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Part 5: The Practice

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“Hyung! You’ve been yawning for like the nth time now! What did you do last night, huh?” a boy with a lithe frame commented as he walked beside Kibum on the empty corridors.

Kibum laced his fingers and stretched his arms in front of him, stiffing yet another yawn.

“Nothing.” he answered.

“But you were sleeping in your classroom when I came.” He said, tilting his head a little on the side as if that would help refresh his memory in some way.

“I… I was just… resting my eyes for a while.” Kibum lied.

That was the initial plan actually, but he was not able to stop himself from falling in deep slumber on his desk. Even if the desk was not as soft as his bed and pillows would feel like, but it seemed to be inviting and a few minutes would not hurt. But in reality, it was more than an hour that he was sleeping there, unaware of what was happening around him. Although he felt someone his hair and he thought he also heard an angelic voice singing sweetly beside him. However he just shrugged it off as a beautiful dream.

“If that’s what you say hyung.” The younger boy said after a while.

They reached the mirror room where their dance group practices regularly. Most of the other members were there already and were warming up. Kibum and his companion went in the locker room to change from their school uniform to comfortable clothes for the practice. After a few minutes, Kibum went out wearing a loose white T-shirt, baggy sweatpants and a pair of black sneakers.

When the speakers blared the remix of songs and sounds that they would dance into, Kibum’s body moved naturally with the music, popping, locking and flowing with the rhythm. They were rehearsing the routine for almost a month now and they are in the polishing phase. Kibum knew the steps by heart and he loved dancing with all his heart. Even if it tired him physically, dancing was Kibum’s break form all the academic fiasco that he deals with by being in the Dean’s list and as a student council member. When on the dance floor, he felt light, he felt free.

The steps were complicated and were really exhausting, but they danced as if they were exerting the slightest effort.

His shirt clung to his slim body and his chest was heaving up and down as he breathed heavily after their practice. Kibum felt exhausted but he sure was happy. He leaned backwards to the cold mirror behind him, he closed his eyes and tried to calm his heart from the rush on the dance floor. He took a swig on his water bottle, finishing almost half of it, and wiping the trickles of water on his chin with the back of his hand afterwards.

He stood up and slung his bag on his shoulder. He was feeling really sticky and he wanted to take a shower to get rid of that.

“You’re the best hyung!” Kibum heard and he looked back to see a boy with a thin frame half-running half-walking towards him.

“Taemin!” Kibum beamed at him. “Hey, you did well too!”

“But it was nothing near to you…” the boy called Taemin pouted cutely at his hyung.

Kibum laughed at his aegyo and ruffled the younger’s sweat-wet hair. “You should have seen yourself dancing and you tell me that again.” He added.

Taemin was the only freshman in the dance group because freshies would usually be in the training-observing group first after they auditioned. However, Taemin was gifted on this and he was accepted to the main group right away, just like Kibum. That was why they were close with each other in the group. Kibum would always support Taemin and give him a self-confidence boost whenever he needed one.

“Hyuuuuuung~” and he playfully hugged Kibum “You’re really the best~!”

“YAH! I know I’m the best but you’re sweaty! Get off!” Kibum pulled away from him only to receive yet another cute pout from him.

“As if you are not!” with that, they laughed together.

“That’s why I’m gonna shower first.” Kibum said as he placed his bag on the empty bench near the shower cubicle.

Lukewarm water hit Kibum’s skin. He stood still under the shower and let his hair be soaked as well as his tired body. He tried to clear his mind of anything and just enjoy the warm shower. He let all his worries flow down the drain with the water. But a sigh left his lips when one thought seemed to stuck on his mind. It was something that he was thinking of for the past few days since the dream occurred again.

Will I ever see him again?

He let the water gush on his skin and relish its relaxing and refreshing feeling that it gave him. Then he heard knocks on his cubicle door followed by a whining voice.

“Hyuuuuuung! Are you drowning in there? Save water and make it fast!” Taemin said as he fixed himself.

He smiled when he heard the sound of water dieing off and the soft click that indicated that Kibum would be out soon. He produce a low whistle when Kibum emerged from the shower door. A white towel hung low on the latter’s hip, exposing his slender upper body, and another draped over his dripping hair.

Kibum walked towards his bag retrieving some clothes.

“Why on earth are you rushing me for?! There are four more shower cubicles there for you to take a shower… do you still need my help to scrub you back?!” he asked as he dried his hair. Then he noticed that the other was already done and was ready to go. “And look at you! You’re all done.” He walked in a dry cubicle to get dressed. “Taeminnie… give me a valid reason why you have to rush me and be all that whiny…” he continued.

There was no answer from Taemin so Kibum assumed he already gave up. When he was out, the younger looked at him hopefully, and he knew what was next.

“What?” he asked.

“I wanna watch the band’s practice… I heard they would be having a new song today.” Taemin finally said. He observed his hyung’s reaction and the slight knitting of Kibum’s brows didn’t escape his sharp vision when he mentioned about the band. Taemin didn’t actually know if he should be happy that his “almighty” hyung had that spot or be afraid that it would backfire on him soon.

“So are you telling me that you want me, Kim Kibum, to come with you to watch that practice?” Kibum asked as he was almost done putting his Nikes on.

“Aaaah~ Hyuuuuuung~ even just one song, puuuuuh-leeeeeasssse????” Taemin asked again, this time with full aegyo. He knew Kibum too well that he knew this secret formula to change his mind.

“Aish! That’s cheating Taemin!” he replied as he looked away from Taemin to his already organized bag. “Don’t you dare use that on me.”

Just a little more Taemin! You can do it! Taemin said in his thoughts. He was really determined to drag Kibum to the practice with him. He walked over to Kibum’s side and tugged on his shirt… a very cute pout on his lips and he looked like he was about to cry. “Hyuuuuuung~”

Kibum looked at him and he rolled his eyes. “Okay! Okay! I’ll go with you on the practice. But just ONE SONG!” Kibum gave in. Yes, Taemin won. Although there was a part of him that really wanted to view the practice, but he just won’t accept that.

Kibum slung his black backpack bag over his shoulder and went to walk out the room. Taemin followed suit and walked beside Kibum. Once outside, Kibum pulled his hoodie over his head even if the night was not that cold and the Autumn winds are not that chilly.

The auditorium was just next to the building where they held their practice, so it won’t be a long walk for the both of them. They walked in silence which was pretty out of the usual because normally, Taemin would be talking about the latest dance steps of SHINee or Super Junior, or Kibum would blabber about anything that caught his interest for the moment. So that walk was really different. At some point Kibum would pull his jacket closer to himself or Taemin would mumble something under his breath. But they still won’t talk.

The rest of the way was spent in still silence, and it scared Taemin a bit. He knew Kibum well enough to not want the other to be mad at him.

They arrived in front of the double doors of the auditorium after a few slow minutes. Taemin held onto the door knob but stop mid-step. Kibum on the other hand was playing with his phone to notice Taemin’s action. Kibum bumped on Taemin’s back and a curse slip from his mouth.

“Lee Taemin, what the—?!”

“Mianhae hyung.” He said in a voice just a little louder than a whisper. “You can go now if you really don’t want to watch.” He continued in the same tone.

Kibum half-smiled at his dongsaeng. He put a hand on the other’s shoulder and pulled a little so he would look at him, although Taemin kept his head down. “You see I’m with you right? And I already walked all the way here so it would be a waste if I just go home right?”

Taemin raised his head and looked at him with confused and worried eyes. Kibum smiled at him to ease his worries and ruffled his hair. This was a sure indication that Kibum is not mad at him so Taemin also beamed at him and suddenly pulled him into the auditorium.

Kibum was ready to be mad at Taemin again for doing that so abruptly. He would might as well asked for a few seconds at least to prepare before going inside. And since it was the famous band that was practicing there, there were fangirls watching —stalking— them in the said place. Even with those girls as obstacles, Taemin s their way somewhere near the stage, just behind some teacher and other spectators.

It was all so fast for Kibum to know what would happen next. The tenor voice filled the hall flowing naturally with the acoustic guitar that the person was playing. This was another reason why Kibum was hesitant to enter, actually this is the reason why he was uncertain to enter. Sure he wouldn’t mind it if Jonghyun did see him, or maybe a little. But he can surely handle it well. What he was afraid of was this voice.

    ssoda jildeut han dalbit yeoksi eoduwo

Yes, he was afraid of his voice that was floating in the air that he breathes.

    teojil deut taneun hwaetbul neodo machangaji

The way his voice would weave through every note.

    geunyeoege bichi naneun beobeul baewoya hae

The way his voice would send chills down Kibum’s spine.

    geunyeol bomyeon nuni meoreobeoril kkeoya

The way his voice seemed to free butterflies in Kibum’s stomach.

    jebal gihoereul jwoyo nal boneun nun machi neol ango sipeoseo

The way his voice seemed to pull down stars from the night sky and make them shine brighter than when they were up there.

    andal nan naege jangnanchineun yeougata

The way his voice gave a whole new life to what ever song it was that he was singing.

    oooh! yeonghoneul bachilkkeyo

The way his voice would take Kibum’s guard down and pull some of his Almighty-ness with it.

    Juliette! jebal nal bada jwoyo

The way his voice would make all his barriers melt into nothing.

    Juliette! dalkomhi jom deo dalkomhage

 And the way his voice would make Kibum forget that he hates its owner... Kim Jonghyun.

    soksagyeo naui serenade

For the first time Kibum admitted it to himself...

   Da Da Da Da Da Da Da… My Juliette~!

“Your voice is my drug...and I am addicted to you...”

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a/n: hey~ sorry i was really in a rush last time... so i wasn't really sure if you guys were able to listen to the track that i attached here. but i hope you do :)

photo by: SottoMentiteSpoglie @deviantart