Chapter Text
Since he was a child, his mother had always told Xue Suren the same story: soulmates exist, and you can see what they dream about. There was a time when he believed it was just a fantasy, until one day he saw that sea of stars in them. Suren still remembered how quickly he ran to his mother to tell her what he saw. It looked like he was on some kind of platform, and everything around him looked like a galaxy. His mother smiled fondly when she heard him.
The now silver-haired man still remembered fondly how his mother, after saving up from her work, took him to his first concert ever and finally explained that those stars were lightsticks used by the fans of idol groups. Luckily, he liked to dance, because from that moment on, he decided that wherever his soulmate was, he would prepare one of the best choreographies for them to shine under that starry sky.
He remembers working diligently in the study after his classes, unlike his classmates who enjoyed their time in the recreation rooms or playing sports or enjoying vigeogames, but what helped him during that time was the thought that if it was having a hard time for himself it surely wouldn't be easy for his soulmate either.
About eight years had passed since he began having that dream. Little by little, as he grew up, that starry sky had grown darker and now the view from that stage could be taken as a black ocean. For the now 21-year-old Suren, the situation was not easy either. He was doing everything he could to make a name for himself. He had started out as a dance teacher and even as a backup dancer for an idol group.
He had even started uploading videos of his classes and some famous trends to social media in the hope of catching the attention of a non very famous company to create his next choreography. The silver-haired man was checking those social media sites when a new email arrived in his inbox. It took him a couple of readings to realise what it was. The phone trembled in his hand while he waited for the other person to pick up, his nerves barely giving him time to breathe before the line connected.
“Hello, darling, how are y-yo-?” His mother didn't have time to finish her sentence, as her son interrupted her abruptly, overpowered by his nerves.
“They did it, Mum! They contacted me!” It took Suren's mother a couple of minutes to figure out what her son was saying.
“Darling, breathe with me” Over the phone, his mother helped him calm his breathing. Once she noticed he was calmer, she began to speak. ‘Very good, now try once more.Suren took a deep breath, letting it out one last time before updating his mother.
She was obviously happy for him, but she kept reminding him to read everything carefully and not to let himself be fooled. The silver-haired man smiled at his mother's words as he settled down on the sofa to tell her a little more about how his days were going.
Once the conversation was over, the excitement returned in full force and he jumped up from the sofa. Then he stopped. A laugh burst out of him —too loud, too sharp— like he had just realised the punchline of a very bad joke. He dragged his bangs back with one hand, staring into nothing. Right. His dance classes. His new job. Of course.
How was he supposed to make all of it fit?
Realising this, Suren could only let himself fall to the floor and hug his knees. The coldness of the floor, the sound of the clock alongside his heavy breathing, made him realise that the world had not stopped and that he was lagging behind in his thoughts. His mother's words came back to him: “Read everything carefully. Don't let yourself be fooled.” Her concern was now his anchor, enabling him to move forward.
Suren was now standing in front of his desk, calmly reading the email one last time. It included a proposal for a videocall so they could get to know each other better. The dark brown-eyed man looked at his planner to see how he had that slot and smiled when he saw an empty space. He took one of his post-it notes, wrote the person's name and the time of the meeting, and stick it where it belonged.
A slight sigh escaped his lips as his hands touched the keyboard. He was about to reply to the email, but if there was one thing Xue Suren hated, it was replying to work emails. He wanted to come across as professional, but he didn't want to seem too desperate either. He needed to do it right, but at the same time, he knew the responsibility was huge. He had to come up with an idea to make those guys stand out — but if he wasn't good enough and failed — No, he couldn't let those thoughts get the better of him. Suren shook his head. Once everything was structured, it took him a few minutes to hit the button, but there was no turning back now. It was already sent, so he took the opportunity to stretch and start getting ready.
—
The following days passed at a steady pace. Suren continued with his usual routine until the day of the videocall arrived. He was nervous — of course — however everything went smoothly. On the other side of the screen, the manager listened attentively, nodding with genuine interest at each of Suren's answers. When the call was about to end, he told him that if everything was fine on his end and he had no further questions, he would soon receive the contract along with more information about the song and its sample. Suren nodded, unable to hide his excitement.
When all that information arrived, his days became busier. During every free moment in the dance studio, he put on his headphones and began to form the choreography in his mind and body. Step by step, movement by movement, building something new.
—
Been waiting for this time to wake up
Open the window painted by moonlight
Everything had been quiet until that day, when his alarm clock woke him up. Suren was half out of bed, trying to get his mind straight after waking up. He had forgotten how long his soulmate's dreams had been dark. Until that night, when the scene lit up again, even though only a few lights were visible from the stage.
The silver hair man wondered if something good had finally happened to his soul mate, but he couldn't afford to think about that now. He hopped out of bed, took a quick shower, and had a simple breakfast. By the time he finished packing his bag and double-checked that he had everything he needed. It was his first day, and he had to arrive early at the company building to introduce himself.
Once on the street, Suren sensed something strange in the air. Although the sky was clear, something was unsettling him and it wasn't just first-day nerves.And clearly, the fact that the route he was taking for the first time was easier than usual did not help his uncertainty. Upon arriving at the building, Xue Suren was greeted by the same person he had been in contact with. They gave him his ID so he could enter and exit without any problems. The staff invited him in, and the silver-haired man followed them down the corridors, trying to strike up a conversation about what the building looked like.
The door to the rehearsal room was opened by the staff, who entered first. Suren paid no attention to how he was being introduced; his gaze wandered around the room, as he felt that he suddenly knew the place too well for it to be his first time there.