{Masked Performer}

Chapter 17

Learning new things

“And finally, Park Jimin and Kang Jungsuh!”

“Huh?”

Jungsuh’s eyes widen in shock as she allowed the words to settle in her brain. She immediately looked over at Jimin, who seemed unnerved about the sudden set-up. Jimin then took a glance at her and smiled. He was actually happy about it.

What were they doing anyway? To start off, today was the dreaded day of the week, Monday, and the team was at school. Jungsuh, Jimin, and Jin were in Theatre at the moment and the professor had partnered up everyone for a project. This project was the mid-term apparently. The professor had explained that she would partner everyone up randomly and that the two must reenact a skit that she had given the group. They are allowed practice time from here on out until the day of midterms and will be graded on performance, accuracy, and teamwork.

It was also said that the school’s midterm concept is “teamwork”. So, apparently all her classes will be setting everyone up in teams or partners. Her last two classes had not set up midterms partners, so she didn’t have to worry about them yet. But, right now, she is obviously paired up with Jimin and practice starts now.

“So, the skit is a reenactment of a popular Korean drama?” Jimin noted as he examined the script. The two of them were sitting in class together, Jimin sitting comfortably in front of her with his seat backwards and Jungsuh seated properly in her usual seat in the back. Jungsuh too was skimming through the scripts and sighed. “We are the main leads and the scene is basically where the main leads meet again at a fancy dance after their break up.” Jimin nodded and smiled. “So, we’re dancing!” He chimed. Jungsuh frowned and lowered her head. “Y-Yeah…” She groaned. The pretty boy looked at her oddly and tilted his head. “What? You don’t like dancing?” He asked. Jungsuh perked her head back up and looked at him with an apologetic look. “Ah! No, no! I just…” She paused and shyly looked away. Jimin eyed her and leaned in closer. “You… can’t dance?” He bluntly asked. Jungsuh gulped and lowered her head. “I have only danced like once in my lifetime and that was the last.” She explained.

Jimin chuckled and suddenly began to pat and rub her head. Jungsuh looked up surprised and confused. “Don’t worry!” He said with a bright grin and cheery voice. He gently held her head and rubbed it like he was rubbing a kitten’s head. It was warm and gentle, it felt nice. “I’ll teach you!” He told. Jungsuh’s eyes widen at his words and she perked up. “Really?” Jimin nodded and released her head. “The key point of the scene is the chemistry between the partners as they dance.” He began. Jimin then suddenly lifted the script and examined the lines. “The two danced slowly but gracefully as they stared into each other’s eyes filled with sorrow and want. Their hearts aching, they realize they have not forgotten each other’s love.” He reads aloud. Jimin then looked over to Jungsuh and smiled. “Do you have work today?” He suddenly asked. Jungsuh shook her head. “No. I don’t.” Jimin then beamed and held a thumbs-up. “That’s great!”

Jungsuh eyed him questioningly. “Why is that?” she asked. The sweetheart then leaned in closer to her and covered his face a little. “Meet me in front of our place after school.” He whispered. She looked at him funny and raised a brow. He grinned and continued to whisper to her. “Bring some kind of gym clothing or any outfit that works with a lot of movement, okay?” Jungsuh stared at him even more dumbfounded. Jimin merely smiled and soon after, the bell had rung for next class.

It was after school and Jungsuh was just leaving her home. As she exited the large front doors of the house, she made sure to check the security and lock the doors. “That should do.” She assured as she shook the large doors. After checking everything, she skipped out of the property and headed toward the boys’ dorm, gym-bag in hand.

Jungsuh wondered to herself as she walked down the street about what Jimin had told her. He didn’t really tell her about what he wanted or where he was going to take her. It was similar to Jungkook’s surprise date issue. Except she wasn’t expecting another date. However, it’s not that she disliked hanging out with the boys like this. She enjoyed the fact that the boys are opening up to her and seem to have grown much more trusting of her. Plus, going out leisurely like this with friends is a really nice change for her. Hyunsoo was always busy with school and work and Jun was rarely ever home. Jungsuh missed going out and since she had met the BTS boys, she was having an opportunity to experience freedom again.

She reached the front of the home and there standing patiently was Park Jimin. Jungsuh called out to him happily and waved. “Jungsuh!” Jimin greeted back as he dashed over to her. He had on a huge smile and seemed to be in a cheerful mood. “You ready?” he asked. Jungsuh sighed but smiled. “Yeah. Where to?” Jimin pulled out some car keys and smiled. “I’m going to take you to a really cool place.” Jungsuh tilted her head in confusion. However, Jimin left no time to explain and quickly took ahold of Jungsuh’s hand. “Let’s go!” And with that, the sweetheart dragged Jungsuh off to who-knows-where.

It was about a twenty-minute car drive to the place that Jimin wanted to go to. When they arrived, Jungsuh stared up at the large building in awe.

“Where are we? And what is this place?” She asked. Jimin grinned and walked up beside her as he had one hand holding his gym bag and the other on his hip. “This my friend, is a really special place for us idols.” He vaguely answers. Jungsuh turned to him and raised a brow. “Special?” Jimin nodded and began to walk into the building. “C’mon! let’s get in before people spot us. Rafael would get mad!” He quickly dashed inside and Jungsuh chased after him with an even more confused look. “Rafael?”

When they were inside, Jungsuh was hit with cool air and a fresh scent of floral air freshener. The room they entered, presumably the lobby, was really nice with metallic black and white modern architecture and furniture. Jungsuh awed at the fancy place and gazed fascinated by the professional atmosphere it let off. Jimin then walked up to the desk and rung the little bell on the table. Jungsuh broke from her trance and quickly hustled over to the young man’s side, however still awing about the place like a child in a toy store. Immediately, a voice broke from a room behind the desk and a very interesting looking guy appeared. “YYYYYessss? OH?! Why isn’t it little Park Jimin!”

Jungsuh immediately perked her attention toward the man and gawked. She had never seen him before and he was dressed in some high-quality dance attire. “Is this a dance studio?” She thought to herself.

He was a foreigner obviously. He had warm brown tan skin, a sharp facial structure, short but lush black hair, and a muscular body fit. His gestures however, showed of a more feminine style as well as his way of speech. She was also surprised by his fluent Korean.

Jungsuh did not want to stare, so she quickly averted her eyes and looked to Jimin. The boy himself, just smiled at the man and bowed.

“Hello, Rafael. I am here for my reservation.” He replied. Jungsuh stared at him shocked and tilted her head. “Reservation?” She thought to herself. Rafael sighed and picked up a clipboard with a packet of papers on it. “Ah, yes. Your random reservation that was forced onto me at last minute.” The man snarked. Jimin chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head. “Ahaha… yeah. Sorry.” He apologized. Jungsuh just stood there looking at the two completely lost. Rafael sighed once more and checked off Jimin’s name off the paper. “Hmm. You’re here anyway and I did miss you. Follow me, I’ll take the two of you to your studio.” He chimed.

Jimin nodded and then looked over to Jungsuh. “Let’s go!” He smiled. Junsguh just looked at him confused but nodded. She silently followed beside him as they followed Rafael like little ducklings to the elevator, up to the third floor, through some large hallways and into a large dance studio. Jungsuh continued to awe at what was before her eyes. The room was as large as an indoor gym and really well kept. The walls were colorful and had little writings and whatnot on them. There was also a large glass mirror that reached from the door all the way the other end of the room. “Nice practice room…” Jungsuh murmured. “Thank you. I try hard to keep these rooms well kept.” Rafael replied. Jungsuh perked up and looked at him shocked that he heard her.

He smiled and led them further inside. “Here is your room. You have it all to yourselves until 6:30.” He then looked at his watch and tapped it gently. “It’s 4:12. You two have almost an hour and a half.” Jimin then bowed and smiled. “Thank you!” Rafael scoffed and smiled. “If you’re thankful, mind introducing your cute friend here?” Rafael pointed toward Jungsuh with a grin. Jimin perked up and awkwardly shifted in her direction. “Ah! Yes! This is Kang Jungsuh!” He introduced. Jungsuh too, awkwardly fixed herself and bowed. “Nice to meet you!” Rafael chuckled and bowed back. “Same here. I am Rafael De La Torrez. I am the owner of this here studio and a professional choreographer.”

Jungsuh gaped in astonishment and bowed once more. Jimin then chuckled and motioned Jungsuh to another door on the other side of the room. “The locker room is over there. I’ll go change first and then you can go in.” He told. Suddenly, Rafael smacked Jimin on the arm and scoffed. “Shouldn’t it be ladies first, Park Jimin-ssi?” He scolded. Jimin blushed and bowed toward Jungsuh. “Oh yeah… Sorry you can go first!” He motioned toward the locker room doors. Jungsuh chuckled and shook her head. “No, it’s okay.” She assured. “You can go first.” He looked at her a little disappointed and pouted. “Are you sure?” He asked. Jungsuh nodded, reassuring him it was okay. Jimin sighed and nodded and then headed toward the locker room.

Jungsuh then turned to Rafael, who looked amused. “It’s the first that that boy has brought a girl here.” He tells with a smirk. Jungsuh looked at him oddly and tilted her head. “Really?” Rafael nodded and chuckled. “You must be a special girl?” He eyed her with an amused expression. Jungsuh tried to laugh it off and looked away shyly. “Ahaha! No… we are here to just practice for some things for school.” She explained. Rafael didn’t take that excuse and crossed his arms as he circled her. “If so, shouldn’t he had just used the school practice room?” He suggested. Jungsuh perked up and looked at him. “I used to teach dance at that school. So, I know well that it provides high quality practice rooms. Of course, not as great as mine though.” He smirked. Jungsuh gulped and thought for a second.

He was right. The school did provide practice rooms for the students. Why didn’t Jimin do that instead of paying to reserve a room for about an hour? Jungsuh soon came to question this guy’s motives and pondered whether it was just out of privacy concerns… or was it really because of her? She didn’t know. All she knew was that Jimin dragged her here and here she was. Rafael then poked her on the shoulder and broke her from her thoughts. He smiled gently toward her and winked. “Of course, Jimin is a sweet person. Naïve, but sweet. He may have just wanted to let the both of you have privacy. This place is only reserved for idols, after all.” He told. It then hit Jungsuh.

“Ah?” She gasped. Rafael looked at her questioningly. “What is this place anyway? I know it’s a special place for idols to rent dance rooms, but, is that all? It seems more special then that.” She asked. Rafael smirked and put a hand to his