Letters On Our Skin || BangChan

67

Working with Bahiyyih is easy.
She shows up on time, she's always punctual. She never talks back disrespectfully, she's always polite.
And more importantly, she's a hard worker, just as I predicted.
It took me three days to create the choreography, and Bahiyyih learned it within three hours. When we go over the choreography together, dancing it side by side in the mirror, she suggest to change a few key points and together, we mix it up again.
After only one day, the entire choreography for Bahiyyih is set.

The choreography for Donkey Kong is difficult. It's the mixture of fast-paced and delicately slow movements, that need to be danced with strict precision, that makes this choreography so challenging. There is also a lot of acting involved in the dance itself, because without the right amount of sassy gestures or facial expressions, it just won't look the same. But Bahiyyih has no trouble at all, it's almost like she was born for this dance. It's incredible to watch her, considering how little experience she has in this industry.

After a little less than a week, the backup dancers from Choom Studio join Bahiyyih and me in the studio.
The dance team is made up of eight female dancers, all of them trained professionals.
Bahiyyih and I perform the choreography together in front of the dancers, before I distribute them around the room and I go through the dance step by step.

After the second day, they all have it down to the point that I can monitor them in the mirror. Tomorrow, they'll be going through the entire thing with the camera rolling. That way I can change their position if I have to, and they can adjust the angles and movement of the camera. It's going to be the tricky part, and I'm nervous. The choreography is tight and perfect, if I do say so myself, but it has to look good on camera. It's the make or break of the entire thing. I might have to change entire parts of the choreography on the spot if it doesn't look good on camera.
Just thinking about it has me reeling as I watch the dancers go through the choreography one last time for the day.

Just when I say goodbye to the entire team and leave the building, I see Chan, dressed in dark clothes, a hat, and a mask, get out of the back of a parked car.
"Hey, get over here," he says when he sees me, "Are you free tonight?"
I smile at him and reach out my hands but he steps out of my grasp and I halt.
Of course, we have to be careful. There are too many people around.
My hands drop back to my side.
"Yes, are we having plans?"
He pushes open the car door and nods inside the car.

The driver gets us across the city to a remote little restaurant with a blinking neon sign above the entrance.
Hoshi's Noodle and Rice Palace
"What is this?" We get out of the car.
Chan leads me inside, gently guiding me with a touch on the lower part of my back, that I know seems incidentally to anyone but him and me.
I lean into his hand just the tiniest bit, as we step through the door.
"We never actually went on a real date," Chan says to me in a low voice, "So I thought we would change that today. It's not much or fancy, but it's the best place for noodles. I promise, you'll love it."

I smile at him as we take a seat across from each other on a table towards the back. There's a huge fish tank next to our table, that shields us relatively well from the rest of the people in the restaurant. It smells of rich spices, and freshly made food. I sigh audibly when I breathe in the scent of sweet glazed bacon.
"Oh God, I am so hungry," I groan and grasp after the menu. "You are a life saver."
Chan chuckles and moves closer to the table so his knees touch mine beneath the surface.
"So tell me about your day," he asks as he does so often with his gentle eyes on my face, and I do.
When the waiter comes and takes our order, Chan finally moves with his chair closer to me until we're almost side by side.

He takes my hand in his and intertwines our fingers.
"What about you?" I ask him, "What have you been up to today?"
He sighs, "Oh, not much actually. I was in the studio today, and then the boys and I had a practice session for one of the new songs. And then I came here to meet you."
I lean into his arm and everything inside me is screaming at me to kiss him. But I don't know if he wants me to.
"How are the boys? How's Felix doing? I haven't seen him in a few days."
Chan nods and waits until the waiter, that is serving our food, has disappeared from the table again.
"He's doing well," he says then, "He's practicing his vocals because we have him sing instead of rap for a few of the new songs. He's excited."

I pick up a few noodles with my chopsticks, before I offer a piece of my pork to Chan, which he takes right from my chopsticks.
We eat in quiet for a while, sharing our food, sharing glances and quiet touches.
When our desert arrives and we share matcha mochi, Chan leans back in his seat. He looks at me and I can feel his eyes travel over my body, really taking me in.
I meet his eyes and he says quietly, "Are you happy with this?"
I blink. "What do you mean?"
"I mean this," he motions towards the table, before waving his hand between the two of us, "Not being able to be like normal couples. Like I've been wanting to kiss you all night, but I'm so afraid of people watching us."

I lean my head onto my hand and glance around the restaurant.
"I don't see anyone watching right now," I smile cheekily, "If you hurry, I might just let you."
Chan smirks, before leaning in and pressing his lips to mine.
My hands fly to his neck and I pull him closer to me for another kiss and another.
For a second, we touch foreheads and giggle.
"I am not afraid," I whisper to him and press a small peck to his nose, "And you make me happier than anything in my life. Don't ever doubt that."

Chan gently places a hand to my cheek for another, quick kiss, before we finally let go off each other. When my eyes drift across the room again, something rings a bell in the back of my head.
Was there something flashing?
I try to see what disturbed me, but I can't see anything. It must have been a reflection from the lights. No one is even looking into our direction. I am overreacting.
I take a sip from my glass and swallow the nerves. It's all good.
We're okay, we're safe.
No one is watching us.