After just a short conversation earlier in the afternoon, Daniel had gone completely quiet. Though Ben had expected some kind of shift after such a heavy conversation, the silence still left him feeling strangely empty.
He only wanted his feelings to be understood and perhaps to get an answer from Daniel. But this muted version of Daniel made his chest ache. He was too used to the constant buzz of Daniel's loud energy, the chaos and charm that clung to him like a shadow. Now, all Ben could think of was that Daniel must feel betrayed, and the thought left him sick with guilt.
Across the dance studio, Daniel lay sprawled on the floor, scrolling through videos of duet performances. But though his eyes were fixed on the screen, his mind was clearly elsewhere. His gaze was unfocused.
Ben swallowed and sat across him, careful not to startle. His voice came out more casual than he felt. "Hyung, have you come up with any concept yet?"
Daniel glanced up. His tone was calm, but flat. "Not yet. I'm not good with themes like this. Like you said, Bennie, I've never really desired anyone before. So, how am I supposed to choreograph around something I've never felt? You'd probably know better."
Ben studied him. The usual twinkle in Daniel's eye was gone. His confidence, which was always the loudest thing in the room, now looked dimmed, like someone had yanked the plug on his internal spotlight.
Ben forced a smile, trying to keep it light. "You've worked with harder themes. Remember the handcuff routine in the third round, that was insane, and you pulled it off."
Daniel chuckled softly. "Yeah, but this is different. I don't know the feeling, and we are supposed to embody it."
Ben's hands curled into fists. "Is it–is it because of me?"
Daniel blinked, startled. "What?"
Ben couldn't look at him. His voice came low, strained. "Do you want to say something? Or ask something? You don't have to bottle it up just to spare me. You can be mad, yell at me if needed. I'd understand."
Daniel tilted his head, clearly confused. "Why would I be mad at you?"
Ben bit his lips. "Because it must be overwhelming. A friend suddenly tells you he wants you in that way. I wouldn't blame you if you felt betrayed."
For a long second, there was silence. Then, with the theatrical grace of a tragic heroine, Daniel threw a hand over his forehead and sighed. "I don't feel betrayed. Just confused. I never really imagined anyone wanting me like that."
Raising an eyebrow, Ben muttered, "Seriously? Have you never noticed? People are practically lining up to throw themselves at you."
Daniel sat up abruptly, eyes wide. "Huh?? Aren't they just my admirers?"
Ben snorted. "Hyung, let me be blunt, many of your so-called admirers would happily drag you into their bed if you so much as smiled at them."
Daniel recoiled like Ben had slapped him with a wet mop. He pointed at Ben with trembling betrayal. "H-How dare you! My innocent ears! Appa is very disappointed!"
Ben burst out laughing. For some reason, that ridiculous nickname, Appa, actually soothed something inside him.
He looked up with a lingering grin. "That's just the truth. You never noticed how they look at you, or how they approached you."
Daniel lowered his hand slowly, blinking in disbelief. "How could I have missed that?"
Ben just shook his head at Daniel's cluelessness. His smile slowly faded into a quiet seriousness. He looked up and held Daniel's gaze, speaking softly, "I can kinda see why they're so drawn to you."
Daniel blinked in surprise, but Ben pressed on, his voice low. "I have always admired the way you chase your dreams, how nothing seems to slow you down. Watching you go after the impossible made me want to run alongside you. But hyung, sometimes I feel like, in that pursuit, you miss out a lot, like you missed something so basic as romantic attraction. Dance is an expression, right? If you've never felt those things, how can you show them authentically on stage?"
Daniel didn't reply. He sank into silence, as if suddenly confronted with a question he'd never considered.
Ben hugged his knees and rested his chin on them, watching Daniel. He had never thought too deeply about why, of all the people in his life, he fell for Daniel.
But now, he could suddenly see it clearly.
Ben had lived a life on the edge of rationality. He loved dance, but everyone around him said it wasn't a "real" future. So he'd buried his passion in a grave marked 'be practical', and tried to be the son his parents wanted.
That's when Daniel burst into his life like a wildfire, a chaotic and unstoppable storm, cackling in sneakers. His wild energy smashed through every careful, logical wall Ben had built. Daniel pulled him into the storm, carried him along in his rhythm, and wrapped him in his passion, filling Ben with his fire and confidence.
It didn't matter that Daniel was a dazzling legend on campus. It didn't matter that he was out of Ben's league. It didn't even matter that Daniel was a guy.
None of it mattered
Because Ben helplessly fell for him…
Without thinking, Ben's hand drifted toward Daniel's, brushing lightly against his. Daniel blinked, pulled from his thoughts, and watched as Ben's fingers slid into his. His eyes widened, flicking from their intertwined fingers up to Ben's face.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Daniel's breath hitched almost imperceptibly. The air trembled with a subtle shift, tension blooming like a shadow springing to life when light falls.
Ben's pulse stumbled. His fingers tightened around Daniel's as he leaned closer, drawn forward by a pull he didn't bother resisting. Their foreheads nearly touched, Daniel's warm breath skimming Ben's cheek. Ben's lips parted on instinct, the unspoken tug gathering like a held breath. His gaze dipped to Daniel's lips, his throat tightened as he swallowed before leaning in to close that last, fragile inch, when Daniel suddenly pulled his hand back.
He scrambled to his feet, face flushing red. He made a quick retreat toward the door, mumbling something about checking more videos. By the time Ben processed what had happened, Daniel was already gone.
Ben sat in stunned silence, eyes fixed on the door Daniel had vanished through. As the heat of the moment ebbed away, Ben groaned, dropping his forehead onto his knees.
What the hell was he even doing?
One more minute and he would've thrown self-restraint out the window.
Ben, get a grip. Or next time, you're going to end up starring in your own fanfiction.