun sighs. It's not even half past 10 but he wonders if he can slip out now, before it gets that much later. Call him an overachiever or something, but he's looking forward to tomorrow's early morning practice. Or dreading it, he can't decide which. The only thing he's certain about is how he wants to be at his best. Because, he's a soloist now. There's surely no other reason...
"Tao, I'm out of here. Tell the guys I'll see 'em around later."
"Sure. You're rehearsing tomorrow?, right?"
"That's the plan. Oh, and try not to wake me up when you get home this time."
Tao chuckles. "Right! I'll do my best."
"Why do I not believe you?"
"Can I apologize in advance?"
"Long as you don't expect me to accept it."
Tao makes a cute face but it doesn't work on Baekhyun. He scowls and turns around to sneak out the door. Okay so maybe it does work, but Tao doesn't need to know that. He'll forgive him later, depending on his mood, though he seriously hopes for a good, solid night's rest. Tomorrow feels like it will a long day.
4 DANCE TUTOR
The practice rooms are cold and bare at 6:50 in the morning. This is Baekhyun's favorite time to dance, when the building hangs in shadow, and the floors are freshly swept, and a thin layer of dust lays over the floor but it's as yet uncontaminated by the sweat and grime of other dancers' feet. His are the first to touch this floor today. It's like a reset point in his day by day existence. The world is a blank, and he'll start to shape it now.
Having texted one of the choreographers last night, Baekhyun knows he has two hours before the actual practice begins, but the dancers are all expected to be warmed and ready to go by then. This is his warm up hour. Somehow Baekhyun doubts Kai will really show up so early. He chooses a medium sized room in the corner of the second floor farthest from the stairs and plops down to stretch. His muscles pull at the strain from only a single night's rest as he works them into shape.
Tao did indeed wake him up, in the early hours of the morning. After a couple feeble yells though, he managed to roll over and pass out. Luckily for Tao it didn’t mess up Baekhyun’s sleeping pattern too much.
The sounds of others trampling down the hall don't disturb Baekhyun, as he works the stiffness now from his back and shoulders. None of the other dancers make it so far down the hall, their paths directed to other rooms where he knows they'll warm up either individually or in two's and three's. He could join some of them, if he wanted to. As one of the youngest soloists, Baekhyun hasn't established a routine with the other dancers in this particular crowd. Most would probably be welcome for the extra company, but Baekhyun decides to test his social skills another day. Still music-less, he stands at the barre by the window and works out his feet and calves, his arms braced on the barre while he arches and curves his back. The view isn't too great from this room either, but since it's on the edge of the building at least it has a window. That's why he picked it in the first place, to get a feel of the morning sun pouring life into his body.
It's half past 7 when Baekhyun checks the clock, and still there’s no Kai.
Figures, he thinks, without bitterness.
A few more minutes pass and he's just about to vacate the room and find some of the other members when the door squeaks open slowly. Kai steps in unhurriedly, wearing comfortable workout clothes, a small bag over his shoulder and juggling two coffees. "Morning."
"Uh, yeah. Morning."
"How long have you been here? I brought you coffee."
"Since 7. Why did you bring me coffee?"
"I told you I would bring an extra coffee."
Oh?
"I thought you were the one needing an extra coffee."
Kai shrugs and passes one over into Baekhun's confused hands. "What kind is it?"
"There's a particular kind? It's just coffee. Black. Maybe it has some cream or sugar in it, I don't know."
Baekhyun refrains from asking how Kai doesn't even know what he bought.
"Uhh, thank you." He takes a little sip, checking for temperature and learns that it's right at a good drinkable state, no longer scalding but not yet lukewarm. He doesn't really drink coffee, doesn't crave it, and truthfully if it was anyone else he'd probably refuse it. But this is Kai, and while it's not exactly a heart-thumping gift, this coffee feels like a truce offering for whatever not-quite-a-spat they had yesterday in Mrs. Kim's office.
They drink their coffee in silence for a few moments until Kai guzzles the rest of his, visibly unsettled by some thought of which Baekhyun’s too afraid to inquire. Before he can get a better reading, Kai wipes the expression clean from his face and looks at Baekhyun.
“Shall we get started? Are you warm?”
“Yeah, but you aren’t… are you?”
“I uh- did some stuff earlier this morning. Woke up really early.”
“I see. So, what are we working on?”
“How about some of the stuff from the summer repertoire? Whatever piece the group was working on yesterday. You’ve got the music for it, right?”
“By the CD player.”
Kai paces over to the corner desk, chucks his empty coffee cup into the trash bin underneath and begins filtering through the stack of CD’s on top.
“Do you know the choreography?” Baekhyun is starting to wonder about the exact nature and purpose of this ‘practice’ session.
“Nope. Thought I’d start by just watching you dance.”
“Why?” Baekhyun doesn’t mean to sound so startled. The word just comes out that way, harsh and unbridled.
“Why what?” Kai finds the correct CD and waits for the machine to load it.
“Why am I the only one practicing?”
“Because you’re the one who just became a soloist," he says without turning around. "You can think of this as a sort of tutoring session.” Kai’s having fun now. The music begins to play, a slow hum of sounds, faint but promising.
Baekhyun doesn’t budge in the center of the room. “I don’t need a tutor,” he says a little louder.
“No dancer doesn’t need a tutor.” Kai turns around and leans backwards on the desk, his arms folded together.
“Then what about you?”
“This isn’t about me. I was asked to watch you practice this morning. I want to see you dance.”
Baekhyun doesn’t miss the lack of connecting words: ‘asked to watch you’, ‘want to see you.’ Some part of Kai wants to be here. He misses the cue to start dancing though, and Kai wordlessly stops the music and sets it to play from the beginning. This time Baekhyun shuts out his growing anxiety and faces the mirror.
You’re a pro now, Baekhyun. Show him that you can do this.
Kai witnesses a transformation before his eyes, as the petite dancer begins to move with the music, shrugging off the bristling attitude he had before. Kai fetches a single wooden stool from beside the desk and plops himself down so that his back reclines against the wall, hands in his lap, and his legs splay out widely, his feet drawn to action as they roll with the music. If this was a symphony he could close his eyes and fall passionately and entirely into the chords of a fifty piece orchestra, but this is Baekhyun dancing, so he shuts off every other sense but his eyes and ears and feasts upon the scene.
“He’s good,” Sehun had said.
Kai knew Baekhyun was good too, but remembering those words from last night he thinks Sehun purposefully understated the talent of the company’s newest protégé. It’s almost like a hook, meant to draw him in, with his mother and Sehun as the fishermen, a sea-tossed Kai, and the boy now dancing as the lure.
Baekhyun reminds Kai of himself. How he moves, how he feels, how his body never stills even in a resting pose. Baekhyun has all of Kai’s flexibility and prowess, his presence and at least half of his power.
Oh the things this boy could do—
The music ends, and Baekhyun stops too, an inquiring expression blooming across his features and Kai realizes that several moments passed and he hasn’t yet made a sound. The song tries to replay, and Kai quickly sits up and snaps the power off.
“Well? Teacher?” Baekhyun asks.
The attitude is back, but Kai finds that he doesn’t care. Kai is all business now. “I can see why you were chosen for this role.”
Baekhyun waits for it. “But..?”
“No buts, though you really need to work on your timing, or rather the fluidity of your movements with the time. Your rythmn was a little too rigid during the bridge when you should be going for a more sweeping effect.”
“I thought you said there were no buts?” Baekhyun doesn’t really mind. He’s already trying that part, working up to the sweeping effect.
“I didn’t say it was bad- drop your shoulder there… there!”
Baekhyun demonstrates it again.
“Right. Watch this step here. You’re hopping into it too much. Uh huh-like that.”
Kai talks while Baekhyun dances, teacher and pupil, and Baekhyun forgets that he’s the older one and Kai his junior. Truthfully, Baekhyun never thought of Kai as a little boy, or anyone remotely younger than himself. The legend was too strong, and while there are dancers out there with a firm dislike of their juniors stealing the spotlight (Suho comes to mind), to Baekhyun Kai was mature beyond years, and artistic beyond measure.
Standing side by side with his now mentor, Baekhyun is pretty sure nothing has changed to make him think differently of the dancer. Kai coaches him from the side, never coming too near him. He knows just what to say and what advice to give, and Baekhyun feels his dance changing and molding at the slightest adjustment. It’s 8:37 when another dancer pokes her head in to see what they’re up to, and Baekhyun realizes he’s learned more in the last hour than he has in six months.
He drops to the floor, his body spent, and casually angles his head in Kai's direction to see what the man is up to. The girl at the door giggles and Kai greets her, there being some recognition of each other on both ends. Small talk, as Kai verifies that yes, he is indeed back and it's good to see her again. Baekhyun thinks he sounds tired. It can't be because Kai's physically exhausted though, because it was Baekhyun doing the all of the hard work this morning.
He's probably tired of explaining his presence here, Baekhyun muses. If the people here are anything like Baekhyun, they're likely just as confused by Kai's return as he is. There never was a consensus on where Kai went two years ago, or why. Even the most well informed teachers and his former friends and acquaintances were tight-lipped about it all this time, if they knew anything in the first place.
Kai bids the girl a polite 'later', shuts the door, and stalks back to the middle of the floor, hovering a few feet from where Baekhyun still lays. He pulls himself up so that his hands support his lower back, waiting expectantly for Kai to say something.
“Good practice,” Kai says.
“Yep. Thanks— even if I don't know why you're bothering.”
“Like I said, my mom—“
“Yeah I heard what you said.”
Kai doesn’t respond.
“I just don’t get why. Not to sound like a prick or anything, because I’m semi new here, but it seems highly unusual that someone like you would be sent to ‘monitor’ my dancing abilities. I mean, for one, you’re not a teacher, a director or a choreographer; though I guess if you’re Mrs. Kim’s son you’re granted some sort of opinion of me to share. But still, why me? Unless-unless you are a new teacher/choreographer! Are you?”
Kai’s lacks of acknowledgement suggests he isn’t, so Baekhyun continues his monologue.
“Well then. Two, we’re not exactly friends. We barely know each other. I’ve seen you dance in person only once, and you’ve seen me what… before today… two times?
“Maybe,” he finally replies.
“Maybe what?”
“Maybe three times?”
“You’ve seen me dance three times? When? Where?”
“I don’t know. Competitions or some place.”
“I could’ve sworn we only did the same competition once. Where else did you see me dance? Was it at some other convention? You must’ve taken a lot of master classes to get to where you are now. I mean, you’re a good teacher.” He snaps his fingers like some kind of logic puzzle just made sense. “Ahh, your mom probably knows this. Is this why she sent you here today?”
“It’s possible.”
“Is she grooming you to teach?”
Kai scowls. “I don’t kn-- Does it matter? Why are you so chatty all of a sudden?”
“I just want to know.”
“Well I don’t know.” Kai’s voice grows a little louder, and Baekhyun gulps at the sound of his frustration. “Look I just moved back two weeks ago. I’ve still got half my crap in boxes, and some of it hasn’t even arrived yet. I was told to come watch you practice, and I did that. Now everyone in this friggin’ company wants to know what I’m doing here and after helping you perfect your technique for an hour I get a full on interrogation from you!”
Baekhyun feels bad. Really bad. “Uhh-gh” he stutters.
“What now!”
The very near-livid look on Kai’s face has Baekhyun wishing the floor would swallow him whole. He wishes he’d kept his big mouth shut. He can’t even tear his eyes away, and the range of emotions on Kai’s face seem to be mirroring his own sense of desperation over an encounter gone wrong.
“Th-thank you.”
Something in Kai softens. “Huh?”
“Thank you for the coffee, too,” says Baekhyun rapidly, but sincerely.
Kai’s shoulders relax. He didn’t even realize how tense he’d become over the last few minutes. “You already thanked me, earlier.”
“I-I did?”
“Yeah.” The fight’s gone out of both of them. “You should probably get a move on. Your rehearsal starts soon, doesn’t it?”
“Oh yeah. Are—are you going to come to it?”
“Probably not. I-I’ve been out of practice for a while.”
“Oh. Well… why don’t you get yourself a tutor then?”
Kai smirks. “I’m willing if you are.”
“Seriously?”
“No.”
Baekhyun laughs, and they grin at each other, one crisis passed.
“I’ll see you around then?” Baekhyun asks, with what he knows is his most friendly and precious smile.
Kai sighs. “Count on it.”
It feels just the same as it did yesterday, with Baekhyun grabbing his things and exiting the room, Kai staying put. It’s only as Baekhyun joins the other dancers in one of the larger practice rooms that he realizes something. He was more than warmed up with all the exercise and motions Kai had put him through. He danced harder in that hour than in any group practice, motivated by the drive of Kai’s voice edging him on. But in all that time, he didn’t actually see Kai dance. Not even a single step.
5 EARLY MORNING BREAKFAST
The week inches by and Baekhyun’s too tired and busy to do more than briefly notice Kai’s absence around the studio. Rehearsals start on Monday from early morning until late afternoon, and thanks to his self-inflicted work ethic, Baekhyun usually reappears after his evening meal to clock in more hours of individual practice. Sometimes Tao stays behind to keep him company, but mostly it's to convince the more motivated dancer to take breaks every half hour, to remind Baekhyun to drink more water, and to encourage him to leave at some point before the crack of dawn. Tao exaggerates of course, but his failed success rate speaks volumes for the growing number of nights when he drags an exhausted Baekhyun out of the studio at 9:58 pm, 10:14 pm, and once until almost 11:00 pm.
Friday mornings the dancers have off and most are typically forbidden from even entering the building until after lunchtime. It's for this reason that Baekhyun finds himself up at 9 being dragged by a bustlingly energetic Tao to meet several of the members for breakfast. The diner is just a few blocks from the studio, a haunt more so of the local college students than of the dancers, but once a month a group of them gather to eat, if just to see each other in a less competitive and exhausting environment.
"Do you know who's coming?" Baekhyun asks, zipping up his hoodie and tying the drawstring tight around his neck. The morning is chilly, and given the chance on this rare morning off, he'd rather be sleeping in.
"Well you never know. Luhan and Minseok definitely, some of the girls... Hopefully not Suho, but you know he'll probably hear about it from someone and show up."
Baekhyun tries not to make a face.
"Oh, and I told Kris, so, he might meet us there too."
"You told Kris? That stalker? Why?"
"I don't know. He was texting me yesterday about how he didn't have anything to do this week, and I kind of felt bad. So I told him some friends were meeting for breakfast and... that he could come."
"I thought you were trying to get rid of that creeper."
"He's not a creep-- he's not a creeper, or a stalker, Baek."
"Then why does he follow you around all the time and text you non-stop?"
Baekhyun may be blowing the situation a little out of proportion, but in his mind Tao does have a little problem dealing with the [mostly] unwanted attention of the neighborhood loner. It was Baekhyun's fault that Kris Wu met Tao in the first place. The neighborhood is a small place when you and another person happen to share to same midnight grocery patterns, and after a few random meet-ups in the bread aisle and one ill-advised invitation for the gangly grad student to hang out with him and his friend, Kris latched onto Tao the moment they shook hands. He's been bugging them ever since.
"I don't know," Tao shrugs. He really doesn't. Kris is awkward as heck, can't keep a conversation going without jumping off topic at least a dozen times and Tao's not sure if Kris likes likes him or if he's just so lonely and Tao's smile so dazzling friendly he can't help but follow the light. "He's not a bad guy though. You should give him a chance."
Baekhyun grunts. "Are you going to give him a chance, then?"
"What're you inferring??" Tao looks scandalized, and then sulky. "It's not like I like the guy. He's just like a puppy dog. Cute, you know. But after a while you kind of wish they belonged to someone else... Hey, he bought me that hat I wanted once. So see he's not all bad."
"You have a dozen hats, Tao. What's one less going to do to change your life?"
"It was designer, and I didn't want to spend the money on it. I mean, I would have but Kris was already there so..."
"Right." Baekhyun can only imagine it. Tao acts tough but he's a whiner when there's something he wants. Baekhyun thinks maybe he's gotten to the bottom of why Tao hasn't told Kris to take a hike yet. "You're a hat whore, Tao."
"Oh shut it."
They're the first from their party to arrive at the diner and they quickly snag the largest booth in the back corner, unsure of how many might show up. The place is half full already with other early breakfasters, not college students since that crowd tends to snooze in late, but a few of the older locals and some solo diners who probably work at the surrounding schools judging by their attire. Baekhyun feels out of place, and when one of the assumed-professors passes a gaze over at the two he feels a twinge of guilt for dropping out of college like he did. His mind churns in fabricated anxiety. Maybe that professor knows?? He'd been a sociology major at his local junior college even though he didn't particularly like the field. It's why he gave it up in the span of a heartbeat. The lifespan and career of a dancer was short, of that he was well aware, and it definitely influenced his ultimate decision to leave, parents' concerns be damned. College would always be there, but his health and physique may well not be. If only that knowledge could assuage all of his doubts, all of the time. He rifles through the menu, head buried behind it to avoid anyone else's possibly probing eyes. Tao misses Baekhyun's entire inner monologue, so concerned is he with picking out his long-awaited super massive breakfast.
Minseok is the first to arrive, yawning sleepily as he piles in next to Baekhyun, and a few moments later a few of the younger girls on the company, Tanya and Elizabeth, join the group and sneak in next to Tao. Their giggles and early morning greetings are cut short, however, by the arrival of a super thin giant with shaggy black hair*, and at his souring look of confusion, Tao quickly pleads with the girls to scoot over so Kris can sit in between.
"Hi," he says gruffly to the girls, skipping over any apologies he might owe for their having to move. Tao lazily facilitates the introductions, and Baekhyun rolls his eyes behind his menu. He turns his attention instead to his drowsy companion on the right.
"Hey, Minnie."
Minseok pulls up one of his half-closed eyelids to glare, but refuses to wake up enough to refute the nickname.
"Hey, yourself." He stifles another yawn, covering his mouth with one hand and the menu slips out of his other hand. "Great..." A few bumps of the knees and head later, Minseok reemerges from under the table, triumphantly raising his menu high. "Today's going to be absolutely wonderful!" His face though betrays his thoroughly grumpy mood.
Baekhyun grins. "Aren't you usually a little more coordinated in the mornings? What's gotten you in this state? Stay up too late?"
"Yeah. Video games. That sort of thing."
"I see... Skyrim?" He laughs.
"Very funny. Nope. I just got Titanfall a few weeks ago, and I suck at it. So I stayed up all night. Guess what? I still suck at it."
Baekhyun gives what he hopes is a comforting pat to Minseok's wrist. "So where's Luhan this morning?"
Minseok shrugs.
"Don't you guys room together?"
"No," he says, like there's nothing amiss.
It's a little too early to be blowing holes in Baekhyun's ship worldview, but he lets it go as the waitress comes to take their orders. She's just written down the last request for hash browns and orange juice and walked off when a few more of their company meander in, closely followed by Suho, fashionably late with a beanie over his head and smug look like he owns the world.
"Morning. Good morning. Well guys, I'm here now, so let's eat."
Minseok doesn't even hesitate. "Welcome. Good for you. You can track down the waitress 'cause she's already taken our orders."
"What? Wow. Thanks for waiting," he scoffs in reply, arm in the air as he shouts across the diner.
"Suho, what's-- that?" Tao points across the booth to a strand of light hair escaping from the side of Suho's beanie.
"Oh this?" Suho grins widely and removes the hat. A shock of platinum blonde hair emerges. The rest of the table deadpans as Suho tosses his mussed but obviously styled, and definitely bleach-dyed, head. "Just decided it was time for an image change," he says proudly.
It will also stand out brighter than anyone else's on stage too, Baekhyun thinks to himself. Show off.
The rest seem to be thinking the same thing. Tao curls his upper lip in disgust while the others continue to stare, mouths open and silent. Even the girls seem to have taken a shock. Kris looks on blankly, a little confused and opinion-less at this odd introduction to the now blonde dancer.
"Maybe I should dye mine pink?" Minseok suggests cutely.
The silence comes to an end as the table erupts in a chorus of "nooos", laughter, and a few excited shouts of assent (Baekhyun's among them). It's with a heavy sigh of disgruntlement that Suho shoves his beanie back on, fishes a pair of sunglasses out of a pocket on the outside of his bag and cooly reclines in the booth, his eyes well protected from the single ray of sunlight filtering through the window way up at the front of the diner.
The conversation of the group turns to other points of gossip in the company, Kris as clueless as ever and visibly attached to Tao's side until their food comes and the table rescinds into silence. Through muffled grunts and a few half-hearted attempts at conversation, minutes go by until Baekhyun suddenly receives an elbow to his increasingly full gut. Tao, mouth full and chewing furiously, jerks his head at a pair of boys taking a seat across from each other at a small table by the door. Baekhyun recognizes Kai and almost chokes on his food. It's been nearly a week since they last met and if Baekhyun's being honest with himself, he kind of assumed he'd hear from Kai before today, instead of running into each other on opposite ends of a breakfast diner. How, he's not sure. They hadn't exactly exchanged phone numbers, but Kai's absence around the studio was beginning to wear on Baekhyun's mind.
“Oh it's Kai." Minseok and a few of the others notice him too.
"I don't think he's seen us," Tao says to the table.
"Do you think we should invite him over? Who's the guy he's with?" asks Minseok.
No one knows, and Suho finally removes his sunglasses to peer at the couple near the doorway. "I don't know his name but I've seen him around before. With Kai."
"You have?"
"You've seen Kai recently?"
"Not at the studio. Just, around." He shrugs carelessly.
Baekhyun takes in the boy sitting across from Kai. Much shorter with big round eyes, he's smartly dressed this morning and perky compared to Kai's more casual look and fatigue-set expression. Both are immersed in their menus and haven't noticed their line of interested gawkers.
"Maybe it's a boyfriend?" Suho suggests, a smirk forming on his lips.
"Kai's gay?" whispers one of the girls.
"Maybe. Did you ever see him with a girlfriend before?"
"I never saw him with a boyfriend either," says Minseok, frowning.
Baekhyun forgets sometimes that while over half of the company members joined the professional division only recently, a small handful of the dancers have been with the studio for ages, Minseok and Suho, he thinks even Luhan, among them. Neither Tao nor Baekhyun knew much of the gossip from beforehand, except for what little bit got passed around. Kai's talents on a dance floor were one thing; his private life was lesser known. Baekhyun already wonders where the boy disappeared to for two years. Anything before that, and he doesn't know if he even wants to pry.
He returns his attention to his almost clean breakfast plate and hears Tao say, "Oh, he's seen us now." Baekhyun feels Minseok shift beside him as the boy waves across the diner, but nobody comes over and the table slowly loses interest as they eat up the rest of their meals. Baekhyun only looks over once more between bites and finds Kai's eyes on his. He smiles shyly and dips his head once in acknowledgement, Kai returns the greeting similarly, and they both look away.
"That's all you're going to give him?" Tao hisses quietly in his ear.
Baekhyun gulps. "I'll say hello on our way out." Tao nods silently in approval and Baekhyun wishes he hadn't gushed so much about last weekend's 'tutoring session', as Tao seems to be getting certain ideas.
True to his word, when the group is finished, their meals paid for, Baekhyun purposefully lingers behind. Minseok shouts a hello and goodbye to Kai on his way out the door and as the rest follow, Baekhyun gives Tao consent to go on without him. His breathing feels tight as he makes his way over to Kai and the unknown boy's table.
I'll just say a quick hello, ask him how he's been and... politelybutnonchallantlyaskifhewantstodoanymoredancingwithme... or not.
He feels even more awkward, standing by their table, a full head taller than the two seated males. Fortunately it's Kai who speaks first. "Baekhyun. I hear it's strange to see you outside of the studio. Are you going anywhere now? Take a seat."
"Ohh, sure." He looks around for the nearest empty chair and places it down in the aisle facing their table. He doesn't know what to say or do next. "I-- haven't seen you around."
"Yeah, I've been a little busy. Hey this is Kyungsoo." The beady eyed boy shakes his hand and stares curiously between Kai and Baekhyun.
"Nice to meet you. Are, you a dancer too?"
"Vocal major," the smaller man supplies. "I can't really dance." He seems proud of that feat.
"I see. I dance for his mom," Baekhyun says, indicating Kai.
Kyungsoo laughs. "I figured as much. You guys are friends?"
Kai answers. "Not really. He's mom's new protege though so I've been doing some 'tutoring'" His eyes take on a mischievous glint, and Baekhyun feels an urge to kick at him. Not that he can though, because they're not apparently 'friends'. What the hell kind of development is this, he wonders. Baekhyun really wants to leave already, but before he can figure out which farewell phrase will reward him with the quickest exit, Kai turns to him directly.
"Hey I'm going out with some friends later tonight. Probably just to see a movie. You want to come, or will you be practicing late again?" Baekhyun knows he'll probably be practicing late, but there's a slight indicator on Kai's face that says he really wants him to come. It's faint but there. "You can bring Tao if you want. You might know some of the other guys too. Kyungsoo will come, won't you? Also, do you know Sehun?"
Baekhyun nods. "Not well, but I think I've seen him around. He teaches at the other facility, doesn't he?"
"Yeah, when he's not in school."
"Hmm. Yeah I guess I can come. I don't know about Tao."
"Great! We'll probably meet up at the theater over at 125th. Uhm, I don't know the time yet. Give me your number and I'll text you later with it?"
"Okay," Baekhyun agrees and slowly relays his phone number to Kai, a little more confident than he was just a minute ago. He checks his own phone for the time and realizes he should probably be heading out. With one more nod in Kyungsoo's direction, he excuses himself and reaches for the door.
Behind him he hears Kyungsoo giggle softly. "Smooth, Kai. Very smooth."
"Oh shut it."