They first became intertwined at his first showcase. He was one of twelve stars that night that was going to shine on stage. She was dressed in all black and worked back stage to make sure they shown to their full potential, like the dark sky behind stars. He was filled with jitters and nerves for his first time performing in front of his fans. She was filled with stress to make sure that nothing went wrong. What the two strangers didn't know was that to make a galaxy, the stars and the unseen blackness must dance together.

***

                                                                     The first dance

There was only an hour left until showtime and there was still so much to do. The lights needed to be checked, the sound needed to be on the right level, and EXO needed to be made up like dolls and ran through the schedule again. Everyone always talked about how hard things are for the idols on the stage but no one seemed to appreciate all the people who made what they did possible.

Celeste lamented this as she lugged a coil of thick cables.

Working backstage will be so glamorous, they said. You'll get to see famous people all the time, they said. You'll get to watch concerts for free, they said.

Yeah right. She saw them sometimes, sure, but half the time they're in the dressing rooms doing they're own work. It's not like she actually got to talk to them. And how could she watch the concert if she was in the middle of working to put on said concert.

Backstage was as hectic as an airport. Everyone was rushing every which way and orders were being shouted over the shuffling of props and boxes. It was organised chaos at it's finest.

Celeste dropped the cords on the ground and didn't even spare a moment to sigh. Carefully unwinding the kinks and making sure it didn't knot, she plugged it into the sound board. Then she jumped up and grabbed another wire and repeated the process. After that, she tapped all the cords on the ground so that no one would get caught in them and trip.

"Celeste!" A loud, booming voice scattered her thoughts as she laid down the last piece of tape. She quickly got up and turned toward its source. Standing a few feet from her was her boss, looking frazzled and stressed.

"Yes, sir!" Celeste swiftly dodged her way through all the stage hands to him. "How can I help you?"

"Go and make sure the talents have their mics properly wired and that they're transmitting right."

"Got it!" Without another word, they scurried off to their own duties. There wasn’t even time to even say thank you.

She knocked on the door three times before letting herself in. Members of EXO and the makeup team were scattered around the dressing room. They were all busy getting their makeup done, warming up their voices, or walking through dance steps while waiting for curtain call. The air of nervous, tension, and excitement hung over the room in a jumbled mess of pressure.

"I'm here to mic you guys." Celeste told the room. She opened up a cabinet right by the door and pulled out a box of twelve mics that had been prepared earlier. "If you're ready, please come over."

Immediately, one of the members stood up and walked over to her. When she was done with him, another took his place, then another came over, then another, and another still. After quite some time, the last one finally got his mic to work and thanked her before going to stretch with another member. She sighed, thinking of all the work that there was still to do, and began to close the box before noticing something. Sitting at the bottom of the box was a mic and it's transmitter.

That's strange, she was pretty sure that there had been the right number in there.

She glanced around the room and did a quick head count. Two were in the corner helping each other stretch, a group of three were going over lyrics together, one was drinking some water, another kept poking a members shoulder to annoy him, there was one messing around on his phone by the door, and the last two were singing one of their songs together.

Eleven. There were eleven in the room. there's suppose to be twelve. There are eleven and there is supposed to be twelve and curtain call was in less than half an hour.

Celeste took a deep breath to calm down her sudden spike in anxiety. "Hey, I've got a leftover mic. Who did I miss?"

The massive group immediately glanced around and murmured to them, trying to figure it out.

"Kris!" One said after a moment.

"When was the last time you guys saw him? Do you know where he is?"  She fiddled with the box subconsciously .

"Last time I saw him..." A member with elf-like ears trailed off thinking. "Was it... Ten minutes ago?" A few other members nodded in agreement. "Yeah, about ten minutes ago. I don't know where he went though."

"Thank you for your help!" She turned to leave but a member spoke up.

"Would you like us to help you look for him?" The leader asked.

"No, you need to stay here. I can't lose you all of you right before the show." She gave them a quick smile and ran out of the room..

Now Celeste was faced with the challenge of actually finding Kris. Hopefully he wasn't in the lobby; It would be a nightmare if the fans noticed him and surrounded him. If he didn't pull that stunt, then he must be backstage somewhere.

Celeste ran up and down the halls backstage, thoroughly checking every nook and cranny but the stupid idol was no where to be found. She stopped to catch her breath and huffed in irritation. Where on earth could he be? He's probably been training for this for years, why would be just vanish before such an important show?

After gulping down some air, Celeste stood from where she sat and got ready to run around again when something caught her eye.

Amongst all the hustle and bustle of the preparation, only one person was still. They sat up against the black wall, almost completely camouflaged by their long black coat, their hood hung low over their face and hid their identity. Even so, Celeste felt like she had found who she was looking for. She walked over and crouched down next to them. Now that she was on his level, she could see his face clearly. His eyes were closed but he had sandy blonde hair and a killer jawline.

Yep, with looks that good, there was no way he wasn't  an idol.

"Hey," She gently poked his shoulder to get his attention. "You're Kris, right? I've got to get you mic'd up before curtain call."

He opened one eye before pushing his hood back and taking out an earbud. "What?"

Celeste grumbled, grabbed his hand, and pulled him to a standing position. "I do not have time for this. Come on, I'm micing you up."

She held onto his hand tightly and dragged him into the now empty dressing room. The curtain call was growing closer and closer and everyone had left to start getting into their positions. Celeste let go of his hand and grabbed the mic out of the box. She hooked it to his ear, being mindful of his makeup and the transmitter.

"Say something really fast; I gotta do a mic test." She looked down at the audio levels and made sure they weren't too high or low while he made a few noises. "Perfect." She shoved the transmitter in his back pocket and quickly began to tidy up the messy room. "You're ready to go. Curtain call is in a few, so you'd better do some warm ups."

The room was shut for a minute, making Celeste think he had already left, before Kris spoke up.

"Am I really ready for this?" His voice was a low, soft, whisper fragmented by a nervous crack. Celeste paused. She set down the can of hairspray she had just put the cap back on and turned to him. In all this fuss and this bustle, she had forgotten something important.

He was a kid, just like her. And he was about to go on stage and perform in front of thousands for the very first time.

"How many years have you been training?" She asked him quietly.

"Five."

"How long have you wanted to be an idol?"

He laughed humorlessly. "A very long time."

"I see." She walked over next to him and lean up against he wall. "Well, let me tell you something. When you go up on that stage and look out at the audience, they'll be holding up lights. And you'll feel like the heavens have fallen from the sky just to hear you sing. So," She smiled and playfully shoved his shoulder with hers. "Go out there and be the brightest star on stage, Mr. Galaxy. Because five years is more than enough preparation for tonight."

Kris smiled back at Celeste, shyly and gratefully. "I'd better go then."

"Break a leg, Superstar."

Everything after that was a blur for both of them. Celeste ran back and forth backstage doing anything and everything to make sure the show went well. Kris was on stage, singing and dancing his heart out in a rush of adrenaline. While he performed, he couldn't help but think that the audience really did look like a thousand stars shining for him and his fellow band members. When EXO bowed at the end of the show and walked off stage, they thanked all the staff as they always did, but Kris wanted to thank one staff member personally.

He found her in the corner of the black room, carefully coiling wires and packing them into tubs. He snuck up behind her and silently sat down just out of line of vision.

"You know," She jumped and whirled around at his sudden loud voice, her hand to her chest. "I never did get your name."

She took a few deep calming breaths to calm her pounding heart before responding. "Celeste." She went back to putting away the wires but angled herself toward him. "So, how was it?"

"It was..." He paused and blinked several times with an amazed smile, as if trying to take everything in. "Wow. Just, incredible. It was everything I imagined it would be."

"I'm glad."

"Thank you, by the way." She paused and gave him a confused look. He let out a small laugh. "If you hadn't said what you did in the dressing room, I probably would have backed out."

"Was it really all me though? I think you would have gone up there even if I hadn't given you that extra push."

He said nothing but continued smiling at her.

"Hey," He said suddenly. "Can I have your number? You knew exactly what to say when I got stage fright and I might need to call you if it happens again."

"Um..." She paused and thought about it for a moment. If the company he worked for found out, they probably would get in trouble. Kris was now a star and had to deal with all the downsides that came with it, including little to no privacy. However, if it was just to call her when he was nervous, there wasn't anything wrong about that. Deciding to throw caution into the wind, she nodded and pulled out her phone.

They exchange phone numbers and he gave her one last smile before standing up.

"I'd better go. The other members are probably wondering where I went."

"Okay." She stood up with him and lightly punch his shoulder. "Good luck, Kris. Don't be too hard on yourself. You'll do just fine" Then she picked up the now wire filled box and left first.

***

One week of dancing

The loud chirping of Celeste's cell phone woke her up from a deep sleep. She moaned grumpily as she slapped her hand around the nightstand to try to find what made the terrible sound. When her fingers finally wrapped around the vibrating scrap of plastic, she pushed herself up into a sitting position and rubbed roughly at her sleep deprived worn face. Her eyes squinted as she looked at the bright screen. The first thing she checked was the time. She grumbled when she found that she had only been asleep for 5 hours. The next thing she looked at was the message that woke her up. her eyebrows scrunched up and she squinted at the unknown sender.

Mr. Galaxy: I've got a concert tonight. Want to go out for coffee? My treat.

As she gazed at the message, she slowly woke up and began to remember bits and pieces of the last week. There was only one person who would text her because of a concert.

Me: ... Kris?

Mr. Galaxy: Don't tell me you already forgot about me.

Me: No, of course not.

Me: Why did you save yourself as Mr. Galaxy?

Mr. Galaxy: Because you called me that.

Me: Oh yeah.

Mr. Galaxy: Anyway, You want to get coffee?

Me: Sure. Why not.

Mr. Galaxy: Meet me at Cafe Sirius in an hour.

Me: Okay. See you then!

One hour later, Celeste was waiting outside the cafe, freshly showered and wearing her cutest clothes. She hadn't been sure what would be appropriate to wear when hanging out with an idol and decided that looking your best was never a bad route to go. After she waited a few minutes, she pulled out her phone and considered texting Kris to tell him she was there. She tapped the texting icon on her phone and started typing out a message.

Me: Kris, I'm here. Where are you?

She frowned and deleted it. It made her sound impatient and rude. She tried again and again to figure out a message to text him but always found something wrong with it.

"Who are you texting?" A sudden deep voice by her ear made her fumble her phone and drop it. A large hand zipped out and caught it.

Kris grinned cheekily and held out her phone. Celeste took it from him with a "Thank you" and stowed it safely away in her pocket.

"Where on earth did you come from?" She frowned and hit his shoulder. "You scared me half to death."

"Behind you." His smile grew wider and she hit him in the shoulder again.

"Come on, let's go inside. I haven't had any caffeine yet today." Celeste turned away and walked into the cafe first.

The inside of the cafe was loud and filled with lively people. Every unnatural shade of hair imaginable could be found among the customers. The walls were covered with layer after layer of doodles and notes from years of friends and lovers. It was the kind of place that was perfect for an idol to hid in plain sight.

"Over here." Kris spoke up behind her. He lead Celeste to the corner of the room where the loud pounding music softened a bit and the people in nearby tables chatted animatedly. The two friends sat down and looked at the menu. A minute of comfortable silence passed before Kris spoke up.

"What are you thinking about getting?"

Celeste laughed. "Worried I'm an expensive date? Don't worry, I'm just getting a regular ol' coffee."

"No, I-"

"Wanna split a chocolate cake?" She didn't even look up from her menu. "I'm craving something sweet but I don't want to eat a whole cake before breakfast."

"You haven't had breakfast yet? It's lunch time!" He ran his eyes down her face, taking in the dark shadows that her make up didn't conceal and the paleness of her cheeks.

"I had to work a late concert last night and it took forever to pack up the lights and set pieces." She tried to hide a big yawn behind her hand.

Kris sighed. "I can’t have you passing out on me. Go ahead and order a sandwich."

"What?"

"Or would you like me to order for you?"

"I can order for myself, thank you very much!" She scowled at him and pouted down at the menu.

He chuckles, set down the menu, and rested his chin in his hands. Celeste, who was deeply debating between an avocado sandwich or a BLT, didn't notice him watching her. When she finally settled on the BLT, she laid down the menu and glanced up at Kris. She froze when their eyes made contact. They stared at each other silently, slightly awkwardly until a waiter came over and introduced themselves. The pair ordered their food and silence fell over them again when the waiter left.

"So, I know your name's Celeste."  Kris swirled the half full glass of water in his hand. "I know you're a stage hand. But that's it."

"Wow, we've known each other for a week and we're already besties." She said sarcastically. Kris gave her a look. She huffed. "Why do you even want to know more about me. Aren't I here to cheer you on so you aren't nervous at your concert tonight?"

"Yes, but thinking about it will make me more nervous. So..." He grinned. "Distract me."

It was over the good food and loud voices that the two became close. When they looked back on that day, they smiled fondly at the memories and how perfect the lunch had been. It was the first of many eventful meals the two shared.

***

One Year of Dancing

The EXO dorm was silent except when the loud ticking of the clock pierced through it. Celeste sat on the barely used couch and tapped her fingers on her thigh in time with the clock. She stared unseeingly at the wall. The gears in the clock suddenly whirled and it chimed twelve times then went back to ticking, ticking, ticking.

The sound of a key being put into a lock made Celeste snap out her trance. As the front door opened, she looked at it and quickly stood up. The twelve boys trailed in. They looked like they were half asleep and moved stiffly. When Kai took off his jacket, there was a large colorful bruise on his arm.

Celeste quickly ran forward and took their jackets and hats from them and put them away.

"They work you guys too hard. I'm worried about your health." She frowned as she fretted over each of them in turn.

"It can't be helped. Our comeback is in a few weeks." Suho shlumped into the couch where Celeste had been a moment before.

"Still..." She trailed off and shook her head. Complaining to them would do no good. They were the ones being affected by the crazy work schedule, not making it. What was more important was that they were taken care of right now. "Nevermind. Here. I made some food. Please eat some before heading on to bed."

Celeste ran to the kitchen and grabbed the healthy food she had made with care. She passed out some to all of them and watched them all carefully to make sure they ate it all. Not one of them spoke. They were too tired for that. The only sound to be heard was the munch of food and the clicking of the silverware that drowned out the clock. When they were done, they gave their bowl back to her and left one by one until it was just her and Kris.

Alone, their carefully crafted barrier fell down. Kris scooted closer to Celeste and laid his head on her lap. She ran her fingers through his soft hair and gently untangled any knots she ran across. It was only when they were truly alone that they could be affectionate like this. They couldn’t even hug in front of their best friends. Their relationship had to be a complete secret, something just between the two of them, otherwise SM would make sure they couldn't even be friends anymore.

Sometimes Celeste hated that he had become an idol, even if they had met because of his job.

"I meant what I said earlier," She said softly. "I really am worried about your health. All the ten-plus hour work days can't be good for you."

"It'll be worth it though. Our fans have waited too long for our comeback." He mumbled sleepily. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself just as much as her.

"But-"

"Celeste. I don't want to think about it. Distract me?"

She sighed and looked at him with a troubled expression  before doing what she always did. She told him about all the things happening in her life. How her friend was going through a rough break up. How her big sister had just graduated from college and was going on to work for the government. How one of her new coworkers nearly made a mistake that would have ruined an entire show. She told him about all the mundane, normal things in her life so he could feel like he had a life beyond his work.

***

Dancing for Two Years

"I can't take it anymore, Celeste!"

She watched with teary eyes as her best friend broke down a thousand miles away. Tears poured out of his tortured eyes as he knotted his fingers in his hair as if to have a firm grip on something. Their skype session had started normally enough, but the more Kris spoke to her, the more the frail mask of normality he wore seemed to crack and peel away. Now only a fragmented shell of her Kris remained.

"Kris. Kris!" Celeste cried out softly. What could she do, What could she do? Why did this have to happen when he was promoting abroad? "Please calm down!"

"No!" He yelled. "I'm done. I'm done hiding how I feel! I can't do this anymore! I need out!"

"Okay." She swallowed and tried to hold back her tears and stay strong for him. If he went through with this, he was going to need more allies than enemies and Celeste would always be on his side. "Okay, okay. You don't have to. Just let it all out, Kris." Minute passed before he finally had cried out the last tear he had been holding back for so long. He slowly lifted his face from his arms and looked at her. "Feel better?" He nodded. "Right. Well... What can I do to help you?"

He smiled his first, though watery, genuine smile of the evening. "Thanks, Celeste. Thanks for understanding."

Celeste hated that they were separated by a screen. Right now, more than anything in the world, she wished she could comfort him without saying any words.

***

8 Years of Dancing

The lawsuit to terminate Kris's contract had been a long, exhausting battle. But after years, he was finally free. With time, EXO grew back to the level of popularity they had when Kris was a member and even soared above it. They grew to be an internationally popular band and had several world tours already. They still found time to visit Kris though. Even if he had left EXO, he had been a member, and once a member, always a member.

Kris was taken in by a different company and started a solo career. While he missed performing with EXO, he was happier with the new company and was able to visit with his mom more. And, more importantly, he was able to have more of a private life.

"Celeste!" Kris's voice rang through their small apartment early one sunday morning. They planned to spend the whole day together since he had the day off but she was no where to be found. "Where are you?"

He took out his phone to check if he had gotten a text message from her but found nothing. Sighing, he sat down on the couch and flipped through the TV channels absentmindedly. On his third time going through the 2000's, the front door opened, revealing Celeste ladened with shopping bags. Kris jumped and took two of them from her accompanied by a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to the store? We could have gone together."

"I was going to surprise you by making breakfast in bed but you're up earlier than I thought you'd be. Maybe another time." She walked ahead of him and set the bags down on the counter. He put his next to her's and they wordlessly worked together to put everything away. Celeste grabbed the last can, turned her back to him, and stood on her tip toes to put it on the top shelf.

Kris wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "You still can let's make it and then go back together."

Celte smiled and leaned back into his chest. "Alright. What should we have? I was planning on chocolate pancakes but-"

"Perfect. I haven't had chocolate pancakes in forever."

"Chocolate pancakes it is."

The two got to work. Together, they measured out the ingredients. Kris snuck a few chocolate chips and Celeste smacked him on the shoulder when she caught him. They moved around each other comfortably, having long since learned how to dance around each other. When the pancakes were done, they piled them on a plate and carried them to the bedroom. Celeste dove under the covers and popped her head out like a prairie dog. Kris laughed and climbed in behind her. He tore a piece off and took a bite.

He closed his eyes, nodded and hummed. "It tastes good."

"Really?"

"Uh huh." Kris torn off another piece and fed it to her. She imitated his reaction and grinned.

"It is good."

The couple leaned against each other and fed piece to each other. They lazed away the morning like this, just eating and talking if they thought of a topic.

After a long stretch of comfortable silence, Kris spoke up. "Hey, Celeste?" He shifted and she sat up so she could look him in the eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I don't think I ever thanked you."

"What for?"

"For always being there for me. You've always been on my side."

"Except for when we get into fights."

"Except for when we get into fights," He chuckled and greed with her. "So... Yeah. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Celeste gave him a quick peck on the forehead. "Don't be too grateful though."

"What?"

"I had an ulterior motive."

"And what was it?"

Celeste smiled at him sweetly and thought for a moment. Kris had grown so much since she had met him him that fiteful night so many years ago. He had gone from being shy and nervous on stage to being an enchanting star. How she had managed to capture his heart, she'd never know. It was like she had caught a shooting star with a butterfly net. But she knew she would continue to dance with him forever, like a galaxy spinning through the cosmos.

"I love you."

Kris smiled back and held her closer.

"I love you, too."