When I came home that Friday I immediately messaged Shindong. I asked him to send me practise videos of all dance club actual routines. I had a huge ally in Donghae´s den and I decided to make a full use of it. Shindong can be sure that I would treat him to lunch a lot this year. I was full of ´fighting´. I would show them all how a real dancer works, what´s the real passion and hard work.

I got Shindong´s answer late at night. ´We don´t have some dances filmed so I had to make them myself for you. I´m cool, right? I´m proud of you my dongsaeng. Fighting! Genius Shindong´

Thanks, hyung. There were eleven routines, five actual and six older that Donghae is good at and may try to trick me with. I watched all the videos carefully, analysing every move. I needed to nail them down perfectly until Tuesday, the next dance club practise. Thanks to Shindong I got all the material. That hyung is really a prodigy, you know. His body is not really elegant but his technique is perfect and precise. That´s what I needed the most, great skills and a friend who would be on my side.

I suddenly remembered Sungmin. He hadn´t talked to me since the dance battle and would ignore me even though I sit right in front of him in class. I don’t really understand what´s his problem. I didn´t do anything to him but he still drifted away from me. After I pull this challenge off, I´ll go and talk to him. There must surely be some misunderstanding.

I was lucky, it was a weekend and my family decided to visit our grandparents. I begged them to let me stay at home and that I needed to work on a project. I was glad they didn´t ask me about the project, I hated lying to them and I didn´t want to tell them about the dance club. At least not yet, I might even not make it. They left Saturday morning and I had two whole days for myself. And for Choco, my puppy, who stayed with me at home.

I danced almost without a break. My muscles hurt like never before, my head was spinning and my whole body just screamed in pain. I thought I would die but there was no way I would give up. Donghae needed to be taught a lesson and I would gladly be his teacher.

I went to school on Monday pretending I wasn´t tired and my body wasn´t as sore as a concrete. Sungmin would be the only one to notice my condition, to see through my act, but he still didn´t talk to me so I wasn´t found out. I spend the afternoon and evening at Shindong´s. His family was already used to the blasting music of the dance prodigy and amateur DJ so I was free to finish my practise there. My friend assured me I was ready to rock it tomorrow. And even his girlfriend gave me the thumbs up. When I came home later, I fell asleep the moment I hit the bed. No more energy to worry about the next day.

"Okay, Hyukjae! Go and kick their asses, you crazy monkey!" Heenim screamed at me. It was Tuesday afternoon, the D day; we were walking up the stairs to the dance club practise room.

"Thanks, Hee hyung," I tried to look relaxed but my stomach was churning. If I fail now, I´ll just ridicule myself in front of everyone and make a huge pleasure to the school ginka.

Just when I was thinking of turning around, I found myself in front of the door. Fighting! And with that I opened them. The room went silent. No one expected me to come back again, especially Donghae looked bemused. I heard he was boasting how I chickened out of the club. Taemin, I finally got to know the name of the boy who bowed to me before, smiled brightly at me. I returned the smile, nice to see you too, kid. Shindong too smiled at me and even winked. This is it; you can do it, Hyukjae.

"You´re here again? Who do you think you are? Stop coming here, idiot," Donghae exploded.

"You said I could come, if I would dance. Lee Donghae doesn´t keep his word?" I challenged. Donghae just hissed and started the music.

I gulped. Here we go. A song started playing and everyone went to their position I daringly stood right next to the dance club president. If I´m doing this I might as well go all out. And I went; I danced like crazy, boldly copying Donghae´s moves, not making any mistakes. The song ended but Donghae immediately put on another routine. I knew this one too; Shindong gave me some tips on where I should be especially careful. It was third song and Donghae was in rage. By now no one else but the two of us was dancing. Everyone stood back and watched the duo dancing their heart out in an extreme battle. I didn´t stop ,though, and started innovating the moves. Sliding more elegantly, popping stronger and turning faster. I forgot all about Donghae and everyone; I was in my sacred world again. My eyes were closed, my body moved to the sound that kept changing.

And then silence, I stopped. When I opened my eyes, I realised I was standing alone in the middle of the room. Donghae was next to the player breathing heavily. There was no next song. We were staring at each other. My breathing was painful, everything hurt, my head was spinning, I was dizzy and my ears were ringing. Sweat was running down my body already finished soaking my clothes and hair. I felt an incredible pain but great satisfaction.

"C-Can," pant, "I join," pant, pant, "t-the dance club?" I breathed out. There wasn´t anything else on my mind right now. I was hurting extremely, even tears started streaming down my eyes and my body was trembling. But I wanted to succeed, I wanted to be complimented. Not for the dance but for my hard work. I did my best and if it wasn´t enough then I have no right to fight again.

"Yeah, of course, Hyukjae," I heard Donghae say. It was the last thing I took notice of before I fainted. There was just this much my body could take and I wanted to sleep. Donghae.

A bit of drama here, I´ll try to make the next chapter lighter. :) Thanks for reading.