Page 72 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 13-16

You took away reasons

My smiles tangled and stolen by Shadows

Jun watched him without raising his head, staying stock still in the background. Su-jin’s falsetto echoed clear as water. The audience was silent, upturned faces fixed on Su-jin’s form. He stood slowly, pouring himself into the first verse, stepping back as the other four moved forward, chanting the chorus.

Glory, for dowry

Cheeks bones of ivory

And money changes hands

Lashes, like gashes

Black flashes over ashes

And money changes hands

Su-jin had unlocked a part of himself for this one. The first chorus passed to the second verse, back to the chorus and into the bridge. Around him, Jun moved with Geun, Jaewoong, and Yohei, but Su-jin had the audience in his hands. He swayed, displaying an almost contortionist ability to bend, one hand held out to the audience as he asked the question:

What am I?

What am I?

What am I?

Su-jin touched his face, smearing black across his cheek.

Porcelain doesn’t cry

And ink will ne-ver-lie!

Jun reached into his deepest tones with Yohei, singing back up behind Su-jin.

(never lie, never lie, never lie)

Su-jin stared at the audience, letting the moment hang as the music gathered itself and then he fell back, Geun and Yohei catching him from behind as he kept singing, voice spiraling upward:

Never die!

Jun rushed to the front of the stage with Jaewoong, picking up the chorus as Yohei and Geun lifted Su-jin above their heads behind them.

Glory, for dowry

Cheeks bones of ivory

And money changes hands

The chorus washed over Jun and captured him. He was only there, on the stage, with only his bandmates. The music and the choreography had them entrapped. The energy from the audience was a physical tether, feeding them even as they fed the audience. Lights blurred overhead, changing color. Sweat cloaked Jun’s face. It was in his hair and running under his shirt, making his clothes stick to him.

The music snapped itself up and went out in a crash of silence. Jun’s chest heaved. He glanced towards the others. They were all the same, except for Su-jin, collapsed like a marionette on the stage. He was supposed to stand up as the lights faded, but Yohei stood before it was time and bent over, picking Su-jin up in his arms like a prince. Gasps spread from the dark expanse of seats. Yohei stood, surrounded by the one light left, head down, looking at Su-jin. Dammit, Su-jin was good. He never broke character, limbs limp and spilling from Yohei’s arms. Yohei turned and walked towards the back. Jun and the others followed him.

The next song required a set change. Only a few moments of time. They walked out of sight of the audience and Yohei set Su-jin on his feet, shoved him up against the nearest wall, and kissed him.

Jun gestured towards their sound person, checking to see if the mics were cut. He got the affirmative.

Geun stared at Su-jin and Yohei, eyes hard and bright.

Jun swallowed. The last thing they needed was jealousy. And since when did Yohei kiss Su-jin? He wasn’t this out of touch with his team, was he?