"You did not tell her about me?" James teased the moment they reconvened at Evan's apartment. Evan hung his jacket on the hook by the door, unsurprised by his brother's impatience.
"She made that 'phew' gesture. What did you tell her?" James followed him into the kitchen without giving Evan a chance to catch his breath.
Evan filled his electric kettle and set it to boil, methodical as always. "It came up naturally. She noticed me checking my watch and asked if I had somewhere to be. I mentioned meeting my brother later, and she asked if we were close."
"Oh, I knew it, I knew it."
"And I told her we are identical twins but lead very different lives. That I teach kindergarten while you are in a boy band."
James clarified. "You did not specify C7?"
"I did not," Evan confirmed, selecting a tea bag from his organized collection. "I just said you are in a band that tours globally. She assumed you were in an indie rock group or something."
"And that is when she looked relieved?"
Evan measured honey into his mug, avoiding a direct answer.
"Evan."
His brother sighed. "She said, and I quote, 'Oh, thank goodness you are the teacher. I can't stand the idol scene, all those perfectly polished looks. No offense if your brother is into that, but it seems fake."
James sulked, genuinely offended. "Fake? She doesn't even know me!"
"She was not talking about you specifically," Evan apologized. "She may have been expressing an incorrect opinion about the industry."
"An uninformed opinion," James muttered, dropping onto a kitchen chair. "Did you defend me at all?"
"I said not all idols are the same, and that you work incredibly hard at your artistry." Evan poured hot water over his tea bag. "But I did not reveal your identity, if that is what you're asking."
James ran a hand through his hair, satisfied. "Perfect, that she thinks I am some random nobody in a garage band, not to make it uncomfortable when I meet her. Hope you did not change your mind?"
"More or less," Evan agreed mildly. "Though she did say she'd be open to meeting you sometime, since you are important to me."
Evan studied his brother over the rim of his mug. "Isn't this exactly what you wanted? Someone whose celebrity status wouldn't influence?"
"Yes, but…"
"Ahh, you wanted her to be impressed by you, not dismissive of your entire profession," Evan finished for him.
"Did you at least learn anything from observing?" Evan changed the subject.
"You were... comfortable. Both of you. No awkward pauses or forced laughter."
"That comes from not trying to impress each other," Evan suggested. "When you're just being yourself, there is less pressure."
"And she touches a lot when she talks," James puzzled. "Is that normal?"
"For Muse, it is. Different people have different communication styles." Evan smiled slightly. "She is very expressive, physically and verbally."
"She is also very..." James searched for the right word, "...bright? Not intellectually, though she is that too, but like..."
"Like sunshine," Evan supplied. "She has that quality of lighting up a space just by being in it."
The accuracy of this description silenced James for a moment. It was what he'd observed but couldn't articulate. "Yes. Exactly like that."
"Did you learn about dating from your observations?" Evan was prompted to return to the original purpose of their experiment.
James thought carefully. "That I have no idea how not to be an idol."
Evan laughed. "That is a very self-aware conclusion."
"I am serious," James insisted. "Watching you two, I realized all my interactions have this... performance quality. Even when I'm not on stage, I still perform to some extent."
"That's not entirely your fault," Evan pointed out. "You've been trained to be conscious of how you're always perceived. It becomes habitual."
"But how do I break the habit?" James asked, vulnerability showing through his frustration. "How do I just... be myself when I'm not sure who that is anymore?"
Evan's expression softened at his twin's rare moment of insecurity. "Maybe that is what this break is really about. Not just learning to date but remembering who James is underneath C7's James."
They sat in quiet contemplation for a moment, their similar faces showing different lives and struggles.
"She is the one who is very peculiar," James finally said. "Muse."
"She is," Evan agreed, a note of warning in his voice.
"Are you interested in her?" James finally decided to ask directly. "Romantically, I mean."
Evan wrinkled his forehead. "I could be. It is early to tell, but there is some slight potential."
"So, about that twin switch idea..." James began tentatively.
"Not happening," Evan stated firmly. "Especially not with Muse."
"But…"
"James," Evan's voice was unusually stern. "She is a person, not a practice dummy for your dating experiments. If you are interested in her for herself, that is one thing, but I am not going to help you deceive her so you can practice dating."
James wanted to argue, but he couldn't. His brother was right, the switch idea, which had seemed clever in theory, felt manipulative and dishonest when applied to Muse. He saluted his twin quietly.
"Fair enough," he conceded. "What if I met her properly? As for me, no pretense?"
Evan raised an eyebrow. "As C7's James, or as my brother James, who happens to be in a band?"
"The latter," James decided. "At least at first. I want her to get to know me before the idol complicates everything."
"That could work," Evan said thoughtfully. She mentioned a children's art exhibition at her school next weekend. I could bring you along and introduce you naturally."
"Perfect," James agreed, imagining how the meeting might go. "I will be on my best non-celebrity behavior."
"That is what worries me," Evan muttered, but affection won over his concern.
As James was about to leave, a thought suddenly occurred to him. "By the way, what did you say that made her laugh so hard? When she almost knocked over her drink?"
Evan's lips quirked. "I told her about when you tried to teach me your band's choreography, and I accidentally kicked over an entire display of watermelons at the grocery store."
"You did not!" James gasped, mortified. "That was five years ago! I can't believe you're still telling that story."
"It is a good story," Evan shrugged. "Shows I am willing to laugh at myself."
As James returned to the C7 dorm, his mind filled with thoughts of the vibrant, sunshine-like kindergarten teacher who was unimpressed by idols. His challenge was to be himself, though he was still discovering what that meant.
When James returned to the dorm, Jon asked, "How was the spy mission?" The eldest member was in the kitchen, meticulously arranging ingredients for what appeared to be an elaborate culinary experiment.
"Educational," James replied, dropping onto a barstool at the counter. "My brother is a dating savant while I am a hopeless case."
"That's bad?" Jon sliced vegetables, showcasing skills he had practiced in his cooking class.
"Worse," James sighed dramatically. "This woman - Muse - she's amazing. Creative, expressive, full of life. And she has zero interest in idols. Thinks we are all fake and manufactured."
Jon chuckled. "Sounds like exactly what you were looking for - someone who won't be a fangirl over you."
"I wanted someone who wouldn't be blinded by my fame, not someone who is actively prejudiced against my entire career," James clarified. "There is a difference."
"So, what is your plan?" Jon asked, expertly julienning a carrot. "Are you going to try the twin switch thing?"
"No, Evan vetoed that idea. Deceiving someone into dating me doesn't feel right," James nodded. I'll meet her properly next weekend at a school art event, as Evan's brother, who happens to be in a band, not as C7's James."
"Small omission," Jon noted. "What happens when she eventually finds out?"
James frowned. "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Or burn it. Whichever seems more appropriate at the time."
"Very mature approach," Jon teased.
"Whatever. How is your food critic romance going?" James changed the subject.
Jon's hands stilled momentarily. "It is not a romance. We are having tea tomorrow to discuss culinary techniques."
"Sure, and I am just interested in Muse's educational philosophy," James snorted.
"Could be," Jon continued, resuming his paced cutting, "Sol is fascinating. Completely immune to flattery or charm, but passionate about food. It is similar to my music passion."
"Sounds like we are both drawn to women immune to our usual appeal," James observed. "Maybe that is part of the attraction."
"Or maybe we are tired of people who only see what they expect to see," Jon suggested thoughtfully.
The dorm's front door swung open, and Jake trudged inside, looking both excited and frustrated. His dance clothes were soaked with sweat, indicating he'd been practicing hard.
"Success with the dance academy stalking?" James inquired.
Jake glared at him. "I wasn't stalking. I was observing a teaching technique."
"Whose technique exactly?" Jon asked mildly.
Jake's expression softened slightly. "Her name is Tina. She is teaching at Seoul Arts Academy for the summer. I watched her class today."
"From behind a plant?" James guessed.
"From the observation area," Jake corrected stiffly. "I'm going to approach her properly tomorrow. Introduce myself."
"As Jake from C7?" Jon asked.
Jake hesitated. "I am not sure yet. She might already know who I am."
"Another vote for the 'do I reveal my idol status or not' dilemma," James noted. "We should start a support group."
"Where are the others?" Jake asked, changing the subject as he grabbed a water bottle from the refrigerator.
"Silas is holed up in his studio with that indie producer, supposedly sharing equipment but probably engaging in musical warfare," Jon reported. "Julian is practicing for an underground dance battle tomorrow night. Roman is attending a lecture on philosophical perspectives in contemporary art. And Vic is being mysterious as usual."
"So, we are all doing this dating project," Jake marveled. "I thought at least a few members would back out."
"The power of a sacred pact," James said solemnly, placing his hand over his heart.
"The power of having nothing better to do during our unexpected vacation," Jon corrected with a smile.
As the evening progressed, more members trickled in, each with a story of their first encounter. Julian was exuberant about his connection with the instructor at his dance workshop, who had purple hair. Roman seemed thoughtfully pleased with his museum curator. Vic was characteristically vague but mentioned a shared understanding about beloved pets. James's mind returned to Muse's sunshine-bright presence and unfiltered opinions as he drifted off to sleep that night. Her dismissal of idol culture still stung his pride, but it also presented a challenge he was eager to accept. If he could win over someone predisposed to dismiss him, perhaps he would discover something valuable about himself.