Chapter 10

The event was still continuing with Ivan speaking when Dino was back on his seat right next to Eric's. 

"How was it, Dino?" Eric inquired as soon as Dino got back on his seat. 

"It was great!" Dino replied while smiling innocently.

"And...did the two of you really kiss?" Eric asked awkwardly while blushing. 

Dino looked straight into Eric's eyes and answered, "Yes, we did."

Eric blushed even more and replied, "R-Really?! And did you like it?"

At this point, Dino blushed and replied, "Well...Let's leave it at that. I don't want to answer that question."

Eric laughed and responded, "Oh? Even without you telling me, it looks like you liked it. Am I right, Dino?"

"Well...I guess so?" Dino replied awkwardly. 

Eric laughed again and exclaimed, "Just as I thought! Don't tell me you're gay, Dino?!"

"Hey!" Dino blurted out, feeling annoyed. "Ivan and I just did it for the sake of the fans! And he himself was fine with it!" 

"Oh, really?!" Eric asked in a teasing tone. "Then why are you mad? And why did you pronounce his name as 'ee-van' instead of 'eye-van'? You were pronouncing it as 'eye-van' before."

"Ah-" Dino uttered, realizing that he has not taught Eric about the correct pronunciation of Ivan's name yet. "Well...I researched about its correct pronunciation. Got a problem with that?!" 

"None, man," Eric answered while grinning from ear to ear. "Anyway, let's talk later." 

"Okay," Dino replied bluntly. 

"Okay, everyone, the next thing I will do is that I'm going to dance!" Ivan announced after speaking for a while, making the audience cheer out loud, including Dino and Eric.

[He's going to dance!] Eric and Dino thought simultaneously as they also felt excited about Ivan's dance number.

At that moment, Ivan handed over his microphone to the female host and got into position at the center of the stage before closing his eyes and making a stance. A few seconds later, the music began to play. It was not a pop song that he was going to dance but an instrumental that sounded Spanish, meaning that he will possibly be dancing in flamenco.

[This music...It sounds so Spanish.] Dino thought. [Is Ivan going to dance in the flamenco style?]

The beat of the music was slow in the beginning, and Ivan's dance moves were correspondingly slow as well. In the middle of the song, however, the beat would become faster, making him dance faster as well. Dino watched in awe and satisfaction as Ivan continued in dancing the seductive flamenco dance moves gracefully, making the former's pupils dilate and his face blush. 

[How can he be this talented?!] Dino thought as he felt satisfied to watch Ivan dancing. [He's good at swimming, singing, dancing...and kissing too!]

Eric noticed Dino's facial expression and thought, [Looks like he really likes it! I like it too!]

At the end part of his dancing performance, Ivan winked his left eye while smiling brightly, making the audience cheer and clap for him. Dino felt his heart beat faster when he realized that Ivan had winked at the direction where the former was. 

[That wink...Was it meant for me?] Dino thought. 

"Thank you very much, everyone!" Ivan announced as soon as the female host gave him his microphone back. "I'm really happy that you all came here to meet and watch me perform. I love you all!" The audience cheered, then Ivan continued, "Now, to those who would like to get their autograph and take pictures with me, please come to the table over there. I'd be happy to accommodate you all."

"Okay, everyone, as you heard, please get over to the table over there to get Ivan's autograph and take pictures with him," the female host announced before Ivan went to the table. "Please fall in line. Thank you!"

"Okay! Let's go, Eric!" Dino declared eagerly while looking directly at Eric's eyes.

"Yeah!" Eric responded before he and Dino proceeded to line up to get Ivan's autograph. 

It took a while before Eric and Dino were finally able to get their turn in getting Ivan's autograph and taking pictures with him. 

"Oh, it's you, Dino!" Ivan exclaimed cheerfully. 

"Yes!" Dino replied merrily. "Here's my notebook! Please sign here!" Dino declared eagerly while handing over his notebook for Ivan to sign it.

"Okay!" Ivan exclaimed while smiling brightly before putting his signature on Dino's notebook. "Here you go!" Ivan declared joyfully before giving Dino's notebook back.

"And here's my best friend Eric," Dino said, pointing to Eric. "Please give your autograph to him as well. Thank you!"

"Sure!" Ivan replied while smiling from ear to ear. 

[So this is his friend.] Ivan thought while looking at Eric from head to toe. [He seems to be really friendly.]

"Hi! Nice to meet you, Sir!" Eric exclaimed happily before handing his own notebook over to be signed by Ivan. "Please sign here. Thanks!"

Ivan signed in Eric's notebook before giving it back and saying, "Nice to meet you too, Eric! Here you go!"

[Wow...He's so cool and handsome!] Eric thought while wearing a smile. 

"Thanks!" Eric exclaimed cheerfully. "Lastly, can Dino and I take pictures with you?"

"Absolutely!" Ivan replied excitedly.

"Dino, please look for someone to take the pictures for us!" Eric declared eagerly.

"Yeah! I will!" Dino responded enthusiastically. 

Fortunately, Dino was able to find a girl who was willing to take his and Eric's pictures together with Ivan. They took three photographs in total, with each picture having the following takes: Ivan with Dino, Ivan with Eric, and Ivan with both Dino and Eric.

"Thank you so much, Ivan!" Dino declared joyfully. 

"Thank you for coming too!" Ivan answered gleefully. 

"Can we hug you too, please?" Eric requested nicely. 

"Sure, no problem!" Ivan replied enthusiastically.

As soon as Eric finished hugging Ivan, Dino hugged Ivan as well.

"Dino, I'll see you again this Sunday," Ivan whispered while still hugging Dino. "You'll be coming to our date, right?"

[Ah, right! Our date!] Dino thought, remembering that Ivan has asked him to go out on a date on Sunday.

"Yes, I'm coming, Ivan," Dino whispered back.

"Okay, good. I'll see you then," Ivan whispered before he and Dino released each other from hugging.

"Bye then," Dino declared while smiling at Ivan innocently.

"Yeah, bye," Ivan replied while smiling brightly. "Again, thanks for coming."

Dino just smiled back at Ivan before turning to talk to Eric.

"Let's go, Eric," Dino declared.

Eric just nodded before walking side by side with Dino.

[I'd love to get to know Ivan more as well.] Dino thought decidedly as he and Eric headed for home. [That's why...I agreed to go on a date with him this Sunday!]

Unbeknownst to Dino, Eric had noticed that he and Ivan were whispering something to each other, although Eric did not hear about anything they said to each other. 

[I wonder what they were whispering about to each other back then.] Eric thought while looking at Dino secretly. [I'm really curious, so I really hope that Dino will tell me what it was once he feels like it. Considering that they whispered to each other, that must mean that it's a secret, so I don't want to dig into it deeper and just respect Dino's privacy for now.]