Chapter 173: The Duet Dance
Before today's official shoot, Lin Tian and Gan Yanyu had practiced the choreography for the MV a few tis. He Zhichen had assured them that this dance was simple—no need to perfect every move. The key was synchronization: as long as their steps were coordinated with the rhythm, it would be fine.
The rest could be polished later in post-production. With clever editing, even basic movents could look dazzling when paired with music. So during their earlier rehearsals, they hadn't held hands. They simply mimicked the motions without much thought. Neither Gan Yanyu nor Lin Tian brought it up, and sohow, an unspoken understanding ford between them.
It was strange, of course—a duet dance without holding hands? Anyone watching would find it odd. Yet neither of them seed bothered by it. For so reason, skipping that step felt... natural.
But now, for the first ti, they stood face-to-face, ready to do it properly.
"...Alright."
Gan Yanyu nodded slightly, her head bowed and cheeks tinged pink. She reached out hesitantly, taking Lin Tian's hand in hers. Her palm was soft, small, almost fragile against his.
"Miss Gan," Lin Tian began awkwardly, "did you extend the wrong hand?"
She glanced down at their joined hands and realized her mistake. Her left hand was gripping Lin Tian's left, forming a bizarre "Z" shape as they faced each other. It looked more like a diplomatic handshake than a dance pose.
"Oh no," Gan Yanyu quickly retracted her left hand and offered her right instead. This ti, her palm rested gently over his, fingers interlocking naturally.
There. Now they were holding hands.
"...Hmm."
But when they raised their arms above shoulder height, sothing still felt off. Gan Yanyu found herself positioned awkwardly beside Lin Tian's shoulder, side-by-side rather than face-to-face. Their stance resembled a clumsy line dance rather than an elegant waltz.
"This isn't right," Lin Tian muttered, releasing her hand. His brow furrowed as he contemplated the issue. Then, inspiration struck.
Stepping directly in front of Gan Yanyu, he instructed, "Raise your arm."
Obediently, she lifted her hand, fist clenched near her ear like a soldier preparing to take an oath.
"Open your palm."
She unfurled her fingers slowly.
As soon as her palm was open, Lin Tian's hand closed firmly around hers, intertwining their fingers. His grip was steady, secure. Without hesitation, he placed his other hand on her waist, drawing her closer.
"There we go," he said with a grin.
Gan Yanyu's eyes widened slightly, her heart racing as heat flooded her cheeks.
"Ready?" Lin Tian asked.
The music began playing through a phone speaker, filling the quiet corner of the café where they stood. Together, they moved in sync, their feet gliding lightly across the wooden floor.
---
This scene did not escape the notice of the trainees nearby.
"Look! They've started dancing!" one whispered excitedly.
"Cat-chan is so beautiful—it makes sense why she matches Moonlight so well," another murmured dreamily.
"Agh, I don't care about the dancing. Just seeing them standing there is enough to make swoon!"
"Wait, aren't Moonlight and Cat just friends?" soone questioned innocently.
"Shut up already!" ca the impatient reply.
---
Thump, thump.
That was the sound of Gan Yanyu's heartbeat—calm yet chaotic.
Why did she feel this way?
Step by step, she followed Lin Tian's lead, her body swaying in rhythm. The warmth of his hand lingered on her waist, while her own hand grew damp with nervous sweat. From the initial planning stages of the MV, to deciding on the dance, to practicing and finally filming, everything had progressed smoothly.
Holding hands should have been a given, sothing so obvious that neither of them needed to discuss it. And yet, they had both silently avoided acknowledging what such contact might imply. By focusing solely on the task at hand, they had sidestepped any discomfort, letting the mont unfold naturally.
But now, actually holding hands and moving together… Gan Yanyu realized it wasn't as simple as she'd imagined. Her racing heart, the sensation of his palm against hers, the re centiters separating their faces—all of it felt startlingly real.
And worst of all, she couldn't stop smiling.
As the piano lody shifted, Lin Tian released his hold on her waist. Gan Yanyu spun outward gracefully, her purple gown swirling around her like petals caught in a breeze. When she turned back toward him, her sapphire earrings catching the light, she extended her hand with a radiant smile.
Lin Tian stared, montarily stunned.
He felt a mix of exasperation and amusent bubbling within him.
Seriously, Miss Gan, he thought, what's gotten into you? You've been smiling ever since you walked in. If you're this happy, let share in it too.
In one swift motion, he grasped her hand again, pulling her back into his embrace. The trainees erupted into gleeful cheers—"Ohh!"
To the stirring strains of A Step Away, the two danced from the shadows of the corner, gradually making their way to the center of the café.
By then, all equipnt and crew were ready, but everyone froze, captivated by the sight before them. They set aside their tasks, watching as Lin Tian and Gan Yanyu moved in perfect harmony, like perforrs in a grand live show.
"They're amazing..."
"So synchronized despite how fast the dance is!"
"It feels so youthful—it reminds of my school days."
"They'd make great idols, not just musicians."
"If they aren't secretly dating, I'll lose it," soone joked under their breath.
Amidst the murmurs, He Zhichen sprang into action, waving urgently at the director. "Quick! Start filming! What are you waiting for?"
Such chemistry shouldn't go to waste—it was pri material for the final cut.
The director snapped to attention, signaling the caran to roll. But just as they began recording—
"Ouch!"
Their dance ca to an abrupt halt.
Lin Tian's foot had landed squarely on Gan Yanyu's high heel.
"I'm sorry, Miss Gan," he apologized sheepishly, retracting his foot.
Truthfully, they'd stepped on each other's toes several tis during practice. This ti, however, Lin Tian had gotten carried away, misjudging his step entirely.
"It's okay. We didn't practice much anyway," Gan Yanyu reassured him softly, lowering her foot.
"That's enough for now," He Zhichen called out, rising to his feet. "Let's record the music first. We can film the dance later."
For this MV, Lin Tian planned two versions: a polished studio recording and a live performance edition—the latter being a carefully prepared surprise for fans. So the priority now was to capture their live duet.
"Let's go," Lin Tian said, releasing Gan Yanyu's hand.
"Alright."
Yet even after letting go, his heart continued to race. Her touch lingered, warm and vivid, leaving traces of perspiration on his palm. Despite the lack of physical exertion, his nerves were frayed.
Glancing at Gan Yanyu's flushed face, he felt a pang of frustration.
Why does she look cuter after dancing?
Lin Tian forced himself to look away, wiping his hands on his clothes before heading toward the cara. Behind him, Gan Yanyu trailed quietly. When she thought no one was looking, she discreetly raised her hand to her nose, inhaling faintly before following him.
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