Kai gulped down his water bottle, his muscles aching from the pain of the relentless practice. Tonight was his performance and he was currently squeezing in the last rehearsal before he had to get dressed. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Kai jogged lightly on the spot, not wanting his muscles to cool down too quickly, but also to occupy his mind, to keep himself busy, to not linger on the gnawing sense of emptiness spreading inside of him.

From the corner of his eyes, Kai saw the director giving him a warning stare, signalling him to take it easy and not use up his energy before the real performance. Standing in centre-stage, Kai stared directly at the section of the audience reserved for the VIP guests, and realised that it would be the first time since he and Jennie had met each other that Jennie was not going to be sitting in the audience.

This triggered another wave of insecurity. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply, Kai tried to think of things that would calm him down, that would remind him that he could do it. His mind naturally drifted towards Bongcha. At first he recalled the conversation they had about soulmates which did little to improve his mental state. But then, he remembered the last conversation they had, about welcoming the loneliness and not letting it take control of him.

“Learn my way around loneliness. Welcome the human experience,” Kai chanted to himself.

Slowly, he felt the fog that had been weighing him down steadily disperse, until the spotlight shining on him felt like the embrace of a warm ray of sunshine. A relieved smile graced Kai’s face, and he finally felt at ease again, for after all, he was born for the stage. Plus, there was someone else that he wanted to impress tonight, and he could not afford to give a subpar performance.

・・・

“Don’t you look handsome in that tuxedo.”

Kyungsoo looked up from his phone and found Bongcha approaching him, the sound of her heels echoing along the hallways. The girl wore no accessories, and even her lipstick was a natural peach colour. The highlight of her make up was definitely her golden eyeshadow which contrasted with the rich, midnight blue colour of her halter neck dress. At first glance, Bongcha’s outfit was on the conservative and plain side, however when she turned around, her back bare that fully showcased her tattoo was enough to earn a second glance from any passerby. The attorney felt the air knocked out of his lungs, enraptured by the contained elegance and confidence that Bongcha emitted.

“You look bold,” Kyungsoo managed to squeeze out, his voice sounding uncharacteristically raspy even to his own ears.

“This dress has been sitting in my closet for ages,” Bongcha chuckled. “Almost felt sorry for it. Glad to finally have the chance to take it out.”

“People are all staring at you.” Kyungsoo observed, offering his arm to Bongcha.

Bongcha took on his offer and they walked inside towards their seats. On their way, Kyungsoo caught a male his lips while his eyes travelled across Bongcha’s body and Kyungsoo instinctively let out a low growl, sending a murderous glare towards the unknown male, successfully scaring him away.

“Behave yourself,” Bongcha hummed softly, nudging Kyungsoo with her elbow. “I’d rather not cause a scene.”

“Then people need to control their eyes,” Kyungsoo growled.

Once they were settled, Kyungsoo finally relaxed, satisfied with how isolated they were from the general public, meaning that there were lower chances of any further unwanted attention. Bongcha leaned back against the velvet chair, enjoying the soft touch of the material against her bare skin. Looking around, she marvelled at the intricate decorations on the walls and the majestic stage that stood in front of them.

“Have you watched a ballet performance before?”

Bongcha shivered slightly, feeling Kyungsoo's warm breath against her neck, the tip of his nose grazing her earlobe. Holding her breath, Bongcha shook her head, and only after a long pause did Kyungsoo shift back and Bongcha could finally breathe again.

Stealing careful glances at the male next to her, Bongcha took her time to appreciate his features. She had always seen Kyungsoo as her reliable boss; a very capable lawyer; a young but established professional. She realised that her interactions with Kyungsoo had always been limited within the field of law and work. Tonight however, they were technically not restricted by their employer-employee relationship, and she suddenly felt at a loss as to how she should act around him.

She had no time to fret over it however as the lights in the room dimmed and the curtains on the stage opened, signalling the commencement of the performance. Kai stood in the c