637 (Always And Forever)

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Liming loved walking past the 637 ballet dance studio around the corner, a few blocks from his art school. Around 3 o'clock in the morning, there would always be soft piano music playing, and from outside you could see a figure moving elegantly around the class where the light was on. Twirling and jumping at the melody of the music.

The first time Liming discovered the dance studio was by mistake. He recently moved to the city, and since he was from another country and had poor English knowledge, he got confused with the street names and ended up in front of that studio. Hopefully, he saw that there were still people inside judging by the illuminated room that glowed in the dark and silent night. He was about to open the door when he saw through the huge windows a thin and tall shadow position themselves in the middle of the room, with one arm above their head and the other stretched in front of them leaning in one leg. Then the music started playing, and Liming held his breath, admiring how the shadow swayed around.

Ever since then, he always took that route, even if it made him walk for half an hour to his apartment instead of choosing the short 15 minute walk.

It had become a habit, watching the shadow dance. At first, he felt like a creepy stalker, with how much he stopped in front of the studio, then he eventually let those thoughts wander away and just admired the person inside. It's weird how much he grew affectionate to the shadow whose name or gender he never knew. Sometimes the shadow danced flawlessly around the room, other times Liming heard them fall or saw them repeat the same movement until they were satisfied with it. Liming enjoyed it, he even laughed when they jumped around in excitement after accomplishing a certain step (step that Liming was sure he would die if he ever tried it).

One day, while he was in his usual spot watching the shadow dance, something caught his attention in the corner of his eye. It was a poster, recently placed in the entrance, right by the side of the door. When he got closer to look at it, he saw that the ballet studio was holding a small performance the 6th of March right after he got out of school. In the bottom part of the poster, there were three names that caught his attention, since they were Thai. Aof Noppharnach Chaiyahwimhon, the director, Wen Wongsakorn Thunapakarn, the choreographer, and Heart Norawit Titicharoenrak, the dancer. In the poster you could clearly read "637", as the title of the performance.

When Liming got home, he was still thinking of the performance. Pondering whether he should go or not, maybe if he went, he would be able to see the shadow dance. That would mean that their name is Heart Norawit Titicharoenrak. It sounded pretty, just like the way he danced. While sitting in front of his easel with an unfinished painting in it he scrolled through instagram, and decided to search for the dance studio's name, 637. It didn't take long to find it, since it was the second user that popped up after clicking enter. He saw some videos, but none resembled the shadow he's been watching for a month now. When he was about to close the phone, he read the caption of one of the oldest posts. "Heart Norawit, Those Eyes - New West, Choreographed by Wen ''. It took him 10 seconds to click on the video, and when he did, his breath got stuck in his throat, just like the first time he saw the shadow dance.

During his stay in the US, and after watching the shadow, or Heart, dance around, his works got progressively better. So much so that on the 6th of March his teacher told him about an opportunity to display his art in a well known museum. The teacher was so insistent and thorough with the explanations that the only thing that Liming could do was glance at the watch every now and then, watching the hours pass while anxiously bouncing his leg and picking at the skin of his thumb with his nail.

When he was able to escape, it was already 12 o'clock. Running to 637, he was welcomed by some people already leaving the tiny dance studio. He supported himself on his knees while huffing for air, cursing out loud and blaming his teacher for holding him up till so late. He observed how a middle aged man was shaking hands with a couple, thanking them for attending the performance. Stumbling on his feet, he approached the man, said man upon seeing him smiled gently. Before he could say anything, the man led him inside and sat him on one of the chairs of the room, now empty. Already sat, the man told him in English "He was waiting for you, enjoy the performance young man" and left while laughing to himself and shaking his head, muttering under his breath something about young people and their antics.