Kai’s mother’s office is pretty homey, considering it’s really a workplace from which his mom manages the business side of the company, and every now and then frightens a few of the newbie dancers. Currently it's being used for networking on the phone with a representative of the university they’re to perform at in a few days.

“Yes, Mr. Hopper, we’re looking forward to setting up this weekend. I think your people will be in for a good show… Yes we’re bringing all of our company to showcase the new choreography and stage pieces… it’s about half of our repertoire for the winter season… Mhmm… Yes I’ll be sending someone down there tomorrow to work on staging details…”

From his seat in the stuffy armchair, Kai has a good view of the massive built-in bookshelf above his mom’s desk. There are fewer books on it than there are program bills of years gone by, and more pictures probably than were in their home growing up. Lining the shelves are all the best shots of the beautiful Kim Tae Hee in her dancer years, stunning frames of her on the stage mid-leap or spin, and countless photographs of her backstage or in gala events with famous international artists. But there are even more pictures of her son: dozens of photographs from every stage of his life, from birth to present. From baby pictures, to his first dance costumes, to magazine spreads of the genius teenage dancer, a few stick out like a sore thumb: Kai a year ago eating food with his dad, one or two shots of him hanging out on a Texas beach, and a single photograph of him with his precious Monggu, left behind.

Kai can’t decide whether he’d like to throw away the most recent pictures and leave his legacy intact, or keep only those and hide the rest. Which would hurt the most, the least?

“… I’m so glad this is going to be happening too… Yes, well then we’ll see each other soon… and thank you! Goodbye now.”

She sighs and relaxes back into her desk chair. “Well that’s over with. Formalities complete. Sorry for keeping you waiting.”

Her son shrugs. He’s just killing time by sitting in her office, nothing lost or gained.

She stares at him expectantly. “Well? So aren’t you going to tell me how you are? How was the transition? Everything happen smoothly? You’re getting along just fine?”

“Yeah, mom. Everything’s good.”

“How about your apartment? Is Kyungsoo a good roommate?”

“Why wouldn’t he be?”

“I’m just asking, silly.” She smiles and leans over to mess with his head. He scowls and pushes her hand away, in vain trying to repair the damage done to his hair.

“I wish you’d—” but her sentence is cut off by a couple taps at her door. “Come in!”

The door opens slowly, a face preceding the body, and in steps Yixing. Kai gapes at the stranger he hasn’t seen since Friday night, though Yixing doesn’t seem as surprised to see Kai back. He nods to the boy first before formally greeting his mother with a bow, a two-handed handshake and a little peck on the cheek.

“Yixing. I’m so glad you could make it by today.” At Kai’s look of consternation, she quickly says, “Have you two met? Oh of course you must have since he’s a great friend of Sehun’s. I’ve been trying to persuade Yixing to come and dance for us for a season. He’s been on loan from China for another company here but that contract is about to expire soon. Yixing, I hope you have good news for me?”

He smiles jovially. “I think I will, yes. I came to discuss some of the details with you. But of course if you’re busy right now I can come back later. I don’t want to intrude on your family time if I’m a bother…”

Kai quickly jumps up. “It’s no bother. I was just hanging out. Please, take my seat.” Yixing looks at him with concern. Whether it's for kicking him out of his chair or for the memory of his blunt error a few nights ago, Kai’s not sure. He feels the urge to try and appease the man, however. “Uhm, I’ll be around the studio most of today. Come find me when you’re done, if… you want.”

Yixing appears instantly relieved. “Thank you. I will.”

Kai closes the door behind them and exhales slowly. The third floor corridor is empty and silent. Too silent. Without any distraction his thoughts come to him too easily, unbidden and unwanted. Yixing is probably seated by now in the room behind him, discussing his career and future in the company Kai’s mother put together for him – him, not Yixing – but it’s too late to do anything about that now.

The second floor is livelier. Music from several of the dance rooms floats up the staircase before he’s even halfway down. He’s been avoiding this floor for an hour now because honestly, with the way his mood’s been today, he’s up until now lacked the courage to seek out Baekhyun. Baekhyun knows too much about him, or at least he knows more than most people do. But he also hasn’t backed away yet, and while he knows the lithe little dancer is a genuine person, how much of those friendly feelings stem from pity? Even if it’s just a hint of pity, it makes Kai want to vomit.

One of the practice doors opens and Kai jumps, expecting to see the object of his thoughts. It’s not him, however. Luhan and Minseok practically fall out of the doorway in an exhausted state, each shoving the other carelessly as they stomp over to the water fountain.

“Me first!”

“Get out of the way!”

“Get yourself out of the way!”

“Luhan, move!”

Luhan hogs the fountain, menacingly blocking the smaller dancer’s efforts at hydration, as Minseok alternately pounds on the other’s back and pulls on his waist, each to no avail. Luhan practically wraps himself over the fountain, taking in the stream of water, more of which ends up in his hair and nostrils than in his mouth. Kai decides to intervene. He sneaks up behind the two, reaches one hand past Minseok, and shoves Luhan’s face downwards.

The soaked dancer shrieks coming up, his mouth poised to scream at Minseok when he sees the laughing Kai instead.

“Minseo—! Kai! Kai, you jerk!”

Luhan rages, his head and arms now flinging droplets of water, and lunges for his assailant’s head. His hands connect on either side of Kai’s face from neck to ears as he shakes and rocks the boy’s body, manhandling him into the opposing wall. Kai wheezes from laughter while Minseok, fresh from his own drink of water, cheers him on.

“How dare you! How dare you! You should’ve called us up! You should’ve called me the moment you got back! I had to hear about you from Minseok, and stupid Minseok wouldn’t give me any details, and… and… stop moving, you bastard!” He releases Kai’s head and encircles his arms around his neck, effectively choking Kai instead.

“Luhan. Luhan, I can’t breathe!” Minseok tries to pry Luhan away, but he won’t let go, nor will he drop the huge smile that’s been on his face since the moment he saw his young friend returned. 

“Tough! You’re mine, now!”

Kai gives in and with as much air as he can sigh with hesitantly places his arms in a loose hug around Luhan’s back.

“Aww, what a cute scene.” Suho genuinely laughs from where he stands middle of the hallway. “Reunited at last. Sorry, Minnie.” He pats the latter on the shoulder and takes his turn at the water fountain.  Baekhyun occupies the place Suho just left, and Kai extricates himself from Luhan’s embrace in record time. The action isn’t missed by anyone within standing distance.

Kai takes a few steps away looking vaguely harassed and a little wet while Baekhyun crosses his arms and smiles.

“Did you just get here?”

“Uhh, no?”

Luhan tsks in disapproval. “So you’ve been hiding out somewhere? You should’ve come in to see us! Come on. Into the room you go!”

He tugs at the back of Kai’s shirt and drags him backwards through the door. A few of the dancers inside look up in surprise. It’s break time and most lay around the dance floor in various states of exhaustion, some chugging water bottles, others massaging their legs or aching muscles. Kai accepts a hug from Ms. Jung who greets him like an older sister and Luhan pulls him down to sit cross-legged next to him and Minseok. Suho walks in, spots himself in the mirror and pulls off a few low pirouettes.

“Hey, Suho! Give it a rest won’t you? You’re making us tired,” Minseok whines. Suho refuses to sit down and takes himself to the other side of the room to practice by himself. “Ahhh, that guy won’t ever quit if he thinks there are people watching,” he mutters to his friends. He reaches over to his bag by the wall and pulls out a grey hoodie. His body is apparently to tired to cooperate though because halfway through he gets stuck with only two arms in and his head buried inside. Luhan snorts and starts pulling at the fabric, slowly uncovering Minseok’s head.

Kai thinks those two look the same as ever. He stretches out his legs and glances around for Baekhyun, but notices that the boy didn't follow them into the room. Given the last thing he must have seen in the hall, that worries him, but Baekhyun enters just a moment later, wiping his chin of water. He walks over to the and awkwardly hovers above the seated figures.  Kai leans back on one hand, and using the mirror to guide him, lifts his free hand up to tug at Baekhyun’s wrist, urging him down.

Baekhyun needs no other encouragement. He sinks to the ground ungracefully between Kai and Minseok, and Luhan catches his eye. He’s frightened when he sees a slight smirk flit across Luhan’s thin pressed lips.

“So when did you too meet? I didn’t know you knew each other so well?”

Kai and Baekhyun both evade the question.

“Uhh.”

“Uhm.”

“I heard you were here last weekend, Kai,” says Minseok. “Allie said she saw you in another room with Baekhyun. How come you were practicing by yourselves?”

“I was… we were…” Kai falters.

“Is it a private composition? Are you working on something special together?”

“No, not really.”

“Oh, then what is it?”

Baekhyun decides to end this. “He’s my dance tutor!”

“Dance tutor?” Luhan exclaims. He adds in a softer voice, “So that’s what they’re calling it these days.”

“Yeah, I was just helping him out a bit since he’s new. My mom—“

“Oh, so you don’t know each other?” Luhan begs to hear otherwise.

“Not… really, before last week.” Baekhyun offers up.

“But you knew who Kai was, yes?” Minseok asks, “I mean like, before then you did?”

“I… saw him at a competition once.” He hoped to clear up some of the confusion but it’s only getting messier now. Baekhyun frantically glances at Kai, his eyes pleading for some kind of help since he doesn’t know how much the principal dancers actually know about Kai, or how much he wants them to know. Does their knowledge include Kai’s inability to dance anymore, or do they not know that? Should Baekhyun drop the fact that yes, Kai not only watched him dance last weekend as his tutor, but that only two nights ago they went out, and did things together, like walking? That they’ve texted each other more than a few times since then? 

Minseok keeps pushing. “Oh which competition was that? I remember we all went to at least a couple together, right, and we saw you, because I recognized your name when you finally came here.”

Luhan is quick to add, “Yeah yeah we did! Kai, wasn’t it at the—“

“Guys, guys! That was ages ago!” Kai laughs, but he looks a bit panicked. “Baekhyun and I went out with some friends the other night. That’s how we know each other now, okay?” 

“Oh. Okay.”

Luhan looks pleased, and Minseok hums a bit in appreciation of this news. Kai looks more and more awkward but at that moment Ms. Jung reenters the room and insists the dancers get off their lazy butts and get back to work. She entreats Kai to stay and watch but he declines. Baekhyun watches him steadily as he politely bids her goodnight and turns to leave. Three steps from the door, however, and he about faces. Kai ignores the looks from everyone as he quickly marches up to Baekhyun and whispers in his ear, “I’ll find you when you’re done so don’t run away.” With a wink Baekhyun thinks only he caught, or maybe he only imagined it, Kai is gone. 

The rest of the rehearsal goes smoothly except for the butterflies raging in Baekhyun’s stomach, and the fact that Luhan and Minseok both stare at him more than they had before. If he didn’t know any better he would think their little brains were working double-time, putting two and two together of all of Kai’s reactions this night.

His suspicions are unfortunately proved correct when Minseok corners him on the floor during a short break.  *Minseok plays with his phone distractedly, hunched over his crossed legs, but he looks over once at Baekhyun and pointedly asks, “Are you and Kai… you know…” He bobs his head as if trying to nudge the words out without saying anything impertinent.

Baekhyun gets the question though and squirms. “I don’t know…” he says truthfully, hoping this won’t turn into an interrogation. Maybe a counterattack would be best. While Minseok taps again at his phone he asks, “Why? Does it seem like he likes me?”

He doesn’t look up or respond and Baekhyun gets impatient.

“Hey, you can’t just ask a question like that without giving up something in return. Miinseeeookk hyuuunngg…” For emphasis he nudges him with his elbow. When that doesn’t work he assures himself that Luhan's not watching and sets his chin on Minseok’s shoulder, pouting.

Minseok ignores him still, but after a few moments he completes whatever message he’d been typing and dislodges Baekhyun’s chin with a slight shoulder dip. “Sorry about that. Just needed to finish one thing before it was too late.” He sneaks one arm around Baekhyun to pat him on the back comfortingly. “Oh, and to answer your question: yes, I think so. I know so.”

Baekhyun’s jaw drops, the candid answer quite unexpected. “What do you mean you know so?”

“Oh? I just mean, Kai’s always liked you. Be nice to him, okay? I think he needs a lot of support right now.” He stands up and abandons him to this stunning revelation. Baekhyun can’t even peel himself off the ground to follow Minseok with more than his eyes as the principal dancer stalks off to find Luhan. The two confer together over the message on Minseok’s phone, and nothing else Baekhyun does for the rest of the rehearsal will make Minseok say anything more. 

It's with slight trepidation that Baekhyun sees Kai again after the rehearsal ends. He's leaning against the door as the dancers vacate the room, and he looks nervous too in Baekhyun's eyes. He packs his things into his bag, fumbling with a shoe that refuses to go in properly and glares as he watches Suho giving Kai a hard time. He can't hear what Suho says, except that Kai looks annoyed and that's enough to annoy Baekhyun as well. Pretty soon it's just him, Luhan and Minseok left in the room and those two seem ready to go. Luhan jumps up rather sprightly for having practiced such a long evening in the studio. As he approaches their sentry at the door, he gives Kai one more good welcome.

“I'm so glad you're back.” His smile is large and beautiful, and proud. “You will come around more, won't you?”

“Yes, I promise.” 

“Good. Well in that case we can go. Come on Minseok!”

Baekhyun turns out the light and follows everyone down the hall. “Where are you two off to that you're excited?”

Minseok blushes red, but Luhan beams. “We have a date!”

Kai chokes and Baekhyun's eyes light up. “No kidding!” 

“Yep! Minseok knows a girl who has a twin sister, so we're doubling tonight. Isn't that awesome? Twin sisters! How hot is that?”

It's Baekhyun's turn to choke. “You're... what? You're going out with twin sisters?”

Luhan's still grinning by the time they reach the bottom of the stairs, but Baekhyun notices how Minseok looks rather calm about the whole thing, calmer than a man should be at the prospect of such an entertaining and hot night. Kai places a palm on his shoulder and squeezes gently. “Have fun then...”

“Thanks, goodnight.”

Kai locks the front door of the building as the two older ones head down the street and Baekhyun stands beside him, both of them feeling odd and suddenly empty. 

“That- that was interesting,” says Baekhyun sadly. 

“Yeah, that was.” 

Now that they're alone, he remembers their own situation. Kai told him not to run off, so does that mean he has something planned for right now? It doesn't seem to be 'dance tutoring' since they're leaving the studio already. 

“Uhm, so what are we doing?”

“Not going out to meet hot chicks. Come on, follow me.”

2,942 words

Message the first: Don't murder me yet...

Message the second: This was actually a hard chapter to write because at 10 chapters in, some really important decisions needed to be made as far storytelling goes. Unfortunately I thought I was in control of that and then I got major writer's block yesterday afternoon until I realized my characters were telling me something different. Hence, certain sections in this chapter happened. Blame Kai, blame Luhan, okay. Not me.  >_<

Message to Xiuhan shippers: If you think I'm purposefully abusing your ship, please remember Xiuhan are my No. 1 ship. This hurts me too, but it's not over yet! @123rdGambleStreet: Here's some tissue. Don't give up! I will make this right if I have to march over to Luhan myself and lay out the facts! (That wouldn't be breaking the 4th wall too much, would it? For the narrator to step into her own story?) 

Message to Kaibaek shippers: Omg Baekhyun knows Kai likes him and HAS liked him for a long time!! Kyaa!!  

Btw, isn't it cute that Kaibaek ships Xiuhan and Xiuhan ships Kaibaek? Ships need a sturdy anchor after all. 

*Xiubaek moment inspired by this and this photo.