THE PERFECT TWIN

Chapter 12: Crashing Waves

The restaurant they went to had two floors. The lower floor had an outdoor and indoor section. A stage and a dance floor stood in the middle. The seating was arranged around it. Bar Lounge style. The interior was made from dark wood-typical of the architecture around this area. Upstairs, they settled on a seat by the wooden railing, giving them a view of the bay at night. In the distance, they could see the colorful market they had visited from the night before.

The dinner spread was their favourite spread of seafood. They had mussels, crabs and charcoal grilled king prawns. As they ate and talked, the surrounding melted away, the city life faded from focus and the vacation fever was at its strongest.

A fulfilling dinner would not be complete without an accompanying alcoholic beverage. After they finished their spread, Wangji suggested they get a drink to help with the digestion so they went downstairs and sat down at a couple's table not far away from the stage. On the stage, a band was playing romantic beats.

Xiaozhan's eyes wandered unconsciously to a couple dancing on the dance floor. The girls had on a flowery sundress and her long hair was bun up with a flowery hair clip. The guy in beach shirt had his arms around her as they danced the number. They laughed giggled and seemed very comfortable in their own world soaking in each other's gazes. They did not mind the other people around them. In fact, their sync and romance in each other's eyes were drawing people in to cheer on them. The music and their passionate moves tugged at his heartstring. Xiaozhan wondered how it would feel being swept away like that. How it would feel to laugh and giggle freely while looking at eachother's eyes.

"Wait for me." Wangji told Xiaozhan as he left his seat and headed toward the stage. He spoke a few words to the keyboardist and soon took over the microphone.

The stage lights were lined in cables above the stage. Their orange glow gave it a slow and subtle atmosphere. The warm spotlight fell Wangji's handsome face highlighting his soft beauty and his deep gaze. Soon, cheers and screams of girls could be heard. That kind of face was attractive to girls. Xiaozhan was used to it as girls would often stare at his eye candy of a boyfriend when they were out together.

"Ahemm.." the microphone boomed

"I would like to dedicate this song to my lover who's sitting right over there."

Wangji pointed to Xiaozhan who was sitting casually with one hand on his cocktail glass.

Lover?? Xiaozhan almost questioned in shock. After a while, he settled down and brushed it off since Wangji told him to pretend lovers the day before- so Xiaozhan could better experience the whole romance thing.

Nevertheless, he could not help blush at the numerous stares and whistles from the crowd around the room directed at him. This feeling of embarassment from being discovered as well as pride that the so called 'boyfriend' publicly acknowledged their relationship was something new to him. This must be what real romance felt like. the emotions were new and foreign yet he did not hate it one bit.

The keyboard played an opening tune and the crowd silently fixated their eyes on the stage. Wangji's magnetic voice filled the air, seamlessly claiming the attention of the crowd. Xiaozhan was stunned. The song was romantic and his voice flowed seamlessly with the tune. It was beautiful in a gripping way. He never knew Wangji could sing. He wondered if Yibo sang too. But then if he did, he would never get up on a stage and sing just for Xiaozhan.

Xiaozhan's chin rested on his palm. His eyes never left the figure performing on stage. He wondered that it must have been the alcohol that heightened his mood. He smiled dreamily at the butterfies dancing in his tummy.

When he finished, the crowd bursted into an excited roar. They demanded for another song. Wangji looked at Xiaozhan who gave him a nod of approval.