Friday, August 31, 2012

                “Alright, guys, you’ll be presenting your dances starting Monday, so use this class period wisely. If you want to practice outside of school hours, I’ll be staying late today or talk to me about coming in on the weekends,” Junhyung announced at the beginning of class.

               “Damn, they weren’t kidding when he said the advanced classes are fast paced,” Ahran muttered beside me. “Well, let’s get going then,” she announced, jumping up. Chunji and Kai both came over to us, and we all headed to our practice room.

                “Okay, we just have the last twenty-ish seconds!” I announced. “So…what do you guys wanna add in?” Obviously Kai couldn’t contribute much, so he was no help. Ahran and Chunji both glanced at each other, to me, then back to each other. Finally, Chunji stood up.

                “I think we should add something y in. Like this,” he then proceeded to throw his hoodie off one shoulder and body wave dramatically, a completely straight face on. 

                Ahran and I exchanged glances before bursting out into laughter. “No, no, Chunji, please, let the masters show you how it’s done. If you’re gonna go for y, go all the way. “ Then I began doing a completely over exaggerated y dance, body waving and running a hand through my hair. 

                “Uh-uh, uh-uh,” Ahran said, pushing me out of the way. “This is y.” Then she dropped down to the ground and began moving her chest with a seductive look on her face. 

                 By now Ahran, Chunji, and I were all laughing heartily at each other’s dances. While they might have been y in a different atmosphere, we knew we were just joking around. “Wait, wait, wait! I’ve got it!” I got up, and instantly began a “y” leg dance, opening and closing them with an exaggerated expression. 

                “Hyemin!” Ahran gasped, laughing as she pulled me down. “That’s just inappropriate! We have to perform this in front of our teacher!” she looked up, thinking, and then turned back to me. “On second thought, let’s add that in there. How were you doing that?”

                I laughed and pushed Ahran over playfully. “Stop it! That’s not even funny!” And yet…I was still laughing, as was Ahran, as was Chunji.

                “Yah! Would you guys please grow up?” Kai suddenly shouted. I was surprised to hear his voice, and even more surprised at the icy tone that was in it.

                When I looked up to him, still standing, leaning against the wall, his expression was slightly…disgusted. “Jeez, calm down. Sorry, we’ll start now,” I snapped, standing up. “What are your ideas?”

                “I can’t.”

                I rolled my eyes. “Ahh right…the almighty TA…gracing our pitiful group with your presence.”

                Kai’s expression was blank, but he finally averted his eyes and walked to the music player. “Let’s go through what we have and then try to actually figure out the end,” he told us coldly. The three of us exchanged “WTF” glances and then reluctantly got into position.

                After some intense work to get it finished, we were nearly done, we just needed the very ending seconds. “It has to be big,” I sighed, sitting down, exhausted.

                “No kidding. The music crescendos so our ending really has to stand out,” Ahran agreed.

                “What about freezes?” Chunji suggested. He got up and went into a handstand like pose, freezing for a few seconds before coming back down. “Ahran can support me on this side and you and Kai figure something out.”

                I nodded and turned to Kai. “Think you can support me with your hands?”

                His eyebrows furrowed. “Why…?”

                “I wanna try a handstand on your shoulders or hands…or knees, whatever,” I explained.

                “That’s pretty…risky…” he mumbled.

                I rolled my eyes. “I’m well aware. Can you?”

                “Of course,” he responded easily. “What do you take me for? Some 5’4”, 40kg wimp?”

                “Oh, I could never,” I replied, and he smirked at me while he rolled his eyes. “Come here,” I instructed. He came towards me and with the help of Chunji I kicked up into a flawless handstand on Kai’s hands. I held it easily, and slowly Chunji backed away. As he did I could feel my t-shirt slowly fall down, revealing more of my stomach and back, but I resisted the urge to do anything about it. I knew that like an artist needed to have confidence in their art, a dancer had to be comfortable with their body.

                “Damn girl, that’s flawless,” Ahran called.

                With slight difficultly I smiled back. “Okay…and for the—“ Just then the door opened, and the shock of it made me lose my balance. I thought I was going to hit the floor, but strong arms grasped my and behind my knees, catching me bridal style. Shocked, I looked up into the eyes of Kai. Surprisingly, his deep brown eyes were full of concern.

                “Are you okay?” he asked softly, his warm breath brushing against my face.

                “Y-yeah, I’m good,” I responded.

                “Oh my God, Hyemin!” Ahran cried, rushing to me. Clearing his throat awkwardly and looking away Kai let me gently back to the ground.

                “I’m fine! I didn’t fall!” I insisted. Now both Junhyung and Chunji were by me.

                “Hyemin, are you alright? I’m so sorry I startled you,” Junhyung apologized profusely.

                “Seriously, guys, I’m fine! I didn’t even hit the floor!” I cried, standing up.

                “Are you sure?” Junhyung asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

                I gave him a look. “Ask me one more time. I dare you.”

                Junhyung smiled and backed off. “Yeah…she’s alright. Well anyways, I just came in here to see if you guys needed to practice outside of school. “

                I looked around at them, and we all nodded. “Yeahh…that’d be good…”

                “When?”

                “I can’t today after school…I’ve got track.”

                “Tomorrow then?” Ahran asked, looking around.

                “Before 2:00, I have a lesson,” Chunji said.

                “Then…11:00?” I asked.

                Everyone nodded and I turned to Junhyung. “Mmkay, there will still be staff here then so just come on in and tell them you need practice room 2A.”

                We all nodded. “Thanks, Junhyung-ssi,” Ahran said, batting her eyelashes.

                I just rolled my eyes as we all left to go change.