The next day was Kai’s turn to battle against being branded amateur status as he did his best to adapt to Aya’s domain. Is this how she feels whenever I try to teach her hip hop? Aya could follow the beats well, but had trouble connecting the singular movements into one fluid motion through her body. He remembered a time when she asked him to teach her a technique he was working on. After a handful of attempts that she clearly struggled with, Kai joked that she looked like she wasn’t dancing, but experiencing body spasms.

On this particular session, Kai concluded that Aya’s comfort with running was its own skill that he respected. They’d run together plenty of times before, but he still couldn’t wrap his head around how she could do three miles like it was nothing - then run even more if she was bored.

“How.” Pant. “Are.” Pant. “You able to do this so easily?” Kai finished, celebrating his success in completing the last of his question before having to take a swig of oxygen. Aya giggled. She’s giggling, he noted with astonishment. She’s capable of giggling at the pace we’re at, while I’m here trying keep my lungs from collapsing?

“You should be proud of yourself, for keeping up,” she complimented, taking steady breaths between handfuls of words. “Let’s do one more lap. Then we’ll walk three laps - to calm our heart rate. I’ll explain during that.” Kai merely grunted in response and Aya giggled once more.

Aside from being an experienced runner, Aya noticed that breathing was easier to do these days with Kai around. His company was cleansing and reassuring. She became increasingly aware that their bond surpassed the feeble connections Ryan and Davis struggled to create with her. Aya also came to steadily accept that it was okay to trust her heart to someone else, specifically Kai.

Her first boyfriend was special in countless ways. She was enchanted by their compatibility in values, morals, humor, and those random mannerisms she couldn’t quite explain to others, but were crystal clear to him because they shared such characteristics. Aya adored him. She loved him with every ounce of effort and emotion she could devote. Then he said he couldn’t do it anymore, that the strain of their situation was becoming too much and distracted him from properly loving her back. Aya understood, sure; their relationship was primarily long distance. What she couldn’t get over was the unfairness of everything – the unfairness that caused three years of their togetherness to dissipate.

She was dismal, forlorn. Despondency engulfed her. Then she was confused. Then the confusion turned into anger, laced with bitterness. Eventually, she felt disorientated and drifted soullessly through emotions. No other guy could hold her attention, not because she flippantly refused them all, but because she was searching for that soul-connected relationship, if that’s what they had shared, she knew was attainable.

Aya didn’t know what she had with Kai at the moment. She didn’t even know what she could have with him. All she knew was that her feelings for him were beyond a flickering fire and they had all possibility to ignite into a bigger flame. Finally, she was starting to decide that not knowing enough at the moment, was enough. Besides, how could she “live on the edge” if she didn’t take chances?

“I found my rhythm of running,” Aya began as they finished their first cool-down lap. “Which is easily something you could do, dancer. I mean it!” she pressed when Kai gave her a look of disbelief. “Your dancing is structured, but has a compilation of movements executed in various rhythms. Running just needs one rhythm.”

“You run so hard though, regardless of keeping rhythm. Your lungs are insane,” Kai whined.

Aya shook her head as they curved a corner of the track. “Along with practice, running gets easier when you learn to breathe properly. There’s this concept of a 2-2 breathing system.”

“TELL ME,” Kai urged with a pleading roar to his voice. “Tell me please, please, please.” He was willing to learn if it could make Aya like him more.

“Okay, okay,” Aya agreed in between bellows of laughter. “Say your first step is with your right foot. Breathe in on that first step. Then when you return to that foot for a step, breathe out. Maintain that pattern. This way your lungs develop a rhythm and aren’t haphazardly gasping for oxygen.”

“Oh,” Kai said in contemplation. “That makes so much sense. Why didn’t I ever ask you about this before?”
 

“I actually don’t know,” she admitted. “Like I said, you’ve held your own quite well whenever you do sessions like this with me. Your breathing rhythm is nonexistent, but your dancer endurance keeps you alive.”

Kai was appalled. “You knew this technique and had me struggle in ignorance every single time we’d run together?!”

“You just admitted that you didn’t even know yourself why you never asked me! And you’re already pretty cool enough for keeping up with me!”

“Is this revenge for whenever I make fun of your ‘dance seizures?’” he shot back.

Aya didn’t hesitate to defend herself, “No! I mean, yeah it’s irritating whenever you make fun of me but-”

“Wait,” Kai interrupted. They’d reached the end of their cool-down laps and were the only ones on the track. The crowds continued to dwindle, especially with only three days left before Christmas. Kai was thankful for their privacy as a smirk tugged on his lips. “You think I’m cool?”

“Huh?”

“Just now, you said I’m cool for being able to keep up with you.”

“Well, yeah,” she confirmed. Then she realized her mistake in fueling the fire to his ego.

An irrepressible grin exploded onto Kai’s face. “Last week you said I’m hot, and now you also think I’m cool?” he teased with exaggerated intonation. “I defy the impossibility of being two opposing qualities. I’m amazing!” Kai concluded with pride, pumping his fist into the air.

“Get over yourself,” Aya scolded. “You look like such a child.” They were standing face to face now – Aya with her arms crossed over her chest as Kai taunted her with his teasing.

“How am I supposed to get over such compliments?” he retorted with a slight pout. “You NEVER just hand those out.”

“I compliment you ‘cause I like you!” she defended, shamelessly baring her feelings for him. Aya lunged forward and lightly pushed him back when her palms made contact with his chest. “How many times do I have to tell you?” she questioned in frustration.

Kai was having the time of his life. “Did you just yell out your confession to me?”

“YES!” she exclaimed, having enough of his teasing. Aya abruptly maneuvered around Kai’s side and attempted to shove him with one hand as she passed.

“Are you blushing? You’re blushing, you’re blushing!” He was unfazed by her attack and called out the obvious rosiness spreading across her face, pointing like a little kid. The Kai who was struggling to breathe alongside Aya turned into the Kai who struggled to keep his happiness under control. “Come back here, I wanna see your face.”

“Leave me alone,” Aya pouted, her back still facing Kai. She knew they were both being childish, but couldn’t help reacting the way she did.

Kai forced his laughter to subside and made his way to her. “Aya,” he mirrored her whining, trailing behind her as she walked. “You’re doubly cute when you’re shy and embarrassed.”

The perfect rebuttal came to Aya’s mind as she turned around, but before she could open to verbalize it, she was met with Kai’s body colliding into her. His legs were too long. It took him half the time to reach the distance Aya put between them and so they crashed when Kai’s excitement to catch up to her surged him forward. Aya awaited the thud when they would make contact with the ground, but it never came.

It never came because they didn’t fall. Kai’s dancing nature wouldn’t allow for such clumsiness.

He nimbly cradled Aya’s body as her arms encircled his torso in reflex to the anticipated fall. Kai guided the force of gravity into a rotation, steering it off its natural downward course. It was genius – what should have been a disaster turned into an elegant twirl from a waltz performance.

Seconds after their standstill finish, Aya registered the chain of events and buried her face into Kai’s shoulder. She even growled in annoyance. “Why do you do this to me?” she whined in playful complaint.

It was Kai’s turn to blush in response to her unannounced action. He understood what she said, but her words were muffled as was basically speaking to his shoulder. The vibrations rumbled through to the skin beneath his shirt and spread out to his nerves like wildfire. “Do what?” he asked.

“You just, you, you-” she struggled for words as Kai struggled for composure. To his relief, Aya lifted her head when she continued to speak to him. “I get all flustered and happy whenever little moments like this happen. Between us. My heart’s all fluttery.”

"Is that a good thing?” Kai was getting lost in her eyes as she pondered her answer. In the meantime, he reveled in the way her arms hung snug, but comfortably loose around him. Aya’s hands clutched his shirt, as if they were still in danger of falling. Kai didn’t care – he could feel the pads of her fingertips gently pressing against him. He wanted to hold her forever.

“Yes,” Aya replied. Wait, did she say yes to me holding her forever? Kai shook his head to shake off his wandering thoughts. “Yes, it’s a good thing,” she repeated, almost as if she could hear his mental confusion. Aya took a deep breath for a confidence boost before continuing, “That save just now was really cool.”

“Yeah?” Kai smiled. “Well, I told you before, right? I’d rather keep you balanced so that you don’t fall.”

The announcement speakers crackled, thoroughly surprising the two. This was weird. It’s not evening hours yet – why is Chanyeol here? “Aya,” whined the suspect. “Does Jeannette like truffles? I was thinking of getting her a box of chocolates for Christmas. Or should I get her flowers? She told me she’s heading home for winter break before you are. This is driving me crazy!” he grumbled. “Can you drop by the front desk anytime today? I’m covering the morning shift and still have my evening shift later.”

Once the message ended, Aya looked up to find Kai’s hand over his eyes. “Did he just have a conversation with you? Through the speakers that announce to the entire facility?”

“Please drop by!” urged Chanyeol through the speakers once more. “I know where to go for either the chocolate or the flowers, but I only have a four-hour break period in between the two shifts. Aya, I know you can hear me!”

“Yes, she can hear you! We can ALL hear you!” yelled Kai to the ceiling, running a hand through his hair. Then he turned to Aya. “I don’t get him. It’s Christmas, not Valentine’s Day. What’s with the gift choices?”

Aya giggled before responding, “He’s not too far off. Jeannette loves both those things any day of the year. Just like me, actually.”

“Yeah, okay, whatever, but why does he get to talk to you through the speakers? Being all grand in public and everything. Why can’t he just call you?”

“Well, fine,” she teased. “I guess you’re okay with me asking for his number.”

“NO!” Kai roared in panic. “Just, just go ahead and help him figure out what to get your sister for Christmas.”

“Okay,” Aya smiled in victory, patting his shoulder. “I’ll go on my way out the gym. By the way-” Aya scrunched up fistfuls of Kai’s shirt, “You’re gonna need a spritz of Velvet Sugar. Or a sprint to the showers.”

Kai was mortified. “Do I smell that bad?!”

“No,” Aya laughed. “It’s actually kind of manly. But I don’t need every other female to have even more reason to swoon over you.” To drive her point home, she added, “I can get jealous too.” Aya slid free from their loose embrace to pick up her stuff to head over to the showers.

“I’m not jealous,” Kai pouted, following her.

“Mmhmm,” she hummed in amusement. “It’s okay, I’m sure your voice would sound amazing through the announcement speakers.”

A smile won its way over Kai’s face, replacing the sour frown that gave away his tinge of jealousy. “I have an idea,” he stated. Aya raised an eyebrow in response as she took a drink from her water bottle. “If you really want to make me feel better from this jealousy suspicion, you’ll do me a favor.”

Aya took one last gulp of water and answered him. “Sure. Shoot.”

“Really?” he prodded.

“Yes, how difficult could the favor be?”

Kai grinned. “Not difficult at all. I’ll text it to you after I shower.”

Since Kai said he’d text her, Aya immediately went to the front desk after her shower. She was in the middle of helping Chanyeol with his dilemma when her phone vibrated. Before checking the text, Aya laughed and told Chanyeol, “Kai would be thrilled to know that for once, he’s not the one being interrupted.”

“Ooh, so what have I been disrupting these past times I called you two out through the gym speakers?” he joked.

Aya rolled her eyes at her senior and proceeded to check the text message.

From: Kai

December 22, 2013

10:27am

Showered. Fresh and clean. Happy? Anyway, I’m not sure when my parents are going to finally demand that I come home for break. I just know that we’re both still free for tonight, so would you do me the favor of coming back later to my favorite dance studio? We should have a little holiday celebration of our own, like a Christmas waltz. And let’s dress up. Twirling you would be even more magical. 7pm. Save the last dance for me?

Kai already had the dance studio page for reservations open on his phone’s web browser as he waited for Aya to text him back. His ringtone sounded and he touched the envelope icon to open her text. Kai’s cheeks felt noticeably warmer as soon as he read her response.

From: Aya~

December 22, 2013

10:29am

Should I wear that red dress you keep imagining on me?

How are y'all liking this story so far? You're all so quiet xD
I meant to end this story now-ish/soon (cause I wanted to finish after "The Third Step" since waltzing is typically a 3-beat dance), but I have other ideas for these two's future.
And check out my "5 4 3 To Kiss" story if you love Taecyeon (: