Suho had never felt the need to consider how to successfully commit murder before, but as he stared down a room of girls in tight yoga pants and short athletic shorts, the idea was more than tempting.

“Oh come on Hyung, it won’t be that bad,” consoled Sehun.

Suho groaned, “Why am I even here again?” he asked.

“Because you have an odd sense of honor and are willing to keep all the promises you make, no matter how drunk you are when you make them,” Sehun provided helpfully.

“I usually count on my friends to not hold me liable for my more ridiculous promises, Sehun.”

Sehun shrugged and held up a single piece of paper. “It’s not my fault I was smart enough to get it in writing. I probably would have forgotten otherwise.”

And there it was. The single incriminating piece of evidence that proved that drunk Suho was clearly an idiot. Why else would he have signed a sheet a paper that so happily stated “I agree to go with Sehun to a Zumba class every Thursday night for fall semester.”

It was ridiculous, but the somewhat sloppily scrawled signature on the page was undeniably his. No forgery to be found there, unfortunately.

He had still tried to get out of it though. First, he had tried to argue that neither were sober enough to have constructed a binding deal, but Sehun was smart enough to know that Suho had honored other drunken promises before. Sure, those were usually along the lines of “I’ll buy you coffee for a week” or “I’ll help you write that paper,” but those complaints fell on deaf ears, and once everyone else found out about the contract, there was no way for him to back out of it. If he did, they’d never let him live it down.

Then, he’d tried to draft someone else to take his place. First, he’d gone to Baekhyun, surely he’d be willing to go, just to humor Sehun, but no dice. Baek apparently had choir practice on Thursday nights, and so did Kyungsoo and Chen for that matter so they were all swiftly crossed off the list.

That left only Chanyeol. Chanyeol who struggled to walk without knocking things over, and who was constantly running into doorframes. There was no way he would survive a Zumba class. Then again maybe he would, it was the rest of the class that would leave with bruises.

Therefore, with all potential substitutes eliminated, Suho was faced with the reality that he had to attend this class at least once.

‘Maybe it won’t be so bad,’ he thought hopefully from his spot in the back of room where he had set down his bag and water bottle. Who was he kidding? He had looked this up once he knew there was no way to get out of it, and it looked awful. All flailing limbs, squats, and frantic hip swaying. Clearly whoever came up with this wanted to kill him.

He’d tried to convince Sehun of that. A last ditch effort to escape. Surely, Sehun wouldn’t subject him to something that would result in his death? But Sehun had just laughed and said, “See you at six.” Jerk.

“Are you preparing for a funeral or something?” Sehun asked helpfully, interrupting Suho’s thoughts.

“Yes,” Suho replied, his nerves making him unusually snarky, “Your’s in fact.”

“Are you implying that killing me is less intimidating than a dance class?” Sehun responded.

“At this point in time? Yes. Seriously Sehun, why are we even here? Haven’t you noticed we are the only guys in here?”

Sehun shrugged. “I like dancing. It doesn’t matter if I’m not a girl.”

Suho bent down to retie the laces on his shoes. “But seriously why do I need to be here? It’s not like you need me here for moral support or something,” he said on his way down.

Sehun didn’t respond to that comment, and Suho looked up from the ground to find himself presented with a lightly blushing Sehun who was quick to look away with an embarrassed cough when he met Suho’s eyes.

“Seriously?” Suho asked, incredulous. “You didn’t want to go alone? But you’re always so…” Suho trailed off as he looked for a word to describe Sehun’s usual “I do what I want” attitude without being insulting. Thankfully, Sehun saved him from his word search.

“It’s more fun to dance with someone else,” he stated simply, and maybe, just maybe, Suho had detected the slightest bit of sincerity in that statement.

“Maybe,” Suho acquiesced, “but I still say I’m here just for your personal amusement.’

Sehun offered a wicked smile. “That too.”

Suho sighed and turned towards the front. “So when does this thing start again? Shouldn’t the instructor be here by now?”

“Instructors,” Sehun corrected, “and they should be here soon.”

And indeed they were, as a mere few moments later Sehun let out a small ah before declaring, “Look, here they are now.”

And as Suho turned towards the door, several things clicked into place with sudden clarity, and he shot Sehun a look that could only be described as withering. “You’re using me so that you can attend your crushes dance class?”

Sehun didn’t respond and instead turned towards the front to pay attention to the two young men who had begun to introduce themselves to the room.

Yes, YOUNG MEN. Currently at the front of the room stood one Kim Jongin AKA Kai and Zhang Yixing AKA Lay. Suho remembered their names from Sehun’s last dance performance last spring.

That and he would be able to pick Kai out from a line up anywhere after having spent one too many nights listening to Sehun bemoan the fact that his crush was currently dating a random girl and completely oblivious to the fact Sehun existed.

‘Had been dating.’ Suho corrected belatedly. How could he forget the smile on Sehun’s face a few weeks ago when he’d come by to celebrate Kai’s newly single status. That was what had started this whole mess in the first place, Baekhyun’s suggestion that they share some drinks to celebrate.

“I can’t believe you’re making me play wingman at a Zumba class,” Suho complained.

Sehun shrugged, again. “Pay attention, it’s starting,” Sehun replied, head never deviating from his focus on the two who had stepped up on the small raised platform at the front of the room.

Suho shook his head and turned towards the front. If he was going to face death, he might as well face it head on.

“Hey guys and welcome to Drop It. We’re you’re instructor’s for the semester Kai and Lay. As usual, we’ve got the songs…”

Suho tuned out the rest of the introduction as he turned towards Sehun to hiss, “What is it that I am about to drop? Wasn’t this supposed to be a Zumba class?”

Sehun opted not to respond, face focused on the front where Kai was finishing explaining the class setup as Lay worked to get the music ready.

When it became apparent that Sehun was not going to respond, Suho turned back towards the front with a groan. He was fairly certain that whatever ‘it’ he was about to drop wasn’t something he had any desire to move.

“…and remember to get water when you need it.” Kai finished with a smile. He turned back to Lay. “We ready?”

He gave a nod.

“Well then, let’s get started guys!”

Lay clicked on the first track and almost instantly Suho’s suspicions were confirmed when he heard the beat pulsing through the speakers. Oh yes, he was definitely about to be expected to drop things he had no interest in dropping. (First track – Booty Wurk by T-Pain)

Since it was the warm up track though, the first motions he found himself following were quite simple. Head down towards the floor, up to the ceiling, look left, look right. It was just enough that Suho was starting to think that maybe, maybe he could handle this when the chorus kicked in.

Suddenly, fifty people were turning left, bending forward at the waist and slapping the floor before jumping back three times. Suho found himself jumping along with them, just trying to get out of the way when the motion repeated in the opposite direction. Then they were standing wide on the floor, the song going on about left cheeks and right cheeks as they tapped their feet and swayed their hips in time with the beat before slapping the floor again and jumping straight back, and then lowering their hips down to the floor in a series of circles before jumping up into the air and repeating the motion.

Needless to say, by the time they returned to the verse and the blessed body warm up continued with popping the chest forward and back and left to right, Suho was already feeling mentally scarred, but he knew things could only get worse.

It wasn’t long before Suho learned that his legs were not made for this as he found himself repeating one too many sets of squats to Pitbull’s Bojangles remix, or that Beyonce’s Girls was going to forever be in his mind as a torture track because of all the damn jumping that the ever so kind choreographers at the front had saw fit to incorporate.

Speaking of those two, their encouraging words to dance like no one was looking and shake it like you were in front of your bathroom mirror were hardly encouraging. People were watching and Suho could promise you, he had never shook anything in front of his mirror before. Ever.

By the end of class, Suho was ready to bolt from the room and never return, but Sehun of course was dawdling, waiting for Kai, who came up to them a little sweaty and with a smile on his face.

“You came.” He said to Sehun.

Sehun responded with a huff. “I said I would, didn’t I?”

Kai shrugged. “Most guys won’t show up given the usual participants,” he glanced around the room.

Sehun laughed lightly. “I dragged a friend along so we could brave it together.”

“I noticed,” Kai responded turning towards Suho, “And you are?”

“Suho,” Suho responded extending his hand for Kai to shake.

“Nice to meet you. I hope you had fun.”

Suho laughed awkwardly. “I survived. I’m not much of a dancer.”

“Nonsense,” an approaching Lay declared, “Everybody’s a dancer. It just takes a little time to learn.”

Suho laughed bitterly. “I think I need more than little time.”

Lay laughed. “Well, we’ll be here the whole semester…”

“Suho.”

“Suho, so we have plenty of time.” Lay turned to Kai with a smile.

Suho opted not to respond. He knew that. The prospect was far from comforting.

Lay turned to Kai. “What are we doing for dinner?”

He shrugged. “I’d figured we’d just hit up the dining hall. Care to join us?” he asked turning back to Sehun and Suho.

“We’d love too.”

Suho was impressed that Sehun managed to answer so smoothly despite the presence of a foot currently crushing his toes.

“Great,” Kai said with a smile, “Let’s go.”

Frank Harris Dining Commons was conveniently located alongside Ramsey, the student gym, so it didn’t take long for the four to end up at a table together, munching on their various selections from the numerous buffets that were available.

Lay, Sehun, and Kai were happily discussing the class and possible new tracks to add to mix things up during the weeks to come. Suho was only half listening as he tried to figure out how to get out of going back next week when Lay turned towards him to ask, “What do you think?”

“Huh?” he asked with a jump.

“Do you think people would rather we add “Turn Down for What” or “Outta Your Mind”?”

“Um… what?”

Sehun laughed from across the table. “He’d need to hear them first Lay. I don’t think Suho keeps up with the music scene that closely.”

“Oh,” Lay said, slightly crestfallen for a second before smiling wide and saying, “Would you like to listen to them?”

Suho briefly considered saying no, but the hopeful expression on Lay’s face had him opening his mouth to answer yes despite himself.

“Great. Just give me a second.” Lay rummaged in his bag to find his iPhone, pulling it out and laying it on the table before diving back in to find a set of earbuds. He popped one into his own ear before offering the other to Suho with a smile. “Now let’s see.” He scrolled through the songs on his phone for a bit before music began to play through the tiny piece in Suho’s ear.

To his surprise, it was something he had heard before, although he didn’t know the name of it.   “I’ve heard this before,” he said turning to Lay.

Lay smiled. “Really? Well, what do you think? Would it work well for class?”

Suho considered it for a couple of seconds. It did seem to be in a similar vein as the other tracks from earlier. “Probably.”

Lay smiled wide, turning towards Kai and Sehun. “See, Suho agrees, we should add “Turn Down For What.”

Kai laughed. “Did you even play him the other song?”

“No, but that’s not important.”

“I don’t think that’s how this works, Lay.”

Suho found himself laughing at the ridiculousness. “I can listen to the other one to.” He offered.

Lay shook his head. “No, I can’t have you potentially weaken my argument.”

Suho just shook his head as Lay turned back to Kai to further debate the merits of potential future tracks for their set list.

---

Next Thursday found Suho in the same room with Sehun as they waited for Kai and Lay to arrive.

“I can’t believe I’m here again.” Suho groaned.

“Oh, c’mon, you have to admit it is a little fun.” Sehun said.

Suho shook his head. “How can trying to make my touch the floor be fun?”

Sehun laughed. “No one said you had to go that low.”

“You’re impossible.”

“Thanks.”

At this point, Kai and Lay had arrived and Suho found himself turning towards the front to listen to their daily announcements before they got things started. This time it was Lay making the delivery, and when he was done, he caught Suho’s eyes and smiled brightly. Suho tried to smile back.

To Suho’s surprise, things did go slightly better than the last time. At the very least, he was no longer having to scramble to catch up after completely missing a whole transition, and in some cases, his body seemed to be able to move at little more easily through the motions.

Still, by the end he was just as tired and sweaty as before when Kai and Lay came up to invite them out to dinner again.

Unlike the last time, they couldn’t manage to find an open table for the four of them. Instead, the only tables available were two seaters at opposite ends of the floor. They all exchanged uncertain glances for a few seconds while standing in front of one of them before Suho found himself suggesting, “Since Kai and Sehun haven’t seen each other much this week, why don’t you two go over there, and Lay and I will stay here.”

Sehun looked at him with wide eyes as Lay gave Suho a measured glance for second before smiling wide and saying. “Sounds like a plan to me.” He placed his tray on the table in front of them and made a shooing motion at Kai and Sehun. “Get a move on you two, I’m going to spend some time getting to know my new friend.” Lay turned to Suho with a smile.

Suho smiled back and sat down across from him, making a similar shooing motion to the still somewhat stunned pair standing next to the table. Then Kai laughed, turning to Sehun, “It looks like we’ve been voted off the island.”

Sehun joined in after a second of hesitation. “Yeah. Let’s go.” The two turned away from the table in unison and headed towards the open table across the floor.

Lay and Suho watched them go. Once they were out of earshot, Lay turned his heads towards Suho and said,” So you know too.”

“Huh?” Suho responded, a little confused.

Lay inclined his head towards the retreating pair. “You know that Sehun totally has a thing for Kai.”

Suho sputtered. “How?”

Lay laughed. “I pay attention to things. His eyes trail him way too often. Kai is bi by the way, so he might go for it. I don’t know. The guy has unusual taste.”

“That’s probably a good thing considering its Sehun.” Suho said with a laugh.

Lay laughed back. “Yeah probably.”

They fell silent after that and Suho found himself studying his plate, searching for another topic of conversation.

“So, I know why Sehun’s there, but really, how’d he mange to drag you along? Forgive me, but I’ve gathered that dance isn’t exactly your thing.”

“That bad, huh?” Suho said with a bitter laugh.

“Nah, I’ve seen way worse, believe me, but considering you look like we are cuing up music for you to walk the plank to…” Lay offered up a shrug.

Suho laughed again before explaining. “I signed a contract while drunk. Not my finest moment, I assure you.”

“A contract?”

Suho nodded. “Yup. Unfortunately for me, even drunk, Sehun is thorough.”

Lay laughed at that. “I’ll say. You could have just backed out you know.”

Suho shrugged. “I like to keep my promises.”

“Not a bad habit to have I suppose. Just don’t promise to murder anybody.”

“I’ll try to avoid that.”

---

While Suho would probably never be willing to admit it out loud, he was kind of, maybe, just the tiniest bit, looking forward to dance class when he woke up the next Thursday. His conversation with Lay had progressed well after he had promised to try to avoid committing murder, learning about his major (dance) and his career aspirations (dance teacher/choreographer, of course).

Suho’s less riveting discussion of his major (accounting) had somehow managed not to bore him to tears, and instead they had laughed together over the ridiculousness of the four hour exams the program had a penchant for administering.

So, maybe it was more accurate to say that Suho wasn’t really looking forward to dance class so much as to talking with Lay afterwards, but still, not dreading the end of the day on Thursday was a new experience. He even managed to walk into the room with a smile on his face and gave a little wave when Lay walked in, which didn’t go unnoticed by one highly observant Sehun.

“Since when were you two close?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Suho turned to him with a shrug. “Since last week when I played the good wingman and set you up on a private dinner date. How’d that go by the way?”

Sehun looked away with a blush. “Fine. It went fine.”

“Just fine?”

“We talked, okay? Nothing to write home about.”

“Sehun, you have to actually, I don’t know, try to get him to date you for things to happen, you know? Lay told me he is bi, so it’s not like you don’t have a chance.”

“He is?”

“You didn’t even know that?”

“I’d heard rumors, but nothing concrete.”

“Well, he is, but he has weird taste apparently. Not that that should be a problem considering it’s you.”

“Hey.”

Suho shrugged before turning to the front as the now familiar warm up music blasted out over the speakers.

By the time class was over, Suho had a plan. Sehun might kill him for it, but, since he was clearly failing at this whole getting Kai to date him thing, he figured a little push would do him some good.

As the two headed over to greet them after class, Suho hoped that Lay would be quick on the uptake. “You guys joining us again?” Kai asked they approached.

“Su—“

“Lay and I already have plans so you guys are on your own.” Suho cut in, preventing Sehun from agreeing for them both.

“You do?” asked a shocked Sehun.

“We do?” asked an equally confused Lay.

Suho nodded. “Yeah, didn’t we agree to go catch the movie at the student center tonight? Don’t tell me you forgot.” He held back from winking, hoping his suggestive tone would be enough.

It was. “Oh yeah,” Lay said, smiling. “I did mention I wanted to see that. Looks like you two are on your own.” He moved away from Kai’s side to stand next to Suho and throw an arm around his shoulders.

“Yup,” Suho continued, “We’ll see you guys around.” He gave a warm smile and a little wave as he and Lay turned to walk out the door of the studio, ignoring Sehun’s shell-shocked expression as he went.

Once they were far enough from the room to be out of sight, Lay dropped his arm from Suho’s shoulders. “Do you even know what movie is playing tonight?” he asked in an amused tone.

“No idea. You?”

“Nope,” he said with a laugh.

“Do you want to catch a bite to eat then?”

“Sure, but let’s go somewhere off campus. We can’t have those two finding out our trick.”

“Your trick,” Lay corrected.

“You played along.”

Lay shrugged. “I figured that was better than hanging you out to dry.”

“Thanks for that.” Suho said with a grateful smile.

Lay laughed. “You know, for a guy who even keeps drunken promises, you are a little devious.”

Suho shrugged. “I like to think I’m a just a good friend. If I let Sehun do it his way, he’d be dead before things went anywhere”

“Guess it’s a good thing he has you then.”

“He doesn’t know how good he has it.”

“Maybe not, but I’m learning.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Your car or mine? If we’re going off campus someone’s got to drive.”

“My car is in North deck so…”

“Mine then. I don’t really fancy a twenty minute walk to a vehicle when mine is five.”

“Take it you’re in East deck then?” Suho asked, pointing to the parking deck in front of the gym.

“Yup, let’s go.”

---

The process repeated itself for several weeks. Dance class would end and Lay and Suho would already have plans to do something together, leaving Kai and Sehun to their own devices with a wave. They even went and saw a movie once, finally carrying out the first lie to perfection as they paid a dollar to watch Inception on the big screen again at the student center theatre.

Eventually, their work paid off when one evening while they were wrapping up their own dinner at the dining hall across campus in order to avoid Sehun and Kai, Suho received an excited text.

He asked me out!!! – Sehun

Suho laughed and flashed Lay his phone. “Looks like our efforts have paid off.”

Lay joined him in his laughter. “I’ll say. He did answer yes right?”

“Wait, let me ask. If he didn’t I’m going to strangle him.”

Suho quickly tapped off a message to Sehun. It was mere seconds before Sehun’s response came in.

Do I look like an idiot?

“He said yes.” Suho said with a smile.

“Good. I hope it goes well for them.”

“So do I.”

“So,” Lay ventured, “I guess that means we don’t need to keep ditching them together every Thursday, huh?”

“I guess not.” Suho said, slightly deflated. Over the past few weeks he had really started to enjoy his weekly evenings with Lay. They were the highlight of his week honestly.

“Too bad really. I kind of got used to this.” Lay said softly.

“Yeah, me too.”

They both fell silent.

“But hey, it’s not like I won’t still see you at the class right?” Suho asked brightly.

“Yeah,” Lay answered with a small smile, “I guess that’s true.”

---

The next week found Suho and Lay sitting with Kai and Sehun at a table in the dining hall for the first time in weeks.

“Wow, it’s been a while.” Lay said, looking around the table.

“Yeah,” kai laughed, “Sehun and I were pretty convinced you guys were ditching us to go hook up or something.”

“What?” Suho sputtered.

Sehun shrugged, small grin in place. “You guys always ditched us to hang out just the two of you, what were we supposed to think?”

“I was only doing that to get you,” Suho pointed an accusing finger across the table, “and him,” he moved it to the left, “together.”

“Really?” Kai said with a laugh. “Guess your plan was effective then.” He leaned over to place a kiss on Sehun’s cheek that had Sehun blushing lightly.

“Really, rub it in, why don’t ya.” Lay criticized.

Kai shrugged. “You’re just jealous.”

“And what if I am?” Lay shot back.

“Wait you are?” Kai asked, confused.

Lay realized his mistake and kept his mouth shut as everyone else at the table watched him with wide eyes. It was Suho who finally asked, “Hey, do you have someone you like? We could help you know.”

Lay sighed heavily. “Nah, it’s not a big deal. Besides, the other person doesn’t feel the same so I’d rather leave it.”

“How can you know that if you haven’t asked?” Suho questioned curiously.

“Yeah,” Kai cut in, “I was interested in Sehun for a while before I asked him and then he’s telling me he’s liked me for moths. Made both of us look pretty stupid really.”

Lay sighed heavily. “I just know okay? Can we drop it?”

He looked so put out by the whole thing that Suho found himself wanting to reach out and offer him a hug. Instead, he bit pack the impulse and said, “Sure.”

---

Later that night, Suho lay in bed staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep.

So Lay has someone he likes. I wonder who it is.

Suho shook his head.

It doesn’t matter. Why would I care?

He rolled over onto his side and pulled a blanket over his head.

“Because you like him,” he whispered out quietly.

---

The next week’s practice ended like it always did with Lay and Kai walking over to greet Suho and Sehun, but then there was a new part added to the script. Kai s a hand around Sehun’s waist before the two turned to face Lay and Suho with wide smiles.

Kai started things off. “We’re going to movies, so y’all are going to have to figure out dinner on your own okay?”

“I’m sure you can handle it.” Sehun added gamely.

Before either Lay or Suho could voice a word of protest the two vanished towards the door, leaving them both with mouths hanging open. “I do believe,” Suho finally began, “That we we’re both just ditched.”

“Yeah,” Lay said with a laugh. “I believe we were.”

“So,” Suho asked turning towards Lay, “Want to go grab a bite?”

“Sure.” They both headed towards the door.

The same thing happened the next week, and the next, and so on.

Suho and Lay didn’t exactly mind, enjoying the fact that their Thursday nights got to continue, and even when Sehun told Suho that he could stop going to class if he wanted, Suho didn't until, suddenly, it was the last day of fall semester. The last class, and the last Thursday.

The two sat across from each other, ditched again, with the mood slightly somber.

“So,” Suho began. “I guess this is last time we’ll do this huh.”

“There’s a class next spring.” Lay began brightly, then, “I mean, if you actually want to continue. I keep forgetting you got roped into this…”

“You know, Sehun actually released me from my contract last month. For good behavior.”

“Really?” Lay asked.

“Yup.”

“Why’d you keep coming then?”

Suho considered that question briefly before deciding to answer honestly because well, if things didn't work out the class was over anyways.  Besides, he was fairly sure it'd work out, he'd been paying attention these past few weeks and he had some suspicions that he desperately wanted to confirm. 

“The instructor was pretty hot.”  

“Oh really?” Lay said with a raised eyebrow.

Suho nodded. “Yup, and his personality’s not so bad either.”

“Uh-huh.” Lay was starting to smile.

“And so I was thinking I should probably ask him out soon, before someone else snatched him up. Don’t you?”

If Lay smiled any wider his face might break. “And what makes you think he’s available?”

“I’ve got my sources.” Suho said with a smile.

“I hope they’re good ones.” Lay responded leaning forward across the table.

“The best.” Suho responded, leaning in as well.

“So,” Lay asked, “are you going to kiss me, or am I going to finish this?”

In the end, they both leaned in.

---

Now, back to working on things I’m supposed to be working on.