Ren turned to me in the dark. He didn’t say anything. Only looked at me. Time seemed to slow. He drew closer to me. He kissed me, his lips brushing along my cheek like a feather. He paused there for a second and then moved back.

“I need time to think Minjae.” He whispered.

“Of course I said quickly.” I was glad it was dark because I’m sure my cheeks looked like they’d been splattered with red paint. I could even feel my ears blushing.

I stood up and walked over to the door.

“Thanks for telling me Minjae.” He said.

---------------

Jr’s Point of view:

My heart kept on sinking long after she said the words. There was a kind of roaring in my eyes that drowned out all other noise. I pushed myself away from the door and stumbled backwards. The door was opening, she was coming out. Any moment now she would see me....

------------

Minjae’s point of View:

As soon as I exited Ren’s room and shut the door, I saw JR. One look at his face told me he’d heard. My throat went dry.  Shock and sadness were centre stage on his face. His fists were clenched.

“JR.” My voice cracked.

“Minjae.” His voice broke.

We were like two puppets with our strings cut off.

He bowed his head.

“I’m happy for you Minjae. I’m happy for Ren donsaeng too.”

“JR I didn’t-”

“Didn’t what?” He cried, looking up. His eyes flashed. “Didn’t mean it? Didn’t mean what you said to Ren? Is that it Minjae?”

I couldn’t say anything, all I could do was stare at him anguished. The anger left JR’s eyes and pain replaced it.

“Do you know what I was going to say to you in the kitchen that time.”

Oh no.

Not now.

“No JR don’t.” I brushed past him and out into the corridor.

He followed me. “Do you know what I was going to say?”

I shook my head again and again. I wiped my eyes and tried to walk off but he grabbed my arm and swung me round to face him.

“Well? Do you?”

I shook my head, tears coursing down my cheeks.

“I was going to say, I don’t think I’ve ever fallen for a girl so fast.” His voice was low and intense. "Or so hard."

I looked up at him. His eyes burnt into mine.

But it didn’t matter now.

I had told Ren.

I had thought of Ren first.

JR clutched my arm tighter. His grip was so strong that he lifted me onto my tip toes.

“Say something Minjae.”

With an enormous effort I pushed him away, sobbing, and held my arm. I knew I’d have bruises in the morning. JR’s face drained of colour.

“Oh my God Minjae, I’m so sorry.”

“What’s going on?”

HyeSu came out of our room and into the corridor. He frown changed to a look of disbelief when she saw the state I was in.

“Minjae, what the hell happened?!” She took my arm carefully and pulled my sleeve up. Red marks bloomed on my skin. She turned slowly and looked at JR.

“This was you wasn’t it.”Her voice was icy cold. It wasn’t a question.

“I don’t know what came over me. Minjae I am so sorry.” He took a step closer to me and I flinched.

“Don’t even ing move.” HyeSu said to him. I’d never seen her angry before, her eyes blazed.

JR stopped dead. He looked devastated.

“Minjae please, listen to me.”

“No you listen to me Junior Royal.” HyeSu came right into his face, pointing her finger. She was much shorter than him but at that moment, she towered above him. “If you ever dare touch Minjae like that again, I swear to you I will happily chop off your balls. And if you think I’m bluffing then just ing try it. Do we understand each other?”

JR swallowed, still not taking his eyes of me.

“Yes.” He said finally. “Yeah I understand.”

“Good.” HyeSu put her arm around my shoulder and led me away. I looked over my shoulder.

JR stood there, breathing heavily, desperation in every inch of face. He was still standing there when HyeSu closed the door.

The next morning I woke up naturally. My wrist ached where JR had grabbed it but I was glad to see there was only a faint bruise.

HyeSu was still sleeping, making funny little snoring sounds. I got dressed quietly, intending to go to the dance studio. Just as I was putting on my shoes, there was a knock at the door.

I stopped. My stomach twisted. Was it JR? I glanced at HyeSu but she slept on. I approached the door cautiously and tugged on the handle, peering out into the corridor. I met Ren’s brown eyes looking at me.

“Minjae donsaeng.” He said. I breathed a sigh of relief, which was all I seemed to be doing these days, and opened the door fully.

“Ren oppa!”

He frowned. “Why did you look so scared just then?”

I froze.

“Uh ..uh..I just wondered who would be knocking at this time.” I bluffed. His face relaxed and softened.

“Yeah I tried not to come round too early but I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“Wait any longer for what?”

He considered me for a moment.

“Come with me Minjae.”

---------------------------

Ren took me up to the roof top. Normally students weren’t allowed up here but Ren said he came up here all the time. The view from up here was breath taking, forest and fields rolled out until they touched the horizon. The sky was a pink stain across the blue as the sun rose.

“I like it up here.” Ren said simply.

For a while we sat side by side without talking, drinking in the view.

Finally he said.

“I’m been thinking Minjae.”

I waited, mentally preparing myself.

He turned to face me.

“You may have guessed I really like you by now.”

My face took on the pink stain of the sky as I blushed.

“I like you too Ren,” I whispered.

He smiled fully, for once not ducking his head. It was as beautiful as the view. He put an arm around me and I rested my head on his shoulder. I began to relax completely. Forgetting thoughts about JR and only feeling the comfortable weight of Ren next to me.

-------------

Life settled into a comfortable routine. I threw myself into dance practice and began thinking of routines for the talent show. HyeSu became more of a sister then a best friend, always there for me and making me laugh.

 I met up with Ren every evening. Sometimes we went for walks in the school’s garden or sat up on the roof top where he told me stories of life in Busan.

Occasionally we chilled in the Nu’est boys room and laughed at Baekho’s jokes and Minhyun’s Optimus Prime impression.

Once I lay with my head in Ren’s lap while he played with my head. Aron was in the middle of telling us a funny story about his music class when the door opened.

I looked over. JR stood in the door way, a muscle in his jaw twitching as he stared at me. Without a word he turned away and left the room, the door slamming closed behind him.

The room fell silent.

“What were you saying Aron?” Baekho said uncomfortably. Gradually the tension began to ease and Aron resumed his story. An un easy feeling in my stomach continued to simmer though.

-----------------------------

After lunch one day, I left HyeSu singing in her room and went to the dance studio. I thankfully found it empty, most people were outside in the sunshine. I did a few stretches, loosening up and then decided to do a bit of free style to warm up. I went over to the stereo and saw there was a CD already in it. I pressed play.

The music filled the room.

The song I had first danced too rang out of the speakers. I closed my eyes, remembering that day.

"That was amazing Minjae."

 I took my place in the centre of the studio and swayed gently on the spot, letting the music fill me up until I was ready to burst.

I closed my eyes.

And then I took flight.

It was just as beautiful as the first time.

Suddenly I felt someone’s hand in mine, spinning me around the room, picking me up and letting me fly across the air. I felt like a ballet dancer. We danced together, our hands touching the whole time. I kept my eyes closed, I didn’t want to ruin the magic.

I felt soft hair brush against my face and a slim arm curve around my waist as we began to slow dance around the room. Our steps were perfectly in time. As if we’d practiced before. We twisted away from each other, our fingers only just touching, before coming back close again, inches away from each other. Instinct told me where they were, where to step.

They held me close as we spun round slowly, the music drawing to a close.

I opened my eyes, my heart soaring when I saw who it was.

“No close them.” They whispered.

I obeyed.

I felt them getting closer and closer and I put my arms around their neck, my breathing shallow.

Their lips pressed against mine.

The shape of them matched mine perfectly and they were sweet and warm. One hand stayed around my waist, and the other cupped my face carefully, fingers like butterflies on my cheek. If anyone had walked in then, I don’t think I would have stopped kissing. The sensation was just too sweet, so tender, so slow, as if we had all the time in the world. I felt their nose nudging gently against mine and it made me smile.

We drew away.

“I’m glad I can make you smile.” He said. My eyes were still closed but I could feel the smile on his lips. He kissed my forehead and then drew me close into a hug. I lay my head on his shoulder, already familiar to me.

“I love you Minjae.” He said softly.

“I love you too Ren.” I replied.

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Thanks so much for reading! The dance scene was SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE! I so wished it was real :') Please comment and tell me what you think :D Prepare yourself for an intense scene in the next chapter! -Wave <3