Hyoyeon felt go dry as Hyukjae’s grip tightened meaningfully, his mouth now a millisecond away from making contact with the sensitive skin below her ear. Nerves snapping and crackling against her skin she felt herself getting dizzy but right before she totally lost her mind she caught sight of his cocky grin and it brought her crashing back to reality – it was always a game between them. One she was not willing to lose; especially to him.

In one smooth move her hand rose up right under his chin and twisted his face to the side.

“You’re such an annoying loser Hyukjae.”

He laughed in response, “Hey, I’m just trying to help out as a friend. Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy our makeout session.. our hot and heavy makeout session I might add!”

“Stop trying to make it sound like that ever happened!” she snapped.

“Ya Ms. In Denial, just because you were drunk doesn’t mean it never happened!”

Hyoyeon rolled her eyes and got off the couch in exasperation. “It’s your word against mine and I 100% have no recollection of that so would you stop bringing it up!” ( a lie)

Hyukjae continued to laugh – unaffected, “I will if you just woman up and admit to it already!”

“And be lumped in with the rest of your ty girls? No thanks!”

“Oh but you won’t! You, my Hyorreng, despite your lack of experience,” – a chuckle – “were way better than any girl I’ve ever made out with!”

The color rose to Hyoyeon’s cheeks despite her best efforts. There was no way she was going to be able to keep it up this time so she decided to just shut him down. “Stop making me a part of your gross fantasies, Hyukjae. Really! I’m starting to regret agreeing to this studio thing.. I might even have enough money saved up to buy out your share! I – ”

“Ok ok I get your point. Not a peep more about that,” he made an action of zipping his lips. “Besides it’s no fun if we’re not dancing together.”

Hyoyeon continued to stare at him with her arms folded across her chest, “I’m serious. We decided the last time that –”

“Yes we did. And I remember. Ve-ry clearly!” he got up and blasted the air conditioning to max, “the heat just got to me and melted my brain for a moment. Won’t happen again. Now,” his tone was back to normal again, “let’s have a dance battle, shall we?”

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It wasn’t easy being a high school senior. Stress of college applications, studying for entrance exams, graduation drama, tangled webs of relationships and messy relationship histories to manoeuvre through, hormones raging everywhere .. (Why did her stupid best friend have to be one of those?)

Hyoyeon put her head down on her desk in exhaustion.

If she had to hear one more time about her friends and their romantic and ual experiences she was going to explode. In the background Taeyeon was still gushing about her secret weekend away with Eeteuk (which she had helped her cover for) and Hyoyeon felt her cheeks turn pink just from listening in. It was a good thing the two maknaes – SeoHyun and Yoona were writing a make-up test during their lunch hour.

“Ohmygawd Tae! I told you that would feel so fantastic, right?” Tiffany giggled. ‘That’ thing that she was talking about was something Hyoyeon couldn’t even imagine.

“Oh please! My way is much better! Did I tell you I’m even learning some Chinese words? Although I guess I can’t really use them in public!” Sooyoung added in with a wink. Her boyfriend, Hangeng, was an exchange student.   

“I miss you too baby!” Jessica gushed over the phone, walking away from the chatty group to come sit on the desk next to Hyoyeon. “I can’t wait to see you this weekend!” Her boyfriend, Taecyeon, attended a different school halfway across the city. “Yes I will be wearing that gift you bought me for our anniversary. I even picked up some,” – her voice dropped to a whisper (no point though, Hyoyeon could still hear her) – “toys and.. treats.. I’ll send you a preview selca (giggles).. you better!.. okayyyy, I love you… no I love you more.. call me again later? Bye babyyyy~”

She hung up and after gazing at the phone with starry eyes, she glanced at Hyoyeon apologetically, “Sorry Hyo!”

“Why? There’s no reason to be!” Hyoyeon replied – but even she could tell that her voice sounded dull and unconvincing.

Sunny bounded over to the two and rested her face on Hyoyeon’s arm. “Hyo! Sorry for bumming you out!” Her irresistibly cute face had Hyoyeon smiling again so feeling satisfied she continued, “you know I am an advocate of the strong single girl and all that jazz! I mean if that’s what you want then more power to you but you don’t right?” All the girls were aware of her crush on Siwon. “So why don’t you tell him already? God knows he already likes you and is just waiting for the green light from you!”

Hyoyeon had no answer. She was confused herself as to what exactly it was holding her back.

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A/N

soooo i sat down determined to write something and this is what came out - a filler chapter of sorts i guess but necessary to explain what happens later so there are some hints in there.

and i know i know. another story where Hyoyeon or Hyukjae like someone else (gets ready to dogde flying tomatoes and daggers) but just because it starts out that way doesnt mean it will end like that :) this story, moreso, is pretty clear on what happens to a certain extent - i.e., HyoHyuk hooking up but wouldnt it be boring if i just wrote -

hyoyeon meets hyukjae. they both like to dance. they fall in love. they dance. they date. they dance some more. they get married and they dance happily ever after.

the end.

aneewaay, next chapter might be rated M for mature or explicit discussions (if i get that far in writing. so minors please beware)