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Assistant: Title: In Which a Parasocial Relationship Turns Rio
        Author: mikocchi mikocchi 
        Chapter: 1/2 
        Summary: Fang Juexia, dragged into an group formed specifically for a school festival performance at the end of the semester. There, he meets Pei Tingsong who seemed to be a fan of his?
        Contents: Chapter 1
    

    


  

  
  
    
    
  “Juexia! Here’s the club! It looks pretty nice, right?”
 
  Ling Yi was excitedly gesturing towards the clubroom. Fang Juexia nodded then, quietly surveying the rather large room. He was not entirely sure how big normal music clubs are, but he supposed that they usually get rather big ones since instruments required space — that was a much more different situation for clubs like his mathematics club, which technically only required a large desk and a white board. Plus, mathematics clubs are significantly less popular than the music club.
 
  Fang Juexia was more used to a quiet club of less than 10 people, so seeing this many people chattering noisily in one left him a little restless. There seemed to be about 30 people…?
 
  Ling Yi, childhood friend and neighbour, seemed to sense that. “But but but the sub-group I joined is really only like 5 people, including you! Oh, no, wait. I think someone is bringing another person in today too, so that’s like 6 people! We’re going to try applying for another smaller practice room too! Since Headmaster Lu is lax, he’ll probably say yes if there’s a room available!”
 
  “What if there’s no room available?”
 
  That seemed to slump Ling Yi for a bit. But just for a moment. “There will be! The university is so big. Worse comes to worst, we can rent a room outside too. Ah, Lu Yuan!”
 
  Ling Yi suddenly shouted and then sprinted straight towards a group of three at a corner. The one named Lu Yuan raised his head and then beckoned them over with a grin. Fang Juexia quickened his pace and caught up to the group.
 
  “You’re Fang Juexia? You look as handsome as the videos.” Another one spoke up, smiling gently at him. He introduced himself as Jiang Miao, a fourth-year student.
 
  “Yeah.” The remaining one laughed. He Ziyan, also a fourth-year student. “Most people apply too many filters and sh@t, so they end up looking a bit different. But it almost feels like you didn’t put the videos through any editing?”
 
  “Hello. And thank you.” Fang Juexia nodded in greeting. “I requested Ling Yi to not edit the videos and upload them as they are.” 
 
  He’d rather people see his dance as it is, even if there were glaring mistakes in the dance.
 
  On the first day of the semester, which was also Ling Yi’s first day of university, he joined the club. He had said he hit it off well with one of the music club members (Fang Juexia realised only now Ling Yi was probably talking about second-year Lu Yuan), and that this member, together with a few others, wanted to perform a song and dance at the school festival at the end of the semester. Ling Yi, being Ling Yi, was immediately up for it. “I thought it’ll be cool to sing in a group for once, plus it’s a nice goal to work towards.”
 
  Fang Juexia had nodded in encouragement whenever Ling Yi raved about this club. But that stopped one day, three weeks into the semester, when Ling Yi laughed sheepishly mid-conversation, scratching his head, and asked if he could also join the group. “Juexia’s so good at dancing! I’ve never had a collab together with you before! If you dance and I sing together, it’ll be so fun!”
 
  Fang Juexia had pointed out, “If that’s what you want, you can just ask me. And we don’t have to join a group to do that.”
 
  “Mhm! But the bigger the better. And I showed them the videos I took of you dancing before and they really like you!” Ling Yi had paused then, deflating slightly. “But if Juexia doesn’t want to, I won’t force you.”
 
  Fang Juexia had looked at his longtime childhood friend, and thought it wouldn’t hurt to just take a look at the group. Although he had joined the mathematics club when he enrolled in the university a year ago, joining another club for just this semester wasn’t a problem. The mathematics club was relaxed enough for that.
 
  Performing in front of an audience… did seem fun too.
 
  Still, it took him about two weeks before he finally decided to join it.
 
  “Yo, He Ziyan, sorry I’m late. Class ended late and I got lost.”
 
  Another voice rang out. A low timbre, and Fang Juexia thought then that he would sound nice in a song. Fang Juexia moved his gaze from watching Ling Yi and Lu Yuan chatter.
 
  The newcomer was tall. Taller than any of them. He gave He Ziyan a fist bump, before glancing at the rest. But upon reaching Fang Juexia, his gaze seemed startled, and… a little something more? Fang Juexia didn’t know the right word to describe it, but he stared at him for rather long.
 
  Fang Juexia could only give him a nod in greeting.
 
  Noticing how the newcomer suddenly fell quiet, leaving this corner rather awkwardly silent, Jiang Miao spoke up then. “Ziyan, is this the one you mentioned?”
 
  Cued, He Ziyan answered yes, introducing him as Pei Tingsong, someone he met in one of his classes. Since both of them passionately loved music and rap, he invited him to the club. That introduction seemed to wake Pei Tingsong up from the strange stupor. He took over the conversation then, explaining that he was living overseas before and moved back to China for university, requested by his parents for some godforsaken unknown reason.
 
  For some reason, though Pei Tingsong was looking elsewhere, Fang Juexia felt as though Pei Tingsong was still gazing at him from the corner of his eyes. Fang Juexia let that thought linger for a millisecond, before he chunk it up to him being oversensitive.
 
  “Ah, right! Pei Tingsong, you haven’t seen Juexia’s dance videos, right? He’s really good. That’s why I got him here!” Ling Yi was always eager to share the videos with anyone.
 
  “I’ve seen them.”
 
  “Ah?” Ling Yi’s hand paused in the middle of pulling his phone out of his pocket. The unexpected answer seemed to have left him at a slight loss before he recovered. “Oh, you have! Isn’t Juexia amazing!”
 
  Pei Tingsong nodded, gaze returning to Fang Juexia in that particular manner.
 
  He Ziyan laughed then. “No wonder you were staring at Fang Juexia earlier. Must’ve recognised him immediately.”
 
  
    That answered some things.
  
   Fang Juexia thought.
 
  But the tension only went out of him slightly. He had met people who knew him from the videos, but none had stared at him like that before. But then again, all of those people were girls. So maybe… This was the way some guys might react to his dances…? Fang Juexia attempted to rationalise it.
 
  Their meeting ended pretty quickly. Jiang Miao was clearly a natural leader. He took reins of the conversation, just getting to know everyone and got everyone talking about their interests, favourite genres and then proposed some ideas of what sort of performances they could do.
 
  “Of course, this is just a performance for fun. But since we only have this semester to prepare for it, it might seem a bit rushed or hectic. So, if any of you want to back out of it later on, feel free. We won’t mind. We just want everyone to have fun.
 
  “Headmaster Lu is quite flexible with how clubs run things. We can just come to the club any day and any time as long as we tell the club advisor.” Jiang Miao looked down at his class schedule. “...How about Wednesday, 2pm?”
 
  Everyone murmured in agreement, but Fang Juexia spoke up then. “Sorry. How about another day? I have a law class then.”
 
  That peculiar gaze returned to him then. “Law class?”
 
  Fang Juexia nodded. “It’s one of my extra mods this semester.”
 
  They ultimately decided for 5pm on Wednesdays, right after the law class.

  
  

  ~~~

  
  

  Wednesday, 1.55pm, and Fang Juexia was already seated in his usual seat at the back of the lecture hall. He usually came earlier and took the time to read.
 
  Being a rather tough class by an apparently infamous figure, not many had signed up for the class. Fang Juexia was one of the few non-law students to take it.
 
  Someone sat down next to him, startling him away from the pages of his book. The past two weeks, no one had sat next to him.
 
  But he had to blink in surprise again when he looked up to find it was Pei Tingsong. “You…”
 
  Pei Tingsong sat down coolly, pulling out the books from his bag. “I’m in this class too.”
 
  Fang Juexia was flabbergasted. “But you said you could go to the club at 2pm.”
 
  “I like to skip classes.”
 
  “I didn’t see you the last two classes.”
 
  “I skipped them.”
 
  “...”
 
  That did not seem convincing.
 
  Fang Juexia felt obligated to tell him, “Professor Yan looks quite easygoing, but he is a renowned criminal defence lawyer. It’s the first time he’s teaching university students, and said he'll be a strict professor.”
 
  Though. Professor Yan had said all that in a joking tone. Fang Juexia wasn’t exactly sure if he was just scaring the students.
 
  Fang Juexia wanted to continue, but the professor had arrived with a smile and called for everyone’s attention. But instead of immediately beginning class as he did the week before, his sharp eyes zeroed in on Pei Tingsong.
 
  Professor Yan pointed at him with a ruler, smile still on his lips. “You weren’t here before. Who are you?”
 
  “Oh.” Despite being named by the professor, Pei Tingsong remained languid and unintimidated, shrugging his shoulders. Perhaps it was because the smile on the professor’s face looked pleasant enough. “Pei Tingsong. I can’t be here?”
 
  Professor Yan raised an eyebrow, responding with an elongated “oohh”. “The brat that skipped my class the first two weeks.”
 
  He knocked at the table for a moment, but instead of lecturing him about it as most strict professors do, he simply said, “Ok, just ask your friend next to you what you missed. And since you weren’t here the first week, you can ask me a question for fun.”
 
  “Uh. Why did you come here to be a teacher…? Heard you were an actual criminal lawyer before.” Pei Tingsong clearly didn’t put effort into it. It was probably the only thing he thought of after what Fang Juexia told him.
 
  “Good question.” Professor Yan swirled the ruler in his hand. “And it’s not ‘were’. It’s ‘am’. I’m just here for fun for a semester or two. Thought it’ll be nice to get some extra pocket money. And I made a profound realisation that students can be pretty cute to teach too. Because of this one intern I had.”
 
  “Ah?”
 
  But the professor didn’t continue elaborating on this intern and turned to begin the class.
 
  Fang Juexia whispered to him then. “You’re an actual student in this class?”
 
  Pei Tingsong arched an eyebrow. “Duh. Why would I come for a class I’m not in? Making things hard for myself?”
 
  
    Why didn’t you come the last two weeks, but came this week then? You were planning on skipping this one for club too. 
  
 
  Fang Juexia wanted to ask this, but Professor Yan threw them a meaningful look. For some reason, Fang Juexia thought the professor was warning them to shut up now. So, he fell silent.
 
  The class passed rather quickly. When they were packing up, Pei Tingsong spoke up then. “You said you major in math. Why take a law mod?”
 
  “I know a lawyer and was a bit curious about it. And since we’re required to take a few modules outside our major, I picked it. Why did you take this when you’re studying philosophy?”
 
  “No reason. I just clicked on something random.”
 
  “...”
 
  From skipping class as he wished and choosing classes so carefreely… Fang Juexia had a feeling that Pei Tingsong cared too little about university. He took a moment to consider. Maybe it was because he just moved back to China. He did hear American university culture was more relaxed.
 
  “Oh, and…” Pei Tingsong started when they walked out of the hall and headed for the clubroom. “Like, I watched some of your videos, right? But I noticed you haven’t been uploading any new videos on Weibo. You don’t dance as much anymore?”
 
  The question came out of the left field. Fang Juexia was quiet for a while, but he continued walking to the club, with Pei Tingsong following behind him.
 
  There it was. That weird feeling and gaze.
 
  It didn’t make him uncomfortable, but it was one Fang Juexia didn’t know how to respond to. Fang Juexia knew he had fans online. Ling Yi had told him that much, being the one who actually managed his account since he had argued that such good dance covers should be shared with the world. Apparently, he had a bit of popularity…? But as someone who did not use social media and rarely checked his account, that never quite sank in. Not even when some strangers did recognise him.
 
  Until Pei Tingsong.
 
  “I still dance. Just, Ling Yi hasn’t been around to video.”
 
  “Ling Yi? You don’t video it yourself?” That voice took on a harsher tone suddenly. “You make someone else work for you?”
 
  Fang Juexia looked over in surprise, noticing what appeared to be disapproval in those furrowed eyebrows. That was when Fang Juexia realised that Pei Tingsong seemed to have been taking a particularly friendly tone with him until now. More so than with anyone else Fang Juexia had seen him speak to. Not the professor. Not He Ziyan.
 
  But Fang Juexia didn’t dwell on this oddity. Pei Tingsong’s choice of words had made Fang Juexia frown. Subconsciously, his voice took on a firmer tone too. “...Work? No, Ling Yi just does it as a hobby.”
 
  “...Oh.”
 
  Their second club session went rather smoothly too. They tried out a few easy songs as practice. Jiang Miao said they could try to get a feel of how they sound and work together first before deciding on a song. Especially since they were still waiting for their request for another practice room to be approved.
 
  Until then, they had to hold their club session in the big club room with the other music club members, who occasionally popped by.
 
  With their earlier conversation before reaching the club room, Fang Juexia started noting the way Pei Tingsong spoke to others during this particular session.
 
  After collecting some sample size, Fang Juexia spotted a pattern in the attitudes Pei Tingsong took towards people.
 
  Pei Tingsong took on a much warmer and friendlier tone when it was their group.
 
  His attitude varied when it was members outside of them. Upon further examination, it seemed that his attitude correlated to two main factors.
 
  First was personality and character. If Pei Tingsong didn’t like the person, his replies and responses were more curt and he would rather give them no time of the day. He mostly ignored them, unless he was directly addressed.
 
  Fang Juexia found this understandable. It was natural to be cold to people you didn’t like. But… was it not a bit too early to judge when this was the second time he had seen these people?
 
  The second factor was their musical talent. The first factor of personality determined his initial attitude towards them. Upon seeing their musical talent when they do perform in some way, that influenced his attitude.
 
  If he didn’t like the person, he would care for them even less should they be subpar in all musical aspects.
 
  If he didn’t like the person, and they were good in music… he still did not like them.
 
  If he liked the person, he would still like them if they were subpar in music.
 
  If he liked the person, he would be more impressed if they were good in music.
 
  Fang Juexia thought back to the only time Pei Tingsong had taken a harsher tone towards him so far, just a couple of hours ago. If his conclusions were not wrong, Pei Tingsong’s attitude changed because he thought he was the type to make his friend work for him? It reverted to his usual tone when he cleared up the misunderstanding…
 
  Fang Juexia could not help but let out a humoured smile. 
 
  Too quick to judge. But… Fang Juexia liked where his priorities lay.
 
  Personality 
  
    was
  
   important.

  
  

  ~~~

  
  

  Pei Tingsong knew that Fang Juexia went to the math club on some Fridays. Ling Yi said so offhandedly once.
 
  But annoyingly, he did not say which Fridays he attended the club. So, on this particular Friday, Pei Tingsong could only take his chances.
 
  After all, he didn’t have a good reason to specifically ask this question. And usually, he would have asked this outright. Usually.
 
  Here was the problem though.
 
  Pei Tingsong realised his thick face and bluntness, which he was known for, had withdrawn when it came to Fang Juexia.
 
  Maybe that was just what happened when you met someone you followed on the screen for years. Especially when that someone was one he had deeply admired the skills of.
 
  But it didn’t bother him that much. He believed he just needed some time before that uncharacteristic “shyness” vanished. (Though it had been two weeks now. It was taking a bit long.)
 
  Pei Tingsong knocked on the door of the math club room. He didn’t wait for anyone to signal him to come in. He just opened it.
 
  There was only one person in there. A bespectacled wide-eyed boy sat alone at the table. He had raised his head at the sound of the door opening and stared fixedly at him. It felt weird. As if he was staring at him but also staring right past him as if he did not exist there.
 
  “Hey, is Fang Juexia not here?”
 
  The boy continued staring.
 
  “Uh? Hello?”
 
  He just received more staring.
 
  Pei Tingsong raised an eyebrow, foot tapping in irritation. “Look—”
 
  “Oh, hey, never seen you here before.”
 
  The deepening crease in Pei Tingsong’s eyebrows finally smoothed out at the entrance of another person. He turned, allowing the new person to enter the room. “Just wanted to ask whether a friend is here.”
 
  “Oh, who’s the fri—”
 
  The bespectacled boy in the room suddenly spoke up, pushing up his glasses. “He’s not here. He said he’ll be at his workplace today.”
 
  Pei Tingsong didn’t comment on how the stone statue earlier had come alive, instead cutting straight to what he wanted. “Work?”
 
  He remembered Ling Yi mentioned this before. Something about him working part-time in a cafe quite close to school. But, 
  
    again,
  
   he didn’t say what cafe it was.
 
  F@ck. Pei Tingsong cursed. Ling Yi talked a lot, and he usually thought people shouldn’t talk too much, 
  
    but Ling Yi really should talk even more.
  
 
  He looked straight at the bespectacled boy. “Do you know what the cafe’s name is?”
 
  The bespectacled boy, now with the entrance of another boy, no longer seemed to be ignoring his existence. He nodded and even helpfully pulled out his phone to show him.

  
  

  ~~~

  
  

  Fang Juexia heard the familiar sound of someone dropping into a seat in front of him. It was Pei Tingsong.
 
  He suddenly felt a sense of deja vu. Except this time, he was facing Pei Tingsong instead of being seated next to him.
 
  Taken aback, he asked, “Why are you here?”
 
  “I can’t be here?”
  
    
    
  

  “No, just…” Fang Juexia furrowed his eyebrows. “This isn’t the path you usually take to get home. And it’s a bit out of the way. So it isn’t really easy to find.”
 
  Pei Tingsong wasn’t surprised that Fang Juexia knew the direction he left school for. He had seen him when Pei Tingsong left the campus for home after club, while the rest went back to their dorms.
 
  “Yeah, I was wondering how the place gets its customers. Not a great location for business.”
 
  Fang Juexia’s eyes quietly stared at him.
 
  Pei Tingsong held his gaze for a few seconds before he averted his gaze. “Fine. I asked around and came here just to find you.”
 
  That blunt reply made Fang Juexia still, a strange feeling coming up at him. One that felt a little like embarrassment.
 
  The way Pei Tingsong said it was a little… 
 
  In fact, it sounded like one of the lines said by the male lead in those romantic dramas that Ling Yi would watch.
 
  Fang Juexia cleared his throat, turning to the coffee counter where the boss of the cafe stood. She seemed to sense his gaze and looked over. He nodded at her as a greeting before turning back to the club member in front of him.
 
  “The place is a bit secluded, but the coffee is really good. So, on weekends, it’s still quite busy. It’s still doing well thanks to word of mouth. And the ambience is good.”
 
  Pei Tingsong exhaled, surveying the shop as though he was looking carefully at it for the first time. The decor was cosy. And out of the windows was a nice view. He looked at the girl skateboarding outside at the empty ground outside and thought this was a nice study location.
 
  “Huh. You’re right. There’s even a piano and a guitar here too. Can anyone go up there and play?”
 
  Fang Juexia nodded. “The boss’s friends sponsored it and would sometimes come to play.”
 
  That made Pei Tingsong let out a chuckle. Fang Juexia looked at him quizzically, prompting another chuckle out of him.
 
  “Nothing. Just didn’t expect you to part-time in a cafe. But I’m not surprised now, since this cafe’s owners like music.”
 
  That seemed to put Fang Juexia at a loss. “That’s not really why I…”
 
  “Plus.” He continued, jerking his thumb at the empty ground outside. “That’s a pretty good place to dance. I recognise this place from the videos.”
 
  This time, Fang Juexia didn’t deny it. His gaze fell down to the pages of his opened books. The last math equation was half-scribbled, left incomplete the moment Pei Tingsong sat down. He quickly finished it, and then completed the entire question, before he looked back up. Thankfully, the strange embarrassment seemed to be gone by then.
 
  “Do you need me for something?”
 
  Pei Tingsong surprisingly patiently waited for him to finish the math problem. He hadn’t seem to be the patient type. Fang Juexia recalled the amount of times he had snapped at others for being slow.
 
  “Oh. Just.” Pei Tingsong paused as if trying to remember. “There were some things I didn’t get for this week’s law class. Isn’t the bulk of the grade an exam? Thought I’d come and consult you.”
 
  He blinked. “Wouldn’t it be better if you ask Professor Yan instead? Since I don’t major in law too…”
 
  “...Yeah, but.” Pei Tingsong rubbed his nose. “He’ll probably answer while teasing the f@ck out of people. I have a feeling that the intern he mentioned before probably got p@ss@d off by him. That’s what he found cute about them.”
 
  Fang Juexia could see that.
 
  “Well, that’s one of the reasons anyway.” Pei Tingsong muttered.
 
  “Sorry?”
 
  “Nothing.” Pei Tingsong met his gaze. “So? Wanna help me with the parts I don’t get?”
 
  “...I can, but I won’t be as good as people who major in law.”
 
  Fang Juexia looked outside the window, and seemingly remembering something, looked back at him.
 
  “Oh, I have an idea.” He pointed at the girl still skateboarding outside. “Not sure if you remember, but I mentioned that I know a lawyer. It’s her brother. Well, not her biological brother, but.. still her big brother. We can ask him too.”

  
  

  ~~~

  
  

  Ever since then, along with their Wednesday law class and Wednesday practice sessions, Fang Juexia started seeing Pei Tingsong on Fridays too. If not in the math club room, it was in the cafe. And it didn’t matter if he was there to work or study. Pei Tingsong would just come.
 
  Fang Juexia wanted to ask at first why he would come when he did have to work, knowing full well he couldn’t help him with law class during his shift. But Fang Juexia had a feeling that Pei Tingsong’s answer would only stir up that same embarrassment. So, he held the question back.
 
  Sometimes, Fang Juexia would take breaks by dancing outside the cafe, whenever the ground space was unoccupied. The first time, Pei Tingsong did not notice; he probably thought he was just taking a bathroom break. But at the start of the third song Fang Juexia was dancing to, he looked up from his revision materials, looking around and finally spotting Fang Juexia right outside the window.
 
  All these, Fang Juexia witnessed with his own eyes. He had played his music through his bluetooth earphones, body moving freely along with the music, all the while keeping his eyes on Pei Tingsong through the window. He had been curious to know if he would notice his prolonged disappearance. When their gazes finally met, he gave Pei Tingsong a small smile, all the while still moving his arms and feet to the dance.
 
  Pei Tingsong seemed to have frozen seeing this, eyes staring fixedly at Fang Juexia’s face. Only when Fang Juexia scrunched his eyebrows together in a silent question did he finally snap out of it, jumping straight to his feet and leaving the door to come to him.

  
  
  

  After this first time, Pei Tingsong almost immediately knew whenever Fang Juexia decided to have a dance break again, even occasionally coming out of the cafe to watch him dance at closer proximity. And amongst those times were another handful of times where he would join in too.
 
  Fang Juexia decided then to change his bluetooth earphones to a bluetooth speaker. That would make it easier than sharing the same pair of earphones. That idea strangely made him a little self-conscious — even though he never had an issue sharing them with Ling Yi before.

  
  
  

  Even when Pei Tingsong first started coming to the math club room, he was concerned the rest might find his presence disruptive, since some of his club members — the club president especially — didn't do well with strangers, but they surprisingly took to him easily.
 
  He found out soon that it was because the president had already met Pei Tingsong — the president was the one he asked for his workplace. When the president’s friend told this to Fang Juexia (since he had witnessed the encounter), he understood then.
 
  If the president had already gotten a little familiar with him, it wasn’t a surprise they allowed him in. After all, the president did let this friend of his hang around the club even when he wasn’t a member.

  
  

  ~~~

  
  

  “Guys. Do you feel that…” Lu Yuan stared at the two figures stretching at the other end of their allocated practice room. Lu Yuan himself was changing his shoes. “...those two have been hanging around each other a lot?”
 
  Ling Yi followed his gaze. “Xiao Pei and Juexia? No?”
 
  Lu Yuan was still staring. “No, listen. They always come to our practice sessions together…”
 
  “Because they have the same class right before!”
 
  “And Pei Tingsong started saying he wasn’t free on Fridays, and that’s also when Fang Juexia is busy…”
 
  “So? Doesn’t mean they are spending their Fridays together.”
 
  “I heard from a little birdie that said they were spotted hanging out in a cafe together…”
 
  “Cafe? Maybe Juexia’s working and Xiao Pei just happened to be there? But wait, that place is hard to find…”
 
  “...That. would mean… your childhood friend invited him there…?” Lu Yuan’s voice was quivering for some reason.
 
  “...Ah.” Ling Yi blinked.
 
  He stared at the two.
 
  He remembered. 
 
  He used to be the one who helped Fang Juexia stretch. But now…. How long had it been since he last did that? How long had it been since Fang Juexia invited him to come to his workplace?
 
  
    HOW LONG HAD IT BEEN SINCE HE RECORDED FANG JUEXIA’S IMPROMPTU DANCES BY THE CAFE???
  
 
  
    “No!”
  
 
  Ling Yi shrieked, the shrillness of his voice making all remaining five heads turn towards him. He scrambled to his feet, sprinting right at the duo on the other side of the room, eyes both flaming and watering as he planned to throw himself on his childhood friend. “Juexia! Why didn’t you invite me to your cafe anymore! Why only Xiao Pei!”
 
  “The f@ck?! I’m helping him stretch right now! What if he pulls his muscle?!”
 
  Lu Yuan watched on, head turning to the remaining two helping each other stretch. Something was glittering in those eyes. “Friends, what do you think? Haven’t they been hanging around each other a lot…”
  
    
    
  

  Both He Ziyan and Jiang Miao were silent, as if refusing to comment on the matter, simply carrying on with the stretching.
 
  But Lu Yuan’s eyes remained on them, insisting for a response.
 
  Jiang Miao sighed, about to speak up—
 
  Ling Yi’s shrill wailing came. “I’ll come this Friday to the cafe, okay! O-O-Or Monday! I’ll record your dance!”
 
  “N.. No need for tha…”
 
  “Yeah, no need for that. I’ve been doing the recording. Also, you work on Mondays too?”
 
  
    “You have been what?!”
  
 
  “Most Mondays, yes.”
 
  
    “Xiao Pei, what did you say?!”
  
 
  “I said I have been recording. Every. Friday.”
 
  The glimmer in Lu Yuan’s eyes intensified.
 
  He Ziyan said then, still focused on stretching Jiang Miao, “There’s your answer.”

  
  
  

  The day ended as with any other practice sessions. Instead of only having some of them only singing while the others both sang and danced, they ultimately agreed for everyone to do both. Especially since all of them had passable skills in all of them. The next step was deciding on a song and what sort of dance to go for. They had to settle on the choreography after that too. They hadn’t decided, but narrowed it down to a few options.
 
  When practice was over, Ling Yi started hanging off Fang Juexia again. Pei Tingsong tried to pull him off but was only faced with Ling Yi yelling, “Juexia still spends the most time with me! Even if you guys hang out on Fridays, Juexia still comes back to me! Because we stay in the same dorm! Not like you, who just stays in your house!”
 
  “Why you—!”
 
  “Alright, alright.” Jiang Miao interjected to break the argument up. He initially wasn’t going to step in, but they were out of the practice room, and there might be students doing self-study nearby. “It isn’t bad to have a house near. I envy Xiao Pei for having a private home to go back to immediately. While the rest of us have to stay in shared dorms.”
 
  He Ziyan added, “Yeah, I’ve never lived in a big house before.”
 
  “Oh, you guys can come for a sleepover or whatever, whenever.” Pei Tingsong didn’t really mind.
 
  Lu Yuan suddenly spoke up, “Xiao Pei, have you uploaded the videos yet?”
 
  “Ah? Upload where?”
 
  “Like,” Lu Yuan’s eyes were sparkling still. “Juexia’s Weibo.”
 
  “No? It’s not like I can log into his account to post for him.”
 
  Lu Yuan looked disappointed. But after a second, something seemed to have rekindled the sparkles. “No, no, you’re right. You’ll want to keep the videos for just yourself to see.”
 
  “What are you talking about?”
 
  “Mememememe!” Ling Yi yelled. “Give me the videos. I’ll post them! I can’t forsake my job as Juexia’s social media manager too!”

  
  

  ~~~

  
  

  Fang Juexia thought that was the end of it after Ling Yi finally tearfully uploaded the videos Pei Tingsong sent him.
 
  But he started seeing Pei Tingsong at the cafe on Mondays too.
 
  He found it a little amusing. By this point in time, Pei Tingsong was probably doing it to get back at Ling Yi. Though Pei Tingsong coming to the cafe an extra day a week wouldn’t make the total amount of time they spent together exceed the time he spent with Ling Yi. After all, he spent 8 hours sleeping in the same dorm as Ling Yi every day, much less the hours when he was awake.
 
  …Well, not every day. There had been some days where Ling Yi fell asleep at Lu Yuan’s dorm. So, it wasn’t “every day”, but the result would be the same too.
 
  When he expressed this to Pei Tingsong, Pei Tingsong only rested his head on the table. “I know.”
 
  He was staring at the girl doing skateboarding tricks outside and the man applauding her, while another aimed his camera at her.
 
  For him to be taking photos of her so frequently, what, every two weeks at least? He must really love his sister.
 
  That thought made him still for a while, fingers smoothing his phone that held at least a hundred videos or photos of Fang Juexia by now.
 
  He stared at the girl flying through the sky in a beautiful arc.
 
  But you’d want to take photos of someone if they are good at doing something too, of course. Pei Tingsong thought somewhat distractedly.
 
  “Tingsong?”
 
  He pushed himself up on the table, staring at the man in front of him and that striking pink birthmark he had. “Why do you part-time so much?”
 
  Fang Juexia looked taken aback. “I don’t work that much.”
 
  “Maybe not as much as He Ziyan, but still more than most of us. I bet you work on the weekends too.”
 
  He paused. “I do, but it’s nothing much. I just want to alleviate some of the financial burdens on my mum.”
 
  Pei Tingsong knew Fang Juexia was from a single-parent household. Dad not necessarily dead. But missing. So only his mother supported him throughout these years.
 
  “Is that why you’re studying math?”
 
  “?”
 
  “I feel like you’d want to be a dancer. You'll get a lot of fans. More than now too.”
 
  Fang Juexia blinked. “I did consider it. But it’s not like I gave up on my dreams. I like math very much too.”
 
  “But you’re not becoming a mathematician, right?”
 
  The thought of that made Fang Juexia smile. “No. I’m not that much of a genius to be one. That’s reserved for one of the other math club members. I might work a normal job? The industry is more stable. Not so much if I go on the dancer route.
 
  “But in another life, I might do that. Be a dancer or something. I can’t do it this life.” Fang Juexia paused, looking at him quietly. “Did I tell you? I have night-blindness.”
 
  That was Pei Tingsong’s turn to blink. “You do?”
 
  “Yeah. I have thought of ways around the issue. But it’s still a bit dangerous since not all stages are so brightly lit. So, I’ll just keep it as a hobby here.”
 
  Pei Tingsong thought of all the times he had seen Fang Juexia dance, the icy firmness in the eyes, the confident movement of his limbs to the beat. The way he would rewatch the videos if they were taken, seeing how to further improve them. Not because there was a performance to perfect. Not because there were people watching. He chose a secluded location by the cafe, and hardly felt the need to take videos of his dances to be uploaded.
 
  He only just adored dancing.
 
  That was what first attracted him about Fang Juexia, wasn’t it?
 
  A part of Pei Tingsong wanted to sigh. In his mind was the breathtaking image of him standing on the stage, exuding iciness that only accentuated the pink birthmark.
 
  He would have been perfect for the stage. Yet…

  
  
  

  “If.” Pei Tingsong said. “If you do end up on a stage that’s not too brightly lit, I’ll help you find your way.”
 
  That got a laugh out of Fang Juexia. His eyes curving in a warm smile. They looked like they were sparkling in the sunset. “Then I’ll rely on you for that, guide dog.”

  
  

  ~~~

  
  

  This week’s law class ended early. Professor Yan had been speeding through the content this week, hoping to end earlier for his sudden appointment.
 
  When a student jokingly asked him if he had a date since he was so hurried, Professor Yan only gave her a meaningful smile. “Maybe.”
 
  And then he left with a flourish. A whole 30 mins before the stipulated time.
 
  So then, Fang Juexia and Pei Tingsong made their way slowly to the practice room, not even considering stopping by elsewhere first. They weren’t against the idea of starting practice early.
 
  But right before they pushed the door open, they heard a voice from inside. It was He Ziyan. “But are you sure? It’s our last year.”
 
  Fang Juexia paused. He didn’t know what they were talking about, but the graveness in He Ziyan’s voice stopped him in his tracks. It felt like they shouldn’t interrupt the conversation. But standing here didn’t seem right either.
 
  “It’s fine. It’ll be too stressful for the rest.” Came Jiang Miao’s gentle murmur.
 
  “The previous years, you said the club members who were keen on performing didn’t have the talent. So, we dragged it on and just performed covers, and now we have the talent, you’re putting it off? It’s our last year. We could at least ask them first.”
 
  Were they talking about the performance? Fang Juexia shared a glance with Pei Tingsong.
 
  “Yes.” An barely audible sigh. “But you see how everyone else is so busy. Juexia with his part-time job, and you too. You work hours every day. On top of your thesis and job search. It’ll be too much—”
 
  “Jiang Miao.” He Ziyan cut him off. “If it’s about me, I’ll just put it out here: I also want to make something with you, 
  
    especially
  
   you. I told you this in our first year when you brought this up. You know that I—”
 
  “I’m not just worried about you.” The usually mild-mannered Jiang Miao cut him off — something that surprised both the eavesdroppers. Even if Jiang Miao’s voice was still gentle, it was still harsher than usual.
 
  “I think the current practice schedule is enough. If we do try making our own music, we’ll have to put in twice, maybe triple the effort. It might impact all of our grades. None of us are planning on doing this for a living.” After a pause, Jiang Miao added, quieter, “We’re not idols. We don’t need to take risks. It’s not worth it.”
 
  He Ziyan fell silent. When he spoke again, it was in a soft murmur, with a gentleness that Fang Juexia never heard him use before. “I just want you to enjoy your last year of university.”
 
  “...I know.”
 
  Fang Juexia and Pei Tingsong waited for five more seconds to see if the conversation would continue. It seemed like they were done, so they finally decided to enter.
 
  Pei Tingsong came in, pushing open the door and announcing loudly, “Prof decided to let us off early today. Which was nice. He kept sharing those bl@@dy stories about celebs—”
 
  He fell silent when he turned, spotting a blur at the corner of his eyes. But what he saw was the two figures standing an odd distance away, facing slightly away. That didn’t seem like how you would talk to someone.
 
  Unlike Pei Tingsong, Fang Juexia immediately searched for the two when they came in, and witnessed the two hugging. It was not a sight he should have seen, a part of him told him. And so it left him at a slight loss of what to do or react.
 
  Jiang Miao met his awkward gaze and smiled, responding to Pei Tingsong. “Is that so? How were they bl@@dy?”
 
  Under Jiang Miao’s gentle smile, Fang Juexia let the awkwardness ease out of him as he continued this topic. “They weren’t ‘bl@@dy’. It’s just a little violent. The professor brought up increasing cases of chandeliers falling, and said people like Tan Zaozao and Chi Xiaochi could sue for damages…”
 
  He Ziyan rubbed his nose, still a bit distracted, likely from the conversation he had with Jiang Miao. “Tan Zaozao? Didn’t she die from it though?”
 
  Pei Tingsong responded, eyeing both He Ziyan and Jiang Miao, “Yeah. All the more reason for her family to sue them. At least the other guy woke up from his coma.”

  
  

  ~~~

  
  

  “I was thinking that we can compose something instead of just doing a cover.”
 
  Fang Juexia spoke up suddenly while Lu Yuan and Ling Yi were still stretching.
 
  Lu Yuan and Ling Yi arrived not long ago when the four had just finished their warm-up exercises. The whole time, Fang Juexia could not stop replaying the conversation they had overheard.
 
  He knew, of course, that Jiang Miao and He Ziyan had joined the club since their first year and performed for every annual school festival. And so, he thought that this was nothing too special for either of them. But it seemed far more than that.
 
  It did make sense though. Some people described university life as the last period of time where they had enough free time before plunging into a hectic working life. If so, it was certainly the last opportunity for Jiang Miao and He Ziyan to do what they want.
 
  …And composing his own music was not a novel concept that Fang Juexia had never considered. He enjoyed dancing to preexisting music, to see how others made their own dance and compared it to his own. But what if he were to create his own music and dance to it?
 
  This was a small bud of an idea in him years ago, growing into a bigger one the more time he spent with Pei Tingsong at the cafe. When he enthusiastically joined in dancing with him. When he ad-libbed raps into the original instrumental tracks in that low timbre, and even in the sections of songs where the singer did not sing in. Pei Tingsong’s constant, undying stream of creativity and that magnetic endless energy had struck Fang Juexia then.
 
  The idea germinated then. The thought of making a song wriggling constantly in the back of his mind, unable to be removed.
 
  
    I also want to make something with you.
  
   
 
  When he heard He Ziyan utter that, Fang Juexia felt as though the words had pounded straight into his heart. It was as though He Ziyan had finally transformed that emotion into words. Except, the one he wanted to make something with was Pei Tingsong.
 
  That idea — initially just a small insignificant one — blossomed that moment, and like a hardy plant, was set in stone.
 
  He made the decision then.
 
  If Jiang Miao’s main concern was for He Ziyan who was clearly keen on it and then secondly himself…
 
  He remembered the conversation he had with Pei Tingsong about being a professional dancer. If university was the last best opportunity to try out things, why not be ambitious? As for taking risks, like what Jiang Miao said… he did not mind it.
 
  “I wanted to try out making music for a while now. And try something electronic and traditional.” Fang Juexia remembered these being the genres Pei Tingsong tended to like. “If we succeed, it’ll be really fun. I think the audience would like it too.”
 
  Jiang Miao had turned his stare on him the moment he spoke. His serious gaze told Fang Juexia that he knew that he had overheard them. He just looked straight back at him.
 
  Ling Yi immediately echoed in agreement. “Oooh, like composing it ourselves? Sounds fun! I saw a lot of people online who make their own music too! Some of them are even nicer than ones made by pros too!”
 
  Pei Tingsong spoke up next to him, his hand brushing against Fang Juexia’s in encouragement. “I agree too. Heard Miao-ge played the guzheng in your first year? It’ll be cool to integrate it into a song too.”
 
  He Ziyan joined in, quietly urging. “Yeah, I heard a few songs incorporating guzheng along with rap too.”
 
  Lu Yuan already had his phone out to scroll through his contacts. “I know how to mix and stuff, and we can see if other club members are keen to help us too…”
 
  The team had quickly accepted that idea, immediately throwing out ideas. Half of the day’s session turned into a brainstorming session. Fang Juexia wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he thought he saw He Ziyan and Jiang Miao’s shoulders relax then.
 
  He Ziyan seemed to have thrown Jiang Miao a gaze that read, “I told you so.”

  
  

  ~~~

  
  

  Weeks passed rather fast. Days spent in his classes, in the cafe, in the practice room. With Pei Tingsong showing up in increasing frequency and occasional visits by Ling Yi, who once brought the other team members to the cafe too — this made Pei Tingsong jump into his feet and get into yet another childish argument with Ling Yi.
 
  Everyone was surprisingly efficient. Within a few weeks, they had gotten the composition finalised, recorded most of the necessary parts, and done up the lyrics. The guzheng part wasn’t going to be recorded but performed live, but Jiang Miao said that he’d go home to grab his guzheng after his exams for the actual performance. The ones he borrowed for the practice sessions simply didn’t feel right. Especially since Headmaster Lu forced the school to block out two days after the last day of exams as he wanted his students to unwind. The two days, plus the weekend, was enough time to go back to their hometown and come back.
 
  At one time, Ling Yi offhandedly asked what they were going to do for costumes. Jiang Miao suggested not to put that much importance on it, and come in dressed however they wanted so long as they followed a colour scheme. But for some reason, the conversation spiralled out of control, with Ling Yi excitedly talking about how cool it would be if they made specific costumes for their song and how much it would better the effect of their performances.
 
  Before anyone could successfully persuade Ling Yi out of this idea (after all, none of them had experience designing costumes), Lu Yuan suddenly pocketed his phone and announced that it was settled.
 
  “...What was settled?” Jiang Miao asked. He had a bad feeling.
 
  Lu Yuan snapped his fingers. “Got a friend who can design clothes. He said he’s interested in helping us since he never tried to designing for a dance performance too.”
 
  “...And he said yes?”
 
  “Yeah. He’s already helping his senior out with a fashion show for the school fes, so he didn’t mind helping.
 
  “That… was fast.”
 
  There was a bewilderment in Jiang Miao’s usual smile.
 
  Fang Juexia himself felt the same. For a moment, he doubted himself. Was this… not just a normal school performance? Was it necessary to go all out?
 
  It almost felt as though they were a group that was participating in a competition or better yet, debuting.'
User: Summarize the chapter based on the content provided, ensuring to follow the set format and emphasize key aspects within the specified length.
User: Summarize the chapter based on the content provided, ensuring to follow the set format and emphasize key aspects within the specified length.
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