The floor was a collage of nostalgia. Polaroids lay scattered like puzzle pieces to Ben's past: sun-faded edges, wide smiles, messy handwriting on the back of some. Dance practice had been completely forgotten. Instead, five boys were sprawled across the wooden floor, dissecting each snapshot like it held the key to a mystery.
Kai was the most animated, flipping through the pictures as if they were a freshly printed magazine. "¡Guau, te ves súper joven!! [Wow, you look super young.] You were in tenth grade here, right? That haircut, sorry, but it's criminal."
Ben leaned over, snatched the picture from his hands. "Don't see it then."
Kai cackled and reached for another one. Terrence, always the snarky one, glanced over and gave a nostalgic smile. "Gotta admit, I thought it was too old-fashioned, but it's got vibes. Very 90s."
Ben rolled his eyes. "Shut it, kiddo."
Terrence plucked up another one. "Okay, who's this? Doesn't look like a high schooler."
Ben craned his neck, and a soft smile tugged at his lips. "Oh, he was the guy I used to do street dancing with. Super cool, but we lost touch after high school. This is the only memory I've got of him."
Sean, quiet as always, was flipping through photos at his own pace. But he stopped at one and stared for a long second. Ben noticed and leaned over. It was the farewell group photo from high school. Ben was smiling, but his eyes were glassy.
He instantly snatched it away. "Come on, it was our farewell. I was upset."
Sean looked at him with unreadable eyes. "You look–" He stopped, shrugged, and returned to the pile like nothing had happened.
Ben blinked.
What was he going to say?
But amidst the laughter, the teasing, the gentle quiet, one voice was missing.
Daniel, the drama queen and the walking hurricane of chaos, had gone unnaturally silent.
Ben had been trying to avoid his eyes all afternoon, but now, he couldn't ignore it. Daniel looked blank. He was staring down at the photos like they were written in a language he couldn't read.
"Hyung," Ben said cautiously, "you okay?"
Daniel looked up, blinking like he'd been snapped out of a trance. "Ye-yeah. You take great pics, Bennie." He gave a strained grin.
Suddenly, as if someone flipped a switch, Daniel jumped to his feet and clapped his hands.
"Okay, listen, children—!"
Sean muttered, "I did not sign up for this family."
Daniel barreled on. "Practice time! Let's go, Overdose routine, from the top!"
Terrence groaned but got up. Kai looked like someone had taken his puppy away, but he obeyed. Even Sean stood without protest. Ben quietly picked up the Polaroids, carefully putting them back in his bag.
Daniel didn't break character the rest of the session, barking corrections, overexplaining moves, filling any silence with relentless energy. They danced Overdose and did it so well that they decided to try another Idol routine.
Daniel insisted on Shinee's Sherlock. Though a bit reluctant at first, everyone quickly changed their mind after seeing the choreo. It required exceptional cooperation, timing, formation, and execution. They started it with excitement and kept at it until their shirts clung to them and their timing was synced.
By the end, they were breathless but strangely content.
Ben was wiping his face with a towel when Daniel bounded over, shoving his phone under everyone's noses.
"Hey, guys, look! NDC just posted the third round clips!"
Everyone crowded around.
Kai gasped. "Hyung, your views are insane!"
Daniel puffed up. "Obviously. I danced like a heavenly deity–"
Terrence, clicking another clip, interrupted. "Oh, someone else has views too."
Ben frowned. "Wait, how are there views? NDC hasn't even started airing yet."
Terrence shrugged. "These are the promotional clips they release for early engagement. Eliminated contestants and the general public get to view and like. A clever marketing strategy."
Everyone nodded. But their attention shifted when music played on the screen.
On screen, a girl in blue danced with haunting grace, her long stick prop weaving through the air like a lifeline. She looked like a fairy; her every gesture was delicate but purposeful. For once, even Terrence did not have any snarky comment to make.
"She's trained," Daniel said, uncharacteristically serious. "Her lines are beautiful."
"That's the girl from round two, right?" Terrence asked. "PNU Uni?"
They squinted at the label. Kai grumbled, "Wish they showed names instead of just the school. This is like an RPG with hidden characters."
To no one's surprise, Daniel had the highest views. But what stunned Ben was seeing his own name in third place. He stared, rubbing his eyes. Surely, it was a mistake.
Sean leaned in. "Looks like you and Hyung are carrying the viewership."
Terrence added, "All of us are in the top ten. Not bad."
A strange warmth filled Ben's chest, part disbelief and part pride.
Was this real?
Before he could process it, a security guard appeared. It was closing time, and they all scrambled away like chickens running from their coop.
***
Ben didn't want to go back with Daniel, not after everything that happened yesterday. He needed space to sort out what he was feeling and put a cap on the desires that gnawed at him relentlessly. He clenched his fist and was about to make a run for it.
But, tough luck, Daniel caught him.
His eyes were wide with confusion and hurt. "Ben, do you really need to blow me off like that?"
Ben's heart stopped. This wasn't a playful accusation. Daniel looked genuinely upset.
Damn, being in love sucks, Ben thought, swallowing hard. He couldn't stand seeing him like this.
He forced a breath out, trying to steady himself. "I didn't mean to. But right now, I just need some time–"
Daniel cut him off, his voice thick with confusion. "You dropped that whole thing yesterday. About liking me, desiring me." He flailed a bit before looking down. "You said you weren't happy with just being friends, and then you walked out. And now you're acting like… like I messed up somehow. So what is it, Ben? You don't wanna be friends anymore?"
Ben blinked. This was worse than rejection. Daniel didn't even understand that Ben had confessed.
A thick and suffocating silence fell between them.
"Hyung," Ben murmured, his voice quieter than he intended, "Let's walk."
Daniel blinked. "Okay."
They began walking towards their usual route. Their footsteps were the only sound in the quiet night. The streets were empty, peaceful even. The exact opposite of the storm raging inside Ben.
Ben hated talking about emotions. He was no good at it. But he had to make Daniel understand. He sucked in a breath, trying to gather his thoughts.
"Why did you think I wanted to end our friendship?" Ben asked after a long pause, his voice strained, like every word was fighting its way out.
Daniel gave him a helpless look. "Because of what you said. I must've misunderstood something, right?"
Ben sighed. "You didn't misunderstand."
Daniel blinked.
Ben hesitated, "Can we keep a little distance? I just need some time to sort things out."
Daniel's smile dropped completely. "Ben, what's going on?"
Ben gave a hollow chuckle, "You seriously don't get it, do you?"
Daniel looked startled.
Ben's head dropped back, his frustration bubbling up. He felt the words tumble out before he could stop them, "Do you not know how people look at you? How they–how they want you? Are you really that clueless?"
Daniel stopped in his tracks, and Ben nearly crashed into him. He looked at Ben, eyes wide and confused. "Uh– isn't it just that they praise me?"
Ben stared at him like he had just said the most absurd thing in the world. Ben knew that Daniel wasn't being arrogant; he was simply stating the truth as he saw it. But it was baffling, seeing how utterly unaware Daniel was.
Ben took a deep breath, forcing the frustration down as best as he could. He had to really lay it out plain for Daniel to fully grasp it.
"Hyung," he said, trying to keep his voice steady, "I want to date you."
Daniel froze, his expression falling into a deeper confusion. Ben tried not to lose his nerve, even as the words felt heavy in his mouth. "Please don't tell me you don't get it. You thought Mika and I dated, right?"
Daniel's mouth opened, but no words came out. He looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Y-you want to date me?"
The silence that followed made Ben's heart ache. But for better or for worse, he had to say it out loud for this oblivious menace to understand.
"Yeah," Ben said, a little more firmly this time. "I don't want to be just your friend. I want more than that."
Daniel's face flickered between confusion and uncertainty. Ben let the silence hang for a moment, letting Daniel process it.
Ben spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "That's why I need some time away. Being near you just makes everything harder to handle."
Daniel stared at him, dumbstruck.
Ben couldn't hold back the hurt that seeped through. A straight rejection would've been easier. He had prepared his heart for that. But having his feelings brushed aside, unseen, left a bitter knot in his chest.
"I don't want to mess this up," Ben continued, his voice breaking slightly. "I don't wanna lose you. I just… need a little time to get my head straight."
Ben turned away before he could say anything else. His heart was heavy, like it was made of lead. Every step he took felt like he was sinking deeper. But he couldn't stay when everything was so messed up. He walked away, the distance between them growing, but the weight in his chest only grew heavier.
Daniel quietly watched Ben walk away. For a second, he looked like he might follow, but he hesitated and watched his back as it went further and further away.