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 bull.

"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.

2509 words

This is crazy but I didn't expect myself to update so quickly! I just felt the urge to write today, and if I've learned anything from writing, it's that I need to strike when the urge is hot. 

Thank you to all my subscribers! Y'all are so cool! I do a little a happy dance everytime I see a new notification. :) :) :)

Expect to meet more characters in the next chapter. Minseok and Luhan in a more direct way, and I'm thinking it's time Sehun wants to make his presence known as well.

Most importantly, we'll get a longer section from Kai's perspective. Dun dun Dun!

I hope you're looking forward to it. Even I don't know exactly what will happen next. ;)

Rosie