JE-united surprise fic for lilly0
Gift fic for lilly0
Title: Two Left Feet Dancing
Pairing: Matsumoto Jun/Ohno Satoshi.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none, I think.
Summary: How will a pair of left feet dance?
Notes: For lilly0. It's my first time to write this pairing so I experimented a bit and toyed around with your request. I went crazy with writing this as I’ve been too distracted by real life but I hope this made sense. I’m so nervous as this is my first exchange sooooo…I hope you like this! (somehow)
1
If there was one thing Matsumoto Jun hated, it was failure. It was a given fact that all people fail, but they do not plan as rigorously as Jun does prior to the actual event. He has perfected the art of perfection, if there was a thing as such.
It has been weeks, maybe even months, and he still hasn’t got the steps on point. He kept tripping on his own feet. Jun found it strange since he was confident he had memorized the steps like the back of his hand. When he fell on a hopeless heap on the floor for the nth time that day, he cursed under his breath before picking himself up and calling it done, at least for now.
He decided that this was the worst rehearsal he has ever had.
Begrudgingly grabbing his duffel bag and towel from the bench on one side of the room, Jun dragged his feet out to go straight home. Serious dancing took a lot out of him. But he’d rather rest for the day than risk a half-assed performance when the time came.
As he trudged down the hallway, he couldn’t help but notice the crowd gathering at a slightly open door, recognizing most ladies from his dance class. Class, of course, was long over, so with furrowed brows, he approached the squealing group, forgetting to proceed with caution so as not to get caught.
Tapping the shoulder of one, he tried to peek over their backs to see what was interesting on the other side of the door for them to gather around it like an army of ants catching sight of food. The girl he tapped turned around and stuttered when she saw him.
“S-Sir,” she stammered. Her trembling voice definitely alerted the rest of the group as they whipped their heads to greet him in haste.
“What’s going on over there?” Jun asked, curious, but with a hint of intimidation causing the girls to part and make way for him to see the scene for himself. Their panicked and noticeably incoherent stammers were tuned out when Jun saw what they were looking at.
It was Ohno Satoshi’s special class on play again. Jun was no stranger to Ohno’s dancing prowess. He had become painfully aware of it since the first day they met at this same dance school. But seeing it for himself never got old. The man communicated with every step and every move. His limbs moved freely but with practiced control, something that Jun didn’t seem to get down pat even after years of dancing. Ohno Satoshi deserved this place, the dance school.
But if Ohno has the ability, Jun has the heart. Their teacher told him so. He spoke admirably of Jun’s passion for the art of dancing and even praised him on few occasions.
As Ohno twirled the lady, his loyal student, Minami, and subsequently pulled her into his arms, they laughed, breaking their concentration and then decided to end the rehearsal at that. With a bow, Ohno held Minami’s hand and laid a kiss on the back of it. Minami, having been used to the affectionate gesture, tugged her hand back in feigned annoyance, her bright smile betraying her ruse.
Knowing the practice has ended, the girls at the door scrambled for an exit, leaving Jun behind, who was still silently keeping an eye on Ohno, lost in introspection.
Ohno was throwing the guy a confused glance when he saw him by the door. He was momentarily distracted when Minami gave him a friendly pat on his shoulder to say goodbye. When he looked back at Jun, the man was nowhere to be found.
Even as co-owners of a prominent dance school in Hokkaido, Ohno Satoshi never really got along well with Matsumoto Jun. Ohno has this hunch that ever since they met on the same dance school as students, way before, Jun has disliked him for some unknown and quite odd reason. Ohno never questioned it. He merely avoided getting in Jun’s way for years.
But when their beloved dance teacher passed away from cancer, shortly after Ohno graduated from high school, he didn’t anticipate being entrusted with the whole dance school that his teacher worked hard for. Well, maybe he didn’t get the place in its entirety, but he was pleasantly shocked to learn that the dance teacher trusted him so much that he left the dance school’s care to him…and Jun, of course, the arrogant and serious kid who cried buckets on the day of the teacher’s funeral.
So here they were, years later, and both of them grew up as mature adults who knew enough to handle their predicaments their own way. Having been left with a dance school at an early age, Ohno knew it wasn’t an easy feat, no matter how much he loved dancing. Learning was different from teaching, Ohno realized. But so far, Ohno loved his job. The salary was good, the hired teachers proved to be efficient, and the other owner left him alone. He unconsciously frowned at the thought.
If only he could pick on the guy’s mind, he would have tried to figure him out a long time ago.
Lunch during dance classes was a merry event. They’d gather around the canteen and share homemade bentos and purchasable goods from the small store inside. Ohno would always catch sight of Jun on one corner of the hall but he wouldn’t call out to him. He didn’t know why, but he always felt reassured of the fact that Jun was just…there.
With his full-course meal atop a tray, he silently made for a seat on one corner of the cafeteria.
Even before he entered the cafeteria, Jun could sense Sho’s presence. His friend started frantically waving at him, trying to get his attention, gesturing to the seat he reserved, especially for Jun. With the overwhelming display of greeting, Jun had no choice but to walk over to sit with Sho.
Sakurai Sho was a student of the dance school, a few years prior. He enrolled for short classes because his girlfriend forced him to attend a ball for an office party. Sho hated the idea of learning dance for another person’s selfish whims but he genuinely enjoyed the classes so he kept on doing it until he was good enough.
And of course, being able to pester the moody Jun was a welcome plus.
“So,” Sho started, flinging a hand over Jun’s shoulders, as he settled beside him. “How’s life and all that jazz?”
Sho started snickering at his joke as Jun silently sipped his juice using a bendy straw. With a nudge to the waist, Sho amusedly tried to get Jun’s attention on him. “You know…jazz…It’s funny because jazz is actually a type of dance…”
At Sho’s poor attempt at explaining his joke, Jun had to laugh. When things at Sho’s job start to get busy, he would come by and take his lunch at the dance school, a mere three blocks away from his office. Jun knew this was the unnamed signal of Sho recharging before the afternoon rush of work.
“How’s Satoshi?” Sho prodded as he dug in his gyuudon. This was another thing that grated on Jun’s nerves. Sho and Ohno have become significantly close after Sho openly expressed his admiration for Ohno’s many talents. On the latter part of his dance classes, Sho would move to Ohno’s room and just simply watch him as he demonstrated a number for his students. It was a dedication that Sho could only applaud to.
With an exasperated sigh, Jun replied, “He’s doing fine. You can see him, right?”
True enough, from their seat, they could easily see Ohno heartily digging on his food, without a care in the world, isolated on the corner.
“Someday, we’re going to have to invite him over to eat with us,” Sho swore, with a hand over his heart, his cheeks puffed, his mouth full of rice.
“Why don’t you?” Jun challenged. But really, that was meant to be a taunting tease. Sho must have taken it to heart that he stopped eating, carefully put down his chopsticks to the side, and strode over to Ohno’s place.
Jun only stared as they conversed, Ohno laughing at something Sho said, and before he knew it, Sho came back with Ohno in tow, carrying his tray of half-finished food.
This was the first time Sho did this and Jun inwardly cursed his mouth for spouting thoughts without even reconsidering. Jun straightened his back when Ohno sat across from them and bowed in greeting. The usual.
The guy remained quiet as he continued eating, but Sho couldn’t go on without initiating some kind of conversation.
“I saw your first class this morning, Satoshi. I didn’t know you could move your hips like that!” Sho feigned surprise.
Ohno chuckled under his breath. “You could do that, too, you know. Membership’s always open. I could help you.”
Sho pouted in indignation. “I’m never renewing my membership here, ever again. I already dumped that girlfriend who forced me to go to dance classes for showing off at their party.”
“Aw, come on. Let’s work out those stiff hips!” Ohno teased, trying to reach over the table to pinch Sho’s side. The guy retracted and groaned at his attempts. They both knew it was all in good fun.
While the two were bantering, Jun couldn’t help but envy the ease with which the two have easily settled in. They haven’t been acquaintances for so long but they’re teasing back and forth, seemingly second nature. Jun hasn’t even warmed up to Sho yet. He was just accommodating this guy’s frequent jolly moods.
When Jun looked up, he met Ohno’s eyes, halfway to a laugh. He knew this guy ever since childhood but they never talked like Ohno and Sho did. With a small smile, Ohno turned back to his food and his merry discussion with Sho about restaurants while Jun silently beat himself for not taking the opportunity to acknowledge Ohno’s presence.
“A solo dance?”
Jun twisted his ankle at the sudden intrusion before falling gracelessly on the floor. He winced at the first strike of pain and he could hear more than see Ohno’s rushed footsteps towards him. This guy really had no idea of subtlety.
“I’m so sorry. Did I come in at a wrong time?” Ohno worriedly murmured, getting closer than Jun anticipated. The guy was eager to ease his pain as he moved Jun’s hands away from the injured ankle so he could massage it with his own. Jun, attempting to seem haughty, stifled his aching moans by biting his bottom lip.
From his position, Jun could only squint at Satoshi’s hunched form, tending to his injury. His side profile portrayed seriousness he hardly ever saw in this guy’s face. He didn’t even display any grudges for Jun’s sour attitude for years. Satoshi repaid it with tolerance, if not kindness.
“What are you doing here?” Jun winced, not meaning to sound grouchy.
Ohno visibly paled at his tone, misinterpreting it as him being a right bother. “I’m so sorry. I was just…”
Dragging his injured feet away from Ohno’s hands and pulling it to his chest, Jun waved him off. “I’m okay. It’s okay. I was just too stubborn to memorize the steps.”
“But you’ve been practicing it for months,” Ohno burst, before he could even catch himself. A hand flew to cover his mouth, internally cursing at his careless statements.
With a bitter smirk, Jun nodded. “I know.”
The silence that stretched after Jun’s acknowledgement of his stubbornness gave way for them to settle on the bench on one side of the rehearsal room. Jun wobbled while Ohno kept a reasonable distance from him, not too near to be uncomfortable, not too far to be out of reach.
“So you were rehearsing for a solo dance?”
Jun nodded, throwing his head back to drink from his water bottle.
“Have you ever considered performing a partner dance? Or hasn’t it crossed your mind?”
Touching someone…just the thought of being in close proximity with another person was looking intimidating for Jun. It wasn’t like he hasn’t tried it before but he was not accustomed to frequent physical contact that the idea of dancing with a partner wasn’t an option for him.
Jun barked a laugh. “Dancing with a partner is a pain.”
To his surprise, Ohno laughed with him. “Too true, too true,” he agreed, nodding his head in assent. “But it’s satisfying, in its own way.”
“How so?” Jun’s curiosity was piqued, glancing at his companion from the corner of his eye.
“I think it’s better if I show you.”
Jun didn’t really know how Ohno’s mind worked sometimes but if his thoughts were almost always geared towards spontaneity, then Jun needed to be on guard every time. Before he could grasp what was happening, he was pulled by the arm off the bench, hoisted up, and the next thing he knew, his back was supported by a hand splayed just above his behind. Jun looked up to see that he and Ohno were just inches apart. The other one wasn’t looking at him, though; instead, he was staring intently at their feet.
“You see,” Ohno murmured, only for his ears, still avoiding his eyes. Jun found he couldn’t take his eyes off Ohno, though. “Dancing with a partner starts as an uncomfortable dance.”
After the last word, Ohno gripped Jun’s shirt from the back, and then guided him to a slow waltz across the rehearsal room floor. It was an awkward bumping of shins, a messy tangle of the lower part of their bodies, an uncoordinated shuffle of feet, but with time, and with Ohno’s lead, they found their timing. They eventually fell into a rhythm that worked for the both of them.
“But with time, the mess dissipates, and you’ll find yourself falling gracefully into step with your partner.”
They continued moving, gliding, until Jun didn’t need to look at his feet to avoid tripping. There were no sounds except for his harried breathing and Ohno’s hushed whispers. Ohno’s grip on his shirt loosened, and they were no longer inches apart. Somehow, like gravity, Ohno pulled him closer, and they swayed along, without music, without an audience.
If Jun was forced to tell the truth about this, he’d probably say that he and Ohno made a great pair.
Ohno moved him around, compelling Jun to create his own spin to the spontaneous and random dance. This must be a weird thing to watch, Jun thought. Two men in a partner dance. If he danced this for a competition, he didn’t know what he would feel. But for now, he was enjoying the freedom of letting his limbs move on their own.
“I’ve never really danced with a man before, but I’m sure this is going to work…somehow,” Ohno muttered under his breath, trying to moderate the frantic beating of his heart.
But as they swayed around, they gracefully made their way around the dance floor without any accidents. In fact, Ohno was sure he has never had a dance quite like this before. It was different than the dance with Minami. It was different, in a good way.
Jun, on the other hand, disliked the discomfort of not knowing where to place his hands. Was Ohno’s shoulder the proper place for his hand? He didn’t like to think about this whilst in an engaging dance session but when Ohno let go of his waist to dip him a little, Ohno’s face hovered dangerously close to Jun’s.
As if waking from a reverie, Jun shook his head and pushed at Ohno. The other staggered a few steps back in innocent surprise.
“This is ridiculous.”
Jun strode to his discarded bag and started packing his things in haste, feeling strangely suffocated in the rehearsal room with only the two of them in it. This wasn’t what he was expecting to happen. Why did Ohno have to do that? And why did he have to react this way?
In any way, this shouldn’t have happened.
“Forget this. I can practice on my own.”
Ohno never said a word. Jun didn’t seem to notice, his last words ringing in his ears.
Everything was tense that day.
Jun didn’t know why but the succeeding weeks after that first lesson on dancing with a partner with Ohno, they have grown more awkward around one another, almost embarrassed to recall the events of that fateful day. Jun wasn’t the least bit bothered by the dance, contrary to his sudden reaction shortly after that. In fact, he couldn’t even get his mind off of it. He just…panicked.
Sure, dancing with a partner can be niggling but Ohno had been gentle, nice enough to accommodate to his uneasiness.
Jun’s last class for the day ended with him hovering over a poorly performing student, who just couldn’t grasp the steps and the right timing to the piece they’ve been working on. Having been irritated for the earlier part of the day, Jun’s patience was stretched until he was ready to snap.
“ONE! TWO! THREE! MOVE!” Jun clapped his hands harder with every emphasized count, never taking his eyes away from the kid, who flinched at his booming voice echoing all over the empty room.
When the student missed to skip on a particular beat during the song, Jun forcibly turned off the speakers and rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. The kid froze in the middle of the floor.
“Stop,” Jun muttered exasperatingly. “Just…stop. Please.”
The kid was practically shuddering in his feet, squeaking with Jun’s every sigh. He couldn’t let this go on. If Jun had let this drag on, he would probably do something he’d regret soon after. The student didn’t deserve this mishandled anger.
He dismissed the kid with a wave of his hand, and without a moment’s hesitation, he rushed outside and never looked back. Jun must have traumatized him enough for him to forego the next few sessions but right now, Jun couldn’t care less.
Jun pondered on his situation as he sat cross-legged in front of the mirrored wall. He and Ohno have gone back to square one. He couldn’t blame it on the guy. He practically ignored him for days, even if they’re under the same roof of the same dance school. Ohno’s lessons have grown extremely popular with his extra one on one sessions he just did on a whim when one student couldn’t seem to get the steps right. Students were eager to be next in line.
If Jun admitted the truth, Ohno was doing fine without him. But Jun wasn’t.
Frustrated, he ran a hand through his sweaty hair and breathed deeply through his nose. Maybe he should just stay away from the school for a few days or weeks. Just to clear the air. He didn’t want to be an irritating nuisance to his fellow dance teachers and to his students just because of his measly unrecognized feelings for his co-owner.
Footsteps going down the hallway roused him from his daydreams and he nearly stood in astonishment when Ohno came in without hesitation, as if he already knew he was there.
“So there you were,” he stated softly, relieved seeping into his tone. His half smile indicated that he’s not angry for the way things have turned to be.
“What are you doing here?” Jun rose to his feet, dusting his sweatpants in the process, looking at Ohno behind him through the mirror.
“Figured you’d still be here. I heard the kids saying you’ve switched on your devil mood again and it has been a long time since they’ve seen it,” Ohno chuckled as he recalled the not quite hushed conversations of the students on their way home. “I’ve decided to come by to see this devil for myself. I haven’t seen him in a while, as well.”
Ohno’s voice has slowed into a murmur, taking a few calculated steps forward to Jun.
“I’ve deduced that you’re incredibly stubborn. I’ve known you since we were young so it was easy to figure out. You will never approach me so I gathered up all my courage to see you.”
Jun hummed to give Ohno a sign that he’s been listening, still watching at Ohno’s reflection in the mirror, intently.
“I want to tell you that I understand what you’re feeling. It’s terribly confusing, it’s awfully fast, but I think we’ll figure this one out. I think we’ll fall into step together, eventually…just like that slow dance.”
Ohno’s stretched his open hand for Jun to take, the underlying offer of something unsure on the line. Jun whipped his head and grabbed for Ohno’s neck.
In an open mouth kiss, strangely reminiscent of the intimate dance they shared, Jun conveyed the things he needed to say. With a pull of the mouth, he was saying that he didn’t really hate Ohno. With a bite on the other’s bottom lip, he hoped he got his message across that the tension between them had been unbearable. With a suck and a breathy moan, he made his desire known. It was that simple. Their tongues danced, as passionate as they had a few seconds ago.
But time was irrelevant in the middle of a moment such as this one. Jun knew they must have been doing it for some time because his lungs burned, desperately in need of air. They reluctantly pulled away from each other to greedily suck in the needed oxygen, Ohno keeping his eyes closed as their foreheads touched. Sweat was breaking out of their skin in quick succession, seeping into their rehearsal clothes, but really, how was it any different from dance practice?
Jun smiled, in between heavy pants, and he didn’t know why. He rarely did it around Ohno but he just felt like breaking into it today. His chest was swelling in inexplicable delight. He wondered when he has ever felt this way. Ohno was forced to open his eyes when Jun chuckled lightly.
“What?” Ohno blearily asked.
Jun took this opportunity to wrap his arms around the small and lithe body to hold him close to his heart for a while. He buried his head on Ohno’s neck, peppering it with the lightest kisses in fervent gratitude. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
And Jun was. If it weren’t for Ohno, he might have walked out of this dance school and lost that tiny sliver of confidence he held for his abilities. If it weren’t for Ohno, he wouldn’t have pushed himself to the limit, just to be on par with Ohno’s abilities. If it weren’t for Ohno, he might not even be feeling this incredible elation right now.
Really, this newfound trust for himself has been solely because of Ohno.
“A slow dance, really?” Jun asked, his eyes shining with mirth. He didn’t pull away from the embrace, though. Instead, he kept Ohno closer, his arms around the other’s waist.
“Of course,” Ohno’s voice shook with laughter as they swayed. The music playing in the background didn’t really suit the slow dance they were attempting to do but it was better than nothing.
Jun was sure the divide would remain in the dance school as the both of them practically teach the same thing and students were bound to compare sooner rather than later. But the cold shoulders before had to give way to this newfound warmth, Jun figured. He’d rather grow accustomed to this once in a while.
During dance classes, they’d act professional and all-knowing but once the curtains close, they’d have this small piece of wonderland to come back to, the one only the two of them knew.
When the last few beats of the music came to fade, Jun grinned sheepishly, feeling comforted because of Ohno’s rhythmic hum against his shoulder.
“I’d be working on Sho’s stiff hips tomorrow,” Ohno suddenly announced, as if waking from a reverie. He chuckled when he realized how that sounded.
“Good luck on that,” Jun said in between laughs.
Ohno resumed his merry humming, not even trying to pull away. Really, this slow dancing was doing wonders for his body. He wasn’t feeling tired, not even a bit.
“I’ll be sleeping here tonight,” Jun reminded him. “Just a heads up.”
Ohno absentmindedly rubbed his nose on Jun’s cloth-clad shoulder blade in assent. He was halfway through it anyway.
Title: Two Left Feet Dancing
Pairing: Matsumoto Jun/Ohno Satoshi.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none, I think.
Summary: How will a pair of left feet dance?
Notes: For lilly0. It's my first time to write this pairing so I experimented a bit and toyed around with your request. I went crazy with writing this as I’ve been too distracted by real life but I hope this made sense. I’m so nervous as this is my first exchange sooooo…I hope you like this! (somehow)
1
If there was one thing Matsumoto Jun hated, it was failure. It was a given fact that all people fail, but they do not plan as rigorously as Jun does prior to the actual event. He has perfected the art of perfection, if there was a thing as such.
It has been weeks, maybe even months, and he still hasn’t got the steps on point. He kept tripping on his own feet. Jun found it strange since he was confident he had memorized the steps like the back of his hand. When he fell on a hopeless heap on the floor for the nth time that day, he cursed under his breath before picking himself up and calling it done, at least for now.
He decided that this was the worst rehearsal he has ever had.
Begrudgingly grabbing his duffel bag and towel from the bench on one side of the room, Jun dragged his feet out to go straight home. Serious dancing took a lot out of him. But he’d rather rest for the day than risk a half-assed performance when the time came.
As he trudged down the hallway, he couldn’t help but notice the crowd gathering at a slightly open door, recognizing most ladies from his dance class. Class, of course, was long over, so with furrowed brows, he approached the squealing group, forgetting to proceed with caution so as not to get caught.
Tapping the shoulder of one, he tried to peek over their backs to see what was interesting on the other side of the door for them to gather around it like an army of ants catching sight of food. The girl he tapped turned around and stuttered when she saw him.
“S-Sir,” she stammered. Her trembling voice definitely alerted the rest of the group as they whipped their heads to greet him in haste.
“What’s going on over there?” Jun asked, curious, but with a hint of intimidation causing the girls to part and make way for him to see the scene for himself. Their panicked and noticeably incoherent stammers were tuned out when Jun saw what they were looking at.
It was Ohno Satoshi’s special class on play again. Jun was no stranger to Ohno’s dancing prowess. He had become painfully aware of it since the first day they met at this same dance school. But seeing it for himself never got old. The man communicated with every step and every move. His limbs moved freely but with practiced control, something that Jun didn’t seem to get down pat even after years of dancing. Ohno Satoshi deserved this place, the dance school.
But if Ohno has the ability, Jun has the heart. Their teacher told him so. He spoke admirably of Jun’s passion for the art of dancing and even praised him on few occasions.
As Ohno twirled the lady, his loyal student, Minami, and subsequently pulled her into his arms, they laughed, breaking their concentration and then decided to end the rehearsal at that. With a bow, Ohno held Minami’s hand and laid a kiss on the back of it. Minami, having been used to the affectionate gesture, tugged her hand back in feigned annoyance, her bright smile betraying her ruse.
Knowing the practice has ended, the girls at the door scrambled for an exit, leaving Jun behind, who was still silently keeping an eye on Ohno, lost in introspection.
Ohno was throwing the guy a confused glance when he saw him by the door. He was momentarily distracted when Minami gave him a friendly pat on his shoulder to say goodbye. When he looked back at Jun, the man was nowhere to be found.
Even as co-owners of a prominent dance school in Hokkaido, Ohno Satoshi never really got along well with Matsumoto Jun. Ohno has this hunch that ever since they met on the same dance school as students, way before, Jun has disliked him for some unknown and quite odd reason. Ohno never questioned it. He merely avoided getting in Jun’s way for years.
But when their beloved dance teacher passed away from cancer, shortly after Ohno graduated from high school, he didn’t anticipate being entrusted with the whole dance school that his teacher worked hard for. Well, maybe he didn’t get the place in its entirety, but he was pleasantly shocked to learn that the dance teacher trusted him so much that he left the dance school’s care to him…and Jun, of course, the arrogant and serious kid who cried buckets on the day of the teacher’s funeral.
So here they were, years later, and both of them grew up as mature adults who knew enough to handle their predicaments their own way. Having been left with a dance school at an early age, Ohno knew it wasn’t an easy feat, no matter how much he loved dancing. Learning was different from teaching, Ohno realized. But so far, Ohno loved his job. The salary was good, the hired teachers proved to be efficient, and the other owner left him alone. He unconsciously frowned at the thought.
If only he could pick on the guy’s mind, he would have tried to figure him out a long time ago.
Lunch during dance classes was a merry event. They’d gather around the canteen and share homemade bentos and purchasable goods from the small store inside. Ohno would always catch sight of Jun on one corner of the hall but he wouldn’t call out to him. He didn’t know why, but he always felt reassured of the fact that Jun was just…there.
With his full-course meal atop a tray, he silently made for a seat on one corner of the cafeteria.
Even before he entered the cafeteria, Jun could sense Sho’s presence. His friend started frantically waving at him, trying to get his attention, gesturing to the seat he reserved, especially for Jun. With the overwhelming display of greeting, Jun had no choice but to walk over to sit with Sho.
Sakurai Sho was a student of the dance school, a few years prior. He enrolled for short classes because his girlfriend forced him to attend a ball for an office party. Sho hated the idea of learning dance for another person’s selfish whims but he genuinely enjoyed the classes so he kept on doing it until he was good enough.
And of course, being able to pester the moody Jun was a welcome plus.
“So,” Sho started, flinging a hand over Jun’s shoulders, as he settled beside him. “How’s life and all that jazz?”
Sho started snickering at his joke as Jun silently sipped his juice using a bendy straw. With a nudge to the waist, Sho amusedly tried to get Jun’s attention on him. “You know…jazz…It’s funny because jazz is actually a type of dance…”
At Sho’s poor attempt at explaining his joke, Jun had to laugh. When things at Sho’s job start to get busy, he would come by and take his lunch at the dance school, a mere three blocks away from his office. Jun knew this was the unnamed signal of Sho recharging before the afternoon rush of work.
“How’s Satoshi?” Sho prodded as he dug in his gyuudon. This was another thing that grated on Jun’s nerves. Sho and Ohno have become significantly close after Sho openly expressed his admiration for Ohno’s many talents. On the latter part of his dance classes, Sho would move to Ohno’s room and just simply watch him as he demonstrated a number for his students. It was a dedication that Sho could only applaud to.
With an exasperated sigh, Jun replied, “He’s doing fine. You can see him, right?”
True enough, from their seat, they could easily see Ohno heartily digging on his food, without a care in the world, isolated on the corner.
“Someday, we’re going to have to invite him over to eat with us,” Sho swore, with a hand over his heart, his cheeks puffed, his mouth full of rice.
“Why don’t you?” Jun challenged. But really, that was meant to be a taunting tease. Sho must have taken it to heart that he stopped eating, carefully put down his chopsticks to the side, and strode over to Ohno’s place.
Jun only stared as they conversed, Ohno laughing at something Sho said, and before he knew it, Sho came back with Ohno in tow, carrying his tray of half-finished food.
This was the first time Sho did this and Jun inwardly cursed his mouth for spouting thoughts without even reconsidering. Jun straightened his back when Ohno sat across from them and bowed in greeting. The usual.
The guy remained quiet as he continued eating, but Sho couldn’t go on without initiating some kind of conversation.
“I saw your first class this morning, Satoshi. I didn’t know you could move your hips like that!” Sho feigned surprise.
Ohno chuckled under his breath. “You could do that, too, you know. Membership’s always open. I could help you.”
Sho pouted in indignation. “I’m never renewing my membership here, ever again. I already dumped that girlfriend who forced me to go to dance classes for showing off at their party.”
“Aw, come on. Let’s work out those stiff hips!” Ohno teased, trying to reach over the table to pinch Sho’s side. The guy retracted and groaned at his attempts. They both knew it was all in good fun.
While the two were bantering, Jun couldn’t help but envy the ease with which the two have easily settled in. They haven’t been acquaintances for so long but they’re teasing back and forth, seemingly second nature. Jun hasn’t even warmed up to Sho yet. He was just accommodating this guy’s frequent jolly moods.
When Jun looked up, he met Ohno’s eyes, halfway to a laugh. He knew this guy ever since childhood but they never talked like Ohno and Sho did. With a small smile, Ohno turned back to his food and his merry discussion with Sho about restaurants while Jun silently beat himself for not taking the opportunity to acknowledge Ohno’s presence.
“A solo dance?”
Jun twisted his ankle at the sudden intrusion before falling gracelessly on the floor. He winced at the first strike of pain and he could hear more than see Ohno’s rushed footsteps towards him. This guy really had no idea of subtlety.
“I’m so sorry. Did I come in at a wrong time?” Ohno worriedly murmured, getting closer than Jun anticipated. The guy was eager to ease his pain as he moved Jun’s hands away from the injured ankle so he could massage it with his own. Jun, attempting to seem haughty, stifled his aching moans by biting his bottom lip.
From his position, Jun could only squint at Satoshi’s hunched form, tending to his injury. His side profile portrayed seriousness he hardly ever saw in this guy’s face. He didn’t even display any grudges for Jun’s sour attitude for years. Satoshi repaid it with tolerance, if not kindness.
“What are you doing here?” Jun winced, not meaning to sound grouchy.
Ohno visibly paled at his tone, misinterpreting it as him being a right bother. “I’m so sorry. I was just…”
Dragging his injured feet away from Ohno’s hands and pulling it to his chest, Jun waved him off. “I’m okay. It’s okay. I was just too stubborn to memorize the steps.”
“But you’ve been practicing it for months,” Ohno burst, before he could even catch himself. A hand flew to cover his mouth, internally cursing at his careless statements.
With a bitter smirk, Jun nodded. “I know.”
The silence that stretched after Jun’s acknowledgement of his stubbornness gave way for them to settle on the bench on one side of the rehearsal room. Jun wobbled while Ohno kept a reasonable distance from him, not too near to be uncomfortable, not too far to be out of reach.
“So you were rehearsing for a solo dance?”
Jun nodded, throwing his head back to drink from his water bottle.
“Have you ever considered performing a partner dance? Or hasn’t it crossed your mind?”
Touching someone…just the thought of being in close proximity with another person was looking intimidating for Jun. It wasn’t like he hasn’t tried it before but he was not accustomed to frequent physical contact that the idea of dancing with a partner wasn’t an option for him.
Jun barked a laugh. “Dancing with a partner is a pain.”
To his surprise, Ohno laughed with him. “Too true, too true,” he agreed, nodding his head in assent. “But it’s satisfying, in its own way.”
“How so?” Jun’s curiosity was piqued, glancing at his companion from the corner of his eye.
“I think it’s better if I show you.”
Jun didn’t really know how Ohno’s mind worked sometimes but if his thoughts were almost always geared towards spontaneity, then Jun needed to be on guard every time. Before he could grasp what was happening, he was pulled by the arm off the bench, hoisted up, and the next thing he knew, his back was supported by a hand splayed just above his behind. Jun looked up to see that he and Ohno were just inches apart. The other one wasn’t looking at him, though; instead, he was staring intently at their feet.
“You see,” Ohno murmured, only for his ears, still avoiding his eyes. Jun found he couldn’t take his eyes off Ohno, though. “Dancing with a partner starts as an uncomfortable dance.”
After the last word, Ohno gripped Jun’s shirt from the back, and then guided him to a slow waltz across the rehearsal room floor. It was an awkward bumping of shins, a messy tangle of the lower part of their bodies, an uncoordinated shuffle of feet, but with time, and with Ohno’s lead, they found their timing. They eventually fell into a rhythm that worked for the both of them.
“But with time, the mess dissipates, and you’ll find yourself falling gracefully into step with your partner.”
They continued moving, gliding, until Jun didn’t need to look at his feet to avoid tripping. There were no sounds except for his harried breathing and Ohno’s hushed whispers. Ohno’s grip on his shirt loosened, and they were no longer inches apart. Somehow, like gravity, Ohno pulled him closer, and they swayed along, without music, without an audience.
If Jun was forced to tell the truth about this, he’d probably say that he and Ohno made a great pair.
Ohno moved him around, compelling Jun to create his own spin to the spontaneous and random dance. This must be a weird thing to watch, Jun thought. Two men in a partner dance. If he danced this for a competition, he didn’t know what he would feel. But for now, he was enjoying the freedom of letting his limbs move on their own.
“I’ve never really danced with a man before, but I’m sure this is going to work…somehow,” Ohno muttered under his breath, trying to moderate the frantic beating of his heart.
But as they swayed around, they gracefully made their way around the dance floor without any accidents. In fact, Ohno was sure he has never had a dance quite like this before. It was different than the dance with Minami. It was different, in a good way.
Jun, on the other hand, disliked the discomfort of not knowing where to place his hands. Was Ohno’s shoulder the proper place for his hand? He didn’t like to think about this whilst in an engaging dance session but when Ohno let go of his waist to dip him a little, Ohno’s face hovered dangerously close to Jun’s.
As if waking from a reverie, Jun shook his head and pushed at Ohno. The other staggered a few steps back in innocent surprise.
“This is ridiculous.”
Jun strode to his discarded bag and started packing his things in haste, feeling strangely suffocated in the rehearsal room with only the two of them in it. This wasn’t what he was expecting to happen. Why did Ohno have to do that? And why did he have to react this way?
In any way, this shouldn’t have happened.
“Forget this. I can practice on my own.”
Ohno never said a word. Jun didn’t seem to notice, his last words ringing in his ears.
Everything was tense that day.
Jun didn’t know why but the succeeding weeks after that first lesson on dancing with a partner with Ohno, they have grown more awkward around one another, almost embarrassed to recall the events of that fateful day. Jun wasn’t the least bit bothered by the dance, contrary to his sudden reaction shortly after that. In fact, he couldn’t even get his mind off of it. He just…panicked.
Sure, dancing with a partner can be niggling but Ohno had been gentle, nice enough to accommodate to his uneasiness.
Jun’s last class for the day ended with him hovering over a poorly performing student, who just couldn’t grasp the steps and the right timing to the piece they’ve been working on. Having been irritated for the earlier part of the day, Jun’s patience was stretched until he was ready to snap.
“ONE! TWO! THREE! MOVE!” Jun clapped his hands harder with every emphasized count, never taking his eyes away from the kid, who flinched at his booming voice echoing all over the empty room.
When the student missed to skip on a particular beat during the song, Jun forcibly turned off the speakers and rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. The kid froze in the middle of the floor.
“Stop,” Jun muttered exasperatingly. “Just…stop. Please.”
The kid was practically shuddering in his feet, squeaking with Jun’s every sigh. He couldn’t let this go on. If Jun had let this drag on, he would probably do something he’d regret soon after. The student didn’t deserve this mishandled anger.
He dismissed the kid with a wave of his hand, and without a moment’s hesitation, he rushed outside and never looked back. Jun must have traumatized him enough for him to forego the next few sessions but right now, Jun couldn’t care less.
Jun pondered on his situation as he sat cross-legged in front of the mirrored wall. He and Ohno have gone back to square one. He couldn’t blame it on the guy. He practically ignored him for days, even if they’re under the same roof of the same dance school. Ohno’s lessons have grown extremely popular with his extra one on one sessions he just did on a whim when one student couldn’t seem to get the steps right. Students were eager to be next in line.
If Jun admitted the truth, Ohno was doing fine without him. But Jun wasn’t.
Frustrated, he ran a hand through his sweaty hair and breathed deeply through his nose. Maybe he should just stay away from the school for a few days or weeks. Just to clear the air. He didn’t want to be an irritating nuisance to his fellow dance teachers and to his students just because of his measly unrecognized feelings for his co-owner.
Footsteps going down the hallway roused him from his daydreams and he nearly stood in astonishment when Ohno came in without hesitation, as if he already knew he was there.
“So there you were,” he stated softly, relieved seeping into his tone. His half smile indicated that he’s not angry for the way things have turned to be.
“What are you doing here?” Jun rose to his feet, dusting his sweatpants in the process, looking at Ohno behind him through the mirror.
“Figured you’d still be here. I heard the kids saying you’ve switched on your devil mood again and it has been a long time since they’ve seen it,” Ohno chuckled as he recalled the not quite hushed conversations of the students on their way home. “I’ve decided to come by to see this devil for myself. I haven’t seen him in a while, as well.”
Ohno’s voice has slowed into a murmur, taking a few calculated steps forward to Jun.
“I’ve deduced that you’re incredibly stubborn. I’ve known you since we were young so it was easy to figure out. You will never approach me so I gathered up all my courage to see you.”
Jun hummed to give Ohno a sign that he’s been listening, still watching at Ohno’s reflection in the mirror, intently.
“I want to tell you that I understand what you’re feeling. It’s terribly confusing, it’s awfully fast, but I think we’ll figure this one out. I think we’ll fall into step together, eventually…just like that slow dance.”
Ohno’s stretched his open hand for Jun to take, the underlying offer of something unsure on the line. Jun whipped his head and grabbed for Ohno’s neck.
In an open mouth kiss, strangely reminiscent of the intimate dance they shared, Jun conveyed the things he needed to say. With a pull of the mouth, he was saying that he didn’t really hate Ohno. With a bite on the other’s bottom lip, he hoped he got his message across that the tension between them had been unbearable. With a suck and a breathy moan, he made his desire known. It was that simple. Their tongues danced, as passionate as they had a few seconds ago.
But time was irrelevant in the middle of a moment such as this one. Jun knew they must have been doing it for some time because his lungs burned, desperately in need of air. They reluctantly pulled away from each other to greedily suck in the needed oxygen, Ohno keeping his eyes closed as their foreheads touched. Sweat was breaking out of their skin in quick succession, seeping into their rehearsal clothes, but really, how was it any different from dance practice?
Jun smiled, in between heavy pants, and he didn’t know why. He rarely did it around Ohno but he just felt like breaking into it today. His chest was swelling in inexplicable delight. He wondered when he has ever felt this way. Ohno was forced to open his eyes when Jun chuckled lightly.
“What?” Ohno blearily asked.
Jun took this opportunity to wrap his arms around the small and lithe body to hold him close to his heart for a while. He buried his head on Ohno’s neck, peppering it with the lightest kisses in fervent gratitude. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
And Jun was. If it weren’t for Ohno, he might have walked out of this dance school and lost that tiny sliver of confidence he held for his abilities. If it weren’t for Ohno, he wouldn’t have pushed himself to the limit, just to be on par with Ohno’s abilities. If it weren’t for Ohno, he might not even be feeling this incredible elation right now.
Really, this newfound trust for himself has been solely because of Ohno.
“A slow dance, really?” Jun asked, his eyes shining with mirth. He didn’t pull away from the embrace, though. Instead, he kept Ohno closer, his arms around the other’s waist.
“Of course,” Ohno’s voice shook with laughter as they swayed. The music playing in the background didn’t really suit the slow dance they were attempting to do but it was better than nothing.
Jun was sure the divide would remain in the dance school as the both of them practically teach the same thing and students were bound to compare sooner rather than later. But the cold shoulders before had to give way to this newfound warmth, Jun figured. He’d rather grow accustomed to this once in a while.
During dance classes, they’d act professional and all-knowing but once the curtains close, they’d have this small piece of wonderland to come back to, the one only the two of them knew.
When the last few beats of the music came to fade, Jun grinned sheepishly, feeling comforted because of Ohno’s rhythmic hum against his shoulder.
“I’d be working on Sho’s stiff hips tomorrow,” Ohno suddenly announced, as if waking from a reverie. He chuckled when he realized how that sounded.
“Good luck on that,” Jun said in between laughs.
Ohno resumed his merry humming, not even trying to pull away. Really, this slow dancing was doing wonders for his body. He wasn’t feeling tired, not even a bit.
“I’ll be sleeping here tonight,” Jun reminded him. “Just a heads up.”
Ohno absentmindedly rubbed his nose on Jun’s cloth-clad shoulder blade in assent. He was halfway through it anyway.