Just when your hands reached out for the papers that were being passed down, someone's hand beat you to it, before placing them neatly on the table before you. 'Here you go~' You looked at Jongup strangely as your eyes shifted to and fro between the paper and him.

For once, he wasn't asleep during lessons, neither was he playing with his phone. And, to elaborate your point on how weird he was acting, he was actually grinning at you from ear to ear as he did not remove his eyes from you. 'Thank you?' You answered, not sure if all he was waiting for was simply an acknowledgement from you.

'You're welcome~' And with that, Jongup turned back to his work- Wait. Why is he actually reading that handout? Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Did the sun rise from the west? ... Did I miss something important?









'Okay. What do you want from me?' You have had enough, seeing him place a bottled Starbucks frappucino along with a post-it note on your desk.

     To: My Soulmate~
     Have a coffee, have a great day~
     Love, your one and only, Soulmate~


It was already his third act of extreme kindness that day, after him paying for your lunch during lunch break just thirty minutes ago.

'What do you mean? I just wanted to show my appreciation for having a friend like you.'

'We never established the fact that we are friends. And I, for one, never agreed to be friends with you.' You mumbled, eyes darting to the clock at the front of the class. There was still five minutes until the teacher appears. And you weren't sure if you wanted to avoid an explanation on his part, since you could see that he was expecting something from you. Perhaps you should have just kept quiet and accepted the coffee. Nope, that wouldn't have worked too.

'Ouch. That hurts.' Jongup feigned pain as he clutched onto his chest dramatically, not forgetting to pout at you. 

'Spill.' You said, as you shifted the bottle along with the post-it note onto his desk.

'It's nothing, really.'

But when he pushed the bottle back again, it came along with a new A5 piece of paper. With the words: ANNUAL BUSAN DANCE COMPETITION bolded across the header.

'What is this?'

'You know what it is. It's written there.' Jongup pointed to the bolded words, mentally preparing himself for your outburst - You tearing the paper, screaming at him, throwing the paper crumbs at him, drowning his newly ironed uniform that he was wearing in the overpriced coffee-

'And why are you showing me this?'

Your eyes followed his finger as it shifted downwards to the conditions for the Preliminary Round and spotted the words 'not participating' and 'opposite gender'. 

'So?'

You saw how Jongup's eyes changed from pure panic to something calmer, when he realised that you probably wouldn't do anything close to murdering him. 'Please?'

Just then, the door to the classroom opened and in came the lecturer. At the same time, you diverted your attention away from him, signalling an end to the conversation. For the time being.


 

After two days of failing, Jongup decided to switch his battle plan up a notch from 'appeal' to 'passive-agressive'.

'I saved you the other time, so you shall be my dance partner.'

You retaliated as you slammed your locker door in his face, before heading to your next class. 'You didn't save me. You found me after I saved myself.'

'I carried you home when you sprained your ankle!'

'You shocked me, which was how I sprained my ankle to begin with.'

Okay. This is hard. 'I'll spread rumours that you're dating Daehyun and and and-'

You did not bother to glance at Jongup as he tried hard to think of something else. Now what is he going to come up with? 'And?'

'And that you're cheating on him by going out with me!'

'What absurdity is that? Shut up before I stab you.' You held out your math compass at him, aiming the pointed needle threateningly. 'I know enough pressure points to kill.'

'Why do you hate me so much when I like you.'

'You only like me when you saw the conditions to the poster.'

'True. But do you know it's dangerous to carry that weapon around?'

You have already lost count of the number of attempts Jongup has made to persuade you into helping him out. And to make things worse, he has been reaching school much earlier just to pester you into it. 'Shouldn't you ask your girlfriend?' You sighed, still not convinced with his antics. 

'Ex-girlfriend. We broke up.'

Well that's new. 'Sure. But you probably know a lot of proper dancers, like in the dance club or outside of school.'

'But they're all joining the competition in a way or another, it says no participants as helpers.'

'Why are they making life hard for me...' You mumbled under your breathe, which Jongup managed to catch on clearly. 

'Can't you see that they are making MY life hard too?!'

But with that one statement from you, he knew that there was still hope. As it meant that you weren't exactly against the idea totally. He knew you wouldn't leave a drowning Jongup alone.



 

'Why is Jongup sticking to you so much recently?'

'You know the dance competition? He's trying to get me to help him.'

Daehyun stilled for a moment as he tried to process what you just said. However, no matter how hard he thought about it, it didn't make sense to him. He's getting her to what?

There was silence for a moment, before Daehyun spoke up again. 'So are you going to help him?'

'I don't know... He has been pestering me about since the day he saw the poster. I've been getting free lunches thanks to it.' You said as you pointed to the food before you. It was the one of the few lunch times that you didn't share with Jongup, which was also your rare breathers these few days. 

'Do you want me to talk to him? I can try persuading him to find someone else if you want. I know some good dancers who might not be joining.'

'Oppa, are you joining?' 

'Probably.'

'Have you thought of who to ask yet?'

'Not really.'

When you were about done with your food, Daehyun pulled you back gently by your shoulder and made you turn to him. 'You don't have to agree to him just because he's guilt-tripping you okay? Don't pressure yourself into it.'


 

'It's only for the preliminaries. No one else will know that you can dance.'

Jongup has been following you everywhere. Literally everywhere. Walking you to classes, and even waiting outside the washroom for you.

And you were starting to notice how people were taking note of your presence. Which was not what you wanted, at all. 

'If I agree, will you stop lingering around me? People are going to start thinking that there's something between us.'

'I'll do anything as long as you agree!'

You sighed. 'Okay. Now, disappear.'

'So is that a yes?'

'Shut up before I change my mind.'

'Yes! Thanks soulmate~ Love you!' And with that, the male cheerfully skipped down the corridor.

You weren't sure why he was so bent on getting you to agree to him. And it didn't struck him either, when you finally agreed to him.
 

'But I've never taken part in any competition before.' Despite agreeing, you were still trying your best to get out of the deal. You, in a dance competition? It did not make sense at all. 

'You're just helping me get past the preliminary round! I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be grading you.' 

'But what if I screw up that badly that it actually pulled you down?'

'Then you can just keep practicing until you don't screw up!'

'That's SO helpful. But can you get out or something, I can't practice with you around.' You said as you watched Jongup settling comfortably in the studio, where he could have a clear look of the entire room, and you. He insisted on coming over to gauge your skills, which means that he'll be sitting in the corner while you did your usual practices. 

But then again, you were confused as to why he was 'gauging your skills' only after submitting the registration slip with your details under the partner portion. And I don't think he would risk losing out straight in the preliminary rounds just because of a person like me? 

 

'What are you doing with my phone?'

'Shh. It's your break time, you should replenish your energy.' Jongup threw a water bottle and towel at you, before resuming his attention to your phone - which he successfully unlocked within the first try. It was a simple feat, seeing how you were never discreet with it. 

Fine, there's nothing interesting in it anywa-

'Daedae oppa? Are you for real?' You choked slightly on the water that you were drinking, before throwing a glare at him. And for the very first time, he saw a tinge of pink ink your cheeks. Is she blushing? 

'Don't you dare tell him that!'

'And meanwhile I'm- I'm- Hey. You didn't even save my number?' His fingers hurriedly swiped through your contacts, trying to find something that could calm himself down. Though he wasn't too sure what it was that he was looking for. 

'Am I supposed to save it as Jongjongie then?'

He felt his heart skip a beat when you said that, and he froze. No, I can't feel like this. She's just a friend. A nice friend who's helping me out. 'Well at least save it as something.'

'If you're going to add hearts, help me add double the amount to Daedae oppa.'

His finger stopped midair right before he was about to type in the third heart, and he glanced up at you, only to find you scrutinizing the bottle in your hands. 

'If anyone is to misunderstand I'd rather they think it's Daehyun oppa.'

'Misunderstand what? That we're dating?'

'It's okay, you don't have to worry about it. I don't think anyone will think that far.' You shrugged as you spotted the door to the studio opening, revealing the familiar jingle of keys. 

'Guys, it's time to close up. Don't forget your things again Hyemin.'

'Okay oppa!'

You have been walking for a good couple of minutes before you actually realised that Jongup has been following you back to your place. 'Where's your house?' 

'The other way.'

'Then why are you walking with me.'

'I have to make sure you get home safely.'

'You don't have to, I can take care of myself.'

'No you can't.' And as usual, you turned to side-eye him as he remained oblivious to your glaring. 

'What makes you think that I can't. I even fended off that drunk man myself.'

'And got the shock of your life when someone approached you again, until you realised it was me.'

'You still don't have to walk me home.'

'Just because I'm not Daehyun hyung?'

'Can you stop it with the Daehyun oppa! You sound like you're obsessed with him or something.'

'You're the one who's obsessed with him, not me.' Jongup snorted before continueing. 'Daedae oppa. While I don't even get a name.'

However, Jongup did not know that you already have his number etched in your mind.


 

     From: Daehyun Hyung

     Jongup, do you want to practice together? 

Jongup looked at his phone weirdly. Practice? Together? 

For? 

     The dance preliminaries. I heard from Hyemin that you're asking her for help too?

So she's helping hyung too? And that girl didn't even tell me anything.

 

[A/N] Hello!! Hope that you're enjoying the story so far~

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