Letters On Our Skin || BangChan

41

The day after I swiped the phone numbers of Chan's sister and mother, I get a call from Jung Wook in the middle of practice.
I answer immediately.
"Olivia," he says, "I've been going over the stats for your channel and I have to say: You're doing great progress. However, it could always be better. In the past week, your numbers only had a 2% increase in followers. I expect at least five."
"I understand," I answer and rub my temples, "I am working on a new dance video that will really blow everything else I've done out of the park."
"Good. Can you put it out by the end of next week?"
My eyes widen.
That's impossible. I can never make that work, I don't even have the complete choreography yet. The end of next week is in ten days.
"Of course," I answer and pinch my own arm, "That shouldn't be a problem. Consider it done."
"That's why I like working with you, Olivia."
Jung Wook sounds like he's smiling and I squeeze my eyes shut.
I'm so stupid.
Jung Wook adds, "And don't forget about your surprise project you've got going on! I want an update on that by the end of the month, alright?"
"Yeah, I'll send a report on my status with it your way."
Jung Wook ends the phone call and I want to scream. It's not like I have enough on my mind already right now. The surprise. Chan.
It's true, I have neglected my duties as content creator for JYP Entertainment over the past weeks, but I just had different priorities.
But now I don't have a choice. I need to get my act together. I get paid to make videos, I should behave accordingly.

I excuse myself from Chi's practice and make my way up to Chan's studio.
If I have to get this show on the runway within ten days, I need to work with someone I know can handle me at my most stressed. I need to work with someone I can trust.
Plus, the video I have planned is a duet.
And I've always wanted to dance with Chan.

I knock on his door.
"Come in!"
I open the door and stick my head in. Chan sits at his desk, tapping away on his phone.
"Working hard, I see." I smile and Chan turns to face me.
His face is bare and he's wearing one of his black hoodies with a pair of dark jeans.
"Always, you know me." Chan grins and spreads his arms for me to hug him hello.
I wrap my arms around his shoulders and squeeze, then I let go and drop onto the couch behind him.
"I need your help," I state, "Jung Wook expects a new dance video from by the end of next week. I am not even done with the choreography yet, so it's basically impossible."
I look at him. Chan leans back in his chair, hands folded on his tummy.
"I was hoping you'd help me. It's a duet and I'd like you to be my partner for this video."
Chan bites his lip and blushes.
"Why are you asking me? Hyunjin or Felix are a lot better at dancing than I am," he says then and smiles shyly.
Now it's my turn to blush.
"They're great dancers, I agree." I lower my eyes to my shoes. "But I want to dance with you. There is no one in the world that knows how to handle me the way you do or that I trust as much as you. You keep me calm, you're my counterpart. My partner. If I want to pull this off, I need you."
I shrug and feel the heat in my cheeks rise.
Chan grins and I can see his own cheeks are slightly more pink than usual.
"So what do you say?"
Chan stands from his chair and takes my hand to pull me to my own feet.
"It'd be my honor." He says then and pulls me into a long hug.

I dig my fingers into the fabric of his sweatshirt and breath in his scent. I can feel his heartbeat beneath my face.
For a moment, both of us are quiet. Simply enjoying being this close to each other.
"I wish I could hold you like this more often," I admit in a whisper then. I have my eyes closed, but I can feel Chan hold his breath. The seconds tick by and I don't expect him to say anything in return, but then he takes a deep breath.
He says lowly, "I had a dream about you last night."
I giggle and he chuckles when he guesses my thought.
"Not that kind of dream, you pervert," he says then, "It doesn't really matter what it was about but it felt so real that when I woke up, for a second I felt like you were right next to me. Like you were laying with me in my bed. I had completely forgotten that you left after the movie."
His hands start stroking over my back. He pulls on one of my strands and twists it between his fingers.
"It happens to me too," I admit, "Sometimes I miss you even when we just saw each other. Isn't that crazy?"
Chan halts in his motions and cups my face with both his hands. He stares into my eyes with a look I couldn't place. I've never seen his eyes like this. He dips his head until our foreheads touch and closes his eyes. He does this a lot, and sometimes it feels like he's trying to transfer his thoughts to me this way.
"It's not crazy," he whisper then. When he opens his eyes again, they're glassy. There is something he isn't saying, I can feel it. And even though I want to ask him about it, I can't open my mouth. Something inside me is holding me back in fear he was about to say something I don't want to hear.

He takes a deep breath and lets go of me, taking a step away from me to grab after my bag.
"So, why don't we look for an empty practice room and you can tell me about your choreography?"