vi. He raised hers.

This is Act 1 of Yuna and Soonyoung's ballet, a dance to unleashing their inner fears, desires and hopes.

To get to know Choi Yuna, the ballerina, the young girl led the street dancer to the training room she used to frequent. Yuna's instructor had long left the room, leaving the space to the two youngsters who were struggling to establish a connection between them.

Soonyoung had seen how much the room meant to the young girl before, and that was no surprise. The secluded room had been the lonely girl's only company, and also the place which never ran away from her even when others might have. Soonyoung, himself, didn't live inside a room. He spent majority of his time on the streets, but he moved places so often that no location remained memorable in my head. They were all just figments of past memory.

Now that he came face-to-face with the room which she had spent the majority of her youth in, a feeling that lingered in him was intrigue.

The room itself might look like any dance room to the foreign Soonyoung, yet when he observed the young girl trailing her finger on the sleek, wooden floor of the room—the place where she continuously stood, fell and stood again—he knew it was all but a normal place to her.  It contained all her happiness, hopes and probably even fears.

He gazed at the girl's forlorn side profile, murmurring, "Is it okay for me to invade your personal space?" While he was friendly to everybody he met, it was the first time he stepped over his boundaries as a mere cheery acquaintance. Well, simply because nobody asked, and he didn't dare to ask himself. So, he didn't have much faith in himself... whether he could serve as a source of comfort to the lonely girl.

But when she picked herself up with a smile, he subconsciously smiled himself. What was he thinking? She didn't need any comfort. All she needed was a listening ear—someone who could just understand and be fine with that. He wasn't a prodigy; he didn't have to provide all the answers for her. Because there are never really model answers when it comes to life. She'll figure out her own answers, eventually.

And he'll need to figure out his own answers too.

"Yes. It's just... All of a sudden, I don't know what to say. But I think I know where to start now," the aspiring ballerina spoke. She heaved a few breaths, as if steadying herself. He probably wouldn't be able to know all about her in just one story. Knowing someone was more complicated and confusing than that. But perhaps, he would be a little bit closer. One step closer to her heart... One step closer to her.

The story of Choi Yuna.

"It started like this..."

When I was still a young child, I was mesmerised by the floating beats of music, and how sounds combined could create harmonies. When immersed in music, everything looked beautiful, as if this monochromatic city had been painted with vivid colours and light. I wanted to participate in that beauty myself. Singing and playing a musical instrument were fun, indeed, but... dancing was slightly different. To twirl, spin, move freely and without restriction was like a freedom by itself. I was set free. That's why I started dancing.

But, fate played a trick on me. Sounds cliche, right? Yet, it really did happen. I was diagnosed with Becker Muscular Dystrophy, this illness where your muscles progressively weaken. It's a mild syndrome, so I guess I was lucky in that regard. But that shattered all my hopes and dreams. Every time I tried to budge free from my illness, it was the one holding me down instead. I couldn't become a dancer. I didn't have the ability to...

The only person who gave me hope was seonsangnim. She held me up and told me, "It's okay Yuna. A dancer may fall sometimes. But the best dancers are the ones who can smile even after falling and stand back up again to complete the performance."

Her words fueled my passion for dancing, so I tried. I really tried. For this, I gave up everything.

Including love.

I grew distant from my family and friends. Well, at least my family still supports and understands me, and that's all I need. It's just the other people. I already didn't have many friends, but because I was obsessed with using every second to dance, everyone isolated me. They wanted laughter; they wanted to talk about themselves. They didn't want to see me repeat the same routine all the time. I got boring. But anyway, people didn't matter much to me, I think. Dancing only mattered to me.

People can abandon you, but dancing never can. It is my only company.

But, can I begin to love you now too, Soonyoung?

As Yuna recited her story, Soonyoung nodded along, listening intently to her every word as he stared at the girl. Although he knew and guessed some of the details vaguely, hear Yuna's background story narrated from the person herself like she was some storyteller was nonetheless fascinating.

So this is Yuna's life story, right?

"Hello? Earth to Soonyoung?"

A hand hindered his line of vision. Yuna waved her hand about, like she was checking whether Soonyoung was still alive or dead. Seeing that he was caught dazing out, he burst into chuckles due to both embarrassment and amusement.

"I-I was listening," he said with the sternest voice he could possibly muster in between chuckles.

"Yes, I can tell that..." Yuna muttered, seeming to be slightly disappointed.

In a haste, the guy blurted, "Well, I was listening, but also staring at you. You are pretty."

Soonyoung's heart almost stilled. Yes, he was normally cheesy, but he used cheesiness as a mask to present his most confident side. All his words were intended and well thought of. But this time, he didn't think at all.

He shook his insecurity away, observing the girl's reaction. She didn't seem fazed at all, but it did look like she was hiding a smile.

"Ah, so my beauty distracted you," she merely repeated what he said in her own words, her eyes glinting with triumph.

She was no joke. Really no joke. It was the first time Soonyoung felt heat rising up his cheeks, even though he normally acted composed and calm. Why was Yuna taking over the situation now?

"A-Anyway," Soonyoung murmurred under his breath, as he attempted to organise his thoughts again.

"I... I honestly don't know. How it would feel like to have your legs gradually wasting with every second. Even if I listen to you, experiencing and not experiencing it... They're two different things," the dancer, for once, voiced out his genuine thoughts. He gazed in Yuna's brown eyes that glimmered wisdom in things he probably didn't grasp yet. But both of them were still young. Even if they could never catch up to time, they could surely catch up to one another and pull the other party along whenever the other party was tired.

At least, that would mean more than a lonely pursuit to time.

"I don't even know if I can trust myself. And I don't understand people sometimes. But... I do want to try this time," he paused a little, thinking about how he could phrase his words in the most appropriate manner possible, before continuing, "So, don't keep it to yourself, Yuna. There are many people out there who care for you, even if you think they don't. You just have to reach out to them, and maybe fall into their arms if you need to."

"In a large stage, the beauty of dancing doesn't show in a solo dancer. It's only complete when everyone dances together, isn't it?"

He scrutinised Yuna's expression. The girl who hid her exasperation whenever her legs let her down... The girl who brightened up whenever she talked about dancing... The girl who kept dancing on even if she was alone...

Now, would she able to welcome new people into the stage of her life and dance with them?

A smile graced on the ballerina's once dampered face as she nodded with a whisper, "Yes, maybe you're right, Soonyoung."

This is Act 2 of Yuna and Soonyoung's ballet, a dance to unleashing their inner fears, desires and hopes.

To get to know Kwon Soonyoung, the street dancer, the young boy led the ballerina out to the streets. The shops were jam-packed, leaving no space for street performances. Yet, there was an elder blowing a harmonica. Strangers passed by him, occasionally dropping coins on the tin can in front of him, but rarely stayed to listen. They were all too busy chasing after time like one certain ballerina did.

Soonyoung left a coin as well. Upon recognising the fellow, the elder patted his shoulder.

The whole street was chaotic, what with salesmen trying to advertise their products to passers-by and businessmen and students alike weaving through the streets, rushing to reach their next destination. As someone who preferred solitude, Yuna could never imagine being able to stay in the outside light for too long. Furthermore, she wondered how Soonyoung could ever manage to perform in front of all these people. The point is... People didn't pay much attention to their surroundings. They were either too engrossed in their handphones or too mindful about the ticking hands of the clocks in their watches to care about other people.

So how?

How could Soonyoung dance without faltering, in front of this massive but uninterested audience?

She shifted her focus to the old man instead. His clothes were wrinkled, and the wrinkles on his face revealed his age and wisdom. Although they came out on a particularly hot day, and the man was sweating like buckets, there was no shelter for him to take refuge in except for his measly cap. All he had was his harmonica and a small tin can filled with coins.

Surely, Soonyoung had it better than the old man did, but Yuna really did wonder... How was it like for him to perform on the streets? Was it ever harsh? Did anyone throw insults at him? Did he ever feel like giving up? Why did he still continue on this road even when the future seemed bleak, then?

Abruptly, Yuna realised. Perhaps, he was just pursuing his dream like she did. Just in another way.

"Fella! Here again?" the old man bellowed in excitement, like he had just seen his old pal since a long time.

Soonyoung chuckled, a charming grin surfacing on his face.

"Of course! Harabeoji's music is so soothing. I have to come again," he said.

"So sweet everytime!" Then, the elder squinted at the girl beside the young chap despite the fact that they were both quite near to him. "Pretty lady beside you? Girlfriend?"

Yuna and Soonyoung exchanged awkward smiles.

When the girl was just about to shake her head, the boy himself said, "Yes."

Yuna glared at the deceiving guy who only replied her with an enigmatic smile.

Hmph, we aren't even official yet. Isn't he taking things too fast?

Still, despite the protests of her brain, her heart fluttered with the cooling breeze.

The elder's laughter boomed, and Yuna wondered if he might have influenced Soonyoung to chuckle the way he did.

"Oh oh! You fella be nice to her okay! I no want to see you bully such a pretty girl!" he warned the young man sternly.

Soonyoung cheekily grinned as he saluted.

"Yes, uncle."

In the meantime, Yuna whispered to herself, "It's too late. He already bullied me."

"Okay okay, shoo shoo! Go have your date! Don't waste time with old guy like me. I still need perform," the elder said, waving his hands away at the couple.

The girl chuckled slightly, her laughter like the tinkling of bells. "Your music is lovely. Thank you uncle. We'll come by again when we can!"

When they left the uncle in his peace, Yuna started to grumble, "Why did you say I was your girlfriend? Didn't know we confessed."

"You never denied anyway," Soonyoung said matter-of-factly.

"Well, that's because- Whatever! We're not even official yet. Don't say such things like that from now on," Yuna stated firmly. 

The dancer nodded idly, as if he was already filtering the girl's words out of his head.

"Guess I shall wait then," he mumbled.

Not knowing how to respond to that, Yuna pretended as if she didn't hear anything. They weren't close yet. They weren't close enough to each other's hearts yet. Openly recognising their feelings for one another would only become burdensome for both of them.

So instead, she switched topics, like she always did whenever she was uncomfortable with the subject matter at hand.

"When did you know that uncle?" she asked, and she really asked out of her own curiosity. Soonyoung already knew quite a lot about her, yet when it came to him, she could barely count the number of things she knew about him. This was a start.

He hummed slowly, before replying, "Around three years ago, perhaps, when I just started dancing. He was the first one who complimented my dancing, and he treated me like his grandson." The thought of the uncle appeared to bring a smile on Soonyoung's face. Was that perhaps why Soonyoung indulged in social interaction? Because he could meet someone like that uncle, whom he might not have met otherwise?

Yuna thought about her dance instructor herself. Fortunately, they were able to meet due to circumstances. But if she gave a chance to the people around her... If she gave a chance to them, maybe she would realise there were more people who cared. She just never gave them the opportunity.

And perhaps, she was thankful that at the very least, she gave Soonyoung and herself the chance to know one another better.

"Ever since then, he had become my companion even though I moved places very often. He likes playing the harmonica at the usual place, because he thinks the sun is the brightest there."

"Where the sun is the brightest?" questioned the doubtful young girl. Worry swarmed her heart. Did the elder stand day after day at that same exact spot, scorched by the burning sun? Surely he would've suffered from heat !

Soonyoung snickered. For some reason, Yuna felt like his laughter echoed the old man's.

"Don't worry, he's not stupid. He's smarter than he looks. I worried about him before but he just told me I was being a nosy kid," Soonyoung simply said. But that wasn't enough to pacify the swelling worry in Yuna's heart.

Perhaps sensing her hesitation, Soonyoung continued, "The sun isn't usually as glaring as it is today, and he knows to take shelter in the shophouses if it does. And sometimes, the aunts and uncles are kind to offer him drinks." Then, he stared at Yuna.

1.

2.

3.

...Before erupting into laughter again.

The girl groaned. She was hearing more of Soonyoung's laughter lately, and she wasn't entirely sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"I have a feeling you're thinking about something bad," she stated.

The boy could only blink innocently.

"No? Not at all?" he coughed out in between his chuckling.

"Well, this is gonna become problematic if you keep laughing at how beautiful I am. I think we should call it quits now," Yuna exaggerated, clearly setting a trap for him to jump in. And he did.

Either he was incredibly dense, or his thoughts had been sent off-kilter by his laughter. Yuna guessed it was the latter.

"N-No! It's just... You're such a worrywart," Soonyoung blurted out. The death glare he received from Yuna was probably a hundred times more severe than before.

"Oh, and you just realised that? I guess worrywart Choi Yuna should leave now."

Feigning hurt, Yuna was about to walk off, but before she could take another step, Soonyoung had already caught her arm.

When she turned back, he flashed his signature grin as he proposed, "Let's go! I have a place to show you."

"No. This worrywart over here is worried that the guy leading her isn't reliable enough," Yuna teased, not wanting to surrender to the boy just yet.

Without letting his guard down, Soonyoung said, "Well, then this guy here will hold the worrywart's hand so that she'll feel safe." Saying that, he glanced at their intertwined hands, before ending the battle with a triumphant smirk.

"Also, I have an offer. If you come, I'll treat you to something special."

Yuna's heart skipped a beat. Or two. Or three. She raised her eyebrows.

"Is this a bribe?"

"Nope, it's a trade," Soonyoung said without missing a beat. The girl inspected him carefully, not knowing what tricks the boy held. Still, she didn't mind whatever he pulled out of his sleeve. She would follow him like he was her compass.

"Deal. It better be worth my while."

Thus, Soonyoung introduced her to that oh-so-mysterious place. Not the Han River, unlike what she might think. Instead, it was a dog shelter. Yuna never knew that Soonyoung liked animals, but with how he held a long conversation with the owner, it was apparent that he was a frequent visitor, perhaps even a volunteer. After they were done, Soonyoung beckoned her over to a scene which she was very much unfamiliar with.

Cages. Cages and cages of dogs lined up the interior of the shelter. Most of the dogs were peeping over, curious to see who the new visitors (and possibly new owners) were, though some others were just napping, too tired and weary to cast a glance.

Some of the dogs had a bandage around one of their legs, and those injured ones who peeked out of their cages had to limp to the cage door. Other healthier ones scratched on the cage doors, aching for the taste of freedom. Just the sight of them pained the ballerina's heart. She recalled of the times when she would pass by a few stray animals in the midst of her haste, some abandoned by their owners. But never had she seen injured animals like these, and to think of how a possible reason behind their injuries was abuse, she shuddered at the cruelty that humanity had displayed.

Soonyoung petted one of the dogs which seemed to be a Korean Jindo. The Jindo returned his affections by on his hand, appearing fond of the boy.

"He's 4 years old," he remarked. Yuna nodded, staring at the dog in mere awe and worry, because she continued to recall the atrocious news of dog meat trades in Korea. The world around her was suffering, yet she never ever paid much attention to them while she was in the midst of her dance with time.

"The Play group is going to arrive soon. Do you want to stay to help?" Soonyoung asked, withdrawing his hand away from the dog. Although Yuna didn't know the meaning behind that, she nodded anyway. Anything to help these little furries!

After a bunch of people came to lead the dogs out, Soonyoung and her were stuck cleaning the kennels. The boy himself appeared experienced, considering how he darted from one kennel to another, but it was Yuna's first time, you know... cleaning after dog poo.

"Wow, Kwon Soonyoung, you're amazing. I can't imagine what dates we'll be going on if we're to date," Yuna marvelled, partially out of horror and thrill, as she crawled about picking up the remains left by the dogs.

"So you admit you've thought about it? What a weird timing to confess your feelings, Choi Yuna."

"Hmph. I just wonder how special the treat you'll be giving me will be."

"This is the treat," Soonyoung bluntly stated.

Silence.

Then, Yuna bursted out, "What?"

"Well, it's special, isn't it?" the mischievous boy had an infruriating smug grin on his face, which Yuna felt like wiping off.

"Wow, you're really amazing..." she mumbled. Though, frankly speaking, she didn't think she would mind, even though many people might shudder doing such a dirty job. In fact, the whole experience of getting down to volunteer for a meaningful cause indeed gave her an overwhelming sense of achievement. She hadn't felt such adrenaline rushing through her veins for a long time, even though that sounds weird. Yuna actually felt pumped up cleaning.

"Race you to the last kennel, Soonyoung! Everything must be cleaned to absolute perfection!"

The boy stared at the girl, wide-eyed. Yuna swiftly swept up the remains and other trash up into her plastic bag, and she continued on with the momentum for the rest of the kennels. Like he was deciding not to lose to the spirited girl, Soonyoung also made his way like a massive vacuum machine. Eventually, the first to emerge as the victor was... unsurprisingly Soonyoung.

"Aww, I was hoping for a plot twist," Yuna muttered, but the smile on her face was ever radiant. She had gone out to try out some new things for the past few months, and she had to admit cleaning up the dog shelter wasn't a terrible idea. At least, if she thought of those dogs she saw...

"There is. How can anyone be so worked up over cleaning dog kennels? I wasn't even as excited as you were when I first started out," Soonyoung remarked, seemingly still astonished by Yuna's random outburst.

The curve of her lips never faded as she tied the plastic bag up, ready to dispose the waste into the trash bin.

"I guess when it's new, it's just different. So I naturally get excited all over it. And besides, I feel like protecting them," she muttered, thinking about those little furries once again.

"Does it happen often? I mean, new dogs coming into the shelter? Intact, injured, or even worse, dead?"

The boy shrugged, his tiny, deep brown eyes staring at the cages.

"I don't know the details very well, but there has been many new entries lately. Sometimes, they're beaten up so badly that they can't even survive," the boy whispered with a forlorn voice. She nodded slightly, not knowing what to say. The lingering smell of their remains on her gloves was pungent, and a bitter taste formed in .

"Why did you start volunteering?" Yuna questioned next, curious. When did Soonyoung start looking out for these dogs? What were his experiences?

His distant eyes appeared to be reminiscing about the past, as he started sharing...

"I was thirteen, perhaps."

I was still a young, naive kid, and didn't know much about the world or about what I wanted to do. I was a lot like the kids in my age, basically, until my eyes lay upon something horrifying.

I witnessed someone throw a small, little puppy on the pavement, when I was going home from school. There was a paper bag surrounding his neck tightly, like it was suffocating him. I shouted for him to stop, but then the guy ran away, leaving the poor tabby behind. My father was with me at that time, so he called the animal shelter to free that poor little tabby from his suffering.

Honestly, it was... appalling. I just simply couldn't believe that someone had the decency to do that. At that time, my friends were relatively pleasant, still blissful in ignorance. Homework wasn't that much of a drag, and there was food for us. I didn't have an illness either. But because of that, I realised there were many animals out there crying for help, and when I grew up, I realised there were also other people who needed someone to care.

But maybe, dogs still had a special place in my heart, and so I decided to go to a dog shelter and serve. Someday, I hope I can reach out to more people, maybe through my dancing. That somewhere down the road, a life is waiting for them to save...

...So, I started from the streets, where too many people didn't care; too many people were lost in their own time. Before they lost themselves, they had to find themselves somewhere. And I was hoping to make a difference, no matter how little.

And maybe, I want to heal you too, from the pain you have to suffer. You don't have to dance alone, Yuna. 

The girl could only listen quietly. No other words could be said. The meaning dancing had to Soonyoung was tremendous, to the point that Yuna almost felt ashamed of herself for being blind all along.

"You're wise, Soonyoung," she finally uttered.

"Not all the time," he admitted.

Silence lingered, as they momentarily brooded over their conservations in unison. The impact they had in each other's lives, and not just that, the impact they could make to others beyond them...

Individually, they might be dull, but together, they surely shined, as cliche as that sounds. Yuna, with the experience to show, and Soonyoung, with the sight to tell...

Could they successfully tell stories their dancing? And would their viewers be able to understand?

Perhaps, they had to keep dancing on to find out.

This is Act 3 of Yuna and Soonyoung's ballet, a dance to unleashing their inner fears, desires and hopes.

To get to know the couple and their growth, they went back to the school they were at once.

As a part of the school alumni, the students could go back to visit the teachers. After reuniting with their respective teachers for a moment, they went back to the dance training room where they had spent quite a lot of their free time in, together.

Overcome with nostalgia, they merely sat still, just gazing at the sleek brown ground of the training room. It still looked relatively untouched, although judging by the booking list outside, some students who had the passion for dancing still came in just to practise.

Soonyoung, in the meantime, was reflecting on his lost years wasted due to his hesitation.

As if she was reading his mind, Yuna started, "You know, you never really told me why you were late,"

The street dancer hummed, recalling his past memories of being a street dancer and his internal turmoil. He wasn't sure if he could share them with Yuna. They involved his weaknesses, the flaws of his confident side which he never wanted anyone to see. As a performer, he only wanted to present his best side to his audience.

But perhaps, he could trust in Yuna just a little more.

He explained, "Hmm. I just wasn't sure about committing to dancing. I knew there were better paths for me, if I wanted to take them. And so... I hesitated. I dawdled for two years. And..." he stopped, like he was somewhat ashamed to admit it, but still he pressed on, "I wanted to quit street dancing a lot of times, but always came back to it anyway."

"I... see," Yuna noted. She probably didn't expect that coming.

"But why? Why were you so unsure?" she asked.

Surely, Soonyoung felt the same way too.

"I wasn't sure if I could make it. Years of dancing, and years without hope... I didn't think I was passionate enough like the other dancers to give up my whole life for dancing. Besides, money is also problematic, as much as I hate to say that. It's just... I don't think I can last, just hoping that I may succeed some day. I need something real to cling on to," he remarked.

"And I found it. That something real being you."

Yuna blinked, looking almost touched by his words.

He confessed, "The uncle encouraged me a lot, and so did my parents and friends, but you were like my idol in some regard... I guess? You were so passionate for dancing that it amazed me. And then, you told me to listen my own voice. Which was probably how I found out that dancing is really for me." After saying that, he rubbed the nape of his neck sheepishly, a little embarrassed by what he had said. 

The girl's beam was bright like a ray of light.

She said, "You need to believe in yourself sometimes. Trust... Trust is important. And trusting in yourself to get through whatever comes is important too. Even if you fail, you must believe you can stand up afterwards. That's all there is to it," she said. Soonyoung nodded, like he had already known all of that thanks to a certain someone.

"Yeah. I'm in the process of trusting myself and others too," he acknowledged.

"And so, let's do something fun. We'll dance in front of each other, and we'll treat it like an official performance. How about that?"

"Wait... now?" Yuna questioned, shocked. Sure, they had danced in front of each other before, but it was more of a demonstration and not something as burdensome as that. Soonyoung gazed at her, nodding firmly. As if to lead the way, he stood up and took the stage. He knew Yuna was staring at him, and he tried not to shiver too much under her gaze.

Frankly speaking, he was unsure too. But he wanted to show Yuna his progress as a dancer, and in fact, he wanted to know about her progress as a dancer too. They had to know each other's dance first before they could dance on together. That was why he decided to persist through this... He had to persist through this.

And so, he started.

He couldn't see anything, except the spinning walls of the dancing room and the fixated eyes of a certain ballerina. He could only feel the still air slamming against his body and the gradual fatigue of his muscles. Still, whenever he executed a movement, he made sure that he put his heart and soul into that one action. His heart palpitated against his chest along with the beat of his dance, and his body moved fluidly like it was freely manipulated under his will. Before he knew it, the dance was over, and his erratic breathing echoed in the otherwise silent room.

Applause resounded, and then, he glanced down to the lone girl watching. She gave him a thumbs up, before praising him, "Nice. You're more relaxed than before, even though I'm here."

Soonyoung smirked, plopping down on the ground. Perhaps the gradual fading of his past fear really did wonders to his dancing.

"Maybe your presence just doesn't have that big of an effect on me," he said.

"Well, I feel challenged. Let's see if you can say that after I dance," Yuna declared more confidently than before. She stepped up towards the front with light steps, inhaling and exhaling, like she was preparing herself for a great test.

The dance that Yuna showcased was unusually weak initially. She floated about, as if swaying towards gravity but catching herself, barely. She was like a bird, wandering across the room without a direction in mind, and her movements were light and gentle as if to echo that very fact. Well, until what he presumed was the chorus hit. Her movements took a dramatic turn as she began to do a stunning and powerful Grand Jete, where she leapt into the air to perform a split. From there on, the flurry of movements gained speed and power as her body teetered with the direction of the air, like her body and the air were one. Then, her next challenge was the pirouette, where she spun on one foot and raised the other, touching the knee of the supporting leg. The moment she did that, her leg gave way, and her body dropped to the ground.

"Yuna!" Soonyoung called out. He didn't manage to reach out to her in time, and so the magnificent dance ended with a collapse of the ballerina. Yuna panted in short and quick breaths with beads of sweat trickling down her forehead.

She smiled, affirming, "I'm okay. It's just a phase."

"But..." Soonyoung hesitated, though he recognised the smile on Yuna's face. He couldn't imagine how much she might have to go through, dancing every second like it might be her last. And what could he do to help as a bystander? What could he do to lessen her pain?

He could do nothing, except pat her on the shoulder, telling her, "You did great. Elegant yet spirited. It's like you put in your whole life story into this one dance."

Hearing that, Yuna brightened up, her lips curling into a wide grin. The smile which Soonyoung cherished.

At the same night, they went out to the Han river. Yes, the Han river, a surprise proposal by the unbelievable Choi Yuna.

When they arrived, the placid waves of the water and soothing breeze welcomed them. It was literally a sea of darkness. Only the lights of the distant buildings and the trinkets surrounding the sides of the bridge glimmered. 

As they sat at on the ground, Soonyoung mentioned, "I thought you said all you see in the Han river is just sea and buildings? Why are you here now?"

Yuna had a sheepish smile on her face as she said, "I changed my mind, because I want to try floating on the sea too."

Soonyoung sent her a questioning glance as she casually picked up the camera by her side and snapped a few pictures. His gaze lingered at the new, foreign item. The only things that were ever attached to Yuna's bag were her ballet shoes. But when did that camera become a new addition?

"Did you pick up photography?" Soonyoung eventually guessed.

The girl merely nodded as she said, "Sometimes, I'm lost in the tracks of time and lose a lot of memories. This little thing over here helps me store them all." As she said that, she abruptly directed her camera towards the boy. A 'click' sound, and the photo flashed across the camera screen.

"Oooh, you came out really nice," she casually said. Soonyoung, stunned by her sudden action, managed to snap out of his daze and attempted to snatch the camera from her hands.

"Hey! That's cheating!"

"Nothing's ever fair in love and war," retorted Yuna.

But the moment she caught Soonyoung's gaze on her, she knew she was trapped. Totally and utterly.

The two didn't say anything. You could say it was the normal silence that had fallen on them, when they were lost in thought.

This... is dangerous. We've been fooling around for quite a lot. But, it's time, isn't it? Now, we're both sure of our feelings...

What would being in a relationship be like? Isn't the status burdensome? Wouldn't it be stressful for us, when we're still trainees?

I don't know for sure, but one thing I'm sure is-

"Hey, Soonyoung-"

I'll give it a try.

"Hey, Yuna-"

Both of them voiced out at the same time. Abruptly, both of them stopped, also at the same time.

"I have something to tell you," Soonyoung firmly stated.

"Hmm..." Yuna hesitated. "Go on."

Soonyoung dramatically sighed, like he was mentally preparing himself for something heavy.

"It's been some time, hasn't it? Since we knew each other. You may think I've been joking around, but amidst all the jokes and laughter, what's real is my intentions. At some point, you became my biorhythm, and I kept staying near you. I really do want to get to know you on a deeper level now, as a dancer, as Choi Yuna. Even if it'll be tough..." he paused a little, putting on a smile before continuing, "Let's do this together. Our dance."

"Will you... be my girlfriend?"

The girl's eyes glimmered along with the lights of the sea. Although Soonyoung was calmly delivering these words, she could see his fists shaking ever so slightly, probably wavering with fear and doubt. The words were heavy with responsibility and commitment, though she knew that if they put their hearts into it, they should be able to make it. They could make it. She held his hands with hers, returning his smile with her own.

"I will. We'll do this together, for sure."

For now, they weren't lost in time, but just in each other's eyes. Or momentarily, before Soonyoung snatched the camera to take a peek.

"Hey, that's cheating!"

"All's fair in love and war," Soonyoung smugly plagiarised the cliche line, catching a glimpse of his own photo.

"Wow, this guy looks really handsome," he shamelessly said.

Yuna frowned, snatching back the camera.

"And narcissistic, I must add."

"You like that narcissistic guy. Does that make you a boot er?" he asked an unfair question.

With a vicious scowl, the girl said in a menacing voice, "Wow, you're finally showing your true colours now, Kwon Soonyoung. Come here... I have to get some blackmailing material."

"Blackmailing material? What do you mean-" Before he knew it, the girl had knocked him down, and the two engaged in a struggle for reputation and ego.

In the meantime, unknown to the couple, the clock's hands had turned 11:11. Everything was in place, just like how it should be.

A/N: Finally, we've reached the chapter we've all been waiting for! I wanted to write all their sweet moments here actually, but this chapter is already 6K words, so I'll leave it to the next chapter (which is going to be a little depressing if you see the chapter title, heh). Thank you guys for all your support to this story so far, even though my updates have been slow! Unfortunately, I'll continue to be a turtle author because I have exams coming up, and I really do need to focus on them. However, I will not give up on this fic! Neeever ever!
*P.S. Too many song references here, actually. LOL. I also love Seventeen's newest song, Don't Wanna Cry, and it fits so perfectly with Rough it's like magic. :D
*P.S.S. Animal abuse is a really real issue and I want to showcase that in this story, even though I may not write a full-fledged story on it (I hope I will be able to someday, though!) And just in case you're confused, Soonyoung's POV has appeared two times in this story. Yuna's POV is mostly shown, but I want to show Soonyoung's POV during the 'Get-to-know-Yuna' part just to reveal his thoughts on her and her story. His thoughts are also revealed in the 'Back-to-school' part, mainly because of the dance segments. We can't just read about watching people dance, right? We have to read about how the dancers feel too! :P I really at writing dance descriptions so hope they were okay for you guys.