Ben didn't remember when exactly he'd passed out. It must have been somewhere between the third can of beer and the second round of soju, and Daniel's shoulder became an unexpectedly comfortable pillow. Waking up on the couch was a relief in itself. The warm, worn sheet draped over him told him Daniel must've done it. He pulled it closer.
It smelled like Daniel.
The soft, masculine scent, fresh detergent with a hint of cologne, made his already-hungover head spin even more. He curled under it instinctively, the aroma enveloping him in a strange, disarming comfort. For a fleeting second, it felt like Daniel was holding him.
Ben's eyes flew open.
Wha-what the hell did he just think?
Had he just imagined being in Daniel's arms?
Like a cartoon character touching a hot stove, he yelped, threw the sheet off like it was cursed, and leapt to his feet.
Right at that moment, Daniel padded out of his bedroom, yawning in a tank top, and stretching like a sleepy cat.
"Mornin', Ben," he mumbled, not noticing Ben nearly having a cardiac event in the corner. "We gotta leave soon. I have a class at nine."
Ben, still internally short-circuiting, glanced at his watch. It was 7:20 a.m.
"Oh–uh–you're gonna be late. I'll just head back to the dorm. My class is at ten, anyway."
Daniel blinked at him, scratching his head. "You can wash up here if you want."
Ben looked at him like he'd just offered him a spot in a pit of snakes. Daniel did not think much of it, but to Ben, whose brain was currently frying on a skillet of emotional confusion, it was like being asked to perform a trust fall into lava.
He busied himself packing, casually swinging his bag over one shoulder. "Nah, I don't have a change of clothes. It's pointless to wash here. I'll just head back. See you on campus."
And before Daniel could say another word, Ben bolted like a man fleeing the scene of a crime.
***
Later, in the Microeconomics Class
Ben sat at his desk pretending to take notes, while his brain hosted a chaotic family reunion of thoughts: NDC's next round, his less-than-stellar grades, the looming group project for Korean Economy (still no group), and of course… Daniel. The name itself now came with footnotes and flashing warning signs.
Ben suddenly felt a pair of eyes boring into him like they knew he was mentally adrift.
"Ben-ssi," Professor Lee's sharp voice cut through his thoughts.
He looked up, caught mid-doodle.
"Your last assignment was… confusing. It was poorly explained."
Ben rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry, Gyusonim. I was kinda caught up with NDC and didn't manage my time well."
Her frown deepened, folding into a lecture that lasted ten minutes and felt like an eternity. He nodded through it like a bobblehead, murmuring "Joesonghabnida" and "I'll do better" at all the appropriate intervals.
By the time she handed back his paper and dismissed him, his brain felt half-melted, and his ears were ringing like he'd just survived an academic airstrike.
***
After class, Ben checked his phone and saw he still had over an hour before heading to the dance studio. He considered squeezing in extra practice, but the thought of being stuck in a room with strangers and an instructor drained whatever courage he had. With a sigh, he slung his bag over his shoulder and strolled out of the campus gates.
He'd barely turned the corner when a car horn blared, sharp and cocky. A sleek silver BMW convertible rolled to a stop beside him, gleaming like it had just driven out of a commercial. Behind the wheel sat Kai, grinning like a delinquent who'd gotten away with murder.
Ben stopped dead. "Kai-ya… what the hell are you doing?"
Kai revved the engine as if announcing his glory to the world. "My class is done, so I thought I'd swing by my place. Appa's off on a business trip, and Mirae's still at school, so I borrowed his car."
"Borrowed?" Ben repeated, unimpressed. "You mean 'stole.'"
Kai flicked his hair with a huff, too smug to deny it, and motioned for Ben to get in. Ben hesitated, staring at the car like it was worth more than his existence. Daniel and Kai's families were both wealthy, but while Daniel pretended money didn't exist, Kai wore it like an accessory.
Ben ran a hand over the hood, half-expecting it to vanish. "Am I even allowed to sit in this thing?"
Kai frowned. "Why wouldn't you be?"
Feeling ridiculous, Ben slid into the passenger seat, hyperaware of the buttery leather and the faint scent of something expensive he couldn't name. He suddenly felt very underdressed for the privilege of breathing in that car.
As they pulled away, Kai noticed Ben sitting stiff as a board and nudged him. "Stop acting like a glitching robot."
Ben muttered, "Can't help it." Suddenly, his eyes narrowed with suspicion, "Hold up, you do have a license, right? This isn't some illegal joyride, is it?"
Kai burst out laughing. "Relax! I got it three months ago. If I didn't, Appa would bury me alive for touching his car."
"Fair. My parents would've had me on house arrest just for thinking about touching one like this."
That got them both laughing, and Ben finally began to relax. "So… what model is it? Sports car?"
"Convertible," Kai corrected, beaming. He pressed a button, and with a smooth whirr, the roof folded back. "It's from the BMW S-series, but I never bothered checking the exact model. Details are boring."
Ben leaned back as the wind rushed in. "It feels like I'm in a drama right now," he said, running his fingers across the glove compartment in awe. "Anyways, where are we going?"
Kai grinned. "I thought we could pick up Terrence."
"Terrence? Where'd he go?"
"Suwon, to visit eomeoni."
Ben blinked. "Didn't he go before the second NDC round?"
"He was supposed to," Kai said, eyes flicking to the rearview as he made a sharp turn that sent Ben crashing into the door. "Oops. Anyway, Daniel hyung's training drained him."
Ben chuckled, rubbing his shoulder. "So he does get exhausted. Good to know Terrence is still human."
They both laughed as the car pulled into the station. Sure enough, Terrence stood outside with a backpack. The moment his eyes landed on the shiny BMW, his expression soured.
"You stole it again?" he said flatly, not even waiting for them to get out. "If Abeoji asks me, I'm selling you out."
Kai immediately switched to Chinese, making wide puppy eyes. "Hǎo cánrěn!" [How cruel!]
Terrence rolled his eyes but climbed in anyway, muttering under his breath.
***
At the Dance Studio
By the time they finally reached the studio, they were running late. Kai had insisted on swinging by his house to drop off the car, and Ben nearly had a heart attack when he saw it. Calling it a house was a crime; it was a sprawling estate that looked like a luxury hanok hotel hybrid with sweeping gates, manicured lawns, and a glossy stone exterior, Ben had only ever seen in magazines. He nearly bolted the second they parked, like a stray cat chased off by a rabid dog, and sighed with relief once they left that surreal world behind.
All three of them expected Daniel and Sean to already be knee-deep in warm-ups when they arrived. Instead, the first thing they saw upon entering was Daniel, planted in the middle of the room, dressed like a secret agent in a sharp tuxedo, polished shoes gleaming, and a grin bright enough to light a stadium.
Ben froze, astonished. Meanwhile, Kai and Terrence didn't even blink, strolling straight past him toward the lockers like this was just another Tuesday.
Ben blinked. "What… the hell are you wearing?"
Daniel practically skipped over, full of his usual golden retriever energy. "Ben! Do I not look amazing?"
"You look like you're auditioning to be the Korean James Bond," Ben muttered, still stunned.
"It's for my part-time!" Daniel struck a dramatic pose. "I turned it down three times due to my injury, so now I've got to make up for it with two shifts. This gig needed me in a tux. I borrowed it from a senior. Don't I look stunning?"
"You look…," Ben started dryly when–
Terrence, who just came out of the locker room, interrupted with a snort. "Hyung, can we stop the narcissism? Let's rehearse."
Daniel looked wounded. "How dare you. It's called self-love."
Ben wisely redirected his attention. "Do we know anything about the next NDC round?"
Terrence shrugged.
Kai, bounding over just behind Terrence, said with enthusiasm dripping in every syllable. "Last year was the judges' choice. The year before that, theme dance. Before that, regional styles. I hope they repeat the theme dance!"
Daniel lit up like someone had flipped a switch. "Ooh, once they did world dance. I vote for that! Imagine us doing Bollywood!"
Sean, ever calm, offered, "They uploaded clips of our previous rounds. Do you want to scope out the competition?"
That got everyone's attention.
"You checked?" Ben asked, blinking.
Kai laughed. "Hyung, since when do you care about this stuff?"
"I checked," Sean replied, as dry as toast.
Daniel threw an arm around Sean with mock affection. "Such a diligent child. Let's grant his wish."
Sean promptly shrugged him off.
Terrence already had the site open. "Only twenty-two teams left now. We started with sixty-one."
Ben leaned in, watching as clips from different universities played. KAIT University popped up. Kai was practically vibrating.
"They produce idols, I swear! Look at that girl, what a spin!"
Daniel pointed to a dancer. "She's good. Great lines, tight form."
Terrence rolled his eyes. "She looks like she'd sue you for breathing too loudly."
They moved through more. IISP – solid dancers, but no one memorable. PNU – a girl caught everyone's eye.
"She's trained," Sean said.
"She's confident," Terrence added.
Eventually, they pulled up their own video. One by one, their segments played; cheers, critiques, and laughter followed. Finally, came Daniel's clip.
Daniel let out a dramatic wail, sounding like a cat mid-yodel. "My broken ankle ruined my vibe! I was meant to fly!"
Terrence rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "Drama queen."
Kai laughed, patting Daniel's arm. "You still looked cool, hyung."
Ben, however, said nothing. His eyes were glued to the screen. Daniel was not able to use his full power, but he was still fluid and intense. As usual, Daniel's dancing was breathtaking. And for a moment, the world fell away. It wasn't a new thought, but now, his heart was filled with a strange tightness that was never there before.