For a long, excruciating pause, the only thing Ben heard was his own heartbeat slamming against his ribs and Daniel's uneven breathing. He closed his eyes like a man preparing to face a firing squad, inhaled deeply, and looked at Daniel.
"Hyung," he said, his voice deceptively calm. "Did I not make myself abundantly clear already? Haven't I told you that I like you. I want to date you. And yes, I desire you."
Daniel shifted, suddenly very invested in the dance studio's wooden floor. "I-I didn't think you meant it like that," he mumbled, pulling at the hem of his tank top.
Ben exhaled through his nose, voice dry. "Well, I did. I hope you get it now."
A tense silence settled between them.
After a few minutes, in a soft voice, Daniel asked, "But why?" His voice cracked at the edges, like a kid asking why stars fall, his eyes still glued to the floor. "There are other guys. There are other girls. Why me?"
Ben stared at him. For a moment, he considered laughing it off. He could have joked about Daniel being the least emotionally perceptive man alive. Instead, something in him softened. Daniel's fidgeting fingers, tense shoulders, and the confusion wrapped around his body made Ben's defenses fall away.
"Why you?" Ben asked, offering a small, guilty smile. "I've asked myself that a thousand times. And honestly, I don't really know." He released a quiet breath and went on, "What I do know is that when I'm with you, I feel like I'm allowed to want things I had almost given up on. The way you care affects me in ways I never expected. And I wanted to be close to you in a way I've never wanted anyone else." His voice softened. "That's why, for me, it is you."
Ben could tell his words had finally reached Daniel, judging by the way he looked completely at a loss for words. He kept staring at Ben like he was piecing together every moment they'd shared and seeing it in a new light. After a long, breathless pause, Daniel exhaled, his shoulders sinking as he shook his head with a helpless expression.
"I really am stupid," he murmured. "You told me so many times, and I'm only understanding it now."
"You truly are," Ben agreed without hesitation.
No more words followed. Just the sound of Ben rolling his shoulders and stretching out his arms as he began his warm-up in silence. Daniel didn't move; he just sat there, shell-shocked, like he'd accidentally unlocked a new level of emotional depth.
Ben didn't say anything. He simply could not believe that this moron was only now grasping what he'd been saying for days. Sean had been right. Giving up before trying was the real regret. And even though Daniel looked like his entire worldview had just been punched in the face, at least he knew.
And that was enough for now.
Just as Ben was sure they'd spend the rest of the afternoon in tense silence, Daniel let out a sigh so long and dramatic that it could've paused traffic.
"Ben-ah," he said solemnly, "I don't know what to do about what you feel for me."
Ben stopped mid-stretch and glanced at him. There was a strange relief of honesty now out in the open.
"I don't know what to do either," he admitted. "But I do know I cannot stop liking you."
Daniel blinked at him. And then, to Ben's complete shock, the man who seemed immune to all things romantic blushed. It was faint, just a hint of color rising to his cheeks like a slow sunrise, but it was there.
As if panicking at his own feelings, Daniel shot to his feet. "We'll sort it out later," he said hurriedly. "Let's just dance. Yeah. Let's dance."
Ben stood too, watching him scramble to avoid eye contact like the concept of intimacy was now a live grenade.
"Hyung," Ben said slowly. "This dance is a bit difficult for me."
Daniel turned, puzzled.
Ben swallowed and tried again. "We're supposed to portray desire. Being that close to you, dancing like that…" He trailed off, face turning red, the words choking in his throat.
Daniel stared before realisation hit him like a ten-ton truck. His face went scarlet, as if someone had handed him a handwritten erotic novel with his name on the cover. He jerked his gaze away, but not before Ben caught it, and his poor overstimulated brain promptly drowned in images that really should've stayed buried six feet under.
Ben spun around and cursed under his breath. "Why is my mind like this?"
Daniel coughed and tried to compose himself. "B-but how are we supposed to dance then?" he stammered. "We can't just dance with a stick between us!"
Ben choked. "H-Hyung–"
Daniel turned even redder. "That's NOT— you know what I mean!"
Ben covered his face with both hands and sighed like he'd aged five years in five minutes. "Let's just figure out the concept and the style first. We'll worry about logistics later."
Daniel nodded, still pink-faced but managing a nervous laugh. They sat down, still visibly flustered but finally on the same page.