“And when you get the chance, you are the dancing queen. Young and sweet, only seventeen.”

– Dancing Queen, ABBA

            A pair of dark eyes was fixated on a full-length mirror before them. Those eyes were keenly watching the image of a girl carefully stepping into a room. Her dark, straight hair hung over her shoulders and brushed in front of a perfectly arched eyebrow. An orange wide-neck t-shirt hung loosely on her body and tiny black shorts revealed her long legs. She had a colorful bag slung over her shoulder, small white sneakers on her feet and curiosity in her eyes. A catchy beat bounced against the inside walls of a modest-looking building in the business district of a very sleepy Seoul. At this hour, nearly everyone in his or her right mind was asleep. Perhaps this particular girl wasn’t in her right mind. Perhaps she had completely lost her mind. After all, that tended to happen when she danced.

            Slowly, her eyes closed. She felt nothing but the beat of the music as it flooded through her veins; not even the floor beneath her felt tangible. At the slow inhale of a deep breath, a mental countdown began. She exhaled, letting go of every earthly sense. Just as her breath escaped her, the digits in her head flashed zero.

            It was like a switch . Music had a stealthy way of robbing her humanity and gifting her with movement. Every sharp arm movement cut through the air like a sleek knife. Her body waved. Her hips popped. Her feet felt detached, as if they had minds of their own. She whipped her head back and forth, not caring the least bit that her bangs hid her vision. The sense of touch was entirely irrelevant when she was dancing. She wasn’t standing on earth anymore—she was floating through her own universe, where the only things that existed were the deafening beat of the music, her authoritative mind, and her obedient body.

            And the other person in the room, of course. He too existed.

            As the music, and the girl’s movements, came to a strong finish, a pair of hands slowly began to clap. A pair of feet began to step forward as well, which were connected to long, lean legs covered by gray sweatpants. They were pushed up just below a pair of knees, revealing toned calf muscles. A black t-shirt hid a broad, muscular chest but its tight sleeves show off strong biceps. A pair of pouted lips parted to reveal a breathtaking smile that could only belong to one person.

            Choi Jonghyun.

            His clapping continued, increasing with speed as his smile widened. “Park Min Neul,” he spoke in his soothingly deep voice, breaking the silence. “You were born to dance.”

            Eighteen-year-old Park Min Neul chuckled at the sound of his impressed voice. She was slightly taken back at his compliment, for she knew how inaccurate it was. She had certainly not been born to dance; it had been an acquired trait. “Thanks,” she said simply, giving a modest chuckle. “You really think I’m getting better?”

            Jonghyun took a step closer to her, the proud smile on his face never faltering. “Of course you have,” he assured her. “You’ve been practicing for, what seven weeks straight?”

            Tugging at the shifted collar of her t-shirt, Min Neul huffed at the realization of just how long she had been doing this for. For almost two months straight she had woken up at four in the morning sharp and hurriedly prepared herself for the extensive day ahead. After hopping out of a brief, scalding shower, she’d dress herself in loose clothing and throw her wrinkled school uniform in a spare bag. She would down a quick but energizing breakfast before whisking out the front door, arms heavy with a load of schoolwork and a duffle bag swinging at her side. The morning March air sometimes still greeted her with goose bumps, but she never even had the time to shiver let alone bring a coat. Like the weather, she would warm up eventually anyway. The streets of Seoul were pretty lifeless at nearly four forty-five in the morning; they were all the better to travel on. Min Neul pounded in her tiny sneakers on the deserted pavement, hardly hearing the sound of songbirds singing a morning tune in the calm air. A beat was blaring in her head, rhythmically propelling her forward to her destination. When the concrete building and distinct neon blue sign caught her sight, she only ran faster. Past the doors, through the deserted lobby, up the elevator, down the hallway. The entire journey was a blur to her, for the only thing that mattered was the pivotal second she burst through the practice room door of T.O.P Media’s headquarters. Behind it was always a pair of folded arms; the muscles they bragged gave off a tough impression. Yet, a sweet smile spread on a handsome face softened the intimidating professionalism. Every early morning, those strong arms that belonged to Jonghyun would open and greet Min Neul with a loving, welcoming hug, weakening her body into dropping the hefty bags hanging off her shoulders. After a quick good-morning embrace and soft kiss, it was all business.

            To everyone but Min Neul, Choi Jonghyun was Changjo, a professionally trained dancer with a smooth, angelically deep singing voice. The twenty-year-old boy was the youngest member of popular South Korean idol group Teen Top, which was composed of six equally talented boys. There was Bang Minsoo, dubbed C.A.P, the nonchalant, rapping leader with a soft personality hidden by a tough exterior. There was Lee Chanhee, known as Chunji, whose strikingly good looks were nearly as appealing as his powerful, melodious voice. Next in line was Lee Byunghun, otherwise known as L.Joe, the stunningly handsome but unfortunately short “American” boy who taught himself to rap. Right behind him was Ahn Daniel, nicknamed Niel, who was as fantastic a singer as he was tall and lanky. Then there was Yoo Changhyun, affectionately named Ricky, who brought energy and charming appeal with his sharp dance moves and innocent baby face. And last but not least was Changjo, the dancing maknae who looked nearly as mature as the leader did. Though just nineteen years of age, he towered above his fellow members and possibly boasted the most muscle. With just a turn of his slimmed face, flash of his white smile and flip of his black hair, Changjo could capture any girl’s heart. Perhaps that was why he had caught Min Neul’s eye and refused to let go of her attention. He had captivated her.

            Min Neul owed hers and Jonghyun’s surprising relationship to her older sister, Park Hyerin. Years ago, Hyerin had scored the opportunity to star on a variety show with C.A.P when Teen Top had just graced the Hallyu scene. By a of a luck, she was given a week straight to be C.A.P’s mock girlfriend. Unlike L.Joe and his fake girlfriend, Hyerin and C.A.P had gotten along famously. By the time the show had ended, the two were left with true feelings for each other and a longing to stay together; this time, for real. After secretly swapping phone numbers and endless conversations, Hyerin could hardly believe a rookie idol had fallen for her. Over two years later, their relationship was stronger than ever. And though they remained out of the public eye, the knowledge of their relationship still existed. It wasn’t unusual to find Minsoo at the Park residence during his slivers of free time, especially as the two grew older. As time wore on and their relationship progressed, it was impossible for younger sister Min Neul to not be exposed to the world her sister’s steady boyfriend was immersed in. It wasn’t until that February day Min Neul came face to face with maknae Changjo that she realized she believed in love at first sight.

            Since that fateful day over two years ago, Min Neul and Jonghyun had become inseparable. Jonghyun made time for Min Neul in his busy idol life, and she made time for him in her busy student life. Min Neul cherished Jonghyun more than anyone else in the entire world; even more than herself. He was her entire life, and she was his. Something magical happened when they collided; the stars had aligned perfectly and an explosive array of energy had burst like a firecracker. With every kiss, every touch, Min Neul was convinced she and Jonghyun were soul mates. There wasn’t a single soul who could tame her wild, outgoing spirit better than he could and there wasn’t anyone as supportive and caring about his lifestyle more than she was. Despite coming from two different worlds, they were equally as devoted to their fiery, passionate relationship.

            By nature, Jonghyun was a passionate person. But Min Neul wasn’t the only thing he was passionate about, for it was no secret that he lived and breathed dance. Jonghyun knew he had struck gold when he realized how patiently Min Neul would listen to him when he talked on and on about dancing and practice and life as an idol. After spending so much time with him, it was almost impossible for Min Neul to not give in to her growing interest in the art of dancing. She was already musically inclined as a talented clarinet player. Unable to fight the desire any longer, Min Neul began taking dance lessons at a local studio. She was surprised at how fluidly she could actually move her body and how much bliss dancing could bring her.

            Min Neul’s professional lessons had been short lived, because after displaying what she had learned to her trained dancer boyfriend, he was remarkably impressed. He saw something deep within Min Neul: potential. As he gazed at his girlfriend, he could only see a world of opportunity ahead of her that she could enter only with the proper training and devotion. And as Min Neul grew serious about dancing, Jonghyun took it upon himself to transform her from a girl who could dance to a dancer. Fast forward the clock, and after almost two months of intense, personalized lessons in the morning before school, after school, and sometimes even on the weekends, Min Neul had tapped into a fountain of talent she never knew she could ever posses and desired to achieve dreams she never thought she would.

             Min Neul was still blushing at Jonghyun’s flattering comment as she reached for the water bottle being held out to her. She snatched it right up and threw her head back, drowning herself in the refreshingly cold beverage. Her shirt slipped off her shoulder once more as she wiped the water from her heaving mouth with the back of her hand. “On a scale of one to ten, how much better have I gotten?”

            “Ten million!” Jonghyun replied, throwing his hands up for emphasis. When he watched his girlfriend set the water bottle on the floor and regain composure, he dove right back into coach mode. “But you could still be a little more fluid at this part right here.”

            As he demonstrated, Min Neul rolled her eyes. As sweet as Jonghyun was, he was a tough coach. Teen Top’s manager, Andy of the legendary band Shinhwa, had practically drilled into the boys’ skulls the importance of hard work and determination. He never hesitated to point out the boys’ flaws and force them to make corrections. Jonghyun both hated and respected Andy’s tough demeanor, but when he began coaching Min Neul he understood the method to Andy’s madness. Though he hated insulting his girlfriend’s abilities, he called her out when she made mistakes and would relentlessly badger her to work on moves until she got them right. And every time she did, he gave her all the praise and love in the world.

            Min Neul’s dark eyes keenly watched Jonghyun’s body. There was one spot in her performance of Miss A’s “Bad Girl Good Girl” that Jonghyun was never satisfied with no matter how hard she tried. He always insisted her hand movements could be sharped but more fluid. Her body could be tighter but more relaxed. He always found so many details to scrutinize that sometimes Min Neul felt like slouching to the ground in a mess of fatigue and frustration. However, when she did get it right, he showered her with positive reinforcement in the form of love. He would wrap his arms around her and kiss her, telling her what a hard worker she was and how talented she was. Oftentimes when she was notably discouraged, Jonghyun would drop the drill sergeant act and sit her down for a loving pep talk only a boyfriend could give.

            “I thought you said I was born to dance,” Min Neul whined.

            “You were,” Jonghyun replied tenderly. “But you’re not perfect just yet.”

            Min Neul sighed. Naturally, she had zero patience and Jonghyun had been trying to train some into her since day one. “When will I be perfect?”

            “It takes a lot of practice, baby,” Jonghyun said softly, stepping up to her and caressing her bare arm. “I’m not even perfect yet.”

            Min Neul tilted her chin up. “You are to me.”

            A warm, genuine smile spread across Jonghyun’s famously handsome face. “I’m talking about my dancing, silly.” He giggled before quickly pecking his girlfriend’s forehead. “But you know I think you’re perfect otherwise.”

            An innocent pink blush blossomed over Min Neul’s cheeks. She gazed at him with eyes sparkling of admiration. “Really?” she squeaked.

            "Really," Jonghyun admitted honestly, looping his arm around her waist. Smoothly, he leaned forward to swiftly kiss his girlfriend’s lips. She let herself melt against her boyfriend’s strong, dancer body until she heartbreakingly felt him pull away. “But your dancing is not perfect. Not yet. You need more practice.”

            With a scoff, Min Neul rolled her eyes. It was almost annoying how quickly Jonghyun could switch from sweet boyfriend mode to tough trainer mode. “Fine,” she groaned, stepping back away from Jonghyun to the center of the dance studio. “What should I practice next?”

            Jonghyun tapped his fingers against his lips, deep in thought. "F(x)’s ‘Nu ABO,’" he decided finally.

            Min Neul nodded enthusiastically at his command. "Nu ABO" was one of her favorite dances; she had just the right attitude and dance style to execute every move with expertise. As she dipped her head, waiting to hear her cue to begin, she smiled knowing fully well Jonghyun had picked this song for her to practice to boost her confidence in her dancing abilities.

            Min Neul let the music flood her veins and block her vision from all distractions. Music had a funny way of transporting her straight onto a vast stage lighten up in a dazzling array of lights in front of millions of eager fans, screaming their adoration for her. Luckily, her anticipation mounted to a peak just as the intro progressed to her cue. Min Neul seemed to explode with charisma as she popped her knee out and in in time with her delicate but fierce hand motions. She stepped to the left and popped her chest, rolling her arms over each other in front of her waving body. Every now and then, she’d give her neck a pop and flip her long, black hair. She was so absorbed in her impeccable moves that she didn’t even catch the glimmer in Jonghyun’s eyes as he watched her, astounded. He watched the swing of her hips, the shrug of her shoulders, and the pop of her chest with both pleasure and satisfaction. She gave a few jumps on her toes as she waved her pin-straight arms stretched out in front of her. After circling one of her her shoulders, she shot her imaginary crowd a fierce smirk and crossed her arms in front of her body with all the power in her body. For a girl of Min Neul’s curvy but slight stature, she sure had an exceptional amount of power in her movements.

            Jonghyun watched her dance with keen interest. He couldn’t suppress the smile that pride tugged onto his handsome face. Everything Min Neul learned, she had learned from him. It was like watching his very own diamond shine after polishing it for so long, and by now it was practically immaculate enough to be shown off to the world. He couldn’t take his eyes off his gem, especially when she lifted the corner of her shirt during the chorus and flashed him the slightest bit of her flat stomach. He was so enthralled that his typical calls of encouragement and reminders of movements had been muted.

            Once upon a time, Min Neul had been terribly nervous to dance in front of Jonghyun. Her eyes saw someone so skilled, so sure in his steps that any move he made could be rendered flawless. Dancing came so naturally to him that she had always envied his God-given talent. However, deep down inside she knew he had earned the title “Dance Boy” because of his perseverance and hard work. Rather than being shy about her skills in front of a master, she opened herself up to learn from him. In time, she figured, maybe some of his expertise would rub off on her.

                  When the song, and Min Neul’s performance, ended, the sound of Jonghyun's clapping slowly woke Min Neul up from her dream-like state. As her body softened back to its normal stance, she smiled and eyed Jonghyun while he walked towards her.

            "Now that," he said, stopping just inches away from her. "Was perfect." A he slipped his arm around Min Neul's waist, she wasn't sure if she was breathing so hard from the thrill of dancing, or the thrill of Jonghyun's touch. When his other arm wrapped around her back, she felt her breath escape her all together just in time for Jonghyun's lips to find on hers.

            It didn't take long for Jonghyun's wandering hand to find exactly what it was looking for, either. He discreetly slipped his hand from Min Neul's waist to the back of her neck. Not wanting to startle her, and wanting to keep her as relaxed as possible, he slowly dragged his hand down her collarbone. With closed eyes, he expected to feel the curve of Min Neul's to touch as he pleased. However, he was slightly thrown off to find there was nothing there but a flat patch of fabric.

            Min Neul giggled as she pulled away from Jonghyun. "Sports bra," she chuckled, pulling her orange shirt up slightly to reveal a triangle of the tight fabric that hugged her chest flat.

            "Damn," Jonghyun chuckled.

            Min Neul giggled. "Save it for later," she murmured, hovering just about Jonghyun's lips. To seal her promise, she sealed her lips and pressed them against Jonghyun's. 

            "Later?" Jonghyun asked, intrigued.

            "Later," Min Neul repeated. “After afternoon practice.”

            Jonghyun groaned. "That’s so long away," he pouted, aching for Min Neul’s love right that moment. "I don’t want to wait until you get back from school."

            Suddenly, a sharp inhale from Min Neul broke the sensual tension. When her eyes snapped open farther they flew to the clock on the wall. Dreadfully, 6:53 was staring her straight in the eyes.

            "!" Min Neul exclaimed. “I got to go!” Abruptly, she tore away from Jonghyun and shuffled straight to her duffle bag. Hastily, she pulled out her khaki skirt, knee-high socks, light blue button-up, and black buckle shoes. Right in the middle of the studio, Min Neul began to strip off her dance attire. She pulled her arms through the sleeves of her wrinkled blouse and buttoned it up as quickly as she possible could. Behind her, Jonghyun watched with split expressions. Deep down he worried about whether or not she would make it on time, but the smirk twisted on his lips as he watched Min Neul change told otherwise.

            When Min Neul was tucking her wrinkled blouse into her creased skirt, she slipped her sock-covered feet into her terribly ugly-looking buckled shoes. A navy blue vest hung from her shaking hand. “I’m going to be so late!” she cried, terror filling her wide eyes.

           Thinking quickly, Jonghyun shoveled her dance attire into her duffle bag and picked up her school bag just as she straightened up and pulled her vest over her blouse. "Here!" he urged, holding out her school bag. “Just leave your dance bag here. It’s too heavy to run with.”

            "Thank you!" Min Neul exhaled, hastily throwing her arms around Jonghyun’s neck and pulling him down for a hug.

            Before she came down from the tips of her toes, Jonghyun quickly kissed his girlfriend’s lips. "Have a good day at school!" he bid her.

            "Thanks!" Min Neul exclaimed, tearing away from him despite how badly she ached to stay.

            "Don’t forget, young pupil! Practice after school! Be here sharp!" Jonghyun cried jokingly.

            "Yes, master!" Min Neul playfully called, right before she slipped out of the practice room and left the door swinging closed on her teacher, her best friend, and her love.

            In the middle of the dance studio, Jonghyun stood motionless among bitter silence. His arms already felt cold without Min Neul’s warm embrace. The air was silent without the sound of her melodious laughter. The studio was dull without her proud smile. Sighing, Jonghyun’s dark eyes shifted towards the clock. At the slow inhale of a deep breath, a mental countdown appeared in his mind to count down the seconds until he could be with his girl once again.