Chapter 1: Introduction
The A&R representative from Wake Company arrived at the dance room. He introduced Matthew to Jiwoong as their newest trainee in the company.
Jiwoong, though surprised, was happy to meet the charming Matthew. Matthew was dressed in a casual outfit of jeans and a t-shirt, but his charisma and confidence radiated from him. Jiwoong, on the other hand, was shy and nervous. He stuttered a bit when he spoke but was still endearing.
"We'll be preparing for the upcoming duo dance evaluation," the A&R said, "You two will be working together."
Jiwoong looked at Matthew, and Matthew smiled at him. Jiwoong felt a warmth spread through him at the sight of Matthew's smile.
It was genuine, and it made his nervousness ebb away just a little. Matthew extended his hand to Jiwoong, "Nice to meet you, Jiwoong. I'm Matthew."
Jiwoong hesitated for a moment before taking Matthew's hand. His touch was firm and warm, sending a jolt through Jiwoong. "Nice to meet you too, Matthew," he managed to say, hoping his voice didn't betray his sudden nervousness.
The A&R left them alone in the dance room, the sound of his footsteps echoing down the long hallway.
Matthew and Jiwoong stood there for a moment, the silence stretching between them. Matthew broke it first, gesturing to the studio space around them.
"You know, I've heard a lot about Wake's training facilities, but this is something else," he said, his eyes scanning the room. Jiwoong followed his gaze, taking in the mirrors lining the walls, the ballet barres, and the state-of-the-art sound system.
"Yeah, it's pretty impressive," Jiwoong agreed, his voice a little quieter than Matthew's.
He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants, trying to look at ease. "So, you're from Canada, right? How are you finding Korea so far?"
Matthew turned to face Jiwoong, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. "It's been an adjustment, that's for sure. The food, the language, the culture... it's all so different. But I'm loving it. The energy here is electric."
Jiwoong nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "I've never been to Canada. I've always wanted to, though.
It looks beautiful, especially in the fall," Jiwoong said, his eyes lighting up at the thought.
Matthew chuckled, "Well, if you ever get the chance to visit, I'd be happy to show you around. Now, let's get started on our routine. Any preferences on what kind of dance you'd like to do?"
Jiwoong hesitated, looking down at the floor. "I'm not really sure. I can dance to anything, but I'm not as confident as you are," he admitted softly.
Matthew walked over to Jiwoong, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, it's okay. We're in this together, remember? And I've seen your performances. You're great. We just need to find something that suits both of us."
Jiwoong looked up at Matthew, appreciating his reassuring words. "Thanks, Matthew. I'm just... I'm not used to being the center of attention like this."
Matthew squeezed Jiwoong's shoulder gently. "Well, you're not alone. We'll figure this out together. How about we start with something simple? Something we both know well."
Jiwoong nodded, his shoulders relaxing a bit.
"Okay, that sounds good. What do you suggest?"
Matthew thought for a moment before snapping his fingers. "How about we start with a classic? A bit of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean'. It's a crowd-pleaser, and it'll give us a chance to showcase our individual strengths while still working together."
Jiwoong's eyes widened. "Michael Jackson? That's... that's a big act to follow."
Matthew laughed, a warm, infectious sound that filled the dance room. "Hey, no pressure. We're just having fun here. Besides, I've seen you perform.
You've got the moves, Jiwoong. I know because when I saw your dance busker stages, “those hips definitely don’t lie.” He chuckled softly. And Michael's music is all about feeling the rhythm, letting it take you over. It's not about perfection, it's about passion. And I know you've got that in you."
Jiwoong took a deep breath, considering Matthew's words. He knew Matthew was right. He had seen him perform, and he knew he had the skills. It was just his confidence that was lacking. But with Matthew by his side, maybe he could find that.
"Okay," Jiwoong said, determination in his voice.
"Let's do it. 'Billie Jean' it is."
Matthew grinned, clapping his hands together. "That's the spirit! Alright, let's start with the basics. We'll need to sync our steps first."
He walked over to the sound system and pressed play. The opening beats of "Billie Jean" filled the room, and Matthew started to move, his body fluid and graceful. Jiwoong watched, mesmerized by Matthew's effortless dance moves.
"Come on, Jiwoong," Matthew called out, extending his hand. The room was filled with their sweat and fog. It was electrifying. Although they only met today, their moves were synced and they can’t help looking each at each other. Matthew was smiling the whole time and the corner of his lips were turned all the way up. It was his first time dancing with Jiwoong, but for him it felt like they been paired up together for years. He can’t help looking and taking glances at him because his aura shines whenever he is dancing. Whenever he makes a dance move, the line was expressed in such a beautiful and concise manner. Somehow, he took command of his attention that Matthew felt there was a radiance glowing around Jiwoong’s body. As much as Matthew is currently enjoying dancing right now with Jiwoong, he stumbled and accidentally bumped into Jiwoong.
Jiwoong lost his balance and fell to the ground, Matthew quickly followed him down, concerned.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Jiwoong! Are you alright?" Matthew asked, his voice laced with worry as he helped Jiwoong sit up.
Jiwoong rubbed his elbow, wincing slightly. "It's okay, Matthew. I'm fine. Just a little clumsy, I guess," he said, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Matthew looked at Jiwoong, his expression softening. "Hey, none of that. Accidents happen, especially when you're learning something new.
Besides, how could I not trip when I couldn't stop staring at you?" Matthew said, a playful smirk on his lips.
Jiwoong blushed at Matthew's words, looking down at the floor. "You don't have to flatter me, Matthew. I know I'm not as good as you are."
Matthew placed a finger under Jiwoong's chin, gently lifting his head so their eyes met. "Hey, I mean it. You're talented, Jiwoong. And you're improving every minute we spend together. Don't sell yourself short."
Jiwoong bit his lip, trying to hide his smile.
Matthew offered his hands to Jiwoong and try to lift him up. Jiwoong took his hand but felt flustered because it was very sticky with sweat. He tried to take his hand away but accidentally pushed Matthew toward his direction. Matthew fell towards him and tension was filled in the air. Both of them could only hear the deafening silence of the clock and AC running. Matthew was now inches away from Jiwoong, their faces close enough to feel each other's breath. Jiwoong's heart was pounding like a drum in his chest, and he could feel the heat radiating from Matthew's body. He tried to look away, but Matthew's eyes held him captive.
Matthew cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "Well, this is...awkward," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. He pushed himself back up, offering his hand to Jiwoong once more.
"Come on, let's try that again," he said, a playful grin on his face.
Jiwoong took his hand, his cheeks still flushed. "Sorry about that, I'm just... a bit clumsy sometimes," he muttered, avoiding Matthew's gaze.
Matthew chuckled, pulling Jiwoong to his feet. "Hey, no apologies necessary. It's been a while since I've had this much fun during practice. Here, let's start from the top."
He pressed play on the sound system, and the opening beats of "Billie Jean" filled the room once more.
Matthew took a step back, giving Jiwoong some space. "Alright, let's focus on the basics first. We'll start with the footwork, then build up from there."
Jiwoong nodded, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. He mirrored Matthew's movements, trying to match his fluidity. They danced in sync, their steps falling in time with the music. Matthew watched Jiwoong out of the corner of his eye, noting his improvement with each passing moment.
Halfway through the song, Matthew was not able to concentrate . He was making few mistakes with basic dance moves. Every time they accidentally bumped with their skin from their arms touching each other, he got flustered and messed up the timing for next dance moves. Jiwoong noticed it so he stopped the music and told Matthew to take a break for a while.
They sat down on the floor, both of them panting slightly from the exertion. Matthew took off his sweat-soaked shirt, revealing his toned chest. Jiwoong felt his cheeks flush and quickly looked away, trying to hide his reaction.
Matthew noticed Jiwoong's discomfort and chuckled softly. I don't mind if you look," he said, a playful smirk on his lips.
Jiwoong's blush deepened, and he hugged his knees to his chest. "I-I wasn't looking," he stammered, avoiding Matthew's gaze.
Matthew laughed, a warm sound that filled the dance room. "Sure, you weren't," he teased, nudging Jiwoong with his elbow. Jiwoong's blush deepened, but he couldn't help smiling back. There was something about Matthew's easy-going nature that put him at ease. "So, what do you think about our routine so far?" Matthew asked, changing the subject. Jiwoong thought for a moment before answering. "I think we're doing good.
I mean, we're still learning each other's rhythm, but I think we make a great team," Jiwoong said, his voice gaining confidence as he spoke.
Matthew grinned, "I agree. We've got great chemistry, and I think that's what's going to make our performance stand out."
Jiwoong looked at Matthew, his eyes sparkling with newfound determination. "I want to make sure we're ready for the evaluation. I don't want to let you down."
Matthew saw the sincerity in Jiwoong's eyes and felt a warmth spread through him.
He reached out and placed a hand on Jiwoong's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Hey, you're not going to let me down. And I have faith in us. We're going to nail this evaluation." "Together," he echoed softly.
Matthew stood up, pulling Jiwoong up with him. "Come on, let's get back to it. We've got a routine to perfect."
They spent the rest of the afternoon practicing, their bodies moving in sync with the music.
Matthew was patient, guiding Jiwoong through each step, correcting him when he needed it, and praising him when he got it right. Jiwoong, in turn, was eager to learn, pushing himself to keep up with Matthew's lead.
As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow through the windows of the dance room, Matthew called for a break. They flopped down onto the floor, both of them exhausted but exhilarated.
"That was... intense," Jiwoong panted, wiping the sweat from his brow. Matthew chuckled, "Yeah, it was.