For the next six days leading up to the third round of the National Dance Competition, Sean temporarily stepped in to handle the prop training, an area where he had more experience than Daniel. With his ease in working with sticks, short ribbons, lightweight balls, and whatever else the college studio had lying around, he led Terrence, Kai, Ben, and even Daniel through a crash course in integrating props without tripping over them.
Unlike Daniel, who transformed into a drill sergeant the second the word "practice" left his mouth, Sean was patient to a fault. His approach was steady and deliberate, teaching with quiet confidence, going over moves as many times as needed, even pulling up videos to show examples.
Daniel, though, didn't so much as flinch. If he was a demon as a mentor, he was a scholar as a student, absorbing every word Sean said, rehearsing until the move looked effortless, experimenting with more challenging props than Sean had even suggested. By the third day, he was tossing in his own tips for handling the trickier ones.
Terrence, naturally, was all discipline and razor-sharp focus. He pushed himself to match Daniel's pace, seeking Sean's feedback, experimenting with different props, and throwing as much expression into the routines as his aching muscles would allow.
Kai, on the other hand, treated "break" like it was his primary form of choreography. Sean, being a world-class introvert, seemed utterly unequipped to rein him in, so the task fell to Daniel. And Daniel's version of "encouragement" looked suspiciously like dragging Kai across the floor by his collar while Kai cried out in mock agony about "the betrayal of friendship."
Ben tried to focus, but his thoughts refused to fall in line. Those stubborn feelings for Daniel kept slipping into his head at the worst moments. He kept a careful distance, hoping to keep them buried. He worked obsessively, pushing through each set with more determination than was necessary, as if effort could burn the distraction away.
But in the chaos of NDC prep, his own heart was the one thing refusing discipline. His eyes betrayed him, drifting toward Daniel again and again: the curve of his shoulders, the way his hair kept falling into his eyes, the growing ease in his movements with each repetition of the routine, and, to Ben's mingled relief and frustration, Daniel didn't notice him, too absorbed in mastering the props.
That evening, Ben stopped for a water break, only to have his gaze drift, again, to Daniel. He was off in a corner, testing footwork while holding two short sticks, seeing how much movement he could manage without freeing his hands. Sean stood nearby, offering quiet pointers that Daniel immediately folded into his steps.
Sean wandered over and sank to the floor beside Ben, looking more drained than usual.
Ben grinned and patted his back. "Mianhae, hyung. I dragged you into this circus." [Sorry]
Sean's brow twitched. "Not a big deal."
Ben let out a long breath, leaning against the wall. "Still, I'm starting to feel more confident with all this prop practice. At least now we might not look like idiots on stage."
For half a second, Sean's lips twitched upward, but the moment passed. He took a sip from his bottle. "I don't know about the rest of you, but Daniel hyung not being able to dance is unthinkable."
Ben turned to him, surprised by the compliment. Sean wasn't one to toss out feelings like candy. Still, he found himself smiling faintly, remembering the first time he'd seen Daniel perform. "It really is," he agreed.
Sean raised a brow at him but said nothing. They stood to head back to practice when Ben hesitated. "Hyung, why did you stop dancing? You're obviously good at it. Family pressure?"
Sean was quiet for a moment, walking slowly beside him before finally answering, voice even. "I was going through something."
Ben caught the weight in those words and knew better than to push. "Why start again?"
Sean lifted his head, eyes landing on Daniel. "Because of Daniel hyung."
Ben's mouth fell open. "Huh?"
Sean smirked. "I saw him dance at the Annual College Festival my freshman year. His passion is infectious."
And suddenly Ben understood. Daniel's fire for dance had pulled him in, too. It was the reason he kept going, even when it was hard.
He quickly shook off the thought before it could dig too deep. Ben grabbed a ribbon and headed back onto the floor.
***
6 days later- Third round of NDC
There were thirty teams left, and except for KPT University and five other teams, none had all five members intact. Some had no team left and were the only representative of their college, and the ones that did have their team barely had two or three members left.
All five members of the KPT team were perched on the NDC waiting room bench when the props were handed out.
And it was pure chaos.
Terrence stared at his item: a toy knife.
"…Am I supposed to dance like a serial killer?" he deadpanned.
Kai held up his jump rope with a look of pure betrayal. "What am I supposed to do with this? Play jump rope like a preschooler?"
Sean blinked at his monocle. "…"
Ben stared at his mask. "…Can I just wear it and call it a day?"
And then there was Daniel's. Ben felt his soul leave his body when Daniel held up his prop.
A pair of handcuffs.
"…Hyung," Kai muttered. "What kind of performance are you supposed to do with that?"
Daniel wiggled his eyebrows. "Something provocative?"
Kai let out a low whistle, but Ben immediately turned away before his mind could run away with that mental image.
Why did this competition hate him?
They only had three hours to come up with something before the third round started.
And Ben was already drowning in stress.