Ships Passing In The Night ｜Markhyuck (OT21 AU)

Chapter 25

In the two days that followed the dance showcase, the small practice room at the end of the Performing Arts corridor became something of a second home for Donghyuck. For an hour or two at a time, during lunch and then immediately after school, Chenle joined him, the two working on their audition songs together. The rest of the time, however, at least until one of the hapless janitorial staff forcibly removed him from the room, Donghyuck worked on his own, pacing the small space in an endless circuit as he worked relentlessly to perfect each note, breath and cadence.

He didn't think he'd ever be completely satisfied by the voice he was working with but, when Friday morning arrived, Donghyuck thought that he'd prepared as well as could be expected, given the circumstances. It wasn't the first time that he'd be performing the song, having chosen something of particular sentimental value, but it would definitely feel raw with his lack of vocal training. He just hoped that this rawness would come across as character, and not as poor technique.

As he entered the school building that morning, Donghyuck felt like his whole body had become a twisted, knotted mess of nerves and random lyric fragments--and he quickly realised that he was not taking in a single word uttered by any of his teachers--but, eventually, the lunch bell rang and he joined Renjun and Jaemin in the cafeteria. The pair made quiet conversation around him, sensing that he was not in the mood to join in, but they both wished him luck before he headed to the auditorium to see if Dejun needed any help setting up.

He spotted Chenle as he entered, the younger boy already having claimed a seat in the very centre of the third row. The chairs spread out around him had been set up to face the raised stage area at one end of the large room, the very stage that would later play host to their performances, rotated ninety degrees from the bleachers that had been pulled out for the showcase earlier in the week. It would help students to get a sense of what performing on stage would be like, since many might have never done so before. It also acutely reminded Donghyuck of performing on School Attack, a show he'd done with his members several times in the past, but it was a strange feeling to have become one of the spectating students in the scenario.

"Hey, Chenle-yah," he greeted the freshman, who turned at the sound of his voice and flashed him a nervous grin. Chenle waved in greeting, as Donghyuck sidestepped slowly along the third row to take a seat beside him, then pointed to the empty rows of chairs in front of them.

"I would have sat right at the front, but Dejun-hyung said that was for the judges." Chenle flushed slightly, and Donghyuck saw the senior emerging from stage left with a pile of sound equipment in his arms. The boy eyed Chenle fondly as he moved, raising his eyebrows when he caught sight of Donghyuck sat alongside him, and then groaned in frustration as he promptly dropped several of the items he was carrying.

"We should probably go and help him," Donghyuck told Chenle. The younger boy's eyes widened, like that idea hadn't even occurred to him, and they spent the next ten minutes making themselves useful. Chenle made quick work of setting up a foldable keyboard stand and arranging speakers on stage, while Dejun was thoroughly impressed when Donghyuck was able to assemble and hook up a sound mixing board in no time at all. He thought it best just to let the older boy believe that it was beginner's luck, since there was no way he could explain the skill otherwise, but Dejun didn't question it and the approving smile that he received in return was worth the small deception.

The seats had slowly started to fill up as they worked, with the three performing arts teachers who made up the judging panel having taken their seats in the front row. Donghyuck suspected that many of the students that had turned out to watch were simply using the auditions as an excuse to get out of their afternoon classes, but Dejun was thrilled by the crowd and that was all that mattered. Renjun and Jaemin had joined Chenle in the third row, Donghyuck's empty seat sandwiched between them, and Jisung perched on the edge of a chair on Chenle's other side, swinging his legs as he stared off into space.