One More Song
The dance studio was supposed to be empty.
It was nearly midnight, the lights dimmed to their evening setting, and only one Bluetooth speaker remained alive, quietly humming through a mellow R&B playlist.
You werenât even supposed to be there.
Suguru had texted you an hour earlier.
Come keep me company.
No explanation.
Just that.
Youâd learned long ago that when Suguru asked for company, he didnât really want conversation.
He just wanted you nearby.
⸝
You pushed open the heavy studio door.
It creaked softly.
He didnât notice.
Standing in front of the mirror, dressed entirely in black, he repeated the last few counts of a routine over and over.
His movements were smoothâalmost lazyâbut impossibly precise.
Every turn looked effortless.
Every step perfectly timed.
His hair had come loose sometime during practice.
Dark strands clung to his forehead, brushing against sharp cheekbones before falling over one eye.
Sweat dampened the back of his neck.
You leaned against the doorway, completely content to watch.
ââŚYouâve been staring for three minutes.â
You jumped.
âYou have eyes in the back of your head?â
âNo.â
He looked at you through the mirror.
âI just know when youâre looking at me.â
A smile tugged at your lips.
âYou look ridiculous.â
âOh?â
âThe dramatic hair.â
âYou donât like it?â
âI didnât say that.â
He laughed quietly.
âYou never do.â
⸝
After another run-through, he finally stopped.
His chest rose and fell steadily as he grabbed the towel slung over the barre.
Without thinking, you walked over.
âHold still.â
âHm?â
His brows lifted as your fingers brushed his temple.
You carefully tucked a few loose strands behind his ear.
ââŚTheyâre bothering me.â
His eyes never left yours.
âSo thatâs why?â
ââŚYes.â
âYou sure it isnât because you wanted an excuse to touch me?â
Heat rushed to your face.
ââŚYouâre unbelievable.â
âIâve been told.â
He didnât move away.
Instead, he leaned ever so slightly into your hand.
Almost like a cat asking for more affection.
⸝
âYou hungry?â you asked, hoping to save yourself.
âI could eat.â
âI brought kimbap.â
âYou brought food?â
âI always bring food.â
ââŚYouâre the best.â
His smile wasnât big.
Suguru never smiled big.
But the corners of his mouth softened in that tiny, genuine way reserved only for people he trusted.
And somehowâŚ
That smile always felt more intimate than anyone elseâs laughter.
⸝
You both settled onto the polished wooden floor.
The city lights filtered through the windows behind you.
Neither of you spoke much.
You never had to.
Silence with Suguru wasnât awkward.
It was comfortable.
Peaceful.
Every so often, heâd nudge your shoulder with his.
Or steal another piece of food from your container despite insisting he was âfull.â
âYouâve had like eight.â
âI counted.â
âI danced for four hours.â
âYouâll survive.â
âI might faint.â
âYou are so dramatic.â
âI know.â
⸝
When he finished eating, he reached for his phone.
The familiar camera click echoed through the studio.
You glanced over.
Heâd taken a mirror selfie.
Hair messy.
Head tilted back slightly.
Black shirt clinging to his shoulders.
The exact kind of picture that would have social media collectively losing its mind.
ââŚSeriously?â
âWhat?â
âYou know exactly what youâre doing.â
He blinked innocently.
âI took a picture.â
âYou took that picture.â
âI still donât see the problem.â
âYou look unfair.â
He looked down at the screen.
âHm.â
Then back at you.
âYou think I look handsome.â
âI think youâre fishing.â
âSo yes.â
You groaned into your hands.
âYou are impossible.â
⸝
He stood and offered you his hand.
âDance.â
âI donât know the choreography.â
âI wasnât talking about choreography.â
ââŚSuguru.â
âJust one song.â
You hesitated.
âYou know I suck.â
âYou wonât if Iâm leading.â
His voice was gentle.
Patient.
Never demanding.
Just hopeful.
With a sigh that fooled absolutely no one, you placed your hand in his.
His fingers curled around yours immediately.
Warm.
Calloused.
Safe.
The music changed.
A slower song filled the room.
His other hand rested carefully against your waist.
Not possessive.
Just enough to guide you.
âYou trust me?â
âAlways.â
The answer slipped out before you could stop it.
For the first time all nightâŚ
Suguru froze.
His eyes searched yours as though trying to figure out whether youâd realized what youâd admitted.
ââŚAlways?â
You nodded.
âI donât think Iâve ever not trusted you.â
Something softened in his expression.
Something so quiet you almost missed it.
⸝
âYou know,â he murmured, âIâve been trying to ask you something.â
âOh?â
âI justâŚâ
He laughed under his breath.
ââŚI didnât expect to get nervous.â
âYou?â
âI know.â
âYou? Nervous?â
âI have a reputation to maintain.â
You smiled.
âSo what is it?â
His thumb slowly traced the back of your hand.
âIâve been wonderingâŚâ
His voice had dropped almost to a whisper.
ââŚif all those looks you keep giving me mean what I hope they mean.â
Your heartbeat stumbled.
âIâŚâ
âYou always watch me dance.â
ââŚâ
âYou always fix my hair.â
ââŚâ
âYou always remember my favorite snacks.â
ââŚâ
âAnd every time I look at youâŚâ
He smiled.
ââŚyouâre already looking at me.â
You couldnât even deny it.
Because he was right.
Every word.
⸝
âI like you.â
There it was.
Simple.
Honest.
No grand speech.
No dramatic confession.
Just the truth.
âIâve liked you for a long time.â
You laughed softly, mostly because your heart couldnât seem to decide whether to race or stop entirely.
ââŚYouâre late.â
His eyebrows rose.
âLate?â
âIâve been in love with you for months.â
For onceâ
Suguru Geto looked completely speechless.
ââŚMonths?â
You nodded.
ââŚIdiot.â
A laugh escaped him.
âSo weâve both justâŚâ
âYep.â
ââŚbeen dancing around it?â
âPretty much.â
He shook his head, smiling wider than youâd ever seen.
âWeâre hopeless.â
âWe really are.â
⸝
He stepped closer.
Close enough that your foreheads touched.
His loose hair tickled your cheeks.
âYou knowâŚâ
âHm?â
âI think I finally have a reason to stay after practice.â
âYou mean besides making me watch you take thirst traps in the mirror?â
âTheyâre artistic.â
âTheyâre criminal.â
âThey got your attention.â
âTheyâve had my attention for a very long time.â
He smiled so softly it almost hurt to look at.
Then, before either of you could overthink it, he closed the tiny distance between you.
The kiss was gentle.
Unhurried.
The kind that felt less like a beginning and more like finally coming home.
When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours again.
ââŚOne more song?â
You smiled, lacing your fingers with his.
âAs many as you want.â









