Chapter Text
The dancers are here and Jia noona wants Seungyoun to check over the choreography. Seungyoun heaves a sigh and drags himself from the couch he's been sitting on. He doesn't particularly care what the choreography looks like, but he gets up anyway because it's Jia. She's always helped him out since he started his career as a solo artist. Besides, her choreographies are always amazing so Seungyoun isn't worried about that.
Lately, he just hasn't been motivated to do anything. His new album is coming out but the songs are all old, written a long time ago when he was still full of ample passion that bubbled out of him like a waterfall. Now, he spends hours in his studio with nothing to show for it except scribbled out words on pages and the occasional half-finished song.
Seungyoun is grateful for the harddrive full of completed or near completed songs. It was the only way he was able to put out his new album this quick. Or rather, the only way he was able to put out a new album and still keep the standard of quality high.
He’s not sure exactly what happened. He remembers when hours in the studio resulted in harmonious melodies and heart-wrenching lyrics. When the music came easily to his ear and the lyrics practically wrote themselves. When he could make a fully completed banger of a song in mere hours. His laptop is now filled with discordant melodies, things (because they are things and nothing close to songs) which should be dragged to the recycle bin on his homescreen, but he doesn’t have the heart to do it. If he trashes those harsh and cacophonous pieces of songs, then he has nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing. So Seungyoun keeps them on his laptop, mocking reminders of what his songs have become.
He sees Jia wave at him, a grin on her face. It’s been a while since he’s seen her, or any of his friends now that he thinks of it.
“Seungyoun! It’s been a while, how are you?” Jia is still the same, bubbly and confident.
“I’ve been good Jia noona.” Seungyoun smiles but Jia notices it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Do you like the new album?”
Jia nods, “I really like the b-track, ‘Liquid’.”
“Ah, me too.”
There’s a forlorn look on Seungyoun’s face, one Jia has never seen before. She takes a closer look at him and notices the furrow between his brows, the slight bags under his eyes.
“Seungyoun, are you feeling okay? You’re not catching a cold are you?”
Seungyoun waves away her questions. “Just been feeling a little weird lately, I’ll be fine.”
Jia purses her lips but doesn’t push the matter further. “Okay, well I’d like you to check the choreography please.”
“I’m sure it’s fine noona. I don’t really need to…” Seungyoun starts to say but Jia has already grabbed his wrist and is pulling him over to where the dancers are.
There’s about seven dancers and Jia introduces a girl as the center. Seungyoun gives a slight bow towards the group and Jia tells them to ready up. He watches as they go to their positions and the music starts. Seungyoun is only half paying attention, his mind already wandering to think about… well, nothing really.
He’s standing there, eyes beginning to glaze over when the dancers shift position and he sees him for the first time. His hair is a nice light brown and he’s wearing slightly baggy clothing but Seungyoun can tell there’s a well built figure hidden underneath. His dancing is powerful and he moves perfectly on beat. He has a handsome face with a strong jawline. Seungyoun finds himself leaning a little closer, angling himself so he has a better view of the mystery dancer as the group shifts position once again.
There’s a golden warmth around the dancer, a feeling of fiery passion coming from him.
Seungyoun’s world narrows until all he can see is him.
The song ends and the dancers stop, all attention turning towards him. Seungyoun finds himself staring directly into the mystery dancer’s eyes. He feels a warm flush spread through his body and he hurriedly looks away.
He plasters a small smile on his face and giving a thumbs up says, “It’s good. I like it!”
The dancers all breathe a collective sigh of relief and Seungyoun walks a little bit away from them, beckoning Jia over.
“Jia noona, who is that? The guy with the gray shirt and black sweats.”
“Hmm?” Jia glances over at the dancers. “Oh, that’s Lee Hangyul.”
“Lee Hangyul.” Seungyoun murmurs the name softly. “Noona, I want him to be the center.”
“W-what?” Jia’s head snaps back to look at Seungyoun.
Seungyoun’s face is animated now, a new life seemingly breathed into it. “Please?” Seungyoun asks as he presses his hands together like he’s praying.
Jia sighs, the corners of her mouth tugging down into a slight frown.
“He doesn’t know the choreography for the main part.”
“He can freestyle. It’ll be fine!”
“We don’t have any extra backup dancers so his spot will be empty. It’ll throw the whole routine off balance!”
Seungyoun turns to watch the dancers practicing, chewing slightly on his bottom lip. Did they really need backup dancers…? He tries to concentrate on watching them as a whole, but his eyes are tugged away constantly by Hangyul.
He moves like water, soft and flowing at times, rough and sharp at others. When his moves were soft, they were like ripples moving slowly across the water. But when they were rough, they were like a powerful, stormy ocean.
His steps flowed smoothly, each sequence connecting fluidly to the next one. The lines of his figure were sharp, the curves warm. Hangyul’s like a magnet, pulling on Seungyoun’s attention until it is all focused on him.
No, they didn’t need backup dancers if Hangyul was the center. He would mesmerize the audience all on his own.
Seungyoun turns back towards Jia, putting on his best puppy dog eyes. He knows she isn’t going to like what she hears.
“We don’t need backup dancers.” Seungyoun watches her carefully seeing a few different emotions flicker across her face. Surprise, anger, exasperation.
“Excuse me?” is all Jia can manage through her shock.
Seungyoun takes half a step back, putting on his most winning smile.
“Well, I just thought that if Hangyul is taking center then we wouldn’t… well, we wouldn’t really need any backup dancers, would we?” Seungyoun holds his breath waiting for Jia to say something. She does not looked pleased.
“Are you telling me to throw away all the work I put into this choreography just so some backup dancer can freestyle his way through the song?” She looks hard at Seungyoun but she can already see the answer on his face. It just makes her feel more irritated.
“Yes.” Seungyoun gives her a pleading look. “I’m not saying your choreography is bad. I just really want to see Hangyul dancing to my song using his own interpretation. It’s going to be amazing, I just know it. Please noona just do me this favor. I’ll owe you big time!”
Jia lets out a soft exhale of breath. She glances at Seungyoun but he’s no longer paying attention to her. His eyes are instead focused on Hangyul who’s busy rehearsing the routine. She watches Seungyoun and notices the curiosity gleaming in his eyes. Earlier during the music video shoot she had seen him lounging on a chair, lost in his phone. Now he can’t seem to pull his eyes away from Hangyul. She worked with Seungyoun often and lately it had seemed he’d been lost. He seemed deflated, uninspired.
Perhaps Hangyul could change that.
She lets out another soft sigh knowing the griping and complaining she’s going to hear from the other dancers.
“Fine. Do whatever you want.” She waits for Seungyoun to respond but he’s still fixated on Hangyul. “Cho Seungyoun!”
Seungyoun flinches and turns toward her. “W-what? Sorry I was-”
“I said do whatever you want. But you’re gonna owe me big time!” With that she walks towards the dancers, steeling herself before telling them the news.
Seungyoun watches as Jia talks to the dancers. He knows he’s asking a lot of her but he can’t let this go. He genuinely, desperately wants to see Hangyul dance to his song.
They all turn to stare at Seungyoun. He bows hurriedly, hoping his bow seems apologetic enough. When he straightens up they’re all being ushered out by Jia. Except Hangyul, who’s left standing alone in the middle of the set. And he’s staring right at Seungyoun.
Seungyoun’s breath catches. Oh God, oh God, oh God. His heart is fluttering and, and…and why is his heart fluttering?!?!
Hangyul is walking towards him now and Seungyoun is desperately trying to compose himself.
Get it together, Cho Seungyoun! This was your own damn idea!!
Seungyoun shoves aside the fluttering feeling in his chest and forces himself to calm down.
Hangyul is in front of him now, a small smile on his lips and a questioning look in his eyes.
“Hello.” Hangyul’s voice is deep and gentle.
Shit.