“Hyung, you are insane.”

Kai had his arms crossed, staring at Daniel like he was considering dragging him off by force. Ben and Terrence stood beside him, looking equally exhausted. Daniel, meanwhile, sat on the NDC waiting room bench, arms sprawled like a king on his throne, and gave them a lazy smirk.

“I prefer the term ‘determined.’”

“You have a severe ankle sprain, and you just told the NDC officials you’d rather crawl than withdraw.” Ben deadpanned, rubbing his temples. “Do you actually enjoy suffering?”

Daniel let out a wounded gasp. “Ben-ah, you wound me.” He pressed the back of his hand on his forehead, acting like a fallen prince. “I already submitted my absence request for the auditions. I can’t take it back now. Might as well use it. Are you saying you don’t want to witness the most legendary comeback of all time?”

“I’d rather not witness you permanently ruining your leg.”

“Details, details.”

Kai groaned, Terrence sighed, and Ben gave up. There was no reasoning with Daniel.

With the final teams locking in, their fifth and final member entered the waiting room.

A tall boy, Sean, stepped in, towering over even Kai. He was lean and subtly muscular, with brown bangs brushed over his intense black eyes, and soft, unreadable features that gave him an effortlessly charming presence. He moved with a slightly awkward yet undeniably confident stride.

“I’m joining your team.”

Ben blinked. “Uh… okay?”

Daniel grinned and swept forward like some nobleman greeting a knight. “Welcome, young warrior! What is your reason for choosing our mighty squad?”

Sean looked Daniel dead in the eye and said, “I admire you.”

Pin-drop silence.

Kai’s mouth fell open.

Terrence raised an eyebrow.

Ben narrowed his eyes.

Daniel, meanwhile, looked like he was about to ascend.

“You do?!” he gasped, eyes sparkling. “A fan? A true disciple? This is a glorious day indeed!”

“I didn’t say fan,” Sean corrected, as blunt as a knife to the gut. “I just admire your dancing skills and hard work. You’re an insufferable loudmouth, though.”

Daniel: ..

Kai: ..

Ben: ..

Terrence: Good. Finally, someone said it.

Kai whistled. “Damn. This one’s even more direct than Terrence.”

Terrence smirked. “I like him.”

Daniel, despite the insult, placed a hand over his heart. “A fellow honest soul. I have gained another disciple.”

Ben sighed. 

Another menace was added to the group.

***

Since the NDC was being held in Seoul, the city had practically become a magnet for dancers from every corner of the country—Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, Gwangju, Jeonju, and many more. 

Because not every college could send a full team of ten, they had scraped together whoever they could, forming odd-sized teams of two, three, six, or seven, like dance-flavored puzzle pieces. Most participants were from Seoul and nearby areas, including their very own KPT University, which was now looking suspiciously overqualified in this sea of misfits.

When all was said and counted, there were over 320 dancers spread across 61 teams. And so, in what Ben could only describe as a decision made after too much coffee and not enough sleep, the NDC officials announced their method of sorting them:

Battle royale. One-on-one faceoffs.

The rules were simple:

• Win three out of five, and your team advances. If a team had more than five members, the team with more wins advances (four for six and seven members)

• Any dance style is allowed (including Idol choreos)

• The team with the most victories advances to the next round

Ben stared at the announcement and sighed. "Who knew national-level competitions would run on Pokémon battle logic?"

The Dance Battle Began. 

Kai, Terrence, and Ben had a silent agreement that Daniel would not step onto that stage.

But then came the shock of their lives.

Sean, this quiet, blunt guy, stepped forward, stretched a little, and absolutely wrecked his opponent.

He was clearly trained, but his style was hard to define; he blended several forms seamlessly into his performance. His style was very different from Kai's energetic movements, Ben’s elegant style, or Terrence’s controlled power. He was like a storm, slow to build but absolutely devastating once it hit.

Even Daniel was stunned.

“…Why did I not know about this?”

“I–I don’t know, but I’m suddenly terrified of him,” Kai whispered.

Ben watched with a mix of awe and mild existential crisis.

Where was this guy hiding this whole time?!

Terrence smirked, satisfied. “I told you I like him.”

With Sean demolishing the competition and the rest of them dancing like their lives depended on it, their team swept through the preliminaries.

By the time the battles ended, only 41 teams remained.

The next round would be in two weeks.

***

The restaurant was alive with chatter and laughter, a sharp contrast to the exhaustion settling in their bones. Plates piled high with food cluttered the table as they dug in, their bodies demanding fuel after the grueling day.

“We need to celebrate!” Daniel declared, lifting his chopsticks like a sword of justice.

Kai, arms still sore from the dance battle, groaned. “Do we? My body is in pain.”

Ben sighed, “That sunbae, Sean, where was he all this time. He finished half the competition on his own.”

Kai nodded, “Talk about a hidden weapon. Shame. He couldn’t join us today.”

“Yeah, I would have liked to know my admirer better. By the way you guys danced like maniacs today,” Daniel said, his voice softer now as he turned to Ben. “Especially you, Ben-ah.”

Ben, who had just taken a sip of water, choked violently.

Terrence barely looked up from his food. “If you die because of water, I’m not reviving you.”

Daniel just patted his back in mock sympathy.

*****

By the time they finally parted ways, the night air had turned crisp, the streets quieter as they walked toward their respective homes. Kai and Terrence disappeared down their usual path, leaving just Ben and Daniel trailing behind.

It was routine by now. Ben always ended up walking Daniel home. But tonight, Daniel turned to him with a look Ben did not trust in the slightest.

“…What?” Ben asked, instantly wary.

Daniel’s eyes widened, his lips curving into a dramatic pout. “…Piggyback ride?”

“No.”

“Pleaaaaaase.”

“NO.”

“Pleeeeeaaaaaaaseeeeeeeee.”

Ben sighed, already regretting every life choice that had led to this moment. “Fine! But if you fall, I’m leaving you on the sidewalk.”

Before he could change his mind, Daniel cheered and hopped onto his back, his arms wrapping around Ben’s shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world.

That’s when Ben realized– 

This was a mistake.

Daniel was really warm. His breath ghosted against Ben’s ear, his soft hair tickling his cheek, his weight solid and comfortable against him.

Ben’s heart started racing. Memories of that rainy evening resurfaced, the way Daniel had carried him so effortlessly, how steady and warm his back had felt despite the downpour. Ben had been too dazed to process it then, but now he was way too aware.

Daniel shifted slightly, resting his chin on Ben’s shoulder. His voice came out in a sleepy mumble.

“…Mmm, you’re comfy.”

OH NO.

Ben’s body tensed. His ears burned. His heart slammed against his ribs, an erratic mess of confusion and frustration.

Damn it.

Why does Daniel affect him so much?!