Lu Han felt better after having enough hours of sleep, although he still can’t figure out why he felt so weak and tired yesterday. They haven’t even started practicing, just had a little discussion until Kai departed and walked out of the auditorium. He also remembered that the “bratty” Sehun had treated him a bubble tea, which was so out of his description according to Baekhyun and Kyungsoo, and discussed further the legend that they’re going to adapt in their performance. It was all bizarre for the blind student to handle.

“You’re finally awake!” an ever cheerful Baekhyun greeted him.

Lu Han nodded and shared a laugh with Baekhyun, their early morning routine, before they got ready for school.

“How’s your practice going? Not that I’m spying or what…I’m just a bit curious.” Baekhyun reassured as the two of them walked down the hallways of the main school building.

Lu Han wrinkled his eyebrows, “We haven’t actually had any practice yet. Kai left me with Sehun, but don’t worry, he’s really nice to me. He even treated me bubble tea!”

Baekhyun was in utter schock, “Jongin left you?! With that brat?! But why?!”

“But I tell you, he’s really nice, though he can’t control his words sometimes.” Lu Han patted his friend’s back.

Baekhyun’s face was gloomy, “A brat will always be a brat.”

Lu Han just laughed, for he now knows that Sehun is just misunderstood by many.

“But what about your concept? My group’s finding it really hard to choose a good theme for the performance.” Baekhyun asked, changing the topic.

Lu Han smiled as he was about to go back to the topic that his friend hates talking about. “Sehun was the one in charge of our concept, and he already had one. Kai will be responsible for the choreo, and I for the music.”

“Even though I really hate him, that Sehun really has a talent for thinking extravagant dance concepts, even better than Jongin.” Baekhyun said.

Lu Han smiled, knowing that Baekhyun really don’t hate Sehun to the guts. As the bell rang, Baekhyun assisted Lu Han to his class.

The halls of Chunnyeon Arts Academy are usually empty during lunch break for the students and professors find their way to the different food stalls and the ever-accommodating large cafeteria of the school.

Baekhyun and Lu Han just finished their respective academic classes and went straight ahead to the school cafeteria.

The moment that Baekhyun opened the glass doors, Lu Han holding onto him by the shoulders, a very deep yet cheerful voice loomed the whole area.

“Baekbaby!” Chanyeol shouted, his long arms flailing through the air, catching Baekhyun’s attention, and the other students’ as well.

Baekhyun flashed his usual smile and walked towards the table where Chanyeol, and the whole EXO were seated. As usual, he assisted Lu Han to his seat.

Lu Han greeted everyone, trying to channel the typical jollity of Baekhyun and Chanyeol whenever they meet. But he was just met by an unusual atmosphere that is in contrary of how diverse the personalities of EXO members are when he first met them. Silence met Lu Han, ironically mixing with the everyday noise of the cafeteria. It seems like EXO were in some kind of a misunderstanding, if Lu Han’s instinct tells him right. But it still amazes the blind student that even if they have an issue going on, whatever that may be, they still meet and eat lunch together like how professional dancers usually are.

“Is there something going on?” Lu Han whispered to Baekhyun, as softly and inaudible as he can muster.

Baekhyun just shook his head, and said an abrupt, “There’s nothing wrong.”

Lu Han can tell from his friend’s voice that it was all a lie. Something is going on. He wants to stay away from the odd feeling neighbouring the table where EXO seats, but he doesn’t want to look rude. In fact, he doesn’t know anyone inside the cafeteria besides Baekhyun and his dancer friends, so there’s no point in leaving.

The silence was clogged when Tao spoke, “What should we do now? About the special performance in the first showcase, I mean.” Yet, it was still clear that there are ten walls separating one from the other, which seem to bury Lu Han in a labyrinth of unspoken subjects and unrevealed matters.

There was a pause for a minute before Kyungsoo spoke, “I think we should just perform what we did last year.”

“But we have a month to go before the first showcase.” Chanyeol insisted, sounding bored.

Baekhyun whined, “We shouldn’t spare our time! Jongin and I will be performing for the preliminaries, so it will lessen our time for practice.”

“I heard Lu Han’s in Jongin’s team. That will be surely hard!” Chen joked, which earned defensive groans from both Baekhyun and Kyungsoo.

Lu Han, on the other hand, just smiled at their nurtures. He knows for sure that Chen is a troll and it’s in his nature to crack jokes, but somehow he also knows that he is right. It will be hard for them….for Sehun and Kai, since he’s in their team.

“I know Lu Han will do well.” Lay patted him at the back, and Lu Han smiled upon hearing that.

“Guys, really? Are we talking about Lu Han here or our performance?” an annoyed Xiumin stated, pulling his fork from his mouth.

Suho looked at Xiumin, his caring eyes staring at his mouth, “Don’t talk when your mouth is full, Baozi! Watch your manners.”

Lu Han noticed that after a few moments, the brightness of EXO turned into life, leaving the silent mood behind. He felt the vividness from all of the commotion and conversation, which seems to bring life to the table where they seated and to the whole cafeteria as well. But in spite of the loudness and clarity of the other voices, Lu Han’s now familiar ears seem to look for two voices which he failed to hear ever since he sat in this circle of performers.

Crack!

The boisterousness of every EXO member was halted as they turned their heads to look into only one direction: Kris’ hands, which just shattered the plastic fork that he’s holding with the pulsating muscles and veins of his influence.

Kris finally stood up, who himself also looked at the pieces of the fork that he just smashed with his fist.

“Just inform me about the minimal changes in our performance, if there’s any…” his usual sarcastic tone replaced by a cold, calm one said.

Kris’ retreat from their table seemed to hush everyone’s mouths and remind everybody seated at the table, excluding the blind student without any idea, about the unhinged dispute that they just had a few nights ago. Everybody finished their lunch with just glances passed, without any uttered word. All of their thoughts were muzzled, except for one: Jongin, who wears a smirk on his face.

After they had their lunch, which was full of questions left unanswered for Lu Han, Baekhyun and Kai assisted him to their ballet dance class.

“Since I am feeling generous today, I’ll just let you have your time. I won’t discuss anything, for you all already have backgrounds in ballet,” Lee Sunghwan buckled as his eyes stopped scanning the faces in the room when he spotted the blind student, “well, except for Lu Han here. I’ll let you have the whole hour for your group’s meeting or practice. I’ll be open for suggestions and recommendations…”

By that, the whole class started changing into their comfortable ballet and dance outfits in the adjacent changing room.

“Can you change by yourself?” Baekhyun worried for Lu Han.

Lu Han just smiled, “I can handle it. But I think I don’t have any comfortable clothes inside my duffel bag. I’m not a dancer, and I was not informed that we’ll be changing today.”

Baekhyun muttered an oh, digging through his own bag for extra clothes, but found none.

“I don’t have an extra one. How’s that?” Baekhyun asked, “I’ll just run to our dorm. Wait for me here. I’ll get you one.”

Just as Baekhyun prepared to leave the changing room, Kai went out of a cubicle wearing his dance clothes already.

“No need, Baek. Just borrow my shirt, Lu Han.” He said as he handled a shirt to the blind student.

Lu Han hesitated to take it from Kai’s hands, surprised of the sudden sound of his voice which he hadn’t heard ever since their lunch break. He thought that he and Baekhyun were the only ones left inside the men’s changing room.

Kai smiled, and placed the folded shirt on Lu Han’s lap.

“It’s all clean. If that’s what you’re worried about…” Kai reassured.

“But he still needs pants. The school pants aren’t allowed by Lee seonsaengnim.” Baekhyun informed, ready once again to run to their dorm room to help Lu Han with his needs.

Kai, scratching the back of his head, said shyly, “I should’ve brought extra pants.”

The three of them were surprised as another cubicle opened, and came out a Sehun holding a pair of jumpsuit pants. “Don’t worry, Kai. I’ll let Lu Han wear mine.”

“Okay! All set!” Baekhyun merrily grabbed the pants from Sehun’s hands and assisted Lu Han inside a cubicle, and waited for him outside.

Lu Han was far from a disabled person, for the clothes he wears now are literally that of the two best dancers of Chunnyeon Arts Academy. Although the jumpsuit pants that Sehun let him wear fits his legs and waist perfectly as if it’s suited for him, Kai’s oversized shirt seem to emphasize Lu Han’s petite and small frame, even baring an inch of one of his milky white shoulders.

Nevertheless, he can’t help but to feel grateful, saying “Thanks, Kai and Sehun!”

The groups are now assembled inside the dance practice room, which was large enough to accommodate them all, the floor spacious enough for maximum ballet moves without bothering other dancers. Lee Sunghwan was just by the front door of the room, holding his clipboard and black pen, assessing his students’ performances so far. He may look like bored and uninterested in his own class, but his eyes are like those of the ravens, hungry for talent like how he’s voracious for a prey.

Kai, Sehun and Lu Han stayed at the left corner of the room, the most isolated part of the room. Sehun, the usually competitive one, insisted that they do so, in order for them to have a little privacy from the other groups in the room. He made a right decision, for they were the only group in that area of the practice room.

Sehun had his notebook and the thick book from the library, “I’m almost done with the whole concept, just doing finishing touches.”

“Are we still doing the Hunt?” Lu Han asked, and he’s not sure if he really heard a gulp from Kai.

“Yes. It will be great, trust me.” Sehun smiled.

Kai hesitated before asking, “Shouldn’t we just change our concept? I’m really not….comfortable…with this one.”

“I’m the one assigned for the concept. And in fact, I’m almost done. I don’t want to put my efforts to waste!” Sehun snickered at his rival-before-now-team mate.

Kai just decided to keep his mouth shut, for he knows that Sehun’s the best when it comes to dance concepts, although he won’t admit it publicly. That would mean eating his pride up, which is not a good thing for him.

Sehun then proceeded to orientate his group mates about their roles in their pas de deux. Upon hearing that Kai will play the wolf, he just smirked, thinking, This will be easy…

Their group decided that Sehun will just sit on the floor and continue with finishing the concept, while Kai will now teach Lu Han some basic ballet moves and techniques. Kai assisted the blind student towards the barre attached in front of the mirrored wall.

Kai started, keeping his voice in moderation, as if what a teacher would usually use with his students. “Let’s start with the basics: Aplomb.”

“What’s that?” A curious Lu Han asked, it was again, his first time to hear such a word.

Kai smiled at his interest, “Aplomb means balance. Stability of position, which is the first thing that a ballet dancer should possess.”

Lu Han muttered an oh, but was cut off by Kai’s suggestion, “I think we should do warm ups first.”

Lu Han nodded, and followed Kai’s instructions. They did the usual warm ups, starting from head and shoulder rotations, arm and leg stretching, etc.

They then proceeded to exercising the waist, back and the lumbar area, Kai instructing Lu Han to reach his feet while in standing position. He was surprised that Lu Han was flexible, barely being able to touch the floor with his hands in that hard-to-execute warm up position.

Due to the bagginess of Kai’s shirt on Lu Han’s body, it hung loosely from his frame when he did that stretching position. Kai accidentally noticed this, even glanced at Lu Han’s bare chest through the shirt.

Without noticing it, his cheeks felt hot. I didn’t do it on purpose!

Clearing his head from any thoughts, Kai awkwardly said, “I think we’re…done!”, which surprised the blind student.

“That’s it?” Lu Han questioned, now standing and panting faintly, thinking that they haven’t done anything strenuous in the warm up yet.

Kai’s eyes skimmed at Lu Han’s left shoulder, which was showing through the large shirt he’s wearing. He shook his head, as he also regretted letting Lu Han wear his shirt. He should’ve let Baekhyun run to their dorm room, or preferably he himself run to the dorm room instead to get Lu Han’s shirt. He feels like being punished by his own shirt.

Lu Han was startled when he felt Kai’s hands pull up the sleeves of his shirt up. Kai then proceeded pulling the hem of his shirt to his back.

“What are you doing?” Lu Han alarmingly asked.

He can feel Kai’s breath on his nape as he answered, “I’m tying your shirt so it won’t look big. You seem to have a hard time moving. My shirt’s too large on you.”

“Still, thank you. For letting me wear your shirt…” Lu Han shyly said, as Kai was finished tying the hem of Lu Han’s shirt to his back. Now it won’t distract him…

Kai continued teaching Lu Han the concept of Aplomb and balance. He held Lu Han’s wrist and guided him towards the barre.

“This thing here attached to the wall is called the barre. It’s a good thing for learning Aplomb, and other ballet exercises as well…” Kai’s voice seem to sooth Lu Han, flushing away the anxiety that has been always hanging inside his chest whenever he enters this unknown world of dance.

The metal barre gave Lu Han a cold icy feeling as he tads his hands through it, reminding him of the eerie numbness that his dream gives, that one where he walks through a snowstorm, being chased by a monster. Paradoxically, Kai’s heat is transferring to Lu Han’s as his touch lingers to his wrist, as if guiding him through the forest in his nightmare. Lu Han was contented to have someone beside him. In that way, the wolf won’t chase him anymore.

“…this will help you a lot of times, for you’ll spend with this barre for almost half of the whole time that we’re practicing.” Kai continued.

Lu Han nodded, his brain taking in new pieces of information.

Kai then assisted Lu Han’s hands to grip the bar, his callused one in contrast to the velvety smoothness of the other’s. “Let’s try the barre now. I’m going to lift your right leg. Just let me know if you can’t reach anymore, okay?”

Lu Han nodded again, feeling Kai’s hands now on his right leg, doing what he just said. He slowly but surely lifted the blind student’s leg, checking his face from any trace of discomfort.

Lu Han felt an abrupt strain from the sudden movement, but it easily went off as his leg finally reached the bar. Lu Han smiled, liking the feeling of the barre. Sehun noticed this, and smiled through his notes as well.

“I did it…” Lu Han softly said.

Kai stood from afar, looking at his student’s position, checking if he’s placed on the barre just right. He’s satisfied that Lu Han made it: his first Aplomb.

He noticed that Lu Han’s knuckles are turning white upon closer look. “You’re doing just right, but don’t grip on the barre too tight. Hold onto it gently and still maintain your own weight. Relax…”

Lu Han felt Kai’s hands at the small of his back, supporting him as he relaxed.

“That’s right. Don’t tense up too much.” Kai said.

Lu Han worried, “But I might fall…”

“I won’t let you fall.”