For our annual fundraiser of the dance crew, Mark decided to hold a showcase and donate the earnings to a charity that taught underprivileged children to dance and express themselves. The charity mainly worked to keep children in inner city neighborhoods off the streets and invest their free time into a self-expressive hobby rather than deviant behavior and crime. We’ve been donating to them ever since our establishment and the sums had only been increasing throughout the years.

           Mark assigned us to various groups and gave us all at least one number to perform at the showcase in addition to the last performance by the entire crew. Yuri and I choreographed a routine to 2NE1’s “Baby I Miss You,” which we were to perform with three other female crew members. We basically concluded the practice for that, and we were now working on our own duets with our respective partners.

           Since Sehun and I were most compatible, Mark decided to assign us to perform a dance together. After days of deliberation and negotiations, we compromised to John Legend’s “All of Me.” Although it was a song declaring the singer’s passionate love for his fiancé, it almost suited to describe my unlabeled relationship with Sehun.

           Nonetheless, it was perfect for a slow couple routine. We brainstormed a few ideas, allowing us to effortlessly choreograph a lyrical hip-hop dance without incident.

           During our first individual practice, Sehun and I stayed at the studio for an additional hour after the other crew members’ departures. We decided not to memorize or take notes of our choreography, but decided to dance freely to the music and record ourselves to document our steps. We expected neither complete disaster nor awe success, but we were pleasantly surprised. During parts that we wanted our steps to match, they seemed to faultlessly fall into sync with each other’s. During parts that our steps failed to match, they effectively transformed into ones that complemented each other.

           Step after step, turn after turn, embrace after embrace – they were simply flawless. Our individual parts were perfectly harmonious, allowing us to seem as though a couple that was the epitome of the meaning behind the song.

           We maybe did not love each other as described in the song, but we were individuals who were willing to risk everything we had for each other. It was an unspoken promise. We never gave our all to each other, but we still loved every imperfection of each other. Sehun and I were always there for each other. However, once again, we still bore the title of “Just friends.”

           Perhaps we were more than that.

           We were best friends. Nothing more. Honestly, I knew not of what Sehun thought, but I was mostly definite that he sought nothing more than a partnership and friendship from me. And certainly, I sought no form of romantic relation from him.

           Certainly not, right?

           After matching steps during the last chorus, I ran towards Sehun’s direction and landed within his arms. He released me after spinning me once, and we moved in sync for brief seconds before falling back into a couple dance.

           We concluded the performance with a loose yet amorously longing embrace. My right hand was cradling the side of his sweaty face as he panted sharp breath while my other was wound around his neck, pulling him close to me.

           His left arm rested on my waist while his right mirrored my own, only on my face. Sehun’s forehead rested against mine, and I didn’t mind at all.

           Our position felt peculiarly right, impeccably exquisite. Our partnership and harmony brought back pleasant memories as well as ones that brought sharp piercings back to my chest. It was an irreplaceable feeling of bliss, but fear ensued, as well.

           I could no longer deny that I felt some indescribable emotions of attraction towards the male, but the apprehension within me remained. Everything seemed much too familiar, as though a sense of déjà vu. The similarities between the two, the repetitions of the parallel scenes.

           It absolutely did not help my case that the one who separated the two of us during our next dress rehearsal was my most feared yet beloved antagonist.