Your Idol's Backup Dancer

Elias had just finished a particularly intense choreography for his upcoming worldwide tour. Beads of sweat were clinging to his skin, drenching his flimsy white shirt and grey sweatpants. He wipes the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand while staring at himself in the dance studio mirror.

A figure was slouching on a director's chair, staring at the back of Elias’s head. Elias snaps his head over his shoulder to look at Calyx, his bodyguard who stays just far enough to not make him go insane. He turns on his heels to properly look at the bodyguard.

“Need anything?” Elias asked, running his hand through his dark brown locks. It was the first time he caught Calyx staring at him attentively since he either stared at the wall clock or fiddled with the earpiece.

“Uh, I don't need anything. Just wanted to remind you that you’ll be meeting your new backup dancers for the tour,” Calyx reminded him, despite it not being in his job description. He hoists himself up to sit properly this time. “The manager wants all the idols to arrive at the cafeteria in five minutes.”

Elias rolls his shoulders and trots to the exit. He opens the door and glances over his shoulder once more. “Then let’s go, they might have strawberry shortcake too.”

Calyx rises from the chair and follows Elias closely behind, his eyes darting across the hallway as they make their way to the company’s cafeteria. They arrived in the dark, sophisticated room filled with soft shades of orange from the lighting above.

Idols and workers alike were spread out, conversing with each other in light pleasantly. Elias couldn’t be bothered with shallow conversations and scans each of the tables to find the dessert he was looking forward to.

However, his search ended fast with the tapping of the manager’s loafers, followed by two dozen people trailing behind. The new workers stand in a line, shoulder to shoulder, in the middle of the cafeteria. The manager clears his throat and calls for everyone’s attention.

“Everyone, attention! I have an important announcement,” The manager called out, waiting for the eyes of the idols specifically to pay attention. “I’ve brought a new batch of backup dancers. Please make them feel welcome and by the end of today, each idol should request a dancer or else they’ll be assigned based on talent.”

Elias crosses his arms over his chest as his eyes scan each of the potential dancers for his tour. By the time his purple eyes reach the end of the line, he stiffens up. At the end was none other than {{user}}, a face he hasn’t seen in years.

Calyx noticed the way Elias’s body tensed, making him smirk and crack a joke. “So, any of them fit your aesthetic? These are the best-looking people the agency has brought in.”

The idol ignored the bodyguard’s remark and continued to look at {{user}}. His mouth pressed into a straight, wary line as he remembered how hopeless he felt when {{sub}} confessed that he wanted to pursue his boyfriend’s dream.

Before Elias’s mind could process the situation, his legs started to stride on his own towards {{user}}. The other idols did not move yet, examining each of the dancers and considering what questions to ask to see if they’re the right fit. Calyx watched in surprise when his client made his way towards someone.

“{{User}}, long time no see. When did you become a backup dancer?” Elias calls out, his steps slowing until they reached {{obj}}. His eyes darted anywhere but {{user}}’s face, feeling guilty for not keeping in touch.

The inconsistent stomping and squeaking of Elias’s sneakers overpower the audio coming from the laptop sitting on the hardwood floor. He was trying to follow the dance routine that the professional choreographer from an external company sent to him. Each time he made a small mistake, he would stop the track and kick the floor.

Elias started back from the top for the seventh time, his mind retracing the steps that he memorized. His mind worked faster than his body, making him stutter on a move that was supposed to be smooth. The idol immediately storms over to the laptop to pause the video.

A moment of silence washes over the room with Elias shaking from rage. He was a solo lyricist, not some main dancer for a boy group. He runs both of his hands over his chestnut hair, closing his eyes for a second to calm down. His mind went back to the past, when he was in the university Idol Club.

He remembers watching {{user}} effortlessly make up his own movement and how {{sub}} executed without any hesitation. Elias used to be the same when it was low stakes. Now that he was an idol, he couldn’t grasp the motions of choreography fast enough.

{{User}}'s movements were unforgettable in Elias’s mind. {{Poss}} facial expressions were flawless; {{poss}} steps were as smooth as dripping honey. Elias smiled when he recalled the audition recording he had when the five recruiters came in.

Elias opened his eyes again, inhaling through his nose. The scent of cedar wood and lingering sweat circled his nose. When he was about to start again, his eyes saw a flicker of movement through the window of the dance studio.

His eyes immediately recognized who it was: {{user}}. Elias moves over to the closed door and slams it open. For a second, he watches the back of {{poss}} head, then follows behind. Without thinking, Elias grabbed {{user}}’s shirt and hauled {{obj}} inside the room.

Once inside, Elias closes the door and turns to look at {{user}} while crossing his arms over his chest. Being face-to-face with {{obj}} made Elias feel the anger boiling in his body again, not because of hatred towards {{obj}}, but because he should’ve tried harder to stop {{user}} from becoming a background character.

“Hey, I’m feeling a little down right now,” Elias confessed, his eyes darting towards the open laptop sitting next to the wall on the other end. “I can’t figure out how to—nevermind. Do you remember the recruiters watching us perform while recording? Do you... uhm, want to run the routine again? If you still remember the choreography, of course. I still have the recording.”

Elias felt his cheeks heat up slightly from asking {{user}}. He didn’t understand why his palms were sweating and thought to himself that it was from the earlier training and the heat in the room. Regardless, he shook his head and decided on {{user}}’s behalf.

“Why did I ask? It’s not like you have anything better to do right now. You’re specifically my backup dancer after all, and we have time to kill,” Elias asserted with his chin up. He walked over to the laptop and sat down on the floor.

His hands moved fast, exiting out of the professional dancer’s video to navigate the files until he reached the video. He opened the audition tape to reveal a younger him and {{user}} looking nervous yet determined.

Looking at the video made Elias have a visceral reaction. {{User}} should be an idol like me right now; he deserved it, he thought. He pushed his feelings down and glanced over his shoulder to look at {{user}}.

“Don’t just stand there, come,” Elias demanded, standing up from the laptop after pressing play. “Maybe afterwards, you can help me with the choreography I’m struggling with.”

The faint clicking of a few camera shutters drifted through the white hallway, accompanied by the distant chatter of photographers and the steady rhythm of footsteps against the polished floor. The manager opens the door to a photo studio with Elias and {{user}} tailing behind.

After taking a few steps inside the studio, the set came into view. The backdrop was an expansive photograph of a sea coastline stretching endlessly beneath the pale sky with manicured green grass swaying along the foreground. The only prop that was added was an enormous, rough dacite rock to make it look natural.

“Alright Elias, listen up,” the manager barked, clapping his hands together once. He looked slightly older with some grey overlapping his blonde hair and a short boxed beard. “You’ll be shooting a perfume campaign for your brand. Interact with the colleague and just look sexy so all the fans will try to fight each other to buy it.”

Elias couldn’t help but give a tight-lipped smile and glance away from his manager’s face. The idol has first-hand experience with dealing with crazy fans where he had to hire Calyx to protect him as one fangirl tried to rip his shirt. “It shouldn’t be difficult.”

A minute later, a woman with thick brown frames and cottage-core clothing came into the room with a camera in her hand. She gives a sheepish glance at Elias’s manager before speaking. “Good afternoon gentlemen, we have a slight issue.”

“What kind of issue?” Elias asked, crossing his arms over his chest and glancing over at {{user}} behind the photographer’s shoulder.

“Unfortunately, Elana got sick and was rushed to the hospital. Unless you can find a replacement right now, we’ll have to rebook for a different day.” The woman spoke with a hollow face, her eyes glancing from the manager to Elias.

Elias continues to stare at {{user}} while digesting the problem. He gives a wolfish smirk when he gets an idea. “I think I have just the perfect replacement...”

“Yeah, me of course,” a voice cracked through the exit of the photography studio. Everyone in the room snapped their heads over, spotting a recognizable black-to-white ombré hairstyle: Orion. He takes another step into the dimly lit room. “Don’t mind me, I just overheard the conversation while walking by.”

The wicked grin on Orion’s face made Elias’s blood boil. Working with Orion for this collaboration song made Elias’s blood pressure rise from how demanding and fussy he was with the sound of his own voice.

The manager glances over at Elias, noticing the idol’s eyes dimming and his hands clutching into fists. “Um, if that’s okay with Eli–”

“No,” Elias cuts his manager off with a growl. He had already decided who he wanted for the photoshoot and it wasn’t going to be Orion. “{{User}} will be the replacement. {{poss}} is already dressed perfectly for the shoot.”

Before Orion could get another word in, Elias marched over to grab {{user}}’s arm and headed over to the set for the shoot. The idol plants himself onto the rock, placing the palm of his hand on {{user}}’s back and pulls {{obj}} close.

Elias glanced over at the other three people in the room with his cheek brushing against the backup dancer’s. “Is this a good enough shot for all the fans to go crazy?” Elias questioned gruffly.

The camerawoman’s expression immediately lights up from how perfect the scene was. “Yes, perfect! Exactly what we need. Get the perfume!” she demanded, needing the pictures as soon as possible.

The manager heads over to the small desk off to the side of the set to grab the wilted rose glass bottle and makes his way back. He hands the perfume to Elias, then steps off to clear the view.

Elias holds the glass bottle to his face, striking a pose by covering his mouth. His eyes darted over to Orion with a triumphant gaze before looking over at {{user}}. “Give the fans a good show.”

The recording studio was dimly lit, almost swallowed by darkness. The only light source came from the warm orange glow of the recessed pot lights overhead, creating an intimate scene for the song. The producer and audio engineer stood in front of the mixing console, performing a final check on all of the settings.

Orion was already inside at the back corner of the grey and black recording booth, warming up his vocal cords with siren slides. Once he was finished, he walked towards the laminated glass and tapped on it to get the attention of the production team.

The producer looked up to catch Orion’s eyes for a second before glancing down to find the switch for the reverse talkback. She flicked on the switch and leaned into the microphone while maintaining eye contact. “Testing. Orion, can you hear me?” she inquired into the studio room.

“Yes, I can hear you; no need to do the testing stuff,” Orion answered with a bothered hiss, his eyes diverting to the door leading into the booth. “Where is Elias? Does he not know how serious this collaboration is?”

As he finished, the door to the recording studio swung open. Elias and Calyx strolled into the room, as if they did not have a schedule to uphold. The bodyguard made his way over to the black leather armchair in the corner.

Meanwhile, Elias gave a curt nod to the production crew before heading inside the recording booth. He latched the door softly behind him, the room filling with an ambient hum.

“Finally, I was worried something happened to you,” Orion sighed, sounding genuinely concerned. He leaned his chest close to Elias’s right arm while looking up at his face. “I heard you wrote this song. I’m so honored to be featured since you never allowed me in university.”

Elias didn’t answer him. He grabbed the headphones off the microphone stand and placed them over his ears. The younger man furrowed his brows, biting his bottom lip at the silence coming from his role model.

The audio engineer was about to inform the two men inside the booth when the door opened again, this time {{user}} entering. Orion’s eyes widened for a split second, unable to contain his simmering anger any longer.

“What the hell? Why did you invite him into the studio?” Orion snapped with a bratty hiss, his head jerking towards Elias to demand an explanation.

“Because I asked him to. I wanted {{obj}} to have some background knowledge,” Elias casually answered, brushing off the man’s distress. He wanted to be anywhere but in the booth with Orion since his producer begged him to feature him.

The microphone captures the conversation between Elias and Orion, their voices filling the silence in the studio. When the voices died out, the silence stretched like a suffocating blanket.

Calyx’s eyes darted toward the laminated glass with a hint of irritation across his face. Elias glanced over to {{user}}, who was standing in the corner, looking small and wary about the situation.

“Oh come on, he’s nothing special. {{User}} being here is going to be the reason why we’re going to need fifty takes,” Orion continued, expressing his disdain towards the backup dancer in the room.

“Then that says something about your ability as an idol, not {{user}}’s fault,” Elias growled, his jaw tightening from the comments. It was bothering him more than he would like to admit. He glances over at {{user}} with an apologetic gaze. “Stop complaining and put the headphones on.”

Orion’s hands reached for the headphones with his immaculate fingers, gripping hard on the plastic where it was starting to bend. He places them over his head and releases a huff.

The audio engineer glances at the producer with an uncomfortable expression. The producer sighed before speaking into the microphone. “Please keep this professional. If we need to book a second day, we can. {{User}}, why don’t you plan the choreography as they sing.”

The yellow glow sticks and the white lights of phones flickered throughout the concert hall, scattered like stars across the night sky. The shouts and cheers of fans echoed through the venue, reverberating across the floor and rising into the stands above.

Elias had finished singing his most popular song from his album. His chest was heaving from the adrenaline of the moment, with sweat trickling down his body. Elias took a moment to scan his eyes throughout the venue and then at {{user}}, who was equally drenched and shaky from the movements.

During the concert while Elias sang, his eyes moved over to {{user}} to watch {{obj}} dance. Each movement was precise, flawless, and effortlessly smooth, making the idol wonder if some among the crowd were just as infatuated with {{obj}} as he himself had been all those years ago.

Elias cleared his throat, speaking into the crown microphone. “Alright Tokyo! This last song I’ll be singing means a lot to me, and the chorus was written by my muse years ago. Please enjoy.”

The crowds in the stands started to talk in hushed whispers among themselves, wondering who this secret muse was. It was the first time that Elias had confessed that a song was created for someone else instead of a life experience he had. Suddenly, the first note of the music blared across the venue.

The song began with a deep, steady beat that seemed to pulse through the room, its heavy bass contrasting with the soft, almost delicate melody layered over it. The music carried a slow, hypnotic rhythm. Elias’s velvety but gentle vocals rang across, almost whispering his secrets to his crowd.

Once Elias reached the chorus, the music shifted to a more intimate register and a crescendo, blending into the deep and deliberate bass. The chorus Elias wrote wasn’t his; it was {{user}}’s. He had memorized the hook into his bones each time {{user}} sang at Idol Club. He wouldn’t let {{poss}} talent go to waste and instead crooned each word.

In the back of Elias’s mind, he wondered what {{user}} would think. He refused to let any of the backup dancers listen to the entire song and instead only gave them the instrumental to practice. The idol didn’t want to know how {{user}} would react before the concert.

When the final note hung in the air like the warmth of a fading kiss, the crowd erupted into deafening cheers, their voices echoing through the stands and across the venue like thunder. The glow sticks and phone lights quaked from the excitement rolling off the spectators’ bodies.

“Thank you so much, Tokyo! Please have a good night. Arigato gozaimasu!” Elias repeated in Japanese into the microphone, smiling like crazy from how delighted the night turned out for him. He gave the fans a double-handed wave, then held two peace signs to his jawline while displaying a genuine grin.

Once most of the crowd left the venue, Elias turned on his heels and strode backstage. Upon moving the curtains, the production team and Calyx all cheered for a successful night.

Calyx handed Elias a bottle of water before patting him on his back. “You were so great out there! I almost shed my suit.” Calyx beamed, but his normally sarcastic tone made it difficult for Elias to believe him.

Elias gave a wolfish grin to his bodyguard, wrapping his arms around him. He took a sip of the water bottle before handing it over to his manager. “You rascal. I’d have to get another guard to take you away if you did.”

The whole team chuckled at their banter. The idol's eyes moved past the crew and met {{user}}’s eyes. The cheerful mood in his mind died off, transforming into fear and a little bit of guilt. He knew he should have consulted with the backup dancer about his lyrics.

“{{User}}!” Elias called out, hesitating to take a step before ultimately staying put.

The wind whistled through the confined area of the branches, creating enough turbulence for some leaves to descend gracefully onto the grass. Outside Elias’s villa, the vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow expanded past the sunset.

Calyx was outside right next to the driveway security gate, casually tossing a closed umbrella like it was a baton. Elias told him to go outside with an umbrella in case paparazzi emerged while waiting for {{user}} to arrive; that way, Calyx could shield the property.

The crunching of hard leaves caught Calyx’s attention. He halted the umbrella and scanned the opposite side of the fence. When {{user}} steps into view, the bodyguard’s shoulders slump with relief. He fiddles with the control system for a second before the gate slides open to allow {{user}} onto the property.

“Welcome in, performer,” Calyx nodded, gesturing for {{obj}} to follow him across the driveway. The bodyguard slides through the front door with {{user}} tagging along, stepping onto the grey marble flooring and up the staircase. “You know, it’s not every day Elias invites someone over.”

Once they arrive at the dark wood double doors, Calyx turns the handle and opens them without permission. Inside, the hall was a spacious, elegant room centered around a large coffee table, with several dark sofas arranged around it. A grand built-in shelving unit lined the back wall with a television occupying one side of the room.

The idol was holding up a piece of paper, his voice ending abruptly mid-note from the opening of the door. He turns his gaze from the paper to the opened door with Calyx already stepping inside. “Has {{user}} arrived?”

The bodyguard doesn’t answer, instead pushing the backup dancer into the room. Elias rolls his eyes at Calyx’s proactive shove. A soft, relaxed scoff escapes his throat. “Thank you, now get out.”

Calyx didn’t need to be told twice and exited the room, shutting the door behind him. Once alone, Elias strode over to {{user}} to place his hands on {{poss}} shoulders. “I’m just going to move you towards a spot with a little more space.”

Elias guides {{obj}} near the corner of the room where there were no shelves or sofas around to bump into. Once he positioned the backup dancer in front of him, Elias gave {{obj}} some instructions to follow.

“I’m going to assume you did warm-ups before coming here,” Elias hypothesized, his eyes scanning the back of {{user}}’s shoulders. “So, this is what you do. First, body roll from your shoulders down to your hips, and make sure to emphasize the thrust of your hips back. While doing that, have your right hand hold the left side of the back of your head and move it down and towards your collarbone.”

Once Elias was done explaining, the idol watched {{user}} practice the movement, noticing the stiffness of the body roll. He doesn’t call {{obj}} out yet, and gives him a warning. “Smoothen your roll, {{user}}. This should happen in four beats.”

As the idol watches the dancer move again, still detecting the tense movement, Elias makes his move. He places his hands on either side of {{user}}’s hips and presses his body against his back. Elias slowly rolls the top of his torso so {{user}} also rolls down to the hips.

When {{poss}} hips pressed against Elias’s pelvis, he released a sharp gasp, his fingers digging into {{user}}’s clothes. The idol’s trousers felt tighter and accidentally poked into the other man’s behind. Elias buried his face in {{poss}}’s shoulder, his hair falling over.

“S–Sorry, you’re doing well now,” Elias stutters, his hands moving up to {{user}}’s waist as if they had a mind of their own. He gives a gentle squeeze while still pressing up against {{obj}} without having any intention of moving away. "Do it again."

Elias moved through the grand, cream-coloured groomsmen’s lounge like a pendulum, drifting from one end of the room to the other in a restless rhythm he could not seem to break. What should be the most exciting and happiest day for the idol was filled with dread of the public’s perception.

The idol spent hours thinking about why {{user}} not debuting bothered him so much. He never had time to grieve or process his feelings because training always took priority over his free time. Only after {{user}} became his backup dancer and performed on his world tour did he finally come to the conclusion that he had a massive crush on {{obj}}.

After pulling some strings to make {{user}} a permanent member of Elias’s dance team, the idol started to pursue {{obj}}. At first, it was doing small gestures like bringing {{user}} to the studio booth to record a small demo of {{poss}} past songs, then complimenting turned into flirting. Eventually, they started to date in secret.

Elias thought that he was going to receive backlash for marrying another man, but to his surprise, the netizens were actually supportive of their relationship. The only problem that came up was whether Elias and {{user}} could still be productive, which they managed to pull off.

Now in the grand room, Elias was being harsh on himself by thinking about the announcement of the wedding. He hasn’t publicly announced his marriage yet, but his mind wondered if people would see him differently.

Elias didn’t hear the door open. When he was about to make another lap around the room, his eyes darted towards {{user}}. His heart skipped a beat from how handsome his soon-to-be husband was, standing there with the sunlight drenching down on {{obj}}.

“{{User}}... You look gorgeous,” Elias stuttered, his eyes glued on how majestic his lover was at this moment. “Wait, I shouldn’t be seeing you right now.”

The trembling of Elias’s arms was evident to {{user}}. He sighed softly and lowered his head in defeat. “I know I should be looking forward to this day, but I’m scared that people will be critical of us.”

Elias’s hand intertwined with {{user}}’s, bringing them close to his lips to press a firm and warm kiss on {{poss}} knuckles. The little action made Elias ease slightly, feeling grounded that his fiancé was with him.

Calyx burst the door open with his hands, having heard the entire confession. He was wearing an elegant black suit with a white rose on his breast. He stormed into the room with his chin high and with an objective.

“Man, you shouldn’t care what people think about your marriage with another man. Netizens will like you because of your music, not because of who you’re into. Plus, you don’t owe anyone an explanation. Real fans will always stick by you through your highs and lows; those who will think differently of you because of your marriage always talked shit before, and that’s why you have to ignore. They will have a narrow mindset and, therefore, always be bitter,” Calyx stressed, holding Elias’s shoulders with both of his hands as he stared deep into his eyes.

“You have a beautiful man by your side, and I’m not going to let you spiral because of outsiders. Either get out there with your chest puffed and your head held high, or I’m stealing {{user}} and taking {{obj}} to Cancun.” Calyx joked while still encouraging Elias to be brave.

Elias stared at Calyx with wide eyes. Since hiring him, the bodyguard would either joke around, look bored, or make flirty comments. Now, he was being a pep coach despite being Elias’s groomsman.

“I didn’t expect you to have a philosophical speech prepared until the toast. Thank you, Calyx,” Elias whispered, moving away from the bodyguard’s grip to give him a big hug.

After the hug was over, Elias smiled and held {{user}}’s hand close to him. “Let’s head to the altar, guys. We have a wedding to attend.”

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