Wednesday, day 10.

            Classes went by normally without much excitement. Jackson and I met up for lunch.

            “So how are you and Krystal getting along?” I asked. Krystal Jung was who he was escorting to the ball.

            Jackson shrugged. “She’s okay. A bit high maintenance, but nothing I can’t handle. The question is, how are you and Kai?”

            I rolled my eyes. “Can we not talk about him?”

            “Are you guys going to the dance practice today?” Jackson asked, munching on his sandwich.

            “Yeah it’s practically mandatory,” I said, dreading the fact that I would have to see him yet again today.

            “Eh it’ll be fine,” Jackson said reassuringly. “But honestly, you had other choices. Taecyeon from 2PM Industries was free, so was Yoon Doojoon from Beast Diamonds. Why’d you accept Kai’s offer?”

            I didn’t reply to this, instead I silently chewed on my granola bar. Jackson already knew the answer.

            It was because he reminded me of Taemin.

            “There’s going to be a lot of important people,” I was explaining to Kai as my chauffer was taking us to the venue. “So please be good.”

            “You make it sound like I’m a problematic out of control toddler.”

            “Because you are.”

            Kai rolled his eyes. “You owe me for this.”

            “I don’t owe you anything because you offered,” I declared.

            “We’ll see about that.”

            When Kai and I entered the practice room, all heads turned to us.

            “He looks so much like Taemin oh my gosh…”

            “…typical Hyemi. Getting an that looks just like him. Poor girl.”

            Kai had a ‘what the hell’ look on his face, but shrugged it off. I ignored the comments to the best of my ability.

            “Okay everyone we have a pretty simple routine planned. However, the formation will take practice since you guys will all take turns altering positions so that every single person in the room will be able to see all of your pretty faces!” choreographer Kim Hyoyeon said enthusiastically. “Now, please come forward when I call your name. Ahn Sojin…Park Chorong…”

            I saw Naeun from across the room. She was with her , this guy named Kim Myungsoo. I knew she’d seen it too when Kai walked into the room: the resemblance.

            “Wendy Son…Moon Hyemi…”

            I got up and went to my assigned position with Kai in tow. We were coincidently right next to Naeun and Myungsoo.

            Great.

            “Hi, Hyemi,” she said to me. “How are you?”

            Son Naeun was a nice girl and I have never hated her or anything. It was just that I felt so uncomfortable knowing that she’d potentially slept with my boyfriend behind my back.

            “Fine,” I replied. “I’m doing fine.”

            “Good! I’m really happy to see you’re doing well.” Then she turned her attention back to Myungsoo.

            I felt really sad all of a sudden. My heart sank and I was suddenly in no mood to learn some lame dance steps.

            “Everyone is familiar with ballroom dancing, yes?” Hyoyeon asked the group.

            “Yes,” we all seemed to say in unison. Kai however, stayed silent.

            “You don’t know ballroom, I presume,” I said to him.

            “Nope,” he openly admitted.

            Hyoyeon told us all to get into starting position. I put my hand on Kai’s shoulder and held my other hand out. He looked at it, confused.

            “You put your hand here,” I hissed. “And your other one on my waist.”

            “Gross.”

            “You asked for it.”

            Kai sighed and did as he was told, peering at other couples for support.

            Hyoyeon comes by to check on us. She shook her head in disapproval. “This hand,” she says, taking Kai’s hand off of my waist, “needs to be lower. Down here.” His hand is gently moved lower. “And you guys should stand a bit closer.”

            “Huh?”

            “It looks better,” Hyoyeon clarified. “And it’s easier to dance when you two are closer. You guys look uncomfortable.”

            “No,” Kai said. “We’re fine.” He then proceeded to pull me closer to him. For some odd reason I grew kind of nervous and couldn’t even look up at him in the eye.

            Of course, Hyoyeon seemed all too adamant on intimate contact.

            “Now couples, please stare at each other in the eyes.”

            .

            “Hyemi, look up at your partner,” Hyoyeon said.

            Everyone turned to look at me, probably wondering why the hell I couldn’t look at my Taemin look-alike partner in the eyes.

            C’mon Hyemi, just do it! Why is this so hard?! Finally, I lifted up my seemingly heavy head to look at Kai in the eyes. He was staring right back at me.

            “Okay good. Stand up straight, keep yourselves poised. We’ll be going over the first set.”

            Dance practice played on. I grew to be more comfortable dancing with Kai and he actually picked up the dance steps pretty quick. I had to admit, I was impressed. He ended up not being the weakest link after all.

            “I thought you said you didn’t know ballroom,” I said to him as the two of us moved to the classical music in the background according to Hyoyeon’s count.

            “I don’t,” Kai replied.

            “You’re doing too well to not have any experience with it,” I pressed.

            Kai sighed, as in giving in to my demands. “I don’t have experience with ballroom. But I do have experience with ballet and jazz.”

            “HA. See? I knew there had to be something,” I said victoriously.

            When dance practice ended, girls came up to me and commented on how well Kai and I had danced. Everyone’s choreography was the same but I guess we’d just done exceptionally better. Even Hyoyeon had praised us.

            “I’m soooo jealous!” a girl named Seungyeon said. “Your can actually dance. Woohyun just goofs off and can barely remember the steps.”

            “Same for me and Jonghyun!” another girl exclaimed.

            I humbly grinned. “Thanks guys.” Then I looked over at Kai, who was standing by the window, taking a sip of water.

            “Hey,” I said as I walked up to him. “I hate to say it, but good job today.”

            “You’re welcome.”

            “Wanna go get something to eat?” I asked him as I checked the time on my phone. “I’m starving.”

            Kai considered this. I knew he was hungry too because I’d heard his stomach growl during the practice. “Sure.” Then he smirked. “See? Told you you’d owe me one.”