Real update this time. Who else thought this was just another poll?

Unbeta-ed because it's finals week, and the cs final project is killing me. 

“Kwon! Tuck your leg in faster. It’s dragging.”

“Kim, what did I say about your right hand? Don’t let it drop. It has to look more like a teardrop.”

“Hwang, use your head when you’re turning. Make sure your eyes know where they’re supposed to be looking when you jump.”

“Ju, don’t forget to breathe there. Yes, just like that. It may seem small, but its effect is vital.”

“Jung, you’re rushing your movements there. Calm down. Listen to the music.”

“Bae, you’re not pushing off hard enough. I know you can jump higher than that.”

Yuri panted as she leaned on the outside wall of the ice rink. Coach Kim was not lying when she said that she was going to crack down on their training. They’d been drilling their short programs one after another nonstop. As soon as one skater finished, another was called up. They’d done two rounds already, leaving Yuri completely exhausted.

In figure skating, skaters were required to skate two programs, the short program which is required to be two minutes and fifty seconds long, and a free skate which is between four and four and a half minutes long.

Despite it sounding short, skating for two minutes and fifty seconds non stop was incredibly tiring, especially when you added in the jumps and other difficulties. It was like sprinting at full speed for nearly three minutes.

‘Never underestimate the stamina of a figure skater,’ Yuri mused to herself. She bet she could easily outrun the average university student in a race.

“Kwon Yuri! You’re up!”

Yuri groaned mentally as Yuna called her name again. Yuri’s legs were already starting to feel like lead, but she knew if she slacked, Yuna was definitely going to call her out on it and probably make her redo her program.

‘Definitely don’t want that to happen.’

“Come on, Kwon. Don’t tell me you’re tired already?” Taeyeon taunted as she skated off the ice, switching spots with Yuri. Taeyeon’s heavy breathing however, told Yuri that the girl was indeed just as exhausted as she was.

Looking around, she could tell everyone was just as tired as she was. Many were sprawled on the benches or against the wall.

But Taeyeon was right.  Now was not the time to give up so easily.

Yuri smirked back. “Yeah right. This is nothing.”

Tiffany laughed from behind them. Despite the sweat sheening across her forehead, she still radiated brightness. “That’s the spirit. Hwaiting Yuri-ah!”

“I’m dying,” Krystal panted, nearly collapsing onto the ground next to Tiffany.  

“Aw, you just gotta get used to it. This is the senior league, after all,” Taeyeon grinned down at the new member of SM’s skating team, though she was fighting the urge to just sit and lie on the ground as well.

Yuri took her spot near the middle of the ice rink and immediately felt Yuna’s eagle like eyes sink into her figure. She took a breath to compose herself.

‘Four weeks. Four weeks until the Grand Prix Series start.’

Jessica quickly threw her pointe shoes into her bag before carelessly swinging the bag over her shoulders, not even bothering to zip it up completely.

Director Lee, the ballet coach for SM, ended up extending practice in hopes of refining their piece for their winter recital in three weeks. They were going to perform the well known piece of Sleeping Beauty.

While Jessica was merely another dancer in the corps de ballet (in other words she was not a soloist), she was still expected to drill the same steps over and over again until perfection. She couldn’t complain though. The principal dancers (the soloists), like Yoona, were exposed to even harsher training.

However the entire time during practice, her mind was elsewhere. Instead of the wooden floors, she imagined the smooth coldness of the ice rink. Instead of the pale pink pointe shoes, she imagined glistening white skates. And instead of pirouette en dehors or grand jetés, she imagined biellmann spins or triple axels (spins and jumps in ballet and figure skating respectively).

As soon as Director Lee clapped her hands and dismissed the sweaty and drained ballerinas, Jessica wasted no time in changing and gunning for the door.

“Where are you going in such a rush?” Nana cut in, just as Jessica managed to grasp the doorknob with her hand, ready to bolt. Jessica flicked her eyes to Nana, her fingers fidgeting in anxiousness. Nana raised an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic restlessness in her always so lethargic friend.

“Uh, my bed?” Jessica blurted out, hoping that the excuse actually sounded somewhat reasonable despite how ridiculous it may be. “I’m just really excited to sleep. This practice has me drained,” she spewed out. She was never good at thinking on her feet.

Nana stared at the blonde in bewilderment for nearly three seconds before bursting into laughter. “Hahaha. Oh my gosh, that’s so you! And here I thought you were finally seeing someone or something. You looked like you were late for a date.”

Jessica forced an awkward smile. At least Nana believed her. Somehow she didn't know whether or not be happy or not. What did this say about her character? She wasn't that lazy. “Haha, no. You know me, I’ll choose my bed over any boy any day,” she muttered.

‘That and I prefer girls.’

“Wow, you really love sleep, don’t you? I won’t keep you then. Good night and have fun with your bed,” Nana winked and Jessica let out another nervous chuckle before dashing out the door, thanking heaven that Nana was dense enough to believe her lame excuse.

She loved sleep, sure, but not enough to run.

Nana sighed staring at the door which the blonde just bolted out of. For some reason, she felt weirdly jealous.

Jessica sprinted towards the ice rink, relishing in how cool the night air was against her sweaty and warm figure.

Feeling an inexplicable sense of freedom, she nearly laughed out loud to herself but held it in, in case someone heard and thought her weird. Ever since that night Kim Yuna caught her in the ice rink, Jessica had this constant desperate urge to ice skate. The ice was calling to her. And for once, she wasn't going to ignore it's request.

Panting, Jessica leaned her hand on the glass door. To Jessica’s dismay, the lights to the arena were on. Someone was inside.

Jessica gasped against the entrance to the building, catching her breath as she wondered who on earth was still practicing this late. She bit back a flash of annoyance. With her busy ballet schedule, this was the only time she could use the ice rink, so she cursed the hardworking soul who was using up her time on the ice.

Jessica scoffed to herself. ‘I bet it’s Yuri in there. That girl was always good at pushing herself. Damn you, Kwon Yuri.’ She cursed at her childhood friend, not minding the fact that she was being a little childish. After all, she didn’t even know for sure if it was Yuri in there. But blaming her childhood friend gave her a little relief somehow.

Jessica sighed. It looked like she wasn’t going to be able to skate tonight after all. Huffing, Jessica fixed the bag on her shoulder and began the long trek towards her dorm. Maybe she should try coming tomorrow morning instead? She could wake up early and use the rink before the members of the figure skating team come in for their morning practice.

‘No wait. I have morning practice starting at six,' Jessica groaned having forgotten the extra practice that was scheduled because of the upcoming recital. With no other options, she trudged silently to her dorm. On the way, Jessica realized something crucial.

She didn’t need to be at the ice rink to skate.

She just needed ice.

A flat surface of ice.

Jessica eyed the brick building in front of her. Amidst her sulking, she managed to arrive at her dorm. Her beloved bed was a mere thirty feet away from her, and she had morning practice at six. Everything compelled her to sleep.

‘Screw that.’

In a heartbeat, Jessica whirled a full one eighty degrees and sprinted past the ice rink, past the ballet studio, and past the edges of the campus.

Nearly half a mile away, Jessica stopped to catch her breath, though her heartbeat continued to fasten in excitement. She’d been running a lot more lately, she noted. At least it was good for stamina, something both ballet and skating needed.  

She grinned at the sight laid out before. So she was right.

In front of her was Generation Lake in all of its glorious beauty, aptly named in reflection of SM’s hopes of building generations upon generations of world class athletes. Generation Lake was mainly designed for the crew team here at SM to practice their rowing, though their swim team often took advantage of it too during the summer, hosting many swim races.

However because of the winter chill and the temperature dropping to below zero, the lake had completely frozen over, making it impossible for boats or humans to swim through.

It was however, perfect to skate on.

Jessica grinned to herself, and then chuckled, before letting it grow to full on laughter, no longer caring if anyone was nearby to overhear her. Of course. How could she have forgotten?

After all, ice skating on a frozen lake with her sister was where it had all started.

Before ice skating became a sport.

Before it became a competition.

A burden.

An expectation to win.

It was merely fun.

That night, Jessica let her past memories and dreams carry her around on the icy surface.

Skating was fun. 

Two and a half weeks.

“Sooyeon Unnie! What are you listening to?” Yoona asked, swiftly taking one of Jessica’s earphones and popping it into her own ear before the blonde could react. Yoona perked up at the familiar tune of strings, drums, and trumpet.

“What’s this for Unnie?” she asked, handing the earphone back to a glaring Jessica.

“Nothing,” Jessica muttered before turning away from Yoona, hiding her phone from the taller girl’s sight. Yoona merely raised an eyebrow at the not so subtle action.

“Since when did you become interested in classical music?” Yoona asked curiously. She’d recognized the song easily. It was the famous Bolero. The dance was so famous in the ballet industry that it was said that every accomplished ballerina was to dance the Bolero at least once in their career. Yoona herself had not actually attempted to perform the Bolero yet. She deemed herself still unworthy of such a masterpiece though she vowed that one day she will perform it.

“We do ballet,” Jessica pointed out lamely. “I have to somewhat be interested in classical music to do ballet.”

Yoona laughed, not caring how wide was like usual. “Maybe, but I’ve never seen you listen to these songs before.” Had Jessica finally found an interest in ballet? The possibility made Yoona lit up in anticipation. And like the little annoying but adorable rascal she was, she reached over and grabbed Jessica’s phone right out of her hands.

“Hey!” Jessica protested, but Yoona was stronger and taller.

Yoona hummed as she scrolled through the playlist. She raised an eyebrow at the strange list of songs.

Adiós Nonino

Danse Macabre

Send in the Clowns

James Bond Medley

Turandot

Ballade No.1 by Chopin

Ballade No. 1 op. 23 in G minor by Chopin

White Legend from Swan Lake

The Phantom of the Opera

Kissing You from Romeo and Juliet

Bolero

Yoona scrolled up, hoping to see the title of the playlist just as Jessica snatched it away.

Yoona pouted while Jessica scowled. “Geez, you and your long arms,” Jessica muttered before quickly turning off her phone and tucking it away safely inside her bag, just in time as Director Lee walked into the studio. Practice had officially started.

“Come on.” Jessica left Yoona still sitting on the ground. Yoona frowned as she watched Jessica walk to the barre and begin drilling the basics.

She hadn’t been able to see the title of the playlist as Jessica had snatched it out of her hands before she could, but there was something that bothered her about the songs. They had seemed familiar. Some, Yoona had even danced to. However, the rest, like the James Bond Medley, didn’t fit. As far as she knew, there was no ballet piece related to James Bond. Clearly, the playlist was not ballet related.

It wasn’t until after practice, when Yoona pulled out her laptop and searched up the songs that she figured it out.  While nothing popped up when she searched for the songs individually, when she typed in ‘Send in the Clowns and James Bond Medley’ , two songs that stood out to her because she’d knew they weren't ballet related yet they seemed familiar, one person showed up on the results page consistently.

Kim Yuna.

Yoona stared at the results page with wide eyes, feeling