Exactly, three years ago.

Shinhwa’s Dancing Machine. That’s what they called Kai.

He is acknowlaged as the school’s dancing machine by the way he amazed people just by seeing him dancing on stage. He would always came earlier than anyone else to the dance class, and leave the lastest than anyone else. He even performed every year on ‘Shinhwa’s Showcase’, where the students with talents perform their talents. Kai and his group EXO, would always participate the showcase, every year, and before the show they will pratice like crazy.

Girls would go crazy when they saw him on stage and boys would be forever jealous over him. No wonder, he is rich, talented, handsome, even y. Who wouldn’t be jealous over this? Every girls would think that Kai is the definition of the perfect ‘boyfriend’, eventhough he’s not that kind to the everyone, he is still that ‘dream guy’ to those girls.

He even got offered to be a trainee in a big entertainment, but he refused it, knowing that his dad would totally disapprove that, eventhough, actually he wants it. Depsite his attitude in pubilc, he is a well-behaved and obedient kid towards his parents. He never disobeyed his parents, eventhough he knows that the things they told him to do was very much disliked by him.

“Three minutes, you guys!” someone yelled from the enterance to the stage, it was a guy with a clipboard and headset and then disappeared behind the curtain.

EXO who participated in the ‘Shinhwa 10th Showcase’ was being called to enter the stage. They looked themselves one more time and then walked towards the stage. Kai, leisurely, walked to the stage while the others seems like they’re about to enter hell. No wonder, Kai have been doing this for ages, that’s why he’s not that nervous.

As the music starts, Kai and the boys started to dance to the rythem. The way he dances, it’s different. Eventhough he was doing the same choreography with the others but from the way he dances, you can tell that it’s different. There’s something that makes the way he moves different. Just by looking at him, you can feel the passion and the love he have for dancing. The way he makes eye contact with the audience, is probably the reason why girls are crazy over him. Right now, at this very moment, everyone is impressed by him.

Until...

“KIM JONGIN!” a voice shouted from the hall enterance. Everyone turned their heads towards the voice, including EXO who was performing. There stood a middle-aged guy, he was wearing a suit. He walked inside the hall angrily with two bodyguards following him.

Everyone was keeping their attention on the guy. He told his bodyguards something. Suddenly, the two big guys climbed the stage which shocked EXO who was standing there. Everyone was frozen in their places, except for Kai. He tried to run away but it’s useless, he was already captured by the two big guys. He tried to break away but they’re too strong for him. The two big guys dragged Kai forcefully and faced him to his father, Kim Jonghyuk.

“Are you stupid, Kim Jongin?” his father said. “How many times I’ve told you not to dance, huh? How many times?!” Kai clenched his jaw, trying not look at him in the eyes.

“A lot”, he replied calmly.

“How dare you to answer that?!” his father shouted in front of his face

“How dare you to stopped me during my performance?” Kai replied him calmly with a clenched jaw.

“How dare you!” his father slapped Kai real hard on the face. Blood stream down from Kai's mouth. Kai wiped the blood and then scoffed. “Take him home” his father said to the bodyguards. They dragged him out from the hall.

Everyone was dumbfounded, including EXO.

Since that day, Kai who used to came everyday to the dance classes, stop coming suddenly. He even sent his letter of resignation from the dance club. Every year, EXO would perform in the showcase but now, they stopped performing after Kai out of the sudden stopped dancing.

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Soojung's POV

“I’m sorry” I patted his back. “I shouldn’t have asked, I’m so sorry”

He shook his head. “It’s fine, at least, I can share my story to someone”, he said with a smile plastered on his face.

“Hey, I can help you to remove your trauma of performing” I suddenly said. He looked back at me. “If you don’t want to, it’s okay”

He smiled and then patted my head. “Who says?”, he answered.

“Alright!” I shouted and then stand up. “Let’s go”, I said and looked at him.

He looked at me weirdly. “Where?” He asked confusedly

“To my secret place” I answered and smirked at him. 

I decided to take him to my ‘secret place’ where I can easily remove my problems away. The place where I used to came when I have problems with my parents, this is where all my memories being thrown away. The place that I called my ‘little heaven’.

“Ta-da!” I said as I opened the door to my ‘little heaven’. It was a dance studio. This place pratically owned by me since I bought it with my own money, with a little help from my parents.

“Dance studio?” Kai said as he entered my ‘little heaven’. He looked around, scanning the studio.

“You should be grateful that I allow you to be here. I don’t have a lot of guests” I said beamed with proud He chuckled. “So show me your moves”, he said grinning widely at me. He sat on the ground, looking at me, as he was waiting for me to do some moves. I was hesitating at first but then decided to do some moves. I walked to the music player, and played ‘Part of the list’ by Ne-Yo. As the music starts, I danced to the beat cleanly. When I’m done, he clapped excitedly like a child who just watch a circus.

“Thank you”, I said and then bowed like a ballerina. “Your turn” I said. He was a little taken back by what I said. “C’mon! I know you want it” I streched out my hand for him, he hesitatingly accept it.

“What song?”, I asked him while looking through the playlists.

“The same song” he said grinned ear to ear. Seeing him like that makes me excited, seems like my plans are going smoothly.

I played the same song as earlier. As the music starts, Kai starts to dance. As he dances, I couldn’t help but understood why the words Dancing Machine is given to Kai. The way he dances to the song, it’s different, as if he was telling a story with the way he moves. Right now, at this very moment, another thing surprised me, it was his expression. The way he makes those expressions while he dances, it was different when he’s used to act all cool in front of the others. I am honestly impressed, this is actually my first time to see him dance.

I was watching him on the side of the floor he was dancing on, as the song ended, he also finished his performance. I clapped my hands aggresively, I was honestly impressed by him. No wonder, those three girls – Seohyun, Aerin, and Soyeon – wants to see him dance again. I understand now why many girls adored him.

He chuckled seeing my reactions and sat down beside me. “How was it?”, he asked. His expression clearly showing nervousness, as sweats stroll down from his forehead.

Without any words, I gave him two thumbs up. I smiled at him, just like a proud mother. He looked down embarassed, hiding his face with his hands. “You should dance more”, I suddenly said.

“I don’t know” he answered, “I’m scared that thing will happened again”

I sighed. “Can I ask you something?”, I asked looking at him. He nodded and looked back at me.

“Why your dad really disapprove you dancing?” I asked.

He closed his eyes before answering. “You know, all he cares is money. He thinks dancing is nothing but just a waste of time that doesn’t earn money—“ he said frowning. “That’s why he really disapprove me in dancing”, he continued.

“So what does he wants you do to?” I asked.

“What else do you think?” He said. “Of course it’s business”

“It’s unfair” I said. He chuckled and agree with me.

“That’s how the world works”, he said, “The world is unfair”

“Yeah” I chuckled and I can’t help but agree with him.

“No matter how much you tried, the world will always have it’s ways to bring us down” he quoted. “That’s how the world works” I finished his quotes and we both chuckled.