A/N:  I reorganized the chapters. There's less now but they're longer.

**

You're done with studying and already at home, when you realize that you wanted to look for the dance studio. No one else is there, so you quickly scribble a note on a post it and leave it in the kitchen.

You close the door behind you and head out. The map on your phone tells you that the studio is just fifteen minutes away, a distance that you're able to walk comfortably, but as closer as you get, the more foreign the streets look.

Your sense of direction isn't that great, plus you haven't been out that many times so you're stuck looking at your phone to find the right direction.

When you finally find it, you're a bit shocked. The building is bigger than expected, held in simple grey colors and looking rather discreet.

You look around, trying to make sure that you're at the right address.

It is the right address, but you're not really sure if you should enter.

Ah, screw it. Inhaling deeply, you reach for the door and open it. Immediately, you are welcomed with the smell of vinyl floors and the sound of loud music. Music so loud, you swear you can feel the floor vibrating beneath your feet.

It's American music, probably, a catchy tune that you've heard on the radio before.

A few people are standing before a door. All of them look exhausted, but happy. One younger woman is sitting down, taking sips of her water. She looks friendly, sporting a fashionable but comfortable t-shirt and sweatpants, so you decide to approach her.

“Sorry”, you murmur with a quiet voice and gulp. She looks up and you get a good look at her pretty face. You almost blush at how beautiful she is.

“Excuse me, I'm just... wondering about dance lessons...?” You sound quiet and unsure, but she politely stands up and graces you with a friendly wink.

“I'm K”, she says, exuding an air of quiet poise and confidence. “And you're at the right place.” She looks at your trainers and comfortable sports wear. “You're even wearing the right clothes.” She grins.

You don't know whether it's the appropriate time to thank her, so you just nod, making her eyes crinkle with amusement. She pats another girl on the shoulder, “I'll briefly help her. I'll be back in a minute, Nayeon.”

Then she beckons you forward to another room. It has a chic and sleek, yet relaxed design, just like the entire building and the people in it, too.

“You're lucky”, K says, “that you managed to stumble into one of the instructors and administrators. Just give me your name and you can do a few free lessons to test it. Not everyone likes it and it can be exhausting, but I promise that it's worth the time. You'll be more athletic, more flexible and it's even good for your health.”

Although she sounded quite serious, she gives you a friendly smile that makes you feel warm. You return it automatically.

“Ok.” You nod and give K your name. She quickly jots it down.

“My lessons just finished, but there is another one starting in just a few minutes. The instructor is young...”, she narrows her eyes at you playfully, guessing your age. “Probably around your age, but very capable.”

She smiles and stands up to usher you out of the room. “I'm sure you'll like him.”

After thanking her profusely, and her saying that it's nothing, you walk down the corridor and get into the actual practice room.

There are many people inside the room, ones who wear black leggings and crop tops, others who wear shorts with labels one them, others wear sweatpants. They all have one thing in common: They all look nice and incredibly gorgeous.

You stand at the entrance, balancing from one foot to another nervously. You think about how you can approach them, when they all look so unapproachable.

Your problem is solved when the door opens again.

“Hello”, a familiar voice greets, making everyone break out into smiles. But the voice makes a shiver run down your spine. It can't be...

Your fears are confirmed when you turn around. You stare directly into Yugyeom's face. His smile drops as soon as he sees you, then he scoffs and brushes past you to the front.

He looks as stoic as ever, as least when he looks your way, but surprisingly enough, he smiles a lopsided smile when he faces the other students. He exudes quiet confidence and authority like he has been doing this for a long time, just like K.

Everyone streams forward, eager to get closer to him and you suddenly find yourself in the third row with a girl with long, black hair. She gives you a slight, but distant smile and looks at the front.

They all start warming up, stretching, with a bit of quiet music playing in the background. You're still a bit dazed and follow their moves distractedly, trying to catch up, but it proves impossible. Everyone seems to be much better than you, probably because they have been going here for a longer time.

You're the type of person to be quickly discouraged when things don't go your way, so you try you hardest to get the moves right.

It looks a bit embarrassing, to be honest, the way you're trying to emulate the others and you sure that you catch Yugyeom rolling his eyes in your direction a few times.

“Just try to follow the movements slowly”, the girl next to you suggests suddenly. “It's not about doing it quickly, but the right way.”

She stretches out her legs and smiles at you again and you nod, “Thank you.”

You repeat the movements a few more times, trying to pay attention to your posture and it really seems to work better. Dancing for fun is really different from this, but you'll try your best.

Then, when you finally get it right, the music stops and everybody lets out loud sighs of relief.

“We're learning a new routine today”, Yugyeom explains. “The song is a bit slower than the last one, but it is harder, so try to follow me carefully.”

And with that said, he begins the first few steps. He first shows them without the music, repeats it and then asks the group to follow.

As expected, you're completely lost.

Looking at the girl next to you, she really seems to have the actual skills and you try to copy her.

One, two, three. One, two, three.

“Now, with music.” Yugyeom's voice echoes through the practice room and you stare down at your feet, hoping that they will obey you.

Unfortunately, they don't. You end up almost tripping and the girl on your right gives you a pitying look while she follows the steps perfectly, undisturbed by your failure.

“Slowly”, she reminds you with a whisper and you smile at her gratefully, giving her a small thumbs up. Then, the music stops and everyone turns to the front again.

Yugyeom shows the next steps. You find yourself wondering why you didn't notice that he's a dancer before. He has good proportions and slight muscles that are visible even through his comfortable clothes and he is also really tall. Now that you're looking at him, he also moves gracefully, like dancing comes to him effortlessly. It seems like dancing to him is like breathing to you.

He explains the movements and everyone follows suit, trying it out.

You're lagging behind again, trying to angle your foot the way he does.

“You.” All of a sudden, all heads fly around to you, staring you down. “You're doing it wrong. It's the left foot”, he explains, sounding annoyed.

You can hear a few girl giggling into their hands and you blush, staring down at your trainers.

You quickly angle the other, right foot and stare at the front again.

Yugyeom patiently goes through the steps one more time after another girl asks for it and then turns on the music again. The intro starts playing.

“We'll go through all the steps together this time!”

The music begins. Left, right, angle, left, one, two, three.

Out. You've forgotten the next steps again and helplessly stare at the girl next to you. She executes the first part of the choreo perfectly and you stare at her in awe.

When everything ends, you clap slightly. “You're really good”, you compliment.

She brushes her long hair behind her hair. “Thank you.” Then she laughs lightly, touching her forehead.“You're still pretty bad.”

You laugh back, surprised at her honesty. But she is right. You nod slightly and touch your red cheeks. “It's fun though”, you admit and she laughs again.

You do several more parts after that, all of whom you, more or less, fail. Somin, as the girl introduces herself after a few minutes, tries to help you, but you end up giggling after completely failing a particularly difficult movement.

“If you're disturbing others, leave.”

If Yugyeom's distaste for yu hadn't been obvious before, it is now. His voice sounds cold, completely different from when he's speaking to the others. A few students stare at you with curiosity or mild disdain. You can understand them, though. A particularly untalented dancer who manages to piss of the instructor in her very first lesson is nothing that you would want to have in your class either, so you quickly shut up and concentrate on the lesson

One, two, three.

When you go through the choreo again, Yugyeom moves through the rows of students, correcting their postures and movements. When he reaches you, you try not to stop breathing. You can see him in the big mirror, standing right behind you with his dark clothes and irritated expression, scowling at you.

In an attempt to make up with him, to make amends, you smile at him through the mirror.

He clearly sees it yet his eyebrows furrow and then he narrows his eyes.

“You're holding your arms wrong”, he says, scowling again.

“Like this?”, you ask, moving them.

“No, like this.” He show you the proper way and you tilt your head in confusion, not realizing what you've done wrong. Is the angle incorrect? Or the entire position?

You move your arm, yet he grabs it your wrist and yanks it down, moving it to the left. Your eyes meet for a milli second, his dark and narrow and you catch your gaze flying to his ear. There in his earlobe is a tiny piece of silver, a small earring.

Your heart stumbles in your chest.

Yugyeom suddenly drops your hand like he just touched a stinging nettle and you gasp.

“I'm sorry”, you quickly apologize, but he has already turned around, helping the next student.

**

After the lessons, you quickly go home. You're sweaty and exhausted and you're sure your heart is still going way too fast for it to be healthy.

It's already a bit chilly, so you walk even faster and quickly reach your home, opening the door with your key.

The smell of popcorn and nachos welcomes you and giggles. You take off your shoes and jacket and walk to the dining room curiously. Your sister rarely takes anyone home and you've barely seen your parents' friends before, so you're curious who's there.

“No, Momo told me about it. She swore that she saw Bambam with a girl at the ice cream parlor!”

You stop in your steps. You recognize the voice. It's Seulgi, one of your sister's friends and also the girl who accompanied you to the party. And the girl that was with Bambam? Is Seulgi talking about you?

You're pretty sure that she's talking about you.

You hear your sister clicking her tongue. “The ice cream parlor?”, she asks. “As expected, Bambam is a softy. I don't know why Mina even liked him.”

Your breath halts for a second and your cheeks start burning. You instantly feel guilty. Not just for eaves-dropping but also for going on a date with a guy that one of your sister's friends liked. Although... it's nonsensical, isn't it? You never knew about her feelings yet it still makes you feel burdened to know that you went on a date with someone else's crush.

You exhale and open your mouth. “I'm home!”, you say loudly and the chattering in the dining room instantly stops.

You put on a smile and enter.

“Hi.”

Your sister stares at you from her place and you see that they have snacks and books spread out before them. Seulgi has another hair color, one that ventures slightly into red and it looks flashy, but good on her.

“Hey little sister!” She grins at you. “What do you think about my new hair? Suyeon doesn't like it.” Seulgi elbows your sister lightly.

Suyeon raises her eyebrows and blows a raspberry. “I didn't say that I hate it! I just said that the other color suited you better!”

You smile at their bickering. Your heart is still heavy with the thoughts about Mina and all the things you've been keeping, the secrets you've been keeping from your sister as well. She doesn't know that you went on a date with Bambam either, making her just as clueless as Seulgi.

“I like it.”