“Minzy-yah, are you alright?” Dara asked, concern on her youthful face.

Tightening the laces of her shoes, Minzy got up, “Oh? Yeah, of course! I’m just gonna head out for my classes. Kiss Bommie Unnie and Chaerin Unnie for me when they get back, okay?”

She planted a quick kiss on Dara’s cheek, smiled her best smile and disappeared swiftly down the dark corridor of their quarters, missing Dara’s frown.

The harsh winter wind bit into her skin, she zipped up her sweater and trekked fastidiously towards her destination. If practicing couldn’t help her forget everything, there’s only one other option left.

She tried her best not to skip away gaily at the mere thought of it.

He sipped on his caramel macchiato slowly, the sweet taste effervescing on his cold tongue. Swathed in multiple layers of cloth, Chanyeol still felt cold, he hoped Jongin would finish his lessons soon.

“Hurry, hurry, the parallel way into 4 dimensions only opens today
In my new world, I won’t be the same as yesterday”
 

‘Jongin’, Chanyeol slid and answered his phone, “Yeah?”

“Hyung! I’m so sorry! There’s been a last minute change in my schedule, I’ve gotta fill in for one the senior instructor that left on an emergency leave.”

“Oh..”

“I’m seriously sorry hyung, do you wanna hang out with me until the class ends? It’s someone I haven’t met before and I’m really nervous. Plus, you’re good at breaking-the-ice kind of things, aren’t you? Please, hyung? Do me a favour?”

Chanyeol had never been able to refuse Jongin, no matter how much the latter ticked his nerves. He was like an adorable puppy that chases it’s own tail around, pointless, but you can never have the heart to stop it. He sighed and smiled, not caring of the fact that they were on the phone and nodded.

“Hyung?” Chanyeol smacked himself with the silver teaspoon when he realised and immediately voiced his agreement.

“Assa! You’re the best, Chanyeollie hyung!”

He could practically see the grin that would decorate the younger boy’s face. Straightening his legs and crossing them at the ankle, Chanyeol rested his lax body on the back of the chair and watched as the winter flakes rained and fluttered down from the soft gray sky.

‘5 minutes’, he thought, sipping his now cool macchiato.

 

The sky was completely dark by the time he reached Jongin’s dance studio. He walked in, minding his steps and made sure to hit no objects this time. He did not want to be the subject of Jongin’s ire. Toeing off his shoes as quietly as humanely possible for a Park Chanyeol, he walked along the muted lights of the corridor shining on his wine red hair. He stopped at room 88 and checked his phone for reconfirmation. The soft jazz music emanating from behind the oak panelled door was Jongin’s favourite to dance to, he was at the right place. Standing apprehensively in front of the door, he placed his hand lightly on the handle. For some unknown reasons, his heart rate began to fluctuate from high to low and back again.

But a promise is a promise.

Chanyeol took a breather, closed his eyes and let his body be embraced by the rich tones of the jazz.

“Hyung! Thought you’d never find this place!” He laughed at Jongin’s attempt at sarcasm; because the boy’s relief was so obvious in the way he’d begun move his body, the way his legs and hands seemed to flow with boundless energy when just a minute ago he was as stiff as a stick shoved up in the arse.

The younger boy glared, Chanyeol raised his hand in a ‘surrender’ gesture and, “Has it been long?”

“No, no, we’re just getting started, care to join? Actually, you might as well, since she will need a partner for this lesson anyway!” The younger boy manhandled him to the unidentified stranger before him. He looked at Jongin, pleading for mercy, but the other merely smiled saccharinely before decidedly ignoring him by messing up with the audio system.

The stranger in front of him began stripping, whatever words he’d wanted to speak simply disappeared into thin air as thick, glossy blonde strands unravelled itself tantalisingly as she removed the cap that kept it hidden. The jacket came off next; Chanyeol never thought the day he would be held at attention would finally dawn. A sleek, form-fitting asphalt gray tee was revealed, it’s soft fabric clinging to all the right places.

“Minzy..”

Silence, and a heartbeat later:

“Chanyeol.”

He also never thought that there would be a day where he would see Minzy in her full glory, plain and unhidden by the darkness of the night when he roamed the city.

  “Hyung? Minzy-ssi? You guys know each other?” Jongin’s voice interrupted.

He could not take his eyes off her.

Smirking her signature smirk, she responded for the both of them, as she’d always done, “No, I don’t think so. But Park-ssi over here,” she gestured at him with an expression that he knew spoke ‘Play Along If You Don’t Wanna Get Busted’, “reminds me of a rather dear friend of mine.” 

Well versed in this, Chanyeol smoothly backed-up her story, “Yeah, I think I’d remember if I’d met someone as beautiful as this, right Jonginnnie?”

The younger barely contained his exclaim of disgust at the degree of cheesiness Chanyeol had belted out. An expressive black eyebrow rose high, a smirk attacking the flourished lines of her red lips. He didn’t know why he chose to be in E.X.O, or why he had to be interested in the lifestyle of a thief in the first place. What he knew now however, is that, if it weren’t for this job, this lifestyle, he would have never met her.

“Shall we start then? Music start, cue 2, 4!”

Who cares if they were enemies? Right now he was simply Park Chanyeol and she was just..

Minzy.

Just Minzy.

Just the both of them, for now, for this moment..

Nothing else.